Rayleigh Scattering

"Liz Ryder captivated the audience, the organisers, this reviewer, and I dare say Steve himself with her gentle and delicate songs." - Allan Wilkinson, The Doncaster Folk Club

"San Francisco resident Liz Ryder has used her worldly experiences to create amazing musical compositions that combine Old English and Celtic traditional folk styles with contemporary Americana and Newgrass. With her soaring Joan Baez-like vocals and lyrics which mesmerize, she holds the rapt attention of the audience whenever she plays." - Nusi Dekker, Local Music Vibe.com

"In my opinion Liz is a highly skilled performer who, in a similar manner to a champion ice-skater, makes her note-perfect playing and singing appear effortless." - Mike Parrot, FAB Folk Club

Hauntingly familiar but at the same time excitingly original. - Sidmouth Folk Festival

Her voice certainly has a haunting quality tipified by the likes of Joni Mitchell... - Alex Lawson, Sandman Magazine, Sheffield UK

Her voice certainly has a haunting quality tipified by the likes of Joni Mitchell... - Alex Lawson, Sandman Magazine, Sheffield UK

Her voice certainly has a haunting quality tipified by the likes of Joni Mitchell... - Alex Lawson, Sandman Magazine, Sheffield UK

Liz Ryder has moved along some since her 2002 opening set for Oh Susanna. No harp this time (a guitar case is quite enough to handle on Railtrack's meandering service from North Wales to Aberystwyth), but her distinctive stroking right-hand touch on guitar reveals much that's borrowed from her harp technique, and she uses a brave range of open tunings. Her chosen traditional folk material aside, there's a new maturity about her songs, especially apparent in 'House of Changes' and '44th Street', but it's her voice that registers above all, with a phenomenal range that she's quite unafraid to exploit to the full: as an aspiring contender on the UK folk scene, it's a strong element in her armoury, one that sets her apart, and we await her upcoming third CD with interest - there's much more to come from Liz. - Celf Cambria Arts- Tregaron

Her multi-instrumental skills add atmosphere and texture to her solo work, and her distinctive, bell-like vocals easily encompass the demands of her varied material. Her latest album "On the Neon Highway" fulfills the promise of her earlier recordings amd marks this young singer/songwriter as a name to watch out for. - Acoustic Routes

Massimo Ferro, Radio Voce Spazio, Italy

"Sacramento Orange" is a fine debut as it shows the many virtues of the artist, like a sweet and delicate, sometimes still slightly harsh, but powerfully evocative voice and a certain degree of competence in the instrumental department. That CD in fact uses to propose thin but different arrangements, and then I must say that even when unaccopanied her voice brings me joy and pleasure. Those short instrumental tracks also give more variety and testify her skill, especially as a flute and recorder player. I must confess that, if "Sacramento Orange" is particularly interesting for the versions of traditional material, the EP shows how Liz is improving as a songwriter too, and that could be an interesting new route for her musical career in the next future: whatever will be, I have great expectations from this young but talented performer and suppose that future will be probably very bright for her! (from Massimo Ferro, Radio Voce Spazio, Alessandria, Italy - member of the Rainbow Smoke Network - w.lordlitter.de/rsn/media_djs2.html). - Massimo Ferro, Radio Voce Spazio, Italy

Roland Walls, Black Swan Folk Venue, York UK
I first came upon this talented young artist at the Warwick Folk Festival of Summer 2001, where she was performing as a consequence of having won the Young Musician Of The Year award at the nearby Alcester & Arden Festival earlier that season.

I was immediately struck by the pure quality of her voice, her ability on a range of instruments and her blend of promising original material with some less usual traditional fare. Although her stage manner was a little diffident, almost shy, there was clearly plenty of musical ability and ambition in her.

The Warwick Folk Festival committee must have been impressed as well, because they invited her back in 2002!

Meanwhile I asked Liz to appear at one of the Black Swan Folk Club’s occasional Young Performer showcase nights. Over recent years these events have given an early platform to several artists who have gone on to be leading lights in the new generation of British folk singers, notably Bill Jones and Emily Slade.

At both our Young Performers event and at Warwick 2002 I saw Liz give thoughtful and enjoyable performances, focusing on her developing songwriting while not abandoning the Anglo-American traditional side of her repertoire. Though she was still a touch reticent on stage, her music was clearly moving forward.

Comparisons are always a little unfair, but if pressed I would say that her pure tone and vocal range remind me at times of Joni Mitchell, while the imagery and language in some of her songs has echoes of the late Sandy Denny.

