LATEST NEWS

STOP PRESS.......TIM VAN EYKEN and his band, VAN EYKEN
Tim landed the part of 'Songman' in the National Theatre's winter production of Michael Morpurgos's story 'Warhorse'. The run at the South Bank Centre ends in February but returns in August such was its success.

VÄRTTINA
Finland's most successful contemporary folk music group, with Bollywood star composer, A R Rahman, jointly composed the score of the stage adaptation of J R R Tolkien's THE LORD OF THE RINGS, which is now running at Theatre Royal in London. After a long period of anxious anticipation, The Lord of the Rings Original London Production cast album was released to the general public on Monday, February 4th (after being available in the Theatre Royal Drury Lane since January 24th).

NEW TO OUR ROSTER....

We are delighted to announce that we are now working with THE UKULELE ORCHESTRA OF GREAT BRITAIN. If you haven't come across the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain then you really need to see them to get the joke (promo DVDs available). Across the country literally millions of people have discovered them either from their numerous national TV appearances or their sell-out theatre tours. Cult status has truly been achieved by this extraordinary ukulele-only ensemble who plunder the archives of every music genre from pop to classical, Nirvana to Wagner, with wit, aplomb and plucking brilliance.

We also welcome six other new groups to our growing family of talented artists :-

ETRAN FINITAWA (Niger). Among the grasslands of the Sahel and the shifting sand dunes of the Sahara desert, two legendary nomadic peoples, the Wodabe abd Tuareg, are joined together in the raunchy guitars and haunting voices of Etran Finatawa. Reflecting on their roots and with a nostalgia and warmth that mirrors the majesty of their desert home, these six musicians have toured constantly all over the World since the release of their BBC Award-nominated first album in 2006.

17 HIPPIES Berlin has emerged as one of the great contemporary musical melting pots, and 17 Hippies are surely the finest Berlin band of the moment. They aren't hippies, and there are only 13 of them in their current lineup, but they have created a unique musical style by colliding a variety of mostly European influences, from Gypsy dance to French chanson and German cabaret, with just a hint of anything from ragtime and country to early English pop.

T & LATOUCHE From the musical melting pot of Manchester and no strangers on the UK Roots circuit, T &Latouche bring a unique and fresh reggae sound everywhere they go. Featuring T Carthy and Glen Latouche of the original reggae folk fusion band Edward II, T&Latouche combine pumping basslines and driving rhythms with strong melody, sweet harmony, bubbling guitars and blistering brass hooks.

SARAH SAVOY from Louisiana - the latest off-spring of Marc and Ann Savoy to continue the family's Cajun heritage - with her French group, The Francadians. Sarah's brother, Wilson, brought his Pine Leaf Boys over to the UK last summer and left such a great impression that we just had to take on Sarah.

THE BEDOUIN JERRY CAN BAND, a collective of semi-nomadic musicians, poets, storytellers, and coffee grinders from the Egyptian Sinai desert. They featured in The Barbican's Ramadan Nights on 16 October at LSO St Lukes in London and will be on an extensive UK tour next June and July.

N'FALY KOUYATE and DUNYAKAN N'Faly Kouyate belongs to a superior and rare Mandingue griot family, the Konkoba of West Africa. He was born n Siguiri and grew up in Conakry, the capital of Guineakora and has gained an international reputation, both with his own solo career and group Dunyakan, and as core member of the Afro Celt Sound System. N'faly is a charismatic performer, and he and his group are dynamic on stage.

CAJUN STYLE DANCE WORKSHOPS. Led by Graham and Angie Breakwell, we teach the lively and exhilarating Cajun Jitterbug, along with the more traditional dance styles of Louisiana - at the Larmer Tree Festival last July our workshops proved so popular that traders closed down their stalls, first-aiders deserted their posts and parents abandoned their young children to join in the fun!. We are available for bookings at festivals, dances and events.

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FORTHCOMING TOURS

Touring 2008

Värttina (Finland) Available for summer festivals.
Finland's most successful contemporary folk music group, with 25 years of performing clocked up. Varttina's part in composing the music for the stage adaptation of The Lord of The Rings, stand-out festival appearances at WOMAD and Exeter and World music chart success with "Miero" have deservedly raised their status on the UK music scene.

