Celtic Womenfest 2012 More Additions to the Line UP

CELTIC WOMENFEST

August 26th & 27th

Bank Holiday Weekend at

The National Botanic Garden of Wales

A Platform for Women Musicans in Wales

FOLLOW THE FESTIVAL

JOIN THIS BLOG!!!

CW12 Welcomes to the line up ...

Danielle Lewis

Danielle is no stranger to the stage when it comes to performing having acted and sang from a young age. She has written in a variety of genres from soft rock, welsh folk, country to her very own Christmas Pop song! With her captivating stage presence and her sincere lyrics Danielle went on to win 'Best Band' in the National Urdd Eisteddfod'10 Llanerchaeron in 'Caniad Crisial' with her original Welsh songs including being 'Artist of the week' on Radio Cymru's DoddCom with her song 'Aros' and has had numerous radio play.

Jay Ryan

Jay is taking time out of her very busy schedule as part of the team who look after Only Boys Aloud at Torfaen County Council Arts Development, to bring us her set of self penned acoustic songs.

She says she has been 'Building up a bank of amazing memories' and certainly she is well known across South Wales for her contribution to Community Music. We welcome the chance to give her a platform in her own right as an established singer/ songwriter.

 

Stephanie Finnegan

Stephanie Finnegan is an exciting post punk singer songwriter based in Aberystwyth & a genius spoken word poet as well as being an up and coming Events Organiser: See Beyond Borders

http://www.facebook.com/beyondborderslive

She brings us self penned tracks from her new album

 

Beth Maguire

CW12 gives a platform to up and coming new artists such as Llanelli based Beth Maguire who will be bringing us her exciting acoustic set of self penned songs



CW12 Welcomes Singer/Song Writers

CELTIC WOMENFEST

August 26th & 27th
Bank Holiday Weekend at

The National Botanic Garden of Wales

A Platform for Women Musicans in Wales

Every week CW12 Creative Director Cheryl Beer will be releasing details of over 50 Women Acts performing as part of the 2 day  Festival.

FOLLOW THE FESTIVAL

JOIN THIS BLOG!!!

Avril Yospa

Multi Instrumentalist Avril Yospa is equally at home on piano as she is guitar or percussion. She is a deftly versatile vocalist able to convincingly create real vibe within all genres. Avril has played in many bands over the years appearing in festivals, harmony singing groups or solo.

 

Jo Couzens

Jo's soft melodic tunes take the listener on heartfelt journies with her thought provoking songs such as this one below, written for her daughter when when was diagnosed with autism.

<

Miranda Betts tbc

Miranda Betts  has a voice like melted chocolate, her songs touch the heart in a way that always makes you smile.

Patricia Mc Parlin

Patricia's unique voice sings with such emotion that she takes an audience with her when she performs her songs. She is also an established artist having exhibited in some of our leading Galleries.

Jacqueline Emslie

Although Jacquie has been singing all her life, she is a relative newcomer to live solo performance. Her vulnerable and touching songs tinged with her beautiful scottish accent, speak with quiet authority & calming resonnance

Hazel Saville

Writing both poetry and songs, Hazel sets her lyrics to her harp compositions beautifully. Another realtive new comer to live solo performance her charming way and dedication to her work makes her music a pleasure to listen to.

 

Welsh Transaltion of this Blog is available on request from The National Botnic Garden of Wales

Festival Founder & Creative Director: Cheryl Beer

www.cherylbeer.co.uk

cherylbeermusic@gmail.com

CW12 Welcomes Established Artists

Alison Lenihan

Alison has a long and established music career with a beautiful big voice and bubbly personality to match, singing show tunes, blues, rock, in well known welsh based bands across the counrty and beyond. She is our answer to Janice Joplin!

Alison has also been a Radio Presenter for some years on Women's Bits Show at Radio Tircoed & there is talk of her venturing into TV

Amanda Painting

Her experience coupled with her classical training on the piano has given her the skill to explore and experiment with her varied styles and improvisations. Her vocal range has developed into a beautiful and natural sound which totally compliments her skill on the piano.

Someone once wrote of her ...  "..you sing like an angel and swing like the devil!"

Since 1985, Amanda has performed in some of the most opulent hotels all over the world. While many of these high class establishments require the sophisticated style of music at which Amanda excels, it would be remiss not to mention one of the main reasons for her numerous return bookings - her popularity. The root of this lies in her overwhelming warmth and charm, coupled with an incredibly sharp wit. With some 20 years of on the road experience under her belt Amanda feels that her humour has proved to be a valuable friend.

