from the Festival Director - Sidmouth Folk week

Artists
Donal Maguire is primarily associated
with traditional unaccompanied singing,
though also an interpreter of
contemporary material, and can
accompany himself on a range of
stringed instruments. He is universally
recognised as one of the finest players
of Irish dance music on mandolin and
tenor banjo. 369, 454, 491, 590, 648, 686,
786, 843, 863
The Drystones’ lively jigs and reels
won them the Somerset Battle Of the
Bands competition, featuring Ford Collier
on guitar and whistle and Alex Garden
on guitar and fiddle. 363
Duck Soup are a trio of English
eccentrics from Brighton area who play
trad songs, country dance tunes and the
‘perilous waltzes’ of Alfred
Montmarquette with a twist. Dan Quinn’s
melodeon and vocals sit alongside Ian
Kearey’s dobro, mandolin, acoustic bass
guitar and piano and experimental
musician Adam Bushell on African
marimba, phonofiddle and musical saw.
449, 490, 555, 588
Dunlop and Ryan featuring singer Judy
Dunlop joins with Mick Ryan, appear as
a new duo as well as performing in
Ryan’s folk musical The Pauper’s
Path.449, 485
Dyer:Cummings are a young and
exciting Ceilidh Band from Somerset.
They play traditional English music with
a funky twist. Hannah Cumming (fiddle,
vocals), Jon Dyer (bass, flute and
vocals), Penny Dyer on (bassoon, vocals)
and Alex Cumming (piano accordion,
bouzouki and caller). C302, C402, C502,
666, C602, C613, C702, C802, C820
Earlsdon Morris Men perform
traditional North West clog dances
wearing the traditional costumes of knee
britches, clogs, bright and bowler hats
bedecked with flowers. 203, C217, 336,
352, 359, 403, 448, 463, 527, 541, 570,
677, 848
Ed Rennie runs beginners and
improvers melodeon workshops this
week. The former Bismarcks member
sings and plays guitar, melodeon and
cittern on a range of old and new folk
ballads. C301, 450, 462, 474, C401, 549,
561, 574, C501, 649, 662, 674, C601, 749,
761, 773, C701, C801
page 68
Eddie Upton is the Director of Folk
South West, is a former Artistic Director
of Sidmouth FolkWeek. He is a
respected singer of traditional songs and
will be a singer, MC and workshop
leader this year. 253, C319, 417, 485, 586,
684, 738, 784, C817
Edward II splice dance tunes of old
England with the sunshine sexy grooves
of reggae and lovers’ rock, forging a
truly original synthesis from their farflung
musical roots. Renowned as one of
the freshest, funkiest acts on the circuit,
they are the ultimate festival party band.
478
English String Band features a handpicked
selection of pedigree traditional
English String players for dancing or
listening including members of such
seminal dance bands as Old Swan
Band, New Victory Band, Grand Union,
Katie’s Quartet and Old Hat Band. 370,
430, 538, 587, 639, 690, 768, 810, 823
Ewan McLennan picked up last year’s
BBC Radio 2 Horizon Award based on
his skillful performances of traditional
song and insightful self-penned songs. A
consummate guitarist to boot, his latest
CD The Last Bird To Sing has met with
widespread critical acclaim. 455, 475
Exmouth Shanty Men ‘The biggest
buoy band in the West’. A more
raggedy-arsed gaggle of rascals you are
never likely to meet! They appear on
stage looking as though they have just
stepped ashore after a 9 month voyage
around Cape Horn, their garments
threadbare and their hats battered, but
this crew sings some of the finest sea
songs with passion and gusto. 213, 250,
C208
The False Beards feature multiinstrumentalist
Ben Mandelson and a
guitar-toting fRoots editor Ian Anderson
reworking early blues and country songs
and a few traditional English songs with
the odd foray into the realms of psychfolk.
341, 368
Fay Hield is a noted singer of traditional
song who will deliver song talks this
week, appear solo and with Jon Boden
as well as being a guest of Martin
Simpson. 410, 689
Fay Hield & The Hurricane Party sees
this unadorned traditional singer
performing lesser known traditional
songs with a stellar supporting
cast: Andy Cutting (diatonic accordion,
melodeon), Rob Harbron (English
Concertina, fiddle, vocals), Sam
Sweeney (fiddle, viola, cello, nyckel -
harpa, vocals) and Jon Boden (fiddle,
guitar). 557
Fee Lock is a dance caller and MC who
is also secretary of The Morris Federation.
215, 315, 517, 567, 624, 650, 842
Fiddler’s Elbow is a traditional dance
band based in the North East of
England. Based around the core of
experienced caller/fiddler Robin Dunn
and pianist Sue Morgan, with other
musicians completing the line up, their
music is generally a fiddle heavy mix of
Northumbrian, Scottish and New
England traditional styles. 447, 480, 532,
580, 632, 682, 780, 801, 837, 855
Finest Kind are Canada‘s foremost
vocal harmony group, with an
exhilarating mix of songs from the
English tradition, Country gems,
Appalachian classics, and self-penned
numbers in their set. 436, 489, 554, 584
Frances Oates is a social dance caller
who likes to dance and call a mixture of
English, Playford and American dance
styles. She calls regularly at clubs in
Cornwall and Devon and is the resident
caller for the Illogan Folk Dance Club.
111, 201, 326, 347, 401, 502, 582, 714,
813
Frances Watt plays and sings and is a
member of JigJaw. 102, 245, 437, 465,
535, 564, 636, 664, 739, 765, 829, 849,
858
Frank Yamma is an indigenous singersongwriter
from Central Australian
desert .An exceptional guitarist with a
rich, resonant voice who brings life to
the stories and songs of the struggles of
the aboriginal people of Australia. 232,
257
Gadarene blends obscure traditional
English tunes, carefully researched from
Eighteenth and Nineteenth century
manuscripts, with virtuosic acoustic