JOHN McCusker is not the only folk luminary bringing diverse musicians together for a collaboration that combines concerts with an album release.

Jo Freya’s Lal Waterson Project plays the National Centre for Early Music, York, on Tuesday with a line-up comprising Freya, the singer, instrumentalist and composer from Blowzebella and The Old Swan Band; Jim Boyes, of Coope Boyes & Simpson and Blue Murder; Fi Fraser, of Token Women and The Old Swan Band; Jude Abbot and Neil Ferguson, from Chumbawamba; Harry Hamer, of The Sex Patels and Chumbawamba; and Mary MacMaster, of The Poozies.

Jo brought them together in 2007 to record Lal, an album in celebration of the songs of “the late, lamented, wonderful” Lal Waterson, who died ten years ago.

“I worked on two of Lal’s albums with her son Olly Knight – one before she died and one after – but I have been a fan since adolescence. Her lyrical music and fleeting, mysterious images made her one of the most evocative songwriters in English music,” says Jo.

“Lal had the ability to look at the world, sometimes at quite mundane things, and turn them into something special. She was a true poet who made me wish I could see the world through her eyes. I have long wanted to do an album of her songs and have finally done it.”

Explaining how she corralled such a wide-ranging and unusual combination of musicians to partake in her project, Jo says: “Lal was a member of the No Masters Co-operative and it seemed appropriate to collaborate with other co-op members to make this album. Neil Ferguson, Jude Abbott, Fi Fraser and Jim Boyes put themselves forward. To complete the band I asked Harry Hamer and Mary MacMaster to join, thus building a group with multiple voices, guitars, harp, percussion, bass and brass. As singers and instrumentalists, they create a blend that is as beautiful and unusual as the songs Lal wrote.”

Tickets for Tuesday’s 7.30pm concert cost £14, concessions £12, on 01904 658338.