Show of Hands

www.showofhands.co.uk

This year’s BBC Radio 2 nominees for Best Duo and Best Live Act, Show of Hands are one of this country’s most high profile and sought after folk bands.

www.blowzabella.com
Blowzabella play hurdy-gurdies, bagpipes and an array of acoustic instruments to produce an inimitable, driving drone-based sound influenced by British and European traditional dance music.

Dick Gaughan
www.dickgaughan.co.uk
The only label I'd be prepared to hang on myself would be "musician", covering everything from playing an instrument to singing to composing to everything else. My craft is music, in all its forms. I have no genre or stylistic preference and no taboos

In recognition of the unique and lyrical songs of the late, lamented and wonderful Lal Waterson Jo Freya has produced this defining celebration of Lal’s gift of songwriting through a mix of voices and exemplary musicianship.

Karen Tweed
www.madfortrad.com/artkaren.htm

Established as one of the finest exponents of the piano accordion, Karen's playing, which moves with ease between blistering melody lines and soulful backing, has been described as 'mercurial, subtle and astounding'

www.myspace.com/lisaknappmusic
Lisa merges a radiant style of traditional and self-penned songs. Her arrangement of ‘Blacksmith’ was nominated for a BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for best traditional track and she was nominated for the ‘Horizon’ award for best newcomer

www.spineless.idps.co.uk
"The folk world's comic genius", "Norfolk's redoubtable folk hero", and "A visionary/warbler from Trunch".  He is the funniest man in Norfolk and the folk scene's finest humourist.  

www.newropestringband.co.uk
They play a big assortment of things and all sorts of hoedown pan-celtic old-timey up-beat down-home music. All this is combined with bizarre physical nonsense and clowning about.

www.theparkbenchsocialclub.com
The Park Bench Social Club are part of a new generation of string bands that mix musical genres with abandon (and no little skill)

www.borderfiddles.co.uk
A group of 5 outstanding young fiddle players who draw their inspiration from the Borders. Their music is distinctive, original and fantastic.

www.mambojambo.org
Exponents of the kind of wicked rhythmic interplay that keeps the dancers busy in Latin America and around the world. They aim to make great music that’s fun and brings people together.

Quicksilver
www.grantbaynham.com/quicksilver/quicksilverindex.htm
Hilary Spencer has a staggering voice and is best known for her with a cappella band ‘Artisan’. She has now teamed up with Grant Baynham of BBC TV's ‘That’s Life’. Superb musicianship and brilliant entertainment.

The Maerlock

www.themaerlock.co.uk

This adventurous quintet distills diverse musical influences into unique, appealing arrangements of traditional tunes and songs with fresh energy. Not quite like anything you’ve heard before…

Bella Hardy

www.bellahardy.com

Bella has been nominated for Best Original Song and the Horizon Award at this year’s BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Her singing has been described as mesmerizing and faultless. At Sidmouth she will be accompanied by Chris Sherburn.

The Shee

www.theshee.com

An exciting all female band showcasing astonishing instrumental prowess with three powerful vocalists. Their music features original compositions alongside a wealth of traditional and contemporary material.

Craig;Morgan;Robson

www.cmr-harmony.org.uk

Three wonderful singers who bring a new dimension to the art of a-capella singing. They weave beguiling harmonies around material from the British tradition and beyond.

Belshazzar's Feast
www.jacey-bedford.com/belshazzars.htm

Paul Sartin and Paul Hutchinson are two extraordinary musicians and humorists who come together to produce fantastic, boundary pushing music.

John Tams & Barry Coope
www.johntams.co.uk

One of this country’s ultimate songwriters, John's career has included The Albion Band, the National Theatre and the Sharpe television series. With Barry Coope voted Best Duo at this year’s BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

Roy Bailey
www.roybailey.net

Roy Bailey’s career has been hailed as representing "the very soul” of folk's working class ideals. A songwriter of international acclaim who is respected by everyone across the folk world.

John Kirkpatrick
www.johnkirkpatrick.co.uk

John Kirkpatrick has helped to shape the revival of folk song and dance in Britain for over 30 years and has become one of the most popular and prolific figures on the English folk scene.

John Dipper
www.johndipper.co.uk

A respected and established performer and composer, John's unique playing style and traditionally-spirited compositions convey a deep understanding and passion for the indigenous culture of England.

Sara Grey
www.maclurg.com/saragrey

Sara's voice compels you to give her your undivided attention. She accompanies herself by frailing a five string banjo and is one of the foremost exponents of the old-time style. Sara ialso tells some fine stories fron New England.

Hazel & Emily Askew
www.askewsisters.co.uk

Emily and Hazel are familiar faces at Sidmouth. During the past 18 months they have focused on working full-time as a professional duo and as expected they are now generating a high profile at clubs and festivals across the country.

