Harp And A Monkey

Celebrating Northern Life

Harp and a Monkey mix traditional folk instruments with electronic beats and background in an electro-storytelling set of songs, old and new, that celebrate northern life, in a style that makes them, according to fRoots “one of the most vital and charismatic things happening in English folk music right now”.

Introduced by singer/ historian Martin Purdy this show has original and re-worked traditional songs.

The harp ‘n’ banjo driven electro-folk-storytelling of Martin Purdy (vocals, glockenspiel, accordion, harmonica and keyboards), Simon Jones (harp, guitar, viola) and Andy Smith (banjo, melodica, guitar and programming) is imbued with a deep Lancashire sensibility that shines through in their beautifully crafted and sometimes spooky vignettes of northern life, love and remembrance.

The trio’s melodic and hauntological storytelling, which is always underpinned by a firm commitment to classic songsmithery, has caught the attention and support of the likes of Steve Lamacq, Mark Radcliffe and Mike Harding on BBC Radio 2, Lopa Kothari and Nick Luscombe on BBC Radio 3, Folk Radio UK and many more international, national and regional broadcasters.

The show will be preceded by a 30-minute talk / Q & A at the start of the evening by Harp and a Monkey singer, raconteur and published WW1 historian Martin Purdy who has made many recordings of WW1 veterans and is based at the Westfield Memorial Village near Lancaster. Please bring any memorabilia you may want to show.