Freeway Jam
Ben Bennion - A founding member of the band, Ben has been playing since the sixties and over the years has played with many giants of Rock’n’Roll, such as Robert Plant, Steve Gibbons, Bernie Marsden, Mick Grabham, Mel Galley, Dave Pegg,Lee Jackson, Dave Mattocks and Gerry Conway. and in recent years has worked closely with multi-instrumentalist Martin Allcock,(ex-Fairport Convention, ex-Jethro Tull). Ben has toured in Europe and made many appearances on network radio. Ben is the songwriter in the band, having written all the songs on the band’s second album, “Picture Don’t Lie”, and his songs have been covered by Fairport Convention and WAZ! among others. Ben counts supporting Liverpool football club very loudly among his hobbies.
Mick Bullard - The other founding member, Mick Bullard is a drummer’s drummer, the man they all come to see, with a unique style and an unrivalled feel, a sixties Ludwig kit and vocals many a front man would die for. Mick started out in the sixties and soon gained a great reputation, prompting Bernie Marsden to snap him up for Skinny Cat, where Mick stayed until Bernie went off to Whitesnake. Mick has since worked with many rock luminaries, including Ralph McTell, Dave Pegg, Steve Gibbons and Martin Allcock. Mick also knows everyone in Banbury.
Andy Viccars - Andy, a really solid bass player, joined the band in 1988 and has become the rock of the band. Andy is actually better known as a luthier (guitar maker), with his instruments not only well represented within the band, but also sported by the likes of Mick Abrahams, Dave Pegg and Chris Leslie from Fairport Convention, Fergus Feely from the Dolores Keane Band and Martin Allcock. Andy had previously worked with Del Bromham (Stray) and Sid Twynham (Mud) and joined Freeway Jam just in time for their first album “Framed”. Andy likes kebabs and has a great sense of direction.
Nick Gould - Nick joined in 1993 just in time for Freeway Jam’s second album, “Pictures Don’t Lie”. Nick spent many years with the cult band Bare Back Ryders perfecting a style and technique that is simply superb. A master of the Telecaster and Gouldicaster, Nick is as solid as a rock, rocks solidly and is a very inventive, melodic soloist. He is known for his patience and says “Ease Up!” a lot for no apparent reason.
Jim Bennion - At the young(well,compared to his band mates!)age of 27 years,Jim is already a veteran of the midlands music scene.Ben`s son has played rock
folk(Clarion),indie,blues(Silverfish),
country,funk with the Unprofessionals reggea, and acoustic(Rad Segrt,Thea Gilmore) music (notice no usage of the word jazz) from Banbury to Bautzen(?!)supporting and (sometimes) sharing stages with Maartin Allcock,Clive Bunker(Jethro Tull), Jerry Donahue,Fairport Convention, Olive,
Kingmaker,Top Loader,Everything But the Girl,and
oh yes Freeway Jam.Apart from being a superb name dropper it has been said(by whom do we presume?)
that"(his)musical versatility can only be over-shadowed by his playings subtle character. Jim has grown up dreaming of being part in two bands
one being Led Zeppelin(!),and the other being Freeway Jam and so is delighted to be part fo the bands growing history.
The Tabs
Review of THE TABS "Good Medicine"
"The band comprises: Garry Blakeley on fiddle and vocals; Roger Flack on electric and acoustic guitars and vocals; Dave Pellet also on guitars plus bouzouki; Phil Flack on drums/percussion; and Nick Cooper on electric bass, and between them they produce a really tight funky sound.
They are firmly committed to the heavy bass and drums underpinning that will be familiar to folk-rock devotees, but they just steer clear of letting it become heavy-handed. The Tabs nail their colours to the mast on the opening track where a strong rock intro leads surprisingly into "Byker Hill", a gloriously irreverent bash which I'm not sure is an improvement, but it's certainly a lot of fun!
