Jack Day
Jack Day grew up in Hornsey, North London, yet began his musical career whilst living in Brighton. Inspired by likes of the afore mentioned Elliott and Woody Guthrie he began appearing around the capital’s ‘folk’ clubs like Easycome and the famous Lantern Society, then run by Trevor Moss And Hannah-Lou. In 2011, with fellow London troubadour Benjamin Folke Thomas, Day took over running the club that has always been a bedrock to London’s emerging singer-songwriters. In mid-2012 he and Thomas ‘retired’ from the Lantern (now in the capable hands of Gabriel Moreno and Simon Stanley Ward) and run regular evenings at The Libertine in Borough.
The First Ten is Jack’s long awaited debut album. Released in January 2013 the album contains ten self-penned songs, beautifully written and performed by the young singer-songwriter who has been become a ‘must see’ on the thriving London scene.
The First Ten is a solo record – raw and intense. As Day says, “It’s also formative, the first record I’ve made about some of the first things I’ve learnt and some of the first things I’ve said goodbye to. There’s a lot of love in there, a bit of London and a bit of hurt. The songs are delivered straight, recorded by beautiful old mics by veteran engineer Brian O’Shaughnessy (Primal Scream, Beth Orton, Denim, lots of 80s dub and more) at Bark Studios in Blackhorse Road, North-East London. There was a gorgeous old Fender valve amp for the telecaster and upright piano sweet with age; you can hear the foot pedals on the recording. It’s that type of deal. At the front end of recording I was listening to blues and country, from Son House to Townes and all of those; at the back end I was on Otis Redding and Springsteen”
There is an underlining passion and integrity that permeates these songs giving them a truly up-front and personal feel. The opening ‘I Often Think Of You,’ driven along by heavy fast fingerpicking and hand clapping, reflects Day’s early years on the road whilst ‘Birdsong’ offers an altogether different sonic template, a driving telecaster the background to a now trademark blistered voice. The folk-esque ‘Snow And Sleet’ falls in the storytelling acoustic tradition of the likes of Rambling Jack Elliott (a major influence on the young North Londoner) whilst the truly stunning piano-led ‘No One Moves Like You’ just underlines what an incredible songwriter Day has become imbuing within its powerful verses self-reflection, hope, and the trials and tribulations of being an artist. There is even a sublime acoustic gospel vibe on the glorious ‘I Have Been Conveyed’, a track that echoes Dylan in his more religious periods. The album features Bryony Afferson, Pepe Belmonte and Graham Knight.
In autumn 2013 Jack and Bryony Afferson (from Troubadour Rose) started playing shows together as Sugar Magnolia.
The First Ten (BoB 123) was released in January 2013
