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Tanglefoot (Canada)
Heart and Soul Music
Tours booking now for May 2008 and for June-July 2009
Soundclips: One
More Night, Boot Soup, Paddle Like Hell, For the Day and Radio Man
A stunning five-piece, top-flight band from Ontario. Powerful vocals, dazzling
instrumentals, stunning stage-presence. These five play their original Canadian
Folk Music with great panache. Their stage show is exciting, uplifting, amusing.
They tell of folk-lore, fake-lore and the personal histories of real people.
They've been touring the UK since 1998 and have gained many fans - each tour
building significantly on the previous ones until regular venues are confident that Tanglefoot will pack the place! Audience reaction is always 110%
positive and they have a large and ever-growing mailing list.
"Superior musicians who are able to play with utter abandon and still achieve an exceptionally high musical standard...a genuinely super band of vigorous, head-shaking, hair-tossing wildmen." - Stephen Pedersen Halifax Herald, Nova Scotia
“Simply one of the best live groups I have ever seen.” - Sheree Gillcrist, Music Bulletin
"Strong songwriting, a crowd-pleasing bundle of talent and energy... the kind that gives folk music a good name." - Nancy White, The Toronto Star
www.tanglefootmusic.com - Get a pdf promo pack
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Mad Agnes (USA)
Smart, intelligent, entertaining. "Music for thinking people."
A few dates available in August 2007 before and after Cropredy + 22nd Aug to 28th Sept 2008
Watch their 9 minute videoclip (broadband connection recommended)
Listen to a compilation of their music (OK for dial-up connections) Listen to 'Voyager'
“...diverse repertoire, three-part harmonies as tight as jeans from the dryer...you’d be crazy not to check out Mad Agnes .” Rob Weir – The Valley Advocate, MA
Mad Agnes is not one person, but three, and they're mad in only the most inventive way. Margo Hennebach, Adrienne Jones and Mark Saunders stir up elements of classical and folk, cross singer/songwriter poignancy with street-theatre smarts and infuse it all with courageous harmonies, complex counterpoint and rich storytelling in a powerful live performance. Their lyrics are intelligent, their delivery warm, and insightful.
"Setting the standard high, Mad Agnes offers great harmonies, a sense of humor and a theatrical flair...a sure way to please your audience with a terrific show!"
Marrianne Jackson, Director, Forksville Folk Festival, PA
They've been called genre-bending -- with classical, rock and old-world backgrounds they play everything from contemporary original to madrigals, to Celtic traditionals, to harmony-driven folk pop. As one presenter once introduced them, “Together, the three of them make a great couple.”
Here's their website, their stage plans, brochure copy and all their press photo downloads
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The Outside Track (Scotland/Ireland/England/Canada)
Traditional music with a modern twist!
Tours booking now: Summer 2007 and 2008 + one-off events at any time
Soundclip coming soon or go to their myspace page
The Outside Track formed in 2005 at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance in Limerick, and are quickly earning themselves a reputation as one of the most exciting new bands on the traditional music scene. With a truly diverse line-up, from Ireland, Scotland, England and Canada, they combine music from all their different cultures to form a distinct and dynamic musical sound. Flute, harp, fiddle, guitar, accordion and vocals combine in expressive, energetic arrangements that deliver traditional music with a modern twist. Song repertoire encompasses both classic ballads and contemporary songwriting, combining the tradition with fresh new material. Five-part harmony singing sits alongside sparkling new instrumental sets.
With an average age well below 25 the members of the band may be young, but between them they have performing credentials that many veteran bands could wish for.
"The Outside Track's tight arrangements, stunning vocals and natural
on-stage exuberance make for a great live show. You will be seeing a
lot more of this band in the future." whistleanddrum.com
"A wonderful performance that showcased talent and virtuosity" -- The
Munster Express
In 2007 see them at Sidmouth Folk Week, Whitby Folk Week, Cornwall Folk Festival, Leicester - Summer Sunday (DeMontfort Hall), Birdsedge Village Festival, Hebden Bridge Arts Festival and venues in England and Scotland.
www.theoutsidetrack.com
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The Pipers Sons (UK)
Tom Tom the pipers son... so the song goes. Tom Napper and Tom Bliss, together with Chris Parkinson and Tony Taffinder are The Pipers Sons.
