Ep 96 Tamsin Elliott

Tamsin is a multi-instrumentalist and composer with roots in the
traditional dance tunes of the British Isles. Her debut solo
album FREY (2022) established her as a rising star on
the folk scene, with The Guardian praising her "beautiful,
filmic compositions for accordion, harp, whistle and voice”. In
this work Tamsin explores themes of limbo, pain, healing and
acceptance, reflecting on the microcosm of her personal
experience of chronic illness alongside wider themes of societal
disconnection and environmental grief. Her forthcoming
record The Meeting Tree celebrates connection, nature
and the joy of sharing tunes with friends.


Tamsin’s critically-acclaimed collaboration with Egyptian oud
player Tarek Elazhary explores the parallels and
celebrates the idiosyncrasies of Egyptian Maqam music and English
folk traditions. Their friendship and resulting duo album So
Far We Have Come is a testament to the unifying power of
music, and won them a place in The Guardian’s Top Ten Folk
Albums of 2023, as well as a nomination for Best Group at the
Songlines Music Awards.


A versatile composer-performer, Tamsin also contributes to
chamber-folk quintet Hedera and festival-favourite
Mediterranean fusion band Solana. As a Musician in Residence
at UHBW NHS Trust, she channels her musical passion into healing
and connection, writing new music on lever harp and playing for
patients on wards including the ICU.


This episode was recorded in Tamsin's studio in Bristol and it
includes performances recorded especially for the podcast. Luke
and Tamsin also discuss her work as a musician in residence and
her cross-cultural musical collaborations.


Tamsin's website, which includes details of recodings and
forthcoming live dates, is here.