Once again, we have a tremendous line-up featuring many excellent performers, with more to come.

Dick Hensold is a free-lance musician specializing in four genres: early music, celtic music (specifically the traditional music of Scotland, Ireland, Northumberland and Cape Breton Island), Nordic folk music and Cambodian traditional music. He performs on Northumbrian small-pipes (a quiet bagpipe from Northeast England), Medieval greatpipes, Scottish Highland pipes, Swedish bagpipes, recorder, seljefløyte (Norwegian willow flute), low whistle and traditional Cambodian reed instruments. “One of the foremost Northumbrian smallpipers in North America, he has performed in both Scotland and Northumberland, and has taught Northumbrian smallpipes at workshops in the United States, Canada, and Northumberland. He has played the Winnipeg Folk Festival, the Edinburgh Folk Festival, and the Lowland and Border Piper's Society Collogue (Peebles, Scotland). He is principal composer and arranger for the Celtic-oriented quartet Piper's Crow, and also performs with several other folk groups and as part of a traditional Cambodian ensemble. He released his solo CD, Big Music for Northumbrian Smallpipes, in August 2007. www.dickhensold.com”
Laura MacKenzie plays flutes, whistles, concertina, many bagpipes and sings. In performance, Laura has worked with many ensembles, from Boiled in Lead (world beat rock 'n reel), Walking On Air (British Isles folk), and Macha Tri (Celtic trio) to Lorie Line's Pop Chamber Orchestra, with whom she toured nationally from 1997-2005. “Laura has been privileged to perform with some of the great names in Irish music, including Daithi Sproule, Paddy O'Brien, Liz Carroll, Martin Hayes and Katie McMahon. She has also been honoured to share the stage with heroes of Scottish and English piping, Hamish Moore, Jon Swayne and Julian Goodacre. Her love for the music of various piping traditions and passion for playing these instruments has led her more recently to the music of Central France and Northern Spain, all of which she encompasses in performance. www.lauramackenzie.com” Dick and Laura will be performing in both main concerts and there may be a workshop – look out for updates on the website
Monsieur Pantin (The Saturday dance) “Monsieur Pantin are an exciting acoustic world/roots music trio comprising the world-renowned piper Jean-Pierre Rasle, ex-Albion Band and Jah Wobble, along with fellow Cock and Bull Band members Steve Cobham on acoustic guitar and Paul Martin on mandocello. Their music combines original compositions with traditional melodies to produce music to stir the feet and lift the spirits, taking in influences from around the world to create soundscapes for every mood. www.monsieurpantin.co.uk”
John Tose (Concerts Saturday, Sunday) Erstwhile editor and writer in chief for Chanter, John has been piping for about 20 years, mostly for Morris until 1997, when he joined Pibau Pencader with Ceri Matthews. This was a Welsh piping club and lack of available instruments led John into making suitable bagpipes and pibgyrn to fill the need. He was a member of the band Pibe Bach, with Ceri and two drummers, gigging throughout Wales and also for the British Council in Libya (the first western group to perform there for 30 years), Palestine and Oman. Since then he has continued making pipes and been part of Pibau Preseli – a mock-medieval pipes & drum group playing Welsh, Breton and Galician music. He has returned to playing for Morris with Landsker Clog Morris. www.pibydd.fsnet.co.uk
Jon Swayne & Becky Price (Saturday dance) Jon Swayne and Becky Price have been playing together for a few years, having discovered a natural rapport in their approach to music. On the one hand they are exploring English music, especially from 17th and 18th century sources, and this forms the core of their concert repertoire and of their recently released CD, Love and a Bottle. On the other they have built up an enthusiastic following in European dance circles, where a large part of their repertoire is made up of their own rich and beguiling compositions. They plan a recording of Waltzes and Mazurkas.
Jean Pierre Rasle (Concerts Saturday, Sunday) Master piper Jean Pierre ( musette Bechonnet, cabrette) will be performing a selection of traditional songs and tunes from his home region of Bas Berry – a taster of his forthcoming CD!
Andy Letcher & Becky Price (Saturday concert) Andy Letcher (English border pipes) and Becky Price (piano accordion) have been playing in French and English sessions for a number of years. They have come together as a new duo to explore the indigenous English piping tradition. Here they will present a selection of familiar and not-so familiar hornpipes, jigs and schottisches, drawn from Playford and beyond.
Mike Eaton (Hurdy Gurdy workshops Saturday, Sunday) Having spent nearly 20 years avoiding the limelight in a provincial ceilidh band, Mike is now becoming increasingly in demand as a performer and tutor for the hurdy-gurdy. He has toured and played at festivals and other events in Britain, Europe and the USA both as a solo performer and with Lammas. He currently plays with Somerset-based bands Teasing-the-Cat! and The Alan Miller Band, where he interchanges between hurdy-gurdy, electric bass and bodhran, providing a solid rhythm section for English dances. Mike also plays for French dancing when he can and takes part in the occasional Mediaeval costumed event. And to prevent getting typecast, he isn’t afraid to experiment musically, having enjoyed playing with members of the Perfect Houseplants at the Sherborne Jazz Club and guesting with improvisation cellist Chas Dickie.
Other artists tba
Workshops offered so far:
Mike Eaton - hurdy gurdy. Please note: Mike’s workshops will run throughout the weekend and will be progressive in nature. He will have two levels of workshop, intermediate and advanced, and his own room, where gurdy players will have ample time and opportunity to develop their playing and take something of lasting value from the weekend. Please express your interest on your application form.
Jean Pierre Rasle Pipers’ surgery – bring along your favourite tune and explore its wider possibilities by the introduction of the more subtle forms of embellishment! http://members.lycos.co.uk/jprasle/newpage.html
John Tose John will be presenting a joint D & G pipes harmony session looking at some traditional Welsh tunes and a talk looking at the modern pipes scene in Wales - that is bagpipes and pibgorn.
Dick Hensold *The Secret of Melody* The secret of using the pipes for ear-training, using ear-training to develop musicianship, and using musicianship to become a better piper. (see http://www.dickhensold.com/downloads%20folder/D.pdf)
Richard Evans By popular request, Richard will once again be fronting the Northumbrian pipers/Scottish smallpipes session
Dave Webb Dave will be leading the beginners’ workshop and a simple harmony session for those with a little more technique (some reading required)
John Stewart Top euro-dance teacher John will run a session on the dances of central France – a chance to refresh technique/learn what to do/burn a few calories!
Other participatory workshops to be announced – as last year, it is intended to run workshops for “novice” players as well as those who already know their way round the instrument. Please contact me direct if you have any requests or suggestions (ian_clabburn@yahoo.co.uk). Updates and the final programme and timetable will be posted here as soon as possible. Music for workshops will be available here in due course - please keep checking back.

