Chatterbox with Mel Biggs

Mel Biggs Music

Mel Biggs is a folk musician, melodeon player, and expert in online music education. Over the years, she's met some of the finest box players & teachers from across Europe. Join Mel every month as she chats with a different folk celebrity guest, and get to know the person behind the music. Tune in for your monthly dose of inspiration, entertainment & accordion geekery!

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#33
Sunday · 1 hr 11 min
Moya Sweeney: The Area In Between
Moya Sweeney, is an accomplished Irish traditional musician and tutor, having performed across Ireland and Europe. Moya graduated from Ulster University with a First-Class Honours in Music in 2021, and completed a PGCE in Music in 2024. Moya has appeared on various television and radio programmes, such as BBC Two’s ‘I Lár an Aonaigh’, RTE Radio 1’s ‘Céilí House’, TG4’s ‘Ceol ón Earagail’, along with various BBC Radio Ulster Programmes such as The Eve Blair Show and The Mark Patterson Show. Moya has performed in Michael Rooney’s ‘Famine Suite’ at IMBOLC in 2019, while also performing as a member of the IMBOLC Orchestra in 2020 and 2023, along with Four Men & A Dog. She is also a member of the Ulster Folk Orchestra, and has performed Michael Rooney’s ‘Ómós na nUltach’. Most recently, Moya has released her debut EP 'From The Aa' with Archie Churchill-Moss. Moya's links: Bandcamp | Instagram | Facebook Replay Moya's Melinar tutorial: https://www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusic/posts/melinar-moya-in-167229371 Live Folk Music in Swadlincote (DE11) Kilnside Folk Events presents Janice Burns & Jon Doran 13th September: https://melbiggsmusic.co.uk/product-category/live-music-events/ Session Survival Skills 3-part online workshop series: https://melbiggsmusic.co.uk/product/session-survival-skills-workshop-series/ Learn DG melodeon with Mel at The Stables, Milton Keynes - Absolute Beginners L1 October 31st: https://stables.org/workshops Intro & outro music: 'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved. Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light': www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.com Get in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.uk Don't forget to like/subscribe/follow: YouTube | Instagram | Patreon | Website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#32
August 2 · 1 hr 33 min
Tara Connaghan: Navigating Session Uncertainty
Tara Connaghan is an Irish traditional fiddle player from Co. Donegal with more than 35 years' experience performing, teaching and participating in Irish music sessions. She is the creator and host of the award-winning podcast 'In Tune with Tradition', where she has interviewed many of the leading voices in Irish traditional music to explore the musical, social and cultural dynamics that shape great sessions. Through hundreds of questionnaire responses, interviews and decades of lived experience, Tara has developed a unique perspective on why sessions can feel so welcoming for some musicians and so confusing for others. Today, Tara speaks internationally on session etiquette, cultural fluency and what she calls "Navigating Session Uncertainty", helping musicians make sense of the unwritten side of Irish music sessions. Her talks, workshops and educational programmes help players move from uncertainty and self-consciousness to confidence, belonging and a deeper understanding of the session itself. Her work is used by music schools, festivals and musicians around the world who want to experience the joy of Irish music sessions while contributing positively to the tradition. Tara's links: Instagram | Facebook | Podcast | Podcast FB page | Podcast YouTube channel Replay Tara's Melinar tutorial on her S.H.A.R.E. session etiquette educational programme for FREE: https://www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusic/posts/165251222 Join my PATREON to support the podcast - extended episodes, guest tutor Melinar tutorials & learning resource archive: www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusic Visit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more: www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk 7-9th August join Judy Minot & I at Halsway Manor 'Practise Smarter, Play Happier' course: https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/practise-smarter-2026 Live Folk Music in Swadlincote (DE11) Kilnside Folk Events presents Janice Burns & Jon Doran 13th September: https://melbiggsmusic.co.uk/product-category/live-music-events/ Intro & outro music: 'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved. Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light': www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.com Get in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.uk Don't forget to like/subscribe/follow: YouTube | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#31
July 5 · 1 hr 8 min
Sophie Petkevich: Connection In Isolation