Jaipur Kawa Brass Band (Rajasthan India) Touring Europe, including the UK, May to October
The Jaipur Kawa Brass Band is an explosion of colour and sound on streets and stages all over the World, from the Commonwealth Games in Australia to Montreal Jazz Festival; they have also become firm Glastonbury favourites. The band features 8 musicians, a fakir and the Gypsy Sapera Kalbelya dancer. Under the expert leadership of Hameed Khan Kawa, best known as director of the acclaimed Musafir, he hand selected only the best musicians from the most renowned brass bands in Rajasthan to form the band. Their endearing workshops have introduced a little-known and fascinating culture to wide-eyed school children and adult audiences throughout the UK.

Tim van Eyken (UK) Available solo from end of March and for exclusive festival appearances with his band.
Tim van Eyken's "Barleycorn" won him a coveted BBC Folk Award this year (see news)and his new band, Van Eyken, with Nancy Kerr, Pete Flood, Olly Knight and Colin Fletcher were a major highlight at festivals and arts centres through the year. He resumes his solo career next March and his band will make occasional and exclusive festival appearances in the summer.

Bayou Seco (New Mexico, USA). April/May
After a scorching tour in March 2007 Bayou Seco will be back in the UK in April/May 2008 with their unique show of songs, tunes and stories from the American South West. Think hillbillies and hoe downs, cowboys and cattle trains, Cajuns, Creoles and Crawfish broils. Wielding fiddles, accordions and banjos, Jeanie McLerie and Ken Keppeler move their audience to dance, laugh and cry (sometimes all at the same time) with their inimitable blend of music and humour.

The Bedouin Jerry Can Band (Egypt) June and July.
Blending Simsimiyya (an Egyptian lute which dates back to Pharonic times) with desert flutes and reed pipes, BJB perform traditional Bedouin melodies with infectious rhythms on tablas, frame drums and clay jugs augmented by junk percussion such as ammunition boxes and jerry cans scavenged from the former battlegrounds in their Sinai homelands. In the customary tradition they will be happy to grind, roast and serve fresh Arabic coffee to members of the audience, whilst their unique workshops offer an insight into a fascinating culture.

Billy Cobham (USA) and Asere (Cuba)
Legendary drummer and Cuban meastros made an extensive European tour in 2007. With inventive songwriting and a soulful groove Asere have become well known for the freshness and elegant style they bring to traditional and contemporary Cuban music and return in June/July and October/November 2008.

The Pine Leaf Boys (USA) Tour now likely to be in September/October 2008.
The new generation of Cajun musicians from Louisiana, led by Wilson Savoy, The Pine Leaf Boys were the sensational find of 2007. Playing their authentic, traditional Cajun, Creole and zydeco dance-hall music their debut UK was a total sell-out. The youngest band ever to sign to Arhoolie Records, their music spans rocking two-steps, stirring waltzes and raunchy Creole Blues, introducing new and young audiences to the unique sounds of the swamps and bayous of Louisiana.

Lisa Mills (USA) June/July
From Mobile, Alabama, Lisa has that incredibly rare gift shared by the best blues/soul/gospel singers to effortlessly change gear from a low moan to full-throated blues wail without ever losing musicality. Her stunning appearances at Bergen Blues Festival and Glastonbury alone won her new fans and friends; in 2008 she appears with Ian Jennings of The Big Town Playboys. .

Generally available throughout the year:

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain
A concert by the UOGB is a twanging, singing, awesome, foot-stomping obituary of rock-n-roll and melodious light entertainment featuring only the "bonsai guitar" and a menagerie of voices. From Wagner to Nirvana via The Sex Pistols, the Orchestra takes you on a world tour of popular culture with only hand luggage..... The UOGB have the ability to get an audience singing with one voice and punching the air in unison whether playing before 5,000 or 500.

Sarah Savoy and the Francadians (USA/France)
Louisiana-born and raised daughter of Marc and Ann Savoy, the most influential names in Cajun music, Sarah powerfully fronts this band of dedicated French musicians. Sarah doesn't just perform traditional Cajun and Zydeco music - her own original compositions speak with a voice until now virtually unheard in Cajun music. Sarah sings in celebration of the modern woman, strong, independent, and fun-loving, rather than only lamenting the traditional position of la femme abandonnée (”the abandoned woman”). Keeping her audiences dancing, Sarah belts out sassy blues, growls through honky-tonk-inspired Cajun songs of the 1940's and 50's, and wails the bitterness of some of Cajun music's most forlorn waltzes. Sarah is also a qualified Louisiana chef and can lead cooking workshops, accompanied by music guaranteed to whet the appetite.

