WELCOME TO SOHO FOLK
AND BLUES

John Ward has achieved an excellent reputation as a writer of powerful, thought-provoking and witty songs that draw upon his life in a gritty port town, his wider travels in the world, and often capture the spirit of the times.

With powerful 3-part harmonies, guitar, double bass, mandolin, accordion, and John’s show-stopping bodhran playing, the John Ward Trio’s performances are authentic and heartfelt, entertaining and delighting audiences across the UK and beyond. Playing mainly John’s acclaimed folk songs of satire, social commentary and historical stories about struggling communities and the Suffolk sea and coast of their home town, Lowestoft, the trio will be showcasing material from John’s new 10th album, as well old favourites.

English traditional music from a parallel universe – Shem Fillmore stirs together the future, past and alternative timelines into a seething broth. The music draws from the social music making of recent traditions, as well as mystical threads from the baroque-era and more contemporary influences. He explores patterns, rhythms, movement and the crooked and exciting corners of the English tune repertoire.  Born & raised in Poland, violinist Basia Bartz has been praised for her sensitive ear and versatile playing. The list of songwriters and bands she’s performed with over the years is long, among them are the likes of Dana Immanuel & the Stolen Band, Moulettes, Nadine Khouri, Gabriel Moreno, Rob Corcoran, Jason McNiff, Dan Raza.

Little Lore is the alter-ego of Tricia Duffy London based, Indie-Americana singer-storyteller famed for singing short long-stories. Her songs are charmingly accessible and beguilingly challenging. You’ll want to listen twice. When you combine British wit and wordplay with cherished Americana roots, musical magic starts to happen. Tricia started her singing career as a teenager, which included a stint on cruise ships in the United States. She began writing and performing her own material with Americana duo Duffy & Bird and they released a well-received album ‘5 Lines’ in 2017 and a follow-up EP ‘Spirit Level’ in 2019.

Jason McNiff is an English singer, songwriter and guitarist. He was born in Bradford, moving to London in the 90s where he became involved in the Folk and Americana scene. A regular performer at the 12 bar club in Denmark street, he opened for Bert Jansch numerous times, signing to Snowstorm records in 2000. His debut album ,’Off the Rails’ was well received with glowing reviews especially in Time Out, London’s most important magazine. With Andy Allan from Hank Dogs, he helped run the Easycome Acosutic Club, and was also a regular a Come Down and Meet the Folks, Alan Tyler’s legendary Sunday afternoon shindig.

Dave Ellis & Boo Howard are a long established London based acoustic singer songwriter duo.  With regular appearances at festivals and folk clubs, Dave & Boo are an integral part of the British acoustic folk scene and firm favourites with audiences up and down the land.  Dave Ellis left Liverpool and headed to London with his guitar at the tender age of 18. He was soon headlining at major venues, getting rave reviews for his extraordinary guitar playing, duetting with Gordon Giltrap and touring with his hero Bert Jansch. Melody Maker listed him as “one of the 6 best guitarists in the world.”

Steve Ashley has long been regarded as one of British folk’s finest singer-songwriters. His reputation for writing contemporary songs inspired by the English Tradition was established in 1974 with his innovative debut album, Stroll On. Since then his songs have been recorded by many leading folk artists including Fairport Convention, Anne Briggs, Ralph McTell and Wizz Jones, Show of Hands, O’Hooley & Tidow, Dave Pegg and PJ Wright, The Arizona Smoke Review, Martin and Jessica Simpson, Grace Notes, Phil Beer, Maggie Boyle, The Bushwackers, The Owl Service, Sproatly Smith and Hannah Sanders and Liz Simmons.

2024 saw the long awaited new album from Gren Bartley. Two years in the making, “Unfold” expands further and deeper into the cinematic folk genre. Somewhere between R.E.M.s Automatic for the People and Nick Drake’s Five Leaves Left, Bartley has found something entirely of it’s own mind.  Gren Bartley is part of the future of melodic songwriting. Forever evolving and adapting, and with unmatched guitar work, he is a modern day troubadour, using his influences from older folk and world music traditions, to create truly astounding records. He brings something new and unique to his audience. He is an artist not to be missed.

Back when Greg Brice played the pubs, clubs and bars of the West Midlands he’d often find some of the toughest audiences you could imagine hanging on his every word within a few bars. His intricate fingerstyle guitar and strident electric slide connected in the raw and immediate way that only proper roots music can. And that voice – clear as a bell, powerful and pure.  Now, in the hush of the UK’s Blues and Americana clubs it’s the quality of his song writing that’s capturing people’s imagination. Within just days of launching his debut album crowdfunding campaign, those lucky enough to have already discovered him came out in force. They knew something that the rest of the UK Blues scene will soon realise – that Greg Brice is a proper talent.