Straws in the Wind

Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick - the legendary, ground breaking duo wrote and re-wrote the book on arranging and performing traditional material in an exciting and vibrant way.

Martin Carthy broke onto the emerging folk scene in the early 1960s coming together with and influencing many like minded musicians, including soon to be superstars Bob Dylan & Paul Simon. At the same time, Dave Swarbrick was the hot young firebrand fiddler with the popular Ian Campbell Folk Group. They soon hooked up and took the whole folk scene by storm. They recorded several exciting albums at the time which are now regarded as classics of the genre.

At the suggestion of Joe Boyd, Dave joined Fairport Convention to complete the definitive line-up which recorded "Liege & Lief", voted the "Most Influential Folk Album of All Time" in the 2006 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Dave was a Fairport mainstay for many years becoming the most popular English folk fiddler of his generation. He collected a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2004 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

Martin Carthy kept a solo career going while also joining many of the most popular folk groups of the day… Steeleye Span, The Watersons, Brass Monkey and Waterson:Carthy among them. Martin has become an English folk institution, continually in the media with his authoritative and meaningful utterances on folk music and the world in general. He was awarded an M.B.E for services to folk music in 1998 and twice won the BBC Radio 2 Folk Singer of the Year Award in 2002 and 2005. Martin & Dave came together again in the early 1990s, touring and recording two albums for Topic Records, 'Life & Limb' and 'Skin & Bone'. There followed a period of ill health for Dave Swarbrick with a celebrated moment in April 1999 when the Daily Telegraph ran a very premature obituary while Dave was ill in hospital in his home city of Coventry. With his usual good humour, Dave retorted, "It's not the first time I have died in Coventry." He has now made a strong recovery from major surgery and is back in the music which is an integral part of his make-up, re-joining with Martin to record an album and tour extensively to support it.

'Straws in the Wind' brings them together again after fourteen years for fourteen great performances of ageless traditional songs and tunes. Their experienced approach to their art lacks none of the fervour of their early days, and brings an intensity and maturity born from many years living with the music that is an integral part of their beings.

'Straws in the Wind' is a new and exciting creation from of one of the great and enduring partnerships in folk music. Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick are making music just as vital and essential now in the 21st century as they were forty years ago when they turned the folk music world on its head with their electrifying and inspirational performances and recordings which brought the excitement of a rock gig to folk audiences. The media will respond to the reformation of one of the best loved musical combinations beyond just reviews and major press is expected. as well a huge interest from the record buying public.