from the Festival Director - Sidmouth Folk week

Artists
Naomi Bedford has been dubbed as
‘An English Emmylou...’ by Del Amitri’s
Justin Currie and is championed by the
likes of Shirley Collins. Hers is a unique
voice, reflecting her eclectic musical life,
including a chart-topping hit with Orbital.
She sings from a repertoire of dark
songs, laments & murder. 756, 787
Newcastle Kingsmen, the reigning
DERT Rapperlympics champions, were
founded in 1949 for the King’s College
rag week in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Widely acclaimed masters of the
traditional Northumbrian Rapper sword
dance, they are also expert practitioners
of the Grenoside longsword dance and
Royton northwest dance. 340, 406, 446,
493, 754, 822, 851
Nick and Mary Barber have been
running workshops and music sessions
for many years and the Big Band is once
again in their capable hands this week.
320, 426, 526, 626, 726, 777, 821
Nick Walden is one of the country’s
most popular ceilidh callers with a long
history of involvement at Sidmouth
FolkWeek. 109, 430, 679, 868
Nigel Close calls for Playford balls, club
nights and ceilidhs and has taught a
range of workshops including Welsh,
Manx and dance technique. He has
danced for most of his adult life and was
dance director of the display team
Woodfidley for many years. 414, 447,
482, 515, 581, 601, 661, 733, 782, 802
Norma Waterson & Eliza Carthy
with The Gift Band Norma makes a
welcome return to form after her recent
illness. Simply two of the country’s best
exponents of traditional song with warm,
distinctive and authentic voices. 489
Ochre Lane are a South-west based
four-piece acoustic folk-rock band. 792
Old Man Luedecke is one of Canada’s
best-loved and most intriguing roots
singer-songwriters. His contemporary
lyrics coupled with the irresistible rhythm
of the old time banjo plus his easy
charisma appeal to anyone searching for
new growth from old roots. 458, 478,
525, 591, 655, 688
Otis Gibbs is a grass roots American
singer-songwriter whose raw strippeddown
songs speak of real life and
honest experience. A modern day
troubadour. 228, 257
Pat Ryan, long-time festival favourite, is
an internationally-renowned storyteller,
writer and teacher and published author.
251, 319, C320, 417, 471, 590, C522, 621,
676, 690, C624, 722, 770, C812
Paul Hutchinson, accordion player with
Belshazzar’s Feast, will be playing for
social dance workshops and leading the
Playford Liberation Front ceilidh on
Tuesday. 247, 302, 312, 362, 402, 481,
501, 514, 560
Paul Midgley Paul, of Hampshire based
Drum Runners is an experienced
percussionist and project leader. He
leads the Street Band workshops
working towards participation in the
Torchlight Procession.443, 542, 641, 744,
834
Paul Saunders will be hosting the
Sidmouth Song Slam, fronting Revellion
and playing for the torchlight procession
(see Wynndebagge). 671, 819
Peeping Tom are a popular and
powerful folk-rock ceilidh band
celebrating their 40th anniversary this
year. 479, 593
Peta Webb and Ken Hall’s singing is
rooted in oral tradition, based on Irish
and Brit traditions of unison singing and
harmonising of American brother duets
and exploring the transatlantic musical
links between England, Ireland and
America. 243, 256, 305, 370, 490, 571,
653, 775, 854, 863
Pete Coe has been described as a ‘one
man folk industry’, combining as he
does the roles of singer, songwriter,
melodeon, banjo, dulcimer and bouzouki
player, bandleader, arranger, broadcaster,
dance caller, teacher, step dancer,
entrepreneur, folk club organiser, record
label boss and undoubtedly more. 254,
C211, 366, C313, C318, 471, 510, 589, 611,
646, 691, 711, 748, 774
Pete Rees is a caller and experimental
ceilidh DJ with a love of high-energy
ceilidhs. 117, 325, 479
Peter & Barbara Snape are a
vocal/melodeon duo, performing a wide
spectrum of traditional songs from
around the British Isles, Expect wellcrafted
arrangements of traditional
songs, including songs that recapture
the atmosphere of the Lancashire music
hall. 114, 251, 370, 417, 486, 684, 738,
863
Peter Wilton is a Sidmouth resident
and director of music of the Gregorian
Association, Peter will be leading
workshops on British Community songs.
223, 466, 565, 665, 766
Phil Callery is an Irish singer who will
be singing at traditional events for most
of the week and launching his
Landscape Of The Past CD with us this
week (see The Voice Squad). 473, 490,
590, 775
Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin
combine influences as diverse as
English folk music, Indian classical and
American blues to create a sound that is
unique and captivating. Using slide
guitars, fiddle, banjo, vocals, and
beatbox harmonica, their debut album,
Singing The Bones, has garnered warm
praise across the music press. 115, 680
Pig Dyke Molly, in their distinctive
black and white garb, perform dances
loosely based on the collected molly
dances from the Fens – simple,
repetitive and with a wayward ‘make it
up yourself’ approach to tradition. 627,
669, 679, 703, 746, 747, 762, 806, 822,
848, 851
The Playford Liberation Front inject
new life & energy into Playford-style
dancing, proving that Playford can be
just as energetic and fun to dance as
Contra. 579
Polkaworks
brings together the finest talents from
the world of ceilidh including Gareth
Kiddier (keyboards), Nina Hansell (fiddle),
Fi Fraser (fiddle), Jeannie Harris
(melodeon and shakey egg), Sue Harris
(hammered dulcimer) and Katie Howson
(melodeon and harmonica). 117, C217
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