Andy Cutting
Encyclopedia
Andy Cutting is an English folk musician and composer
. Born 18 March 1969 in Harrow
, he plays melodeon
and has had instruments made by Castagnari
to his own specification. He won the Folk Musician of the Year at the BBC Radio 2
Folk Awards 2008 and 2011. He is married and has three children.
(which also featured Nigel Eaton
, with whom Cutting has since collaborated). Cutting made one album ("Vanilla") with Blowzabella before they broke up in 1990. Their repertoire, blending English traditional music
with that of central France
and Eastern Europe
, had a great influence on Cutting. Blowzabella subsequently reformed; they celebrated their 25th anniversary in 2003, with Cutting once again an official member. They released the album Octomento in 2007.
In 1989 Cutting formed a partnership with Chris Wood
, whom he had met two years earlier at Sidmouth Folk Festival. They tour extensively over several years reuniting in August 2010 for the Towersey Village Festival
and have made five albums together. Wood introduced Cutting to a wealth of Québécois
music and shared his love of English and French dance music. Wood & Cutting, together with Karen Tweed
and Ian Carr
, make up the Two Duos Quartet, who have made one album Half as happy as we.
Tweed & Cutting have also worked as a duo; they have made one album together and contributed to a live CD, "Across the Waters", recorded at Cork University in 1994.
Cutting is in great demand as a session musician and has worked with artists as diverse as Sting, June Tabor
and Chumbawamba
. He has been a member of several bands, including Fernhill
and Tanteeka. As well as the Wood & Cutting duo, he is part of the trio 1651 (with Mark Emerson and Tim Harries
), the John McCusker
Band, the Kate Rusby
Trio and the Kate Rusby Band. He is also a popular workshop tutor and has taught at summer schools for Folkworks
.
In March 2011, Andy is part of the Cecil Sharp Project
, a joint commission between Shrewsbury Folk Festival
and EFDSS that sees Andy and 7 other modern folk musicians take part in a week long residential project to create new works related to life and works of folk collector Cecil Sharp
.
repertoire. His compositions include:
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
. Born 18 March 1969 in Harrow
Harrow, London
Harrow is an area in the London Borough of Harrow, northwest London, United Kingdom. It is a suburban area and is situated 12.2 miles northwest of Charing Cross...
, he plays melodeon
Melodeon (organ)
A melodeon is a type of 19th century reed organ with a foot-operated vacuum bellows, and a piano keyboard. It differs from the related harmonium, which uses a pressure bellows. Melodeons were manufactured in the United States sometime after 1812 until the Civil War era...
and has had instruments made by Castagnari
Castagnari
Castagnari is an Italian maker of accordions, melodeons and bandoneóns, based in Recanati.-External links:****...
to his own specification. He won the Folk Musician of the Year at the BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
Folk Awards 2008 and 2011. He is married and has three children.
Career
Starting playing the melodeon in his early teens, Cutting was invited to join a local ceilidh band, Happenstance, when he had been playing for only a few months. In 1988 he joined the influential and innovative band BlowzabellaBlowzabella
Blowzabella are an English band who play bagpipes, hurdy-gurdies and an array of acoustic instruments to produce an inimitable, driving, drone-based sound influenced by British and European traditional dance music.-History:...
(which also featured Nigel Eaton
Nigel Eaton
Nigel Eaton is an English hurdy gurdy player. He originally played the piano and cello but switched to the hurdy gurdy in 1981 when his father, Christopher Eaton, began making them. He performed as part of the dance band Blowzabella from 1985 and recorded five albums with them before their split in...
, with whom Cutting has since collaborated). Cutting made one album ("Vanilla") with Blowzabella before they broke up in 1990. Their repertoire, blending English traditional music
Folk music of England
Folk music of England refers to various types of traditionally based music, often contrasted with courtly, classical and later commercial music, for which evidence exists from the later medieval period. It has been preserved and transmitted orally, through print and later through recordings...
with that of central France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
, had a great influence on Cutting. Blowzabella subsequently reformed; they celebrated their 25th anniversary in 2003, with Cutting once again an official member. They released the album Octomento in 2007.
In 1989 Cutting formed a partnership with Chris Wood
Chris Wood (folk musician)
Chris Wood is an English folk musician and composer who plays fiddle, viola and guitar, and sings. He is an ardent enthusiast for traditional English dance music , including Morris and other rituals and ceremonies, but his repertoire also includes much French folk music and traditional Québécois...
