MAURICE LEYDEN & JANE CASSIDY

Two albums to Jane Cassidy's credit and then away went the Irish folk-singer. For years she was a writer, producer and TV presenter (BBC & UTV). Five years ago she made a comeback with the album Silverbridge. Today Jane is back with her husband Maurice Leyden, himself a singer and writer with a passion for Ulster folk songs. Over the years, Mr Leyden has researched many of the traditional songs associated with the Ulster linen industry. For example, at the end of the 19th century, 69,000 people were employed in the flax industry in Northern Ireland, 80% of whom were concentrated in and around Belfast.

On Linnen Songs they present a selection of seventeen songs from Maurice's extensive collection. Texts that describe and celebrate the lives of local linen workers: The Factory Girl, Siúil A Grá, The Weaver's Web, The Belfast Mountains. Half of the songs are accompanied by music, while eight are sung a capella.

Jane and Maurice are joined by Rod McVey on piano, keyboards and accordion, Paddy Finney on guitar, Conor Caldwell on fiddle, Joe McHugh on whistles and uilleann pipes and Frank Cassidy, Jane's brother, on bouzouki. Despite the years J. Cassidy has not lost her crystal clear voice and she enchants us once again with her delicacy and sensitivity.

Autoproduit ASH007 - www.ulsterfolksong.com