Daby Touré (Mauritania/France)
Mauritanian-born singer and guitarist Daby Touré, (formerly with Touré Touré), has established himself in the UK as the new face of Afro-Pop. He reinforced his aquaintance with Peter Gabriel on the WOMAD Charlton Park main stage last July and his second album on the Real World label, "Stereo Spirit", confirmed the beauty and originality of his talents. Now based in Paris it is also possible to bring him solo or with his band at any time.

Iona (UK/ Ireland/Netherlands)
The long overdue return of one of the most atmosheric, uplifting and powerful contemporary Celtic Folk/Rock bands of all time. Uniquely combining folk, rock, progresive, ethnic and ambient elements with the crystalline voice of Jo Hogg as their focus, Iona create a blaze of colours and textures. For the smaller stage, Iona members Troy Donockley and Dave Bainbridge produce soundscapes filled with melody, passion and inspiration as a duo.

English Acoustic Collective (UK)
The EAC brings together three of England's finest interpreters of traditional music in Chris Wood, Robert Harbron and John Dipper. Traditional music has always evolved and incorporated new elements, so the English Acoustic Collective combine deep roots in England's vernacular music with a wealth of inspired, insightful new composition. Adding masterful technique and honest delivery produces a fresh, current and uniquely uplifting sound. EAC are also available for festival bookings.

and many, many more, including Soothsayers, The Baghdaddies, Lion Train, Jason Carter and Marjan Vahdat, Gabhru Panjab De, Cimarron, Colores de Mi Tierra, The Spikedrivers, Big Boy Bloater and his Southside Stompers ..............visit our Artist pages for more information.

WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING

2007 overtook '06 with our an ever-expanding schedule of bookings, see our Tours page for full details.

2006 continued the pattern of previous years with Access All Areas artists booked throughout the UK and abroad, with festival bookings at Wychwood, Henley on Thames, Sunderland Kites, Crawley, Bedford Riverside, Croydon Mela, Durham Miners, Shrewsbury Folk, Towersey Village, Nottingham Riverside, Cardiff Big Weekend, Llanfyllin Workhouse, Loughborough Folk, Stratford upon Avon, WOMAD Reading, Waterford Sproai, Gloucester, Swindon Town Gardens, Bracknell Mela, Broadstairs Folk Week, Llangollen Eisteddfod, Drumfest Northampton and Chelmsford, Bath Fringe, Gower Folk, Brewood, Wickham, Warwick Folk, Brampton Live, Sesiwn Fawr Dolgellau, Tolpuddle Martyrs, Festival at the Edge, Cheltenham Peace, Mayfest Faringdon and The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden.

2005 was an exceptionally busy year for Access All Areas artists with appearances at numerous festivals, including :- Glastonbury, St Donats, Golowan, Bath Fringe, Bestival, Oxford Carnival, Tall Ships Newcastle, Swindon, Edinburgh and London Melas, Greenbelt, Towersey, Broadstairs, Sunderland nternational Kite, Crawley Folk, MADD Mayfest Faringdon, WOMAD Reading, Cowes Regatta, Black Horse Hastings, Guardian Hay, Lewes Guitar, Nottingham Riverside, Northampton, Small Nations, Cambridge Folk, Sidmouth, Blues on the Farm, Wolvestock, Jackfield, Whitby Musicport, Tartan Heart, Lost Vagueness, Pontardawe, Tyne River, Waterford Sproai, Gower Folk, Big Big World Glasgow and Canterbury.

And 2004 appearances have included Cheltenham Folk Festival, Groningen (Netherlands) Trad It!, Faringdon Mayfest, Folk on the Pier in Cromer, Fishguard Folk Festival, Bath Fringe, Highland Festival (Inverness), Skagen and Tuno in Denmark, Gower Folk Festival, Wombwell Arts Festival, Isle of Wight Festival, Black Horse Festival in Hastings, Glastonbury Festival, Nottingham Riverside, Tartan Heart (Belladrum), Chippenham Folk Festival, Golowan Festival in Penzance, Hull Jazz, Forde Festival in Norway, Swindon Bowl, Larmer Tree Festival, WOMAD, Eden Sessions, Bradford Festival, Tolpuddle Martyrs, Ludlow Festival, Carnaval Del Pueblo, Big Big World, Northampton Festival, The Sage, Xtrax in Manchester, Sheep Music, Kilkenny Arts Festival, The Royal Opera House and The 50th Sidmouth International Festival.