Saskia Maxwell
“Imagine Billie Holliday, Joni Mitchell and Amy Winehouse on a three day bender, road tripping across the United States in a Chevy. Well, that is the sort of atmosphere this lady’s music provokes”
Saskia Maxwell sings songs about love and loneliness, friendship and betrayal, fear and hope with stark coming of age confessions displaying a maturity and sensitivity that belies her age. Her songs are reflections on where she’s from as well as where she’s going; folky acoustic songs that echo her routes in the rural southwest are not out of place beside more lyrically provocative and jazzier numbers, songs that call out to wider audiences and bigger stages.
Born into a musical family, Saskia has always been surrounded by music and was classically trained on guitar and flute from an early age. She cites Amy Winehouse, Django Reinhardt and Kate Bush as musical influences, but her playing demonstrates a blending of many styles, all combined with an artistry both natural and unaffected.
Saskia has gigged prolifically from the age of 14, and has already performed close to 500 shows in the UK alone, supporting the likes of Rae Morris, JP Cooper, Nick Harper, Rachel Sermanni and Mark Morriss of the Bluetones. Radio stations have also been quick to recognise her both as a live and recording artist.
“Absolutely outstanding. One to watch.” – BBC Introducing
Notable venues in Cornwall include Miss Peapods, Princess Pavilions, Boardmasters Festival and the Eden Project. Between the Bristol and London regions of the UK, she has also played the Half Moon Putney, Brisfest, the Dot to Dot festival and has headlined many venues such as “Moles” in Bath and “The Fleece.” In Bristol. Saskia has just returned from New York where she performed shows in Brooklyn and Harlem and began work on her debut album, due to be released in late 2016.
Her 3rd and most recent EP, “Dancing with the Night,” has already received acclaim from Robin Banjeree, former Amy Winehouse guitarist, who highlighted her track “All the Fish in the Sea” as a track he would “not only listen to but buy.”
The EP is comprised of songs Saskia put together in Bristol, and sees Saskia gravitating towards her honest and unique form of storytelling. Unrequited love, obsession, various encounters and experiences are expressed over jazz style waltzes and beautifully constructed arrangements.
https://saskiamaxwell.bandcamp.com/