Dates for your diary
"...stunning harmonies that were so good it reminded me of seeing Gillian Welch and David Rawlings”
No Depression "It is so rare an opening act rival the main performance but that is exactly what the seamless harmony singing Black Feathers achieved” Jumpin’ Hot Club "The pure emotion and subtle timing of their song delivery is as evident as the enjoyment radiating from their onstage chemistry” 3 Chords and the Truth |
The Black FeathersIf you were of the belief that The Black Feathers are named because of their love of dark humour and the smooth blending of harmony, you’d be wrong.
If you were told that the name is more concerned with recognition of their gentle souls, a predilection for dark clothing and the sonic tumult of the plethora of (mainly US) progressive-metal bands doing mega-business around the world in the 1990s and beyond, you might doubt those who said so, but they would be accurate. You’d be wrong as to the name, BUT you would be utterly correct that the sonic architecture of their lyrics and musical composition takes its imperious scope from a love of blended vocal harmony and idiosyncratic guitar shapes. Americana to some, folk to others, The Black Feathers have those qualities in expansive quantity. Sian Chandler’s soaring, dramatic, melodious but powerful voice is a perfect counterpoint to Ray Hughes’ piquant vocals and his sparkling and occasionally spicy guitar motifs. This is a duo who love what they play and play what they love with panache, humour, delight and rather a lot of commentary on the downside of being a human. Seeing and hearing them will leave you with a smile on your face and a glowing heart of delight. You might not think that is possible when you’ve just spent some time hearing the themes of the songs they lay before an audience but it is testament to their sunny dispositions, infectious laughter and amused self-deprecation that you can only come away from a gig feeling a whole heap better about yourself and life. Friday 9th June, 7.30pm Tickets £15 Online sales via www.wegottickets.com/event/574384/ |
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Bof! Workshop and DanceBOF! is an established East Anglian band with considerable experience in playing traditional French and Breton dance music. They have a vast experience of playing at clubs and festivals and for specialist dance groups in England and France. The members of BOF! play a variety of authentic instruments and sing.
Their line-up is: • Simon Haines diatonic accordions • Phil Lyons acoustic guitar / bass guitar / vocals • Gwendal Moële vocals • Val Woollard bagpipes / flute / recorders / desk bells Bof!’s performance at Wingfield Barns will begin with a dance workshop to teach some of the simpler French and Breton dances. After a break, they will play for an evening “bal”. The songs and instrumentals they play is equally suitable for dancing and listening to, so in addition to a dance space, there will be a seated area for non-dancers. There is more information about Bof! on their website where you can hear samples of their music. www.bof-frenchdance.co.uk Running times are as follows: 16.30-18.30 Workshop 18.30-19.30 Break 19.30-22.00 Concert/Dance Saturday 10th June 2023 Workshop only £5 Concert only £12 Workshop and concert £15 Online sales via www.wegottickets.com/event/554819 |
The performance will include accordion, hurdy gurdy, saxophone, crumhorn, guitar, mandola, whistles, curtal, shawm, chalumeau, bagpipes, curtal, recorders, keyboard, percussion and vocals.
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Chanter's JiggeBased on their experiences performing a wide variety of musical styles in the UK and around Europe, Chanter’s Jigge share enthusiasm and fun with their audiences in a unique blend of traditional folk tunes, their own music and exotic sounds from the past. Having performed as far afield as Milan and toured throughout the UK, they now mainly concentrate on appearing in East Anglia, where they will weave as many as twenty instruments into their music.
Fun and laughter form the backdrop. There is always plenty of opportunity to join in singing along in the choruses and clapping and stamping to lively dance medleys. Malcolm and Elizabeth have both enjoyed colourful careers in music, both as teachers and providers of music for television shows and stage productions. Malcolm is also well known in schools and colleges throughout Eastern England for his one man history plays and as an adult education lecturer in early music. Friday 23rd June, 7.30pm Tickets £12 Online sales via www.wegottickets.com/event/579008 "I can only describe them as brilliant! They sang, and played a large selection of instruments. We joined in the choruses, clapped and tapped our feet and wanted to get up and dance." “Chanter’s Jigge weave stories, jokes, anecdotes and asides into their non-stop performances, sometimes fantastical, and on occasions, hauntingly beautiful.” |
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Jackie and the Beans TalkBecky, Catherine, Claire, Julie, Karen, Pen and Tony are a group of friends from Laxfield. They like nothing better than to don unflattering outfits and act out stories...
