Front Room Sessions – The Visual Album
Look out for Front Room Sessions – The Visual Album, coming on July 17, a City of Culture 2021 project created as an artistic answer to the lockdown.
It crosses musical genres and features original songs and videos created by Coventry and Warwickshire musicians and artists. Everything about the album was created in socially-distanced conditions, using the power of technology.
The album is a journey through the diverse genres of music that make up the fabric of the city and features bands, solo artists, illustrators and filmmakers.
Front Room Sessions – The Visual Album features original songs and videos created by Coventry and Warwickshire musicians and artists.
From the sound production, to the video teasers and behind the scenes documentary, this piece of lockdown history was created by Coventry.
Musicians featured on the album are Danny Ansell, Candid, The Session, Nicky Ager, Ace Ambrose, Curtis Liburd, Daddy Woody, Danielle Harding (DeeLayDee), Bella Deanie, Silinder Pardesi, Daniella Dee, ROSSO, Batsch, Abz Winter, Attrition and Kira Reiss (YNES).
The album also features contributions from visual artists Bogdan Alexandru, Greg McLeod, InDeepEnd (Alex and Boyan), Huw Bowen, Cameron Cox, Nikki Marie, Rosa Francesca, Tom Chimiak, Dean Eastment, Sherrie Edgar, Alice Weston, Michelle Bailey, Josh Leach, Edie Murray, Raj Lal (Track Record Entertainment) and Polly Mooney.
Front Room Sessions was commissioned and supported by Coventry UK City of Culture 2021. With thanks to partners at Warwick Arts Centre, The Tin Music & Arts, Coventry Caribbean Centre, The Empire, Coventry City Council, BBC CWR, Coventry Music, Sam McNulty and Hardish Virk.
Ross Darby
Singer songwriter Ross Darby has been busy in the studio.
He says: “It’s been a while but I’m back writing and releasing. So here’s ‘Rose’, a little riff I had come up with in between my full PPE hospital shifts in operating theatres!
“Found time to unwind and write. Always loved the idea of Gretna Green and how many must have gone there. I bet there are some stories to be told in some families. Not mine though! So a bit of fiction and some nice melodies will suffice for my story.
“I hope people will enjoy hearing it as much as I did writing it.
“I’ll be back in the studio for a further two tracks this year. This will be a single release on my home label, 14 records, and later this month I imagine on Spotify and various streaming platforms”.
Well on hearing the song, I’m glad we have the talents of Ross back with us.
The song is a beautiful narrative that takes on the feeling of a theme tune to a period drama set back in the 1800’s (well at least that’s the vibe I get).
Guitar, voice and fiddle all work tirelessly together to create something a bit special. Check it out on Spotify.
– Pete Chambers BEM
