This year we've got a great line-up of the most outstanding local, national and international traditional folk musicians performing in concert, ceilidhs and displays.
Below are images, biogs and videos of the artists.
If any details below are incorrect please email us.
25/05/10 NOTE: Garva are no longer able to attend this year's festival.
The Waterson Family have been ambassadors for British folk music for almost half a century. The familiar core members of Waterson:Carthy ; Norma Waterson, Martin Carthy and Eliza Carthy are joined by Mike Waterson, Mike’s daughters Rachel and Eleanor, his wife Ann, and Oliver Knight and Maria Gilhooley; the son and daughter of the much missed Lal Waterson.
Waterson: Carthy continue to tour, Eliza has her own five piece band, Martin, Norma and Mike tour with Peggy Seeger and Norma and Martin tour with Chris Parkinson. Martin and Eliza are core members of The Imagined Village and Martin continues to travel the country as one of the country’s most in demand solo performers.
This, though is a rare chance to see them all together united on stage for special events and festivals – truly a Mighty River of Song.
The band cleverly uses their wide range of instruments not only interpret folk tunes but other musical genres too. The shows can be unpredictable but are always uncompromisingly entertaining. The band's secret weapon is their ability to communicate and engage with any audience anywhere.
Blending folk with classical music and comedy plus the odd music hall song thrown in. In 1995 Paul Hutchinson (accordion) and Paul Sartin (oboe, violin and vocals) shared a musical passion borne out of the desire to earn sufficient money to support their extravagant lifestyles. Their amazing musicianship coupled with wry humour stunned audiences around Europe and the States. After a brief sabbatical, they're back!
Youthful, enthralling, charismatic, and with bags of attitude, Damien and Mike combine solid traditional acoustic instruments and songs with the added oomph of a superbly tight rhythm section, making a unique and captivating sound. Energetic fiddle and passionate, distinctive vocals with driven punchy tunes and songs, result in one of the most exciting acts around.
With striking melodies and powerful riffs Angles mix haunting pipes, earthy
gurdy rhythms and driving accordion bass lines to create their distinctive
folk-trance groove tinged with blues and jazz.
Mick Ryan is well known on the folk scene as a fine singer of traditional and original songs He was described by Folk Roots as 'definitely the most underrated singer in the country.' Paul Downes has a sensitive, yet fun approach to live performances which puts him among the most respected artists on the British acoustic music scene today. Together, Mick and Paul provide singing, music and entertainment of the very highest quality.
Emma Heath and Mark Davies. Powerful tribal roots music, drawn from the Marches - with world influences. Their songs are inspired by local folklore and written and performed with a contemporary edge.
Currently taking the world by storm, Vicki and Jonny are rightly “establishing themselves as one of the best duos around on the folk scene today” (Famous Willows Folk Club). Although best-known for their instrumental skills with Scottish Smallpipes, accordion and even Swedish Nyckelharpa, the duo are well recognised for their songs arrangements too. With their blend of traditional material and contemporary interpretations, they have developed a sound that is both familiar and fresh. Vicki and Jonny’s strong educational background makes their workshops as powerful for a festival event as their performances.
Much of their material is original, but their style is distinctly traditional. Accompanying themselves on melodeon, guitar and bouzouki, with fine vocal harmonies and strong arrangements, their audience is with them from the word go. The duo have recently been joined by brilliant cellist Kate Riaz. Her exquisitely skilful and creative playing has proved the perfect third dimension to an already successful duo.
…as singers they're blessed with singular, sturdy and confident voices; they also possess a strong awareness of their role as song-carriers, being both steeped in the tradition and well versed in contemporary songwriting within the tradition.
Entertainment for children of all ages - featuring chalks, paints, instruments and free expression. Jan's Van traditionally changes colour as the weekend progresses.
Dave Bordewey first started writing songs before he ever picked up a fiddle and sings such a wide variety of songs from a repertoire that spans over 30 years. Dave Young became interested in folk music at the age of 18, having seen a morris side performing outside his local pub in Surrey. Dave Y is also the founder member of Malthouse Passage, his own band.
Graeme’s involvement in folk music goes back over twenty years singing shanties and sea, traditional love songs, mining songs, gospel songs, drinking and music hall songs and some more recently written contemporary songs – many with good enjoyable and singable choruses.
Trí is Irish for three, appropriate for a band with three members, three fiddle players, three bodhran players...etc. All three members have been active as solo Folk musicians in their own local clubs and festivals for some time. They have a shared love of Irish Traditional music but are also open to other musical influences. The band has established a reputation for fresh, energetic sets at festivals.
Malthouse Passage is a 5 piece band of multi instrumentalists and singers based in the Malvern area. Experienced musicians with varying backgrounds including many years of involvement in the folk music world, they perform a wide range of English, Celtic and European tunes and a mix of traditional and contemporary folk songs. These include a number of our their own original songs and tunes. They have played concerts and ceilidhs in a wide variety of festivals mostly in the Midlands, South West and France. Their live performances and debut CD have had great reviews.
Sheila Lum
Sheila is with us to provide Tal Chi taster sessions on Saturday and Sunday. She is an experienced Tai Chi lnstructor teaching in the UK now for 5 years following life-time of experience in China. You can experience the benefits of this gentle form of Chinese health exercise suitable for people of all ages and physical abilities. All are welcome, comfortable loose clothes and flat footwear are recommended.
