In three years, eleven piece folk-big-band Bellowhead have exploded onto the festival scene and fast became one of the most talked about bands on the contemporary folk circuit.  Formed in 2004 by the duo Spiers & Boden to headline the first Oxford Folk Festival, Bellowhead have played some of the top festivals in the UK and Europe including Cambridge Folk Festival, The Big Chill, Summer Sundae and Roskilde Festival.  In 2005 they received the prestigious BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for Best Live Act.

 To describe Bellowhead’s music is a very difficult thing indeed - the material is steeped in the English folk traditions of song and dance, but the feel is exciting, intoxicating, slightly sinister and deeply funky ... Above all this is a BIG band.  If you want to hear more sounds visit our Myspace site.

 A self-released demo, E.P.onymous was put out in October 2004 just to sell at gigs - with interest from the distribution companies it made the folk charts!  The long awaited first full studio album by Bellowhead, Burlesque was released in October 2006 and has received rave reviews, some of which you can read here

 Described in Time Out  as a fretboard wizard , Benji Kirkpatrick is an engaging and experienced performer. Over the decade or so that he has been working on the folk scene, he has honed a distinctive style which is both fresh and powerful; rare energy, said Mojo of his performance at Sidmouth Festival 2001. As well as being a soloist, BK has been collaborating with peers and veterans of the scene on various ventures. He is one third of Faustus – formerly Dr Faustus – along with fiddle and oboe ace Paul Sartin and ex Waterson:Carthy member Saul Rose. Dr Faustus released two albums on Fellside Records, ‘The First Cut’ in 2003 and ‘Wager’ in 2005 and received a BBC Radio 2 Folk Award nomination in 2004.

  Benji has also worked with ‘Nationwide Mercury Prize 2005’ nominee Seth Lakeman..  The two of them have done a number of duo gigs together and in 2004 embarked on a tour with Oysterband  front man John Jones  to great acclaim. BK features on Seth’s last two albums; ‘Kitty Jay’ and ‘Freedom Fields’. Oysterband invited BK to join them on their Big Session  tours of 2001 and 2003 with such luminaries as Cara Dillon, Eliza Carthy, Jim Moray, and Rose Kemp, as well as Oysterband staple James O’Grady.

  BK’s second solo CD ‘Half a Fruit Pie’ was released on the Fellside label in 2004. His first ‘Dance in the Shadow’ came out in 1998 on the Wild goose label. Hopefully, there will be another one soon!

“…a memorably aggressive bouzouki style…” “Powerful…”  - Mojo, June 2004  

  Jon Boden is one of the leading folk singers of his generation.  With a voice described as “pinning you against the wall”, Jon also is a fine fiddle player and guitarist.  In addition to the 4 recordings by Spiers & Boden and 2 with Eliza Carthy, Jon has recently released his first solo album, Painted Lady on which he shows his amazing talent as a multi-instrumentalist playing every instrument on the recording.

  Jon’s musical career has also seen him write the scores for numerous plays and star in TV series such as the BBC productions of The trouble with Love and The Hound of the Baskervilles with duo partner John Spiers.

  John Spiers has been exposed to traditional music since his earliest years.  Being the son of a morris-dancer may not seem like the most obvious route to a successful musical career, but the melodies and style absorbed throughout his childhood have shaped the way he thinks about music alongside more contemporary influences.  John is one of the most enthusiastic squeezebox players about and his style is constantly evolving, reflecting his passion for exploring the possibilities of this traditional instrument.

 Paul Sartin from Wherwell in Hampshire is known for his classy interpretation of traditional English folk song, fiddle playing and being a fantastic oboe player.  His own projects include Faustus (formerly Dr. Faustus) with Benji, 2Pauls (formerly Belshazzar’s Feast) with accordionist Paul Hutchinson, and acappella ensemble Mouth & Trousers.

 Paul studied at the Purcell School, a music specialist school in London, and after a couple of years touring as oboist with the Gloria Theatre Company took up a place to read music, and a Choral Scholarship, at Magdalen College, Oxford.  Paul’s best known works with Christchurch include the theme music for Mr. Bean and The Vicar of Dibley !  Other TV work includes Inspector Morse, Midsommer Murders and Sons and Lovers.

 Very much in demand as a session musician, Paul has an impressive discography including Martin Carthy’s last album, he works very closely with the Wild Goose label based in Wherwell.

 Paul has recently completed a Masters degree in traditional music at Newcastle University, and is engaged in academic work, research and teaching.

For more about Paul Sartin visit www.paulsartin.co.uk

 Rachael from Penistone in South Yorkshire has been performing from an early age and graduated with a degree in folk and traditional music from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 2005. Rachael plays cello, fiddle and sings and is also a prize winning Irish step dancer.

  She is also a member of five-piece band CrossCurrent along with Damien O’Kane, David Wood, Peter Tickell and Lillias Kinsman-Blake.  CrossCurrent released their debut album, Momentum in 2005.

“ they chat and play the tunes with an understated sexiness and drive which would win over the most sceptical of audiences”   fROOTS.

The cello is becoming more and more popular in traditional music and Rachael’s use of the instrument is a driving force in Bellowhead and CrossCurrent’s music. She is a regular tutor on the Tender Roots Project, working with young folk musicians in Yorkshire as well as running workshops and teaching traditional music, song and dance in schools and for Folkworks.

for more about Rachael, visit www.myspace.com/rachaelmcshane

Pete plays drums and percussion on recent albums by Tim Van Eyken, The Farmyard Animals, The Treecreepers, Abdel Ali Slimani, The Very Tiny Little
Kids, Bows, Chris Hoban, Union Wireless and Muki. He has composed for dance and theatre companies including Stacked Wonky, Fevered Sleep and VTOL, and
was recently commissioned to write a short opera for T ete a Tete.

Recently Pete has been involved with Setsubun Bean Unit, a Jazz/Funk exploration of Japanese traditions along with fellow Bellowhead members Gideon and Brendan.

He lives in Hampshire with his girlfriend and baby daughter, and spends his days picking wild mushrooms, planning large-scale water-driven sound scultures, and investigating the sonic potential of blancmange.