Photo by Ren Rox
James Yorkston is a singer-songwriter and author from the East Neuk of Fife, Scotland. Since signing to Domino Records in 2001, James has released a steady flow of highly acclaimed albums, leading to him touring his music worldwide.
James’s 2023 album, ‘The Great White Sea Eagle’, is a collaboration with Nina Persson (The Cardigans).
All Music 9/10 -“Some of the most beautiful and moving music he’s made, which is high praise indeed”
Under the Radar – “On The Great White Sea Eagle, Yorkston shows again that he is a significant 21st century songwriter. It’s a beautiful, hand-made collection of natural and unforced songs to be treasured.”
Clash – “A work of real refinement, ‘The Great White Sea Eagle’ is peppered with jewels.”
James’ 2021 album ‘The Wide, Wide River’ was called “Another fascinating, curious contribution to the Scottish musician’s constantly eddying catalogue” by The Guardian, “A beautiful experience” by Clash and “Another career highlight” by The Scotsman.
With his Yorkston / Thorne / Khan project, James explores his love of traditional and experimental music, mixing them with Indian Classical music. Y/T/K’s 2020 release, Navarasa, was The Guardian’s Folk Album of the Year.
James has had published three books – the novel ‘3 Craws’, and the memoir ‘It’s Lovely to be Here – The Touring Diaries of a Scottish Gent’. James’ second novel, ‘The Book of the Gaels’ (Oldcastle Press, 2022) was a Times Newspaper Book of the Month and one of their Historical Fiction Books of the Year.
James also runs a diverse club night ‘Tae Sup wi’ a Fifer’ and hosts the music podcast 46-30, which explores “Quality Music of no fixed Abode”.
Longer:
Few artists work from as broad and eclectic a platform as James Yorkston. Growing up in the village of Kingsbarns in Fife, James has been releasing a series of much acclaimed albums on Domino Records since 2002 – His debut album ‘Moving Up Country’ was ‘Rough Trade Album of the Year’.
James’ break came a year previously, after he sent a demo cassette to folk-rock legend John Martyn asking for a support slot on the Edinburgh date of John’s upcoming tour, only for John to hear the cassette and offer James all 31 dates of the tour.
James was an integral original member of the much lauded and hugely influential Fence Collective (King Creosote, Pictish Trail, KT Tunstall, Beta Band etc) and his style shows a mastery of folk traditions, often drawing on traditional songs, which has seen him collaborate with such heritage artists as the Waterson family, Martin Carthy and the late Bert Jansch, whilst producing his own albums alongside contemporary artists such as Four Tet, Rustin Man, David Wrench and Alexis Taylor (Hot Chip).
“Yorkston has reached a state of grace that writers can spend for ever trying to attain: songs that sound not so much written as carefully retrieved from your own subconscious, played with an intuition bordering on telepathy. What more could you ask for?” – Pete Paphides, The Times
“The finest song-writer of his generation” – John Peel
“For me, listening to James Yorkston’s music is like coming across the interesting-looking person on the fringes of a party. Before you know it, you’ve spent the evening listening to their compelling tale. There’s a quiet confidence in his craft; his singing, the words and instrumentation, all blend seamlessly….”
– Philip Selway, Radiohead
“One of the most influential singer / songwriters on the Scottish folk scene” – The Scotsman
Throughout his career, James has released a succession of critically acclaimed albums. He has toured all over Europe & North America and played at all of the major UK music festivals.
James has been featured many times on UK television (Including twice on BBC2’s The Culture Show, Newsnight Review, a 20-minute documentary screened on Channel 4 and a second documentary filmed for MTV, etc), as well as appearing on TV in Sweden, Greece, Ireland, Germany, Poland, France, Canada, Italy & America. He has also been regularly played on BBC Radio 1, 2, 3, 4 & 6; BBC Wales, BBC Northern Ireland & BBC Scotland, performing interviews and sessions for John Peel, The Verb, Late Junction, Loose Ends, Lauren Laverne, Marc Riley, Vic Galloway, Janice Forsyth, Tom Morton, Iain Anderson, Dermot O’Leary, Steve Lamaq, Rob Da Bank, Tom Ravenscroft, Jonathan Ross & Janice Long amongst others.