, whom he had met two years earlier at Sidmouth Folk Festival. They tour extensively over several years reuniting in August 2010 for the Towersey Village Festival
Towersey Village Festival
Towersey Village Festival is an annual festival of folk and world music and traditional dance held in the village of Towersey in Oxfordshire, England. It has taken place every August bank holiday weekend since its founding in 1965....
and have made five albums together. Wood introduced Cutting to a wealth of Québécois
Québécois
The French word Québécois and anglicised as ' , is used in both French and English to refer to different persons or concepts, depending on the language and/or the context in which the word is being used...
music and shared his love of English and French dance music. Wood & Cutting, together with Karen Tweed
Karen Tweed
Karen Tweed is a piano accordionist from London, England.-Biography:Tweed began to play the piano accordion at the age of 11, studying from button and piano accordion virtuoso John Whelan, and went on to win the first of 5 all-Ireland championships in 1977...
and Ian Carr
Ian Carr (guitarist)
Ian Carr is an English guitarist and producer from Yorkshire, who has performed with Swåp and The Kate Rusby Band.Until the late 1990s, Carr was a part of The Kathryn Tickell Band...
, make up the Two Duos Quartet, who have made one album Half as happy as we.
Tweed & Cutting have also worked as a duo; they have made one album together and contributed to a live CD, "Across the Waters", recorded at Cork University in 1994.
Cutting is in great demand as a session musician and has worked with artists as diverse as Sting, June Tabor
June Tabor
June Tabor is an English folk singer.- Early years :June Tabor was inspired to sing by hearing Anne Briggs' EP Hazards of Love in 1965. "I went and locked myself in the bathroom for a fortnight and drove my mother mad. I learned the songs on that EP note for note, twiddle for twiddle. That's how I...
and Chumbawamba
Chumbawamba
Chumbawamba is a British musical group who have, over a career spanning nearly three decades, played punk rock, pop-influenced music, world music, and folk music...
. He has been a member of several bands, including Fernhill
Fernhill (band)
Fernhill is a Welsh folk band, formed in 1996. They have been described by music critic and journalist Colin Irwin, as "highly regarded, innovative cultural ambassadors for Wales and its folk music, having toured in over 20 countries in four continents"...
and Tanteeka. As well as the Wood & Cutting duo, he is part of the trio 1651 (with Mark Emerson and Tim Harries
Tim Harries
Tim Harries is a British bass player.Harries studied music at the University of York, graduating in 1981 before going on to study Double Bass with Tom Martin at the Guildhall School of Music...
), the John McCusker
John McCusker
John McCusker is a Scottish folk musician, record producer and composer. An accomplished fiddle player, he had a long association as a member of the Battlefield Band beginning in the 1990s and was later a band member and producer for folk singer Kate Rusby...
Band, the Kate Rusby
Kate Rusby
Kate Anna Rusby is an English folk singer and songwriter from Penistone, South Yorkshire. Sometimes known as The Barnsley Nightingale, she has headlined various British national folk festivals, and is regarded as one of the most famous English folk singers of contemporary times...
Trio and the Kate Rusby Band. He is also a popular workshop tutor and has taught at summer schools for Folkworks
Folkworks
Folkworks is a non-profit organisation based at The Sage Gateshead and a part of the North Music Trust. It runs many workshops, summer schools and festivals to promote and encourage the furtherance of folk music. It was begun in 1988 by Alistair Anderson and Ros Rigby and became part of the North...
.
In March 2011, Andy is part of the Cecil Sharp Project
Cecil Sharp Project
The Cecil Sharp Project is a multi-artist, residential commission to create new material based on the life and collections of the founding father of the English Folk Revival Cecil Sharp....
, a joint commission between Shrewsbury Folk Festival
Shrewsbury Folk Festival
Shrewsbury Folk Festival is an annual festival of folk and world music and traditional dance held in the town of Shrewsbury in Shropshire, England....
and EFDSS that sees Andy and 7 other modern folk musicians take part in a week long residential project to create new works related to life and works of folk collector Cecil Sharp
Cecil Sharp
Cecil James Sharp was the founding father of the folklore revival in England in the early 20th century, and many of England's traditional dances and music owe their continuing existence to his work in recording and publishing them.-Early life:Sharp was born in Camberwell, London, the eldest son of...
.
Compositions
Cutting has composed many tunes, several of which have been recorded by other artists. Some have passed into the music sessionPub session
A pub session refers to playing music and/or singing in the relaxed social setting of a local pub, in which the music-making is intermingled with the consumption of ale, stout, and beer and conversation...
repertoire. His compositions include:
- Alltfechan
- Flatworld
- Heidi Hendy
- In Continental Mood
- I Only Want a Snack
- Miss Lindsay Barker
- New Pneus
- Oliver's
- Round the Corner
- St Michael's Mount
- Seven Years
- Spaghetti Panic
- The Bay Tree
- The History Man
- The RSB
- The Walled Garden Waltz
- There are Angels
- Two Beers
- Waltz Harry Lane
- Waiting for Janet
Partial discography
His recordings include:- Vanilla (BlowzabellaBlowzabellaBlowzabella are an English band who play bagpipes, hurdy-gurdies and an array of acoustic instruments to produce an inimitable, driving, drone-based sound influenced by British and European traditional dance music.-History:...
