Taplas
Encyclopedia
Taplas is a folk music
magazine which covers the genre in Wales
and its border areas of England
.
, and world music
.
Features are often commissioned if the subject is performing in the core area during the time scale of the magazine's shelf life, but not exclusively so. There is almost always some coverage of at least one Wales-based artist in each issue.
Each issue features news, in-depth features, reviews, listings and some comment. Since 2007 the magazine has also had a regular feature on traditional dance, On Your Feet, which profiles a traditional dance side or team within the core area of the magazine's coverage. The magazine is published in black and white, with a full colour cover. Extra colour pages are often added for the festival supplement edition, in April/May of each year.
Taplas has also published a series of cover-mount CDs, and runs a folk festival guide supplement in the April/May issue each year.
The magazine was initially quarterly, but eventually expanded to six issues a year and is published bi-monthly.
The magazine had a number of volunteer contributors, who submitted features and reviews to the publication. Much of the core writing (news stories, listings, and so on), and a good deal of the photography, was done by Keith Hudson. Design work was undertaken by Jed Williams from 1988 onwards.
The magazine also had an editorial board, whose membership was fixed, to determine the direction the publication would take.
Due to Keith Hudson's declining health over the next few years the editorial board felt that a new editor was needed. Lucy Whitfield was voted into that role during 2007, and took up the reigns in November of that year.
The magazine is now run by a team of three, with Lucy Whitfield as editor, long term contributor Mick Tems (formerly of Calennig
) as deputy editor, and ex-editor Keith Hudson as reviews editor. All contributions and staffing roles are still voluntary.
Taplas actively supports both the BBC Young Folk Award and the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards
, sending a representative to both events, and providing coverage afterwards. The magazine also attends many folk festivals throughout the summer months, and will often provide pictorial coverage of the events.
The magazine was given a redesign for its 150th issue .
Taplas issue 163 (December 2010/January 2011) will for the first time centre on a theme. Every article in the issue will be linked to traditional dance, which was determined by guest assistant editor for the issue Laurel Swift. Should the themed issue be well received, further themed issues are planned for a later date.
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
magazine which covers the genre in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and its border areas of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Overview
While firmly based in Wales and the borders, and running out of a head office in Cardiff, Taplas's focus includes folk, traditional, bluegrassBluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
, and world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
.
Features are often commissioned if the subject is performing in the core area during the time scale of the magazine's shelf life, but not exclusively so. There is almost always some coverage of at least one Wales-based artist in each issue.
Each issue features news, in-depth features, reviews, listings and some comment. Since 2007 the magazine has also had a regular feature on traditional dance, On Your Feet, which profiles a traditional dance side or team within the core area of the magazine's coverage. The magazine is published in black and white, with a full colour cover. Extra colour pages are often added for the festival supplement edition, in April/May of each year.
Taplas has also published a series of cover-mount CDs, and runs a folk festival guide supplement in the April/May issue each year.
History
Taplas was founded in 1982 to replace the defunct South Wales Folk News publication. The first editor was Keith Hudson.The magazine was initially quarterly, but eventually expanded to six issues a year and is published bi-monthly.
The magazine had a number of volunteer contributors, who submitted features and reviews to the publication. Much of the core writing (news stories, listings, and so on), and a good deal of the photography, was done by Keith Hudson. Design work was undertaken by Jed Williams from 1988 onwards.
The magazine also had an editorial board, whose membership was fixed, to determine the direction the publication would take.
2003 to present day
Lucy Whitfield, a Taplas contributor from 1999 onwards, took over design duties for the magazine from November 2003 after the sudden death of Jed Williams from a heart attack .Due to Keith Hudson's declining health over the next few years the editorial board felt that a new editor was needed. Lucy Whitfield was voted into that role during 2007, and took up the reigns in November of that year.
The magazine is now run by a team of three, with Lucy Whitfield as editor, long term contributor Mick Tems (formerly of Calennig
Calennig
Calennig is a Welsh word meaning "New Year celebration/gift," though literally translates to "the first day of the month," deriving from the Latin word kalends. The English word "Calendar" also has its root in this word.-Celebrations in Cardiff:...
) as deputy editor, and ex-editor Keith Hudson as reviews editor. All contributions and staffing roles are still voluntary.
Taplas actively supports both the BBC Young Folk Award and the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards
BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards
The BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards celebrate outstanding achievement during the previous year within the field of folk music. The awards have been given annually since 2000 by British radio station BBC Radio 2....
, sending a representative to both events, and providing coverage afterwards. The magazine also attends many folk festivals throughout the summer months, and will often provide pictorial coverage of the events.
The magazine was given a redesign for its 150th issue .
Taplas issue 163 (December 2010/January 2011) will for the first time centre on a theme. Every article in the issue will be linked to traditional dance, which was determined by guest assistant editor for the issue Laurel Swift. Should the themed issue be well received, further themed issues are planned for a later date.