Fiddlers Various Logo 2007

Fiddlers Various 2007
Tommy Peoples

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Master Irish fiddler Tommy Peoples from Donegal has accepted an invitation from KentFolk to visit the South East of England in the Summer of 2007, as a Fiddlers Various special event.

Tommy Peoples was a founding member of the Bothy Band, and has recorded numerous CDs, some of which fail to do him full justice, and from some of which he has received little or no financial recompense. His remarkable self-produced CD "The Quiet Glen" (1998) earned him Ireland's highest accolade as "Traditional Musician of the Year", the first person to be so honored by the Irish Government. In spite of this he is an intensely modest man.

At the time Tommy was living and playing regularly in County Clare - KentFolk paid a wonderful 10 day visit in 1999, following Tommy from gig to gig. Tommy then moved to the USA, where he gave many workshops and concerts. More recently Tommy has moved back to his old family home in County Donegal, and we have a chance to hear him again in the UK.

Catharine Kingcome, who has painted many Irish musicians in addition to the above picture about Tommy, and is a fiddler herself, says of Tommy : "in my opinion probably the best trad Irish fiddle player there's ever been". For myself, I hear a complexity and detail in his playing that I have not heard elsewhere.

KentFolk flew to Scotland just before Christmas 2005 and attended a workshop and recital by Tommy near Glasgow, and also Fiddle 2005 in Edinburgh, where Tommy gave both a talk and a concert. If anything there seemed to be an even greater depth to Tommy's playing.

KentFolk has arranged for Tommy Peoples to come from Donegal to the South East of England in the summer of 2007.

Tommy will hold an all-day fiddle workshop at the Lewes Arms, Lewes, near Brighton, Sussex, BN7 1YH, on Saturday 9th June, 2007, and then give an evening concert. The workshop will follow the standard format of Lewes Arms Folk Club workshop days and there will be twenty places at £35 each. Separate tickets for the evening performance will be available in advance. To register interest in the Lewes Arms events and receive a booking form nearer the time, please send your postal address to valmaigoodyear@aol.com. Full details will also appear on the club's website www.members.aol.com/lewesarmsfolk.

The following day, on Sunday 10th June, 2007, Tommy Peoples will come to Kent, and hold a full afternoon's workshop at the excellent Littlebourne Thatched Barn, near Canterbury, CT3 1TU, followed by an evening concert. Workshop tickets will be £20 per place.

Other fiddle events will be arranged as part of Fiddlers Various 2007, but these are yet to be confirmed. It is too early to start accepting definite bookings, but we are keeping a list of interested people. If you would like to be sent a booking form nearer the time, please send your postal and email addresses to Beau@KentFolk.com - web based booking will also be possible for the Littlebourne events at www.KentFolk.com/tickets.


Fiddlers Various 2005 photo report

Some of Tommy Peoples' CDs, including "The Quiet Glen", are available from Custy's Traditional Music Shop, 1 Francis Street, Ennis, Co. Clare, Ireland. (Do a search on their site for "Peoples".)