Sophie Petkevich is a professional multi-instrumentalist, composer, and musicologist currently based in Novi Sad, Serbia. After graduating from the St. Petersburg Conservatoire, she worked for many years as a composer for art-house animation, with films featuring her music receiving awards at international festivals. She has long been immersed in the world of European folk music, performing with numerous bands and taking part in diverse collaborations. Over time, she has developed her own playing and compositional style, inspired by music from across continental Europe and the British Isles. She plays a wide range of instruments, with the diatonic accordion and hurdy-gurdy as her primary ones. Sophie's links: Facebook | YouTube Channel Join my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinar tutorials & learning resource archive: www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusic Visit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more: www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk Session Survival Skills 3-part online workshop series 14th, 21st + 28th July: https://melbiggsmusic.co.uk/product/session-survival-skills-workshop-series/ Intro & outro music: 'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved. Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light': www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.com Get in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.uk Don't forget to like/subscribe/follow: YouTube | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#30
May 31 · 1 hr 5 min
Anna Pack: From Fan Girls To Band Girls
Anna Pack is a musician and dancer with a long-standing interest in European traditional dance, performing in duos with Blowzabella's Dave Shepherd (R.I.P.), Nigel Eaton, Hekety's Jo Veal and in the trio Oscina. Anna and I have travelled together to many a festival and workshop in England, France and Belgium. We've also been lucky enough to share the stage a couple of times to play with legends Riccardo Tesi and Naragonia Quartet! I've learned a lot from her over the years and always admired her vast skillset and dedication to her artistic talents. I hope you enjoy our conversation! Anna's links: Oscina Bandcamp | Ravelry knitting patterns Videos of Anna & I on stage with famous bands: Riccardo Tesi 2020 | Naragonia Quartet 2023 Join my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinar tutorials & learning resource archive: www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusic Learn DG melodeon with Mel at The Stables, Milton Keynes - Improvers L2 June 27th: https://stables.org/workshops Visit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more: www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk Intro & outro music: 'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved. Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light': www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.com Get in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.uk Don't forget to like/subscribe/follow: YouTube | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#29
May 3 · 1 hr 1 min
Nick Wiseman-Ellis: Weaving Musical Kinship
Nick has performed and taught professionally since 2010 after completing the BMus Folk and Traditional Music with a 1st from Newcastle University. Since then, he has been part of various musical projects both in the UK and abroad. In 2015 Nick joined the Germany-based Irish music trio ‘Iontach’ with Siobhán Kennedy and Jens Kommnick and toured all over the country performing and giving workshops in both fiddle and diatonic button accordion. More recently since returning to the UK, Nick became the third member of the balfolk trio ‘Woodwose’ with Steve Tyler and Katy Marchant, specialising in playing for Balfolk dancing and with an emphasis on newly self-composed melodies. Nick’s musical style stems from a blend of inspirations and music traditions including Great Britain, Ireland, France and Scandinavia. Nick's links: Iontach | Woodwose The arrival of the Queen of Sheba / Padraig McGovern Join my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinar tutorials & learning resource archive: www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusic 16th May Birmingham Balfolk event 2-5.30 pm, The Woodman Pub, Curzon St, B4 7XG: https://fb.me/e/biKTQc1JW KILNSIDE TICKETS: Jon Doran & The Northern Assembly 29/05: https://melbiggsmusic.co.uk/product-category/live-music-events/ Learn DG melodeon with Mel at The Stables, Milton Keynes - Improvers L1 May 23rd: https://stables.org/workshops Visit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more: www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk Intro & outro music: 'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved. Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light': www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.com Get in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.uk Don't forget to like/subscribe/follow: YouTube | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#28
April 5 · 1 hr 14 min
Katie Howson: Looking East, Looking West
