Personnel

The band is run (in a manner of speaking) by Roger Swaine, who plays the piano-accordion. He's the Musical Director for English Miscellany. No formal musical qualifications, but he's been playing this music for about thirty years now. He's also been a dancer for many years, having taken up Scottish Country Dancing while at college, after which he went out dancing several times a week for a number of years. So he has a pretty good idea of what makes a good dance-tune! He chooses and arranges the music for the band.

We don't have a fixed line-up, as good musicians will be busy. Instead, the members of the band are drawn from a small squad of highly talented musicians, including:

• Rachel Burden. A professional musican, Rachel plays violin and recorder in the band. She is also a fine oboe player. She enjoys the music!
• Stewart Walker. Stewart trained as a classical violinist, earning a distinction at Grade 8. He got into folk fiddle initially via a friend, and then by going to fiddle workshops. He maintains his classical roots by playing with the Herts Philharmonic Orchestra.
• Sarah Barton. With her parents both being professional (classical) musicians, Sarah initially trained as an orchestral cellist. However, a chance attendance at a "Silly Wizard" concert, plus the gift of a violin, led to her becoming a fine folk fiddler.
• Wendy Frost. A graduate musician, Wendy plays flute and recorder in the band, but also plays a variety of other woodwind instruments, expecially Early Music ones.
• Peter Farrell. Another music graduate. He plays recorder in the band, but is also a prize-winning pianist, and teaches piano. Enjoys playing jazz.
• Linda Duckworth. Linda is also a musician with English Miscellany, where she is the lead musician for the Clog section. She also plays in the Hertfordshire Early Dance band. She mainly plays flute in the band, but also plays the recorder.
• Dave Skye. Dave plays bass guitar in the band. He has been involved (with his wife, Dawn Skye) in folk music for many years. They are both dancers with English Miscellany. Dave is also a minstrel at medieval banquets, and possesses (and plays) a large collection of early musical instruments.
• Derek Guyatt. Another member of English Miscellany, where he plays melodeon for the Cotswold Morris side. In the band he plays bass guitar. He also plays recorder, guitar, mandolin etc. He leads his own Barn Dance band called Sixes and Sevens, and also often plays with another local band called Jump the Vortex.
• Olly Dowlen. Plays double bass in the band. He also plays in a number of other bands in the area, such as "Waxies Dargle" (Irish), "Folk in Hell" (Irish), and Parisien Swing (French/Jazz), plus with Blues/Soul singer Graham Robbins.
• Carolyn Causton. Plays Bass guitar with the band. A fine guitarist and singer, she was for years a member and leading light with "Shave the Monkey", a local folk band, and is a regular performer at the Hitchin Folk Club.

All the musicians listed above enjoy each others' company, and always have a good time at our gigs, which makes for a good atmosphere during the event.

The band works with a number of fine local callers, including:-

• Dawn Skye
• Jan Guyatt
• Adrian Besant
• Adrian Burrows
• Alan Simpson
• Wendy Harrup
• Keith Harrup (Wendy's dad!)