Amanda is also  Radio Presenter having worked for 3 years at RAdio Ceredgion and is currently touring her ner One Woman Show which combines her passion for music with meta physics.

 

Anne Lister

Anne has been writing songs ever since she can remember, and performing in UK folk clubs ever since she was first able to persuade a barman to serve her with orange juice.

Her work always attracts attention - songs which take myths and legends and weave them into a new relevance. Songs which pack a surprising emotional punch through the ancient tales. A simple, direct approach to performance, laced with liberal doses of humour and a close rapport with the audience. Entertaining and informative, with a careful blend of traditional and contemporary references. Celtic, Saxon, Norman and European plaited into one variegated braid - not a bad heritage! http://www.annelister.com/

                         Heather Summers

Initially a classically trained violinist, Heather also plays mandolin and percussion, in particular cajon, and combines many styles in her performance - folk, jazz, classical and Eastern influences. She has performed and recorded on both sides of the world in a number of world folk, contemporary and world music bands including Bull's Wool, Cardi, On The Edge, Scrape the Grape, Fireweb, and as a solo performer, Reel Fiddle.

Heather was one of the founding directors of Women In Tune, the longest running women only Festival in Wales, based in Lampeter: http://www.womenintune.co.uk/

CELTIC WOMENFEST 2012

26th & 27th August Bank Holiday

kindly hosted by

The National Botanic GArden of Wales

Creative Director: Cheryl Beer www.cherylbeer.co.uk

cherylbeermusic@gmail.com

Welsh Transaltion of this Blog is available by request from NBGW



CW12 Welcomes Wales' Young Singer Songwriters!

START GETTING EXCITED

FESTIVAL FEVER IS HERE!

Aislinn Peters

Aislinn is the front-woman and songwriter for the popular ska band 'Miacca.' Her lyrics are mature and thought-provoking and her melodies captivating. She can often be found playing in and around Swansea either on her own or as part of her band.

CW12 Welcomes

Wales' Young Singer/ Song writers

CELTIC WOMENFEST August 26th & 27th Bank Holiday Weekend at

The National Botanic Garden of Wales

A Platform for Women Musicans in Wales

Every week CW12 Creative Director Cheryl Beer will be releasing details of over 50 Women Acts performing as part of the 2 day  Festival.

FOLLOW THE FESTIVAL

JOIN THIS BLOG!!!

Emma Payne

Born and bred Welsh, proud mother of three, Emma Payne has been playing guitar for 6 years, began writing 3 years ago and emerged on the music scene at the beginning of 2010 performing live on Radio Tircoed and supporting Simon Fowler of Ocean colour scene.

Esther Kane

Esther Kane is a 25 year old singer-songwriter from Swansea. She has been writing songs, singing and playing guitar for the best part of 10 years. Her distinctive voice and captivating lyrics are a pleasure to listen to. Her influences include Ryan Adams, Lana Del Rey, Bob Dylan and Bon Iver.

Chambles

Carys Elen Jones is an 18 year old singer-songwriter originally from London but now living in Carmarthen. Her lyricism and 'kitchen sink angst' intertwined with ideas of the Romantic era have been compared to the rawness of Laura Marling and her soundscapes with the likes of Elbow and Coldplay. This sound is pure and meaningful... a heart being poured out and squeezed until every drop of feeling is absorbed by the listener.

Stacey Cohen

Stacey has captivated audiences across the UK and beyond with intense, inspiring performances that effuse with love, intimacy and the energy of a woman who knows how to own the stage. Stacey’s vibrancy and spirit are engaging a fan base that is growing along with her musical accomplishments.

Clare Axtell

Claire has been writing music and playing guitar for about 8 years now but is a relative newcomer to perfromance now regularly playing at open mic's ; her influences include Pearl Jam, Three Days Grace and Bob Dylan.

Jemma Krysa

Jemma is an acoustic folk singer songwriter from the rural mining village of Tairgwaithin South Wales. Jemma’s unique voice has a captivating velvet warmth and together with her emotive lyrics and beautiful rhythmic melodies. She is proving to be a big hit on the circuit.

Many thanks to our Festival Volunteer 15 year Old Singer Song Writer Sarah Passmore for collecting the pictures and info of these performers from their websites.She is currently working on her new album and is listed in a later posting 

KEEP AN EYE ON THE BLOG FOR MORE UP AND COMING ARTISTS JOINING THE LINE UP !!

