Dorchester based Magdalena Atkinson has been wooing local audiences for some time now both as a singer/songwriter and performer of chansons with jazz pianist Philip Clouts. Her natural songwriting skills make full use of the sounds of hammer dulcimer, guitar, piano and hand drums.    

Having recorded two solo albums and built up a small internet following, she joined forces with three other musicians to record a third album from which emerged a new band, 'Magdalena and the Mystical Birds'. Although the new album is still a project in progress, they have decided to showcase the songs at The Lyric Theatre in Bridport on 21st March, before releasing them. Steve Jones (formerly of ‘Heron’ and ‘Mungo Jerry’) is on keyboards, with Drew Crow Star (glam rock punk poet) on bass, and Darren Coleman (leader of ‘Blackdown Samba’) on percussion.   

Drawing on their musical backgrounds, there are sometimes hints of…