Widdershins Ceilidh Band

Meet The Band

But First There's Nigel

Nigel Staton (Caller):

Nigel is  a caller with considerable experience and sensitivity who is  able to adjust his dance sets to suit the experience of the dancers and is not beyond creating a dance to suit a situation . He draws on a vast repertoire of dances for all ages and abilities, and can usually be found on the dance floor enjoying a quick "strip the willow" with the dancers.

Actually Nigel is very patient with the dancers but the band know what lurks beneath that winning smile and are like little mice when he is explaining one of his dances and dare not interrupt or make witty cryptic observations or suggestions from the stage - HONEST!!

A classically trained musician, Adrian first learned the Melodeon to help kick-start the Winster Morris revival. He sang in folk clubs in Derbyshire before moving to North Yorkshire and joining the Broadgate Band. He has been heavily involved with folk music in schools and was a director of Folkworks representing educational interests.

Adrian specialises in instruments that defy human logic vis. melodian, concertina and Northumbrian pipes but if he didn't have these little problems to solve he'd only be injuring himself on his motorbikes or turning another fifty salt and pepper pots on his lathe. And now he's turned his hand to making the pipes he plays as well.

Adrian plays Castagnari and Hohner melodeons and Crabbe, English concertina.

Dave Chapman

Bass and Mandolin

Dave sang in folk clubs around Sheffield and formed various folk groups over the years, playing with Midsummer Level the resident folk group at Chepstow Folk Club. He was for a while involved with musical promotions and also played bass in the local jazz group The Downe And Outs and with the Sid Mould Quintet.

He formed a ceilidh band in 1983 to raise money for his school in Castleton. This played as The Broadgate Band for a number of years becoming Widdershins as new personnel from far off Whitby area replaced the old guard.

When not playing instruments he makes and mends stringed instruments in his shed on the moors.

Dave plays Ibanez acoustic bass and Godin Mandolin.

Gillian Edwards

Fiddle and Recorder

Gillian has a classical music background, but took up fiddle to play for Morris dancing in Somerset and found a lifelong love of traditional music and folk in its broadest sense.

She teaches folk dancing in the local village school and has recently formed a twenty strong Community Ceilidh Band to play for local dances. Gillian also sings with the women's acapella group "Henwen", appearing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for last five years.

Name dropping is not one of Gillian's fortes but I'm sure she won't mind me telling you that Liza Carthy played in Gillian's recorder group whilst a pupil at her school - well I'm impressed.

Phil Moore

Keyboard

Phil has played extensively with Val Cutler, Ian Cutler and Colin Rees "from the Bully Wee Band" on the London Folk Scene. He is presently playing with Steve Phillips ("Notting Hillbillies") and the Rough Diamonds.

Phil also worked with Charles O'Connor (Horslips) and Chris Parkinson (The House Band).

One of Phil's moments to remember was whilst roadying for The Notting Hillbillies he got to play Happy Birthday to Mark Knoffler at Ronnies (He's still waiting for the call from Mark).

Phil’s real job is making furniture for the rich and famouse - Every band has room for a player with a van - fortunately this one is quite a good keyboard player as well.

Phil plays Roland.

Jack - Up The Boro - Gibson

Percussion

Jack is the band wind-up merchant and Middlesbrough FC supporter - a fact he compensates for by eating anything anytime.

Jack started as a singer in a dance band and became a vibes player, appearing in various Teeside jazz groups during a distinguished musical career. He has worked with Steve Gray (of the group "Sky"), Roy Babbington ("Soft Machine" and the "Stan Tracey Big Band") and jazz pianist Race Newton. Jack has been a cabaret musician, an orchestral player and a theatre pit percussionist, but his first love is jazz.

In fact, until he discovered Widdershins, he wouldn't have been caught dead playing folk!

Jack is currently playing with Steve Phillips and The Rough Diamonds.

Jack plays a collection of much loved tom tom drums  with fingerless woolly gloves taped to some of the skins.

Unusual I hear you say,

Copyright notice

Adrian Hopley

Melodeon - Concertina - Small Pipes

Gillian plays a fiddle purchased from Charles O’Connor hence the Horslips sticker on the

case in the picture.

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