Uiscedwr
Encyclopedia
Uiscedwr is a trio which plays British folk music
influenced by world music
. The group started off as a trio and was originally based in Manchester
.
Uiscedwr won the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award in 2002 http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/r2music/folk/youngfolkaward2003/yfa_about.shtml.
As well as touring and recording, Uiscedwr runs its own label Yukka Records and the members also offer tuition in fiddle, guitar and bodhrán
.
As the trio of Esslemont, Byrne and Hellings, the group recorded Everywhere in 2003, which gained them a nomination for the Horizon Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards
in 2005. By this time, Uiscedwr was mixing British folk music with a strong Celtic
bias with other influences including jazz, European folk music and world music.
Shortly before the 2005 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, Hellings left the group and was replaced by guitarist Kevin Dempsey who also contributed vocals.
During 2005, Anna Esslemont was diagnosed with aplastic anaemia. Her illness meant the group had to reduce its touring commitments and delay work on the second album. Esslemont had a successful bone marrow transplant in December 2006 and Uiscedwr resumed touring in June 2007. Subsequently, Uiscedwr (and Esslemont in particular) has been active in fundraising for the Aplastic Anaemia Trust charity.
Dempsey left Uiscedwr in December 2007 to concentrate on other projects and was replaced by Shropshire guitarist James Hickman in January 2008.
At the beginning of 2008, Uiscedwr joined the roster of folk-and-acoustic music agency Iconic Music. Accordionist Karen Tweed
guested with Uiscedwr during 2008 and early 2009.
The band's third album, Fish Cat Door, was released in May 2009. The title of the 11-track CD is a tongue-in-cheek aide mémoire
on the pronunciation of the band's name.
In early 2010, Nick Waldock joined the trio alternating as guitarist with James Hickman.
, plays fiddle and sings. She dropped out of the Royal Northern College of Music
in order to pursue a freer musical style than was offered by the classical world. She grew up in Wales, and has played the violin since she was six, playing in both the North Powys Youth Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Wales
.
Co-founder Cormac Byrne, from County Waterford
, Ireland
, plays bodhrán
, percussion and drums. He has been a member of Tommy Hayes’ percussion orchestra Spraoi
Drummers. As well as touring and recording with Uiscedwr, Byrne has toured extensively with Seth Lakeman
's band and gained a BBC Fame Academy
Bursary, which was used to partially fund Uiscedwr's second album, Circle.
Anna and Cormac perform as a trio with a supporting guitarist. From January 2010, guitar is played by either Nick Waldock or James Hickman (and Nick also plays bass guitar). Nick first worked with Uiscedwr during its 'big band' project in 2008; James joined Uiscedwr at the end of 2007 to replace Kevin Dempsey.
festival. Like its parent trio, Uiscedwr Big Band played Celtic-influenced folk with elements of jazz, klezmer
, gypsy, Latin, and American folk fiddle.
Uiscedwr Big Band released a live album titled Naked and Dangerous and played a showcase concert at the annual Association of Festival Organisers Conference.
Feathers
A-part before the Swing
Mr and Mrs
The Drunken Mouse
Waterman's
No Going Back
Everywhere
Set in the Woods
All About Flying
Mind the Gap
La Peri
Circle (released 24 July 2006)
Everyday Cynic
Esta Levista
America
Escobar
Ceol Aine
The Beast
The Music Bringer
Not The Hurricane
Tut-Tut
Yorkshire Tea
Tree
Flea Circus
Naked and Dangerous (Uiscedwr Big Band, limited release 23 November 2008)
Esta Levista
Forever my Beloved
Naked & Dangerous Part I
Naked & Dangerous Part II
Waterwater
Storm
Deise
Yorkshire Tea
Fish Cat Door (released May 2009)
The Dirty Nine Steps
Prescription Junkie
Sunshine
Seven Letters
Tip Tap Baby
Germs
Girlyjig
End of the Day
Crucked Reels
ESP
Neptune
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....
influenced by 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"...
. The group started off as a trio and was originally based in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
.
Uiscedwr won the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award in 2002 http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/r2music/folk/youngfolkaward2003/yfa_about.shtml.
As well as touring and recording, Uiscedwr runs its own label Yukka Records and the members also offer tuition in fiddle, guitar and bodhrán
Bodhrán
The bodhrán is an Irish frame drum ranging from 25 to 65 cm in diameter, with most drums measuring 35 to 45 cm . The sides of the drum are 9 to 20 cm deep. A goatskin head is tacked to one side...
.
History
Esslemont and Byrne met in Manchester in 2002, and soon afterwards formed the group. Byrne invited a friend from Ireland to play the guitar, and with the lineup fleshed out by Esslemont's younger sister they entered the BBC Young Folk Awards 2002, which they won. Despite the win, the guitarist left the group, and Esslemont called upon an old acquaintance, Ben Hellings.As the trio of Esslemont, Byrne and Hellings, the group recorded Everywhere in 2003, which gained them a nomination for the Horizon Award at 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....
in 2005. By this time, Uiscedwr was mixing British folk music with a strong Celtic
Celtic music
Celtic music is a term utilised by artists, record companies, music stores and music magazines to describe a broad grouping of musical genres that evolved out of the folk musical traditions of the Celtic people of Western Europe...
bias with other influences including jazz, European folk music and world music.
Shortly before the 2005 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, Hellings left the group and was replaced by guitarist Kevin Dempsey who also contributed vocals.
During 2005, Anna Esslemont was diagnosed with aplastic anaemia. Her illness meant the group had to reduce its touring commitments and delay work on the second album. Esslemont had a successful bone marrow transplant in December 2006 and Uiscedwr resumed touring in June 2007. Subsequently, Uiscedwr (and Esslemont in particular) has been active in fundraising for the Aplastic Anaemia Trust charity.
