BouZaTina
About us
We've been playing music together for more than 30 years and individually for longer than we care to remember! We founded the traditional Irish band 'The Flying Toads', performing across the UK, Ireland and Europe. Later we joined the Dutch band 'The Wild Geese' and toured many large venues in both Holland and Germany. Both of us have a passion for playing traditional Irish music. We are regulars at Irish sessions all over the UK and run our own in Bishop's Castle. We have also hosted sessions at Shrewsbury, Bath and Fishguard Folk
Festivals.
BouZaTina was formed when we moved to Bishop's Castle in Shropshire 10 years ago. The aim was to perform folk-inspired versions of classic modern and
traditional songs interspersed with lively Celtic tunes. We play at festivals, clubs and pubs all over the country, including 'The Festival at the Edge', 'Fishguard Folk Festival', 'Ludlow Fringe Festival', 'Shrewsbury LoopFest', 'Settle Folk Festival', 'Bill's Kitchen' at Ludlow Assembly Rooms, 'Ludlow Food Festival', 'Barny's Music Club' in Stroud and many more.
Our Instruments
Val plays
English concertina, mandolin, tenor banjo
Keith plays bouzoukis, mandocello and tenor banjo
English concertina -
Concertinas developed
in Germany and England. The English system that Val plays was initially
invented by the scientist Sir Charles Wheatstone in 1829. The English system alternates the notes of
the scale between two hands, enabling rapid melodies.
Bouzouki -
The bouzouki
belongs to a family of long-necked lute instruments, such as the Turkish Saz.
The name Bouzouki only dates from the early 1960s when an extra course
of strings was added to the traditional 3 course Greek instrument. This
new Greek bouzouki became quickly popular, being made famous by the 1964 film
'Zorba the Greek'. Irish musician Johnny Moynahan picked one up while on
holiday and started using it instead of the mandolin in Irish music – tuning it
either GDAD or GDAE (as Keith uses). The bowl back didn’t suit so in 1970s
Peter Abnett (who made one of Keith's) was approached by Donal Lunny to make a more guitar-backed version
and the Irish bouzouki was born. Later, master luthier Stefan Sobell (who made Keith's) developed
the archtop version with a more refined sound. It has long been regarded as a 'traditional' Irish instrument, with its own class in the Fleadh.
Mandocello - An octave and a 5th below the mandolin, the mandocello is tuned CDGA. Keith's is made by the Ovation Guitar company.
Links
- Buy our CD on Bandcamp
- 'The Flying Toads' on Spotify
Gallery
