MARTIN CARTHY & DAVE SWARBRICK Roots Unearthed, Lefel 3 Lounge, St David’s Hall, Cardiff: September 1, 2015 The Prince Of Folk and The Demon Fiddler utterly mesmerised a delighted Roots Unearthed audience with a banquet of jaw-dropping airs, tunes, wonderful ballads and hypnotic songs which seemed to jump out and seize the packed rows by…
Maelog: Building musical bridges between Wales and Galicia Bye-bye, Marta: The former Maelog, from left to right – Dan Lawrence, Rhian Evan-Jones, Gerardo Albela, Marta Novo (who now resides in Madrid), Sam Jowett and Gareth Westacott Pubs and musical sessions have always gone together in Wales; but The Crofts pub in Roath, Cardiff boasts one special…
9bach triumph, Merêd honoured in Radio 2 Folk Awards Bethesda-based band 9bach have triumphed with their four-star album Tincian, carrying off the Album Of The Year prize at the 2015 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, which was held in the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay. They were the first Welsh band to win an…
2016 Roy Harris: February 9, 2016 Celebrated, revered and respected traditional singer Roy Harris of Ely, Cardiff passed away early on the morning of February 9, at the age of 82. Roy, who moved to Cardiff in 1960, organised the first-ever folk club in South Wales. From 1976 to 1980, he was invited to be…
Meredydd Evans, born December 9, 1919, died February 21, 2015 The great Welsh icon Dr Meredydd Evans – masterful folk singer, Welsh language activist who campaigned for non-violent and peaceful protests, Doctor of Philosophy, folksong collector, head of the BBC’s Welsh light entertainments, writer, editor, historian – died on February 21, 2015 after a short…
TRIO TRIUMPH! FOXGLOVES DELIVER A WELSH/ENGLISH MUSICAL DELIGHT The Foxglove Trio are unique and a revelation; Mid-Wales singer Ffion Mair, Swansea-born spectacular ‘cellist and guitar player Cathy Mason and Patrick Dean, melodeon player and ‘cello player from Yorkshire, stirred up a bubbling cauldron of inspiring and exhilarating songs, tunes and absolutely lovely arrangements that had…
BANJOMONIUM! AND DAN’S THE MAN TO THRILL THE CROWDS “For someone who doesn’t like banjos – well, it’s not really your night, is it?” Dan’s Walsh’s one-liners come as thick and fast as his firework virtuosity and eye-popping playing, singing and songwriting. Dan doesn’t just play his beloved banjo – he lives it, tortured face…
DELYTH AND ANGHARAD SERVE UP A DELICATE, LOVELY FEAST Angharad Jenkins was born with Welsh music in her ears – and her harp-playing mother Delyth made quite sure of that. The pregnant Delyth played with Peter Stacey and Stevie Wishart in the excellent trio Aberjaber, and the “bump” was baby Angharad – and now she…
MARI LWYD WINTER SOLSTICE TOUR ON VIDEO – LIVE AND KICKING The Llantrisant Mari Lwyd celebrated 34 years of welcoming the Winter Solstice on December 22, 2014 with visits to Llantrisant area pubs, the antics and the traditional singing and playing shot on video. The Mari Lwyd Party met in the car park of The…
ANDY AND JILLIE TIE THE KNOT – CONGRATULATIONS FROM ALL OF US! Llantrisant Folk Club members Andy Jackson and Jillie Hambley celebrated their wedding in The Isle Of Wight on Friday, December 5, 2014. Andy was a retired sound engineer at BBC Wales in Llandaff, Cardiff, and he lived at Pontyclun; he was also acting…