Sting's next album 'Songs from the Labyrinth' will be a musical departure. He has recorded an album of works from Elizabethan songwriter John Dowland who lived between 1563 and 1626.
Dowland was the court lutenist to James I in 1612 and was recognized as one of the greatest musicians of his day. In 1595 he wrote to Queen Elizabeth I to announce his allegiance to the throne and 17 years later was appointed to the palace.Sting first heard the works of Dowland in the early 1980's. "About two years ago my long-time guitarist, Dominic Miller, gave me a gift that he'd had made for me, a lute - a sixteenth-century instrument with lots of strings" he said in a statement. "I became fascinated with it and immersed myself in lute music. It rekindled an interest I've had for a long time in the works of John Dowland, who wrote a number of fantastic lute songs. Dowland was really the first English singer/songwriter that we know of and so many of us owe our living to this man."
The project was never intended for a commercial release. "This project was never really meant to be a record. It was a labour of love" Sting says. "I wanted to learn these songs, and out of curiosity, Edin and I just kept going. I think it only became a record when we decided to put extracts of this letter in. Those that are familiar with John Dowland normally think of him as being this melancholy, doom-laden character; but he can write songs that are absolutely joyful - full of passion and happiness. He has it all."
'Songs From The Labyrinth' will be released in October.
