3 Left Feet - Local bluesman Earlwood Greg is stepping out Three Left Feet. Three Left Feet features fol/blues legend Jim "Fingers" Jarvis on bass and guitar, and Alan Meadows on harmonica and mandolin with Johnny 'Tom Tom" Jacobs on drums & backing vocals.

Earlwood and The Feet are reuniting to celebrate the goodtime Blues Music which has so enriched all our lives.

Andy White- Belfast-born troubadour, comes to St Albans for the second time with his 12 string guitar under one arm and a book of poetry in the other. Irish Songwriter of the Year, Irish Times album of the year - Andy has won all the top awards in his homeland, but it is his live perfomances which draw people towards his music.

Take the political edge of a young Bob Dylan, the romance of David Gray and the stage presence of Mike Scott, throw in bags of Celtic charm and you might have some of the elements which make up an Andy White show.

He has worked with all the greats of Irish music - Donal Lunny, Van Morrison, Sinead O'Connor, Mary Black - been in a band called ALT with Tim Finn and Liam O Maonlai, written with the likes of Peter Gabriel, Neil Finn and Kieran Kane. But Andy's solo albums are the key to his long musical career. Check out the latest - 'Rare' on Laughing Outlaw.

Anne & Rosie - A fresh collaboration, Anne Ridgway and Rosie McDonald (from Mothers of Intention) share a passion for vocal harmony, clearly evident in their performance. Rosie's rhythmic guitar skills and deep rich vocal quality are a perfect balance with Anne's dexterous finger work on guitar on 12 string along with her pure crystal clear vocals.
Anne's soulful and ambient music has continues to receive acclaim and her album "Turn Your World Around" won her the award of "Blue Mountains Artist of the Year 2005"
Together they collaborate on Anne's original material as well as placing their own special arrangements on well known songs from the CSNY and Joni Mitchell era as well as traditional English and Celtic ballads.
www.anneridgway.com
www.mothersofintention.com.au

Arch Bishop known to his mother as Warren he is a performance poet, story teller, yarn spinner, master of his craft. Take him seriously at your peril. Be always on your guard for the hidden meaning, the sting in his story. Do not, like me, believe the line "really, this story is true". His captivating popularity finds him a favourite with all comers. His mastery of the leg-pull as well as his hopeless romanticism alternately has his audience splitting their sides one minute & crying the next over "Hankies from Nana".

Barmaids Blush - A collection of traditional and contemporise Celtic based folk plus originals performed with passion and humour. Paul and Arty have been members of the folk scena for over twenty years and performers at St. Albans for a number of years and bring all their experience to a performance that should not be missed. Sing, move, groove, laugh and cry, this pair will do it all to you

Beeswing - The vocal harmonies are pure honey and the acoustic rock stings. Inspired by the folk rock wizardry of Richard Thompson and the British folk revival, prepare for Beeswing to remind you why great songs never die, and why you came to listen to folk music in the first place. Beeswing consists of Lake Macquarie Purple Pelican's Scott & Jenny Thomson, 'Miss Barbera of Glendon' and folk rock legend in his own lunchbox, Gary Roberts.

Bill Bekric - always a popular performer, you will hear him during the festival singing songs that linger on & on. Using songs from any era he can sing for hours, with his own compositions thrown in. A gatherer of people, he will sit on the verandah of the Gallery & sing & sing, & entice the best singers of the festival to come join him to entertain you in the most beautiful of settings. A tireless performer .

Blackjoak Morris -

"40 effiminate blacksmiths waving bits of cloth they've just wiped their noses on."

(Edmund Blackadder)

Bob Skelton - also known as the "Minmi Magster," is a well known bush poet who has been writing and performing his own poetry and presenting traditioinal Australian poetry for many years.
He is well known in the Newcastle'Hunter District as a talented performer who never fails to impress and entertain his audiences with often hilarious poetry, tall tales and great yarns.

Bright Star Singers -

A choir with a mix of traditional folk, songs from other cultures, some sixties "doo wup" songs, Australian poetry set to music & all done with some beautifully arranged harmonies that will send thrills up your spine.

WHAT HE PLAYS
Acoustic guitars: Martin OM 28( GE ) Marquis ( 14 fret ) for most instrumentals and jazz style accompaniments,
Martin 00 21 ( GE ) ( 12 fret ) for rags and country blues stuff.

Chris Gillespie & the Wandering Hands- Chris & the Hands play storytelling songs delivered in an entertaining, clever and thoughtful manner. Instruments include guitar, banjo, mandolin, bass and 3 part vocals. Their music has been heard on Radio National, FBi radio and ABC's 'RAGE'.
"Chris Gillespie sings about displaced cockatoos, global warming and renewable energies. He's a fingerpickin' guitar playing troubadour. He might even be Sydney's answer to Bob Dylan in 2007.." (Dave Regos FBi radio)

Earthbound - is a duo playing original music with a country / blues base. Jenni plays guitar, sings, plays percussion and harmonica. She is a talented musician with a very special voice.

