Description
Following on from the success of their debut album, Anglo-Scottish duo Janice Burns & Jon Doran are back with their first Christmas Album, Great Joy to the New. An album that is rooted in tradition, in all senses of the word. It draws strongly on traditional material, as well as the customs and rituals that draw people together through the winter to bring light to dark nights. These beautiful, colourful, musical traditions - born of necessity, and linked by the need to sustain us through harsh winters. It's a collection of traditional folk songs, not just about Christmas, but about looking ahead with optimism for the new year ahead.
Since meeting, Janice and Jon have compared their own winter rituals and become fascinated with the traditions of their ancestors. Jon - being raised in the west country - found wassailing and mumming commonplace, whilst Janice - from Glasgow - recalled more of a focus on family parties and first footing at Hogmanay. The album explores customs from across the UK - from the wren boys in Pembrokeshire, to the ram plays in and around Derbyshire.
It wouldn't be Christmas without gathering friends around, Janice and Jon worked once more with producer Andy Bell, and mastering engineer Sam Proctor. They also enlisted Ben Nicholls (Seth Lakeman, Sam Sweeney Band) on double bass, Mari Bjorkoy leading a traditional Norwegian winter song, and a six-piece brass band playing on 4 of the tracks with arrangements by Jon Boden (Bellowhead). If that wasn't enough, the duo also formed a mini choir for backing vocals, including folk legend Sandra Kerr.
