The day has finally come! Will Pound – the Warwickshire-born harmonica wizard and melodeon maestro – had one of the biggest folk album successes of 2020 with his ‘love letter to the E.U’, ‘A Day Will Come’.
He released the album celebrating the music of Europe in May 2020 soon after Britain left the European Union but the UK tour due to showcase it was scuppered by the pandemic. Now, two years on, the tour is back on course with six dates across five counties, featuring the original talented line-up.
Will had spent summer 2019 travelling across Europe meeting myriad musicians who, in turn, inspired the significant album marking the traditional music of the 27 member states.
The name of the album comes from an 1849 speech made by French writer Victor Hugo in which he spoke of a united Europe and the ‘disappearance of frontiers from maps and of prejudices from hearts’.
Will says: “This was never a pro Remain or pro Leave project – it’s about identity, music and the subject of home.”
The album, which also featured Scottish superstar Evelyn Glennie and Irish-American fiddler Liz Carroll, won huge acclaim being named as one of MOJO Magazine’s Top 10 Folk Albums of 2020 and Songlines Magazine’s Top 10 albums of 2020.
The release whipped up a whistle-stop journey of the music of a continent – from lively Swedish polskas to upbeat Italian tarantellas, swirling Irish jigs, buoyant French bourrées, relentless rachenistas from Bulgaria and sizzling Spanish jotas.
Now the musicians that joined forces on the album are reuniting to take the captivating music on the road, supported by Arts Council England.
The ensemble assembled especially for the project include 2019 Scots Trad Music Awards Musician of the Year Jenn Butterworth (Songs of Separation/Kinnaris Quintet) – an outstanding guitarist who was also nominated for BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Musician of the Year in 2019.
Joining Jenn is Jude Rees (Jim Moray, RSC, Pilgrims’ Way) on oboe, soprano saxophone and English border pipes; brilliant bass player John Parker (Nizlopi) and stand-out fiddle player Patsy Reid, the former Breabach member who has been described as ‘ the most in-demand traditional fiddle player in the UK’.
Naturally Will’s superb harmonica and meodeon playing will be to the fore and the show will also feature new poetry by Polish performance poet Bohdan Piasecki. Poland’s first Slam poet, he is now based in Birmingham and the poetry is inspired by interviews with EU nationals that have made England their home.
Dates
Tue 10 May: SOMERSET: St Andrew’s Church, Wiveliscombe http://www.silverstreetsessions.co.uk/programme.html#pound/
01984 623308
Wed 11 May: WARWICKSHIRE: Warwick Arts Centre
https://www.warwickartscentre.co.uk/whats-on/will-pounds-a-day-will-come-2235/
024 7652 4524
Tues 17 May: YORKSHIRE: Wakefield Theatre Royal. https://www.theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk/events/a-day-will-come-2021
01924 211 311
Weds 18 May: YORKSHIRE: Settle Victoria Hall
https://www.settlevictoriahall.org.uk/eventsandshows/will-pound-080519-d8dzn-587r4/
01729 825718
Thurs 19 May: SURREY:-Stanley Arts, Croydon
https://stanleyarts.org/event/will-pound/
020 8251 0184
Fri 20 May: OXFORDSHIRE: Oxford North Wall Arts Centre
https://www.thenorthwall.com/whats-on/will-pound-a-day-will-come/
01865 319 450
Further information https://willpound.com
