Chris and Si

We had a fantastic live session on rootsandshoots this evening from Chris Jewell and Si Hopkins - aka Step2 Ceilidh Band.
Listen to the show here.
Video with Chris and Si in the studio here.

They performed for us...
A Set of Slip Jigs, Donkey Riding / Pepper In The Brandy and a Set of Shetland Reels on melodeon, guitar and banjo and a song The Lancashire Lads sung by Si.


We played 2 tracks from albums they contributed to. Chris's band M4trix with The Awakening from the album Gaps plus Cheri Ici, Cheri La Bas from The Bayou Tapestry by Si's band Zig A Zag. Excellent music.

Find out more about Chris and Si's music on their Step2 Ceilidh Band website.

Pics and video (to follow) by Dorota Turowska and Cecil Hatfield.


Other recordings played
Diabel Cissokho..Sarro..Kanabory Siyama
Julaba Kunda (Juldeh Camara & Griselda Sanderson)..Sademi..Traders
The Chieftains feat. Punch Punch Brothers..The Frost Is Over..Voice Of Ages
Lara Conley..Apple Tree..Apple Tree
Boban I Marco Marcovic..Rromano Bijav..Golden Horns
Duo Thébout..Rondeau À Clément..Le Pingouin Ivre
Spiro..Yellow Noise.. Kaleidophonica
Amadou & Mariam..Cherie..Folila
Juju..Nightwalk..In France
She'koyokh Klezmer Ensembl..Sandanski's Chicken..Doina
Criolo..Nao Existe Amor Em SP..No No Orellia
Fatoumata Diawara ..Bakonoba ..Fatou
Green Angels..Bouree White..What It Is!
Ricardo Tesi..Leldorado..Presente Remoto

Music to step to: great to listen to too!

We welcome Chris Jewell and Si Hopkins to rootsandshoots on Phonic FM on Monday 30 April when they will play live and talk about their music.

Chris Jewell plays melodeon, accordion, fiddle, guitar and other instruments besides and he's good at all of them! Si Hopkins is equally expert at guitar, banjo and accordion. He is a fine singer too. Together they produce entrancing music. They both regularly perform with top Devon folk dance bands including their own two-piece Step2 Ceilidh Band.

St George's Day...

...is celebrated in England, Georgia, Bulgaria, India, Romania, Palestine and Catalonia and many other places too. Our music this evening acknowledged this.

Here's our playlist:

Shirley & Dolly Collins..Lancashire Lass..For As Many As Will
Martin Carthy..A Stitch In Time..Right Of Passage
Haneen..Al Majnoona Tango

Trio Bulgarka..Kuzum

Diabel Cissokho..Sarro..Kanabory Siyama
Benjamin Zephania..Rasta..Rasta
Jackie Oates..Four Pence A Day..Saturnine
Jim Moray..Home Upon The Hill..Modern History
Odila Ensemble..Traditional Songs From Georgia
Anoushka Shankar..Traveller..Anoushka Shankar Live
Nic Jones..Rose Of Allendale..In Search Of Nic Jones
Ben & Alfie..Hot Ginger..Milestones
Ojos De Brujo..Quien Engana No Gana
Taraf De Haidouks..Rustem Si Suite

Spin2..Yo To Be (Somewhere In England)..Happy In The World
Bert Weedon..Twelve String Shuffle..Notations  
Spiro..The Mezzotint..Kaleidophonica 
The Destroyers..Red Tape..Hole In The Universe
Miranda Sykes & Rex Preston..Trouble..Miranda Sykes & Rex Preston      
Ganesh & Kumaresh Rajagopalan Brothers..Raagam Gambhira Nattai..Sounds Of South Asia
Mory Kante..Diananko (Radio Edit)..Rhythm of the River
Levon Helm..The Mountain..Dirt Farmer
The She'Koyokh Klezmer Ensemble..Bendi Glendi ..Balkan Fever London
Michael Occhipinti..Vitti 'na Crozza..The Sicilian Jazz Project
Mahsa Vahdat ..Mystery..Listen To the Banned

Phonic FM presents Roots and Shoots Live!

Top local bands at
The Voodoo Lounge,
Exeter Phoenix
on Saturday 9 June.

Monkey Gland Blues Band

+ Moor Reason


+ Josie Lloyd

Doors open 19:30.
Concert: 20:00 - 23:00.
Tickets: only £5 in advance (£6 at door) from
Exeter Phoenix Box Office: 01392 667080.

All profits to Phonic FM.

Maz and Robin

Our guests today were up-and-coming musician Maz Totterdell singing her own songs live plus the legendary Robin Williamson talking by phone about his career and his music.

Listen again to the show here.
Watch a video featuring Maz on Roots & Shoots here.

Pictures and video of Maz Totterdell courtesy of 
Cecil Hatfield and Dorota Turowska.

We were delighted to welcome back to the show 
Maz Totterdell who is receiving some acclaim and lots of airplay for her album Sweep. She is also gaining lots of new fans through her live performances, solo and with her band.

Maz performed live 3 songs that appear on her album: Heart In Your Pocket, Willow and Little Puzzle. From Sweep we played Kaleidoscope. From the album Postcards From Within: Singer-Songwriters From Mid Devon And Beyond, we played the contribution by Maz, Never Say Never.