Shona Kipling & Damien O'Kane
www.shonaanddamien.co.uk

An extremely gifted pairing, this instrumental and vocal duo plays an array of traditional and self-penned tunes and songs originating and influenced mainly from the Irish tradition. They are joined by bodhran player Cormac Byrne at Sidmouth this year.

Reg Meuross
www.regmeuross.com

One of the finest, purest country/rock/folk voices this side of the Atlantic, Reg Meuross is another exceptional songwriting talent. He will be appearing at Sidmouth accompanied by Jackie Oates.

Keiron Means
www.maclurg.com/keiron

A singer of traditional and contemporary songs and guitar player of great merit. His voice is as smooth as silk, rich and mellow and he sings to his audience not in spite of them.

Jackie Oates
www.jackieoates.com

An accomplished fiddle singer of mainly traditional English folk song, both solo, and this year accompanying Reg Meuross at Sidmouth. Jackie has been nominated for the Horizon Award at this year’s BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

Bob & Gill Berry
www.wiltshirefolkarts.org.uk/bobandgill

Cornerstones of the Wiltshire traditional music scene and organisers of Chippenham Folk festival. When listening to them perform, it is obvious that there is a great musical bond between them.

Alistair Russell & Chris Parkinson
www.alistairrussell.co.uk 

www.chrisparkinsonmusic.co.uk

Alistair’s thirteen years with the Battlefield Band and Chris’s impeccable music credentials working with the industry’s leading artists, make this a not to be missed duo of ‘Yorkshire Celtic Fusion’.

Ed Rennie
www.edrennie.com

The melodeon player of the now defunct Bismarcks, currently playing with Housewives Choice dance band. He also is an extremely accomplished solo performer in his own right.

Lester Simpson
www.nomasters.co.uk

A member of the internationally acclaimed a cappella trio Coope Boyes & Simpson, Lester is also recognised as an accomplished solo artist working as a songwriter, musician and within the theatre.

Sandra Kerr
www.ncl.ac.uk/sacs/staff/profile/s.j.kerr

As well as being an experienced performer, Sandra is also an inspiring teacher who is very much in demand. She will be delivering the ever popular Festival Choir Workshops this year, as well as performing at various venues.

Trio Threlfall

Trio Threlfall are a group of multi-instrumentalists who bring a fresh revitalised feel to traditional English song. Sisters in close harmony and Roger Edwards on concertina.

The Young Coppers

www.myspace.com/theyoungcoppers

The seventh generation of the family of harmony singers from Rottingdean, Sussex. Six of Bob Copper’s grandchildren, Mark, Andy, Sean, Ben, Lucy and Tom sing the family songs.

Jim Moray

www.myspace.com/jimmoray
'This young singer-musician from Birmingham is threatening to do for the folk world what Nigel Kennedy did for classical music.’ - The Times

Boldwood

www.boldwood.co.uk
New 5 piece band of experienced musicians with incredible musical virtuosity and a shared love of traditional English dance music. Individually they have an amazing pedigree of performances.

Chris Wood

www.englishacousticcollective.org.uk/cw
An uncompromising writer whose music reveals his love for the un-official history of the English speaking people, weaving the tradition with his own contemporary parables and a gentle intelligence.

Dalla

www.dalla.co.uk

Their performances are both inventive and enchanting, celebrating Cornish culture in an upbeat and infectious voice. Their solid grounding in this unique tradition has placed them at the heart of its phenomenal revival.

Eileen McGann

www.jacey-bedford.com/eileen.htm
One of Canada's foremost songstresses, equally at home with her own self-written songs poking fun at life's absurdities or interpreting the tradition. She will be appearing with acclaimed multi-instrumentalist David K.

Damien Barber & Mike Wilson

www.thedemonbarbers.com

Damien’s individualistic approach to traditional music has made him one of this country’s most influential musicians. We are very lucky to have him performing with Mike Wilson from the famed Wilson Family.

Gadarene

www.gadarenemusic.com

Gadarene are Nick Wyke, Laurel Swift and Matt Norman - virtuoso acoustic musicians blending obscure traditional English tunes with electronic sampling to create a sophisticated and exciting performance.

Alison McMorland & Geordie McIntyre

www.alisonmcmorland.com

Although essentially solo performers, Alison and Geordie have developed a joint repertoire based on a fine sense of personal harmony.

Ian Bruce

www.ianbruce.org

Ian Bruce has emerged one of the great singer- songwriters of the Scottish folk movement. On stage Ian brings a huge presence which invariably has his audiences singing, laughing and crying.

Isambarde

www.isambarde.co.uk

Isambarde are a 3 piece folk band with tremendous energy and enthusiasm. Their unusual and winning combination of driving guitar, incisive fiddle playing and lyrical oboe is coupled with great full on vocal harmonies.

