The folk duo Cambridge and Walker came together in the summer of 2016 after sharing the stage and numerous discussions about music at the Blackfen Folk Club, Cambridge. Since then, Cambridge and Walker have become a familiar name in folk clubs and events in the East of England. They are firmly entrenched in the traditions of folk music, the community and in keeping folk music alive.
David Cambridge has been a prominent figure on the Cambridge folk scene for a number of years as a solo performer. A vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, David’s love of the genre was sparked while running a folk club at University in the 1970’s. His own journey through folk music is apparent in his style and the breadth of his musical knowledge. He also has a love of guitars which extends to building his own acoustic and electric instruments. Jenna Walker, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, combines her musical talents with an academic approach to folk music. Having studied for her Masters in Traditional Music, she is involved in both the preservation and advancement of folk music through various initiatives such as the Twitter project #TradSongTues, #CovidSings online sessions and the Soundpost Sing live and online singing weekends.
Their mutual interest in traditional songs and harmonies brought Cambridge and Walker together, and they began playing at various folk clubs in East Anglia. Since then they have played at the Cambridge Folk Festival, City Roots and Speakout events in Cambridge, Royston Music Festival, and both Bury and Ely Folk Festivals. With headline performances at many folk clubs around the East of England, the duo have also been invited to various other festival stages including Blackfen Folk Clubs' Folk Day, Royston Folk Clubs Shindig and Woodfest in Hatfield Forest.
After several years arranging songs and performing as a duo, they released their debut EP Worry, Grief and Care in late 2019. The release received radio play from BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, Cambridge 105 and West Norfolk Radio. David also released his well reviewed beautiful debut solo album Songtales earlier that same year. The duo were set to release their first full length album, Wheel and Dive, in May 2020, however the lockdowns and restrictions across the music scene due to the pandemic persuaded them to hold off until they could really take it out on the road. As that opportunity still seemed some time away they decided to delay no longer, and launched the album via the Zoom online platform.
Wheel and Dive is a fascinating combination of original songs, traditional folk standards, and covers that hark back to the 1970’s. Comprising 12 tracks, the album was released and launched in March 2021 and has received enthusiastic reviews from the likes of FATEA, London Folk, and The Living Tradition. The album release was also accompanied by their very first animated video (created by Siren Creative Studio- www.sirencreativestudio.com ) of their version of the traditional classic Reynardine. As the restrictions on live performances have been lifted, in keeping with most of their fellow folk musicians, Cambridge and Walker are re-emerging onto the live scene, with a promise of new material.
photos by ellie lucas