Janice Burns & Jon Doran

Janice & Jon’s compelling storytelling comes alive through tight vocal harmonies and sensitive interplay between mandolin, bouzouki and guitar. Their arrangements have a spellbinding presence and an understated energy that transports their songs from the pages of books and manuscripts into the imagination of the listener.

The duo met whilst studying folk and traditional music at Newcastle University, including a year spent at the University of South-East Norway together. Since then, they’ve gone from strength to strength, with recent performances at the likes of Sage Gateshead, Manchester Folk Festival and Edinburgh Tradfest. Their self-titled EP was released in 2020 to overwhelmingly positive feedback, including airplay on BBC Radio 2.

Folk songs have always travelled, put down new roots, borrowed and evolved. Janice & Jon’s upcoming album, set for release in Autumn 2022, brings together songs that have survived through the ages, shapeshifting and adapting to changing environments as they’ve been passed from singer to singer. Exploring man’s relationship with nature, love and loss, these are songs with an enduring resonance for audiences everywhere.

“They play lovely strings, they have gorgeous harmony arrangements. Really well crafted, intimate, beautifully understated.” – Karine Polwart

“Janice and Jon are both delightful singers with wonderfully musical voices. Their performances of traditional folk songs have a pleasing authenticity and they make delicious harmonies. They are also both fine instrumentalists of great skill and talent. Any appearance of theirs in a folk club or on the concert platform will guarantee you an experience you’ll remember. They are also two of the very nicest people you could wish to meet!” – Sandra Kerr

“Weaving effortless harmonies with ancient ballads and virtuosic accompaniment on mandolin and bouzouki, Janice Burns & Jon Doran paint stories through their music that you will find yourself completely lost in.” – Josie Duncan