PJ Wright
PJ Wright's career has ranged from guitar player with Bobby Vee, Del Shannon, The Coasters and Millie Jackson to membership of Ashley Hutchings' Morris On Band.
Through the 1980s and 90s, PJ regularly recorded and toured as lead guitarist with the Steve Gibbons Band, going on to form the Fairport Convention offshoot Dylan Project with Dave Pegg and Steve in 1998.
Since 1999, he has been lead singer and guitarist with the folk rock band Little Johnny England as well as performing as a solo artist. PJ released “Hedge of Sound”, his first solo album, in 2006 and the follow up is (very) slowly taking shape! He recently performed as part of the tragically short-lived regeneration of Fotheringay, with original members Jerry Donahue, Pat Donaldson and Gerry Conway; vocals and keyboards provided by Kathryn Roberts, and vocals and guitar by (great friend and recent TRADarrr collaborator) Sally Barker. This second lease of life for the band was unfortunately cut short by Jerry's stroke in 2017.
Then in 2018, The Sandy Denny Project was formed, with fellow TRADs members Mark and Marion, and Sally Barker, Mat Davies and Anna Ryder.
PJ also performs with Kata and Mat Davies in Fifteen String Trio
PJ is an endorsee of Headway Music Audio, Fret-King Guitars and the wonderful G7th capo. He also thanks the lovely people at Laney for looking after his LC30 amps.
Mark Stevens
A professional drummer since leaving school, Mark played all over the world for many years before swapping drums for microphones in the early nineties and putting all his efforts into writing and production.
After running his own studio in London and working as a successful song writer and TV composer he started playing drums again and in 2008 joined Little Johnny England after a chance meeting in a pub. As well as LJE's critically acclaimed "Tournament of Shadows" album, in recent years he has worked with
artistes as diverse as Kid Creole, Steps and Annie Lennox.
Mark also performs in the Sandy Denny Project with PJ, Marion, Sally Barker, Mat Davies and Anna Ryder.
Mark has a massive Gretsch drum kit with three bass drums and nine tom toms, but only plays bits of it at a time because it won't all fit in his car.
Gregg Cave
“We’ve been following Gregg for a couple of years now and his songwriting and interpretation of English folk songs has a refreshingly honest feel about it, plus his live sound is developing into something very special indeed.” – BBC Music Introducing
Since forming folk-rock band CAVE when he was 18 years old, Gregg Cave, has been performing in concerts and at festivals in the UK and mainland Europe. In recent years Gregg has collaborated with musicians and storytellers and has been commissioned by the Arts Council and National Trust to produce two separate pieces of performance.
Gregg’s new album ‘Old England Grown New’ has now been released. In addition to the fine collection of Northamptonshire musicians joining Gregg on this album, Dave Swarbrick (ex-Fairport Convention) plays fiddle on the opening track ‘The Bonny Lass of Anglesey’.
Gregg is also performing now in a new duo with fellow TRADarrr member Marion - FleetwoodCave
Gregg plays guitars made by Malcolm Williamson
Gregg's new album 'Old England Grown New'
available now through tweedmusic
www.greggcave.com
Marion Fleetwood
With a voice which has been described as 'mesmerising' and 'siren-esque', and as a string player, Marion has been a familiar face in the British folk world since being recruited into Stratford-based folkies Meet On The Ledge in 1999.
She is known as a former member of ColvinQuarmby and now as a full member of Feast of Fiddles, having joined them on tour in Spring 2022. Marion has played with The Phil Beer Band and was a member of The Jigantics. She still plays occasionally with The Gerry Colvin Band - and provides full string sections on recordings for anyone who can keep the tea flowing quickly enough.
She released her first solo album in 2015 - Holding Space and also performs with Sally Barker and Anna Ryder in I O T A, The Sandy Denny Project with PJ, Mark, Sally, Anna and Mat Davies, and as a duo with fellow TRADarrr member Gregg - FleetwoodCave.
She plays Bridge Instruments violin and cello, a viola made by Robert Hull in her home city of Liverpool, Yamaha and Ibanez guitars and an Ozark mandolin. She can never find the power cable for her flash Zoom effects pedal, so is in the process of emulating Guy's pedal train, which is the cause of much envy in the band....
Guy Fletcher
Feast of Fiddles, Little Johnny England, Morris On, Tickled Pink... the list goes on.
Guy has been at the forefront of British folk music for over a decade, equally at home on the fiddle, mandolin, guitar or drums.
Guy plays a Martin guitar, Oakwood mandolin and mandola (both fitted with Headway pickups), a Bridge violin and Pearl and Gretsch drums.... But not all at the same time!
Gemma Shirley
Gemma trained as an opera singer and violinist at Birmingham Conservatoire. Her career so far has included such highlights as TV appearances with Russell Watson, performing in a costume originally made for Jennifer Saunders for the French and Saunders Dangerous Liaisons sketch and singing Mozart while dressed as Big Bird. She plays fiddle with country rock band The Bullfrogs and has provided string and vocal arrangements on studio albums for several singer song writers.
Since joining TRADarrr she has found it a relief that what can take an opera four or five hours to express can be encapsulated in a four minute folk song.
Brendan O'Neill
Brendan has played bass with Gregg on and off since the days of Greggs old band 'Cave'. Most recently he could be found plucking the 4 string for the sartorial garage punks 'The Mobbs' which saw them playing a healthy portion of sweaty dive clubs across Europe, and releasing a couple of fine albums.
However all good things must come to an end and Brendan is now looking forward to treading the boards with the lovely people of Tradarrr.
" I was very honoured to be asked to play with Tradarr, I think both albums are excellent and I can't wait to start playing the songs live with the band"