Album review: WILL POUND & JENN BUTTERWORTH – Volume 1

Bandcamp [Release date 24.02.23]

Two of the finest instrumentalists in traditional music combine to produce an album full of musical wonders. Jenn Butterworth won the  2019 Scots Trad Music Awards Musician of the Year accolade while Will Pound has been nominated for the Musician of the Year title at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award no less than three times.

Both have been involved in an array of projects and collaborations – Jenn as a member of Scotland’s Kinnaris Quintet and as one of the Songs of Separation project’s 10-strong female line-up – their release won Best Album at the 2017 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

Will played harmonica on the Hillsborough charity single, joining a line-up of pop and football stars, on the 2012 Christmas number on ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother’ and has featured on two Robbie Williams’ albums.

Jenn sings on the Peggy Seeger cover ‘There’s Better Things’, proving she has vocal talents to add to her guitar playing. Will’s harmonica playing gives the tune some added bounce. Then for something completely different the duo take on Handel’s ‘The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba’. Wonderfully done via melodeon and acoustic guitar, a delight on the listener’s ears and easy to see why this was an encore at their duo shows.

The harmonica and melodeon playing of Will Pound complements the guitar of Jenn Butterworth perfectly and their time performing together on tour certainly shows in the natural flow of the music, none more so than on ‘Speedy’ (a mix of two traditional tunes). Amazing to think this whole album was recorded live in just two days.

Amongst the traditional tunes are a few penned by Will Pound, including ‘Bourrees’, which feature Will on melodeon backed by Jenn on guitar.

A perfect listen to unwind too and immerse yourself in. Best news is as the title suggests this is the first volume and we will get at least another volume! ***1/2

Review by Jason Ritchie

Tour dates -

March 2nd: The Blue Room, Lincoln will-pound-and-jenn-butterworth/the-blue-room
March 4th: Core Music, Hexham www.coremusicshop.co.uk
March 5th: Flowergate Hall, Whitby (flowergatehall@gmail.com)
March 6th: Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh – 0131 228 1404
March 9th: The Barn, Lancaster – Tickets : (philbleazey@gmail.com)
March 10th: Temperance, Leamington Spa
March 11th: Quay Arts, Newport, Isle of Wight (01983 822490)
March 18th: The Institute, Laxey, Isle of Man www.theinstitute.im
For further details visit : www.jennbutterworth.co.uk or willpound.com

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In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

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