Pete Coe

www.backshift.demon.co.uk

A fine, versatile, committed solo performer as well as an energetic activist for traditional music, running folk clubs, dances and workshops in the Ripponden/Halifax area, while also teaching music and dancing in schools.

Laura Hockenhull

www.myspace.com/laurahockenhullmusicpage

Laura grew up in a family full of music, so it was natural that she would develop an interest in performing. She has the ability to interpret songs in a new and refreshing way and her skill and confidence are constantly developing.

Ben Paley

www.benpaley.com

A superb fiddle player, sought after by many ‘household names’ to accompany them in concert or in the studio. His father was Tom Paley, one of the great figures of the American folk revival.

Dan Quinn & Will Duke

www.danquinn.co.uk

Will Duke and Dan Quinn sing traditional songs in unison and play English country dance tunes on melodeon and concertina. Will was greatly influenced by the playing of the late, great Scan Tester.

Emily Portman & Lauren McCormick

www.laurenandemily.co.uk

Lauren and Emily were two thirds of Devil’s Interval. Their varied and adventurous repertoire of traditional and contemporary songs, draws inspiration from sources including Pop Maynard and Tom Waits.

Jeff Warner

www.jeffwarner.com

Jeff is from the USA and presents musical traditions from the Outer Banks fishing villages of North Carolina, to the lumber camps of the Adirondack Mountains and the whaling ports of New England with the stamp of authority and real experience.

Pete Wood

www.petewood.co.uk

Pete is an excellent concertina player, singer and interpreter of songs. He is also keen folklorist and researcher and has produced a number of successful ‘folk productions’ of maritime theme.

Wheeler Street

www.myspace.com/wheelerstreet

Wheeler Street combine the excitement and enthusiasm of youth with terrific musicianship, great vocals and imaginative arrangements of both original and traditional songs and tunes with influences from all around the UK and beyond.

Stream of Sound

www.streamofsound.co.uk

An exciting acappella choir with members ranging from 12 to 25 years old, whose repertoire ranges from 'shape note' hymns and African folk songs to Gospel and English traditional. They will running a number of workshops at Sidmouth as well as performing.

Matt Norman

www.mattnorman.org

Matt Norman is an ace musician who has developed an ‘English Mandolin’ style which is vibrant, contemporary and unique. He is heavily influenced by traditional players but creates unexpected arrangements melding old tunes with new sounds.

Paul & Liz Davenport

www.hallamtrads.co.uk

Paul is probably better known as a collector and enthusiast of traditional dance, but both Paul and his wife Liz have long family traditions of singing. They have a distinctive style that brings out the dramatic tension in the words of the songs.

Kevin & Ellen Mitchell

www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/mitchell.htm

Kevin and Ellen grew up surrounded by song in their respective homelands of Derry and Glasgow. Together they represent all that is good about traditional singing.

Roy Clinging

www.folkmusic.net/royclinging

Roy has been involved in folk music for the last 30 years, is a full time singer and musician with experience of folk clubs, and festivals all over the UK and in the USA.

Zephyrus

www.walshaw.plus.com/zephyrus

Jon Swayne formed Zephyrus in 1998. They are described as being the English Bagpipe Orchestra offering the glorious harmony and sinuous counterpoint of six sweetly toned bagpipes underpinned by driving percussion.

Sid Calderbank

An accomplished performer of Lancashire dialect songs, stories and poems, his work is meticulously researched, brilliantly performed and often very humorous, leaving his audiences wondering how he manages to speak so quickly in a foreign language!

West Gallery Music Association

www.wgma.org.uk

FolkWeek in the Church events are being organised by members of the West Gallery Music Association.

Babylon Lane

www.shelwin.com/BabylonLane

Babylon Lane is a group of shapenote singers who will be returning to Sidmouth as part of the FolkWeek in the Church to lead the shapenote workshops.

Peter Wilton

www.beaufort.demon.co.uk/chant.htm

Peter is Director of Music of the Gregorian Association and has run chant workshops at Sidmouth for many years. This year he will be leading workshop participants in singing Vespers of St Peter in Chains.

Timo Alakotila

www.hoedown.com

One of Finland’s busiest, most versatile and most in-demand musicians, Timo works at Helsinki’s Pop & Jazz Conservatory as teacher of composition and music theory. At Sidmouth he will be joining forces with Karen Tweed.

Tinkers Bag

www.myspace.com/tinkersbag

Tinkers Bag are a group of friends that have played together since 1997. They specialize in writing and performing shows based on rural life and this year they are performing ‘Songs of Old Wiltshire’.

Fiona Larcombe & Terry Mann

www.myspace.com/fionalarcombeandterrymann

Two fine musicians and singers who perform traditional music of the highest quality. Their instrumental virtuosity, combined with Terry’s outstanding skills in composition and arranging, lead to magical, musical moments.

Tony Hall

www.youtube.com/watch

Tony has being playing the melodeon for over 50 years - still the same Hohner squeezebox! As a rare ‘living legend’ he has inspired everyone who has met him and listened to his music. To have Tony at Sidmouth is a very special occasion.

Will Noble

A true ‘song carrier’ of the tradition, Will is deeply immersed in the song tradition of the Holme Valley Beagles. He is held in very high regard by many traditional and revival singers as being the ‘real thing’, as well as being a past television star appearing on the Telly Tubbies - ask him about it!

Mike Tickell

Mike is making a rare appearance south of the North Tyne valley. He is a wonderful singer of songs from rural Northumberland and is considered to be a leading authority on Border Ballads being a past winner of many Border ballad competitions.

Mark Bazeley & Jason Rice

www.markbazeley.talktalk.net

Mark & Jason have been playing music since childhood, absorbing the unique Dartmoor style from their respective grandfathers, Bob Cann and Jack Rice. Playing in their natural way, they are very sought after as a truly traditional act.

Tom Kitching & Gren Bartley

www.tomandgren.co.uk

Recently signed by Fellside Records, Tom & Gren from Loughborough play an aromatic hotpot of folk, world and blues from around the globe; this is a great opportunity to catch the pair on their way up.

Rubus

www.rubusband.com

The combined talents of Emily Portman, Christi Andropolis and David Newey. Individually they are members of the new wave of outstanding young British folk musicians. Together, they promise to take the folk scene by storm.

Jim Causley

www.jimcausley.co.uk

Folk award nominee Jim Causley first rose to prominence as a member of The Devil’s Interval and is now much sought after for his unique blend of musicianship and humour.

James Dumbelton

www.myspace.com/jamesdumbelton

Plays guitar, mandolin and bodhrán with a style that is well matched in the traditional world whilst remaining fresh, original and contemporary. He will be performing with Jackie Oates and Jim Causley at Sidmouth this year.

George Withers

George’s repertoire reflects the sort of songs Cecil Sharp noted down in rural Somerset one hundred years ago. His singing and charisma never fail to delight.

Paul Saunders

www.wynndebagge.co.uk

Musician, comedian, historian and raconteur, but above all an entertainer. In his alter-ego as Wynndebagge, he is one of England’s best known players of the hurdy gurdy and English bagpipes.

Toggy Mess

www.myspace.com/toggymess

Toggy Mess are a duo comprised of festival regular ‘Mog’ - Bodhran maker to the famous - and accomplished whistle and flute player Tess. Together they create fantastic and hypnotic rhythms which should be given a bigger ‘shop window’.

Peter Chand

www.chandstory.com

One of only a handful of professional Indian storytellers in Britain, Peter Chand is a vibrant and dynamic performer, who uses his Indian heritage as a platform for his storytelling. He has taken his Indian stories the length and breadth of these isles and further afield.

Taffy Thomas

www.taffythomas.co.uk

Everyone’s favourite storyteller, Taffy brings his repertoire of more than 300 stories, tales and elaborate lies collected mainly from traditional oral sources. We are delighted to have him back at Sidmouth.

Dominic Kelly

www.dominickelly.uk.com

English legends,worldwide folk tales, ancient myths & urban myths, hair-raising ghost stories, forgotten histories brought back to vivid life... Dominic Kelly enthrals and enchants audiences of all ages with performances of comedy, wonder and suspense.

The Claque

www.foreshorefolk.com

Distilled from legendary groups of old - Isca Fayre, The Songwainers and Hollinmor - four voices of depth and maturity blend to bring warmth and harmony to the English Tradition.

Breabach

www.breabach.com

A young innovative celtic band blending double bagpipes, flute, fiddle, songs and stepdancing with flair and excitement and creating a storm in the world of traditional music.

Last Night's Fun

www.lastnightsfun.com

Described by Irish Music Magazine as ‘the most exciting and entertaining traditional Irish music band in England’, Last Night’s Fun are known for their powerful, driving tunes, blisteringly soulful songs and side splitting humour.

Boka Halat

www.tradarts.org/boka.htm

Created by Roger Watson with Musa Mboob from the Gambia in 1999, The band includes UK-resident musicians from other cultural backgrounds, contributing melodic and harmonic styles from England and West Africa. Great to dance to, or to listen to!

The London Uyghur Ensemble

www.uyghurensemble.co.uk

The UK’s first group performing the music and dance of the Central Asian Uyghurs. Rahima Mahmut’s thrilling vocals are accompanied by an ensemble of long-necked lutes, spike fiddle and frame drum.

The Gadjo Club

www.thegadjoclub.co.uk

Serving up a potent cocktail of gypsy sounds, muddled with a twist of klezmer and a dash of rock ’n roll, heart wrenching melodrama and insane pyrotechnics on the violin If you're not crying or laughing by the end of it, at least you'll be stomping your feet!