Booking now for festivals 2007 and 2008
Soundclips The Kelping (live recording , Sark (live recording) and Black is the Colour (live recording)
“Tom Bliss possesses a fine voice and sings very well. And he’s written some very good songs - all his own, yet still informed by the folk tradition.” - Jenny Scott, Bacca Pipes
Tom Bliss wrote many of his best songs for the 4-piece Slide, and though some converted well into duo arrangements, the Toms missed that bigger picture - and some of Tom’s best material. Hence The Pipers Sons: A gutsy, rootsy ‘songs and tunes’ band, featuring virtuoso musicianship, top quality four part harmonies, colourful instrumentation, polished and powerful presentation (with a healthy dollop of humour), fresh interpretations from the tradition, and some of the finest new songs on the block. And all four are skilled workshop leaders, too.
The Pipers Sons’ launched in 2006 with festivals and concerts. Their storming on stage sets at Cleckheaton and at Sidmouth Festival won them instant headline bookings for Moor and Coast and Chippenham Festivals in 2007.
“From the first note to the last they provided first class entertainment. With their undoubted ability as musicians and singers they also have the excellent self-penned songs of Tom Bliss, having that rare quality of sounding traditional although only written recently.” - Hedley Jones
CHRIS PARKINSON - a founder member of The House Band and can often be seen on stage with Martin Carthy, Norma Waterson, Ralph McTell, Mike Harding, Martin Simpson and together with John Kirkpatrick - as The Sultans of Squeeze - was a nominee for Best Duo in the 2006 BBC Folk Awards.
TOM NAPPER has been a pro-traditional player all his life. He’s a nationally respected exponent of the Irish banjo and has played with Dab Hand, Tony Wilson and Gina LeFaux and is currently in The Idle Road with Ciaran Boyle and Dave Kosky.
TOM BLISS had developed a reputation for finely crafted narrative songs, charged with emotion and often based on true stories. First with SLIDE and then with Tom Napper, he’s finding a growing audience on the festival circuit.
TONY TAFFINDER has a truly lovely voice. he’s known for his work with Bernie Parry, Kate Howden and Paul Jones, Bruce Baillie and Leeds rockers Crosscut Saw.
“Tom Bliss's compositions have a sharp musical edge that lifts them above folk's usual fare.”
- Topic, Bradford
Get band tech spec / Go to band's own website
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Rosheen (Québec, Canada)
Booking now for festivals across Europe in 2008
Soundclips: Roisin Dubh; Star of the County Down; Siul Aruin; The Crossing;
A glorious mix of Irish and French-Canadian culture shining a new and fresh light on a respected tradition. Songs, tunes and dance combine in this spectacular stage show.
Founded in 1997 by singer-songwriter Lynn Vallières, the folk group
Rosheen now boasts seven members all blessed with a passion for Celtic music.
Rosheen has performed all across Québec, and a few years ago made a great
impression at the Montreal International Celtic Music Festival.
Appearances at other events, such as the New France Festival in Québec City, have spread their reputation across the region. Rosheen has also
performed on prestigious stages such as The National Geographic Society,
Washington DC on St. Patrick's Day; Celtic Classic in Bethlehem, PA;
Stanfest, NS; Festival du Voyageur in Winnipeg and many festivals both in
Canada and the United States where they have been welcomed by a warm and
enthusiastic audience. What is most remarkable about Rosheen, a Quebec
based group, is that they perform the traditional music of Ireland with such
authenticity while not losing sight of their French Canadian roots.
In February of 2004 CBC-Radio broadcast a live performance by
Rosheen from the Capitol de Québec, one of the city's most respected
performance venues. The two hour show was heard from coast to coast on both the
French and English networks. Rosheen and their guests, Paris to Kiev, played to a full house,
thrilling 1,200 spectators as well as thousands of radio listeners. Irish
Dancing Magazine (Ireland) and Keltika (Italy) have given high praise to
Rosheen for their music. The group can already be heard on the air in North
America and Europe as they have a signed record deal with Compass Records,
Nashville TN, more focus is being planned for radio.
