We’ve lost a few of the great British folk guitar players and songwriters in the past 10 years – Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, and now Michael Chapman. But there is a new generation of guitar players continuing the tradition, by updating it as those players did, while also maintaining a strong connection to the past. One such guitarist and songwriter is Henry Parker, who has an album “Lammas Fair” out soon. Here’s the title track:

While the song (lyrics and voice) is in the style of traditional 1960s British folk, there’s a more adventurous 1970s exploratory character to the song. Parker’s use of the DADGAD open tuning, combination of acoustic and electric guitar and the non-traditional melodic diversions along the way in “Lammas Fair” bring some more exotic psychedelic rock guitar elements in to the music.

“The album explores an intersection between past and present, using the groundwork of folk music set out decades and centuries ago and moving it into new terrain, as it explores ideas, themes and lyrics that explore both historic and contemporary settings. The title Lammas Fair refers to a historical annual celebration held across Europe on the 1st August, which heralded the first harvest of wheat.”