Concerts for 2009

26/Mar/2008
There are already many concert dates in the diary for 2009. Do get in touch via the 'Contact' link on this website if you want to book Duo if the Year, Tams and Coope.

OLIVIER AWARDS - the theatre Oscars

10/Mar/2008
John was delighted to have been nominated in the Sound Category (in the absence of a music category)for an Olivier Award - considered by many to be the theatre equivalent of the Oscars. John shares the nomination with Sound Designer Chris Shutt and fellow composer Adrian Sutton. The nomination is for their work on WarHorse at the National Theatre.

John's Birthday Cake

18/Feb/2008
Saturday 16th February - John's nnnnnnth Birthday. Huge thanks to the organisers of Cheltenham Folk Festival. They surprised John with this fabulous birthday cake on stage following John and Barry's terrific set on Saturday night. Thank you to John Shorter, Joanne Heatley and all the great staff and volunteers at the festival. A remarkable event which deserves...and seems to receive massive support.

The Definitive Collection

18/Feb/2008
NEW to buy from this website are John Tams - the Definitive Collection and The Albion Band - Lark Rise to Candleford: music from the celebrated National Theatre production of the 1980s. Both are essential additions to your cd collection. - Read more

Clare Set re-issue

18/Feb/2008
The Clare Set (Free Reed), recorded by John, and Neil Wayne in the 1970s was described recently in the Sunday Times as the ‘must-have re-issue.’ Critic Stewart Lee wrote ‘these reissued results sound as strange, mysterious and exotic as anything John and Alan Lomax pulled out of the Deep South in the 1930s’ and concluded by writing that the diversity of approach within an essentially narrow field will astonish you.’ www.free-reed.co.uk/anclar-06 - Read more

TAMS AND COOPE WIN DUO OF THE YEAR AWARD

07/Feb/2008
John and Barry were delighted to receive the award for BBC Radio 2 Duo of the Year at the Brewery in London on February 4th. At a star-studded evening where guests and presenters included Phil Collins, Graham Coxon, Bob Hoskins, Brenda Blethyn, KT Tunstall and John Paul Jones, it was a huge thrill when Sean Bean stepped onto the stage to present the award. Describing John as one of his dearest friends, he went on to say what a honour it was to present John and Barry with the accolade of Duo of the Year.

War Horse -SHOW SOLD OUT

03/Feb/2008
This show has now opened at the National Theatre. It has received stunning reviews, a standing ovation and the audience cheering long after the cast had departed the stage. If you are thinking about going to see the show ....get your ticket soon. In light of the reviews it may be a really difficult ticket to obtain. **STOP PRESS** The show is now totally sold out until the end of the extended run into February 2008. However, it is expected the show will return to the National Theatre once more at the end of 2008. John has worked as Songmaker on this world premiere production in the National Theatre’s Olivier Theatre. This new epic is based on the celebrated novel by the former children’s Laureate Michael Morpurgo. Actors working with magnificent, life-sized puppets by the internationally renowned Handspring puppet company lead us on a journey through this epic story of a farm horse sequestered into the army during the Great War. - Read more

Gigs for 2008

02/Feb/2008
Take a look at the gig list for 2008. There are plenty of new venues to whet the appetite - Glastonbury, Cropredy, Hillbark on The Wirral - and we are re-visiting many of our favourite venues - Huntingdon Hall, Lichfield Guildhall and Fylde... for example. John and Barry are now fully booked for Monday to Friday dates. However, there are still one or two to be added to our weekend schedules during 2008... keep checking back.