Katie Howson, often thought of as a one-row player but these days she plays mainly D/G, is best known as a driving force in a number of significant English ceilidh bands including the Old Hat Dance Band and PolkaWorks, playing melodeon and harmonica. She grew up in the East Anglian tradition, playing alongside legendary musicians such as Oscar Woods and Dolly Curtis, but all along, she has had a very eclectic wider repertoire stretching from south west Ireland to the south west states of America, and north east England to north east Australia. 2026 will be her 50th year playing the melodeon, which will be marked by a solo presentation “Carry on Squeezing” at summer festivals. As well as being a musician and educator, Katie is also a researcher, historian and writer on various aspects of traditional music, song and dance, with several books and websites to her name. She has made various media appearances including film and TV. Together with her late husband John Howson, she founded and ran the East Anglian Traditional Music Trust from 2000 to 2017. During this tenure she produced the annual “Melodeons and More” workshop days which were much-loved events in their day, and organised five melodeon-building courses led by Emmanuel Pariselle. In 2010, she was awarded the EFDSS Gold Badge Award. Katie's Links: Website | Bandcamp | https://www.eatmt.org.uk/ | www.unsunghistories.info | www.eastangliandulcimers.org.uk Join my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinar tutorials & learning resource archive: www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusic Derbyshire Makes Festival, Swadlincote Hub Day 25th April 10-4pm with events across the county April-May: https://www.derbyshiremakes.co.uk/whats-on KILNSIDE TICKETS: Cosmos Chocolat bal (28/04) & Jon Doran & The Northern Assembly (29/05): https://melbiggsmusic.co.uk/product-category/live-music-events/ Learn DG melodeon with Mel at The Stables, Milton Keynes - Improvers L1 May 23rd: https://stables.org/workshops Visit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more: www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk Intro & outro music: 'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved. Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light': www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.com Get in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.uk Don't forget to like/subscribe/follow: YouTube | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#27
March 2 · 1 hr 2 min
Filippo Gambetta: Ciao From Madagascar
Join Mel this month as she sits down for a long-awaited catch up with Filippo Gambetta since meeting him at Halsway Manor Melodeon Study Week 2023. During that week, Filippo shared stories, videos and field recordings that he had made across several trips to Madagascar. During his time on the island, he has been able to visit different communities, take lessons with native diatonic accordion players with their unique style and application of the instrument, and even be invited to witness and take part in spiritual posession ceremonies. Tune in to find out more about this fascinating traditional culture. Filippo Gambetta (Italy) an accomplished accordionist, clarinetist and mandolinist, has performed hundreds of concerts around the world, performing his music including three tours of major Canadian folk festivals. He has released four solo albums (Stria, Andirivieni, Pria Goaea, Otto Baffi), in addition to the duo and trio albums. In 2016, he won the most prestigious Italian award for traditional music, the "Premio Città di Loano", with his album Otto Baffi. He is currently a member of the groups Choropo and Maestrale, with which he has performed at numerous acoustic music festivals. He has collaborated with leading world music artists, including Riccardo Tesi, Jean Michel Veillon, Nuala Kennedy and Oliver Schroer. He has also composed stage music for the Teatro della Tosse in Genoa and collaborated with dancers and actors such as Fabrizio Matteini, Gioele Dix, and Aline Nari. He has performed live on Italian (RAI), Belgian (La Premièere) Finnish (YLE), Swiss (RSI), Austrian (ORF) and German (WDR) national radio stations. As an accordion teacher he has held courses throughout Europe. Attention to the "balfolk" repertoire and Brazilian and Venezuelan music are his current strong interests. Filippo's Links: Website Join my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinar tutorials & learning resource archive: www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusic Learn DG melodeon with Mel at The Stables, Milton Keynes - Improvers L2 Mar 14th: https://stables.org/workshops Tickets on sale for Cosmos Chocolat bal (29/04) AND Jon Doran & The Northern Assembly (29/05) at Kilnside Folk in Swadlincote, South Derbyshire: https://melbiggsmusic.co.uk/product-category/live-music-events/ Halsway Manor Melodeon Study Week 2023 Vlog: https://youtu.be/TpjtG0qFoVY Visit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more: www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk Intro & outro music: 'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved. Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light': www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.com Get in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.uk Don't forget to like/subscribe/follow: YouTube | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#26
February 2 · 1 hr 7 min
Jo Freya: Mentor. Icon. Legend.
