Songhive: Beelore & Folksong in the British Isles

Folk music often has a special relationship with the native flora and fauna of the land from which it springs. In this case, fiddler Rowan Piggott was galvanised to create the Songhive project by the plight of the British bee, a very small animal with a very large effect on our environment. The liner notes of this concept album offer the statistic that 80% of pollination in the UK takes place thanks to the bee.

Piggott – who is an Irish fiddler and singer now based in southern England – brings two of his regular collaborators to this project, Rosie Hodgson and Georgia Lewis, together with Nancy Kerr. Their light, clear vocals juxtapose with those of Piggott and Nick Burbridge, while instrumental interludes are offered by the Rheingans Sisters, Ray Chandler and Keryda. Though this is set up as a concept album drawing together folk songs about bees, all but a couple of the tracks feature the tireless Piggott, and it is very much his album, with his fiddle lines meandering throughout. The theme brings a very effective focus on a wonderful creature that finds itself in peril, supporting Friends of the Earth's campaign, The Bee Cause. An accompanying website (www.songhive.co.uk) aims to draw together all folk song related to our buzzing friends.