Original songs and tunes sit easily alongside jigs and reels, and devilish polkas are intertwined with haunting ballads. Their enormous versatility is obvious in their recordings, but is best on stage where Rosheen show their true mettle as a top of the line festival headliner.
Some would say the Irish colonised the New World, settling in all parts of Canada and the USA, taking their strong musical and dance heritage with them. It was, therefore, inevitable that the Québecois Irish would hold both cultures dear.
In addition to the crystal voice of Lynn Vallières (recorder and bodhran), six seasoned and versatile musicians make up the band:- multi-instrumentalist Grégoire
Painchaud (keyboard, piano, violin, mandolin and arranger-composer), Michel
Hénault (guitar, arranger-composer and writer), Lynne Therrien (violin and
harp), François Matte (wooden flute, tin whistle), Daniel Marcoux (double
bass and bass) and last but not least Barry Nameth (percussion and drums)
Lynn Vallières
Founder of Rosheen, this naturally talented singer, recorder and bodhran player drives the band with the sheer power of her love and passion for celtic music. A student of the Gaelic College of celtic arts in Nova-Scotia, her voice has an angelic quality with a pure tone which is probably due to her Irish heritage. First prize winner at the 2000 Montreal feis, Lynn has been invited to sing the national anthem eight times at the 'Nordiques' (hockey games to those of us unaware of the importance of this in Canadian culture). She sang at 'Opération Enfant Soleil' and the 'Liverpool Oratorio' by Paul McCartney directed by Carl Davis and Bernard Labadie.
François Matte
"The wooden flute: the world's nicest instrument!" Here's what François Matte says! Originally trained as a pianist and trombone player François took off to see the world, fell in love with Irish music and learned the tin whistle. In 2000, he spent the summer in Ireland and bought his first wooden flute. Travelling around the country he absorbed the spirit of Irish sessions.
Lyne Therrien
Lyne Therrien was born in Québec and at the early age of 5 was holding her very first violin. From that moment on, her enthusiasm for the instrument knew no bounds. She's much in demand as a freelance violinist in the Québec City area for both orchestras and studio sessions. Fascinated by the violin's multiple possibilities, she developed a profound respect for many different styles of playing and rapidly discovered the vast folkloric and traditional repertoires of the region the authenticity of their styles.
Barry Nameth
A member of Rosheen since October 2005, Barry got his first drum at the age of 13 and that - as they say - was that. In the spring of 1967 he joined the Billy Martin Orchestra and travelled with them for three and a half years, doing the R&B circuits up and down the American and Canadian east coast, from Atlantic City to Halifax, Nova Scotia. He says that this was the best schooling he ever had, meeting up with great musicians and learning the ropes. With Rosheen, Barry has returned to his roots as his mother was born in Dublin and he's always loved Irish music
Grégoire Painchaud
A musical prodigy, Grégoire Painchaud was admitted to the "Conservatoire de Musique de Québec" at the age of five and made his professional debut at fourteen and has toured Europe four times as musician for two separate dance companies. He plays violin, guitar, mandolin and piano. He joined Rosheen in December '98 as a pianist, but progressively introduced to the group his skills as a mandolin and violin player and has become the band's musical director.
Daniel Marcoux
A native of Québec, Daniel Marcoux is a jazzer and plays, both electric and acoustic bass. He's a master of jazz improv in the style of Charles Mingus and a composer in his own right. Since 1989 he's been producing and directing musical shows such as "Le Gala des Prix d'excellence de la Culture de Québec". Since 1998 he has been driving his own band (17 talented musicians) and participated in the grand opening of the Rodin exposition as well as the Dallaire and Kriegoff exposé at the Québec Fine Arts Museum. All this experience and creative enthusiasm he brings to Rosheen.
Michel Hénault
Michel has an enviable string of qualifications in music as diverse as classical and jazz guitar and sound studio engineering. Professionally, he has worked as a guitar player, vocalist, arranger, composer, author and MIDI programmer in several musical groups across the Province of Québec, including Solen, The Answer (winner of the Studio FM Rock 93 contest with France D'Amour), Néon, Nova and Linda Racine, and, for the last few years, Rosheen. Michel has experimented with many musical styles - classical, jazz, retro, commercial and progressive rock, country, dance music, Top 40, blues, jazz fusion, big band, traditional and Celtic and he brings all that mighty experience to bear in Rosheen's powerful stage show.
