I play traditonal fiddle music from North America, Scandinavia, the British Isles and further afield, as well as some more contemporary work and the occasional recording session.
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about the clips
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Lazy John © 2005 Fellside Records, trad. arr. Grey / Means / Paley
I've always liked this song: here I was lucky enough to accompany Sara Grey's singing and banjo-playing in her lovely laid-back version from her album A Long Way From Home. Kieron Means is playing the guitar.The Blackbird © 2005 Day Job Records, trad. arr Baker / Boyle / Paley
This is a well-known Irish set-dance tune. We add a Scandinavian-inspired fiddle harmony half way through. Duck Baker on guitar, Maggie Boyle on flute.I Worry For This World © 2005 Kieron Means, composed Kieron Means, arr. Means / Paley
Kieron singing and playing guitar. The song is from Kieron's album Far As My Eyes Can See, which also features Sara Grey.Glory in the Meeting House © 1999 Paley/Hunter, trad. arr Paley/Hunter
This is me and Tab Hunter from our album dolor ipse.
Get in touch if there's something in particular you'd like me to post - I may be able to oblige! Send me an email from the contact page of my website.
some quotes
ƒRoots magazine: ...just about the best folk fiddler of his generationNeil Dalton: …fabulously gifted, naturally talented… He looks like he doesn’t care about anything but when he rocks gently back and forth, his lips half smiling, his eyes closed, lost in some personal, musical reverie, he plays like the only thing worth caring about is a violin. He moves his right arm… like some oriental dancer folding and unfolding their hands… His playing is warm, rich, sometimes dry, sometimes dusty, never intrusive, always inventive; he’s a Zen fly fisherman, only with a bow not a rod… Ben [has] the ability to… ignite your emotions or break your heart slowly.Jim Younger: Lovely intonation, supple wrist and fluid bowing, pulsing, lilting rhythm and a superb ear for melody and counter-melodyAlan Rose,The Living Tradition ...shows himself to be Mr. Appropriate, providing flair and empathy in equal partssome websites
My own website is at www.benpaley.com for more quotes and reviews , a biography , a gig list , a fairly comprehensive discography , mailing list and so on.
I play a lot with the excellent Tab Hunter: although our domain name was whipped out from under us, we are back on-line with www.blazingstrings.co.uk . Hoorah!
some video clips
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with Tab Hunter at Seaford Folk Club
with Tab and Jake Hunter at Jim's birthday party
Tom Paley plays the Sporting Life Blues This one doesn't have me in it, just my dad playing the guitar and singing
some people i've worked with
Damon Albarn, Duck Baker, Maggie Boyle, Nick Burbridge, Mark Carroll, Sam Carroll, Dil Davies, Diz Disley, Herbie Flowers, Matt Goorney, Claudia Gould, Ron Gould, Sara Grey, Tab Hunter, Ian Kearey, the Levellers, Joe Locker, Bing Lyle, Mandragora, McDermott's 2 Hours, Kieron Means, Andy Metcalfe, Moksha, Mandy Murray, Red Nerk, Michael Nyman, Tom Paley, Dan Quinn, Naomi Russell, The Saw Doctors, Tina Smith, Vic Smith, The Sussex Pistols, The Volo Bogtrotters, Tony Wickham, the Wild Turkey Brothers, Chris Wood, Murray Lachlan Young, Zoe
some recommendations
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John Kennedy Toole's posthumous novel A Confederacy Of Dunces
Sergei Parajanov's magical Ashik Kerib
The Conversation, with Gene Hackman
Olsen & Johnson's 1941 comedy Helzapoppin'
The utterly wonderful Marimba Queens
some people
I am married to Sam , and my sons are Max and Izzy ; my daughter is still too young for her own myspace!