Dempsey left Uiscedwr in December 2007 to concentrate on other projects and was replaced by Shropshire guitarist James Hickman in January 2008.
At the beginning of 2008, Uiscedwr joined the roster of folk-and-acoustic music agency Iconic Music. Accordionist 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...
guested with Uiscedwr during 2008 and early 2009.
The band's third album, Fish Cat Door, was released in May 2009. The title of the 11-track CD is a tongue-in-cheek aide mémoire
Aide mémoire
An aide mémoire is an French term meaning a "memory-aid" a reminder or memorandum, especially a book or document serving this purpose. This term is sometimes used untranslated in English. It is often used to describe photographs....
on the pronunciation of the band's name.
In early 2010, Nick Waldock joined the trio alternating as guitarist with James Hickman.
Members
Co-founder Anna Esslemont, from WalesWales
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...
, plays fiddle and sings. She dropped out of the Royal Northern College of Music
Royal Northern College of Music
The Royal Northern College of Music is a music school in Manchester, England. It is located on Oxford Road in Chorlton on Medlock, at the western edge of the campus of the University of Manchester and is one of four conservatories associated with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music...
in order to pursue a freer musical style than was offered by the classical world. She grew up in Wales, and has played the violin since she was six, playing in both the North Powys Youth Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Wales
National Youth Orchestra of Wales
The National Youth Orchestra of Wales , founded in 1945, has the distinction of being the first national youth orchestra in the world and is Europe’s longest-standing national youth orchestra....
.
Co-founder Cormac Byrne, from County Waterford
County Waterford
*Abbeyside, Affane, Aglish, Annestown, An Rinn, Ardmore*Ballinacourty, Ballinameela, Ballinamult, Ballinroad, Ballybeg, Ballybricken, Ballyduff Lower, Ballyduff Upper, Ballydurn, Ballygunner, Ballylaneen, Ballymacarbry, Ballymacart, Ballynaneashagh, Ballysaggart, Ballytruckle, Bilberry, Bunmahon,...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, plays bodhrán
Bodhrán
The bodhrán is an Irish frame drum ranging from 25 to 65 cm in diameter, with most drums measuring 35 to 45 cm . The sides of the drum are 9 to 20 cm deep. A goatskin head is tacked to one side...
, percussion and drums. He has been a member of Tommy Hayes’ percussion orchestra Spraoi
Spraoi
Spraoi is a festival of international street theatre and world music which takes place in Waterford city, Ireland, for three days each August. The festival takes its name from the Gaelic word spraoi, or play. The Waterford Spraoi has taken place each summer since 1992 and is now the largest...
Drummers. As well as touring and recording with Uiscedwr, Byrne has toured extensively with Seth Lakeman
Seth Lakeman
Seth Bernard Lakeman is an English folk singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, who is most often associated with the fiddle and tenor guitar, but has also mastered the viola and banjo...
's band and gained a BBC Fame Academy
Fame Academy
Fame Academy is a televised competition to search for and educate new musical talents. The winner received a chance to become a successful music artist. The prize consisted of a £1m recording contract with a major record company, plus the use of a luxury apartment in London and a sports car for one...
Bursary, which was used to partially fund Uiscedwr's second album, Circle.
Anna and Cormac perform as a trio with a supporting guitarist. From January 2010, guitar is played by either Nick Waldock or James Hickman (and Nick also plays bass guitar). Nick first worked with Uiscedwr during its 'big band' project in 2008; James joined Uiscedwr at the end of 2007 to replace Kevin Dempsey.
Uiscedwr Big Band
During 2008, Uiscedwr experimented with a 'big band' project as an offshoot of its trio line-up. The six-piece band debuted at Glasgow's Celtic ConnectionsCeltic Connections
The Celtic Connections festival started in 1994 in Glasgow, Scotland, and has since been held every January. Featuring over 300 concerts, ceilidhs, talks, free events, late night sessions and workshops, the festival focuses on the roots of traditional Scottish music and also features international...
festival. Like its parent trio, Uiscedwr Big Band played Celtic-influenced folk with elements of jazz, klezmer
Klezmer
Klezmer is a musical tradition of the Ashkenazic Jews of Eastern Europe. Played by professional musicians called klezmorim, the genre originally consisted largely of dance tunes and instrumental display pieces for weddings and other celebrations...
, gypsy, Latin, and American folk fiddle.
Uiscedwr Big Band released a live album titled Naked and Dangerous and played a showcase concert at the annual Association of Festival Organisers Conference.
Discography
Everywhere (released 7 June 2004)Feathers
A-part before the Swing
Mr and Mrs
The Drunken Mouse
Waterman's
No Going Back
Everywhere
Set in the Woods
All About Flying
Mind the Gap
La Peri
Circle (released 24 July 2006)
Everyday Cynic
Esta Levista
America
Escobar
Ceol Aine
The Beast
The Music Bringer
Not The Hurricane
Tut-Tut
Yorkshire Tea
Tree
Flea Circus
Naked and Dangerous (Uiscedwr Big Band, limited release 23 November 2008)
Esta Levista
Forever my Beloved
Naked & Dangerous Part I
Naked & Dangerous Part II
Waterwater
Storm
Deise
Yorkshire Tea
Fish Cat Door (released May 2009)
The Dirty Nine Steps
Prescription Junkie
Sunshine
Seven Letters
Tip Tap Baby
Germs
Girlyjig
End of the Day
Crucked Reels
ESP
Neptune