Band's own website - in English and French - www.rosheen.net
Download tech specs/stage plan * Download hi-res pic * Download a poster |
Lynn Vallières
François Matte
Lyne Therrien
Barry Nameth
Grégoire Painchaud
Daniel Marcoux
Michel Hénault |
Tania Opland & Mike Freeman (Alaska/UK)
Tours booking now: May-June 2007 and August-September 2008
Soundclips Borderlands, Katyusha and Fair and Tender Ladies
To see them in action VIDEO (Recommended for broadband-users. Well worth watching!)
Hamered dulcimer, guitar, violin, cittern, Native American flute,
percussion... with songs in many languages and rhythmic roots from Siberia to
Morocco. This Anglo-Alaskan duo have been on the road together since May '95 in
a unique collaboration which combines their distinctly separate musical
backgrounds, bringing their exuberant music and wild tales to audiences around
the world.
In addition to their concert performances for adults, Tania and Mike also deliver excellent workshops for schools with a variety of topics designed to complement National Curriculum. Before leaving the UK for Seattle, Mike taught for several years in Norfolk. His teaching experience and the duo's natural exuberance make them ideal for classes of all ages. Before a workshop Tania and Mike will discuss options with the school to maximise educational and entertainment potential. See the education page on their web site for full details. It is also possible to combine a day of workshops with the children and a fundrasing concert in the evening.
Downloadable promo (biogs & pics)
www.opland-freeman.com
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Belshazzar's Feast (UK)
Musical Excellence and Rapid-fire Humour - Crosses all Musical Boundaries!
Available April 2007 and November 2007 plus some Summer festivals 2007 and 2008
Soundclip to come soon
Are they classical? Are they folk? Are they a category not even dreamed of yet by the reviewers? The answer to all three question is undoubtedly YES - and they're a lot more besides. Paul Sartin (Bellowhead, Faustus) on voice, fiddle and oboe plus Paul Hutchinson (Hoover the Dog) on voice and accordion have a perfect partnership. You can listen to their music - note perfect and subtly nuanced - but it's not going to tell you the half of what you'll experience in concert because there are some things that you just can't bottle. The humour in a look, a groan, a frantic flailing at a keyboard as the pace hots up and the partnership disintegrates into combat of an entirely musical kind. And still it's note perfect... until it's not... and that's where the superb dexterity of these two amazing musicians really comes into its own. A line of bum notes, perfectly timed between the two of them suddenly turns over the audience's perception and brings forth howls of laughter. And was that really a measure of Hark the Herald Angels in the middle of Eine Kleine Nachtmusik? The musical jokes whistle past your ears with lightning speed. Catch them if you can.
Yet underneath it all you have superb musicianship that would grace any salon, arts centre or festival stage... if only they could keep that wicked sense of humour in check.
www.belshazzarsfeast.co.uk
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Hoover the Dog (UK)
"If you like original, quirky music full of flair, inventiveness
and fun, you'll love them." -
BBC Radio 2
Available for festivals plus September, October and December 2007 and then in Spring 2008
Soundclips: Final Frontier, Mr Happy, Dark End of the Street, Tartar Frigate,
"Instrumentalists who career around acoustic sources in cavalier, happy fashion, picking up influences from straight-down-the-line trad to world jazz. Just a bit good then, an ideal sampling from the brave new frontier of progressive folk." - fRoots
"Welsh borders trio HOOVER THE DOG are purveyors of inventive, intelligent music. Fiddler John Hymas' classical, European and jazz influences dominate the Celtic-ish repertoire with a few English traditional tunes thrown in for good measure. The result is wonderfully original. A mainly instrumental set features the virtuoso combination of Hymas' strings, the athletic accordion of Paul Hutchinson and guitar/bouzouki man Tony Harris' light, fluid fingerings. Exhibiting bags of technical brilliance and the gift of making music clever and funny at the same time - much cheeky time change and manic modulation - the music ranges from stylish and understated to gutsy and gleeful." - BBC Radio 2
Welsh Borders trio, Hoover the Dog have made a name for themselves as seriously talented musicians, whose style is original, quirky, subtle and inventive, drawing on an eclectic range of influences. Paul Hutchinson on accordion has a style that is at once powerful and also sensitive. On bouzouki and guitar, Tony Harris adds a firm foundation to the arrangements, interweaving happily with the other instruments. John Hymas' classical background can be heard clearly in his violin style and he also composes all the music, with the most obvious influence being Penguin Cafe Orchestra. Hymas delights in unusual rhythms, giving flavours of Eastern Europe en route.
