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'Town & Gown Folk' CD received the following  review in 'Mardles' the folk magazine for East Anglia:
You have to admire songwriter John Rees - who else would think of rhyming the Greek 'hubris' with the Latin 'Libris'?
you can tell Cambridge has really seeped into his soul.
John, not a native of Cambridgeshire, but very much an adopted son of the county, has inspired a multi-talented group of residents and friends from his village of Over to get together to perform songs that he has written.
All the songs have a grounding in events or traditions that are peculiarly Cambridgeshire but which are appealing to a much wider interest group than the narrow locality. The production costs of the CD were funded by a generous benefactor, so all the proceeds go to Cambridgeshire charities. So you can enjoy listening to this very varied offering knowing you are doing some good too.
The group consists of John (who sings and plays guitar), Kate Woolf - a trained singer with a glorious voice, Linda (who is the lead singer on their 'fields of Cambridgeshire' track featuring Cottenham Brass Band), Godfrey, a singer & guitarist from who some of you may know from his duo work with Andrew Smith, singer Colin, singer & violinist Erica, Mike on accordion and flautist & singer Harriet who is the youngest member of the group, off to university in September 2015. I hope it is Cambridge, because the group will miss her if she goes away.
The group are joined by local celebrity busker Michael Copley who provides a wonderful cello-like sound on his digital horn. He was the inspiration for the 'Cambridgeshire Busker' song.
There are instrumentals as well as songs on this album. I particularly liked 'let's all go MayLadying', which refers to a peculiarly Cambridgeshire custom of dressing up dolls in flower bedecked boxes, or in garlands, and cadging from neighbours (just like Molly Dancing, but in the spring.)
Hobson's voice are a Community group that are doing their best to put Cambridgeshire back on the musical map.
Mary Humphreys
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Another review was published in 'The Living Tradition'  - a national folk magazine.
click on this link to view the review
http://www.livingtradition.co.uk/webrevs/ltcd9092.htm
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To hear clips taken from the new CD - go to the ***Listen*** page
all the new CD clips are identifiable by the CD cover image (as above)
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This CD contains an added extra:
"The Fields of Cambridgeshire" has been recorded by Cottenham Brass Band and sung by Hobson's Voice member Linda.
This recording is included on the 'Town & Gown Folk' CD.


"The Fields of Cambridgeshire" has been arranged for Brass Band and Solo Singer by OLIVER RUDLAND
(please see www.oliverrudland.co.uk)   He has also separately arranged it for a Wind Band. Anyone intersted in playing these arrangements is welcome to contact Hobson's Voice.

The song itself tells of the heroism of the young PATHFINDER airmen who flew from Bourn Airfield on the fatefully fog-black night of 16th/17th December 1943. Oliver's arrangement begins and ends with the powerful drone of the Lancaster engines. 

Extraordinarily, Oliver Rudland was born on the night of 16th/17th December,
albeit a few decades further on in Time.  Whatsmore, he lives barely a stones throw away from the very field where one of these aircraft came to its end.
The book,  "Fire by Night" by Jennie Gray  tells the tale of her father's aircraft.
Add Oliver's arrangement  to the haunting, stirring tunes and words of "The Fields of Cambridgeshire" and you will experience something very deeply moving.
"The Fields of Cambridgeshire" gives due honour and memory..to help us not forget, to help persuade future generations to understand and relate to the courage and actions of all involved at that time in human history.