Jessica Radcliffe / Lisa Ekstrom / Martin Simpson - Long Dance of Summer

This is a companion project to Beautiful Darkness, Celebrating the Winter Solstice. Produced by Jessica Ruby Radcliffe, featuring English guitar legend Martin Simpson, and long time musical partner Lisa Ekstrom from Band of Angels plus a host of other fine musicians playing traditional and original music based in the folk tradition. English, Irish, Gypsy, Incredible String Band, antique and modern all celebrating summer and romantic love, a treasure trove of beautiful acoustic song, poetry, and tunes. The Long Dance of Summer was almost finished when Martin and Jessica's 20 year marriage and musical partnership ended in 2003. Soon after, all recordings and paperwork were thought lost in Hurricane Katrina. Miraculously 10 years later, a safety copy of the CD master was unearthed deep in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Many luminaries of the English folk scene are represented including Martin Carthy, Norma Waterson, Chris Parkinson, and Gina Le Faux who played and sang on these sessions adding beautiful work to Jessica's vision of an atmospheric pagan holiday. What's gone is gone and can't be done over but the music remains, and so it goes, The Long Dance. Lisa Ekstrom was delighted to help finish the CD with some great tracks of her own, and went back into the studio to make it happen with Derek Bianchi, Dusan Ristic and Paul Kotapish. This CD brings the summer to you fine and full, joyful, abundant and laughing. All fans of Beautiful Darkness, Celebrating the Winter Solstice will want this music to celebrate the other side of the year.