Jo Freya is a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter and composer based in Nottinghamshire, England. Over an extensive career spanning five decades she has been part of some of the most groundbreaking acts on the British Folk Scene. Her journey started when she was 14 in The Old Swan Band – a band that explored and reaffirmed the joyousness of English traditional music, at a time when most English folk musicians were playing celtic music. From this healthy foundation of tunes and song she was invited to join Blowzabella - and the rest is history. Jo is a prolific writer of songs and tunes, as well as shows. Her music is played across festivals in Europe and she has performed extensively both solo and with groups such as Fraser Sisters, Coope Boyes & Simpson, Narthen, Moirai, Token Women, Freyja, Tanteeka, and Maalstroom. Jo is a busy music educator, having run many schemes including 'Komposit' her young people's composition project . She is currently the artistic director of England's National Youth Folk Ensemble and was recently awarded the EFDSS Gold Badge for outstanding contribution to folk music. Jo and Mel met at a series of music workshops held in Wantage, England, and from there Jo invited Mel to form a band - and Moirai was born. Moirai performed across the UK folk scene for nearly a decade, and recorded 3 albums, including their self-penned 20-track show 'Framed: The Alice Wheeldon Story'. Jo's Links: Website | Facebook | YouTube Join my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinar tutorials & learning resource archive: www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusic Live @ Mel's & ONLINE Airboxes house concert 2nd February 2026: Info & Tickets Learn DG melodeon with Mel at The Stables, Milton Keynes Mar 14th: https://stables.org/workshops Evesham Melodeon Playgroup & concert Feb 7-8th: https://www.melodeonplaygroup.org/ https://www.tickettailor.com/events/fleeceinngrasroots/1942129 Visit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more: www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk Intro & outro music: 'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved. Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light': www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.com Get in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.uk Don't forget to like/subscribe/follow: YouTube | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#25
January 5 · 1 hr 7 min
Mel Biggs: Trusting Instinct & Opportunity
Mel Biggs is a Morris dancer, musician, and highly-renowned melodeon tutor based in Derbyshire, England. In her professional career, Mel has risen from the EFDSS Aspire program with Andy Cutting to form Moirai with Jo Freya and Sarah Matthews. Together they created 3 albums and toured the UK and Europe, culminating in their self-penned show Framed: The Alice Wheeldon Story telling a true story of a Derbyshire woman. Mel was recently seen on stage as an actor-musician in the 2022-2023 UK & Canada tour of Fisherman's Friend's: The Musical. Mel has been involved in several recurrent Arts Council England funded projects. These include Jo Freya’s Komposit Young Composers (with Annie Whitehead, Judith Weir CBE and Chris Woods), and cross-cultural theatre shows such as Priya Sundar’s Morris:Natyam, and Kate Flatt and Adriano Adewale’s The Oss & The Ox. Mel is currently working on the second iteration of her folk music camp for women and marginalised genders FolkUnbound: The Gathering with co-founder Lucy Huzzard, a new course at Halsway Manor Practice Smarter, Play Happier with Judy Minot, coordinating several community arts projects in her hometown of Swadlincote, and squiring her newly-revived heritage-obsessed Border Morris side Wilkes’ Gob. Mel's Links: Website | Facebook | YouTube | Patreon | Instagram Join my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinar tutorials & learning resource archive: www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusic Live @ Mel's & ONLINE Airboxes house concert 2nd February 2026: Info & Tickets Learn DG melodeon with Mel at The Stables, Milton Keynes Jan 18th: https://stables.org/workshops Evesham Melodeon Playgroup & concert Feb 7-8th: https://www.melodeonplaygroup.org/ Visit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more: www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk Intro & outro music: 'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved. Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light': www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.com Get in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.uk Don't forget to like/subscribe/follow: YouTube | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#24
Dec 1, 2025 · 1 hr 8 min
Roger Watson: Transforming Tradition