You may have seen their local history shows, From Laxefelda to Laxfield and Laxfield's Henry. In this new play, written by Catherine, you will meet some almost-familiar characters in a vaguely recognisable version of a fable for our times. Jackie & The Beans Talk is a timely conversation about the pointlessness of the pursuit of more, more, more... Expect songs, humour, a sideways nod at pantomime - and (so as not to disappoint our regular audiences) - maybe even a little bit of Meat Loaf. Friday 7th July, 7.30pm Tickets £10 Online sales via www.wegottickets.com/event/579471 |
“An extraordinary collaboration between two musicians at the absolute top of their game. This is an adventure that takes in musical detours you'd be mad to ignore” Tradfolk
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Knight and SpiersThe exquisite explorations of the liminal space that exists between traditional and classical music is what makes the music of Peter Knight and John Spiers so compelling and beguiling, ultimately rendering genres irrelevant.
The duo has developed into one of the most thrilling exponents of traditional tunes and songs, repurposing the material as jumping-off points into the most enchanting exploration. It’s largely through touring as a duo that they’ve been able to develop what has become an extraordinary partnership, giving them the confidence to record their latest studio album, Both in a Tune. Released in 2022, it was chosen as one of the ‘10 Best New Albums from Around the World’ by the influential music journal, SONGLINES. While Peter Knight, as part of Steeleye Span’s classic 1970s line-up, helped invent a brand of folk rock that is still influential today, John Spiers as co-founder of the almighty Bellowhead has had an equally profound impact on the landscape of traditional music over the last two decades. These two virtuoso performers bring the heft of that combined experience and knowledge to Wingfield Barns this summer. Wednesday 16th August, 7.30pm Tickets £18 Online sales via www.wegottickets.com/event/581997/ |
Singer-songwriter Tobias ben Jacob first received wider acclaim as part of The Roots Union with BBC Folk Award winners Phillip Henry & Hannah Martin (Edgelarks) including playing live for the BBC at Maida Vale Studios and recording in Nashville, Tennessee. He has toured extensively and had several releases including the 2017 album ‘A Polyphonic Life’ Tobias’ songs have been featured in the documentary film Beating The Bomb and in the feature film Tomorrow.
Lukas Drinkwater is rightly referred to as “one of busiest musicians in the UK.” In demand as a producer, performer and session player in the worlds of folk and jazz he has featured on many acclaimed albums. Recently he’s been touring with ‘AMA UK Artist of the Year’ Emily Barker, Albert Jones, Ange Hardy, and the Peoples String Foundation. He has also worked with Seth Lakeman, 3 Daft Monkeys, Jim Causley, Lack of Afro, Lucy Ward, Tankus The Henge, Sam Kelly, The Little Unsaid and many more. |
Jacob & DrinkwaterSouth-west based duo Jacob & Drinkwater have been called “stand out new folk” by BBC6 Music with their live show described as “intense and spellbinding” by Folk Radio UK. The duo formed in 2014 playing their first gig together at the iconic Glastonbury Festival.
The duo’s dynamic and emotionally charged live show with all its energy, musical chemistry and spontaneity has drawn comparisons with the virtuosic pairing of John Martyn and Danny Thompson. Jacob's sweeping vocals never fail to captivate, delivering many a spine-tingling moment; the fluidity and precision of his finger-picking underpinned by Drinkwater's nimbly rhythmic double bass; at times sweetly soaring, haunting, percussive and driving, the layers of depth a perfect counterfoil. The added complement of stirring vocal harmonies nicely rounds off the mix. Saturday 23rd September, 7.30pm Tickets £15 Online sales via www.wegottickets.com/event/584382/ |
“They play lovely strings, they have gorgeous harmony arrangements. Really well crafted, intimate, beautifully understated.”
