FolkWorld #60 07/2016
© Priddy Folk Festival

Priddy Folk Festival

Priddy, Somerset, UK

8 - 10 July 2016
Altan
Belshazzar’s Feast
Breabach
Calan
Dallahan
Fara
Faustus
The Hut People
Lady Maisery
Rory McLeod & the Familiar Strangers
Mec Lir
Mishaped Pearls
Three Cane Whale
Lucy Ward
...
Artist Video
www.priddyfolk.org

The Friendliest Folk Festival

Dallahan

Artist Video Dallahan @ FolkWorld: FW#59

www.dallahanmusic.com

Priddy Folk Festival festival grew up from a PTA fundraiser back in 1992, and now attracts international artists and visitors from all over the country. Yet we still keep that village feel that has given us the reputation as “the friendliest folk festival”. Much of the entertainment outside of the main concert areas is free. Join us for our 25th anniversary!

Dallahan

Since launching the band in December 2013, Dallahan have exploded onto the traditional music scene. Their unique arrangements of original music and traditional Irish tunes and songs have secured their presence at such prestigious international events as Milwaukee Irish Festival in the USA, Copenhagen Irish Festival and Celtic Connections. Dallahan met each other through local sessions in Edinburgh and they are established performers of various musical styles from classical and jazz to Balkan and Celtic.

The members of the band have toured extensively with groups as diverse as Kalman Balogh’s Gypsy Cimbalom Band, Larsa, Fianna, Samling, Tcha Limberger and they regularly appear at festivals and venues both in the UK and internationally. As individuals, they have received various awards; Paddy won the ‘BBC Young Traditional Musician Of The Year Award 2013’, Ciaran won the title of ‘All Britain Banjo Champion’ in 2006, Jani won 1st prize at the first ‘Hungarian Traditional Music Competition’ and Jack was recently a finalist in the ‘BBC Young Traditional Musician Of The Year Award 2014’.

As a band, they received an ‘Emerging Excellence Award’ from Help Musicians UK and were recently nominated for Best Up and Coming Artist of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards 2014. Dallahan is a breath taking musical journey delivered by award winning musicians that is as much fun to listen to as it is to play.

Altan

Artist Video Altan @ FolkWorld:
FW#2, #3, #8, #14, #22, #29, #31, #31,
#37, #38, #42, #45, #46, #47, #56

www.altan.ie

Altan

With their exquisitely produced award-winning recordings, ranging dynamically from the most sensitive and touching old Irish songs all the way to hard hitting reels and jigs, and with their heartwarming, dynamic live performances, Altan have moved audiences from Donegal to Tokyo to Seattle.

Lucy Ward

Artist Video Lucy Ward @ FolkWorld:
FW#47, #48, #52, #52

www.lucywardsings.com

Throughout, there has been the unwavering commitment of the band to bringing the beauty of traditional music, particularly that of the Donegal fiddlers and singers, to contemporary audiences in a way that brings out all its qualities and destroys none. In fact, Altan have always believed that Irish traditional music is a modern music in every sense and its growing influence and popularity have proved them right.

Lucy Ward & Band

Lucy Ward is an award winning singer-songwriter from Derby. She plays guitar, ukulele and concertina but considers her voice to be her first instrument.

After getting her first guitar at the age of 14, Lucy ventured into acoustic clubs, it was there that she first heard the traditional music that she now loves. Captured by the lyrics and stories of traditional song Lucy delved further into the world of folk music, visiting clubs and sessions up and down the country before getting booked to play gigs in her own right. In 2009 Lucy reached the final of the BBC Young Folk Award and she hasn’t looked back since!

After winning the Horizon Award for best newcomer at the 2012 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, Lucy’s career has gone from strength to strength establishing her as one of the hottest performers on the UK Folk scene, pulling a full capacity audience for her Cambridge Folk Festival debut. In 2013 it was announced that she had been nominated for the acclaimed “Folk Singer of the Year” at the 2014 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, making Lucy one of the youngest people ever to be nominated for this most prestigious award.

Her debut album “Adelphi Has To Fly” was released in June 2011 by Navigator Records and was met with widespread critical acclaim. Lucy was named by MOJO as ‘Britfolk’s most vibrant and forthright new young talent’ and attracted four star reviews from The Guardian and Maverick Magazine among others. Her brilliant second album ‘Single Flame’ (again for Navigator Records), was released on 19 August 2013 to rave reviews. Produced by Stu Hanna (of folk duo Megson), ‘Single Flame’ showcased a maturity from her debut and showed the development in Lucy’s music, singing and musicianship. She now returns with her 3rd album “I Dreamt I Was A Bird”, released on Betty Beetroot Records on 2nd October 2015.

