Katriona Gilmore & Jamie Roberts

Highly talented newcomers supporting stars of Fairport Convention's latest tour

 


BBC Radio 2 Horizon Award nominees Katriona Gilmore & Jamie Roberts combine astounding lap-tapping guitar, fiery fiddle and their trademark harmonies with considerable songwriting talent to make a truly distinctive sound. Since releasing their debut album 'Shadows & Half Light' in 2008 (proclaimed 'one of the finest contemporary folk albums in recent memory' by FishRecords.co.uk), Gilmore and Roberts have been wowing audiences across the country with their unassumingly confident displays of instrumental technique. 2010 saw the duo complete a nationwide tour in their own right, land the coveted opening slot on Fairport Convention's 2011 Winter Tour, and release their much-anticipated second album, 'Up From The Deep'.

Jez Lowe & The Bad Pennies

Legendary singer songwriter with his band providing
acoustic simplicity coupled with electric vitality
http://www.jezlowe.com/index.html 

 
Carl Corbett's favourites and they are the best. Jez Lowe and The Bad Pennies have been playing their songs and music of Northern England for almost twenty years around the folk festivals, clubs and concert stages of the world.

"Acoustic simplicity coupled with electric vitality" was how they were described in their early days, and with half a dozen albums to their credit, along with solo albums by Jez and by other members of the group, their following has continued to increase.

Strong vocals, backed by outstanding instrumental back-up on guitar, cittern, fiddle, fretless bass, keyboards and Northumbrian Pipes, have made them one of Britain's top attractions on the folk/acoustic/celtic circuit.

They revisited some old favourites like High Part Of The Town and The Bonny Barque The Bergen but with new arrangements and a different sound and then treated us to some new songs such as Dark Trade and some brought out from the hidden depths of Jez's repertoire making a totally magical evening of superb folk music.

Allan Taylor

Internationally famous Singer Songwriter
http://www.allantaylor.com

Allan writes many traveller's songs about his journey, real, fictitious or metaphorical and again and again the expression 'on the road' crops up. His songs and the voice are like the red wine that keeps getting mentioned and they are of astonishing maturity.

The Bogtrotters

Internationally famous Celtic Band specialising in Irish and Scottish music
http://www.thebogtrotters.com/

The Boggies are five musicians from a wide variety of musical backgrounds and include:
Tim Flaherty : Vocals/ Rhythm guitar/ Whistle.
Peter Longdon : 5 string banjo.
Alex Johnson: Electric lead & Acoustic guitar / Mandolin.
Dan Axworthy: Violin / Whistles / Vocals. Check out Eimears my space site.
Jim Hand : Bass guitar / Vocals.( and website).

Steve Knightley & Jim Causley

http://www.myspace.com/steveknightleymusic
One of England's greatest singer songwriters - Mike Harding, BBC Radio 2 Knightley dares to tackle subjects other songwriters leave well alone - his best songs are bleak, witty and finely observed -The Guardian
- A folk legend - BBC Music Touching emotional literacy - Daily Telegraph 

Isambarde

They are the unusual and winning combination of Chris's driving guitar,Emily's incisive fiddle playing and Jude's lyrical oboe coupled with great full on vocal harmonies.

The Isambarde story begins in late 2001, when Chris Green (vocals, guitar), decided to form a band. The only slight problem with this was the fact that he didn’t really know anyone within twenty years of his own age who shared his taste for traditional English folk music. A lonely and brief solo career beckoned!

Then as luck would have it, Chris got involved at very short notice in a musical theatre production at the Alexandra Theatre that shall remain nameless, as it was a bit of a nightmare for all concerned. It was in these stressful circumstances that he met the show's orchestral manager and more importantly pit oboist Jude Rees (oboe, vocals), a fellow folkie reared on Steeleye Span, the Albion Band and other alumni of the 60's and 70's folk revival. She had just completed an MA at Birmingham Conservatoire and leapt at the chance to do something different from the music traditionally associated with the oboe.