Got the Hang of it?

Today on rootsandshoots on Phonic FM we celebrated the Swiss instrument the Hang and an associated instrument, the Halo. 

 Listen to the show here. 

Matthew Calder joined Martin Hodge in the studio to play some music and give us some insights into these intriguing and beautiful instruments. Thanks a lot, Matt!

Left: Sculpture Music (Matthew Calder and John Shaw).

Below: Matt with Hang and Halo in the Phonic FM studio.


Matt gave us demonstrations of Halo and Hang playing. Accompanying himself on the Halo only, he sang Keep This Space. 

Matthew Calder and John Shaw (double bass) perform as Sculpture Music.

They have an EP out featuring their own songs: Minor Songs In Major Keys and it is well recommended.
From it we played the title track plus Small World.

See Sculpture Music on Youtube.

Find more information on Sculpture Music's website where you will see details of their gigs. Gigs include the Exeter Respect Festival in June. 

We also heard Hang and drum player Manu Delago and friends with Medina II from his latest album Bigger Than Home. 

Later in the show I played a track by Alizbar & Christian Amin Varkonyi who, respectively, played Celtic Harp and Hang.

Other recordings played:

Orchestre De Poly-Rhythmo De Cotonou..Karateka..Orchestre De Poly-Rhythmo De Cotonou Vol. 3: The Skeletal Essences Of Voodoo Funk
Queen Biz..Wallou..Teranga Senegal!
Airleke..Wanchef..Weapon Of Choice
Los Clinches..Gracias..Fongo
Phillip Henry..Lagan Love / Banish Misfortune..Live In The Living Room
Jackie Oates..Junk..Lullabies
17 Hippies..Deine Tränen
Alizbar & Christian Amin Varkonyi..Melting Snowflakes On Her Hand

In the second half of the show, I spoke on a phone line to Cate Ferris and The Little Unsaid aka John Elliott about their music and their gigs including Exeter Bike Shed Theatre on Friday 12 April.

Follow pic link to see Cate Ferris and The Little Unsaid in Halifax

Website links here:    Cate Ferris    The Little Unsaid

Songs played by The Little Unsaid were There Go All Our Wide-eyed Days and Midnight On An Island, the latter out as a single and to be included on his forthcoming album.

From Cate Ferris we heard Leave A Light On and Condensation.
both from her new EP Get Set GO.

I plugged this event - happening on Saturday 13 April at Exeter Phoenix for Phonic FM:

Appearing are the following artists (songs played on the show listed)...

Alex Kumar..All My Love's In Vain
The Swamp Gods..Monotoid..Space Junk
Jay Tamkin..You've Got The Heart / You've Changed