The others songs on the CD are all written by either Roger or Garry and tend to be rather more pensive, and whilst they basically do a workmanlike job the lyrics are not particularly inspired. However, they are lifted by some fine accompaniments, and it really is on the tune sets (which account for just over half the album) that "Good Medicine" comes alive. And there are some fine tunes in there - both traditional and self-penned. The band give what they term "the Tabs treatment" to the traditional tunes which although somewhat robust, it seems to work reasonably well, and at least they sound to be enjoying what they are doing. My preference though was for the more sensitive nature of some of the fiddle tunes - "Grants Air" written by Roger and played by Garry is a real belter, and showcases the superb playing of this extremely talented fiddler. He is also on fine form with the "Collington Wood/Eddy's Delight" set, of which he wrote the second tune.
Overall, The Tabs produce a sound which is a lot more rock than folk. Bursts of impressive fiddle runs, blasts of electric guitar riffs, and some good solid bass work teamed with excellent drumming holding it all together. You pays yer money and you takes yer chance. Give it a whirl, and play it loud - it'll shake the dust out of your speaker cones for sure!"
Spank The Monkey
Spank the Monkey have been playing the country for 12 years now, they all come from the Banbury area.
After playing at the Fairport festival in 2000, they were signed by a small label "A New Day Records" and recorded their first studio album "Spank". The album was critically acclaimed and was voted one of the top ten blues albums of 2001 by readers of "Blueprint " magazine.
After playing and plugging the album they recorded a completely live album at the annual Christmas gig at the Mill Theatre in Banbury. "Year of the Monkey" is considered one of the finest live albums ever recorded, which is amazing considering that all 5 of them were out of their tree at the time.
At the end of 2006, Spank then produces a 3rd CD for Christmas named 'Backdoor Santa'. This included 4 brand spankin' new songs, counting the Christmas special, and an additional 4 songs recorded at the Mill originally for the "Year of the Monkey" album.
Spank continue to tour the country with their own brand of boogie. Wherever there is a bar and a stage you can see 'em!!
Solstice
So this is it, we've confirmed the first couple of shows with others on the way,here we go again and we really hope to see on the journey. Please click to the left on our website address for more info plus loads of free downloads from Solstice and related projects. Thanks for looking and listening, I hope you enjoy the music, love, Andy.
Formed in 1980, when Blondie, the Specials, Joe Jackson and the Police were heading the charts, a folk-tinged prog. rock outfit like Solstice should not have stood a chance. Soaring guitar, fiddle and Denny-esque vocals were not at the top of A&R's most wanted list, but audiences felt otherwise. Extensive university tours and sell out nights at London's Marquee club, a front page of Sounds(unheard of for an unsigned band) and the expectations of a prog. rock revival led to appearances at Reading Rock and Glastonbury festivals and sessions for Radio 1's Friday Night Rockshow.
Solstice made many appearances at free festivals incuding Stonehenge, their anti- commercial stance and mistrust of the music industry making sure they remained unsigned. One album later, guitarist Andy Glass was otherwise engaged-both as concert engineer for Jethro Tull and guitarist for Bill Withers. When the album "Silent Dance" was re-issued, Glass reformed the band with Jethro Tulls drummer Clive Bunker and went on to record two further albums," New Life" and "Circles". Promotional dates were a great success and included Cropredy Festival-which was recorded and filmed as a live CD and is now available as a DVD. Solstice are now recording again and setting up gigs for 2007.
The current line-up incudes award winning producer and drummer for Page and Plant, Pete Hemsley. Pete played on "New Life" and has an ambient album on Sony, " The Lords Garden", which includes re-mixes of Solstice tracks that have been used on soundtracks worldwide. Check out www.solsticewebsite.com for more info and loads of free downloads.
- Steve Gibbons Band
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- Kindred Spirit
- IM'N'IM
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Ric Sanders Trio
At a Ric Sanders Group concert the audience can expect the unexpected. These three world-class instrumentalists draw their repertoire from the greatest contemporary composers of popular music, crossing all boundaries and defying categorization. Sharing a common thread of great melodic strength, works by jazz masters such as Duke Ellington, Stephane Grapelli, Miles Davis and Joe Zawinul are juxtaposed with the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder and The Beatles. Original compositions, folk tunes and some re-worked Fairport Convention favorites are also found in the eclectic mix - in fact, the group puts absolutely no restrictions on where it may draw material. And, whether it's George Gershwin or Sting, Chick Corea or Brian Wilson, John McLaughlin or George Harrison, the compositions are used as springboards for collective improvisation, sometimes ethereal and beautiful, sometimes exciting and challenging, but always engaging and entertaining. No two performances are the same, as the musicians respond to the audience and their surroundings to make each concert a unique event.
