RGG August 2016 - p.35
mummers plays and the Cambridge Footlights,
led the pit orchestra for West End theatre hits
like Anything Goes and performed at events
ranging from Glastonbury, Cambridge and
Cropredy to major cultural festivals in Europe.
They have written concertos for guitar, viola and
recorder and scored countless films and
television series. Guitarist Graeme Taylor is
currently Music Director for the smash-hit West
End production of War Horse, and was also MD
for The National Theatre’s revival of The
Mysteries. The songwriter for both those shows
was John Tams, with whom Jon Davie and
Graeme work with in Home Service, BBC 2‘s
Best Live Act 2012. Brian Gulland – the
wild-eyed, wild-haired, crumhorn-wielding
warrior-wizard whose iconic presence seemed
to define the band – moved to France for a stint
with Malicorne before returning to his UK roots
as a member of the much-loved New Scorpion
Band.
Gryphon’s music? It’s just as it always was –
odd, different, good-humouredly dazzling and
acoustic, with crumhorns and bassoons along-
side guitars, keyboards and imaginative
percussion, played by singer Dave Oberle.
Every gig involves roughly 40 instruments, so
the textures can be pretty varied and
unfamiliar.
Gryphon, as ever, is the antidote to genres.
Whatever you expect, you’ll get something
different, surprising, and exciting. Whatever you
get, it’ll make you wonder why these guys have
left it so late to crank up the engines and get out
on the road again. But, believe me, it’ll always
be worth the wait.
r
gg
AUG
16
Sarah Dean
‘THE INCREDIBLE STRING BLONDE’
This nickname was given to Sarah by John
Storey of the York Songwriters Circle. It has
now stuck and Sarah asked Robin Williamson
(formally of The Incredible String Band) if he
minded ~ he guffawed loudly and said "Go for
it! It's bloody brilliant!".
Sarah has been writing her own music and
'noodling' for years on various instruments, but
only since 2007 has Sarah finally pulled all the
years of performance as a singer and hours of
practice together, to go solo and write and
perform her own songs. Musings on happy
dogs, cloudwatching, life, the world and the
universe, to name but a few topics! Living in the
heart of the Yorkshire countryside and
surrounded by nature has inspired her
songwriting. Songs about real people and
events are also featured.
But it is the Celtic Harp that allows Sarah to
create rich textures and atmospheres to the
words and meaning of a song, taking listeners
to another place with its magical and mesmeric
soundscapes. Peppered amongst her own
self-penned songs are some surprising
contemporary covers and beautifully arranged
traditional folk songs. 20 years of performing
have given Sarah a relaxed and easy stage
presence, audiences are treated to amusing
anecdotes and the inevitable growing collection
of dog jokes sent in to her by her growing base
of fans!
Sarah is a regular at The Black Swan Folk Club
in York, possibly one of the best folk clubs in the
World!
