BORN in Sheffield before moving around various parts of Derbyshire, Shropshire and Scotland and finally settling in Moss Valley, on the edgelands of South Yorkshire and North East Derbyshire, it makes perfect sense that 26-year-old Jim Ghedi’s music feels both fluidly transient yet also deeply rooted to a sense of place.
From the finger-picking traditions of six and 12 string guitar, his second album, A Hymn For Ancient Land, reveals his elemental style of playing has expanded into a fuller band set-up alongside the introduction of his voice, completed with glorious orchestration and dazzling composition that makes it a truly innovative contemporary record whilst still being rooted in great tradition.
Through the inclusion of double bass, violin, cello, harp, trumpet, piano, accordion and numerous other instruments, Ghedi has elevated his unique blend of folk music to a level far beyond that of his earlier work. Perhaps most remarkable still is how seamless their inclusions feel, rather than wrestling for space, the wealth of instruments float in and out of one another, interlocking absorbing guitars, gently whirring strings and beating drums.
On top of the community of Moss Valley, a driving force behind much of the creations on this record come from Ghedi’s travels, playing shows in numerous rural towns and villages across the British Isles. This traversing through remote parts of the UK, Wales, Scotland and Ireland soon brought a desire to capture the full breadth, scale and beauty of the landscapes he was witnessing.
Having toured throughout 2017 supporting tours from Julie Byrne, Nadia Reid & Michael Chapman as well as playing festivals such as the Green Man and Sea Change, he’s now setting off for his own live album tour, and will be performing at the Bleddfa Centre for the Creative Spirit on Friday, February 23, at 7.30pm. Joining him will be local musicians, Toby Hay and David Ian Roberts. Bar opens 7pm, tickets are £8 on the door. For more information, contact the Bleddfa Centre on 01547 550377 or [email protected]. This concert is supported by the Arts Council of Wales Night Out Scheme.