Kerfuffle

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Kerfuffle
From left to right: Sam, Hannah, Chris, Tom
From left to right: Sam, Hannah, Chris, Tom
Background information
Origin East Midlands/South Yorkshire, UK
Genre(s) Folk
Years active 2001–Present
Label(s) RootBeat Records
Website www.kerfuffleonline.co.uk
Members
Hannah James
Sam Sweeney
Jamies Roberts
Tom Sweeney
Former members
Chris Thornton-Smith

Kerfuffle are a four-piece folk band originally formed in 2001 around the East Midlands and South Yorkshire regions of the UK, comprising Hannah James (accordion, piano, vocals, step dancing), Sam Sweeney (fiddle, percussion), Jamie Roberts (guitars), and Tom Sweeney (bass guitar).

The word kerfuffle is originally from the Scots, meaning disturbance, commotion, or fuss. [1] [2]

Contents

[edit] History

Kerfuffle formed initially as a three-piece after Sam and Tom Sweeney met Hannah James. James was competing in a traditional music competition, the In The Tradition Award, held at the Derby Assembly Rooms. Sam had previously won this, and was attending the 2001 competition in this capacity. After playing together in the foyer, the trio decided to form a band. After going on to win the under-18 category of the 2002 Wiltshire Folk Association Young Folk Award, another competition that Sam had previously won as a soloist, the band sought a fourth member and Hannah introduced the band to guitarist Chris Thornton-Smith. Having won the WFA competition, the band was given a showcase performance at the 2002 Trowbridge Village Pump Festival. [3]

After a number of appearances at folk clubs, Kerfuffle recorded their first album in the spring of 2003. Produced by multi-instrumentalist Steafan Hannigan and recorded at his Oisín Studios, Not to Scale was released on the newly founded RootBeat Records on 14th June 2003, to coincide with the band's appearance at the first Festival of the Peak, a festival held at Carsington Water in Derbyshire. The summer of 2003 Kerfuffle appear at a number of other UK folk/traditional festivals, including Sidmouth Festival and a return to Trowbridge Village Pump Festival. [4]

For 2004's K2, the band decided to utilise the sound engineering skills of guitarist Chris Thornton-Smith, and the album was recorded by Chris. The album was released in time for the band's summer festival appearances, which included Cleckheaton Festival, Priddy Folk Fayre, Stainsby Festival, Saltburn Festival, Whitby Folk Week, Towersey Festival, Bromyard Festival and a slot at Show of Hands' summer concert in the Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens. In December 2004, the band were finalists in the 2004/5 BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards.[5][6]

Summer 2005 saw the band appear at Cleethorpes Folk Festival, Middlewich Folk & Boat Festival, Priddy Folk Festival[7], and Saddleworth Folk Festival. Also in 2005, the band's performances began to diversify into venues such as theatres and arts centres, as well as folk clubs, most notably including a performance as the post-show entertainment at the Linbury Theatre, a studio theatre attached to the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. The same year, Kerfuffle recorded a live session for BBC Radio 3's Late Junction.[8]

In early 2006, the band released Links. Appearances that summer at Bromyard Folk Festival[9], Brampton Live[10], Festival at the Edge[11] and other events followed. A track from Links was included on the compilation Folk Rising released in July 2007.[12]

In late 2007, having had a successful summer including appearances at Fairport's Cropredy Convention[13] , Derby Traditional Music and Arts Festival[14] and Shrewsbury Folk Festival, the band announced they would start work on their fourth album, their first featuring new guitarist Jamie Roberts, who had replaced Chris Thornton-Smith earlier that year. The album, to be entitled To The Ground, is scheduled to be released in the spring of 2008.[15]

2007 also saw Sam join 11-piece folk band Bellowhead, having already played some gigs as a deputy for Giles Lewin.[16]

[edit] Discography

[edit] References

  1. ^ kerfuffle - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
  2. ^ World Wide Words: Kerfuffle
  3. ^ Page Title
  4. ^ http://www.offspringrecords.co.uk/oisinstudios/index.html
  5. ^ "[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/r2music/folk/youngfolkaward2004_5/finalists.shtml BBC RADIO 2 YOUNG FOLK AWARD 2004-5 FINALISTS ANNOUNCED!]". Retrieved on 2008-01-10. 
  6. ^ "FIDDLER LAUREN MacCOLL TAKES THE TROPHY", BBC, 2004-12-4. Retrieved on 2008-01-11. 
  7. ^ Elliott, Mike. "Review: Priddy Folk Fayre 2005", BBC, 05-07-13. Retrieved on 2008-01-10. 
  8. ^ "[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/latejunction/pip/ntoex/ Late Junction 11 April 2005]". Retrieved on 2008-01-10. 
  9. ^ "The Friday Session 08.09.06", BBC, 06-09-07. Retrieved on 2008-01-10. 
  10. ^ "Brampton Live 2006", BBC, 06-07-15. Retrieved on 2008-01-10. 
  11. ^ "Trespassing in Paradise", BBC, 06-07-14. Retrieved on 2008-01-10. 
  12. ^ Proper Music Distribution
  13. ^ Conmy, Mick. "Fairport's Cropredy Convention", BBC, 07-08-06. Retrieved on 2008-01-10. 
  14. ^ "Derby Traditional Music and Arts Festival", BBC, 07-07-24. Retrieved on 2008-01-10. 
  15. ^ "Sam Sweeney - 2006 Education Bursary", BBC. Retrieved on 2008-01-10. 
  16. ^ Clare, Matt. "Bellowhead @ Rescue Rooms 29/09/07", BBC, 07-10-02. Retrieved on 2008-01-10. 

[edit] External links