Roger Watson has been playing melodeon for 55 of his 78 years. Known for his work as a member of Muckram Wakes and The New Victory Band in the 1970s, he published a tutor method in 1980: the Handbook for Melodeon, on behalf of Hohner. Later he worked as Artistic Director of TAPS, a folk development organisation, where he used his melodeon and knowledge of English traditional music to create projects involving players from many different music genres and cultural backgrounds, including Boka Halat. Retired for health reasons in 2010, he has returned to playing and workshop leading in recent years. Roger's Links: Facebook | YouTube Join my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinar tutorials & learning resource archive: www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusic Live @ Mel's & ONLINE Double duo house concert 9th December 2025: Info & Tickets Learn DG melodeon with Mel at The Stables, Milton Keynes Jan 18th: https://stables.org/workshops Evesham Melodeon Playgroup & concert Feb 7-8th: https://www.melodeonplaygroup.org/ Visit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more: www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk Intro & outro music: 'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved. Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light': www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.com Get in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.uk Don't forget to like/subscribe/follow: YouTube | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#23
Nov 3, 2025 · 1 hr 5 min
Sophie Cavez: Behind The Style & Sophistication
Sophie Cavez is a self-taught diatonic accordionist and electric bassist from Belgium. She has firmly established herself in the world of button accordion music, leading her own projects and offering her talent to others in the worlds of concert, balfolk, theatre and storytelling. She has spread a new diatonic sound across the Belgian and international stages, combining power, charm, and sensitivity. Her career spans many collaborations across multiple different European countries and cultures. Her current projects include her own group KV EXPRESS which offers a repertoire consisting solely of her personal compositions in a drum’n bass n’accordeon trio. DUO MONTANARO/CAVEZ, with the French violinist Baltazar Montanaro, with numerous concerts around the world and already a great reputation after 15 years on stage. • SIRUS project with 2 Swedish musicians, Josefina Paulson and Jonas Akerlund. DUO PAULSON/CAVEZ born from the meeting within the Sirus Quartet project, CD 'Murmures' recorded in 2023. SARAÏ with the fantastic Occitan singer Juliette Minvielle and Baltazar Montanaro, the trio was born in 2022 and now tours in concert format and in folk ball format with a repertoire of poems in Occitan set to music by the trio. With a first CD in 2023. Duo project with her partner, JULIEN PADOVANI, pianist from Poitiers. And most recently with FLUENCIA QUARTET - an encounter between the worlds of flamenco, Swedish traditional music and Belgian accordion. Sophie's Links: website | Facebook | Tunebooks & CDs Join my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinar tutorials & learning resource archive: www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusic Learn DG melodeon with Mel at The Stables, Milton Keynes Nov 25/Jan 26: https://stables.org/workshops Live @ Mel's & ONLINE Double duo house concert 9th December 2025: Info & Tickets Visit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more: www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk Intro & outro music: 'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved. Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light': www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.com Get in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.uk Don't forget to like/subscribe/follow: YouTube | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#22
Oct 5, 2025 · 1 hr 6 min
Bruno Le Tron: Accordéon Autodidacte Extraordinaire
Bruno Le Tron is a diatonic accordionist based in Brittany, France. It was in the 1980s that he discovered folk dance and Fest-Noz and developed a passion for the diatonic accordion. A few years later, his encounter with Jean Blanchard and Evelyne Girardon marked the beginning of his professional career. In 1990, Bruno wrote his first album, the famous "Valhermeil". What followed was a succession of encounters, musical of course, but above all intensely human. He toured the French and international stages, developing his style, both energetic and sensitive, without ceasing to compose dozens, hundreds of pieces, the most famous of which were covered by musicians from all walks of life. He was one of the founding members and composers of various groups: Maubuissons, a Franco-Belgian creation based on the diatonic accordion and European music, Topanga, a completely original reed trio (bagpipes, harmonium, accordion), Vertigo, which revisits French neo-traditional music, duo Laloy-Le Tron, a diatonic accordion duo dedicated to an energetic and sensitive folk dance. Bruno discovered Balkan music alongside François Heim, with whom he formed the duo Intersection. He also participates in the international project Samuraï Accordion, a European