CROSSING TIDES, ALBUM, 2023

The first of these projects, Crossing Tides, was completed in early 2023. The album was a collection of songs Jamie had written in his mid-twenties during extended visits to the Outer Hebrides and it was structured as a journey north through that archipelago. Crossing Tides featured Jamie's vocals, acoustic guitar and harmonica as well as Sophie Wren's piano-accordion and vocal harmonies, with John Hirst providing vibraphone, percussion, drums, background vocals and haunted dulcimer. The project also included double bassist Paul Susans (of well known festival favourites The Baghdaddies) and Newcastle based musical octopus Dean Parker who provided atmospheric electric slide guitar on some tracks and melodic mandolin on others. Julie Bartley beautifully facilitated the recording, live in the studio with no overdubs; the whole album being recorded over just two days - the 17th and 18th of February 2023 - in Cupola Studios, Newcastle. After two singles earlier in the summer, the album was released digitally in August (and physically in September) of 2023 to positive reviews.