James Yorkston

James Yorkston Christmas Tour, December 2016







2016 has been a busy year thus far for Fife songwriter James Yorkston, with two significant releases to his name: in January, Domino Records released Yorkston Thorne Khan’s ‘Everything Sacred’ and in March, Freight Press published James’ 2nd book, his debut novel ‘Three Craws’.




Both these releases have been lovingly received and have resulted in James touring the UK, Spain, India and Ireland and appearing as an author or member of Yorkston Thorne Khan at the Edinburgh International Festival, GreenMan Festival, Body and Soul, Loopallu, Sea Change, Aye Write!, Pirineos Sur, Celtic Connections, etc




These December dates will be James’ first solo tour of England since 2013 and will feature a mix of his music and his writings.
Info about ‘Everything Sacred’




A collaboration with jazz hero Jon Thorne (double bassist of the electro band Lamb) and New Delhi’s Suhail Yusuf Khan, an 8th generation sarangi player and Sufi singer.




????? Record Collector ‘New Album of the Month’ “Throughout, this is the sound of three world class talents raising their respective games, as if trying to keep up with each other, creating something far greater even that the sum of their world-class parts.”
?????  fRoots “Joyous, contemplative, playful, euphoric and bleakly beautiful album”
????????  UNCUT “It isn’t easy to pigeon-hole but it could just be one of the albums of the year”
????  MOJO ????The Guardian????Songlines










Info about ‘Three Craws’




“A beautifully written love letter to life at the margins of rural living from a master singer-songwriter.”




Lauren Laverne – “Atmospheric, absorbing and darkly funny. Every bit as skilful as his songwriting”.




The Scotsman – “A subtle, insightful and occasionally very funny look at the way small rural communities can sometimes smother their own. Yorkston has written a House With the Green Shutters for our times; in the coming weeks he may find he has to crank the modesty up to 11”.




The National – “James Yorkston is a talented folk singer with a woozy sound that lends itself to late-night listening and a good dram. His prose has tremendous rhythm and a rambunctious energy… The interweaving of Scots and English is delightful to read”.




The Skinny – 'This work is filled with precise Teuchter terminology: authentic and refreshing. [...] Yorkston has a ready-made readership in his loyal musical fanbase, but his post-kailyard treatment of rural Scots' lives deserves to be read beyond only them.'




Scots Magazine - 'A rural take on Trainspotting themes, this book is funny and tragic all at once.'




Scots Whay Hae! - 'There is a lyricism in his use of everyday language which is rare and believable, and he uses his musician's ear to master the phraseology not only of how his characters talk to each other, but how they 'talk' to themselves... a welcome new voice in Scottish fiction.'







James Yorkston – a brief biog.




“The finest songwriter of his generation”- John Peel




James Yorkston was one of the original members of The Fence Collective, part of the Fife music scene that spawned King Creosote, KT Tunstall, Pictish Trail & The Beta Band. Since 2001 James has been signed to Domino Records (Artic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand), with whom he has released 8 albums proper and dozens of Eps, compilations, 7” singles and one exceptionally fine book – 'It's Lovely to be here - The Touring Diaries of a Scottish Gent'




A much respected figure in the music world, James has been featured twice on

BBC2's The Culture Show and had a documentary on him aired on Channel 4. He

was the Musical Director for the BBC Electric Proms Lal Waterson Tribute concert and has recorded with many fine musicians – Norma & Mike Waterson, Jon Hopkins, Kieran Hebden (Four Tet), Rustin Man, Kathryn Williams and Fuzzy Grumble have all appeared on James' albums. James has also played shows and toured with such legendary names as John Martyn, Bert Jansch and Martin Carthy. James' most recent album, The Cellardyke Recording and Wassailing Society (2014) was produced by Alexis Taylor (of Hot Chip) and featured some of his old pals - KT Tunstall and The Pictish Trail. 




"Another sublime piece of work" - Scotsman 5/5 - “Poetic genius at work…the

flawless record that Yorkston has long promised” - Q - "Customarily brilliant piece of work" - List 5/5 - “Beautiful...melancholy majesty” - Evening Standard 4/5 - “Heartbreakingly beautiful” - Uncut 8/10 - "His latest, and possibly best album” - Independent 4/5 - “It’s all golden...an intimate pysch-folk gem” - NME 8/10 - “A hushed, thoughtful collection” - Observer 4/5 - “Feels like an hour with old friends” - Guardian 4/5




www.jamesyorkston.co.uk

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