Kathryn Tickell

It's been a number of years since BBC Folk Awards Musician Of The Year, has graced the Cambridge Stage, but this year sees a welcome return for her and her band.

Kathryn first emerged aged just 17 back in the 80s as a highly gifted player of the Northumberland Small pipes, since then she has gone on from strength to strength, collecting a number of firsts along the way.

The Kathryn Tickell Band were the first traditional band to play The Last Night of the Proms, an event that happened as recently as 2001. Which I think says more about the Proms than it does about quality traditional music, but there you go.

In addition to her playing, Kathryn contributes to the wider folk scene by lecturing on folk and traditional music and Newcastle University.

It's been a while since I last saw Kathryn performing live, though I've managed to get through most of her albums, and I'm looking forward to catching the experience again.

POST FESTIVAL VERDICT

Kathryn started off her festival with a good fiddle workshop that seem to suit all ages and abilities. That was followed off by a great gig that reminded me that I shouldn't take as long as I sometimes do to reacquainting myself with real talent

Kathryn Tickell Band Gallery, Gallery2