"Lovely, easy working relationship with the audience and nice competitive repartee between the performers. The music was played without amplification in churches and emphasised the high quality of the ensemble work. Every note carried and counted and it was brilliant to see how together this threesome could be. The balance and subtleties between the three performers were beautifully delicate. The audience ranged from 30-70yrs and all were held. Lots of foot-tapping. Someone sitting near me whispered "oh..beautiful!" to a friend at the end of "Dead Dogs". Very creative composing in a variety of styles & influences (and great titles - I loved "An American in Powys" Not enough people laughed) I gasped at the easy way they performed an astonishing piece of syncopation in 'Jiggery'." - Beaford Arts
"I felt very fortunate to welcome Hoover the Dog to play at Ruskin Mill. They were a fantastic band. They engaged the audience with their musicianship and their wit and kept everyone on their toes with lightning changes of tempo and celtic rhythms. Warm and affectionate, Hoover managed to blend their sense of humour with a rare sensitivity, each highlighting the other. The audience wanted more even after the gig was over and I wouldn’t hesitate in asking them back. They were a pleasure to welcome here." -
Sue Smee, Cultural Administrator, Ruskin Mill
Download pix from www.hooverthedog.com - Get Technical Specifications & Stage Plan
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Appalachian Roots with Ira Bernstein & Riley Baugus (USA)
An old-time music and dance variety show chock full of humor and skill.
Appalachian dance combined with the music from O Brother and Cold Mountain (direct from the man who made it!). Fiddle and Feet: Banjos and Ballads.
Tour booking from 31st October - 30th November 2008
See Ira dance: 13 Video Dance Samples : Flatfooting:
Music sound clips coming soon
Appalachian Roots is a duo show by Ira Bernstein with virtuoso old-time musician and singer Riley Baugus of Walkertown, NC. Performances are a dynamic mix of traditional dance, song, and instrumental music from the southern Appalachian region of the US, with a few international twists thrown in. Concerts include: percussive flatfooting and buckdancing, rhythm tap dancing, French-Canadian step dancing, English clogging, South African boot dancing, hambone, fiddle tunes, and fiddle sticks by Ira; southern Appalachian songs and ballads, old-time banjo and fiddle tunes, and mountain preaching by Riley; and a good dose of fiddle and banjo, and double fiddle duets by the duo.
Ira Bernstein is regarded as one of the most versatile and accomplished performers of percussive step dancing (clog, tap and step dancing) in America, and in particular as one of the foremost southern Appalachian flatfooters in the world. His repertoire is a wide array of dances that all share a common thread: the production of rhythmic, percussive sounds. The dances are more than movements accompanied by music; they are movements that make music, and as such, they are part of the music. In a very literal sense, IRA is a drummer: his feet are the sticks and the floor is the drum, which is why he refers to his art as ten toe percussion.
Riley Baugus first came to the British public's attention when his singing was featured on the soundtrack to the recent Academy Award winning film Cold Mountain. Those who bought the DVD would have seen the superb concert featuring the singers and musicians from the film - with Riley upfront. But for years before that - right from his childhood in fact, Riley has been steeped in the old-time music of his native North Carolina. He learned from traditional musicians of the area, including former Camp Creek Boys, Verlin Clifton and Paul Sutphin. Riley has played with numerous old-time stringbands, including The Red Hots, Backstep, and the Old Hollow Stringband, and currently plays with the Dirk Powell Band, and Polecat Creek. He has also taught banjo, guitar, and fiddle at music camps throughout the U.S., and has toured in Europe with The Farmer's Daughters, Dirk Powell and Tim O'Brien, The Konnarock Critters, and Ira Bernstein. Riley makes his home near Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he builds old-time, open-back banjos, and is part of a thriving musical community.
