The Artistes

 

 

 

Jeff Gillett is best known in folk music circles as an outstandingly sensitive and tasteful accompanist. In this guise, he has appeared with Ron Taylor in folk clubs from Cornwall to Cumbria. He also performs solo.

Locally, he has played Irish music with Fubar and Malarki.

As a teacher at Marling School, he was a founder member and musical catalyst for the Downfielders, with whom he still performs for ceilidhs and barn dances.

However, his musical interests embrace many other styles and forms, some of which are reflected in his compositions for this project.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Martin Fry has gained awards for his audiovisual work in France, Australia, New Zealand and Holland.

He is a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, lecturing and judging in this art form. A great deal of Martin's photography portrays the beauty of his native Gloucestershire. His images have supported the music of singer/songwriter Johnny Coppin on may occasions including the annual Christmas show.

Martin is Headteacher at Horsley Primary School.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cathy Brown began to learn classical violin at the age of eight and soon developed a parallel interest in folk music.

She studied at Exeter University, where she gained her Music degree, then continued with a Post graduate diploma in violin at Birmingham Conservatoire. She worked for a music publishing company in London before returning to Stroud.

She has been teaching violin for 11 years.

She has continued to play in a variety of styles and formats, working in a string quartet and quintet and several orchestras, as well as playing with the Downfielders, Fubar, Oddpiece and Malarki.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alison Gregory is a talented and versatile musician.

She has played classical piano and cello in a variety of contexts, as well as playing folk music with the Downfielders (often on recorder, which she found more portable) and local band, Firewire (with whom she also sang). She has also guested with Malarki.

She currently lives in London, and works as a fund-raising events organiser for Christian Aid.

She is very pleased that this project has given her an excuse to return to the Cotswolds!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elaine Gillett has performed in several productions as part of Stroud Community Choir and is a member of local band Medley.

She was for several years the organiser of the GWR Folk Club in Stroud, and regularly sings in folk clubs and at folk festivals, where she finds an outlet for her enthusiasm for traditional folksong.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colin Sillence has been playing and singing since hearing Bert Jansch's inspirational album (TRA 125) in 1967.

Playing guitar, mandolin, tenor banjo and bodhran he currently performs with local guitar and bass hero Dave Scott in the duo 'CoDa' and also works with American singer-songwriter Heather Bristow.

His small business 'Heronshaw Music' is set up to repair and restore all fretted instruments, to record musicians and to provide live sound at gigs. He also teaches guitar and bodhran.

Jeff's settings of Blake songs were recorded at Heronshaw.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alex West is primarily a singer-songwriter, mainly with Confoundry.

She has recently joined long-established ceilidh band Oddpiece on flute, saxophone and vocals.

Despite taking two weeks to get a note from her flute, she passed her Grade 8 aged 13. Now with three Grade 8s and three further grade 7s, she feels she has learnt as much from Stroud's folk scene as from exams.

She loves singing in her church choir, and is currently working on another Confoundry album and arranging material for other musicians.