Andrews Massey Duo launch new their new collection of folk songs “from the roots…new branches” at London’s quirky Hemingford Arms on 22 July 2025. 

Andrews Massey Duo’s new folk soundscape album “from the roots… new branches” is a gentle journey through well-known and lesser-known folk songs from all around the British Isles redefined as instrumentals through flutes, penny whistles, guitars, and banjos.

The duo has chosen a perfect venue to launch the album: London’s quirky Islington venue The Hemingford Arms, a pub well-loved for its welcoming atmosphere, colourful floral exterior, great community vibes, great Thai food and live music scene.

Both flautist Emily Andrews and guitarist David Massey were classically trained at the Royal Academy of Music, yet both raised in families where singing folk music and songs were entwined in everyday life.

“We reached down into our tangled musical roots and used our intuitive musicianship to create our own unique arrangements of this selection of folk songs. We let the music grow and evolve naturally, using improvisation and memory, rather than written music,” says Andrews on the making of the album.

“from the roots…new branches” includes English jigs, popular sea shanties “Drunken Sailor/Wellerman”, and a few sharp nods to Scottish folk tales such as “Loch Lomond”, “Caller Herrin’”, “Skye Boat Song” and the Robert Burns inspired “A Red Red Rose”. The old Scots song “Cam Ye O’er Frae France”, originally arising from the time of the Jacobite uprising, is performed on persuasive piccolo with percussion on banjo.

The album booklet deserves special mention replete with creative track histories and beautiful original illustrations that perfectly match the music. The drawings are from Cassy Oliphant, a distant relative of Carolina Oliphant, the composer of “Caller Herrin”. The booklet has an edge on most CD booklets as it has an online flip-friendly booklet courtesy of savvy booklet designer, I Wei Huang.

Catch Andrew Massey Duo launching “from the roots…new branches” at the Hemingford Arms and from there to the Ham Farm Festival in Bristol, with further dates in Bath and Corsham.

☞ Book your free tickets here ☜

Discover More: