Artist Profiles 2009
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Adrian OAll the way from Kent Adrian is a true gent and a performer who is crazy about words and communicating with his audience. He does this through his poetry, storytelling , songwriting and with a rapport like that he makes a very entertaining mc too. Adrian will be much in evidence throughout the weekend. |
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Rick BocknerFrom the Island of Cortes in British Columbia comes one of Canadas great guitar playing heroes. Rick has developed an easy style of playing over the years from Jazz to Blues. He is also an excellent songwriter and draws wonder and admiration from audiences wherever he goes. If you want to learn more on guitar why not attend his workshops held each day of the festival and treat yourself to at least one of his concert appearances. 'His latest album 'Regeneration' is released this month and features many of his new songs plus the stunning voice of his daughter Amy. Check out the festival shop for 'Regeneration ' and other CD's. |
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Blue Sun'Blue Sun' among the new faces on the folk and acoustic music scene are a duo from Cleveland. Graham Brotton - a noteworthy guitarist and composer has teamed up with Sam Coles. Sam a member of 'Stormcrow' brings to the duo a warm voice and a skill which would usually be attributed to one much older and more experienced. A good songwriter - her song's have drawn critical acclaim from many. The combination of Sam's voice and Graham's fine guitar are captivating. |
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Brother CrowBrother Crow are an acoustic duo from Weardale, in the heart of rural North East England, who perform original narrative songs about the people, places and historical events of their local area and beyond. Brother Crow’s live performances have been described as intense, captivating, haunting and passionate. The dark nature of some of their songs being counter-balanced by a strong stage presence, a natural sense of humour and fun and a deep knowledge of their subject matter. |
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Steve Dawes & Helen PittSomething of a more traditional flavour is what this long standing duo from Teesside bring to our table. Helen is a lover of ballads and sings them with some power. She is also a thought provoking songwriter, and together with Steve who adds powerful vocals, accordeon, mandolin and guitar ,have the experience and dexterity to entertain any audience. Steve is also a member of The Endeavour Shantymen and both are part of a four piece vocal group often appearing at international maritime festivals. There singarounds are relaxed affair's and a joy to be a part of. |
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Dogwood RoseDogwood Rose are a three piece band living in the Sheffield area specialising in Americana, though the set also includes some traditional English folk songs. Judy Clifford (vocalist) and Mike Richards (vocals and guitar) have been playing folk clubs together for over 3 years now and, have appeared regularly at festivals in recent times. With this in mind, they have teamed up with Rob Whale who is one of the finest fiddle players in South Yorkshire and his inclusion adds an extra exciting dimension to the music. The combination of Judy's beautiful voice, the close harmonies and Rob?s amazing fiddle work ensure a lively and varied set. |
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Nick DowNick Dow has been a professional musician since the mid seventies and has many LP?s to his credit. His career began in South London where he was a regular at The Bird in Hand folk song club, in forest hill. Nick Dow is an all round professional Folk Singer and Folklorist. |
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Rebekah FindlaySinger and multi-instrumentalist based in North Yorkshire. Repertoire of music includes self penned and traditional songs, tunes and a few carefully selected covers. A contemporary sound immersed in the elements of traditional music. KLONDIKE SONG OF THE YEAR 2008 WINNER with "Duty Bound",
the story of a lonely lighthouse keeper who chooses his work over love. |
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Bob FortuneBob started his Teesside folk career in the folk rock band Morgans Galley who enjoyed prominence in the 1970's after his return from living and working abroad. In recent years he has turned his experienced hand to writing on observations of people and their daily live's in his home town of Redcar and the surrounding area. It is apparent he is a man who loves the area in which he lives particularly the coastline around Redcar and Tees Bay. His new album is available this weekend at the Festival Shop. |
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Richard Grainger
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GU4GU4 are a four part acappella harmony group based in Leicestershire. Their rich sound has won many fans and is now taking them to clubs and festivals throughout England. Armed only with a set of pitch pipes, they perform a wide variety of material ranging from gentle and sensitive love songs that can hold an audience rapt in silence, to raucous chorus numbers delivered with such verve that even the most reticent are encouraged to join in. |
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Barbara HelenBarbara sings in a contemporary Country/Folk style and has been picking up fans and followers from her appearances on the acoustic circuit in the north east. Original songs with warm and intelligent lyrics and as local guitar genius Stan Gee states in a recent review ' her guitar picking and strumming is as good as it gets' |
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High Level RantersThe High Level Ranters have been playing traditional music and song from the North-East of England for over 30 years, becoming one of the most influential groups of the Folk Revival. For many years they were the only group featuring the Northumbrian smallpipes in their performances, and are thus responsible for introducing many of today's pipers to this most beautiful and unique instrument. They also introduced many of today's musicians to the wealth of distinctive local and traditional music in the North-East, and did so with a unique enthusiasm of performance which has not been equalled. Their name was chosen as a combination of the location of the Bridge Folk Club at the North end of the High Level Bridge in Newcastle, where they all played, and from the Cheviot Ranters, a famous Northumberland dance band operating in the Alnwick area from about 1953 to 1996. |
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Jack's RakeJack's Rake was formed after the four original members went climbing in the Lake District and stumbled upon a folk festival in the evening. This fairly well-oiled foursome decided they could and should have a go at this. They are now one of the leading folk bands in the Sheffield area with
a large, enthusiastic following and regular full houses at the Holly Bush,
Burton Street and other folk clubs in the area." |
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John KirkpatrickJohn 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. 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. |
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Penni Maclaren WalkerPenni is a well respected singer songwriter who refuses to be constrained by musical style. She writes from the heart and in doing so has won the hearts of many. Penni has performed both solo and with duos and groups all over Europe and has won numerous songwriting competitions. She has worked for radio and in all areas of the media and has run numerous workshops on song writing. Many of her superb songs have been recorded by other artists - the ultimate accolade. Penni's unique open tuned guitar style, coupled with a voice that carries wide musical depth and range has been described as 'the perfect match'. Her performances are an intimate affair with the audience, engaging on an emotional and musical level. Penni's musical past has included many styles including Folk, Jazz and Rock. |
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Paul MetsersPaul Metsers was a familiar voice in the folk scene of the 8o's.and made several LP's up until his retirement in 1989 ,gaining notoriety through the popularity of several of his songs. 'Farwewell to the Gold', perhaps the best known, was recorded by Nic Jones and this song is often given air time as well as being in the repertoire of many singers today. Please give Paul the welcome he deserves. |
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Old Dance SchoolBack in it’s inception in 2006, The Old Dance School rehearsed in the garden of the old Betty Fox school of ballet in Birmingham, from where they take their name. Three years, 30,000 miles, nearly forty festivals, and several trips to A&E later, The Old Dance School’s distinctive concoction of explosive, white-knuckle folk is blowing up a storm on the festival scene. Their debut album Based on a True Story, in 2008 was met with terrific reviews in the national press, championed by BBC Radio 2’s Bob Harris, has secured The Old Dance School as one of the most exciting young bands to have emerged in recently. |
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Stealing SheepStealing Sheep ...are three songwriters who play an array of instruments to create ditty folk music using accordion, guitar, glockenspiel, fiddle, melodica, synth and 3 part vocals. Their debut at the family folk up festival in September '08 live and unplugged in the garden of the Blue Coat saw them as support for Martin Carthy, Dave Swarbrick and John Smith introducing them to the North west folk scene after one month of writing and playing together. Originally from Canada, Norway and midland uk they met in Liverpool when studying a music degree at LIPA, Paul Mccartney's school for performing arts. Fresh faced from graduating in 2008 they began Stealing sheep as a summer side project during the Liverpool Capital of culture. |
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StormcrowThe band describe themselves as a fun band whose music can be described as folk n roll. They are Amanda & Mark Hadlett and Sarah Jay. Between them they play a range of instruments including djembe/12 string guitar/bouzouki to accompany their songs. They are regularly booked at Medieval Festivals and will be very welcome at Ryedale. Welcome Stormcrow for their first visit to the festival. They are Amanda and Mark Hadlett, Sam Coles and Sarah Mason. We are delighted to welcome them back to Ryedale. |
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Ethan ThomasEthan Thomas first started playing guitar when he was seven years old. Immediately he found a connection with the instrument and advanced through the stages very quickly. He grew more and more comfortable with the acoustic guitar and the music he played and started to sing and write his own songs. This fascinated him, and by the time he was 12 he found this as a way to explain things in his lyrics, that a conversation simply would not be capable off. Ethan started to perform in venues around his home county, Cumbria. Soon his confidence started to build and Ethan started to create a much more comfortable and laid back stage presence. He began to connect with the audience. He could get them sing along and laugh and buy CDs! Ethan has performed at festivals such as Solfest, Brampton live, Fylde Folk Festival, Ireby music festival, Osmothely Gathering, MACfest, and much more. He has done Supports for artists such as Boo Hewerdine and John Brindley and played at numerous venues across the North West of England. |
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Steve TilstonBorn in Liverpool and raised in the Midlands, Steve has been quietly ploughing his own artistic furrow, turning out quality albums since the early 70s; again it has born fruit with the masterful new album. In the past he has toured as guitarist with Ballet Rambert, as a member of Ship of Fools, with John Renbourn and more recently with WAZ! He is a celebrated artist both in Britain and abroad, winning accolades in Europe, Australia and the USA, where "Here's to Tom Paine," has been chosen as the theme song for the Tom Paine society of America. |
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Steve TurnerSteve Turner comes from a family of singers and concertina players. His grandfather was known to have sung and played the instrument in the 1890's. Steve began his career on the Manchester folk scene at the end of the 1960s. Joining the Geordie band "Canny Fettle" in 1970, he made two albums and toured in Britain and Europe with them for eight years. In 1979, he won the Melody Maker "Stars of the 80s" national competition, which persuaded him to turn professional for 12 years until 1991. During this time he made four solo albums with Fellside Records and toured internationally. A period of thirteen years away from the folk scene followed with Steve building a violin retailing business and diversifying musically into a more classical mode. But folk music has a habit of getting into your blood so 2004 saw Steve make a welcome return to the folk scene. |
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John Ward & Mario PriceAccomplished singer-songwriter and musician, John Ward, has released five critically acclaimed albums and played extensively across England and abroad. John and his musical partner, Mario Price on violin, comprise a long-standing and popular acoustic duo. Together they perform a highly eclectic mix of John?s original compositions, popular and traditional songs and Mario's beautiful and high-energy instrumentals. Sometimes, thought-provoking, often humorous, always entertaining. |
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Whitby Community Choir
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Christine WilliamsonAs a busy member of the Festival team Christine balances her time between that and her role as musician for Accordance Ceilidh Band and leader of the Musicians Sessions. Christine has appeared at many festivals as a musician and as a facilitator for Dance and Music and is well respected throughout the region for her work promoting folk dance and music. |
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Martyn Wyndham ReadMartyn Wyndham-Read has been involved with folk music for over forty years. In his late teens he left his mother’s farm in Sussex and headed off, with his guitar, to Australia where he worked on a sheep station Emu Springs in South Australia. It was while he was there that he heard, first hand, the old songs sung by some of the station hands at Emu Springs and he became captivated by these songs and the need to know more of them and where they came from grew. He headed off to Melbourne and became part of the folk song revival there and throughout Australia during the early1960’s.. Back to England in 1967 where he met up with the renowned singer and song collector Bert Lloyd, who himself had spent time in Australia. Martyn was asked by Bert Lloyd to be part of the album ‘Leviathan’ on the Topic label and soon after he started recording for Bill Leader and touring extensively worldwide. In the early 1970’s Martyn started the ‘Maypoles to Mistletoe’ concerts which portray the seasons of the year through song, music, dance and verse and illustration. Martyn is also the instigator of the well known Song Links Project, Martyn is currently working with Shirley Collins on a production called ‘Down the Lawson Track’ featuring stories, poems/songs of the great Australian Poet of the People, Henry Lawson with Pip Barnes, Iris Bishop, Gary Holder and Jackie Oates. His CD Jackeroo portrays his life so far through songs both old and new. |
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ZooxBe prepared for a fabulous array of instruments from contrabassoon to congas. Exciting arrangements, great musicianship and infectious energy typify the performances of Zoox in a show which is guaranteed to entertain and enchant. Their rich and varied influences include Celtic, Appalachian, Klezmer, African, Cuban, rock, and classical. |