quintet of diatonic accordionists that won the Charles Cros Grand Prix du Disque in 2011. Finally, he is currently working on a new, more personal project: Initium, a concert or Bal Folk based almost exclusively on his new compositions, in which he is accompanied by a clarinet, a double bass, and percussion. This conversation takes place in both French and English, with translations where necessary. Bruno's Links: Website | Tutorial book series | YouTube | Facebook | SoundCloud Join my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinar tutorials & learning resource archive: www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusic Learn DG melodeon L2 with Mel at The Stables, Milton Keynes November 9th 2025: https://stables.org/workshops Double duo house concert Live @ Mel's 9th December 2025: Info & Tickets Visit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more: www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk Intro & outro music: 'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved. Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light': www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.com Get in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.uk Don't forget to like/subscribe/follow: YouTube | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#21
Aug 31, 2025 · 1 hr 9 min
Judy Minot: Practice Smarter, Practice Happier
Judy Minot is a music educator and musician, and the author of the award-winning book Best Practice, Inspiration and Ideas for Traditional Musicians. She plays piano, accordion (piano and bisonoric), and fiddle in a range of styles including Celtic, Québécois, Playford, jazz, and contra. Judy believes in the power of trad/folk music to bring richness to our adult lives. “Amateur” musicians often compare ourselves, in a negative way, to professionals. But being a dedicated musician does not mean you have to make a living by it, or even perform. If you love making music, you deserve to take yourself seriously and love your own playing, no matter your age, your profession, or your level of playing. Judy herself has never been a professional musician. Instead, she enjoyed a long and successful career in broadcast television and in digital marketing, while playing Celtic/Irish music with Patrick Clifford and Fiona Tyndall, and playing English Country/Playford and contra dances all over the East Coast US. She was on the staff of Folk College, an annual music camp in Pennsylvania, USA. She has recorded with Patrick Clifford, Anna Bosnick, and the band Na’bodach, and her solo CD, Give Us a Tune, is available via streaming on Soundcloud. Judy holds a 4th degree black belt in the martial art of Kokikai Aikido, which she taught at Rutgers University for 12 years. She is also a certified yoga teacher. She has written regularly for Acoustic Guitar Magazine, and publishes a regular blog on the concepts of Best Practice. She has taught Best Practice workshops online and in person at many camps and festivals including Ashokan Northern Week, Northeast Heritage Music Camp, and the Northeast Squeeze-In. Judy currently resides in Ireland. Judy's Links Webiste | Book | Blog | SoundCloud Join my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinar tutorials & learning resource archive: www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusic Learn DG melodeon with Mel at The Stables, Milton Keynes September 28th 2025: https://stables.org/workshops Visit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more: www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk Intro & outro music: 'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved. Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light': www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.com Get in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.uk Don't forget to like/subscribe/follow: YouTube | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#20
Aug 3, 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
Chris Hall: O'Cajunal Squeezes With Fame
Chris Hall is a 5-time award winning accordion player / vocalist / harmonica / bass / guitar / drums who, it’s said, almost single handedly introduced the sounds of Cajun and Zydeco swamp music to the UK. His first band 'RCajun and the Zydeco Brothers' and founding The Derby Swamp Club started an avalanche of interest in this music. He has headlined festivals all over Europe appearing in several other bands. Chris founded his own agency, Swampmusic, which brought many leading Louisiana bands direct to the UK and Europe. He started his own record label Bearcat Records and hosted his own regular weekly Cajun and Zydeco show on BBC Radio 2. He has appeared an over 30 albums including the works of global music superstars including Paul McCartney, Dave Gilmour, Ian Paice, Mick Green and Pete Wingfield, Kate Bush, Seth Lakeman, Bill Wyman and Mike Harding. His international band Cajun Roosters brought together members from Germany, Belgium, Scotland, France and England headlining theatres and festivals in