Welsh Transaltion of CW12 is available from

The National Botanic Garden of Wales

www.cherylbeer.co.uk

CW12 FESTIVAL PATRONS: Sian James

CW12 Welcomes Festival Patron Welsh Harpist & Singer/Songwriter ...

                            

Sían James

       Siân James live on stage at the Festival Interceltique de Lorient

Sían James' recording career began in 1990 with the eclectic Cysgodion Karma (Shadows of Karma: SAIN SCD4037) produced by Les Morrison. This is a mixture of traditional and original songs.

Her second album Distaw (Quiet: SAIN SCD 2025) also produced by Morrison was released in 1993 where she struck up a successful writing partnership with the poet and award winning novelist Angharad Jones.

A purely traditional album followed in 1996 with Gweini Tymor (Serving a Season: SAIN SCD2145) - a selection of the many songs she had sung since she was a child. The fourth album Di-Gwsg (Sleepless: SAIN SCD2153) saw her branching into more contemporary territory under the direction of the producer Ronnie Stone who had previously worked with artists such as Enya, Mansun, and The Lotus Eaters. Her fifth album was a commissioned soundtrack for BBC2 called Birdman, her first bilingual production.

Her most recent albums - Pur, Y Ferch o Bedlam and Adar ac Anifeiliaid- were all recorded and released on the label she created with her partner Gwyn Jones, Recordiau Bos Records, which they established together at their rural home in Mid Wales.

Siân has toured extensively throughout the world for many years, her concerts taking her to Japan, the USA, Canada, Germany, Italy, Brittany, Friesland, Ireland, Scotland, England and of course nearly every town in Wales!

Some of the highlights of her career to date have been a month long tour in 2000 of the United States. The cities visited included Chicago, Milwaukee, Dallas, Houston, San Francisco, Denver and Albuquerque; her performance at the star studded concert titled Voices of a Nation marking the opening of the Welsh assembly where other artists included Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey; a performance for Womad at the Globe Theatre, and subsequently at the Womad Festival; singing on the soundtrack for the film "The Englishman who went up a hill and came down a mountain" which was recorded at Abbey Road studios.

Siân was recently awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the University of Wales Bangor for her services to Welsh culture. She says

"I remain as passionate about the music of my country today as I was in the heady days of my youth.

Over the years I have experimented with their wonder fusing other styles such as jazz and blues and programmed rhythms, with varying instruments, whilst never losing respect for their innate beauty.

I am filled with hope and joy for the future of Welsh folk music as I witness a whole new generation of musicians performing, experimenting and opening their minds to the endless possibilities this genre offers them.

Indeed, for me, the songs and music of my country are my haven from the bedlam of life!"

 

DON'T MISS IT!

MAKE SURE YOU BOOK

26TH & 27TH AUGUST INTO YOUR DIARY

CELTIC WOMENFEST 2012

... more than 40 acts in 2 days

NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDEN OF WALES

CW12 Creative Director: Cheryl Beer

http://www.cherylbeer.co.uk/

cherylbeermusic@gmail.com

Welsh Transaltion of this blog can be obtained from

The National Botanic Garden of Wales

Festival Patrons @ CW12: Heather Jones

CW12 is very pleased to welcome ... 
FESTIVAL PATRON

 Bi-Lingual Singer/ Song Writer

HEATHER JONES

Heather Jones is one third of the ‘holy trinity’ of Welsh musicians (alongside Meic Stevens and Geraint Jarman).

Hardly surprising, then, that Goreuon Heather is a memorable collection of the nation’s cultural ambassador’s folk and rock material.

Ar ei halbym diweddaraf, ‘Enaid’, mae Heather yn cael cwmni Gwilym Morus a Gwyneth Glyn ar ddwy ddeuawd arbennig, ac mae’r cyfansoddwyr eraill yn cynnwys Ynyr Roberts, Geraint Jarman, Gwenno Dafydd, Hywel Gwynfryn a Meic Stevens.

Born and bred in Cardiff, Heather learnt Welsh as a second language, and has been at the forefront of Welsh folk singing in both languages since the 70s. She is not confined to one style, and can turn her vocal ability to the field of rock, ballad and blues with natural ease.

As a singer and composer, Heather has the ability to convey her personal experiences with intense candour. Her great strength is that she takes the art of singing seriously and always strives for the best. Heather is still captivating audiences throughout Wales with a style which emanates from a warm, witty and positive personality.

In 2005 Finders Keepers Records released the collection ‘Welsh Rare Beat’ that featured some of her early tracks: The Observer Music Monthly “recommended 10” (August 2005)

FESTIVAL PATRONS @ CW12: Jen Wilson Jazz Piano

CW12 Welcomes Festival Patron:

JEN WILSON
with Margot Morgan singing Dylan Thomas's poems.