Mec Lir

Artist Video Mec Lir @ FolkWorld: FW#57, #57

www.meclir.com

As well as her own music Lucy has written for both film, theatre and has been involved with many, varied projects.

Mec Lir

What do you get when you mix together three of the Isle of Man’s most well respected trad musicians with one of Scotland’s fresh up and coming talents? Mec Lir – bringing foot stomping beats to some of your favourite trad tunes.

Formed in 2014, Mec Lir have had audiences up on their feet from the Isle of Man and Glasgow, to places like Cape Breton and Brittany with their infectious brand of ‘trad pop‘. The perfect blend of celtic tunes and modern backing, with the melody still playing the key role.

The band consists of virtuosic Manx fiddle player Tomas Callister (Barrule, Ímar), along with Adam Rhodes on bouzouki (Barrule, Ímar, King Chiaullee), David Kilgallon on keyboard (Chronicles, King Chiaullee) and Greg Barry on drums (The Elephant Sessions).

Three Cane Whale

Artist Video Three Cane Whale @ FolkWorld:
FW#50, #60

www.threecanewhale.com

They released their CD ‘Not An EP‘ in 2015, and have since recorded two new singles, released early in 2016 – the epic reels set ‘Chase The Ace’ and pumping polkas ‘The Ram’.

2015 was a busy year for the band, including going viral on Facebook with a video reaching nearly 2 million views, playing at festivals such as the Festival Interceltique de Lorient in Brittany, Cape Breton’s Celtic Colours and Glasgow’s Celtic Connections. Plans are now afoot to record their debut album in 2016. So keep your ears to the ground and your feet tapping – Mec Lir will make you move!

Three Cane Whale

A multi-instrumental acoustic trio based in Bristol, UK, featuring members of Spiro, Get The Blessing and Scottish Dance Theatre. As intricate as a team of watchmakers, as spare as a mountain stream, the music encompasses both a cinematic sweep and an intimate delicacy, in which “the aroma of muddy leaves and old nettles is almost tangible”. (The Observer)

Their eponymous debut album was chosen by Cerys Matthews as one of her Top Five Modern Folk Albums; second album Holts And Hovers was fRoots Editor’s Choice Album of 2013, one of The Observer’s “Hidden Gems Of 2013”, and one of Acoustic Guitarist magazine’s 20 Essential Folk Albums.

Calan

Artist Video Calan @ FolkWorld: FW#47

www.calan-band.com

The band’s third album, Palimpsest, was recorded at Real World Studios in Wiltshire, & produced by Adrian Utley, with artwork specially designed by Dorset’s Little Toller press, and accompanied by a UK-wide, Arts Council supported, album launch tour earlier this year. Palimpsest was chosen by The Telegraph as one of the ‘Best Folk Music Albums Of 2016″, by fRoots as one of its 5-star Playlist Albums, and by The Guardian for its Folk World Music Playlist.

Calan

Calan bring together the remarkable talents of 5 young musicians giving a fresh and vibrant sound to traditional Welsh music. With a contemporary and lively approach they breathe new life into the old traditions through their sparkling melodies, foot tapping tunes and spirited and energetic performances of Welsh step dancing. They blast their way through some of the old favourite reels, jigs and hornpipes with fast paced and uplifting arrangements before melting into some of the most beautiful and haunting songs.

Following the release of their debut album, ‘Bling’ in 2008, which attracted four star responses from the critics, the five-piece have been playing to big audiences and rave reviews at concerts and festivals around Britain and Europe, including the coveted Cambridge Festival; Celtic Connections, Glasgow; Shrewsbury Folk Festival; Moseley Folk Festival; Derby Folk Festival; Bromyard Folk Festival, Whitby Folk Festival a concert tour of Italy, Austria and Belgium along with a number of performances at the Festival Interceltique de Lorient, Brittany, where they’ve received the award for the best group.

Faustus

Artist Video Faustus @ FolkWorld:
FW#28, #50

www.faustusband.com

The group, who’ve raised some eyebrows with a deliberate policy of eye-catching clothes and presentation, despite the ancient roots of their music, see themselves as a new generation of ambassadors, striving to take their new sound to new audiences, while raising the profile of Welsh traditional music on an international level. With their unique instrumental blend of accordion, fiddle, guitar, Welsh pipes, Welsh harp and the percussive sound of the Welsh clogs, Calan have certainly found their musical niche and their plan is to continue to delight audiences far and wide!

Faustus

Faustus’ Big Sing – a chance to join in with choruses and harmonies from the Faustus back catalogue and further afield, and to explore some new material gleaned from the archives of Halsway Manor Library as part of Faustus’ 2016 residency at Somerset’s centre for the folk arts.

