LIVE AND LOCAL SHOW SATURDAY 13 MAY 2023 7.00 pm.

CLICK HERE OR ON THE POSTER OPPOSITE FOR TICKETS

Scratchy Beard in Concert

An evening of songs and storytelling inspired by the swing and melodies of gypsy jazz, adorned by the storytelling spirit of Anglo-Celtic folk and spiced with a gentle nod to rootsy blues. Experienced performers, Scratchy Beard are an up-beat and enjoyable live quartet.

What happens if you take the intoxicating swing and feel of gypsy jazz, add storytelling songs inspired by English & Celtic folk, and throw in a pinch of bluesy roots & rhythm? Gypsy-jazzy-rootsy-folk, of course!

Experienced performers, Scratchy Beard are an up-beat and enjoyable live quartet offering something a little different: very accessible roots/alt-folk/gypsy jazz music with an ear-catching line up of guitar, cello, drums & clarinet with, at times, three-part and four-part harmonies along with a reed organ, tin whistles, melodica & bottle-top slide guitar. 

Inspired by the infectious swing & alluring melodies of 1930s gypsy jazz, adorned with the storytelling spirit of Anglo-Celtic folk songs, Scratchy Beard perform at venues and festivals all over the country. They sing a song or two in French and enjoy the occasional appearance of a blues melodica and tin whistles. They often reveal the engaging stories behind the songs they perform.

Having met in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Scratchy Beard are well-known in the Warwickshire area and have previously performed at the RSC. Describing themselves as ‘a cocktail of died-in-the-wool touring musos, classically trained instrumentalists and a celebrated illustrator.’ Founder member Spesh Maloney has scored and sound-designed for several feature films, film-shorts and theatre shows including the award-winning BBC documentary: Black Roses: The Killing of Sophie Lancaster. 

Prepare yourself for an entertaining evening journeying through an upbeat, fun and sincere collage of trans-European roots music.

Spesh: vocals, guitar
Sara: cello
Greg: drums
Laura: clarinet, organ, melodica & tin whistle

---