Ira has performed in concerts and at festivals all across the U.S. and Canada, as well as in 16 other countries around Europe and Asia. Ira and Riley, together, have have played all across North America and in venues across the UK. Their show in 2008 is aimed at arts centres and small theatres where the audience is close enough to see the whites of their eys, the tips of their fiddles and the toes of their boots.
Website: Download pess pics
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Dan McKinnon
Touring the UK May 2007 and September 2008
Soundclip: Wandering Days, This Side of the Sod, Fields of Dreams and Glory
You can hear more of Dan on his myspace site
A new addition to the agency, Dan hails from the Canadian Maritimes, an
area rich in the musical and cultural traditions of the North Atlantic. His warm
baritone voice, superb guitar arrangements and original compositions have won
this native Nova Scotian widespread praise. Dan's thoughtful compositions and
smooth melodies cover the entire folk spectrum, with themes traditional,
historical, contemporary and universal.
"A super man and a fantastic performer with first-rate songs. We book him for Alcester and Arden Festival whenever he's in the UK at the right time of year." - Dave James, Festival Director
In addition to his own repertoire of well crafted, intelligent songs, Dan also has a complete repertoire of Stan Rogers songs, so in addition to Dan Sings Dan - if you are booking him for your festival you can also have Dan Sings Stan as a completely separate one-man-show lasting up to two hours. Not only the Stan Rogers songs but snippets about the the life and times of Canada's best loved folk songwriter, who died at the tragically early age of 33.
"Undoubtedly the hit of Cleckheaton Festival this year, notwithstanding the presence of 'bigger names', was this supremely warm-hearted, warm-voiced singer-songwriter from the Canadian Maritimes. For many, encountering Dan's music for the first time has been a life-affirming and immensely enriching experience that makes them question at once 'why haven't I heard this guy before? He's brilliant!?' And especially considering that here he comes armed with a package of exceedingly fine self-penned songs, almost any one of which would be the envy of many a more well-known songwriter of whatever origin, and you can hear from the moment he steps out in front of an audience that he's one of the most engaging and genuine performers on the scene. Dan is blessed with a gorgeous baritone voice, and an exceptional command of phrasing, light and shade perfect for conveying the nuances and narratives of his uniformly finely-crafted songs. He's been compared with (the late, great) Stan Rogers, and while he's very much his own man the comparison is not inappropriate, for Dan shares that beguiling quality of total artistic and emotional honesty." - David Kidman
Dan is picking up an enormous amount of airplay from all over the world for tracks from his latest CD, 'Fields of Dreams and Glory' and he's received nominations for two
MIANS Awards: Folk/Roots
Recording of the Year & Male Artist Recording of the Year!
www.danmckinnon.ca - Download photos
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James Keelaghan (Canada)
Proud to be a Folkie
Touring in the UK from 13th April to 13th May 2007 and from mid June to mid July 2008
Soundclip: Cold
Missouri Waters, Sing My Heart Home See the video
To hear more James Keelaghan music you can listen on his myspace site
James is a commanding performer with a rich baritone and faultless
guitar style who develops an intimate rapport with his audience through his
stories and humour - and then leaves them spellbound with passionate renditions
of songs that touch on universal emotions and relate historical songs to the
present.
He's been nominated for Juno Awards - Canada's prestigious music awards
- and won! He's played around the world from his native Canada to Europe,
Australia, Hong Kong and, of course, the USA, but he loves tourong in the UK.
He's established himself here and his reputation continues to grow. In 2005 and
2006 he'll be touring with two first rate musicians - The James Keelaghan Trio
consisting of James, brilliant bassist Hugh McMillan (of Spirit of the West) and
young female fiddler from Canada's West Coast, Jaime R.T.
And James has picked up yet another Juno Award nomination for his new traditional CD 'Then Again' in 2007.
"A definite contender for Canada's leading acoustic performer: he is one hell of a good songwriter, and as a guitarist his playing is practically faultless. But listen to his voice, a smooth, coffee-rich baritone is the perfect vehicle for songs that are as intelligent and meaningful as anything here on this side." - Time Out, London, England.
www.keelaghan.com - Download picture - Get biography
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Cloudstreet (Australia)
Tours booking now:
September/October 2007 (dates going fast), and May - August 2008
Soundclip: King
Willy, Dance Up the Sun, To hear more music go to Cloudstreet's myspace site
Two lovely, exuberant people who entertain right royally with their
clever vocal harmonies, well chosen songs (trad, contemporary and self-penned),
guitar and flute. They were over here in the UK for over a year from 03 to 04,
building up an audience by playing, playing playing - and it worked out well.
