World class performers Collister & Fix to appear at Ropery Hall

Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman have long established themselves as one of the UK folk scene’s most rewardingly enduring partnerships. Duos come and duos go… And some nurture and fine tune their art and watch it grow into something totally original, captivating and award-winning.

Bonded by an unseen alchemy, Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman have entwined their professional and personal relationship into an enviable class act of imaginative songwriting and musicianship.

Over two decades of performance they have never been trapped in a groove – always bold and innovative, mixing traditional song arrangements with their self-penned material which reels from the bitter to the sweet, the wry to the sad, the political to the passive.

Join us for an evening of top flight stand-up comedy. As ever, a lovely Barnstormers Comedy MC will be on hand to introduce three more excellent acts from the UK Comedy Circuit and beyond. Line-up to be announced.

Over the years, notable acts that have graced the Barnstormers Comedy stage include Angela Barnes, Jo Caulfield, Greg Davies, Gary Delaney, Kerry Godliman, Milton Jones, Zoe Lyons, Sarah Millican, Geoff Norcott, Andy Parsons, Romesh Ranganathan, and Paul Sinha.

Why not come along and witness the chance to see a star of the future?

Sax on Sunday has been revived post-Covid, and rolls into 2022.

Of course, Ropery Hall is already known as being one of the most intimate venues, but it becomes even more so when Snake appears in pared down formats, usually with one, sometimes two guests. Acoustic, quiet, relaxed, close up. 

Guests to be announced soon.

‘Superb classic jazz and good foot-stomping tunes gave the audience reason to clap, cheer, sing and dance the night away.’ – Craven Herald

Jaki Graham is one of the most appealing Soul entertainers to emerge from the UK, as a true pioneer having paved the way for many a black British female solo artist who followed. Jaki achieved international success with a string of hits from ’85 including Could it Be I’m Falling In Love?, Round and Around, Set Me Free, Step Right Up and Breaking Away, also making the Music Guinness Book of Records in the 80’s as the first black British female solo artist to have 6 consecutive Top 10/20 hits.

Her career excelled in the 90’s with her album Real Life selling more than 800,000 copies in less than four weeks. Her cover of Ain’t Nobody reached No. 1 in the US Billboard Dance charts for 5 weeks as well as achieving gold in Australia, Japan and the USA.

Jaki is officially a Motown artist, as one of the only British females to hold this credential alongside Kiki Dee. Jaki also holds a Doctorate from the University of Wolverhampton, for which she was also made Pro-Chancellor due to her outstanding contributions to the music industry and awarded her very own Star on Birmingham’s Broad Street.

Jaki Graham firmly maintains her position as one of Britain’s most revered ladies of soul with the 2018 release of her long-awaited new studio album When a Woman Loves which topped the UK Soul Charts and produced a US Independent Chart No.1 single!

An Evening with Jaki Graham gives the perfect opportunity for real music lovers to experience Jaki’s hits and Motown classics stripped back, whilst turning the spotlight on her powerful and emotive vocals, highlighting her effervescent personality that she’s known and loved for, up close and personal!

BCO play a blistering barrage of traditional folk and gypsy-flavoured music from across the Balkans and Russia, Klezmer laments, Romanian Doinas, Hungarian Czadas and their own unique re-imaginings of some of the biggest tunes ever written by the classical greats.  The Budapest Café Orchestra was established in 2009 by British composer and violinist, Christian Garrick, and led by him have won legions of fans with their magical and infectious performances. 

A small, but impeccably formed, orchestra of just four players, the BCO combines violin, guitar, accordion, double bass, saz & balalaika to dazzling effect, creating an awesome aural alchemy normally only characteristic of far bigger ensembles. Two of the country’s celebrated international soloists revel at the heart of proceedings. Accordionist exemplar Eddie Hession is a supreme accordion champion of Great Britain. In his illustrious career he has accompanied Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras and Chris Rea.  Christian Garrick is one of the world’s most celebrated jazz violinists. He has played with the likes of Dame Cleo Laine & Sir John Dankworth, Wynton Marsalis, Nigel Kennedy, Bireli Lagrene and Caro Emerald. Another member of the Orchestra is one of Russia’s most enigmatic musical exports. The Sultan is played expertly by Adrian Zolotuhin, a master of the strummed strings of domra, balalaika, guitar and saz.  Veteran bass-man Kelly Cantlon has been in the business of laying down the low notes for many moons. Kelly found fame in the as a Vagabond with northern soul sensations Jimmy James and the Vagabonds. 

Evoking vivid images of Tzigane fiddle maestros, Budapest café life and gypsy campfires – plus a few surprises along the way – hugely entertaining, immense skill and profound musicianship, a show by the BCO is good enough to make you want to book that holiday down the Danube! 

“The music is magic in their hands.”  Sean Rafferty BBC Radio 3

“Not so much a band name as a whole genre of its own, Budapest Café Orchestra embraces an encyclopaedia of music and mischief.”  Scotsman

“Absolutely acoustically electrifying!”  Time Out

“Back by popular demand, the fiery vivacity and awe-inspiring musicianship of the finest purveyors of Eastern European gypsy music this side of a Lada scrap heap will leave you with a grin on your face and rhythm in your feet…”  TIMES

“The Budapest Cafe Orchestra play a blistering barrage of Czardas, East European and Russian folk tunes that might have come from the Hot Club of Paris via the Orient Express!”   Brighton Argus

“Their virtuistic skill, hilarious sense of humour and undoubted sensitivity kept the packed audience spellbound. Amazing…unlike any other band that i have ever heard.” Ely Standard

“Mascara rearrangers.” Fran Riley

“They make the world a better place.“  Bob Misto, Nevada, U.S.  

Since issuing their superb Songs of The Hollow album in 2017, CUA have gone on to become a band that has gathered in more praise than most from all the best sections of the media.

Reviewing them AmericanaUK, top writer Jeremy Searle said: “This Irish trio stands right at the forefront of contemporary cutting-edge folk and even that description sells it a little short.”

Issuing a similar judgement for Acoustic magazine, Julian Piper had this to say: “At its finest, music should confound and amaze the listener, and this trio from Ireland have the luck – and the ability – to be one of those outfits who can pull this off.”

Folkwords said, rightly: “Unlike anything else.”

As a result, there are many who cannot wait to catch the band in action and this will be their second major UK tour, although they caused a sensation when they attracted a capacity crowd to their Celtic Connections show in Glasgow, just before the pandemic struck. It had been the first event on the programme to become sold-out.