Awake Arise and Wakefire are born from the alchemical collaboration between Lady Maisery (Hazel Askew, Hannah James and Rowan Rheingans) and Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith, two of the UK folk scene's most inventive acts. Find out more about their work below.
Lady maisery
“adventurous and beautiful” Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio 2
Hazel Askew, Rowan Rheingans and Hannah James - individually three multi award-winning artists - form a unified voice as Lady Maisery. Together they carry stories of sisterhood, human struggle, the joy of living and the vitality of song with the “freshest possible take on traditional music” (Folk Radio UK). Their long-standing effervescent collaboration has been described as “adventurous and beautiful” (Mark Radcliffe, Radio 2) “exquisite and thrilling” (The Guardian) with “a generosity of spirit and joie de vivre that seems to emanate from every minute of their recorded output as well as from their exuberant live shows” (Folk Radio UK).
Their fifth studio album Tender was released at the end of 2022 to far-reaching acclaim. An arresting record exploring the power in vulnerability, the tenderness of collective wounds and the strength in kindness, it was hailed “a beguiling blend of ancient and modern” (The Times) and “both nurturing and raw, a sensitive response to the times we are living in” (Daily Info).
Tender entered the Official Indie Album Charts at number 18, the Official Indie Album Breakers Chart at number 3 (rare accolades for British folk!) before spending a whole year in the Official Folk Chart Top 40.
Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith
"Fine Singers and instrumentalists" The Guardian
Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith are one of the most celebrated duos on the British folk and acoustic scene. Their combination of outstanding vocal work, sensitive instrumentation, and a powerful social conscience has brought them widespread critical acclaim.
"To be a great folk singer, you have to be a great storyteller, as Jimmy Aldridge and Sid Goldsmith are clearly aware. The duo are both fine singers and multi-instrumentalists" The Guardian
The songs themselves are always given centre stage but they are brought to life with stunning musical arrangements and vocals. There is an integrity that shines through their performances and a common thread of political struggle, resistance, and justice.
Their third album, ‘Many a Thousand’ was released in September 2018 to widespread critical acclaim. It received 5 star reviews in Songlines Magazine, Froots Magazine, and the Morning Star. The Guardian described it as a ‘lovely, rousing collection of politically charged traditional ballads and originals’ and Folk Radio UK said ‘Aldridge and Goldsmith have created a record whose songs are immediate and politically necessary, and whose melodies will remain in the memory for years to come.’