Seth Lakeman
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| Seth Lakeman | |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Dartmoor, Devon, England |
| Genre(s) | English folk music |
| Years active | 1994 - present |
| Label(s) | iScream Music (pre 2006) , Relentless (2006 — present) |
Seth (Bernard) Lakeman is an English folk singer, songwriter, and musician from Yelverton, on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon. He was born on March 26, 1977.
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[edit] Biography
Seth Lakeman began playing music with his parents and 2 brothers Sean and Sam at an early age.
As The Lakeman Brothers, the three brothers released their critically acclaimed debut album Three Piece Suite in 1994. Later that same year they were invited by two Yorkshire based singers Kathryn Roberts and Kate Rusby to join them as a backing group on a tour of Portugal. After the tour the five musicians became a permanent group and called themselves Equation. The group swiftly garnered much praise and hype and signed a record deal with Time Warner in 1995. After 3 full albums ('Return to me' - 1996, 'Hazy Daze' - 1998, 'The Lucky Few' - 2000), and touring around the UK, Europe and the USA, Seth left Equation in 2001. He joined his brother Sam and Sam's wife Cara Dillon to record Cara's acclaimed, self titled debut album, which featured Seth on fiddle, guitar and vocals. The album won two awards at the 2002 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, including Best Traditional Track for "Black is the Colour" which Seth helped arrange. Cara and the brothers also won the Hot Press award for the Best Roots Act and the Big Buzz award for the Best Traditional Act.
In 2002 Seth Lakeman released his first solo album, The Punch Bowl, which received wide critical acclaim including a review in fRoots magazine which said: "The songs don't just glide smoothly by.....they get their claws into you".
Kitty Jay, Seth Lakeman's second solo album was released in 2004. The title track of the album tells the story of Jay's Grave, a well known location on Dartmoor. The album was recorded for a cost of less than £300. That same year he collaborated with Devon singer-songwriter Steve Knightley and young local singer Jenna Witts on the album Western Approaches.
A sell out UK tour in Autumn 2005 followed his Mercury Music Prize nomination, after which Seth and his ban৳d (regularly brother Sean (guitar), Ben Nichols (bass), Andy Tween (Drums), toured extensively with folk-rock giants The Levellers, who took to closing their set with a "fiddle off" between Seth and Levellers' fiddler Jon Sevink. Other support tours with Billy Bragg and Jools Holland brought Seth's music to a wider audience.
In March 2006 Seth Lakeman began a UK tour in order to promote his new album Freedom Fields which was released on iScream. He then changed to a major record company called Relentless and has released his new single Lady of the Sea in early August 2006.
In 2007, he played at the presigious SXSW festival in Texas, Hyde Park Calling, the Glastonbury Festival, The V Festival, WOMAD Charlton Park in Wiltshire, the Edmonton Folk Music Festival, the Cornbury Music Festival, Fairport's Cropredy Convention, the Towersey Village Festival and provided support for Tori Amos on her European tour.
On 18th April 2008, Seth appeared on stage with Jethro Tull on their 40th anniversary tour at Colston Hall in Bristol before the start of his own UK tour later that month and going on to tour the featival circuit throughout the summer. His fourth album, Poor Man's Heaven is due for release on 30th June 2008. It includes Solomon Browne, a tribute to the courage of the men who lost their lives in the Penlee lifeboat disaster.
[edit] Awards
- In July 2005 Seth Lakeman was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize for Kitty Jay.
- On 5 February 2007 Lakeman won 'Singer of the Year' and 'Best Album' awards at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards [1].
[edit] Style of music
Seth Lakeman's primary musical instruments are the violin, the tenor guitar, and the viola.
[edit] Discography
| Name | Type | Date of release | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| as principal performer | ||||
| The Punch Bowl | Album | 2002 07/06/2004 |
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| Kitty Jay | Album | 2004 01/08/2005 09/10/2006 |
UK chart position: 100. | |
| Freedom Fields | Album | First edition: 20/03/2006 Re-release: 21/08/2006 |
UK chart position (27/08/2006) 32. | |
| The Bold Knight | Single | 2005 | Released on CD single. | |
| Lady Of The Sea (Hear Her Calling) | Single | 07/08/2006 | UK chart position (07/08/2006) 52. Released on CD single and 7" vinyl. | |
| The White Hare | Single | 21/10/2006 | UK chart position (30/10/2006) 47. Released as a two part CD single and limited edition white vinyl 7". | |
| King & Country | Single | 05/02/2007 | Released only as a 7" vinyl single. | |
| Poor Man's Heaven | EP | 22/10/2007 | Four-track EP released on CD single and 7" vinyl. | |
| Poor Man's Heaven | Album | 30/06/2008 (TBC) | N/A | |
| in The Lakeman Brothers | ||||
| Three Piece Suite | Album | 1994 | ||
| with Equation | ||||
| In Session | Promotional Only E.P. | 1995 | ||
| Return To Me | Album | 1995-96 24/03/2003 |
Recorded in 1995 - 1996, album was shelved days before release and finally issued in 2003. | |
| Hazy Daze | Album | 02/02/1998 | ||
| The Lucky Few | Album | 1999 17/11/2003 |
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| The Dark Ages E.P. | E.P. | 2001 14/06/2004 |
As guest musician | |
| First Name Terms | Album | 2002 07/06/2004 |
As guest musician | |
| with Cara Dillon | ||||
| Cara Dillon | Album | 16/07/2001 | ||
| Sweet Liberty | Album | 22/09/2003 | ||
| with Steve Knightley and Jenna Witts | ||||
| Western Approaches | Album | 27/09/2004 | ||
[edit] External links
- Seth Lakeman official website
- Equation official website
- Seth Lakeman at Allmusic
- BBC report on Mercury Music Prize nomination
- BBC Radio Devon interview
- BBC Devon Entertainment interview: New album for Seth
- BBC Devon: Jailhouse Rock
- The Independent: Seth Lakeman: Troubadour of the moors
- Performance/ Audio interview recorded February 2007
- Seth Lakeman live at the Cornbury Festival Oxfordshire 7-8th July 2007
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| Discography |
| as principal performer |
| Albums: The Punch Bowl | Kitty Jay | Freedom Fields | Poor Man's Heaven |
| Singles: The Bold Knight | Lady Of The Sea (Hear Her Calling) | The White Hare | King & Country | Poor Man's Heaven |
| in The Lakeman Brothers |
| Album: Three Piece Suite |
| with Equation |
| Promo: In Session |
| Albums: Return To Me | Hazy Daze | Lucky Few |
| Albums (as guest musician): The Dark Ages E.P. | First Name Terms |
| with Cara Dillon |
| Album: Cara Dillon | Sweet Liberty |
| with Steve Knightley and Jenna Witts |
| Album: Western Approaches |
