Jackie Oates and John Spiers’ second album, a festive release entitled, A Midwinter’s Night is a beautiful and heart-warming antidote to the materiality that can be a feature of the Christmas season.  A joyous celebration of midwinter and all its shades.

The 13-track album features captivating traditional Christmas carols and tunes from England and beyond.

Jackie and John began working on Christmas material during the lockdown Christmas of 2020, when realising that everyone was to remain firmly housebound during the festive season – they realised that it would be the perfect opportunity to raise a little festive cheer, by creating a homemade TV programme style concert, filmed in Jackie’s living room and in rural locations around Wallingford, Wootton and Headington Quarry.

Hence the first ‘Christmas At Home’ online concert was born, and was such a success, that a second concert was produced the following year, featuring new material. Once lockdown restrictions were lifted, the duo took their new Christmas show to Arts Centres and Folk Clubs across the country. This Christmas concert has become an annual tradition.

A Midwinter’s Night was recorded at Wormwood Studios in North Oxfordshire, by Stuart Jones, during June and July 2024.

All material on the album is played by John and Jackie, and features multi-instrumental arrangements played on an array of melodeons, recorders and percussion.

Songs include some lesser known Breton carols such as ‘Bergers, Écoutez La Musique’, and a new song setting, written by Jackie; ‘As I Lay On Yoolis Night’.

The haunting and evocative ‘O Come O Come Emmanuel’ and ‘Seafarers Hymn’, sit beside bouyant wassailing songs.

Jackie and John hope to reflect their shared love of Christmas time and the traditions and rituals that have been such a poignant feature of their individual family traditions for many years, such as the annual Headington Quarry Boxing Day Mummers Play, and an instrumental version of the  ‘Sussex Carol’, which features at Ditchling Mummers Boxing Day tradition.

The duo are touring the new album as part of their annual Christmas Tour during December 2024.

Available to download and stream from all major platforms.

CDs from Bandcamp.