Since 1985 Ric Sanders has been the violinist with the British institution Fairport Convention, touring the world and contributing many instrumental compositions and arrangements that have become fixtures in their repertoire. In 2001 Fairport received the BBC's "Folk on 2" Lifetime Achievement Award.
Although considering himself primarily a jazz musician, Ric is equally adept in rock, folk and world music. Early in his professional career he toured with the renowned classical/rock percussionist Stomu Yamash'ta, and then went on to play with the celebrated jazz pianists Johnny Patrick and Michael Garrick. In the late 1970's he was in both The Albion Band (appearing on the classic album Rise Up Like the Sun) and the legendary jazz-rock group Soft Machine. In addition to Fairport, he has worked with a remarkably diverse roster of artists including Rick Wakeman, Dave Cousins (The Strawbs), Jethro Tull, Robert Plant, Roy Harper, Gary Brooker (Procol Harum), Pentangle, Gordon Giltrap, Andrew Cronshaw, June Tabor, Martin Simpson, Charlie Landsborough, All About Eve, The Mission and John Etheridge (guitarist with Soft Machine and Stephane Grapelli) with whom he co-led the group 2nd Vision, whose critically acclaimed record has recently been re-released on Blueprint Records (Voiceprint Group).
Equally eclectic in their musical tastes and skills, Vo Fletcher and Michael Gregory have been both musical partners and close friends with Ric for over thirty years. In fact Vo and Ric embarked upon their first collaboration when they were barely out of their teens, playing pieces by Grapelli and Django Reinhardt around the jazz and folk clubs of their native Birmingham. Vo went on to become a prolific composer for British television. He has recorded and performed with such notable artists as Nigel Kennedy, Touch & Go, Rik Mayall, Dave Swarbrick, Andrew Cronshaw, Martin Simpson, Fairport Convention, Donovan and many others. Vo contributes many fine compositions to the Ric Sanders Group repertoire.
Michael Gregory first worked with Ric as a fellow member of The Albion Band during the Rise Up Like the Sun period. His vast experience as both a drummer and percussionist found him working with the Maddy Prior Band, the John Kirkpatrick Band, Home Service, Martin Simpson and the late John B. Spencer. More recently, he has been in demand for film and theatre work where he has played with The Royal Shakespeare Company, The Royal National Theatre, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and in West End productions.
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Osibisa "criss-cross rhythms that explode with happiness"
OSIBISA exploded onto the music world in 1971 with a pulsating and vibrant sound that was to engulf the tired post 60's rock scene. Translated from Ghanaian OSIBISA means "criss-cross rhythms that explode with happiness". The band's percussive influence began to manifest itself within the music of their contemporaries. The OSIBISA poly-rhythms and percussive breaks were to be an integral feature of the disco boom that was to follow in the late 1970's. OSIBISA's unique fusion of Africa, Caribbean, rock, jazz, Latin and R&B paved the way for other potent music force such as Bob Marley and the emergence of African music in the 80's. lndeed OSIBISA are seen by many as the Godfathers of World Music.
"Osibisa bring their own sunshine which explodes with happiness"
Birmingham Evening Mail
One of the important reasons for OSIBISA's enduring success has been their highly energetic and extravagant stage show. However their music is still an influential factor in dance music of today with no fewer than a dozen covers of "Sunshine Day" which was also used for the Euro 2000 football tournament.
For many years now they've toured tirelessly, headlining numerous festivals and performing in every far flung corner of the globe. Highlights have included a major tour of India, which resulted in a No 1 Gold Album - an unprecedented achievement for a Western band. The mid 90's have seen a re-emergence of OSIBISA in North America where African and Reggae music are gaining in popularity. However the band had a cameo in the Ken Russell TV film about Cropredy Festival in Oxford during this time.