Steve Knightley and Phil Beer are widely acknowledged as the finest acoustic roots duo in England. Knightley, who writes most of their inspired material and Beer, a dazzling multi instrumentalist, have built up a huge following which has seen them sell out the Royal Albert Hall three times, headline major festivals from Glastonbury to WOMAD and playing all over the world. They were voted Best Live Act by the public at the 2004 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.
WHAPWEASEL have become such a fixture on the festival and dance circuits in recent years that it’s hard to believe they haven’t always been around. The Whaps were propelled into the limelight in 2003 when their third CD, 'Relentless', shifted wagonloads on the back of heavy national radio coverage, unanimously enthusiastic reviews nationwide and indeed worldwide, featuring on the prestigious fRoots Top Ten Playlist and Mojo's list of Best Folk CDs of 2003. The band were nominated for the Horizon Award (Best New Act) in the annual BBC Radio 2 Folk Award and in 2005 returned to the folk awards as winners for 'Best Dance Band'.
A typical Whaps show blends a dizzying diversity of elements into a multi-cultural, multi-vitamin mélange that would coax a sloth in a coma onto the dancefloor. Hang on to your hats: the Mighty Wind of Whap is heading your way...
One of the young folk scene's hottest up and coming acts, the dynamic seven strong ensemble offers evocative images, blistering tunes and vivid songs with a virtuosity and vitality which draws from their classical and jazz informed backgrounds. Harnessing energy from the elements, and inspiration from their adventures across wild British Landscape, the arrangements ring with stark maturity and intention, with their dueling fiddles, soaring brass crescendos, wind and vocal harmonies and irresistible grooves.
An exciting young performer presently collaborating with string-playing musician friends as Rosie Doonan & The Snap Dragons. Although she has a core of musicians she can call on, regular Snap Dragons include violinist Kat Gilmore (from Tiny Tin Lady) and celloist Sarah Smout. This powerful sound is the perfect back-up to Rosie’s outstanding songs, complimenting her own guitar, piano or ukulele playing.
Rallion are a four piece contemporary folk group, hailing from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perthshire. They bring a wide range of musical influences together to create their powerful persuasive music. Their unique sound is based around the double fiddle powerhouse of Fiona Cuthill and Andrew Lyons, the voice of Marieke McBean and the virtuoso playing of Steve Lawrence.
Ceridwen has been playing violin for about 15 years. In 2006 she won the New Acoustic Roots competition in Rotherham, which gained her a guest spot at Cleethorpes Folk Festival. Since then she has done support slots for Spiers and Boden, Jez Lowe, Steve Tilston and John Kirpatrick amongst others.
During this time she has developed a lively fiddle style and strong vocals. She returns to the festival with new tunes and new songs.
Anni has developed a specialist repertoire of songs originating from her native North East, and Dave has been writing songs in traditional vein since 1982 many of these are widely sung and have become part of the general song repertoire of singers all over the world.
Grace Notes perform a cappella and accompanied arrangements of traditional and contemporary songs in three-part harmony.
Now in their 17th year, their highly praised harmonies and thoughtful repertoire making them one of the folk scene's best-loved female groups. Individually they have a much longer history of live performance and recording sessions with Nic Jones, James Horner, The Chieftains, Mountain Ash Band, John Tams, Bert Jansch, New Victory Band & Muckram Wakes and many more.
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Sunshine Arts are a long-established English folk-arts group specialising in working at festivals. They are inspired by traditional folk activities from around the world, offering a wide range of creative craft workshops. Dave Hunt, the founder of Sunshine Arts, is widely known at folk festivals as the children's entertainer "Dr. Sunshine".
Tunewrights
Tunewrights make a welcome return again this year - above you can see them in action on the main stage at Bromyard last year.
Last years winner of the Fred Jordan Memorial Singing competition here, and a finalist in BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award, Niamh is a traditional singer and musician from Lancashire, playing Irish and English music and, in the last year or two, has started song writing. She plays guitar, fiddle, whistle and bodhrán.
John’s musical influences are routed in acoustic, folk and classical guitar. His major influences are Stefan Grossman (ragtime guitar), Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, Martin Carthy and anything that presents itself in acoustic fingerstyle guitar. John also plays a wide range of instruments such as Nylon String Guitar, Steel String, Mandolin, Five String Banjo and Harmonica.
Pete Rees
Soft Option
Martyn Harvey
Martyn Harvey is a renowned national caller. He simply manages to get the best out of bands and builds a great atmosphere. His repertoire of dances is massive and he has written a number of cracking and stimulating ceilidh dances. So if you like a caller who sets out to make sure that absolutely everyone has a good time and succeeds then this will be a night that you can certainly look forward to.
Story Telling, Story Listening – whatever you favour it will be there in The Shed. Young or not nearly so young you will be entertained by Messrs Speake and Lowe. Come and hear Tom Tit Tot or the Drunken Potter. Come and tell if you want. Come and be entranced or just sit, harken and laugh. Those masters of the tale, those purveyors of the yarn, those maestoes of mendacity will be there to top up your fiction and fantasy quota for the rest of the year or , at least, till you meet them again. Speake and Lowe will ensure your story plate is full to overflowing and may be even garnished with a song or two.