Bruce plays guitar and sings and is the creative energy behind the origianl material which ahs a country base (which was probably unavoidable having grown up in Tamworth), but also a strong blues element.

St Albans 2005 was the first time that they played at or had been to a folk festival. During a blackboard concert the pair decided to have a bash. The reception was so positive that they wanted to play here again.

Ellen Manning - craftsman and former radio presenter and arts administrator has been the Honorary Life Member & Patron of Macquarie Towns Music (formerly folk) club and has had a life-long interest in folk music and singing.

Ellen and some of her friends from the Macquarie Towns Music Club will skim over the history of folk music in one hour.. Who were the "Four Marys'' and what was the original version of "Minnie the Moocher"? Find out all the odd things you never knew about familiar songs.

February Dream - Something simple, yet so powerful…
February Dream is an acoustic female vocal duo whose members, Gemma Trewella and Christa Prowse, believe in gutsy honest music. With only the use of acoustic guitar and the occasional percussion instruments they are able to achieve an intensity to be admired. February Dream are constantly leaving audiences in awe of how Gemma's raw and earthy vocals when fused with Christa's smoother and higher vocal range create incredible explosive harmonies. Their haunting melodies, percussive music, and powerful lyrics trigger and inspire an emotive musical and mental spark.
Be inspired by February Dream

Fred Smith -

Over the last 7 years Fred Smith has emerged as one of Australia’s most respected songwriters. He is a lyrical and inventive lyricist, with an ear for a melodic hook. He has a perceptive eye for modern life, its foibles and joys, and an ability to express this in song. Fred presents his material with an engaging humour and a wry smile that has won hearts at major festivals throughout Australia and North America. He is the subject of the film Bougainville Sky about his work on peace keeping operations in the war-torn islands of the South Pacific where his work as a musician and radio broadcaster contributed to the success of the world’s first ever unarmed peace keeping force. He is presently living in Washington DC.

Gang Gang Bush Orchestra - are the Blue Mountains own community bush band, who got together to play music with a green leaning. We are in it for the love and to support our community. We have been steadily growing since 1996 and now number nearly 20 when we're all together. All folk who live on the Mountains and want to play bush music are welcomed. We bring a wealth of diverse musical experience music, from local and contemporary, to classical, traditional and session. Patrick has collected and called bush dance since 1988.

Greg Colby - Greg is the sort of bloke who is as comfortable talking about spiritual things as he is enjoying a drink and a laugh with mates. He describes himself as a ragamuffin who has experienced a lot of life and hopes to experience a lot more! Greg finds his connection to life and God through music, art, reading and talking with and listening to the stories of other people whatever faith or no-faith background they come from. Greg is one of the leaders of a very different type of Anglican faith community on The Central Coast called “The New Angle”.

Jim Stubbs Backing Band - has been described as producing a rich hearty blend of musical diversity at their performances using the minimum of ingredients , ranging from soulful blues , bouncy jazz , country swing and gospel blended with traditional folk tunes delivered instrumentally via Jim Stubbs' harmonica and Steve Macdonalds finger picked guitar ,banjo and Hawaiian slide guitar.
Kellie Stubbs' vocals continues to pack venues at festivals around the country after honing her singing skills in Sydney choirs for 15 years.
The band has produced their first album this year titled "Everything I need" and will be available at performances or e/mail the band at manyrods@bigpond.net.au .

John Broomhall, Johnny Spillane & David De Santi - Singer songwriter John Broomhall originally hails from Broken Hill, but has lived in the Illawarra
enough years to become a local. Many of his compositions are based on his intensely personal
recollections of his childhood and his love of the desert landscape of Broken Hill. In contrast he spent
the last few years as the resident bard on the sailing ship, The Bounty, moored in Sydney Harbour.
Johnny, originally from Cork Ireland, has been a stalwart of traditional music playing in many Celitc
and Australian flavoured bands. David De Santi, in addition to being a member of Wongawilli, has
researched and published Australian traditional music since 1990. Together all 3 weave a musical
journey through Australia’s recent musical history.

Kathy McMahon - lives in the Kurrajong Area not so far from St Albans. Kathie has been interested in music all her life and while living in Canada she bough her first accordion. Kathie lived between Newfoundland and Quebec for 20 years. Upon her return to Australia she found the Australian accordion playing technique quite different to the cajun style she had been playing. Kathie has been involved in the Macquarie Towns Music Club since her return to Australia in 1987. Kathie also runs concerts in the Kurrajong area to "enhance the quality of life for the locals" and create community participation through music.
On January 26th 2001 (Australia Day) Kathie was a founding member of the Kurrajong Comleroy Historical Society. Since the formation of the KCHS several publications of Kurrajong history and over 3000 images have been documented in an effort to preserve items of historical interest.
Kathie has worked all over the world as a Medical Technologist including New Guinea, The Arctic, Canada, Outback Australia and has been able to pick up different kinds of music in different cultures, "Without music our soul is not alive."