Jen Wilson With Stan Tracy performing a commissioned piece for

Swansea's Year of Literature and Writing in 1995.

We are so pleased that Jen Wilson is coming as one of our Patrons to perform Jazz Piano &with  Dylan Thomas Poetry sang by Margot Morgan for Celtic Womenfest this August Bank Holiday 26th & 27th August at The National Botanic Garden of Wales.

Jen Wilson is celebrating

Over 50 years as a Jazz Pianist.

http://www.jenwilsonjazzpiano.co.uk/

Her biog reads like a 'who's who' of Jazz, performing with the likes of the Ronnie Scott Quartet in 1959 & her contribution to restoring the presence of women's music history in her genre is nothing short of inspirational, being the founder of Women in Jazz.

She is an AMAZING musician and very special human being!

Jen Wilson with Uzo Iwobi, Chair of Swansea African Community Centre

We are so delighted that she is supporting CW12 and coming to perform extracts from her current album

'12 poems' setting the works of Dylan Thomas to Jazz Music.

On her website Jen gives us an insight into the stereotypes she faced in the late 1950's when she started performing:

'Some quotes over the years from the jazz police....

“You can't play that”

“One of the girlfriend's luv?”

“Play ballads, much more fitting”

“Wear high heels next time”

“She can't sing here in Doc Marten's boots”

“Girls can't play jazz”

“Your set is not what we usually have”

“You shouldn't have her on the bandstand, it's not jazz”

“There aren't any women jazz musicians are there?”

“What do you want to set up a women's jazz archive for?”

“You like Jerry Lee Lewis? I wouldn't mention that if I were you”

“Lovie Austin? Never heard of her”

“We won't offer a gig, but you can have an open mic slot”

“She's a manhater and she won't have men in her band”

“Wear a dress”

Here she is, still performing

Over Half a Century later!

Now that IS jazz!

Make sure you book the August Bank Holiday

Celtic Womenfest into your diary to see more than 40 of our gifted musicians, song writers & poets

in The National Botanic Garden of Wales

Come & Be Inspired!

CW12 is brought to you via a partnership between Cheryl Beer, Creative Director &

The National Botanic Garden of Wales

Full details available from www.cherylbeer.co.uk

NB: Welsh Transaltion is available on request from The National Botanic Garden of Wales

at 10 Downing Street having been invited for their work together

commemorating the Bi-Centenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade

FESTIVAL PATRONS @ CW12: AMY WADGE : Singer/Songwriter

Amy Wadge: Festival Patron @ CW12

Hello folks!

All this year, behind the scenes, I have been beavering away drumming up support to put together the first  CELTIC WOMENFEST & am so chuffed to tell you that IT IS HERE!

Well, nearly ..

Thanks to the tremendous support from  women musicians across Wales. The response to my Call for Acts on Facebook has been absolutely breath taking with over 100 acts asking to perform.

CW12 is brought to you through LOVE & WOMAN POWER!

... with no outside funding!

MASSIVE thanks goes to The National Botanic Garden of Wales for so kindly giving us the site as a venue, the sound system and covering the support structure ...   in particular to David Hardy, Marketing & Communication Manager, for his vision, enabling me to bring a Women's Music Event to such an oustandingly beautiful and quite frankly awe inspiring venue at Peak Season.

And the burning question is ...

 who will be performing?

Every week I will bring you details of the acts that are coming.

This week I am going to tell you about our

FESTIVAL PATRONS

Theses are women musicians who are leading the way in their genre; trail blazers making hugely significant contributions to the Welsh Music Scene.

We are so grateful to these women for sharing their creativity with us and supporting this inaugral  CW12 Festival at The National Botanic Garden of Wales as our Patrons ...

CW12 Welcomes ...

AMY WADGE

http://www.amywadge.com/

Amy is widely regarded as one of the country's most successful female singer/songwriters. Over the course of five solo albums, two collaborations, numerous compositions for other artists(most recently including Ed Sheerhan) and hundreds of live performances all over the globe, she has established an outstanding body of work.


Her voice is simply amazing with a breathtaking range and emotional impact while her songwriting continues to surpass most of her contemporaries. "An irresistible, riveting performer" - Bob Harris, BBC Radio 2

Q Magazine: Pint sized poetess with Valley quaking voice. Her songs have a raw vibrancy that suit her earthy voice and emotionally mature lyrics: