Description
Join us on 27th March for a very special film premiere! We’ll be previewing a full-length concert by Hannah James & Toby Kuhn, beautifully filmed by Ian Stephenson at Simpson Street Studios in Northumberland.
As some of you may know, Hannah and Toby are unable to go ahead with their UK tour, as Hannah has been too unwell to travel (although for lovely reasons, as she is expecting a little one!). This will therefore be a screening of a pre-recorded performance, although Hannah and Toby will be there to chat to us from their homes on the night. We look forward to bringing the community together to enjoy this performance and support the work of this incredible duo.
About Hannah James & Toby Kuhn
Hannah James and Toby Kuhn met in Summer 2018 at Floating Castle festival in Slovenia, and it was clear that these two musicians shared a common approach to music-making and a real artistic chemistry.
Award-winning folk musician, dancer and composer Hannah James is complemented perfectly by the virtuoso cello of Toby Kuhn. Known for her work with Lady Maisery, Maddy Prior, Sam Sweeney, Seasick Steve and Songs of Separation (with Eliza Carthy and Karine Polwart and more), Hannah is one of the key figures in the modern UK folk scene. Rooted in the English Tradition but enriched by her collaborations all over Europe, her charismatic blend of accordion, vocal and clog dancing forged an instant artistic chemistry with impressive French cellist Toby Kuhn.
Toby is a post-classical musician with a taste for improvisation and folk music of all persuasions. Always on the lookout for new ways to play his instrument, his unorthodox approach has won admiration and acclaim from Japan to Canada, bringing the full potential of the cello with him on his journey across style and invention.
Together, their music is soulful, original and conversational. The combination of accordion and cello allows for a huge palette of sounds and textures which lift James’s pure voice and deeply honest songwriting. In the next breath they switch to choppy rhythms and joyful interplay between cello and percussive dance.
Their debut album, Sleeping Spirals, was released in 2021 to considerable acclaim.
