Tom Kitching – ‘Where There’s Brass’

Tom Kitching is an accomplished fiddle and mandolin player—with nearly two decades on the English folk scene—and a gifted storyteller anchoring the UK’s contemporary folk-tradition alongside bands like Pilgrims’ Way and Albireo. Tom Kitching’s influence is unmistakable, particularly in his latest project, Where There’s Brass.

His latest work, Where There’s Brass, is both book and album, born from six months living aboard a 1937 oil-barge–turned–narrowboat navigating the canals from Manchester to London. The project serves as both “a love letter to the waterways” and “a rallying cry for what they can be in the future”—a powerful amalgam of memoir, social history, and hopeful vision.

Tom Kitching’s latest work, Where There’s Brass, is both book and album, showcasing his talent born from six months living aboard a 1937 oil-barge–turned–narrowboat navigating the canals from Manchester to London. This creative endeavor is a testament to Tom Kitching’s dedication to his craft.

The narrative traces life aboard the Spey, including the challenges of cramming 20 locks into a twelve-day cruise just before winter closures. It shines in its affectionate depiction of the liveaboard community’s camaraderie and resilience, all while being unafraid to challenge the negligence of authorities toward these vital waterborne neighborhoods.

On the musical side, the album of the same name unfolds in ten evocative tracks that work splendidly on their own, but gain richer meaning paired with the book. Tunes like “Grub Street” reveal Kitching’s exuberant fiddle lines, while “Nightsoil” provides a deliberately earthy schottische full of grit. The centerpiece, “The Brentford Lullaby,” wraps the listener in a nostalgic mandolin waltz. The collaborations with co-producers Jon Loomes and Rakoczy—adding hurdy-gurdy and nyckelharpa—add glimmering texture.

Longtime musical ally Marit Fält brings lätmandola and cittern to the project, seamlessly acting as a one-woman rhythm section. She’s also the composer behind two of the tracks (“Shoulders of Giants” and “Sally Forth”), contributing depth without ever overtaking—her playing bridges and deepens the emotional and rhythmic core of Kitching’s compositions.

This venture builds on Tom’s earlier Seasons of Change, which documented 18 months of busking across England and earned high praise. Folk legend Mike Harding called it:

“I’m devouring the book, not just reading it. The lad is one of the best fiddlers I’ve ever heard – he breathes life into the tunes… a wise and witty guide to England.”

And going back further, his debut Interloper garnered a #6 spot in the Sunday Express albums of the year, lauded for violin playing of “attack, passion, and ingenuity… the most beautiful instrumental playing of the year.”

In interviews, Tom has revealed how deeply woven his life and art are with both boating and music. He describes himself as both musician and writer—a dual vocation rooted in tactile tradition and daily adventure—and stresses the importance of carrying forward the lived history of narrowboating and canal craft through his work.

This tour isn’t just a performance—it’s a living archive. Kitching intertwines new, specially written stories with original musical pieces, traceable both to the rhythms of engines and the waterways’ social tapestry. Audiences are drawn into a world that’s part memoir, part melody, part cultural manifesto—with expeditionary charm and emotional precision in equal measure.

Source: The Harrison website