Early Bird tickets have gone on sale for the eighth FOLKEAST, England’s most easterly folk festival, organisers have announced the awesome Afro Celt Sound System will headline Saturday night.
The Grammy Award-nominated supergroup are past masters at fusing electronica with traditional Irish and West African music, producing a scintillating, high energy stage set. Since their triumphant return to the studio in 2016 with The Source, the band have won Best Group in the 2017 Songlines Music Awards and appeared as the opening act at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. That re-emergence was a new beginning as they proved with Flight released last year.
Afro Celt Sound System are a band that continue to seek out and explore new musical adventures, with utterly captivating results. Neil McFadyen, Folk Radio UK
Explosively combining folk traditions from contrasting cultures to breath-taking effect their number includes The Dhol Foundation’s drumming sensation Johnny Kalsi (no stranger to FolkEast), vocalist, kora and balafon player N’Faly Kouyaté, bodhrán player and percussionist Robbie Harris and Armagh-born vocalist and flautist Rioghnach Connolly (The Breath), winner of Folk Singer of the Year at this year’s BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.
Now firmly established on the UK folk calendar, Suffolk’s decidedly quirky festival will return to the glorious Constable-esque grounds of Elizabethan Glemham Hall between August 21-23, offering diverse performances on no less than seven stages – from local acts to international stars.
The wonderful atmosphere generated by FolkEast is one people just don’t want to leave. Johnny Whalley, Folk Radio UK
Alongside the festival’s hugely popular, multi-award-winning patrons, The Young’ uns (Sean Cooney, Michael Hughes and David Eagle), FolkEast is delighted to announce eight top-level acts from its highly anticipated line-up.
Heading for the main stage will be the sublime, seamless partnership of Welsh harpist Catrin Finch with Senegalese kora maestro Seckou Keita. The exquisite pair clinched the Best Duo/Group award at this year’s BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards following the release of Soar released last year, with Keita also winning the coveted Musician of the Year title.
…at points, its scope, concentrated into the workings of two masters of their instruments, takes the breath away. The pacing, structure and context…is all impeccable and it all combines to result in a truly inspired, beautifully conceived project. Neil McFadyen on Soar (reviewed here).
FolkEast loves its Celtic connections and this year will be no exception. Flying the flag for Scotland will be three superb acts. Pedigree triumvirate Drever, McCusker & Woomble sees master fiddler John McCusker joining forces with Orkney-born singer-songwriter Kris Drever and Idlewild’s lead singer Roddy Woomble.
Named the Best Live Act at the Scots Trad Music Awards in 2018, quintet Elephant Sessions will head to Suffolk from the Scottish Highlands while the powerhouse sextet of female instrumentalists that is The Shee (including BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Musician of the Year 2017, harpist Rachel Newton) are sure to have the wow factor with their adventurous blend of Scottish folk, Gaelic song and bluegrass.
Peter Knight’s Gigspanner Big Band takes folk legend Knight’s original Gigspanner trio (himself, Roger Flack and Sacha Tronchet) and fuses them with the 2014 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards ‘Best Duo’ winners Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin (Edgelarks) and erstwhile Bellowhead star John Spiers to make something truly special, bursting with invention, enigma and grace. Though all the musicians have played FolkEast in their separate guises (including the debut performance of Knight and Spiers as a duo) this is the first time the Big Band has headed to Glemham Hall.
…a unique musical proposition; they are taking folk music down new and enthralling paths. They are also one of the most exciting live bands you are likely to see this year (or any year, for that matter), and this recording documents their energy, skill and hard work brilliantly. Thomas Blake, Folk Radio UK
Brighton’s big band with a difference, The Moulettes have also been confirmed – described as an “eclectic art-rock band’ they journey their way through rock, prog, pop and psychedelic folk.
Finally, new kids on the block The Trials of Cato will be coming to the party (watch our recent video interview with them here). Formed whilst they were all living and working in Beirut, Tomas Williams, Will Addison and Robin Jones are one of the fast-rising acts in folk and earlier this year won the Best Album gong at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, for their hugely impressive debut CD, Hide and Hair.
Now firmly established on the UK folk calendar, Suffolk’s decidedly quirky festival will return to the glorious Constable-esque grounds of Elizabethan Glemham Hall between August 21-23, offering diverse performances on no less than seven stages – from local acts to international stars. Early Bird tickets will be on sale right through the festive period, until January 6, representing great savings. https://folkeast.co.uk/2020tickets-3/
Find out more here: www.folkeast.co.uk