Barry Goodman
will be calling with Random
Barry Goodman
will be calling with Random
Máire Ní Chathasaigh & Chris Newman
The brilliant, innovative harping
of Máire Ní Chathasaigh, Irish Traditional Musician of the Year
2001, and the astonishing virtuosity and versatility of English guitar wizard
Chris Newman, make a welcome return to St Neots Folk Festival with their addictive
and stylish cocktail of powerhouse Irish dance-music, gorgeous airs, evocative
old songs and striking new compositions - with shots of hot jazz and bluegrass
thrown in! Their new CD FireWire has garnered extraordinary critical acclaim:
"Máire Ní Chathasaigh is in a class of her own" The
Guardian “An eclecticism and spirit of adventure that is quite thrilling...
Virtuoso playing... bewitching string fantasies and a wonderfully clear and
expressive voice" The Times “Dazzling virtuosity... The speed and
complexity is to be marvelled at... exquisitely delivered... delightful”
The Daily Telegraph
Their “blazing guitar and dancing harp”, coupled with Chris’s
“subversively witty introductions”, guarantee a unique and captivating
afternoon concert slot.
John Kirkpatrick - www.johnkirkpatrick.co.uk
John Kirkpatrick was born in Chiswick, West London in 1947. A deep love of music was instilled from birth, and family gatherings always included a hearty sing-song. School choirs, the Church choir, playing recorder and piano ensues, until he joined the Hammersmith Morris Men, in their second week, in 1959.
Whilst with the team he took up the melodeon, then the button accordion, then the anglo concertina, and got hooked on the traditional songs that were accompanied with a post-dancing pint.
John has gone on to become one of the most prolific figures on the English folk scene, performing solo, in duos, acoustic groups and electric bands, and has established an enviable reputation as an instrumental virtuoso and session musician, as well as a leading interpreter of English folk music. He has been a member of the Albion Country Band, Magic Lantern, The Richard Thompson Band, Umps and Dumps, Steeleye Span, Brass Monkey, Trans-Europe Diatonique, and Band of Hope, as well as numerous ceilidh bands.
He rejoined The Albion Band for The National Theatre productions of "Lark Rise" and "Candleford", and from 1980 has regularly worked on shows at The Victoria Theatre (later The New Victoria Theatre) in North Staffordshire, The Orchard Theatre Touring Company based in Devon, and elsewhere. As songwriter, composer, choreographer, and musical director, he has contributed to over sixty plays in the theatre and on radio. And as featured artiste, band member, or session player, his music can be heard on over 200 different commercial recordings. He was also involved in the TV series 'Victorian Farm' on the days of celebration eg Harvest and Christmas.
John has lived in Shropshire since 1973, where he had four sons by his first marriage. Now happily re-married, he still dances, with all four sons (on a good day), with the Morris team he founded in 1975, The Shropshire Bedlams.
This year, in theBBC Radio 2 Folk Awards
John was awarded Musician of the Year.
A little bit about Máire and Chris:
The celebrated virtuoso partnership of England’s premier flatpicking guitarist, Chris Newman, and Máire Ní Chathasaigh (pronounced Moira Nee Ha-ha-sig), “the greatest Celtic harper of our age”, is on tour again this Spring in France, Switzerland and of course England, where they will play 25 dates in total. Since their début as a duo exactly twenty-one years ago, Máire and Chris have toured in twenty-two countries and given TV and radio performances on five continents.
Their concerts showcase not only the richness and emotional range of the Irish tradition, from dynamic Irish dance-music to moving airs and evocative songs, but their own striking compositions - this enticing cocktail being further spiced with exhilarating shots of hot jazz and bluegrass and Chris’s “subversively witty introductions”.
Of their most recent CD together, FireWire, the critics said: “An eclecticism and spirit of adventure that is quite thrilling... bewitching string fantasies and a wonderfully clear and expressive voice" THE TIMES "Máire is in a class of her own" THE GUARDIAN “Dazzling virtuosity” THE DAILY TELEGRAPH "Takes one of the most effete instruments in traditional music by the scruff of the neck and breathes a fire into its belly" THE IRISH TIMES “Brilliant, innovative harping and guitar-playing of astonishing virtuosity and versatility” SONGLINES “Album of the Year” LIVE IRELAND. FireWire was voted Best Celtic Instrumental Album in the 2009 Just Plain Folks Music Awards held in Nashville, Tennessee in August. Over 42,000 albums and 560,000 songs in 93 genres from 163 countries around the world were screened for these indie awards - the largest music awards of any kind anywhere.