Liz has clearly absorbed a great many influences but she is no mere copyist; instead she is emerging as a welcome new and original voice on the folk/acoustic scene. I am sure she will have a big impact – she certainly deserves it!
Roland Walls
August 2003 - Roland Walls

Liz Ryder - "On the Neon Highway"

"On the Neon Highway" is the second release North Wales based Singer-Songwriter Liz Ryder. Ryder is a North Wales Singer-Songwriter
who clearly has had a number of influences, both musical and otherwise that have affected her style. Her early years were spent in Long Beach, California but she moved to Britain at an early stage, and in my opinion it would be fair to say that her early influences played a role in her musical direction and choices.

Certainly as Ryder says herself folk and early music was a very early family influence and this is reflected in her writing and singing style. However Ryder does have a distinctive style of her own, her vocals have a slightly torch like character about them which even provides a new touch to some favourites. If a comparison has to be made, the only one that comes to mind is London based Rebecca Hollweg, certainly on tracks such as "The Waves" there is a distinct comparison in the character of their singing if not influences.

The CD itself consists lasts for just over fourty two minutes and consist of 10 tracks, the bulk of which were self penned by Ryder. The exceptions to this are "Sailing in the Boat" and "Black is the Colour", respectably tracks 1 and 8 on the CD. Ryders own lyrical style can have a poetic edge and slightly abstract element to them which is reflected on tracks such as "Atlantis" and "House of Changes". There is also considerable variety on the cd which comes to a close with "44th Street" which in my opinion is possibly one of the strongest of the collection in so far as it brings out a strength and depth to her voice isnt utilised in the same way on the more "upbeat" (for want of a better description) tracks, not because of a lack of skill on Ryders part but a reflection of the difference in style of the songs. I must admit I didnt initially recognise Ryders version of "Black is the Colour", her vocal styles come into their own however and she interprets the song in her own way adding her own interpretation to it, rather than being the same as youve heard on numerous other cds and live no doubt.

The CD has much to offer in the way of variety as well, both in terms of her songwriting style and her singing which clearly has considerable skills to offer. Aside from Ryder on guitar, harmonica and percussion she is joined by
guest musicians on fiddle, slide guitar and bongos, although her singing and guitar playing clearly dominate the tracks.

Whilst Ryder is clearly at the beginning of her career it would be surprising if more isnt heard of her in the next few years, to build on her increasing presence on the acoustic and folk scene. - Folk and Roots UK

Liz divides her time between the
States and the UK, and had travelled down from her current UK home of Sheffield to be with us tonight.

I was unfamiliar with her work, but Liz confidently began with “The River”, a song she described as “rambling, and about nothing in particular”. That may (or may not) have been so, but was a pleasing start, and I immediately noted impressive vocal vibrato and sustain. Liz followed this with a ‘happy love song’, quite a rarity for her so she informed us.

After recalling her unfamiliarity with London’s geography from earlier that day, not helped by the underground system’s lack of visual clues, Liz delighted us with some faultless guitar picking work accompanying her song with Persephone in the underworld as its theme. Excellent dynamics on this one. By now I was totally hooked, my notes reading “ could listen to her for hours”; luckily for me I am now able to as I was quick enough to buy a copy of Liz’s 2003 CD “On The Neon Highway”.

Liz adjusted her guitar’s tuning for “44th Street”, a song based upon memories of her grandparents’ house in Sacramento, California. Spot-on tuning was again evident for the relatively up-tempo “California Rain” written in 2005, with open tuning again for “Lucille”, another of the songs from the CD.

One of the evening’s highlights for me came next with “Just Going”; with the Capo placed on the 7th fret, the cutaway on Liz’s Taylor guitar was put to good use as Liz played right up to the sound hole.

Liz informed us that she felt that she had been neglecting folk songs lately, but soon put that right with her rendition of “10,000 Miles”.
Liz’s favourite Bob Dylan song “Girl From The North Country”, maybe appropriate given the Sheffield connection, followed; with lively guitar work supporting a delicate vocal. “House of Changes” ended Liz’s first set.

For some reason I did not catch all of the song titles after the interval, maybe I was so busy listening I was not doing enough writing? The next song was notably faster-paced, and superbly delivered.

“The Wolf”, which featured some strong rhythmic guitar work, preceded a song inspired by one of Salvador Dali’s more ‘normal’ paintings, and Liz’s couple of years spent living in north Kent.
Liz’s arrangement of the traditional
“Sailing In The Boat” followed, and all too soon we reached the end of the set with another love song, which had originally been written on piano...

In my opinion Liz is a highly skilled performer who, in a similar manner to a champion ice-skater, makes her note-perfect playing and singing appear effortless.

Do take the opportunity to see Liz perform if you can, you will be glad that you did. - Mike Parrott