Keltoran - is a Central Coast based contemporary group, specialising in modern and traditional Celtic and Irish music – slow ballads and whip-fast tunes, as well as a serving of original compositions. We harmonise and meld these haunting and sometimes jovial tunes using vocal duets, harp, guitar, mandolin, keyboards, whistle and drum. The name ‘Keltoran’ is from the word Keltoi, the name given to the Celts by the Romans, and the word Oran, which is Gaelic for ‘song’.

Kent Daniel & Larry Hughes - Kent is a professional musician and also runs an open mic session once-a -month in Maitland's Shenanigans Pub, with a great Guitar and Bouzouki and a tenor voice to die for - he sings with such sentiment - any style. He is also is a mainstay with the 5 yrs of the Wangi (now Morrisset) Session.

Larry has a strong instrumental heritage, playing Guitar, great Banjo and Mandolin, as well as singing the blues. He is the session musicion who pops up with all sorts of artists.

They were featured artists at Folk in Broke last November.

Lydia Clare - has been teaching Hatha Yoga & Meditation for almost 20 years.
Over this time she has enhanced these mind & body therapies, with Pilate's, dance, hypnotherapy, colour therapy & more!
Her workshops are of great benefit to the well being and longevity of life !

Making Tracks - Aitch & Jane.

Aitch has been a solo performer singer/songwriter/poet for many years with a love of traditional folk music, in particular songs the Australian experience. His repertoire is fairly extensive with a mixture of original compositions and traditional songs, inter spersed with humourous anecdotes and poems.

Mary Jane Field - is a bilingual solo folk singer (Spanish and English), both a cappella and with guitar or percussion accompaniment.
Her specialties are Australian and South American songs, both contemporary and traditional.
She enjoys involving audience in performances with choruses, etc.

The Mustard Seeds -Acoustic sister duo, two voices two guitars(with very talented friends helping out on percussion, solo instruments etc) Some covers from our favourite influences but a stronger emphasis on original music this year.

Penelope Swales - Singer and storyteller Penelope Swales is at the cutting edge of contemporary folk in Australia. Best described as a musical journalist, she constantly travels Australia and the world. She combines wry and often outrageous humour with her deep passion for people and issues.

In concert, she blends the best of old and new, not only does she present songs a cappella and in the time honoured singer/guitarist format, but by applying a small on-the-spot sampler to both her rich vocals and her energetic guitar style, she builds live, trance like soundscapes over which she delivers a shatteringly incisive commentary.

Her spoken word material swings from anecdotes bordering on stand-up comedy to an astute presentation of deeply challenging and thought provoking ideas. She pokes sly fun at our failings while celebrating with insight and compassion our attempts to build a better world and our capacity for love, courage and sensuality.

He writes and recites poetry that strikes a chord with him and hopefully with the audience as well.

He has performed at festivals including the National Folk Festival, Tamworth, John O'Brien Festival and St Albans Folk Festival, and is co-host of the very popular Gosford Bush Poets.

In 2006 Peter was successful in winning the "Tamworth Bush Poetry" competition as well as the Bobby Miller memorial trophy at the EKKA in Brisbane, he also won the North Pine Poetry groups Camp Oven Award and performed at the Gympie muster in 2007

Following his success Peter has released his first CD "C'mon for a laugh and a cry" featuring his winning poem from Tamworth, "Courting Mary' and the moving "What Price a VC" the story of Captain Alfred Shout.

The Poi Pixies

The poi pixies have been fire twirling together for three years and thoroughly enjoy performing, sharing and teaching their skills to others. They combine a mix of traditional maori poi with own choreographed dances and contemporary music to bring youthfulness and enthusiam to every performance and workshop.

The Pudding Eaters - A colourful mixture of story-telling, play acting, join-in music and dancing for kids of all ages.

Meet ridiculously tall but extremely silly Rob the Storyteller, not-so-tall Stuart with his squeeze box and lovely Sally the Dance Caller (she’s the one in the fabulous dress).

The Rhymer from Ryde -
A wonderfully eargrabbing Bush Poet and "stretcher of the truth" extraordinaire, Graeme Johnson's performances are renowned for their vibrancy, humour and heartfelt emotion.
In the true larrikin style his reciting covers everything from the silly to the serious, Traditional to Contemporary & most definitely Original.

Graeme is known Australia wide as a Multi-Award winning writer & reciter who has recently won both the National Banjo Paterson, Leonard Teale & Henry Lawson Awards. At the Tamworth Country Music Festival 08 he was placed 3rd in the written competition from 360 entries.
He has released 2 books, 2 cassettes and 3 CD's.

His CD, "Lager, Laughs & Lies-Live" is available through Shoestring Records. (02) 4788 1577 ($25 + p+h)

Nature's powerful forces bestowed the Central Coast with fire and flood in recent times. Hear songs from the perspective of those less heard. That's That's music involves nature, the cosmos and our role as custodians of the land. Come join in and be a planetary caretaker.

."I think you're wonderful, if you lot could be hooked up to a power grid we'd blow the nuclear energy argument out of the water for once and for all." - Jan Nary - Publicist, National Folk Festival.