Máire received Irish music's most prestigious award, that of Traditional Musician of the Year 2001 - Gradam Cheoil TG4 - "for the excellence and pioneering force of her music, the remarkable growth she has brought to the music of the harp and for the positive influence she has had on the young generation of harpers". She began to play the harp at the age of eleven. A West Cork background steeped in the oral tradition led her, while still a teenager, to develop new techniques that made it possible for the first time to play traditional music on the harp in a stylistically accurate way. She won the All-Ireland and Pan-Celtic Harp Competitions several times and in 1985 recorded the first harp album ever to concentrate on traditional Irish dance music, The New-Strung Harp - "a mile-stone in Irish harp music" THE IRISH EXAMINER. Her approach has been profoundly influential wherever in the world lever harps are played - "a single-handed reinvention of the harp". "Her work restores the harp to its true voice." THE IRISH TIMES
Chris began to play the guitar at the age of four and at fourteen played his first paid gig in a folk club. He dabbled in the jazz scene in his late teens, playing with and learning from people like Stephane Grappelli and Diz Disley and honing his skills as a gifted improviser. After a brief foray into the commercial world that resulted in a silver disc for producing the Top Ten hit The Oldest Swinger in Town, he resolved to concentrate on his first love - the acoustic guitar. In addition to his work with Máire, Chris toured until 1997 as a member of Boys of the Lough in North America, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Estonia, Denmark, China and Italy. A prolific composer, arranger and record producer, he has been principal guitar tutor for Newcastle University’s Folk B.Mus course since its inception. His third solo CD Fretwork was “a stunning and stylistically-varied album, heaving with good tunes, from one of the UK’s most staggering and influential acoustic guitarists” FOLK ROOTS “Dazzling” ACOUSTIC GUITAR “Revered” TAPLAS
the tannahill weavers
The Tannahill Weavers are one of
Scotland 's premier traditional bands. Their diverse repertoire spans the
centuries with fire-driven instrumentals, topical songs, and original ballads
and lullabies. Their music demonstrates to old and young alike the rich musical
heritage of the Celtic people. These versatile musicians have received worldwide
accolades consistently over the years for their exuberant performances and
outstanding recording efforts that seemingly can't get better....yet continue
to do just that.
The Tannahills have turned their acoustic excitement loose on audiences with
an electrifying effect. They have that unique combination of traditional melodies,
driving rhythmic accompaniment, and rich vocals that make their performances
unforgettable. Over the years the Tannies have been international trailblazers
for scottish music, and their tight harmonies and powerful, inventive arrangements
have won them fans from beyond the folk and Celtic music scenes. They are
firmly established as one of the premier groups on the concert stage. From
reflective ballads to footstomping reels and jigs, the variety and range of
the material they perform is matched only by their enthusiasm and lively Celtic
spirits.
"An especially eloquent mixture of the old and the new." New York
Times
"...as close to perfect as it gets in an imperfect world." Sing
Out!
THE TANNAHILL WEAVERS ARE:
ROY GULLANE
guitar ~ lead vocals
Roy is the Tannahill’s primary lead vocalist and an original member
of the band. He has written many songs in the traditional Scottish style,
several of which have been recorded by the group and many more of which are
on his solo recording, Not Only But Also.
JOHN MARTIN
fiddle ~cello ~viola ~vocals
John, one of Scotland’s finest fiddle players, started winning fiddle
competitions and made his first radio broadcast for the BBC at the age of
fourteen. He does a great deal of studio work, and has been involved as a
traditional musician in various theatre, film and television productions,
as well as recording a solo fiddle album and Braes of Lochiel as a duo with
Billy Ross.
PHIL SMILLIE
flute ~ whistles ~ bodhran ~vocals
Phil is the other "original Tannahill", having been with the group
since it turned professional. He also composes flute music, with the group
having recorded several of his pieces, and has been involved with music for
theatre and television production.
