Chris Leslie announces new album

Chris Leslie announces new album

Yes, it’s true.

Somehow between writing and performing with Fairport Convention, working on his side gig with St. Agnes Fountain and collaborating with other musicians, Chris Leslie has carved out enough time to write and record a new 12-track solo album that he hopes to release around the first of the year on his own Paws Records.

“I’m really pleased with it so far,” said Leslie of the album. “I play some of the brand new songs in my solo gigs. They have seated in nicely.”

The album, which has a working title of Turquoise Tales, after an instrumental track he wrote for this album, includes three songs that he recorded with Fairport and has rearranged

Think of the songs as something akin to a book series installment as literate Leslie continues to illustrate the rich history of his Oxfordshire homeland through song.

Such was the case a few weeks ago at the Wessex Acoustic Folks Club, Blandford, Dorset. Leslie played his song ‘The New Fiddle’, which features the story of 18th Century violinmaker Benjamin Banks of 1760s in Salisbury.

“To make the club night extra special, Salisbury resident Trevor Marks brought his Benjamin Banks violin to the club,” said Kathy Dunn, who attended the performance. “Chris played it while singing the song.”

The multi-instrumentalist also melded Native American-flavored tunes into his set list with several songs including ‘Geronimo’s Cadillac’ by Michael Martin Murphy.

Little wonder that Mark Pidgeon was jovial in announcing that Leslie agreed to become and patron of Wychwood Folk Club.

“Our club is yet to reach two years old so getting the word out to the local populace has been hard work,” said Pidgeon. “Having a patron, especially a really big name like Chris Leslie as our figurehead helps, to spread the word that we are a serious folk club and not a Singaround/Karaoke type of club that are springing up in pubs/bars everywhere in the U.K….We are serious about the music we put on and are trying to mix some of the top local artistes in with the more established names.”

If you want to see Leslie in a solo concert, hurry. He only has a few dates left until he begins touring with St. Agnes Fountain and others.

Nancy Dunham

As a nice addition to this fantastic article, we have also included the Interview that Darren Beech and Paul Johnson did with the lovely Chris Leslie backstage at Cropredy 2015. Click on the player below to start the interview.

Chris Leslie Crop Interview Photo 2015

Artist’s website: http://www.chrislesliemusic.co.uk/


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