Karine Polwart |
Janice Burns & Jon DoranJanice Burns & Jon Doran are an Anglo-Scottish duo who came together after discovering a shared love of traditional music. They find their songs in archives that span the depths of our history – songs that tell vivid stories about the nature of life and our place in the world.
Janice & Jon’s compelling storytelling comes alive through tight vocal harmonies and sensitive interplay between mandolin, bouzouki and guitar. Their arrangements have a spellbinding presence and an understated energy that transports their songs from the pages of books and manuscripts into the imagination of the listener. The duo met whilst studying folk and traditional music at Newcastle University, including a year spent at the University of South-East Norway together. Since then, they’ve gone from strength to strength, with recent performances at the likes of Sage Gateshead, Manchester Folk Festival and Edinburgh Tradfest. Their self-titled EP was released in 2020 to overwhelmingly positive feedback, including airplay on BBC Radio 2. Folk songs have always travelled, put down new roots, borrowed and evolved. Janice & Jon’s upcoming album, set for release in Autumn 2022, brings together songs that have survived through the ages, shapeshifting and adapting to changing environments as they’ve been passed from singer to singer. Exploring man’s relationship with nature, love and loss, these are songs with an enduring resonance for audiences everywhere. Saturday 30th September, 7.30pm Tickets £12 Online sales via www.wegottickets.com/event/578470 |
“What was remarkable was the delicacy and quality of their playing and the empathy between the three men, watching each other intently as they progressed from repeated melody lines to subtle, spontaneous variations. It was a magical set.” Robin Denselow, The Guardian ****
“This is all about the joy of playing and the intoxicating thrill of three masters of their craft … the empathy between them as the music ebbs and flows is exceptional; you can also see the smiles and winks between them. The feel-good warmth they generate is palpable.” Colin Irwin, fROOTS |
LeveretLeveret is a unique collaboration between three of England's finest folk musicians. Andy Cutting (button accordion), Sam Sweeney (fiddle) and Rob Harbron (concertina) are each regarded as exceptional performers and masters of their instruments. Together their performances combine consummate musicianship, compelling delivery and captivating spontaneity. Leveret’s music is not arranged in the conventional sense and the trio rely on mutual trust and musical interaction to create new settings of their repertoire in the moment, with no two performances alike. Their playing is relaxed and natural, drawing audiences in and inviting them to share in music making that is truly spontaneous and yet deeply timeless.
Fiddler Sam Sweeney was the 2015 BBC Folk Awards Musician of the Year and the inaugural Artistic Director of the National Youth Folk Ensemble. He is known for his work in Bellowhead and The Full English, and his solo recordings including 2022’s Escape That. Box player Andy Cutting, a three-time BBC Folk Awards Musician of the year, is a compelling solo performer and works with Blowzabella, Topette, Anne Niepold, and Roger Daltrey. Concertina wizard Rob Harbron leads the English Acoustic Collective Summer School, released his own solo album Meanders in 2019, and is known for his work with Emily Portman, The Full English and Emma Reid. Leveret will celebrate 10 years on the road in 2023 with Forms, a new album featuring new and traditional tunes played with the band’s trademark interaction and inventiveness. Leveret's music is firmly rooted in the English tradition but sounds fresh and new and over the years their intimate presentation style has charmed countless audiences, helping the trio build a loyal following and demonstrating the enduring appeal and endless potential of the folk tune. Listeners new and old can expect incredible musicianship and compelling presentation from a band at the top of their game. Friday 13th October, 7.30pm Tickets £16 Online sales via www.wegottickets.com/event/579413/ |
“Great tunes, great energy, great arrangements, great stuff!”