FULL SCHEDULE & PROGRAMME NOW AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD BELOW

Saturday Schedule	Sunday Schedule	Programme

Workshop Material (please click to download files)

Gurdy Workshop

Dick Hensold Harmony Workshop

***NEW***

CD Stall and “Swap Shop”
This year I hope to have a “real” CD stall. I would also like to start a swap system – bring along your unwanted pipe CDs and swap them for someone else’s – small contribution to BagSoc funds invited. Start digging them out now!!

The Venue
Polesworth Priory has a beautiful setting among mature trees and the remains of a monastery by the river. We have unlimited access to the mediaeval church and vestry (services permitting) and we have hired the adjacent community centre from Friday pm to Sunday early evening. This gives us plenty of space and facilities, which include a good number of REAL MODERN TOILETS, warm dry rooms, a dance sized hall with stage, kitchen and a bar with real ales ordered.

Camping at the Blowout will be in two main areas: inside the Priory’s secure and fully enclosed walled gardens and also the adjacent field, both of which are secluded and well away from public rights of way. An added bonus will be unrestricted access to the modern toilet facilities throughout the night! Caravan and camper van owners will be expected to use the car parking to the rear of the Community Hall.
Wash facilities are still limited to small hand basins, but we are working on this.
THE CHURCH BELLS WILL BE SILENT OVERNIGHT THIS TIME!!

Volunteers!
Over the years, the smooth running of the festival has relied upon the hard work of a few totally unpaid volunteers who put in more time than they should. Please be prepared to lend a hand whenever you can, whether it involves collecting up empties, sweeping round, putting out or clearing chairs, wiping tables etc. Watch out for the volunteer board (see also below).

Blowout Menu
Important: As we now have a real kitchen to work from, we have decided to do the catering “in house”. Vanessa will be providing all the meals for the weekend – quality, quantity and value for money! However, in order for this to work, it is vital that we all pitch in with peeling, chopping, setting out, clearing away and general all round helpfulness.
There will be a volunteer board for you to sign up to!

NB All meals must be booked and paid for in advance.

Blowout Menu

Fri 13th June

Vanessa’s vegetable special! Stew, mash plus pickled cabbage, onions and gherkins yoghurt, fruit
£4.00

Saturday 14th June

Big breakfast £3.50
Cereals, bacon & egg bap, tea, coffee, juice, toast, jam etc

Lunch £5.00
Assorted delicious tartes ala Evelyn Paris (anyone who has been to Embraud will know what we mean!)
Couscous, green salad, tomato (two kinds), green bean red onion and black olive salad
Eton Mess i.e. Strawberries, raspberries, meringue in cream

Evening meal £6.00
Mild pea and potato curry (Bengali), dhal, raita, chutneys, rice
Spiced fruit salad, yoghurt

Sunday 15th June

Big breakfast £3.50

Lunch £5.00
As Saturday, except fruit salad instead of Eton Mess

Directions
Postal address: Polesworth Priory, High Street, Polesworth B78 1DU - Map HERE

Directions from the A5 Grendon (near Tamworth). At the Black Swan Roundabout turn on to Spon Lane, which is the exit on the opposite side of the roundabout to the pub. At the end of the lane, turn left on to the B5000. On entering Polesworth, stay on the B5000. You will pass a Gulf garage on your right. Take the next right turn over the bridge, signed to Warton. Turn right into the Community Hall, Library and Surgery car park. On arrival and before you set up/ pitch tents etc, please walk through the park to the church and make yourself known at the reception area, where you will be directed to the appropriate camping spot.
IMPORTANT PLEASE NOTE: It is possible that you will not be able to drive directly up to the church, as there may be a security gate at the drive entrance. Please park as requested above and report to reception.

A booking form can be downloaded HERE

See you there
Ian Clabburn