Stepling. Leap
It’s not uncommon for groups to claim that they’re “inspired by English traditions,” but rare to find one that so wholeheartedly explores music, song and dance in one tidy package (and with no: “actually MOR acoustic pish,” subtext!) making them all the more vital and interesting.
Stepling are fiddle player and singer Deb Chalmers, guitarist Adrian Lever (Alma, Horses Brawl) world percussionist extraordinaire Jo May and step and clog dancer Toby Bennett. Anyone concerned that the involvement of the latter might be something akin to ventriloquism on the radio… fear not. Toby Bennett is to clogging as Kathryn Tickell is to Northumbrian piping and Andy Cutting is to diatonic button accordeoning, and the interplay between his feet and May’s hands (as on their showcase piece Sophie’s Accumulation) is breathtaking.
The tunes are a well-chosen selection, with Chalmers’ own Bewl Water Waltz and Meg’s Welcome To Kingston sitting easily alongside a lovely slow Agricultural Jig, a mutated version of Our Cat Has Kitted (retitled Wonky Cat) and James Fagan’s Hannah May’s. Chalmers proves an affecting singer on Here’s The Tender Coming and Died Of Love - the latter in an enchanting arrangement made of pizzicato fiddle and tinkly things. Jo’s Jig - comprised of two of Lever’s guitar compositions, provides another demonstration of both his and May’s considerable talents.
The music here is both undeniably English yet inventively cosmopolitan, and Stepling make it with palpable joy. They’re sensational live, so go and see ‘em and pick up a copy of this CD.
stepling.org.uk
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