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Around About Dusk

Around About Dusk blends New Orleans jazz, European folk, roots and blues influences into a captivating, atmospheric sound. Their music weaves enchanting melodies and harmonies that tell stories of wonder, nature, humanity and heartache. With harmonies, macabre humour and familiar folklore tales, they conjure the romance of old cafés, the spirit of New Orleans porches, and the intimacy of campfire songs.

With performances at festivals including Glastonbury, Cambridge Folk Festival, Bristol Folk Festival, and Secret Garden Party, as well as European tours, Around About Dusk brings charm, authenticity, and a distinctive presence to every stage. Their work has featured on BBC Radio 6 Music and been highlighted as a Fresh Fave on Fresh on the Net. At their core a five-piece ensemble, their debut album—an ambitious project supported by Help Musicians—features widescale collaborations with acclaimed guest musicians and vocalists.

Awards

Help Musicians Next Level Development award.

Tags

Describing Around About Dusk as ‘utterly charming’ sounds a bit like a put-down but it really shouldn’t. They’ve absolutely nailed that French café musette sound thanks to Gus Dolding’s sinuous clarinet, judicious swirling accordion from Rachel Lawrence and an all-round proper sense of swing. Does ‘jaunty’ sound any better? They have ‘jaunt’ aplenty, whether in the intricate arrangements, economic soloing or insouciant lyrics delivered with Rachel’s easy grace, helped by a nice mix of two-step, waltz and tango grooves. It all hangs together like a perfect wardrobe of vintage clothes ready for the next party - and guess who will be playing?

Tony Benjamin, B/247

Around About Dusk EP
What is shown off to best advantage here starts with the writing skills of the group, some good songs that could happily enter the repertoire. The individual members of AAD were familiar to me from their rôles in bands who play ‘standard’ material, eg, Swing classics, where their abilities are clear (and considerable); but here on their own material they deliver a set that though informed by early jazz and classic blues, has a range of light and shade greater than the former and more like the range of emotions in the latter. The AAD sound, though not unique, would clearly appeal to fans and followers of music from the 1st half of the 20th Century, but extends that feel with subtleties reminiscent of when folk & classical musicians got interested in the Blues & early jazz - in a good way - whether that’s the cabarets of the ‘30s, modern Vaudeville influences, Folk Revival, or ‘post classical’ compositions. An interesting and entertaining blend of musical energies that I’ve successfully put into a number of live contexts.

Steve Henwood: Bath Fringe, Glastonbury Festival Programmer

I really liked The Worm on first listen, I’m getting a little element of swing to it which I love. There’s an idiosyncratic feel to their sound that’s refreshing and the delivery sounds effortless. It’s playful and fun and I enjoyed watching the YouTube video with my breakfast, whilst mesmerised by Rachel’s accordion action. A rather quirky way to start my day- Tom Robinson's, Fresh on the net BBC Radio 6 review.

Bristol based four-piece Around About Dusk fuse New Orleans jazz and Eastern European Folk. It’s the perfect way to start a sleepy Saturday afternoon. Clarinet and trumpet provide a gentle sway on Orchard Fruits and add a drunken waltz to The Moon. Two sides of the Atlantic slide beautifully around one another, like drinks on the bar of a Mississippi Steamer. Ender The Frog pokes the St George’s faithful to life with some delicious Balkan grooviness.

Bristol 24/7

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