Belshazzar's Feast (band)

For the Biblical story from the book of Daniel, please see Belshazzar's Feast, for other uses please see Belshazzar's Feast (disambiguation)

Belshazzar's Feast

Belshazzar’s Feast at The Bell Inn, Adderbury, on 26th November 2016 by Suzanne Peedell.
Background information
Also known as FeastieBoys
Origin Oxfordshire/Dorset, England
Genres English folk music, comedy
Instruments violin, oboe, cor anglais, piano accordion, vocals, slide whistle
Years active 1995-present
Labels Unearthed (previously Wild Goose)
Associated acts Faustus, Bellowhead, Pagoda Project, Playford Liberation Front, Hoover The Dog, Ida Red, Cwm Dancing
Website belshazzarsfeast.com

Belshazzar’s Feast are an English folk music duo comprising singer/oboist/fiddler Paul Sartin and piano accordionist Paul Hutchinson. The pair have a reputation for slapstick spoken, physical and musical comedy as well as fine musicianship.[1]

Origins

Sartin and Hutchinson met in the mid-1990s when they were both members of the folk-rock band Life Of Reilly, who existed to write music to satirise the construction of the Newbury bypass. After a few performances they left the band to form a duo.[2] They initially set out working for ceilidhs and social dances, working with caller Andrew Shaw on a project exploring the work of 18th century composer Nathaniel Kynaston, which led to two albums – Mr Kynaston’s Famous Dance volume 1 (2000) and volume 2 (2002). Another album drawn from social dance repertoire - John Playford’s Secret Ball – followed in 2001.[3]

During 1996 and 1997 Sartin and Hutchinson formed the core of the Breezeband, backing Scottish singer Ian Bruce. Two recordings were released - A Kind and Gentle Nature (WildGoose 277) and Annie Laurie (Ruglen 103), while the band played some UK dates and undertook a tour of Germany.[4][5][6]

As Belshazzar’s Feast their other early recordings were song and tune sets, showcasing a developing concert repertoire – One Too Many in 1996, Drop The Reed in 1998 - albeit displaying the same irreverent twist that distinguished them from the social dance norm.[7] They toured America and Belgium during this time, mostly playing for social dances.[8][9][10]

The duo formed the basis of ceilidh outfits Belshazzar’s Dance Band (Sartin, Hutchinson plus Mark Powell), and – briefly – Bazza’s Dog, an amalgamation of Belshazzar’s Feast, Hoover the Dog, and Mark Powell.[11]

Career

After a period of hiatus where other work took precedence, they relaunched Belshazzar’s Feast in 2008 with the album Food of Love.

Their first winter/Christmas-themed album – Frost Bites [12] – followed in 2009, which earned them a nomination for Best Duo at the 2010 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.[13] A second winter-themed album, Stocking Fillers, was released in 2012.[14]

Another album of concert material, Find The Lady, was released in 2011.[15] This album had elements of the pair’s spoken comedy included in some, but not all, of the tracks.

Belshazzar’s Feast generally undertake two tours per year, one in the spring and one in the run up to Christmas. In addition, when not touring, they work together for charity organisation Superact, putting music into places where a formal concert would not work – for example hospitals or care homes.[16] They were the support band for Bellowhead’s tour of the UK in 2009.[17]

They celebrated twenty years of working together in 2014 with a live album, The Whiting’s On The Wall.[18] This had between-song patter in separate tracks from the music. The cover art for this album was produced by Simon Drew.

Humour

The duo performs three distinct types of humour as part of their act.

Their spoken between-song patter often includes word-based puns based on song titles or the text of the lyrics. They also have an element of physical comedy, either indicated with their instruments, facial expressions or body language, or by inviting audience members up to the stage.[19] In addition, humour appears in their music, for example by slipping pieces of well-known tunes – e.g. the Postman Pat theme or the Christmas carol Silent Night – into the middle of their material without warning.[20]

Associated acts

In addition to having played together in Life of Reilly, both Sartin and Hutchinson have been active in many other projects and groups. Sartin has been part of Dr Faustus, Bellowhead and Faustus in addition to his work as a composer, arranger and conductor. Hutchinson has played with Pagoda Project,[21] Hoover The Dog [22] and the Playford Liberation Front.[23] In addition, Hutchinson is a composer,[24] arranger and workshop leader (Marlborough College, Cecil Sharp House, Dartington and Benslow Music Centre).[25][26]

Partial discography

1996 One Too Many (Terra Nova TERRCD022)
1998 Drop The Reed (WildGoose WGS293CD)
2000 Mr Kynaston’s Famous Dance (vol 1) (WildGoose WGS298CD)
2001 John Playford’s Secret Ball [27] (WildGoose WGS304CD)
2002 Mr Kynaston’s Famous Dance (vol 2) (WildGoose WGS314CD)
2008 The Food of Love (WildGoose 353CD)
2009 Frost Bites (WildGoose 366 CD)
2011 Find The Lady (Unearthed TPLP1080CD)
2012 Stocking Fillers (Unearthed B008YBADAO)
2014 The Whiting’s On The Wall (Unearthed B00ISKT5NM)

