The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #161809   Message #3848086
Posted By: Jack Campin
01-Apr-17 - 07:35 PM
Thread Name: British-European folkies
Subject: British-European folkies
What British folkies have integrated themselves into other European musical cultures?

The question popped into mind while reading a post by Ross Daly, who is Irish, has lived more than half his life in Greece and has become one of the leading Greek/Ottoman musicians in the world. In the art music scene there are several British emigres who have made themselves part of musical life in another European country, like Brian Ferneyhough, William Christie or Simon Rattle.

In the folk scene I can't think of one. Bob Cohen is an American who has become one of the leading klezmer musicians in Hungary; being Anglophone isn't necessarily a barrier. And there are Europeans who have become part of the British folk scene, like George Papavgeris, Marit Falt or Flossie Malavialle. But the other way? Fraser Fifield, Barnaby Brown and Vicki Swan could undoubtedly cut the mustard in the Swedish, Sardinian and Bulgarian music scenes respectively, but they prefer to stay at home. So do all the many English players with a primary interest in French music.

So, is there a Highlander making Sicilian bagpipes or a Welshman playing Slovenian accordion that I don't know about? (and the next question, obviously, is what's going to happen to them?...)