kate fletcher

Fruit

Fruit (press pack)

Fruit is a startling collection of womanly songs, beautifully performed by Kate Fletcher and expertly produced by Robert Harbron. All 14 tracks exude character and musicianship of the highest quality. There are long stories, short stories and riddles, grief, optimism and humour, all delivered with refreshing understatement. 
the quirky title track ‘Fruit’ sets the scene for a long awaited album by this distinctive musician. Honest vocals and perfectly suited instrumental arrangements draw the listener on a moving journey through songs old and new such that you may well dare to ask her where she's been!
although reminiscent  of her band Epona, this album exposes Kate as a talented instrumentalist in her own right (guitar, kantele, oboe). Truly a solo album, on which Kate plays everything except the mouth-bow (played by Corwen ap Broch), each song remains different and varied, conjuring up it’s own mood and string of images.
the fragile and hypnotic grief of Strömming boats is balanced by the surprisingly ‘poppy’ sound of ‘Close my Eyes’ and the ancient sound of Cruel Sister sits comfortably alongside references to juicers (Fruit), cars and time travel (Midnight). 
kate seems equally at home telling a story (River Song, Sweet England) as she does baring her soul (Beyond the Silence) and keeps a steady sense of proportion in her delivery of each. 
the stark and uncomfortable find a place here too. Whether the uneasiness of a modern day haunting in Midnight, or the dissonant grief of the San Bushman in Broken String, Kate is not afraid of the dark side.
kate’s choice of material is subtle and succinct, never spoilt by self indulgence, repetition or other sins of the solo album. Lullaby says about war in 2 minutes what many have failed to say in whole albums, the inviting Valley Song avoids the temptation to waft, and Sweet England is not over sweet.
kate takes inspiration from all over Britain, Northern Europe and the Kalahari, and yet retains an utterly English sound, emphasised by Rob Harbron's tasteful and natural production.
In Fruit she has given us a whole bowlful, full of flavour, texture and variety, and all, as she would say, ‘Made of Me’.

Kate (biography)

kate fletcher’s latest work, Fruit, is a solo album that really lives up to its name. Mature, rounded and refreshing, it demonstrates to the full that Kate’s ability to interpret traditional material as well as craft her own beautiful and relevant songs is matched by her musicianship and instrumental accomplishment. 
it is hardly surprising that Kate has built her life around music. She was raised on porridge and song in a family of eccentric musicians. Taught to sing and read music at a young age she has been performing and composing since early childhood. Piled in the back of a Morris Minor with only songbooks and whistles for entertainment, the whole family sang their way around Britain every school holiday. But unlike some of their counterparts who were being dragged around folk festivals by their parents, the Fletcher children remained oblivious to boundaries of genre, camping in the wild and accompanying their Father on his hunts for rare species of moss and lichen. 
drenched daily in the music of many genres including folk and music hall, classical and her Father’s own songs and tunes, Kate dabbled with piano and oboe, and eventually took up the guitar in her teens. She soon began adding her own songs to her repertoire.
kate recalls a mispent youth full of ambition to be a diplomat in Brussels. Fortunately for Europe that was not to be. In 1995 Kate and her 2 brothers (Colin, bass, Van Eyken, and Jon, guitar, Magpie Lane) formed the English roots band Epona with Nancy Kerr, fiddle, and drummer Tony Lyons. The band were soon popular in Britain and further afield, putting in appearances at many well known festivals including Cambridge and Womad where they had heads turning and feet tapping with their infectious blend of original and traditional material. Their first album ‘Shine Again’ (produced by Steafan Hannigan) and follow up EP ‘Tomorrow is My Birthday’ were both well received:
“Kate's vocals particularly excel, as equally at home during the 'folk' flavoured acoustic stuff as in the rock/pop moments.” Rock'n'Reel
passionate about sharing her love of music, Kate has encouraged and inspired hundreds of young people over the last decade to take up and explore their own folk traditions, running workshops, and starting school folk groups and songwriting clubs. In 2000 she took a break from performing to train as a music teacher. With no formal music qualifications, her experience alone gained her a place on a Music PGCE where she held her own as ‘the folkie' and she went on to teach music in schools and colleges  to all ages and abilities.
equally passionate about taking breaks, Kate took a break from teaching to fulfill a lifelong dream to walk from England to Spain in 2005. With renewed inspiration it was time to get back to performing and recording. 
The result is Fruit. 

peelings...(more)

kate and Rob recorded the album in a caravan when the studio booking fell through at the last minute. But you’d never know that from listening…
the kanteles and mouthbow used on Fruit were made by Corwen who also did the beautiful CD design. 
kate is the original founding member of the thirty something narrowboat folk mafia and has lived on her boat for over 15 years.
in 2005 Kate and Corwen walked from Dorset to Santiago de Compostela and then on to Finistera, a journey which took 111 days and has inspired some of Kate’s finest songs both before and after the trip. ‘Breezes of Change’ was the last song Kate wrote before setting off. Kate carried a small guitar for most of the way. 
in 2006 Kate and Corwen walked across Norway 'just for fun'. This time she took a small green ukulele instead...
close my eyes is the second song Kate ever wrote, with the help of brother Colin at the age of 19. It has been recorded several times over the years but never officially released.
kate's previous band Epona was hailed by Colin Irwin as the “future of English Roots” in the Rough Guide to World Music. 
'broken string' was inspired after reading a book of the same title by Neil Bennun.
kate still has her original 'Abba fan club' badge from 1977 and cites the band as her biggest influence after her family, simultaneously sparking an interest in Nordic folk music and the construction of the perfect 3-minute pop song.. Both these things feature on Fruit!
the apple on Kate's head was one of four 'bramley seedlings' bought from a Ringwood greengrocer. We didn't need to make it look bigger in photo-shop.

internet resources

kate's website URL is www.katefletcher.co.uk 
this press pack is available as a .pdf file or in RTF format to download on the press page. 
press quality photographs in .jpg format can be downloaded from the same source.
feel free to request further copies of the CD for review purposes.                                                         

Contact

mobile: 07778 452 999
post: Kate  Fletcher c/o Oakfield Farm,
Horton Way,
Verwood.
Dorset.
BH31 6JJ
email: kate@katefletcher.co.uk