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Manchester based singer songwriter, Sam Jefferson, is steeped in the folklore of his ancestors who worked the coal pits of Yorkshire’s West Riding by day, and performed in music halls at night. With dynamic sets that span intense folk balladry to soulful blues and jazz, Sam’s virtuosic fluidity is always in service of the story behind the song. At the heart of Sam’s music is an astonishing rawness and authenticity; one which allows him to seamlessly blend the sound of his own roots with those that grew Blues and Jazz in America. The way that he writes and plays within these traditions could make it appear as though the Mississippi ran alongside the coal seams of Yorkshire.
‘A consummate songwriter, Sam Jefferson brings a story to life.’ – BBC Radio Scotland
Sing Beneath The Sun , inspired by letters and photographs from the lives of Sam’s great-grandparents, tells stories of love enduring through the grief and hardship surrounding the First World War and it’s affect on working class communities. The album set off a tour that saw him perform to 2,000 people in Ypres, opening the Imperial War Museum’s ‘Lest We Forget’ exhibition, with sold out concerts at The Bridgewater Hall, The Met, and supporting folk legend Ralph McTell.
‘Outstanding Musicianship’ – Ralph McTell
‘Beautiful songs’ – Tim Edey
Opening the Manchester Jazz festival, Sam’s cross-genre approach earned him a monthly gig at Manchester’s legendary Matt & Phreds Jazz club, and attracted the attention of acclaimed New York troubadour, Toby Walker, who Sam subsequently opened for.
‘Really fine picking, voice, and song-writing. Sam is carrying Blues and Folk tradition on in his own way’ – Toby Walker