Salt House at New Gate Arts and Cultural Centre
Date: 27 March 2025
Venue: New Gate Arts & Culture Centre, 2-4 Kennedy Place, Derry, Derry, BT48 6RF
Salt House have been on the Scottish Folk Scene for over a Decade. Described as a gentle, lulling delight by The Guardian, Salt House blend heartfelt vocal and instrumental interplay.
Salt House have been a mainstay on the folk scene for over a decade. The band's reputation as
thoughtful and innovative interpreters of both old ballads and contemporary songs has been solidified
with acclaimed album releases and extensive touring. Described as a gentle, lulling delight by The
Guardian, Salt House blend heartfelt vocal and instrumental interplay, offering listeners a moment of
reflection and connection.
New songs that sound like they've always been here, ancient ballads woken up. Poems given
melodies they've long deserved.
Salt House's sound is influenced by the landscapes of the Scottish Highlands, Northumberland and
Shetland, the respective homes of band members Ewan MacPherson (vocals, electric and acoustic
guitars), Anna Hughes (vocals, fiddle, viola, tenor guitar) and Jenny Sturgeon (vocals, keys, guitar).
They incorporate their natural surroundings into the fabric of the music that speaks of a shared love of
place, people, and evolving tradition.
More about the band members:
Jenny Sturgeon, who has a PhD in seabird ecology, is known for her introspective solo work and
collaborations with Birdvox and Outliers. Through her creative output as a sound artist and songwriter
she explores themes of landscape and human connections. Her solo project 'The Living Mountain'
based on the writing of Nan Shepherd was released to wide critical acclaim.
Anna Hughes, a versatile multi-instrumentalist and composer, draws on her transitory life
experiences to create music that reflects forgotten landscapes and the wonders of the natural world.
Working across multi-disciplinary projects Anna is a sought after collaborator as well as working with
duo project Watersmeet.
Ewan MacPherson, is a multi-instrumentalist and singer with over two decades of experience working at
the forefront of the folk / trad music scene. He toured extensively with Shooglenifty for thirteen years, was a
member of Malinky and Nu-Nordic Quartet Fribo. His session work includes working with a variety of artists
from the British Isles and beyond. His most recent solo project album 'Hushman' was described by KLOF
Magazine as "…a little masterpiece of confidence and understatement. Wonderful."
"effortless" BBC Radio 6
"elegant" Mojo Magazine