Specialists in Ceilidh and Folk Dances for Weddings, Parties, Fund-Raising or Fun throughout Western England

Autumn Gold are a four piece band formed in 1986 who have built an excellent reputation for music to suit all occasions. Kathie Upton (Accordion), Hilary Hudson (Fiddle), Liz Sidebottom (Keyboards) and Dawn Burden (Drums) provide the line up of this popular West Country group.

With a wide repertoire of music from the British Isles, America and Canada, and a rare ability to play any music that is put in front of them, they are in great demand for weddings, Barn Dances, Ceilidhs, Private Parties, and have a great following in the world of Scottish Country dancing throughout the South West and beyond.

For further information contact: Les Burden telephone 01840 261708

If you want an evening of traditional music and song - predominantly from the English tradition with some tunes from Scotland and Ireland or perhaps a small dance band contact Devil's Footsteps. 

The name "Devil's Footsteps" was inspired by the Devon story that hit local headlines in 1865: after a night of heavy snowfall people in East and South Devon awoke to see huge, cloven shaped footprints in gardens, over roofs, up walls and across fields, the track even crossing the water from the East side of the Exe Estuary to the West. The footprints continued to the South Hams before disappearing. The mystery has never been solved!. "Devil's Footsteps" musicians live at locations along the trail of the footprints and thus have derived their name.

For further information telephone 01626 866257

Dr. O'Neills

Dr. O'Neill's are Mick Bramich guitar, melodeon, anglo concertina and voice,  Andy Clarke guitar, mandola, tenor banjo and voice and Pete Troake uillean pipes, flute, whistles, bodhran. They present a programme of music and songs from Ireland and England which explores the cross pollination of native traditions. The band also provides the ideal support for set dancers with its wide range of tunes, instrumentation and arrangements.

For further information telephone/fax 01803 863558

                                                                                                                     

We are a six piece band, including caller and if a good, fun dance, with clear, concise instructions is what you want, then we are the band for you!
Most members of the band are singers as well as musicians, so if you want a 'mixed' evening with dancing, tunes and songs, then we can arrange a complete 'folk event' for your club or organisation. 

More information is available on Fox Amongst The Chickens/Hanging Johnny's web site. Go to Links

For further information contact Mike & Rosie Longhurst on 01579 351201 e-mail [email protected] 

Marc Walpot and Lousie Appleby specialise in performing traditional Eastern European Folk Music. They have performed together on accordion and clarinet, violin and guitar for over five years, including performances in the South West and also overseas including appearing at the International Clarinet festival in Brittany in 1999. They performed at Sidmouth festival with their larger group "Shavali" which included a BBC Radio 2 broadcast.

Now mainly performing as a duet they perform music from Bulgaria, Armenia, Former-Yugoslavia, Macedonia, all in the fascinating time signatures of 5/8, 7/8, 9/8 etc. The couple perform a variety of folk dance tunes from very slow Jewish Horas to upbeat Bulgarian Khoros. They perform for many occasions as well as a recent theatre collaboration with the Dartington Playgoers doing the music for the Bertold Brecht play "The Caucasian Chalk Circle". They have performed for big recitals, weddings, parties, theme evenings as well as facilitating workshops.

The music they specialise in comes from researching into village communities in Bulgaria. All of the tunes they play from Bulgaria have deep rooted traditions, and a way of playing. They arrange their music in a way not to detract from this, but also to stamp their own style on it as well.

For further information contact: Marc or Louise Higher Larcombe Diptford Near Totnes Devon TQ9 7PD Telephone 01548 821332 

Hanging Johnny is a group of singers who specialise in performing shanties and sea songs dating from the great days of sail, up to the present time.

We can call on the services of nine singers, all of whom are performers in their own right. Usually we would expect to have six to eight singers at the average sized venue.

We sing both unaccompanied and with various instruments and positively encourage audience participation.

Recordings: "TO PASS THE TIME AWAY.." CD

flaxey green music for details of "TO PASS THE TIME AWAY.." and MP3 file

 
More information is available on Hanging Johnny and Fox Amongst The Chicken's web site. Go to Links

For further information contact: MIKE on 01579 351201 Email: [email protected]

Mock Hobby Horse are a trio who specialise in playing music, songs and dance tunes popular in England from medieval times to the 17th Century. Their repertoire includes medieval pilgrim and troubadour music, music and song from the court composers of Queen Elizabeth and James 1, country dance tunes from Playford and theatre music and song from restoration England. Where possible the music has been arranged authentically and is performed in a visually appealing manner. Mock Hobby Horse play the music on instruments more usually associated with traditional folk music of today: concertina, whistle, recorder, small pipes, guitar, mandolin and drum. Their aim is to keep this wealth of music alive by involving audiences in the joy, passion and timeless elegance of this heritage.

Recordings: Maypole and Mistletoe (cassette tape)

flaxey green music for details of Maypole and Mistletoe


For further information contact: Howard Frey/Julia Thomas - 21 Denys Road Totnes Devon TQ9 5TJ Telephone 01803 864674  
                                                                                

Copyright Trevor Paul 2001 ©
e-mail [email protected]
flaxey green was first published in January 2000