Louisiana native Curley Taylor has been around music all of his life. Born into a musical family, drums were Curley’s first instrument. Curley began his professional career at age 16 by playing drums in his father’s band, Jude Taylor and the Burning Flames, a band deep in Louisiana Blues, Soul and Zydeco.
Barney Bentall
Barney and his band, The Legendary Hearts, recorded and toured extensively in Canada through the late ‘80s and ‘90s. They sold over a half a million records, won a Juno, and were a staple on Canadian radio. In 2000, Barney traded in his rock and roll life for that of a cattle rancher in the Cariboo region of central British Columbia, deciding to step away from the music business treadmill, put some blisters on his fingers, and tour less frequently.
Qairo
Qairo is a fiery and dynamic ensemble that combines the emotional charged vocals and pulsing rhythms of flamenco with the infectious melodies and ear-popping tonalities of the Mediterranean diaspora. From Spain to Turkey (with stops along the way), Qairo is music for dancing — no matter where you’re from. It’s Turkish micro-tones played on a saxophone, original flamenco verses “sung” by a clarinet, Balkan rhythms punctuated by Andalucian guitar, and flamenco footwork pounded out like improvised jazz. Qairo is guitar, oud, clarinet, saxophone, drums, electric bass, cante (flamenco song) and baile (flamenco dance) acting like they belong on stage together — and pulling it off.
Kathryn Tickell and the Darkening
Named after the old Northumbrian word for twilight, The Darkening comprises four North-East England-based members: Kathryn Tickell(Northumbrian smallpipes, fiddle, vocals),Amy Thatcher(accordion, synth, clogs, vocals), Kieran Szifris(octave mandolin), Joe Truswell(drums, percussion, programming, plus Stef Conner from Cambridge (vocals, lyres, sistrum)and Josie Duncan from the Isle of Lewis (vocals, clarsach).
Harry Manx
Harry Manx has been dubbed an “essential link” between the music of East and West, creating musical short stories that wed the tradition of the Blues with the depth of classical Indian ragas. His unique sound is bewitching and deliciously addictive to listen to.
