| DAVE YOUNG | melodeon, Anglo concertina, whistle |
|---|---|
| LISA WARBURTON | hammered dulcimer, percussion, vocals |
| CATHY ROLLO | clarinet, bass clarinet, recorder, low whistles |
| NICK SIMON | bass guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals |
| ALAN COURTNEY | acoustic guitar, vocals |
| JAN LUCAS | mandola, melodeon, vocals |
At the age of 18, whilst cycling through a local village, Dave came across some Morris dancers performing outside a pub. He joined them as a dancer and started to learn the melodeon, and later the concertina. He has played in several bands in the South East of England, including the Hollybush Hoboes and Johnny Spangles Allstars. As a result of dancing and playing for the same Morris group for more than 20 years, he has a terrific feel for the music. Dave is also currently performing as a duo with Dave Bordewey.
Lisa's roots are in the Welsh and Irish pub sessions, where she started playing on guitar, bodhran and an array of percussion instruments. As soon as she heard the hammered dulcimer, she knew she'd found her musical soul mate. She's been a pretty nifty step dancer, worked for a leading UK folk and roots music magazine and its Indi record label, been a member of the Hollybush Hoboes, was a founder member of Pelicans Crossing, Frankie goes to a Ceilidh, Johnny Spangles Allstars and Wompsters . Currently Lisa also performs with the West Gallery choir, Vital Spark.
Cathy was brought up with classical music (learning both piano and clarinet), she used to sing in the Cheltenham Bach Choir (but she's better now) and still enjoys playing early recorder consort music.
She first discovered folk sessions in her early 30's and has since played for Upton-based Appleyard Womens' Traditional Dancers. She later joined Vital Spark West Gallery Choir in Malvern - taking up clarinet once more. She plays in a barn dance band, Polka Dot Com (formerly Penny Reel) and has played in the band for Forest-of-Dean based Castiard dancers in the folk dance competition at the Llangollen Eisteddfod. She also performs with barn dance band Gordon the Hedgehog.
Cathy brings to the band some wonderful plumbing that has to be seen (and heard) to be believed...
Nick was born in 1958 and possibly again in 1974 due to interesting chemical 'influences', Nick has been seen holding various instruments and trying
to look like he knows what he's doing for the last 30 years. He has
played with various 'Beat Combos' in Scandinavia, Germany, France and
Japan and is happy to note that he hasn't been deported as 'undesirable'
from any of these, although he was banned from a now extinct Pub in
Malvern while playing Drums with the notorious Hodges Dump, (where
incidentally he met Alan Courtney). The story continues...
Some say that Alan was born and bred on a North Devon cliff top. We do know that he has sung and played guitar in folk clubs for at least 40 years (or does it just feel that long?). He has a wide repertoire of traditional and contemporary songs. His own songs reflect a chequered musical history in folk, rock, blues and ceilidh bands, and his life to date has been described as an attempt to extend youth beyond all previously known limits...
Jan, a founder member of the band is now, sadly, having to limit the number of appearances with us. He started playing the melodeon at the age of 19, when he joined his local Morris side. A few years later he took up the bouzouki whilst working in France, which lead on to the mandola and mandolin. He still dances and plays for the Morris when he can. He has played in various English dance bands including the Byfleet Brewers, Tobin's Favourite and the Johnny Spangles All Stars, as well as the rock band Rossbergs Out.