ARTISAN
Premier English Vocal Harmony Trio
Contact: artisan@artisan-harmony.com
Phone
from within UK 01484 606230
or from outside UK +44 1484 606230
"Artisan aren't a hard act to follow, all I have to do now is to get up here on stage and burst into flames." - Valdy, Canada
Beginning to End, and Beyond
Artisan are Hilary Spencer, Jacey Bedford and Brian Bedford. They are three friends who decided to sing together for fun way back in 1984 in deepest darkest Yorkshire. Artisan's special talent is making friends with an audience.
From starting out locally and then gigging nationally while still keeping day-jobs, they hit the road full time in 1989, taking their own brand of harmony and humour around Britain and Europe. Then from 1994 they began touring Canada, and the USA, and even went as far as Australia and Hong Kong. They played venues both large and small, from folk clubs in upstairs pub rooms to open-air festivals with audiences of thousands. They finally hung up their tonsils in 2005, but did reunion tours in 2010 and 2015.
They recorded numerous albums, originally traditional and contemporary, Three Piece Sweet, Driving Home and Rocking at the End of Time. There was Searching for Yorladale, a themed album of songs from the poetry of Yorkshire dialect poet, Dorothy Una Ratcliffe, with Brian's music. From 1993 onwards (the Breathing Space album) they mostly sang Brian's songs, recording Our Back Yard, Dancing With Words, Artisan Live and Random Play. However having been asked to do a traditional Christmas carol album for Brewhouse Music, the began with The Season of Holly and Ivy, and made five Christmas albums altogether (three traditional and two contemporary). The contemporary ones included a hefty number of Brian's songs. Oh, yes, and there was the DVD recorded at their farewell concert in 2005. These are all still available.
Venues and Events Played
Some of the interesting and unusual venues Artisan have played include
the gun-deck of the HMS Victory (Nelson's flagship) in Portsmouth Naval
Dockyard; the 14th century Chapter House of Lincoln Cathedral; the Royal
Shakespeare Company's Swan Theatre at Stratford on Avon; Rochester Cathedral;
The World-Famous City Varieties Music Hall in Leeds and the Georgian Theatre
Royal in Richmond (North Yorkshire).
North American venues include Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania; The Chocolate Church, Bath, Maine; The Birchmere, Washington DC; The Ice House, Bethlehem, PA and Coupeville Performing Arts Centre, Whidbey Island, WA. They have also played hundreds of folk clubs, arts centres, coffeehouses, concert series, theatres and halls all over Britain, Canada, the USA, Australia, Germany and Belgium.
Festivals at home and Abroad
Some of the festivals they've played include the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Sidmouth International Folk Festival, Vancouver Folk Festival (BC, Canada), Winnipeg Folk Festival (AB, Canada), Mariposa Folk Festival (ON, Canada), Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival (NS, Canada), Bethlehem Musikfest (PA, USA), Philadelphia Folk Festival (USA), Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts (PA, USA); Minnesota State Fair, (MN, USA); Gooik Festival (Belgium), Nordic Folk Festival and Festival Am Ith (Germany), Old Songs (USA). The New Jersey Folk Project (USA); Chippenham Folk Festival, (UK); Goderich Celtic Festival, Ontario, (Canada); and Owen Sound Summerfolk Festival, Ontario, (Canada). Then in Australia there was Port Fairy Festival and Nannup Folk in the Forest, and back at home Tamworth, Holmfirth and Otley, Moor & Coast, Cleethorpes, Broadstairs, Bromyard, Saltburn, Cleckheaton, White Horse, Upton on Severn, Cromer's Folk on the Pier, Four Fools, & Trowbridge. Plus lots more too numerous to mention, but which were enjoyed just as much.
2005 was Artisan's final year - but was also their celebration of twenty years in the business. In spring they did a 43 date Twentieth Anniversary Tour, followed by a host of festivals. They made one transatlantic trip in August to play Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival, Bethlehem Musikfest, Owen Sound Summerfolk and the Philadelphia Folk Festival. Their final weekend of concerts was in November, playing Saturday 19th November at the Georgian Theatre Royal in Richmond and Sunday 20th November at Penistone Paramount Cinema (2 houses matinee and evening). A superb DVD of the final concert is available direct from Artisan. See the albums page.
Not quite finished with singing yet, Artisan did hugely successful reunion tours in 2010 and 2015. And they never say never again. You just can't keep a good group down.
Quotable Quotes
Dear Brian, Jacey and Hilary,
Just finished a good listen to Our Back Yard, and wanted to tell you while the memory's fresh that it's a super album. Good writing, production, performances--did I forget anything? Anyway, well done that mob! "
Tom Paxton
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"Artisan aren't a hard act to follow. All I have to do now is get up here on stage
and burst into flames."
--Valdy, Canada.
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"Fiery, fast and effective."
--The Guardian, UK.
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"Urgent and uninhibited three part harmony - joyful and vigorous."
The Daily Telegraph, UK.
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"Like the music, the banter is very skilful - some of it is clearly premeditated,
the rest of it is spontaneous tomfoolery. They are unashamedly entertainers."
--Alan Murray, Folk Roots, UK.
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"Must see."
--The Scotsman, (Edinburgh) UK.
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"The harmony work is sharp and unfussy, the words are worth listening to,
the tunes are good and the group convey a real energy and enthusiasm
in their singing."
Nick Beale, Folk Roots, UK.
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The songs are, as is much of Artisan's material, humorous but with a deeper meaning lurking below the surface. You'll have your fun but you'll come away with a deeper understanding of the issues being sung about. And, as always, the harmonies of
Jacey Bedford, Brian Bedford and Hilary Spencer are as wonderfully tuneful
and rhythmic as any to be found on the folk scene today.
--Dirty Linen, USA
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"Our Back Yard is a treasure box of social commentary done a cappella. If you're
intrigued with lyrics and the purity of the human voice, it's for you."
--Crossroads Magazine, USA
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"I would cheerfully sell my soul to the Devil for Hilary Spencer's voice."
--Claire Giles, Shirefolk, UK.
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"Tremendous in their sheer ability to sing and entertain."
--Venue Magazine, UK
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"A velvety tenderness that no other harmony group comes near."
--Taplas Magazine, (Wales) UK.
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"Please will you come back again next year."
--Brian Davis, Artistic Director, Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival, Canada
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"Each original song, written by Brian Bedford of the trio, is a musical gem, with carefully crafted lyrics, some with great humor, some with social conscience. The three-part
a cappella harmony is beautifully performed and keeps a varied audience on the edge
of their seats. Our audience asked to have them back this year after a very successful
first appearance last year, and have requested that they return again next year.
This is a heart-warming performance that will appeal to many different audiences."
Priscilla Johnson -- Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, USA
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"For tight, exciting harmony singing, as well as sheer delight and entertainment,
Artisan are the bee's knees. You'd be mad to miss them."
--St Neot's Festival, UK.
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"Artisan strikes a perfect balance of poignancy and good fun, with original lyrics
ranging from uplifting and heartfelt to clever and tongue-in-cheek.
Their harmonies are stunning, their live performance an absolute delight."
--Susan Casey, Manager, Calgary Folk Club, Canada
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