Wesselbobs by Bryony Griffith & Alice Jones
Following the success of their 2022 debut album "A Year Too Late and a Month Too Soon" which earnt the pair 5-star reviews and global airplay, Bryony and Alice present ‘Wesselbobs’, a brand new collection of old winter songs and tunes sourced from their native county of Yorkshire.
This carefully curated compilation of twelve wintery offerings features Bryony and Alice's signature sound of fiddle, harmonium, tenor guitar and body percussion, combined with their beautifully matched vocals and intricate harmonies, and of course, their trademark regional accents.
Together they have unearthed a treasure trove of traditional gems, featuring uniquely local versions of more classic seasonal songs, intuitively arranged to cast a spotlight on the rich traditions, tales and winter rituals they depict.
The album's title "Wesselbobs" refers to a local tradition whereby decorated, evergreen boughs, built around a spherical frame, were carried door to door by Wassailers or carol singers in the 18 and 1900s. Also known as Wessel-bobs, Wassail-bobs or Wesley-bobs, it most notably occurred in the communities of West Yorkshire.
The download includes a pdf of the sleeve notes, which give full lyrics and extensive song source information, beautifully interspersed with photographs.
Tracklist
Credits
Bryony Griffith – vocals and fiddle
Alice Jones – vocals, harmonium, tenor guitar made by Colin Kendall, body percussion
All tracks arranged by Bryony Griffith & Alice Jones
All tracks traditional except:
Track 3 Original lyrics and tune by Harry Wright
Track 6 Lyrics rewritten by Arthur Wood
Track 9 Lyrics by John Wesley
Track 11 Lyrics by George W. Moxon, tune by Bryony Griffith
Recorded, mixed and produced by Joe Rusby at The Arch Recording Studio, Southport, June/July 2023
Mastered by Nick Cooke at Nick Cooke Mastering
Design by Tom Pitts at Hand Drawn Pixels
Photography by Joanne Crawford
Hair and make-up by Rosie Butler-Hall
License
All rights reserved.Tags
Bryony Griffith & Alice Jones perform traditional folk songs from their native West Yorkshire. Featuring Fiddle, Harmonium, Tenor Guitar and intricate close harmony vocals in their distinctive regional accents, they combine a respect and understanding of tradition with a more contemporary style of folk performance.
"Straight up, beautiful & bold folk singing" Mark Radcliffe - BBC Radio 2