Born from a remote collaboration for Harbottle & Jones’s highly successful (400,000 views and counting) #savingthegoodstuff video series, Songs of Love & Death has evolved into a stark yet beautiful album of traditional songs.

Described as “a mighty songwriter” by Martin Carthy, Reg Meuross has been a constant presence in the nation’s folk clubs and venues throughout his thirty-year career. 

With thirteen solo albums to his name, songs such as ‘England Green & England Grey’ and ‘And Jesus Wept’ have entered the modern folk canon, but, until now, he has never delved into the traditional songs that have so influenced his writing.

“Over the years I have played with some of the finest folk musicians in Britain. Karen Tweed, Phil Beer, Jackie Oates, Martin Carthy etc yet I had never considered doing an album of traditional songs before, but during lockdown I began to look more closely at the songs of these islands, songs that were ever-present at clubs where I played” Reg explains. “Songs I knew so well  like they were in my DNA. Although these songs inhabited me, I realised I’d never inhabited them and I took the chance to explore, eventually settling on ten songs, and the idea of recording an album started to form in my mind.

When I got the call from Harbottle & Jonas asking if I was interested in a collaboration for their Saving The Good Stuff series, my first thought was one of my favourite folk songs, Lord Franklin, which I’d loved since hearing John Renbourn’s version when I was 15 or so and first learning to play guitar. I loved what we did together so much that we decided to continue work on all ten songs and to record them.” 

Harbottle & Jonas, husband and wife duo David and Freya, are “one of the finest folk duos in the country” according to Folking.com, and have made an impressive mark on the UK’s folk and roots scene in a short period of time. 

Matching Reg’s talent for conveying the true meaning behind a song in his delivery, with David and Freya’s exceptional arrangement and accompaniment skills, Songs of Love & Death tackles some of the most enduring songs from the English tradition, beautifully recorded by Josh Best-Shaw in a 15th Century church that sits on the edge of Dartmoor.

SAT 19 MARCH @ The Gather Ennerdale TICKETS

NB this follows a night of Reg Meuross and Harbottle & Jonas original songs on FRI 18 MARCH – the gigs are live streamed as well as live, and there is a buy one get the other half price offer if you’d like to attend both. 

WEDS 13 APRIL @ Folk at Ash, nr Sevenoaks TICKETS

THURS 14 APRIL @ John Peel Centre Stowmarket TICKETS

FRI 15 APRIL @ Sound Lounge Sutton TICKETS

SAT 16 APRIL @ Green Note London (matinée) TICKETS

SUN 17 APRIL @ Cantonacre Stroud TICKETS from cantonacrepromotions@gmail.com or 07896 823 881

FRI 17 JUNE @ Beardy Folk Festival TICKETS