“If you’re making a Christmas album, you have to embrace the cheese,” said folk musician Janice Burns, who, along with musical partner Jon Doran, spoke to Nerve ahead of their album release and Dorset show.
The pair will perform at Ringwood’s Trinity United Church on Saturday, December 7, as part of a concert organised by the Bournemouth Folk Club.
Much of the setlist will be taken from Janice and Jon’s new album, Great Joy to the New, which is a ‘collection of winter and Christmas themed folk songs.’
How did a Christmas album come about though?
“Since we met, every Christmas we’ve found more folk songs about winter and really enjoyed singing them together,” Janice said.
“When it got to the COVID lockdown, we realised we had enough songs for a livestream, to keep everyone entertained.”
The array of Christmas songs eventually formed the latest album by the duo, which will be released at the end of this month.
Janice and Jon even enlisted the help of a five-piece brass band, which Jon said was reminiscent of The Muppet Christmas Carol, ‘when Michael Caine is being paraded through the streets of a fake Victorian London.’
The winter and Christmas theme was partly inspired by time living in Norway.
“We spent a lot of time in the dark and cold being very cosy,” Jon said.
“The thing we did to pass the time was play music and sing.”
Whilst this winter is a busy time for Janice and Jon, the summer festival season was as packed.
"[Festival season] is our favourite time of year," Jon said.
“It seems to be the one time where you get to see your colleagues.”
Janice added ‘it’s funny because you build up this fondness for people but you get down to it and think ‘I don’t know anything about you,’’ talking about the clashing tours between musicians.
Janice and Jon met at their university open day by chance and eventually started playing together when they kept seeing each other in the music practice rooms.
“Both of us were keen,” Janice said
“We would have a jam and play some tunes.”
After their upcoming Festive Tour, which spans the length of the UK, the pair revealed they have ‘absolutely nothing’ to do.
Janice said they have a ‘worryingly empty January,’ though revealed they have ‘a couple of ideas in the bag.’