The CD - Turn Towards Me was launched during a performance on 15 May at Bridport's beautiful and historic Town Hall. This building lies at the heart of Bridport's performance area with Bucky Doo square and the Arts Centre close by.

The songs have three different origins but there is a common thread that joins
them together: Poet, Douglas Northover, spent much of his life in Dorset’s Bride Valley and, through his poetry, brought his love of the place and people to life. After his death, a copy of his poems was presented to David Powell, then Headteacher of Burton Bradstock School in the valley. He put some to music in the mid 1990s and was drawn to revisiting them by Rosi Brewster’s beautiful cello playing. Rosi and her friend, Emma Batchelor, a young singer, had both been pupils at Thorner’s School in Litton Cheney, also in the valley. A concert was arranged at Bridehead, the source of the River Bride, in 2008 and guitarist, Simon Douglas, a fellow member of the Bride Valley Band that David and Rosi played in, was invited to join the group. Inspired by the performance and drawing on their personal journeys and experiences, David and Simon have written the rest of the songs on the album.

Extended samples of 4 of the songs can be heard via the player on this page. The full album is now on sale. Copies are available for purchase from David Powell and a number of retail outlets including Bridport Music.

Ticket sale details are on the Events page

BBC Dorset have covered the launch here

More on 'Unearthing a Bridevalley Legend' here. This link includes more background on the Bride Valley and interviews with some of the performers. (You will need Real Player to hear the audio links)