Christmas Special: Jackie Oates & John Spiers

Event information

Two of the most recognised musicians on the British folk scene today combine their considerable talents to provide a beautiful and warm evening of the highest calibre music; the perfect antidote to the materialism of the festive season.

With their understated brilliance, Jackie Oates & John Spiers invite you into their captivating world of English carols, wassails and other historical traditions, festive songs and tunes from the British Isles and far beyond. The concert includes original music and selected covers, and a host of instruments are played - fiddle, melodeon, percussion, recorders and stomp box - creating a richly textured sound. By sharing insights into their own family traditions, the duo provide inspiration for a simpler and wholesome Christmas - one where tradition, family, ritual and celebration are the beating heart.

Jackie and John are multi award-winning and hugely influential folk musicians who bring their breadth of experience to this finely matched duo. Jackie (two-time BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winner and five-time nominee) is an exquisite singer, expressive fiddler and composer with a string of critically acclaimed albums and reputation as one of our most gifted interpreters of traditional song. John (Bellowhead, Spiers & Boden) is a leading squeezebox player and composer who mixes infectious dance tunes with incredibly moving and sensitive slow airs. John expertly blends traditional squeezebox styles with contemporary dance music to create an infectious acoustic groove.

Picture: Gareth Clark