Kit Ashton annonche:

Jumping Jèrriais! Badlabecques Want To Make You Dance

Jersey-born singer-songwriter Kit Ashton has returned to the island and put together a brand new pop folk band who sing in our indigenous language – Jèrriais.

Founded in collaboration with L’Office du Jèrriais, Badlabecques are breathing new life into traditional folk songs with upbeat pop and folk influences from around the world.

Their first official gig will be at Folklore Festival in People’s Park on July 1st (though you might catch them ‘unofficially’ at a pub near you). They will also be going into the studio in July/August in order to record a few tracks, which will be used in Jersey schools to help promote and teach our fascinating language.

Kit, who has been based in Brighton since 2004, working as a musician and touring with the likes of soul-diva Carleen Andersen and Mercury-award nominated Thomas White (Electric Soft Parade, Brakes), is keen to re-connect with his Jersey roots:

“Even though my Gran, who lived in St. Ouen, only spoke French and Jèrriais until she started school, I never really learned any Jèrriais myself until recently when I became interested in the folk songs and rich literary heritage that Jersey has – going back to Wace in the 1100’s. I’ve kept the original lyrics and melodies to songs like ‘Man Bieau P’tit Jèrri’ and ‘Jean Gros Jean’, and connected them to our multi-cultural modern world with a broad range of danceable influences from Africa, to Latin-America, French-Canada and of course ‘Western’ pop. I’m also lucky to have found a lovely bunch of talented Jersey ‘crapauds’ to form the Badlabecques band sound. The result is somewhat quirky but really fun!”

Geraint Jennings, of L’Office du Jèrriais, says:

“Jèrriais is one of Jersey’s treasures that is too often overlooked, and polishing up its gems of poetry and song through a revitalised folk-rock sound will help to arouse wider interest in our living heritage. The old folks may be more familiar with the words, but it’s the youngsters who play the loudest tunes. Hèque Badlabecques! Long live Badlabecques!”

Tony Scott Warren, also of L’Office du Jèrriais says:

“Getting young people aware of Jèrriais is vital to its survival, and what better way can they start to enjoy our language than through music? Badlabecques have taken our traditional songs and given them a fantastic new spin which will appeal to everyone! ”

Badlabecques will perform at Folklore Festival in People’s Park on July 1st.

Photo (anti-clockwise from top left): Monty Tadier, Vanessa Moore, Jon Pearse, Kit Ashton, Scott Kean, Louisa Coxshall and Martin Coxshall