COLIN MELVILLE
highland bagpipes ~ Scottish small pipes ~whistles
One of Scotland's most exciting young pipers, Colin plays highland bagpipes,
Scottish small pipes and whistles, teaches in the Feisean and does freelance
work when not on the road with the band. Colin attended Heriot-Watt University
in Edinburgh, where he earned a degree in engineering.
Barron Brady - www.barronbrady.110mb.com
Ros and Simon first came to the Folk Club for an Open Stage night and we were so taken with their music and songs that they were invited to appear at the Festival. Now read on:
Barron Brady - Ros Brady and Si Barron are contemporary songwriters and interpreters of traditional English folk song.
Drawn to strongly narrative songs
with subjects ranging from Devon legend to contemporary rural reportage
they invite the listener to accompany them through strange landscapes whose
denizens include coffee drinking Mermaids, corn mowing Devils, flying highwaymen
and disappearing Hedgerows. They have a dynamic acoustic style combining
joy and verve in performance with an assured stage presence garnered from
five years of performing nationwide.
Simon’s ballistic fingerstyle guitar complemented by Rosalind’s
harmonium and whistles underlines their harmony singing.
"These two artists demonstrate most clearly in their work the relevance
of an old tradition expertly employed to reflect a modern world, appealing
to both the intellect and the heart."
Cherrington Ward - Pam Ward and Paul Cherrington
THE DANCE SIDES
Gog Magog Molly - regular performers at St Neots Festival!
St Neots Sweeps and Milkmaids - our very own local side.
Dancing at Ickwell May Celebrations and at the Festival in 2008
Rockingham Rapper
Dancing at St Neots Festival in 2005
Tony Clark and Karen Johnson - Barefoot Roses www.BarefootRoses.co.uk
Tony and Karen are also regular performers at St Neots - a fine duo stylishly delivering innovative arrangements of songs by their favourite acoustic acts ( Boo Hewerdine, Eddie Reader, Karine Polwart, .. ) Karen's enchanting, luscious singing is complemented by Tony's skilled, sympathetic harmonies and accompaniment on guitar or keyboard.
Martin Kaszak and Phil Pearce
Between them they play a variety of instruments
- guitar, mandolin, melodeon
Recently formed duo they produce a wide programme of music from soft
ballads to lively acoustic blues. Martin's neat guitar work and Phil's
accompanyment will surely keep your feet tapping !
Martin Kaszak www.myspace.com/martinkaszak
Martin is a singer songwriter guitarist widely influenced by blues &
acoustic musicians from the likes of Blind Blake, Ralph McTell to Jim
Croce & Show of Hands. His own songs create an often atmospheric
and always easy on the ear sound.
Phil Pearce www.myspace.com/philpearce1
Phil is no new comer to the Cambridge music scene and has played in
various pub, duo and Ceilidh bands for some years. His influences are
: "good tunes I can tap me foot to ".
Random ~ Friday evening Ceilidh
"It is refreshing
to hear such 'electric ceilidh music with guts' gracing the stage of the ceilidh
world. We eagerly await more!"
The six guys who are RANDOM, bring their vast experience of all kinds of folk
and dance music to this well-established band. Their gutsy, melodic, folk-rock
interpretation of tunes with traditional roots, creates scintillating but
subtle ceilidh music that will make you want to dance.
Saul Rose who also plays with Waterson:Carthy & Faustus amongst others, joins up with Paul Nye to bring two very exciting melodeon-playing talents together. Add the classy bass guitar of Keith Holloway, the guitar rhythms of Ian Woledge, the matchless bass trombone harmonies of Glynn Burch, and the rock-solid drumming of Roger Smith, and you’ve got the unique RANDOM sound.’
RANDOM’s debut CD ‘deviation’ released on the WildGoose label in July 2002 - WGS308CD, and they also feature, along with 5 other top ceilidh bands, Whapweasel, Florida, Hekety, All Blacked Up and Jabadaw, on a compilation CD - 'English Ceildh Bands- a celebration of English ceildh music'- released in August 2003 on Coughing Dog Music - COF 010
Their latest CD 'TOADSTONE', released at Sidmouth Folk Week 2005 on WildGoose WGS328CD, has received critical acclaim and RANDOM are now in great demand.
Listen to some tracks
at MySpace - go to www.myspace.com/randomceilidh