If a curious mix of musical instruments is your thing then tune in to Anna Tam – a talented multi-instrumentalist who explores the traditional with an enthusiastic and enigmatic twist. Blending the nykelharpa, viola da gamba, hurdy gurdy, cello, piano – and basically whatever else she can find – Anna Tam shows determination to give traditional folk songs her own interpretation.
With her clear, bright and unusual voice she accompanies herself, true to the original ethos of narrative folk, the stories the songs long to tell, and people at their centre. ‘Hatching Hares’ is a thoughtful and careful album, creating a balance between putting her own stamp and bringing her own sound, while staying true to the originals.
She is an artist, and a talented musician. She has clearly thought through the impact on each song creating arrangements that are stripped back, unique, natural and timeless. I imagine this album would best be delivered live, to a respectful and appreciative audience – taking the audience on a journey, blending both the emotive quality of her voice and her wide-ranging instrumentation.
Her passion for researching and performing historical folk music shows.
In fact, Anna Tam was shortlisted for ‘Instrumentalist of the Year’ by Fatea Magazine in both 2020 and 2021, so it’s easy to see why her musicianship is applauded. Her solo album ‘Anchoress’ was launched in Spring 2021 to critical acclaim, and no doubt ‘Hatching Hares’ will receive similar plaudits. She wrote ‘Hatching Hares’ while emerging form isolation, daring to hope and starting to dream. It’s interesting to note therefore that ‘Hatching Hares’ is peppered with people, with characters that interact, grieve, love, sew, spin, steal, sober up, die and fall in love (not necessarily in that order).
The title comes from the fourth verse of one of the songs, ‘When I Was a Little Girl’. The little girl in question bought herself a little hen and took great care of it, set said hen on a mussel shell, and as if by magic, the hen becomes a hare – shape-shifting made easy, you could say.
With ten songs and five tunes, two self-written waltzes, she holds firm to their traditional roots – you can explore more on her weekly YouTube series ‘Folk From the Boat’ (hence the lakeside image on the album cover). During lockdown, she entertained her following with weekly folk from her canal boat. Previously one of the Mediaeval Baebes (touring worldwide), she is a classically trained musician, specialising in cello, and studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
An unconventional artist, who brings her artistic and musical unconventionality to her recordings – an interesting album, for anyone keen to discover and explore Britain’s folk heritage further.