Multi-award winning big band Bellowhead are an 11 piece
collective which uniquely merges English folk, rock, music hall,
classical, world, and jazz influences into their boisterous set,
fusing a dazzling amount of individual musical talent along the
way. They were voted BEST GROUP and BEST
LIVE ACT (for an astonishing 5th time) at the
BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2011 - an unparalleled feat in the hard
gigging world of folk. They play everything from Helicon to frying
pan and display a rare ability to dart effortlessly between the
establishment and the fringes.
The band's latest studio album,
Hedonism, was released by Navigator in
October 2010. It was recorded in Abbey Road Studios and
produced by the legendary John Leckie. This highly acclaimed
album has since gone on to sell a boundary-crossing 40,000
albums.
Bellowhead's profile went up several more notches at the end of
2010 with two memorable performances on BBC TV's 'Later…'
and they have just recorded a new signature tune for The
Archers! Bellowhead were invited by producers of The
Archers to come up with a new version of the signature tune to
coincide with BBC Radio 4 Extra's 'Ambridge Extra' - The
Archers.
Band-members, who are based all over
the UK, include John Spiers (melodeon, concertina)
and Jon Boden (lead vocals, fiddle), Pete
Flood (percussion); Justin Thurgur
(trombone); Brendan Kelly (saxophone, bass
clarinet); Andy Mellon (trumpet); Paul
Sartin (oboe, fiddle); Rachael McShane
(cello, fiddle); Ed Neuhauser (helicon, tuba);
Benji Kirkpatrick (guitar, mandolin, bouzouki) and
Sam Sweeney (fiddle, pipes).
'English Folk has never seen or
heard anything like Bellowhead at full throttle...it's both rare
& exhilarating to hear a band having so much fun.'
Q
'One of the country's greatest live
outfits.' Daily Mirror
www.bellowhead.co.uk
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