Faustus are three of the leading lights of their generation: Saul Rose (Waterson:Carthy, Whapweazel, War Horse), Benji Kirkpatrick (Seth Lakeman Band, Bellowhead) and Paul Sartin (Bellowhead, Belshazzar’s Feast). They have a plethora of experience between them, brought together in a virtuosic display of musicianship representing the best in the current vibrant English folk scene.

Paul, Saul and Benji will be joined by attendees from the previous week’s Faustus-led workshops at Halsway Manor. It’s an interactive, participatory event – no experience necessary, just enthusiasm and caffeine.

Belshazzar's Feast

Belshazzar's Feast

Artist Video Belshazzar's Feast @ FolkWorld:
FW#40

www.belshazzarsfeast.com

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.

Paul Sartin is a member of the multi-BBC Radio 2 Award-winning big band Bellowhead and of Faustus. Consultant and Director of the Andover Museum Loft Singers, he is an Artist in Residence with Bellowhead at the Southbank Centre, an editor of music publications, and a BASCA-nominated composer whose commissions include works for the Central School of Speech and Drama, the Choir of Somerville College, Oxford, and Streetwise Opera.

Paul Hutchinson is the founder member of the innovative and progressive folk band, The Playford Liberation Front. His highly successful folk trio Hoover the Dog has recently morphed into the quartet Pagoda. Paul’s own compositions were published in 2012 (Food For Thought) and a second volume is in the pipeline. He is the resident accordion tutor at Cecil Sharp House and is a seasoned tutor at Folkworks and Halsway Manor and leads ensemble workshops far and wide.

Belshazzar’s Feast start with traditional folk music, add a touch of classical and jazz, throw in a bit of pop and music hall, and top it off wry humour for a unique live experience. Belshazzar’s Feast received a coveted nomination for the Best Duo Award at the 2010 BBC Folk Awards. Their latest Christmas-themed album titled ‘Stocking Fillers’ (Unearthed Records) was released in November 2012.

The Hut People

The Hut People

Artist Video The Hut People @ FolkWorld:
FW#42, #49

www.thehutpeople.co.uk

The Hut People are constantly gaining more of reputation as one of the most entertaining acts to appear on the folk scene in a long while.

In their surprisingly engaging and often hilarious show, they perform a truly unique high-octane blend of folk music from around the world – perfectly formed & embellished with a foot stomping accordion and mind-boggling array of exotic percussion (with some Quebecois foot percussion & dancing thrown in for good measure too!).

A hugely entertaining duo getting unbelievable feedback from audiences, festival organizers and music press alike.

Mishaped Pearls

At the forefront of a very exciting new wave of UK folk, seven piece Mishaped Pearls’ most recent album Thamesis has received outstanding reviews in The Telegraph, The Financial Times, Songlines Magazine, fRoots Magazine, The Guardian, The Scotsman, Maverick Magazine and plenty more. The album has also garnered the highest praise from Tom Robinson (BBC6 Music), Mark Radcliffe and Bob Harris (BBC Radio 2), all highlights amongst universal acclaim from the press and media.

Their adventurous song combination of the ancient and the new finds an echo in their musical make up – banjo, saz baglama, bodhran, violin and mandolin mix with acoustic guitar, keyboards, electric bass and drums, all led by the mezzo-soprano voice of Manuela Schuette. Their music’s roots in tradition expands into progressive folk and rock, eastern modal music and shows elements of contemporary classical influence.

Rory McLeod & the Familiar Strangers

Rory Mcleod – ex-circus clown and fire eater. A one man soulband, poet and storyteller, singing his own unique upbeat dance stories. A modern travelling troubadour using tap shoes, acappella, harmonica, guitar, trombone, spoons, finger cymbals, bandorea, djembe and various percussion instruments.

The Familiar Strangers are Bob Morgan on clarinet and sax. Richard Sadler on double bass and Diego Laverde Rojas on Columbian Lowland harp and quattro. This combination of Rory and The Familiar Strangers takes you to a world of far away places, familiar feelings and is simply entrancing and absorbing.

Mishaped Pearls

Artist Video Mishaped Pearls @ FolkWorld:
FW#55

www.mishapedpearls.org

Rory McLeod

Artist Video Rory McLeod @ FolkWorld:
FW#60

www.rorymcleod.com


Photo Credits: (1) Priddy Folk Festival, (2) Dallahan, (4) Lucy Ward, (5) Mec Lir, (6) Three Cane Whale, (7) Calan, (8) Faustus, (9) Belshazzar's Feast, (10) The Hut People , (11) Mishaped Pearls, (12) Rory McLeod (unknown/website); (3) Altan, (by Walkin' Tom).


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