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Folk Bands and Artists

Banter

Banter

Northamptonshire

http://www.banter.band

“Banter are absolutely fantastic… such beautiful harmonies and great playing” – Ralph McTell

“Banter have opened a new chapter with their exciting take on basically English dance music” – Ashley Hutchings

“Funky brass, unexpected jazz chords, thought-provoking songs..” – Jude Abbott (Chumbawamba)

“A splendid disregard for musical boundaries, but with a respect for English traditional music” – Songlines Magazine – 4 star review

Banter are: Simon Care on melodeon, Nina Zella on keyboards & vocals, Tim Walker on drums, percussion, brass & vocals and Mark Jolley on bass, fiddle, guitar & vocals.

Four fine musicians who’s roots are firmly in the traditional English genre, but who enjoy stretching the limits.

Formed in 2015, they realised that a common love for the living traditions of English song and dance music was at their core and began to pursue it’s evolution, bringing in flavours from a wider palette of musical influences.

They have gained a reputation for being powerfully unique in the English traditional music genre. Their popularity grew rapidly, placing them in great demand to perform at many of the UK’s largest festivals including: Glastonbury, Cambridge Folk Festival, Broadstairs Folk Week, Sidmouth Folk Festival, Whitby Folk Week, Folk East, Oxford Folk Week, Wickham Festival, Gate To Southwell Festival and Towersey Festival as well as internationally at European festivals.

With the release of their first three albums, YES, DARE and THREE between 2017 and 2021, they received rave plaudits in the music press including 4 and 5 star reviews in FATEA, Songlines and RnR Magazines and performed a Valentine’s Day live session on Mark Radcliffe’s BBC Radio 2 Folk Show.

Banter is set to release their highly anticipated fourth studio album Heroes on the 29th April 2024. One of the most popular bands on the UK folk festival circuit and loved for their bold and innovative approach to traditional music, Now a fully fledged four piece collectively and individually Banter pay tribute to their personal and musical Heroes with this remarkable new album.

Heroes showcases Banter’s impressive ability to not only rework traditional and contemporary material, but also compose original songs like thought-provoking sea tale Picking a Ship. The band’s version of Lay Me Low by John Tams has already been described by folk legend Martin Simpson as”Better than the original”. Similarly, Banter has breathed new life to Pete Coe’s classic, Rolling Down The Ryburn and JUNO Award Winning songwriter, David Francey’s “Torn Screen Door”. After recently sharing a stage with them, Ralph McTell described Banter as, “Absolutely fantastic! Beautiful harmonies”.

The other tracks on the album are a similarly engaging collection of, both traditional and original songs and tunes that showcase the compositional talents of Banter’s creative powerhouse, Nina Zella. Most recently her voice has been repeatedly compared to that of Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac by BBC Radio 2’s Mark Radcliffe

The upbeat opening track The Oak And The Ash is set to be released as a digital single on March 11th 2024.

Jake’s Jig, the final track on the album, is performed solo by English Folk melodeon stalwart, Simon Care as a poignant tribute to his life-long friend and musical collaborator Gareth Turner, who sadly passed away in late 2023.

Although just four people, they create a huge sound and have been described as the world’s smallest big band.

Genre: Contemporary folk,English Folk

GIGS COMING UP

Live in UK
- BANTER HEROES SPRING TOUR CONCERT - (Rest of the UK)

Banter

Thursday 28th March · 8:00PM · The Barn in Baston · Baston · £15

 

Live in UK
- BANTER HEROES SPRING TOUR CONCERT - (Rest of the UK)

Banter

Tuesday 2nd April · 8:00PM · Roses Theatre · Tewkesbury, Glos. · £17

 

Live in UK
- BANTER HEROES SPRING TOUR CONCERT - (Rest of the UK)

Banter

Thursday 4th April · 7:00PM · The Unicorn Theatre · Abingdon · £15 / £17

 

Live in UK
- BANTER HEROES SPRING TOUR CONCERT - (Rest of the UK)

Banter

Sunday 5th May · 7:30PM · The Cricket Pavilion, Hitchin · Hitchin · £16 / £18

 

Live in UK
- BANTER HEROES SPRING TOUR CONCERT - (Rest of the UK)

Banter

Friday 7th June · 8:45PM · The Stables Theatre · Milton Keynes · £13.50

 
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