Germany, France, Belgium, Denmark, Indonesia, Austria, Netherlands, Poland and the UK. He continues to headline festivals with his various bands and plays locally when he has time with Lil Roosters and The Shamrockers and also plays drums with local band Carla and the Honeymakers. When he’s not out playing he gives classes in Cajun music and also builds, tunes and restores melodeons in his workshop. Chris's Links SwampMusic website | CajunRoosters website | Facebook Join my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinar tutorials & learning resource archive: www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusic Learn DG melodeon with Mel at The Stables, Milton Keynes September 28th 2025: https://stables.org/workshops Visit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more: www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk Intro & outro music: 'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved. Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light': www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.com Get in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.uk Don't forget to like/subscribe/follow: YouTube | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#19
Jul 6, 2025 · 1 hr 9 min
Simon Care: Fake It 'til You Make It
Simon Care started playing melodeon at the age of 10, after failing terribly at the Piano Accordion. Playing for Moulton Morris, under the watchful eye of Dave Jolly he eventually ended up playing in the local morris ceilidh band, Captain Thunderbox. After depping in The Cock and Bull Band for Dave Whetstone, he was invited to join The Albion Band. He toured with them for 8 years and recorded 6 albums. After a short hiatus, he then joined roots/reggae band Edward II, where he toured the world until 1999. He formed his own band, Tickled Pink, during this time, and recorded with various artists including Show of Hands, Merry Hell, Little Johnny England, Trad Arrr. In 2009 Edward II reformed and carried on their journey, and recorded 3 subsequent albums. Simon is currently working with Banter, with Tim, Nina and Mark, and regards it as one of his favourite musical adventures .... in total he has recorded over 60 albums - but the one closest to his heart is Two's Up and Two's Up 2 recorded with his long time friend and stunt double Gareth Turner, who we sadly lost in Sept 2023. As he would say "Keep on keeping on". Simon's Links Instagram | Banter website Join my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinar tutorials & learning resource archive: www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusic CLOSING DATE 7TH JULY Folk Unbound: The Gathering 14-18th July 2025 www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk/folkunbound Wilkes' Gob Border Morris recruitment practice 20th July: Contact wilkesgob@gmail.com Visit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more: www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk Intro & outro music: 'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved. Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light': www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.com Get in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.uk Don't forget to like/subscribe/follow: YouTube | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#18
Jun 1, 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
Frankie Insley: The Power of Queer Folk Spaces
Frankie Insley is a multi instrumentalist based in Newcastle who has a deep love for the one-row melodeon and fiddle. After discovering folk through Morris dancing as a teenager, and completing the Newcastle University Folk Music Degree, she has become a passionate advocate for the joy of folk. Frankie is an absolute force for community folk music and dance. She is the founder of DIY Ceilidh, a chaotic, joyful and hugely popular monthly ceilidh series that is volunteer-run and queer friendly. When she’s not calling ceilidhs she is also heavily involved with Newcastle’s punk scene, performing in her band Bitchfinder General. She also performs with the Newcastle drone folk collective Powtes. Frankie will be guest tutoring alongside Mel and Lucy Huzzard on the inaugural Folk Unbound: The Gathering folk music summer camp for women and marginalised gender musicians looking to gain confidence and explore group music making in a celebratory way. Frankie's Links Instagram | YouTube Join my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinar tutorials & learning resource archive: www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusic Learn melodeon with Mel at The Stables, Milton Keynes June 28th 2025: https://stables.org/workshops Apply to join Folk Unbound: The Gathering 14-18th July 2025 www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk/folkunbound Mel's workshop/session/concert at Birmingham Accordion Centre 5th July: https://melbiggsmusic.co.uk/calendar Visit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more: www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk Intro & outro music: 'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved. Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light': www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.com Get in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.uk Don't forget to like/subscribe/follow: YouTube | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#17