They created a real buzz which continues to grow through their '05 and '06 tours. Venues want them back straight away and audiences follow them round. Even as early as July 2006, their September October '07 tour is booking quickly, so book them soon - you'll be glad you
did.
"Cloudstreet's sense of fun, fabulous arrangements and well-matched, gorgeous voices add up to a great night's entertainment. They include a touch of theatricality - without overdoing it - to turn their carefully-chosen material into a performance which totally absorbs their audience." - Tudor Folk
Cloudstreet are also available for schools workshops and come with the highest endorsements from UK schools which have already sampled their talents. Nicole is a trained teacher in addition to being a visual artist and a musician and her talents are used to the full in combination with John's hugely entertaining delivery. See their web site for details or ask for their education brochure.
For more information or to download hi-res photos, pdf promo packs and programme notes go to:
www.cloudstreet.org - Download Picture - Get complete media kit
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Eileen McGann with David K (Canada)
Eileen and David are touring from mid July to the end of August 2008.
Soundclip: Braw
Sailin' On the Sea
Eileen is one of Canada's foremost songstresses, equally at home with
her own self-written songs or interpreting the tradition. Her voice is as clear
as a lark but has the strength of an eagle. Eileen is the ultimate musical
conundrum, the eco-warrior, conscious of the issues of today, but not
intimidated by traditional ballads of yesterday. Eileen sings and plays guitar
and tours with side-man, David K, on slide guitar, bass and harmony vocals. her
new CD, Beyond the Storm, was nominated for a Juno Award (Canada's Emmys).
"One of folk music's breathtaking voices... her songs range from Celtic and traditional to very contemporary and topical... A gifted lyric poet and musical composer whose gorgeous vocals make her a must-see performer." — Songstreet, Boston, USA.
"What would you say to song writing a la Stan Rogers allied to a voice of like ilk to Mary Black?... Eileen's voice has a stunning immediacy & power that threatens to overwhelm the unwary listener with its sheer exquisiteness." — fRoots.
www.eileenmcgann.net
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Bernard Carney (Australia)
Voted 'Entertainer of the Year' at the 2003 Port Fairy Folk Festival (one of Oz's 'big-three' festivals!) and also won the prestigious Lawson-Patterson Award for song writing in the same year.
Touring the UK in April 2008
Soundclip: Feathers
and Tributes
Bernard is a song writer and singer with a witty touch and a sense of
humour from his native Lancashire. Lancashire lost him to the sunny shores of
Perth, Western Australia some thirty years ago - but he reinvades his native
land once a year to remind us of what we're missing the rest of the year round.
His shows focus on his original songs which are exceptional for the wit and smartness of the lyrics and the flawless guitar style that accompanies them. He might sing you his ode to the common cold, 'The Bronchio-dilated Blues,' or
his songwriting song, 'Here Comes the Chorus.' he's an exceptional wordsmith and
plays effortless fingerpicking blues-stule guitar.
"Bernard Carney is impressive as a socially informed, humorous and entertaining performer" -Australian Options Magazine
Often silly, always entertaining, Bernard also has a strong streak of
passion for humanity. His landmine song, 'Gardens of Death,' (winner of a
Western Australian Music Industry Award) has been used as the musical dialogue
for an educational video 'Shattered Lives' produced by the International Red
Cross in Geneva. As a result it's been taken up - worldwide - by the
Soroptimists and his audience outside the folk world is growing. And back at
home, he leads 'Working Voices' the combined trade union choir.
www.bernardcarney.com
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William Pint & Felicia Dale (Seattle,
USA)
Maritime Music and More - with Attitude!
Touring the UK in August -
September 2007 and then not until Spring 2009
Soundclip: High
Barbary
Hear more of William and Felicia on their myspace page
Felicia, the daughter of a Puget Sound sea-captain and a French
immigrant. William, brought up in Wisconsin, about as far away from the sea as a
boy can be, but dreaming of the salt tang of the ocean. Now, together, they make
their home in America's Pacific North west, flanked by the sea on one side and
the mountains on the other.
