The Gigspanner Big Band are a unique force in British folk music.
Their high-energy, virtuosic performances appeal equally to traditionalists and to those seeking something more experimental, and they have garnered praise from publications as varied as fRoots, The Telegraph and The Wire, where they were described as “melodically folk-rooted yet open and innovative beyond the constraints of genre.”
Beginning life as a trio – with legendary Steeleye Span fiddle player Peter Knight joined by percussionist Sacha Trochet and guitarist Roger Flack – the line-up has since expanded to form the Gigspanner Big Band. Acclaimed multi-instrumental duo Edgelarks (Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin – BBC Folk Awards ‘Best Duo’) and Bellowhead co-founder and melodeon player extraordinaire John Spiers have joined the fray.
While Peter Knight, as part of Steeleye Span’s classic 1970s line-up, helped invent a brand of folk rock that remains influential today, John Spiers has had an equally profound impact on the landscape of traditional music over the last two decades.
Characterised by riotous inventiveness, technically gifted individual playing and subtle collaborative interaction, this coming together of several of the biggest names on the folk-roots scene combines a deep knowledge of roots traditions with a ceaselessly boundary-pushing approach.
Unsurprisingly, the superlatives have come thick and fast…
“Their collective elan has a forceful presence unmatched in British folk”
The Guardian
“The kind of re-enchantment which only comes from top-class musicians with a deep understanding of their material. Simply remarkable”
R2 Magazine
“Musical brilliance is abundant”
Mojo Magazine
“Utterly thrilling”
Northern Soul
“Totally blown away by the spellbinding Gigspanner Big Band… I’m lost for words”
Folking. com
“Some may talk of an entity being greater than the sum of the parts, but when each part is so outstanding in its own right, the coming together of such musical genius and flair in one space creates an embarrassment of riches. Unmissable”
At The Barrier
“Together, they produce some of the most exciting sounds I have come across in years, exemplary musicianship and singing delivered with infectious enthusiasm and panache”
Salut Live
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