To win the Best Duo category at the 2015 BBC Folk Awards is quite an achievement at any stage of an artists’ career. But just two years prior to this accolade Josienne Clarke and Ben Walker were virtually unknown on the folk scene (or any other, for that matter). So their success is quite remarkable. Now signed to Rough Trade Records, Josienne and Ben will be touring extensively in the UK this Spring.
Josienne and Ben had been performing to one woman and a disinterested dog at London acoustic nights since 2009. Following the release of their first two albums One Light Is Gone and The Seas Are Deep, interest began to grow in discerning pockets of the blogging community. But it was musician and producer Jim Moray who persuaded them of a far bigger audience who’d appreciate their classically instilled traditional songs and self-penned lovelorn ballads. Although Josienne was initially sceptical that the folk and roots scene would welcome outsiders, the reviews, end-of-year polls and nominations that greeted their 2013 album Fire & Fortune would prove her gratifyingly wrong.
But it’s their latest album that has drawn the most attention and plaudits – earning five star reviews across the board. Entirely self-financed, self-produced, self-arranged and released on the Folk Room label they co-run, 2015’s Nothing Can Bring Back The Hour was a hugely ambitious, uncompromised realisation of everything Josienne and Ben had planned when they met six years ago.
While much of their music is characterised by lush chamber ensemble orchestrations, what truly sets them apart is the combination of Josienne’s exquisitely nuanced, emotionally affecting voice and Ben’s intricately expressive, adroit guitar technique. They cite Sandy Denny, June Tabor, Nic Jones and Pierre Bensusan as respective influences but theirs is a captivating sound that’s all their own.
Although Ben Walker (who grew up in Worcestershire) studied classical guitar from childhood and Josienne Clarke (from West Sussex) is a classical music degree dropout, both are keen to stress that they’re “bog standard comprehensive school kids” who didn’t benefit from a conservatoire education. The elegance and sophistication of their music comes entirely from their own discipline, rigour and craft. To emphasise the point, Josienne has been known to quip: “We’re not posh, just pretentious!”
This self-deprecating humour is key to their much-loved live shows. Given Josienne’s often devastatingly sad and poetic lyrics, and the frequently death and doom-laden nature of the old songs they interpret, she feels it’s only fair to lighten the mood. Otherwise they’d need to tour with a member of The Samaritans on hand for post-gig counselling. The misery, mirth and sheer beauty of their performances has taken them to such auspicious stages as Cambridge Folk Festival, Bristol’s Colston Hall and London’s Purcell Rooms, a far cry from the pub backrooms where they began.
After their ovation-stirring rendition of The Banks of The Sweet Primroses at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards this year, 6 Music DJ Cerys Matthews fell in love with the music of Josienne and Ben and invited them to appear in the National Theatre’s production of Our Country’s Good. The play, which ran from August to October 2015 at the Olivier Theatre, also featured two of Josienne and Ben’s original compositions.
The way this duo inhabit songs that are centuries old, making them personal and present again, and their gift for pricking the heart with tales of everyday love and loss makes the music of Josienne Clarke and Ben Walker a rare and precious thing.
Spring Tour Dates:
- Friday 6th May – Holmfirth Festival of Folk – http://www.holmfirthfestivaloffolk.co.uk
- Saturday 7th May – Acapela Studio, Pentrych, Cardiff – https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/date/FEMLLG
- Sunday 8th May – Hitchin Folk Club – http://www.hitchinfolkclub.idnet.net/programme.html
- Monday 9th May – Stafford Gatehouse Theatre – 01785 619 080 – https://www.staffordgatehousetheatre.co.uk/en-GB/shows/josienne%20clarke%20-%20ben%20walker/info
- Friday 13th May – Doncaster, Ukranian Centre – 0793 9148 603 – http://www.rootsmusicclub.co.uk/whats_on.html
- Sunday 15th May – Birmingham Town Hall – 01217 803 333 – http://www.thsh.co.uk/event/future-folk-featuring-false-lights-josienne-clarke-and-ben-walker-and-dan-walsh/
- Monday 16th May – London, The Green Note – http://www.folkonmonday.co.uk/index.php/forthcoming-events?id=191
- Tuesday 17th May – Cambridge, Stapleford Granary – 01223 849 004 – http://staplefordgranary.org.uk/whats-on/jcbw16-josienne-clarke-ben-walker.aspx
- Wednesday 18th May – Ramsbottom Folk Club – venue tbc – http://themet.biz/event/josienne+clarke+%26+ben+walker/2462/
- Thursday 19th May – Tameside venue tbc
- Friday 20th May – St Helens, The Citadel – 01744 735 436 – http://www.citadel.org.uk/whats-on/smaller-rooms-presents-josienne-and-ben-p387711
- Sunday 22nd May – Kingkerswell Parish Church – www.worldunlimited.co.uk
- Wednesday 25th May – Kirkham, The Willows Folk Club – http://thewillowsfolkclub.co.uk/The_Willows_Folk_Club/Appearing_next.html
- Thursday 26th May – The Black Swan, York – http://www.wegottickets.com/event/341686
- Saturday 27th May – Chester Folk Festival – http://www.chesterfolk.org.uk/festival.html
- Friday 3rd June – Stonehaven Folk Club – http://www.stonehavenfolkclub.co.uk/#!performers-2016/c4qu
- Saturday 4th June – Otley Courthouse – https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/date/FFELFL
- Thursday 23rd June – Montrose Folk Club – http://www.montrosefolkclub.co.uk/category/latest-news/
- Saturday 25th June – Bute – St. Paul’s Church Hall – 01700 502 287 – http://www.transclydemusic.co.uk/#!2016-gigs/cee5
Further details http://josienneandben.co.uk/
