Taking Routes

Simon Haworth - Second Solo CD
'Taking Routes' on Fellside Recordings FECD172

To order a copy of 'Taking Routes', send a cheque for Ł13.00 (inc p&p) made payable to 'Simon Haworth' to :- Simon Haworth, 58 Eleventh Avenue, Morpeth, Northumberland. NE61 2HT. UK.

Taking Routes features :
• Simon Haworth : Vocals, guitars, cittern, mandolin, keyboard, accordion & bass
• Terry Haworth : Vocals
• Steve Lawrence : Banjo, bouzouki, low whistle, mandola & percussion - Iron Horse member & session giant...
• Stewart Hardy : Fiddle - fiddle supremo
• Andy May : Northumbrian pipes, whistles, piano & keyboard - champion piper & fellow Bad Penny
• Rachel Unthank : Vocals & cello - great harmonies

A collection of 16 tracks of original material from Simon
Rory's Still / The Robert Peel / Working on the Land & the Template Reel / The Shetland Bus / Dodge the Jigs / Leaf to the Yard / Turn to the Sea / Myrdal / Young Henderson / The Lookout / The Irish Mail Train / Across the Northern Fells / The Milk Float Jigs / The Clennell Street Drover / An April Day / Talk of the Town

Simon's long-awaited new album 'Taking Routes' was launched at a special concert at Gateshead's Caedmon Hall on January 22nd 2003. The night was extra special as it was also the launch night for Andy May's debut CD, 'The Yellow Haired Laddie'.

The event was attended by 115 people and was a great success. A concert by the Simon & Andy featured both their fathers, Terry and Stan respectively. Other guests included Stewart Hardy (fiddle), Rachel Unthank (Vocals), Emily Ball (fiddle), Simon James (poem) and Graham Richardson (piano & concertina). A session followed.

With Simon playing on Andy's and Andy playing on Simon's it seemed the obvious thing to have a joint launch. Simon's album has guest appearances from Stewart Hardy, Steve Lawrence, Terry Haworth and Rachel Unthank whilst Andy's features Kathryn Tickell, Simon James and Stan May.

Known airplay so far includes 'Take the Floor' on BBC Radio Scotland with Robbie Shepherd, BBC Radio Gloucestershire, BBC Radio Newcastle with Alistair Anderson and BBC Radio Sheffield. Should anyone hear Taking Routes played elsewhere, please email Simon with details.

elderly.com/recordings - "A singer songwriter from the North of England whose songs have a very traditional flavor. Fans of Kate Rusby will enjoy these fine songs and vocals."

Clive Pownceby, Living Tradition - "Scarily it's over eight years since Simon emerged as part of the new wave of young British instrumental thrusters, breaking cover with input to the important 'Evolving Tradition' CD. As bassist with Jez Lowe's Bad Pennies since 1998 and more recently adding a partnership with fellow Penny, Andy May to his musical CV, his star can fairly be said to be in the ascendant. This second solo Fellside album sees the guitarist/singer-songwriter from Morpeth taking an entirely self-written path. Beautiful yearning melodies and tales draw inspiration from the wilds of the Northumberland/Cumbrian countryside he obviously knows and loves so well. The people and places of those lands that populate his songs are wide-screen - no small town concerns here. Opening track the vivid 'Rory's Still' has its hero, whisky running south from the Borders and hanged for his trouble. Elsewhere 'Young Henderson's' tale of a ghostly robber is epic in the best possible sense whilst 'The Lookout' with its reflections back to WW2 from an old soldier's non rose-tinted hindsight is gently affecting. Howarth writes, plays and sings with unmatched elegance and a fresh creative flow gives this exhilarating album an adventurous spirit. Supple musicianship colours the instrumental tracks 'Myrdal' which just has Simon's guitar and the subtle mood shading on 'An April Day' written for his sister's birthday adds Andy May's piano with fiddle from Stewart Hardy. The supporting cast on this release also features Rachel Unthank, Terry Howarth and Steve Lawrence. Haworth has assembled a collection of material here that marks him out as a gifted writer, capable of penning the charming as well the powerful and majestic and there's no better flagship for literate, passionate erm, "Britfolk" than this fully realised album. One of the year's finest releases so far and warmly recommended."

Folktrax, Australia - "Music and song from Cumbria and Northumberland. Not a ‘folky’ album, but still very much in the tradition, with Simon Haworth playing old songs and his own contemporary songs. Simon’s deft and lively guitar playing lifts the old songs from being oft-repeated standards to being well worth a proper listen. Vocals by Terry Haworth, with Andy May (Northumbrian smallpipes, whistles, piano, keyboard) and cittern, mandolin, accordion, cello and other vocalists giving this album a rounded sound."

Pete Fyfe, www.folking.com - "The name will already be known to many of you as the bass player with Jez Lowe and The Bad Pennies. On this, his second solo album Simon proves no slouch in the songwriting stakes either. Maybe it's something to do with the water they drink in Northumberland that allows the musicians to write in the traditional style with a seamless join. Whatever it is let's be thankful particularly when the songs are as beautifully written as 'The Robert Peel'. The song relates the story of a ship that floundered on the rocks of Tynemouth harbour and may possibly bring comparisons to a certain recording by Mr Lowe. No harm in that particularly when the reference source is so readily available from the indigenous locality and it is such an interesting subject matter. Throughout the 70's and 80's many folk artists employed the technique of incorporating well established tunes sandwich-like between the lyrics of songs. I notice that Simon uses a similar style throughout his album and although I hadn't thought of it before, this has a subliminal effect on the listener acting rather like a musical reference point. Allowing the luxury of surrounding himself with other fine musicians there are, amongst others the estimable efforts of Bad Pennies colleague Andy May on Northumbrian Pipes/Piano, Stewart Hardy (fiddles) and Steve Lawrence on various stringed instruments. Perhaps not as ground breaking as his fellow work-partner it will interesting to see if the fickle hand of fate has dealt another trump card from the county of Northumbria."

