From a keen folkie family (and the owner of a sweet-toned clear voice), Maz attended several Folkworks Youth Summerschools establishing a strong interest in folksong and winning the Young Performer's Award at Fylde Folk Festival (aged just 13) leading to a few spots singing solo. When she was 16, Maz's brother Joe entered and won the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award with his Band 'Last Orders' and finding themselves asked to play at major UK Folk Festivals, Joe's bandmates persuaded him that his little sister should join them as guest singer. Summer 2007 saw them playing to crowds at Cambridge Folk Festival, Towersey Village Festival, Sidmouth Folk Festival and a spot at Cropredy Convention - "a nerve-racking but exhilarating experience"! Since then, Maz was a finalist in the 2009 BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards and has gone on to perform solo, as well as with Matthew Jones on guitar at many UK Festivals as well as appearing with 'Last Orders' at Somersound, Germany and Asturias, Spain - she has also been heard solo on a couple of BBC Folk stations. Maz's performs a mixture of traditional, contemporary and original songs, a few solo, or accompanying herself on guitar, shruti box or piano - it is hoped an album should be available this spring. Come and hear her at the Fo'c'sle and keep an eye out for her in the future.
Visiting the Club many times over the years, Tim is much loved to the extent that it's difficult to extract him from the clutches of other too-near Clubs and get him here. He's a lovely singer who plays duet concertina (superbly); also melodeon, guitar, hurdy-gurdy and harmonica, but he usually only brings the concertina. His wide repertoire includes UK folksongs, (esp. from the SW and E Anglia), music hall songs, contemporary songs, rhymes, stories, recitations (things in Dorset dialect) and concertina instrumentals. And he's an actor working at the National and Chichester Festival Theatres, the Leicester Haymarket and the Old Vic and also writing for the stage. He's worked with so many famous groups (the Mellstock Band, the Transports, the Kipper Family, the Broadside Band, etc, etc) there's not enough room to list them, but these days, he is chiefly soloist with the also greatly-loved New Scorpion Band. He has so many albums, there's not room to list them either - we'll see what he brings.
Lester is a fine singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, actor and broadcaster and this is his first visit to the Club. Some of you will know him as part of the marvellous Coope, Boyes & Simpson who tour Europe, the USA and New Zealand and who have enchanted us at the Turner Sims Concert Hall several times. Working in films and theatre, including the Royal Shakespeare Company, he was Musical Director of 'Private Peaceful' in Belgium and has also performed on European Radio, BBC Radio 1 2 3 and 4 and co-presented "Folkwaves" for BBC Midlands Radio for 20 years. He teaches singing classes in Derbyshire encouraging people to sing in harmony, leads the "Raise Your Voices" Choir and is lead tutor on many workshop weekends working with schools and community choirs including songwriting and commissioned works. He has composed for so many special events, there isn't room here, but they include Peace Concerts Passendale and Derbyshire Children's Festival to give you an idea of Lester's range of talent. His solo CD One is described by 'Living Tradition' as an emotive recording of finely gauged strengths and challenging depths. Don't miss him - and bring your voices.Back to Fo'c'sle 2011-2012 Programme
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