William and Felicia sing songs of the sea in all
her many moods, accompanied by guitar, hurdy gurdy, cittern and whistles. Their
music is not the raucous bellow of the finger-in-the-ear shanty singer, but is
more considered, melodic, and unusual, often driving and verging on folk 'n roll. There are songs of courage and
adventure, sailor's ditties, love songs, voyages of discovery and the strange
tale of the Lady Washington, sunk by...a train! There's not a yo-ho-ho within
miles of William and Felicia's ocean. When they sing a chantey, they do it with
great charm and an irrepressible introduction. Maybe, for good measure, they'll
sing it in French.
In 2006 they toured the UK extensively as part of the (extremely well-received) Brian Bedford Band, building up their audience base even more.
www.pintndale.com - Get tech specs - Download a photo - Download a pdf press kit |
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Shep Woolley (Out Of This World)
Folk Singer - Comedian - Maritime Entertainer - MC - After Dinner Speaker - Radio Presenter
Dates booking now: 2007 and 2008
Soundclip: Shep on a roll
To define Shep Woolley is not an easy thing. To some he's a folk singer
who tells funny stories, to others he's a standup comedian who writes great
songs and parodies. He, himself, is equally at home in a pub or club or on stage
at the Albert Hall. He can sing a traditional song, a protest song or belt out Long Tall Sally.
In 1960 young Mr Woolley exchanged his civvies for a suit of blue,
strapped his guitar on his back and toured with the Royal Navy, still finding
the opportunity to entertain alongside such international stars as Liza
Minnelli, the Dave Clark Five and Matt Monroe. Then in the 70s he found he had a
talent for standup - that most dangerous of all entertainment games - but thirty
years on, and no longer signed up to the RN talent agency, Shep is a master of
the one liner and the shaggy dog story and he's even done after dinner speeches
in the company of Prince Charles.
'It takes a great comedian to hold an audience for two hours. It
takes an even greater one to do the same without one blue, racist or sexist
joke. Shep Woolley did just that!'
www.shepwoolley.co.uk - Download a picture
For 2007, also taking bookings for Shep's Naval Association shows and for the Ansome Cabin Boys - in their three piece or four piece format. Download a picture of the Ansome Cabin Boys
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Cockersdale (UK)
Generally Available.
NOW ON THE YORKSHIRE ARTS MUSICIANS IN RESIDENCE SCHEME which provides a subsidy of up to 40 % (as a guarantee against loss) for any clubs, venues and festivals in the Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire area. Application deadlines January and May for 2007.
Soundclips: Tree
Song, Long
Long Road, The Cuckoo, Follow Me Home
For many years Cockersdale have been one of the leading unacompanied
groups in the UK. Originally formed by Keith Marsden to perform his songs, the
group's reputation soon grew making them a major force in folk music. Following
Keith's death in 1991 Cockersdale reformed and have now re-established
themselves on the UK folk scene. Although they now have a repertoire that
stretches beyond that performed before Keith's death they still perform many of
the songs that he wrote and for which he is famous. Newly written songs still
feature within the performances but are now more commonly from the pen of Graham
and also Chris Sugden. With a number of CDs to their credit and a history of
appearances at most of the major festivals in the UK Cockersdale bring
guaranteed enjoyment to any performance.
“Their two-men, one-woman sound is rich and evocative of the music (both modern and traditional) that they deliver: witness "Anderson’s Coast," about the Australian mining industry, the traditional "Poor Old Horse," and - the highlight - folk king Stan Rogers’ ‘Barratt’s Privateers.’” - a cappella.com (USA)
Lest We Forget: Cockersdale also present the poems of Kipling, set to music by Peter Bellamy, as a special show with songs and readings for festivals, arts centres, village halls and theatres. It features an extended cast of all three members of Cockersdale, Val Marsden, John O'Hagan and Graham Pirt plus Dave Webber and Annie Fentiman and John Morris. Don't forget you can get this subsidised if you are a venue in the Yorkshire Arts area.
www.cockersdale.com
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