References

  1. ↑ FRoots Magazine, May 2014, Issue 137 "Harmonious live hilarity and serious musicianship, communicated with enthusiasm and wicked intelligence."
  2. ↑ English Dance and Song magazine, Spring 2014, vol 6 no 1, p10 ”Despite playing a gig on the road through Newbury, they didn’t manage to meet Swampy. Time marched on, like the construction of a new bit of the A34, and after they’d broken the ice and played a few band gigs, they realised they got on like a house on fire. So they quit Life of Reilly to form a duo.”
  3. ↑ "“Belshazzar’s Feast.” (retrieved 1 December 2016)".
  4. ↑ "“The Ian Bruce Breeze Band.” (retrieved 1 December 2016)".
  5. ↑ "“Credits: Accordion: Paul Hutchinson. Violin, oboe, backing vocals: Paul Sartin.” (retrieved 1 December 2016)".
  6. ↑ "“Since the two Pauls paired up in 1995, their performances concerts, ceilidhs and social dances have featured on radio and TV, at clubs, village halls and festivals throughout the UK, Germany and the States.” (retrieved 1 December 2016)".
  7. ↑ English Dance and Song magazine, Spring 2014, vol 6 no 1, p10 “They did things that no-one else would dare do, like deliberately playing one note wrong, or slipping in bits of other silly tunes when they got bored. ‘There was one tune which Hutch would play on the accordion in the most beautiful arrangement,’ says Sartin, ‘and when the dancers were happily gliding around, I’d get out the swanee whistle. And they’d be so offended!’”
  8. ↑ "“Belshazzar's Feast, with dance leader John Turner, are going to be in the U.S. Aug./Sept. 1999 (as we saw in the current CDSS Newsletter).” (retrieved 1 December 2016)".
  9. ↑ "“Come join us at the Bay Area Country Dance Society’s English Dance Week, July 12-19 2003. Belshazzar’s Feast” (retrieved 1 December 2016)".
  10. ↑ "> "Between The Bays Dance Camp. …and from Europe Philip Callens and Belshazzar’s Feast" (retrieved 1 December 2016)".
  11. ↑ "“Steve’s Dance list issue 31 April 1999 – August 1999. … Fri 28-Mon 31 May Ashley Hutchings Dance Band, Bazza's Dog, Captain Swing, Chalktown, Geckoes, Red House at Chippenham Festival Weekend.” (retrieved 1 December 2016)".
  12. ↑ "“Belshazzar’s Feast.” (retrieved 1 December 2016)".
  13. ↑ "“Belshazzar’s Feast. Frost Bites” (retrieved 1 December 2016)".
  14. ↑ "“Belshazzar’s Feast. Stocking Fillers” (retrieved 1 December 2016)".
  15. ↑ "“Belshazzar’s Feast: Find the Lady - review” (retrieved 1 December 2016)".
  16. ↑ Taplas 157, December 2009/January 2010, p13 ”Those organisations take musicians into places where their talents can be used to benefit groups of people that a formal concert wouldn’t suit – dementia sufferers, adults with learning disabilities, and schools – and provide a backbone for both of their working lives that balances out their more conventional concert and gigging work.”
  17. ↑ ""Belshazzar's Feast / Bellowhead, Nottingham Trent Uni Sunday 18 October 2009 Live Music review. Belshazzar's Feast were already underway when Neil and I arrived at Trent Uni last night: a shame as Paul Sartin of the duo is one of the brilliantly humourous string section of Bellowhead.” (retrieved 1 December 2016)".
  18. ↑ "“Belshazzar’s Feast - Belshazzar’s Feast Live - The Whiting’s On The Wall” (retrieved 1 December 2016)".
  19. ↑ "“Belshazzar’s Feast start with traditional folk music, add a touch of classical and jazz, throw in a bit of pop and music hall, then top it off with wry humour for a unique live experience.” (retrieved 1 December 2016)".
  20. ↑ "“…and a smile is brought to my face when it morphs in to the theme from Postman Pat and then a couple of other things that I feel I should recognise but don't. It saves the piece.” (retrieved 1 December 2016)".
  21. ↑ "“Created by Paul Hutchinson (Piano Accordion) and Karen Wimhurst (Clarinets) to evolve their fusion sound, Pagoda Project brings together a unique blend of traditional folk music with jazz improvisation to create a warm and dynamic sound.” (retrieved 1 December 2016)".
  22. ↑ "“Paul Hutchinson: Accordion.” (retrieved 1 December 2016)". Archived from the original on 4 February 2002.
  23. ↑ "“Paul Hutchinson.” (retrieved 1 December 2016)".
  24. ↑ "“As a composer, Paul believes in the importance of strong melody and harmony. His tunes are very varied and are certainly not just accordion pieces.” (retrieved 1 December 2016)".
  25. ↑ "“An intensive weekend for piano accordion players of all ages and abilities to learn from three great musician/tutors – Paul Hutchinson, Murray Grainger and Jane Ward” (retrieved 1 December 2016)".
  26. ↑ "“The accordion classes are taught by Paul Hutchinson.” (retrieved 1 December 2016)".
  27. ↑ "“Discog.” (retrieved 1 December 2016)".
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