The Isla Kaye Minstrels


I have been meaning to write about these for a long time now, im so excitted about their cd that i don't really know where to start.
This duo (was a trio) are local musicians from my town (and my school). Here we have a 15 year old lead singer known as Isla Kaye (started recording at 15.. now 16), and guitarist and back up singer Otis Luxton, 16. There used to be a third member who played frequently with them aswell, she was known as Jan Trim and she was most possibly the best violin player the school had ever seen, but of course her tallents weren't wasted as now she is currently in the royal northen college of music in Manchester, Otis and Isla await her return, but sadly it is unknown when she will come back. Otis's music has always amazed me with how much energy it carries, and Islas voice is very mature, one of which i can see getting better and better.
Meanwhile Otis and Isla continue to write their own music and you can often see them jamming and busking by the river or in the town filling the streets up with the spirit and atmosphere of their music, you can often also find them doing the old pub gigs too.

The songs they write are often small ballads, stories, and often contain political statements, Otis and Isla tend to write their own music by themselves and then they bring them together to make different pieces and different arrangments of the songs and the music, but there is one song that they wrote completely together and that one is called 'what if'. The Isla Kaye Minstrels actually started off as just accidentally having a jam in the meadows, and thats how it all began!

If i had to label this music (which Otis assures me he hates being catorgerised) i would best describe the music as cross between lots of different genres, pop, folk-rock, acoustic and indie (i mean properly indie as in they really are independent!).

I fell in love with their music as soon as i heard them, and i actually first heard them playing when they were jamming together at a party, i have never been so amazed, then i started to hear them in small school concerts, then i saw them busking in the street, now with enough songs they have turned their EP into a proper album now (self titled 'the isla kaye minstrels', which anyone can purchess by sending an email to otis_luxton@hotmail.com EXCELLENT! But you won't find their cd in any shop yet, as good as they are i think they could very easily get into local stores or the itunes music store, but no, for now Otis reassures me that for now they would like to be in charge of their own music and not have it run by any big hot shot record labels, he says maybe in the future, but not yet, they would rather sell them or even give a few away, just so their music can be heard.

I had quite a think about the best way to describe their label to anyone, i was talking to Otis, he said "i hate labels completely i would rather not use them at all, but it just makes life harder" .. at least from that you can understand the independent attitude these muscians have, but unfortunately one must give some sort of label to describe it to anyone.

Their inspirations include; Dispatch, Damien Rice, Bob Dylan, Jeff Buckley, Steve Earle, Susan Mckeown, The Peatboy Faeries, and many more.. you can actually find The Isla Kaye Minstrels on myspace and it has pretty much everything about them there too http://www.myspace.com/theislakayeminstrels and you can also hear a sample of their music- but you also hear them below..

Recommended Songs:
My Distant Friend
End Of The World
Mountain Full Of Gold (very nice solo work on the guitar)
Callum Suggests

The Isla Kaye Minstrels want to get around by word of mouth, just like one of their inspirations 'Dispatch' did, and it can be done! The Isla Kaye Minstrels deserve to be heard! So check out their music, get the cd, spread the word! It's up to you to let all those people know who want to discover new enthusiastic bands.. im doing my part right here.. i have past and spread the word on to you.. now it's your turn! Oh and if you are from Essex or Suffolk.. see if you can check them out at any gigs.. it's worth it!

MUSIC NOW AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD HERE

Also check them out here..
http://www.purevolume.com/islakayeandotisluxton
Make sure you google The Isla Kaye Minstrels aswell! ENJOY!


| | Posted: Thu - November 10, 2005 at 10:14 PM          

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