) - Special Delivery - SPDCD 1028 (1990) - Chris Wood & Andy Cutting - RUF Records RUFCD01
- Lisa (Wood & Cutting) - RUF Records RUFCD02
- Live at Sidmouth (Wood & Cutting) - RUF Records RUFCD03
- Lusignac (Wood & Cutting) - RUF Records RUFCD04
- Half as happy as we (Two Duos Quartet) - RUF Records RUFCD07
- Knock John (Wood & Cutting) - RUF Records RUFCD08
- A new tradition (Tanteeka) - Osmosys Records OSMO CD013 (1997)
- Panic at the Café (Andy Cutting and Nigel EatonNigel EatonNigel Eaton is an English hurdy gurdy player. He originally played the piano and cello but switched to the hurdy gurdy in 1981 when his father, Christopher Eaton, began making them. He performed as part of the dance band Blowzabella from 1985 and recorded five albums with them before their split in...
, (1993) - Beautiful Jo Records BEJOCD-27 (1999) - Ca' Nôs (FernhillFernhill (band)Fernhill is a Welsh folk band, formed in 1996. They have been described by music critic and journalist Colin Irwin, as "highly regarded, innovative cultural ambassadors for Wales and its folk music, having toured in over 20 countries in four continents"...
) - Beautiful Jo Records BJOCD-14 - Llatai (Fernhill) - Beautiful Jo Records BJOCD-23
- Whilia (Fernhill) - Beautiful Jo Records BJOCD-30
- Cast a bell (1651) - Beautiful Jo Records BEJOCD-33 (2001)
- One Roof Under (Tweed & Cutting) - Fyasco Records FYC004 (2002)
- Across the Waters (contributor, with Karen TweedKaren TweedKaren Tweed is a piano accordionist from London, England.-Biography:Tweed began to play the piano accordion at the age of 11, studying from button and piano accordion virtuoso John Whelan, and went on to win the first of 5 all-Ireland championships in 1977...
and others) - Nimbus NI5415 (1994) - Pandemonium (Nigel EatonNigel EatonNigel Eaton is an English hurdy gurdy player. He originally played the piano and cello but switched to the hurdy gurdy in 1981 when his father, Christopher Eaton, began making them. He performed as part of the dance band Blowzabella from 1985 and recorded five albums with them before their split in...
) - Beautiful Jo Records BEJOCD-39 (2002) - 10 (Kate RusbyKate RusbyKate Anna Rusby is an English folk singer and songwriter from Penistone, South Yorkshire. Sometimes known as The Barnsley Nightingale, she has headlined various British national folk festivals, and is regarded as one of the most famous English folk singers of contemporary times...
) - Pure Records PRCD10 (2002) - Apples (June TaborJune TaborJune Tabor is an English folk singer.- Early years :June Tabor was inspired to sing by hearing Anne Briggs' EP Hazards of Love in 1965. "I went and locked myself in the bathroom for a fortnight and drove my mother mad. I learned the songs on that EP note for note, twiddle for twiddle. That's how I...
) - Topic Records TSCD 568 - Hold Your HorsesHold Your Horses (album)Hold Your Horses is the debut album by British singer-songwriter Ella Edmondson. It was released on 23 February 2009, on the Monsoon label.-Label:...
(Ella EdmondsonElla EdmondsonEleanor Rose "Ella" Edmondson is an English singer-songwriter. Her primary instrument is the guitar though she can also play piano.-Biography:...
) - Monsoon MONMUCD001 (2009) - Andy Cutting (Andy Cutting) - Lane Records LANECD01 (2010)
Books
Cutting contributed tunes and a biographical essay to:- Blowzabella - New Tunes for Dancing (by Andy Cutting, Nigel EatonNigel EatonNigel Eaton is an English hurdy gurdy player. He originally played the piano and cello but switched to the hurdy gurdy in 1981 when his father, Christopher Eaton, began making them. He performed as part of the dance band Blowzabella from 1985 and recorded five albums with them before their split in...
, Jo FreyaJo FreyaJo Freya is an English saxophonist, clarinetist and singer.She was born Jo Fraser, but changed her name to Jo Freya as a condition of joining the actors' union Equity, which does not allow two of its members to share the same name...
, Paul James, Ian Luff, Cliff Stapleton, David Shepherd, Jon Swayne), Blowzabella, Glastonbury (2004) ISBN 0-9549013-0-4