Oxfolk

Saturday 8th October Add event to calendar

Panjandrum with caller Gordon Potts

Music spot from Infinite Cherries

Rising from the ashes of the now sadly defunct Committee Band, Panjandrum is a band playing for English ceilidh dances with the emphasis on providing the most danceable, foot-tapping music. Led by fiddles, recorder and melodeon with wailing sax harmonies, their repertoire of tunes old and new comes from England, Italy, France, Sweden, Finland and Northolt. The dances are hand-picked to go with the tunes and are called by resident caller and guitarist Gordon Potts. As well as Gordon, the band line up features Ian Dedic, Hilda Dedic, Diane Moody and MJ Searle.

During the interval young duo Infinite Cherries will be entertaining us. Sam Mabbett and Dylan Cairns-Howarth have been finalists in the 2011 New Roots competition — be prepared for some fantastic melodeon and fiddle playing.

Saturday 17th December Add event to calendar

Christmas Ceilidh with DanceCupola with caller Alison Scott

Dance spot from Sabotage

DanceCupola has the Cupola Trio (Doug Eunson on melodeon, Oli Matthews on sax and Sarah Matthews on fiddle) at its core, and is augmented by mandola player Ian Wilson (Peeping Tom) and bass player Andy Cooper (Prego). They develop dance tune sets from the best of traditional material, enjoying composition of exciting new dance tunes, and incorporating well-known musical themes into dance sets. The emphasis is on groove and feel and proves stimulating to dancer and listener alike! Of the band, Martyn Harvey says “What a joy! They are just fabulous to dance to and the subtlety of the arrangements and harmonies make for a truly splendid listening experience as well.”

They are joined by Alison Scott who brings a repertoire of dances drawn from 17th century England, the contra-scene of America and some of the dodgier parts of Merseyside to Oxfolk.

Sabotage, a crack team of clog dancers from the Cirencester, join us for a dazzling display during the interval.

Saturday 11th February Add event to calendar

What's Up Folk with caller Will Hall

Dance spot from Sharp & Blunt

What’s Up Folk – the group from John Mason School in Abingdon – returns to play a third gig for Oxfolk. This big-folk-band has wowed audiences at Towersey Festival and played to sold-out venues at Oxfolk and Oxford Folk Festival. Over the years that the group has existed, they have been helped and encouraged by their teachers and leading musicians such John Spiers (a John Mason old boy), Jon Boden and Simon Care. WUF’s fiddle, whistle, recorder, melodica and melodeon driven line-up is under pinned by guitar, bass and cahon. Oxfolk not only highly rates this band, but has helped to support the development of the group, and we look forward not just this, many other wonderful ceilidhs.

Hekety, originally lined-up to play this ceilidh, will return next season, as the bass player’s new baby is due to be born this weekend. We wish them all the best!

Sharp & Blunt is the most recently formed morris side from Adderbury near Banbury. The women of Adderbury perform the village’s dances with exuberance and style. Don’t miss them.

Saturday 21st April Add event to calendar

Oxfolk on Tour at Folk Weekend: Oxford

Triptych with caller Barry Goodman

As part of the Folk Weekend: Oxford Triptych is a new ceilidh band which emerged last year, debuting at Sidmouth FolkWeek. The trio draws on material from a variety of sources; largely English and English-style tunes (including some self-penned), but their search for awesome tunes has also taken them further in to Europe – their set list includes a waltz from Belgium and a Finnish hornpipe! They are Cat Kelly on fiddle and flute, Jamie Huddlestone on melodeon and guitar and Oli Matthews on saxophone and melodeon. Richard Arrowsmith (of Hekety) desribed them as "One of the best bands I saw all week [at Sidmouth FolkWeek]."

Venue:

The Old Fire Station, 40 George Street, Oxford, OX1 2AQ

Times:

8 - 11.30pm

Tickets:

details to be announced