AMERICANA band Iron & Oak to Debut CD 'Detour' at UTEA in Wotton-Under-Edge on Friday, May 12.

Following a year of gigging and writing as a trio, UK-based Americana band Iron & Oak make a return visit to the art centre to launch its first cd, 'Detour', at 8 pm at Under the Edge Arts (UTEA), Wotton-under-Edge.

The 13-track cd of mostly original songs and live tracks (live tracks recorded by sound engineer Vic Curtis) was recorded and produced at Scabby Road Studios in Chepstow by bluesman Paul Hobday, who features on guest instrumentals on the cd and will be joining the band for the launch on cajon, djembe and resonator guitar.

Iron & Oak (Sarana VerLin and Heather Bristow from America, and James Slater from the UK) could well be the inventor of a new musical genre: Folk Stroke Ameri-cana.

Bringing you roots music influences from both sides of the ocean, their style is a fusion of Contemporary Folk, Alt-Country, Swampy Blues, Old-Timey/Bluegrass and Red Dirt music.

Their musical chemistry is based around their entwining voices and sublime harmonies, bedded on a layer of rhythmic guitar and sweet smoky violin.

Individually, they’ve toured in the UK, Europe, USA and Canada. Together as singer-songwriters they perform their own compositions along with original arrangements of old and new songs.

The band was first formed in 2015 by James and Sarana; Heather joined in 2016, debuting as a guest at Iron & Oak's Nov. 2015 gig at the arts centre.

UTEA is located at the Chipping Hall, The Chipping, Wotton-under-Edge, GL12 7AD.

  • Tickets are £10.50 Adults, £9.50 Children and Concessions (including £1 in support of UTEA) or £9.50 Adults/£8.50 Children and concessions and are available online at utea.org.uk