"They are currently experiencing a renaissance. Their new album 'Monsore' is a classic"
London Evening Standard
Former President Jerry J Rawlings has honoured OSIBISA in Ghana where they played a series of concerts celebrating their homecoming. "The enthusiasm shown by the Ghanaian people especially the youth was quite amazing" recalled Teddy Osei OSIBISA bandleader.
Recent appearances include the legendary Sunsplash Festival. Northsea Jazz Festival (Cape Town SAI & Glastonbury. With recent sold out appearances in London, New Castle, Vienna, Budapest, Birmingham, Lithuania, Estonia, Switzerland and Germany, it looks like OSIBISA's renewed popularity will forge ahead into the next century.
Band Profile
Teddy Osei - Leader, vocals, sax, flute, African drums
Sol Anmarfio - Drums
Kofi Ayivor - Percussion, Congas
Kari Bannerman - Lead Guitar
Vidor Mensah - Bass Guitar
Gregg Kofi Brown - Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
Colin Graham - Trumpet
Bessa Simons - Keyboards
Kwame Yeboah - Keyboards
Chris Jerome - Keyboards
Mick Tresnan (Tee) - Manager -Tour Manager - Road Manager
Bill Posters Will Be Band
This distinguished ensemble was formed in 1983 with the prime aim of having fun with music. They play anything and everything, any style of music that can be sent-up, parodied or even (yes on occasion) played seriously. Owing much to the exuberance of Spike Jones and the nostalgia of the 1930's Showbands, their performance majors on novelty numbers and musical mayhem. There are classical overtures and 'songs from the shows' mixed with Traditional Jazz, Rock & Roll and Dance Music. Throw in 'Oh Play To Me Gypsy' accompanied by Strohviol and violin, Music Hall favorites with audience participation and Russian melodies played on accordion and spoons and you're beginning to get the idea.
The members of BILL POSTERS are all experienced entertainers with their own individual interpretations fired by the great British tradition of musical lunacy. They are a unique set of characters and their cabaret and stage presentations should not be missed.
BIFF HARRISON - Musical saw, Strohviol, banjo, accordion, piano and occasional dancer. Formerly with The Whoopee Band.
SAM SPOONS - Drums, percussion, spoons, fiddle and loud singer. Formerly with The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band and The Whoopee Band.
JIM 'GOLDEN BOOTS' CHAMBERS - Alto and soprano saxophones, clarinet, ocarina and brave singer. Formerly with The Whoopee Band
JOHN GIEVES-WATSON - Very large banjo, tap dancer, unusual effects and strange voice. Formerly with The Temperance Seven and The Whoopee Band.
MEGS ETHERINGTON - Cornet, teapot, ballroom dancer, ventriloquist and band padre. Formerly with Harry Strutters and The Rio Grande Hot Tango Orchestra.
RICHARD WHITE - Bass saxophone, clarinet and piano. Formerly with The Whoopee Band.
PETER SHADE - Pianoforte, accordion and brass things. Formerly with The Whoopee Band.
Anna Phoebe
We are DELIGHTED to announce that the incredibly talented ANNA PHOEBE has been added to the Weyfest line-up following Karnataka's unfortunate withdrawal.
Anna has just finished touring as guest violinist with Jethro Tull and is flying in from Berlin to be with us.
Renowned for playing a bright pink Violectra- a custom -made 6-string electric violin - Anna has built a loyal following around the world, impressing her audiences with her dynamic personality, electrifying stage presence and versatility in many diverse musical genres including rock, folk, jazz, Celtic and Middle Eastern music.
Anna was born in 1981 in Germany to a German mother and Greek/Irish father, Her family then moved to the UK and at the age of 7 years old, Anna started to learn violin, Since moving to London in 1999, she has successfully carved out a career as a professional violinist and has played extensively in Europe, the USA and the Middle East,
Most recently Anna joined Jethro Tull as their guest soloist for their UK tour, not only playing the Tull material but also performing her solo pieces with Jethro Tull as the band. She has also recently joined the London-based band Oi Va Voi on their 2007 tours around the Europe and Russia including festivals such as Glastonbury, Lowlands festival and Rock Werchter.
The Village Green Stage
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