ARTIST INFO

Annual FOLK SERVICE - see poster. Input from folk club regulars, chapel members and The Eclectics Folk Choir. The minister will no doubt bring his accordion as usual. A warm welcome to people of all faiths and none.

VALLEY FOLK CLUB SHOWCASE - see poster below

MORFA

3 of Wales' most exciting and talented young musicians. They play traditional songs and tunes from Wales and beyond and also showcase Welsh step dancing.

Rhys Morris

Rhys has studied classical guitar since he was 6 years old.  He discovered traditional Welsh folk music through his involvement with the successful performing group, Bro Taf who are based in Pontypridd.  With Bro Taf he has performed in all the major eisteddfod festivals in Wales – singing, drama, clog dancing and folk dancing.  He travelled with them to Majorca to take part in the World Folk Dance Festival and danced with the group that won the competition to become Junior World Folk Dance Champions.
He plays with Band Nantgarw who have performed at a variety of venues. The band won the folk group competition in the National Eisteddfod of Wales in 2015 and has recorded sessions for BBC Radio Cymru.  They also accompany the world renowned Nantgarw Dancers.  He likes to compose new arrangements for traditional tunes and is always eager to learn new tunes that he hasn’t heard before.

Osian Gruffydd

Osian's interest in traditional folk music developed at a very early age as he competed in solo, duo and group dance competitions with the well known Bro Tâf and Nantgarw groups throughout his childhood. He won the main solo clogging dance prize in the Llangollen International Eisteddfod in 2013 and is currently the Welsh Clog dancing champion of Wales for his age.
As a member of the young folk band "Nantgarw", he plays regularly in venues throughout South Wales. He has represented Wales with the Nantgarw Dancers world wide.

Meg Eliza Cox

Meg plays Tim Phillips Asymmetric Violins, Tony Dixon Whistles, and Cas Davey Tenor Guitar / Tenor Banjo. Meg has been playing and performing since the tender age of four. She first started playing Bodhran then quickly moved on to playing Mandolin, Guitar, Tenor Guitar, Banjo and Fiddle.
Meg plays with a host of musicians of all ages and musical genres, including:Band Nantgarw.

a young band of Welsh Musicans, The Hay Band and Celtic Sessions all over S.Wales.
Meg has already played at venues such as Twickenham stadium, Royal Albert Hall,
Senedd-Cardiff, Newport Centre, Tredegar House-Newport, TJs-Newport and countless other pubs/clubs. She has also supported some of the best Welsh bands including Calan, Jamie Smith's Mabon and Rusty Shackle.

OLD STRAFFORD

Always in danger of drowning in coffee while being weighed down by cake, the trio of Robert Strafford, Phil Andrew and David Jones still meet regularly to further a repertoire of Blues, Folk, Gospel and Americana.  In fact they play anything which might pass for Roots Music and also a bit that would not.  Just as the repertoire expands so does OLD STRAFFORD’S reputation for delivering a performance combining  great music, harmony and some laughs.

This video is typical of what they do https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qirM3a92oE

GUTO DAFIS with DANNY KILBRIDE

Singer / melodeon-player Guto Dafis and guitarist Danny KilBride have known each other since before the dawn of time and their easy complicity on stage is a joy to behold and a delight to the ear. Guto engages audiences with his easy charm and wry humour, which belies a passionate commitment to his material, whether it be Welsh traditional song, contemporary pieces in English, or Breton dance music. Danny is a stunning musician and sensitive accompanist; he also plays with Carreg Lafar and Rag Foundation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oVreIeRd3M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIbm7__lrWc

BAGGY-CRINGLE

We welcome the winter incarnation of Swansea shanty men Baggyrinkle together with the ladies. In Victorian costume, they bring us a warm hearted, Christmas themed evening.

As usual there will be food, a generous raffle, Quality Street missiles.... duck! All this and our wonderful regular floor singers and poets doing their own Christmas party pieces. Pay on the door and please bring some finger food for the feast.

CAPTAIN CAT & THE SAILORS

Formed for a talent contest in late 2008, Captain Cat and the Sailors are a Swansea based folk outfit who perform with verve.  Playing a range of styles including traditional, contemporary and shanties, their performances are rarely forgotten. Whether singing ballads, telling stories or playing their own creations they are sure to entertain.

http://www.captaincat.co.uk/

GREG ROWLANDS

An experienced singer guitarist with a very broad repertoire from many genres. Greg thoroughly enjoys singing, meeting people and supporting live music. He has been singing for many years at folk clubs, in cabaret, and is involved with charity work. Greg sings story based quality songs with feeling. His voice has been described as mellifluous but not to worry, it’s not contagious.

Greg draws his inspiration from the more progressive and modern folk catalogue and includes songs from the writing of Ewan MacColl, Stan Rogers, Colum Sands, Steve Tilston and many more. His work is described by Tom Lewis as “driven by the song without complicated guitar work”. That said, his guitar accompaniment is sound and complements his singing admirably.

Supported by BOB THOMAS & HUW PUDNER  They say of themselves - Bob thomas and Huw Pudner  write songs together and sing together.  They write about life in Wales, financial scams and building sites. Bob looks like Willy Nelson and loves Johnny Cash while Huw was brought up on soul music and still wonders how he got to love this traditional folk music malarkey.