33 Bath Street
Leamington Spa CV31 3AF
Join Katie Spencer & Alan Thomson (fretless bass) for a special one-of-a-kind evening, celebrating the music of John Martyn. Spencer & Thomson will play a variety of John Martyn songs, including those from ‘Hurt In Your Heart’ – an EP released in 2021 featuring both musicians. They will also play a selection of Katie Spencer’s original songs.
As a bass player, Alan Thomson was another long-term member of John Martyn’s Band and an accomplished song-writer. His touring and writing credits include Robert Palmer, Rick Wakeman, Andy Summers, Bo Diddley, Denny Laine and Long John Baldry.
Raised in the East Yorkshire flatlands on the fringes of Hull, Katie Spencer’s landscape has always been that of open skies and widening rivers. Industry still shapes the city here. The people, as with the land, are moulded by tides and stark horizons. Stand in the same place for long enough and you can watch the sun rise over the North Sea and then sink into crop fields, glowing auburn in late-summer sun. It is this sense of space and movement that flows through Katie Spencer’s music.
The songwriting, and most notably her guitar playing stems from a time when the steel-stringed instrument was truly finding its voice. Artists like Joni Mitchell, James Taylor and perhaps most evidently Michael Chapman, flow into her sound, carrying with them the warmth and idealism of the early 70’s folk and songwriter movements.
Katie Spencer’s widely celebrated new album, The Edge of the Land (2022), follows her debut release, Weather Beaten (2019) which was praised for its unique song-craft, spell-binding musicianship and crystal sonic clarity, as she brought together fans of music from all backgrounds and walks of life. Delicate and un-rushed, the ten songs on The Edge of the Land drift by like ships on the horizon, yet intimacy and introspection still remain.
The inclusivity found in her recorded works is most apparent when on stage, with a personal connection and humour that allows the listener time to appreciate the emotion of the music. Her historical gig list is extensive, taking in the world-renowned Celtic Connections and Cambridge Folk Festival, whilst performances with Danny Thompson and Alan Thomson have left audiences in awe of her confidence and craftsmanship.
As live music has returned to our world, we can expect to see Katie Spencer where she belongs once more, eyes closed, in the moment, performing.
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