Folk duos and collaborations regularly crop at any stage of an artist's career. It is often a natural evolution as performers look to peers who complement their own attributes. Both Emily Portman and Rob Harbron are successfully acclaimed musicians in various guises and obviously saw milage in combining their talents for this new project. Ahead of releasing a debut album under a dual title, the pair have decided to take some tentative steps by playing a few low key dates to test reaction. The Kitchen Garden is the perfect intimate venue to host such an event and those choosing to spend a cathartic evening in the company of two accomplished artists certainly made a wise choice.
Emily Portman, of solo and Furrow Collective fame, tends to take lead on the duo, virtue of the main vocal provider and the prime song seeker. Banjo and mini keyboard add some musical artistry to her repertoire, but it is her golden voice that resonates strongly with a listener drawn to her music. This element matured effortlessly across the two sets performed over the evening, all mixed with the usual affable and unassuming song info.
Rob Harbron is one of the most sought after concertina players in the English folk scene. If you wanted to take just one nugget away from the evening, an awareness of the different types of concertinas and their often incompatibility proved fascinating. We now know the difference between the Anglo and English version, the latter being the one in full flow tonight. Listening to such fine playing only moved the needle forward on quite a bespoke instrument. Apart from being the main accompaniment to Emily's mainly traditional songs, we were treated to a couple of instrumental segments including one set of tunes originating from his native Cumbria.
Apart from the usual folklore, themes tended to reflect the natural world with 'The Birds in the Spring' being the top moment when all the stars aligned. We also had a pertinent comment from Emily of music's ability to detach from the linear and enable life to be experienced from a different perspective. Thought provoking indeed, but it helped being present in the zone.
The evening concluded with the umpteenth invitation to join the singing, which was deftly obliged. The next stage is to await the music that Emily Portman and Rob Harbron are set to release later this year. The album is currently being mastered. Expect more of a fanfare when the project comes to fruition, however an inspiring and informative introduction proved the tonic as that most changeable season - spring - kicks into gear.