Jon Boden |
Granny's AtticWith exceptional musicianship and boundless energy, Granny’s Attic are going from strength to strength. Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne (melodeon, anglo concertina, vocals), George Sansome (guitar, vocals) and Lewis Wood (violin, vocals) have honed their skills touring the UK and Europe since 2009. They are much loved by audiences up and down the country, with bookings everywhere from Cambridge Folk Festival to Cecil Sharp House.
The trio have been heralded for their lively performances and skilled delivery of traditional material, playing with verve, energy and their own inimitable style. Though grounded in tradition, they are keen to push new boundaries by exploring fresh approaches and writing their own compositions. In October 2021, they released their latest album, The Brickfields, an instrumental collection that sees them reach new heights both as performers and composers. Described by Folk Radio as “one of the most exciting and accomplished English folk acts on the scene right now”, this outstanding trio can hold audiences in the palm of their hand. Friday 10th November, 7.30pm Tickets £15 Online sales via www.wegottickets.com/event/578471 |
He takes very real things that happen in life and makes you think afresh about them (Paul Jones, BBC Radio 2)
A bit different and kinda groovy too (Cerys Matthews, BBC Radio 2) He's a fantastic musician, he's got a great voice and what a songwriter! What a glorious sound he makes (Frank Hennessey, BBC Radio 2) |
Mark Harrison BandAcclaimed national touring artist Mark Harrison brings his unique music and band to Wingfield Barns.
MARK HARRISON (National + 12-string guitars/vocals) Charles Benfield (double bass/vocals) Ben Welburn (drums/percussion) There is no one in music quite like Mark Harrison. With his unique and acclaimed rhythm section, he is widely considered one of the most original and interesting artists around. His highly individual, all-original music has taken him and the band to some of the top venues and festivals in the UK, attracting acclaim wherever he goes. Recent appearances on BBC Radio 2, as guest on Cerys Matthews’s show and on the Pick Of The Week show, have further added to his growing reputation. Mark is a songster, and his songs cover all manner of non-standard subjects. With catchy tunes, lyrics than intrigue and engage, and striking rhythms, they make you smile, think and move. He takes elements of roots music, including folk, blues and gospel, to create something new that is very much his own genre. Each song is a snapshot of life or has a story to tell, like a 3-minute film or novel. A thrilling, rhythmic, finger-picker and slide player, with a very distinctive style, Mark tours extensively. He has released six albums which have been unanimously acclaimed across a wide range of areas of the music world, receiving a very great deal of airplay and highly enthusiastic reviews in the UK, Europe and the US, the latest being the double album THE ROAD TO LIBERTY. Friday 17th November, 7.30pm Tickets £14 Online sales via www.wegottickets.com/event/542065/ |
More than simply a folk-singer, multi award winning singer-songwriter, musician and proud Devonian Jim Causley is an all-round entertainer and during the past decade Causley has been nominated no less than six times for a BBC Radio 2 Folk Award, last year he was nominated as “Singer of the Year” at the 2017 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, he won the Spiral Earth Singer of the Year award in 2014, presented his own folk music show on BBC Radio Devon and in 2015 he worked with BBC TV historian Dr Sam Willis to create the music for his show 'Highwaymen, Outlaws and Villains' and was asked to perform his song about Dartmoor tin mining 'Pride of the Moor' on BBC TV's Countryfile - Dartmoor Special.
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Jim Causley
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Drama is a crucial part of the programme of events and includes performances by professional companies. We are also delighted to host plays by local societies and are keen to promote events by students in local schools and by pupils of local music teachers.
Please call 01379 384505 if you would like to discuss Wingfield Barns hosting your community group performance.
Please call 01379 384505 if you would like to discuss Wingfield Barns hosting your community group performance.
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The smaller print:
Unless otherwise credited, content © Wingfield Barns CIC 2009-2023. Unless otherwise credited, photographs © WBCIC and Mike Allmey. All content is published in good faith. Spotted an error? There are no prizes, but please let Webslave know (Webslave doesn't get to meet real people very often). It'll be corrected or removed as appropriate. |