In 2011 his debut book ’It’s Lovely to be Here – The Touring Diaries of a Scottish Gent’ was published to great response by The Domino Press / Faber, and in 2016 Freight Press published James’ debut novel. ‘3 Craws’
“3 CRAWS is the debut novel of James Yorkston, an artist whose music already acclaims a brilliant story-teller, and in these pages he brings those same gifts to the written word. Shining with energy and bittersweet humour, it’s written with a poet’s ear for the language and people and cadence of this singular corner of the country, brought to life in its language, scenery, people and heart. Imagine SUNSET SONG retold by John Michael McDonagh, and you’re something of the way to the place where this novel will take you. It’s a tale of hope and tragedy and regret, and at the same time a hymn of love to the knowes and the shores, the bus-stops and potholes of the East Neuk, 3 CRAWS is a novel of home, and the ties that bind us – indelibly, whether we like it or not – to the places of our birth.” – United Agents
Words about ‘3 Craws’
Lauren Laverne – “Atmospheric, absorbing and darkly funny. Every bit as skilful as his song writing”.
The Scotsman – “A subtle, insightful and occasionally very funny look at the way small rural communities can sometimes smother their own. Yorkston has written a House with the Green Shutters for our times; in the coming weeks he may find he has to crank the modesty up to 11”.
The National – “James Yorkston is a talented folk singer with a woozy sound that lends itself to late-night listening and a good dram. His prose has tremendous rhythm and a rambunctious energy… The interweaving of Scots and English is delightful to read”.
The Skinny – “This work is filled with precise Teuchter terminology: authentic and refreshing. Yorkston has a ready-made readership in his loyal musical fanbase, but his post-kailyard treatment of rural Scots’ lives deserves to be read beyond only them.”
Scots Magazine – “A rural take on Trainspotting themes, this book is funny and tragic all at once.”
Scots Whay Hae! – “There is a lyricism in his use of everyday language which is rare and believable, and he uses his musician’s ear to master the phraseology not only of how his characters talk to each other, but how they ‘talk’ to themselves… a welcome new voice in Scottish fiction.”
Since 2014, James has also played with Yorkston / Thorne / Khan, a trio embracing jazz, indie-folk, krautrock, the poetry of Ivor Cutler, and Indian classical music.
Alongside James, Yorkston / Thorne / Khan include Jon Thorne, best known as double bass player with electro pioneers Lamb, and 8th generation sarangi player and sufi singer, Suhail Yusuf Khan, from New Delhi.
Yorkston / Thorne / Khan have gone on to release three albums on Domino Records and have toured the UK, Europe and India.
Words about Yorkston/ Thorne / Khan:
5/5 Record Collector ‘New Album of the Month’ “Throughout, this is the sound of three world class talents raising their respective games, as if trying to keep up with each other, creating something far greater even that the sum of their world-class parts.”
5/5 fRoots “Joyous, contemplative, playful, euphoric and bleakly beautiful. Brimming with confidence, ideas and musicianship, these Neuk Wight Delhi All-Stars are a band of brothers
8/10 UNCUT “It isn’t easy to pigeon-hole but it could just be one of the albums of the year”
5/5 Rolling Stone “A game-changing masterpiece”
Songlines – “The fluidity of their interplay has now become almost second nature”
4/5 MOJO “The sound they conjure up is Heavenly”
Since 2015, James has hosted and programmed his diverse and acclaimed ’Tae Sup wi’ a Fifer club nights in Kirkcaldy which has featured such artists as Dick Gaughan, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Steve Mason, Karine Polwart, Holly McNish, Carl Stone, Martin Carthy, Salena Godden, Sheena Wellington and Richard Dawson.
James is also a co-host of the long-running podcast 46-30, where he and Stephen Marshall play and discuss “Quality music of no fixed abode” – anchor.fm/46-30