Jess McAllister – Girl From The North Country

• 22nd Jan 2014

The music of Jess McAllister is wholesome, passionate and free-spirited.

Developed naturally from the touchstones of modern folk, her songwriting has grown into an enchanting blend of sound, informed in equal measure by the spontaneity of live performance and an imaginative outlook on life. Swirling with musical inspiration from a young age, Jess played the pub folk circuit in her home town Plymouth before performing and writing with a reggae band during her time at Exeter University. Leaving after three years she took a bold step forward, embracing two lifelong journeys which seemed destined to run in parallel: parenthood, and a solo music career.

Following the birth of her son, Alfred, Jess immersed herself in her songwriting with an enriched understanding of the human heart. Playing small, intimate gigs around Devon she added a tangible tenderness to her honey-dipped vocals and an uproarious fire to her foot-stomping acoustics, guiding captive audiences from raucous appreciation to spellbound silence.

For her E.P, songs grown from sensual piano composition and delicate vocal harmonies are woven with the gathered talents of her musical friends: cello (Dury Loveridge), double bass (Damien Scarr), violin (John Matthias and Elizabeth Westcott), mandolin (Matt Norman) and drums (Tom Wright). Working with producer (and next door neighbour!) Dan Smith, Jess intertwines the rambling joy of a folk collective with an unusual production style, layering and lacing acoustic roots, haunting harmonies and energetic drums to create an adventurous and individual debut release.

Having just finished touring the UK with Belfast based Alt-Folk band ‘The Emerald Armada’ Jess has come home with a new found energy and excitement for playing her music to her growing audience!