Angharad Jenkins [Fiddle] – Sam Humphreys [Guitar] – Patrick Rimes [Fiddle, Pipes] – Bethan Williams [Voice, Accordion, Clog Dancing]
Calan-ish brings together the remarkable talents of 4 young musicians from the pioneering Welsh folk band “Calan”, giving a fresh and vibrant sound to traditional Welsh music with a contemporary and lively approach. They combine fiddle, guitar, pipes and whistles, as well as the odd appearance from the pibgorn. The group see themselves as ambassadors, striving to take their new sound to new audiences, while raising the profile of Welsh traditional music, composing their own original pieces whilst breathing new life into the old traditions.
Following the release of their debut album, ‘Bling’ in 2008, which attracted four star responses from the critics, as Calan they have been playing to big audiences and rave reviews at concerts and festivals around Britain, Europe and USA, including the coveted Cambridge Festival and Festival Interceltique de Lorient, Brittany, where they’ve received the award for best group. 2015 has seen tours in both USA and Canada, a concert this October with international Welsh baritone Bryn Terfel at the Royal Albert Hall, London, and live sessions on the BBC Radio Two Folk Show with Mark Radcliffe.
Patrick Rimes is a fiddle player, piper and composer/arranger born and raised in Bethesda, North West Wales. After starting to learn the fiddle aged 7, Patrick was quickly drawn into the thriving scene of traditional music sessions in Bangor. He was twice named junior fiddle champion of Wales, and remains the only person to have won the coveted ‘blue ribbon’ award at Anglesey Eisteddfod for a traditional music performance. Following periods of study at both the University of Leeds and Janáckova Akademie Múzických v Brne (Czech Republic) Patrick currently divides his time between the Royal Welsh College in Cardiff (where he studies viola with David Adams) and a busy international gigging schedule.
Angharad Jenkins is a fiddle player and composer from Swansea. She began learning the violin at the age of six through the Suzuki method, and continued with her classical training (with Andrew Griffiths) until the age of 16, graduating with a first class honours from Oxford Brookes University in 2008. Returning to Swansea, she formed a duo with her mother, the harpist Delyth Jenkins. The release of their debut album Adnabod, in May 2013 on the fflach:tradd label generated great praise and critical acclaim, and was shortlisted for Welsh Album of the Year in 2014.
Sam Humphreys is a Guitarist, Producer, Composer and Session Musician from Nefyn in North Wales. He began playing guitar at the age of 11 and from there played in several bands of various genres from Rock to Electronic, Folk to Ska. In this time he gained vast experience performing on some on the biggest stages around the UK, touring internationally, recording several albums, and leading workshops/teaching sessions. He studied Music Technology at the University of Glamorgan in Cardiff and graduated in 2012.
Bethan Williams is an accordion player, singer and champion step dancer based in South East Wales. Welsh step dancing was Beth’s introduction to the Welsh tradition, learning from her father when she was just six years old. Since that first lesson in a school hall almost 20 years ago, she has become one of Wales’ most renowned step dancers, successful in competitions both nationally and internationally. This competitive streak led Beth to being chosen as a finalist in the Bryn Terfel Scholarship in 2007. A self proclaimed “”clogging geek””, Beth, along with Sam Jones, developed the old traditional steps and created something new and exciting. She continues to develop and modernise the old Welsh steps in a traditional style.