Find out more about Maz Totterdell's music and a list of festivals and other events at which she is appearing on MySpace.

Robin Williamson and John Renbourn are touring together. They are appearing this Thursday 19 April at Exeter Phoenix. Robin spoke to us about his musical history - including his rise to prominence with The Incredible String Band in the 60s and 70s and his collaborations with other eminent musicians, about his interest in traditional stories and his story telling along with the Celtic harp and about his obviously enjoyable playing with the renowned guitarist John Renbourn.

Robin informed us that albums are due soon: by Robin and Bina Williamson, a solo album incorporating prints of Robin's paintings and Robin Williamson and John Renbourn live.

We played several recordings by Robin and John:
John Renbourn..Blueberry Hill..Palermo Snow
Robin Williamson..The Lady With The Book..The Celtic Band
Robin Williamson and John Renbourn..Medley..Nobody's Fault But My Own
Robin Williamson and John Renbourn..Stoned On Your Love from YouTube.

We also played
Poisson Rouge..Le Femme De Marbre..Cinq
Duo Thebaut..Bal Limosin..YouTube
Diabel Cissokho..Senegal-Mali..Kanabory Siyame
The Little Unsaid..To My Lordless Sons..Small Change EP
Dan Raza..Leaving Without You..Dan Raza
Keb' Mo'..Come In My Kitchen..Keb' Mo'
Miranda Sykes & Rex Preston..Sweet Pea / Mean To Me..Miranda Sykes & Rex Preston
Anoushka Shankar..Casi Uno..Traveller
Ibrahim Ferrer..Compositor Confundido..Cuban Legends - The Essential Ibrahim Ferrer
Tito Paris..Mar Azul..World Routes - Disc 2
Slipdown Dog..Until The Morning Light..The Plough On EP
Mendes Brothers..Rosera de Abril..The Gate of Return 1

Live performances coming up...

...on rootsandshoots:

16 April Maz Totterdell
pictured in the Phonic FM studio
+ Interview with Robin Williamson

30 April Chris Jewell and
Si Hopkins

21 May Galley Beggar

28 May Stacey Earle and
Mark Stuart

4 June Eric Ness and band

No show

this week. Sorry!

Phonic FM presents Roots and Shoots live!

• • Saturday 9 June 2012
  • 19:30

• Voodoo Lounge,  Exeter Phoenix

• Moor Reason + Josie Lloyd + Monkey Gland Blues Band Tickets - £5 in advance from the Phoenix Box Office: 01392 667080 or £6 on the door.

LATEST VIDEO: Tobias and Cleo

See the video of
Tobias Ben Jacob and Cleo Brooks performing on rootsandshoots on Monday 2 April here.


Photo: Dorota Turowska and Cecil Hatfield
Video: Cecil Hatfield

These wonderful musicians are performing at The Clifford Room at Barnfield Theatre, Exeter on Thursday 12 April. The concert begins at 20:30.

NEW: Videos of Roots and Shoots performances

No. 1. Simon and Rhys: 26 March 2012. A video by Cecil Hatfield. Watch here.


Photo: Dorota Turowska and Cecil Hatfield

Guitar and Cello music...

...live in the studio today from Tobias Ben Jacob and 
Cleo Brooks - and beautiful it was too! The two musicians are part of the reformed group Lampliter. They performed three songs together, all penned by Tobias:
Two Wanderers (In 1980's Clothes)*, Sing Us Into Life and Your Sweet Smiling Face. Tobias also sang and played one number solo: It's Still A Beautiful World.

*A recording of Two Wanderers is available as a free download here.

Tobias and Cleo are in concert - along with John Elliot of The Little Unsaid - on Thursday 12 April at 20:30 at the Barnfield Theatre (Clifford Room). This is presented by Barnfield Theatre Music Club.

Recordings played
Boréale..Chepeloco (Chapeloise)..Mousson
Bob Marley & The Wailers..Get Up Stand Up..Legend
Lampliter..I Won't Let You Down..Lampliter EP
Jim Moray..Horkstow Grange..Skulk
M4trix..Farewell to Whalley Range / Jon Brady's Jig..Gaps
Ruarri Joseph..Anyway
Robin Williamson & John Renbourn..Stoned On Your Love
Tarika..Voandalana (Fruit Of The Trip)..Son Egal
The Klezmatics..NY Psycho Freylekhs..Rhythm & Jews
3Daft Monkeys..The Antiquated and the Arcane ...The Antiquated And The Arcane 
Totally Gourdgeous..Drop..Pun Kin 
Opotopo (Easy Kabaka Brown)..Agboho..Songlines CD #83 (
Mike Outram, Pete Whittaker, Robert Fripp, Roy Dodds & Theo Travis..Pallendream..Double Talk Jazz    
Zelda & Sonja ..Hablando Tango..Tango Fusion Club - Vol. 1 
Vlatko Stefanovsky and Miroslav Tadi ..Gajdarsko Oro..Live in Belgrade 
Umberto Echo..Sultana..Dubtrain Reggae    
Tony Grey..Floating River Yangtze..Moving Jazz