Morning of May

Sam Sweeney and Grace Smith bring the sound of two fiddles into sharp focus on Morning Of May, a debut duo album rooted in the English instrumental tradition. They trade melody and seconding roles throughout, using harmony and rhythm to subtly shift and lift each tune.

Diving into manuscripts and lesser-known tune collections, they uncovered overlooked material full of character. Some tunes arrived complete, others were carefully restored through playing, and a few began as fragments before being reimagined. The album also includes original pieces by Sam Sweeney and Grace Smith.

Morning Of May recognises English traditional music as something open, shaped by movement and exchange. You can hear Scottish, Irish, French and Scandinavian threads running through it, not as additions, but as part of the tradition’s fabric. It feels ancient, immediate and full of possibility.