It's barely a year since The Hundred Man Orchestra was first unleashed on the world, and what a year it's been!FUJITSU MAIN STAGE, SATURDAY / SUNDAY
It's barely a year since The Hundred Man Orchestra was first unleashed on the world, and what a year it's been!
That first gig at our sister festival, Towersey, was greeted with open-mouthed wonder, according to our spies, and so a welcome in the hillsides was clearly in order.
HMO is the brainchild of Brummie flautist Kieran Szifiris, one of the brightest new names emerging onto the trad. scene. If you haven't caught him live, then you may have heard his music courtesy of the BBC2 series It's Not Easy Being Green
To assist him in this enterprise, he's recruited a couple of Geordies in banjo player Dan Walsh and bassist Jonathan Proud , both of whom bring a distinctly jazzy feel to the piece.
Dan is still at Newcastle University studying for a degree in folk and traditional music, although to hear him play you'd say he'd pretty much got the hang of the thing, whether on banjo, guitar or bodhran. So maybe this is just another seminar!
Jonathan, meanwhile, has already made a name for himself as an outstanding session musician in the north-east and beyond.
All three of them pursue solo careers as well as playing in several other bands, Land or Sea, Mothers Ruin, Peculiar Disco Moves, for example, which gives us a clue as to their versatility.
Maybe, when they find the other 97 players they need, they'll settle down. But I doubt it. Meanwhile, let's lie back and enjoy their unique blend of traditional style with innovative improvisation.
Don't take my word for it - have a listen for yourself:
http://pontardawefestival.com/artists/article.php/20080416155154138