David Kidman "Singer, guitarist and songwriter, session musician par excellence, good egg and Bad Penny, Simon's is one of those names that crops up everywhere yet whose talents often go unrecognised in the wider scheme of things. Taking Routes is his second solo album for Fellside, and consists almost exclusively of his own compositions, both vocal and instrumental. These are well crafted songs and tunes that draw their inspiration from the two specific geographical areas of England that have featured a lot in, and influenced, Simon's life - Northumberland and Cumbria. The focus is soft and accommodating, the idiom accessible, but that does not mean a lack of involvement, either on the part of the composer or the listener, for Simon's work proves substantial and very engaging indeed. He has a gift for incorporating traditional-sounding composed tunes into the fabric of the songs, and on this new recording he's blessed with the help of some fine musicians to ensure it all comes across effectively. Touring partner Andy May (Northumbrian smallpipes, whistles, keyboards), Stewart Hardy (fiddle), Steve Lawrence (banjo, bouzouki, mandola, low whistle), with Terry Haworth and Rachel Unthank - what more could you want? All of these provide a good foil for Simon's pleasant singing voice and his guitar work, which, though quiet and subtle, is accomplished and stimulating. Simon also has a gift for writing evocative songs which capture the feel of the landscape and people he's depicting - indeed, Turn To The Sea (track 7 on this CD), telling the story of rum smuggling from Whitehaven, where Simon grew up, won the Maryport Songs Of The Sea festival competition (the experience of which also inspired Talk Of The Town), while The North Eastern Line was featured on the prestige "theme CD" A Full Head Of Steam a couple of years back. In all, and notwithstanding a certain element of welcome understatement, it's probably the distinctive wistful strength in Simon's music that proves its most appealing and enduring characteristic."

Tom Bell-Richards, Shire Folk - " A second CD from a young singer-songwriter guitarist who's also one of the Bad Pennies. The songs are united on traditional themes from the far North of England, cattle droving, smuggling, shipwrecks and mining. There's effective support from fiddle and smallpipes plus a couple of instrumental tracks. I particularly like the way they tuck fragments of dance tunes between song verses. My favourite track is a lilting song celebrating the Maryport sea festival. A grand CD to be bought by anyone who enjoys hearing Simon live."

Julius Timmerman, Trad & Now, Australia - "Simon Haworth writes and sings songs inspired by local Northumbrian or Cumbrian history, life and landscape, as well as other places and personal experiences. Stylewise he is somewhat reminiscent of Dougie Maclean, and like Dougie is a fine singer and guitarist. This is a neat professional album, with carefully crafted arrangements using guitar, fiddle, banjo, whistle, Northumbrian Pipes, piano, cello, backing vocals etc. The songs are traditional in style, generally interesting with attractive easy to listen to melodies and well written lyrics. Lovers of British Folk Music will enjoy."

Folk on Tap - "Songwriter, singer and guitarist wrote all virtually all the songs and tunes on this his second release, and the end result is very listenable. His musicianship is confident yet subtle throughout - he's a good enough guitarist to be playing alongside Jez Lowe as one of the Bad Pennies. The songs themselves demonstrate a growing talent. This CD had me scanning Folk on Tap to see if Simon is appearing locally. On the evidence of this he's well worth seeing: in the meantime, buy this and enjoy"

Folk London "Simon Haworth writes songs plumb down the centre of the folk tradition, a fine voice, a subtle guitarist, the simplicity of what he does disguises the skill with which he does it. They are engaging accessible songs shaped by the history of Northumberland, where he lives and Cumbria where he came from. Songs of mining, the sea, smuggling, droving and the folk memories of the area make up a fine CD. Ably supported by a bunch of local musicians, most notably Andy May the Northumbrian piper, this CD is well mixed and recorded. My particular favourites, "The Shetland Bus" which tells the story of the fishing boats which sailed from Shetland to Norway during the German occupation in World War 2. A stormy, uncomfortable journey in great danger. In "Rory's Still", whisky makes its way across the border under the noses of the excise men to the dry throats of Northumberland. The "Robert Peel" is a song of shipwreck and treasure. I hope that some of these will soon be learnt and sung in the club's I go to, for they are grand songs."

John Yair, Shreds & Patches - "This is a beautifully produced CD, the musicianship, the songwriting, the recording quality have all been carefully and thoughtfully arranged...There is a feeling of quality throughout. Simon has a huge potential...For his songs, his guitar technique is bold and confident with many nice chord combinations, his voice is always under control and you can hear all the words!!...His tunes Myrdal and particularly the haunting An April Day makes the purchase seem well worth while."

Tykes News - "Simon is a singer-songwriter, but also as this album attests, an outstanding composer of tunes too. Arrangements are kept spare, essentially supporting the strong lyrics which are both incisive and perceptive. (For learners of songs, there are some real treasures here, but beware in most cases Simon has already done the definitive version). Make sure you get to hear Across the Northern Fells, and be proud of where you live). Major talent and essential purchases!"