May 4, 2025 · 53 min
Martin Coudroy: Bellows & Bows Across Cultures
An accordionist, violinist, singer, composer, and arranger, Martin's artistic approach is open and curious about different aesthetics, from dance music, bal folk, jazz, musette, gypsy swing, contemporary and improvised music. Martin began playing for Balfolk at the age of 13. He built a solid background focused on the traditional music of Western Europe and has been sharing his skills since a young age in music schools and numerous workshops. He also plays in numerous Breton music ensembles. After studying musicology, he moved to Sweden to study music and dance. He works with contemporary dance and explores different aesthetics, including gypsy swing and improvised music. Today, Martin devotes himself to live performance and creation through concerts, musical theater, shows for young audiences, film concerts, and folk dances. Join me this month as I sit down to chat with Martin about his time growing up in Brittanny surrounded with traditional and contemporary folk music, the relationship between the bow of his fiddle and the bellows of his accordion, meeting accordionista Marc Perrone, how it is to learn and work across different European cultures and what public transport means to him as a performer. Martin's Links: Website | Youtube | Facebook Join my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinar tutorials & learning resource archive: www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusic Learn melodeon with Mel at The Stables, Milton Keynes May 10th & June 28th 2025: https://stables.org/workshops Apply to join Folk Unbound: The Gathering 14-18th July 2025 www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk/folkunbound Visit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more: www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk Intro & outro music: 'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved. Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light': www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.com Get in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.uk Don't forget to like/subscribe/follow: YouTube | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#16
Apr 6, 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
Archie Churchill-Moss: Finding Your Musical Voice
Join me this month as I sit down to chat with Archie Churchill-Moss who has worked as a session musician for some of the UK's top folk acts (Seth Lakeman, Sam Sweeney, Cara Dillon, Eliza Carthy, Blair Dunlop, Jim Moray) and producers (Andy Bell, Ed Harcourt). Performing with trio 'Moore, Moss, Rutter' saw him receive the coveted BBC Radio 2 Folk Award in 2011. Archie has toured extensively across western Europe and perform at some of Europe's top music festivals, including headline slots at Colours of Ostrava (Czech Republic), Tønder festival (Denmark), Cropredy Convention (UK) and Cambridge Folk Festival (UK). With a contemporary approach to composition and arrangement, Archie has developed a style of playing that draws as much influence from the tradition as it does modern popular music. His engaging teaching style comes from a wealth of experience in his position as principle lecturer at Leeds College of Music and teaching on the National Youth Folk Ensemble. Listen in to find out more about our teaching approaches, why G Major is the centre of both our musical universes, his new collaboration and forthcoming album with Irish player Moya Sweeney, his working relationship with Tom Moore and more. Archie's Links: Website | Instagram | Bandcamp Join my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinar tutorials & learning resource archive: www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusic Visit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more: www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk Intro & outro music: 'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved. Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light': www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.com Get in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.uk Don't forget to like/subscribe/follow: YouTube | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#15
Mar 3, 2025 · 1 hr 2 min
Leija Lautamaja: Finnish Folk Rock Goddess
Leija Lautamaja is a Helsinki-based artist and musician specialised in Finnish and Nordic folk music & dance. Her instruments are 2.5 row diatonic accordion, reed organ, electric guitar and voice. She has a Master’s degree in folk music from the Sibelius Academy, with her musical roots in the local traditions of Southern Ostrobothnia in Western Finland where she grew up surrounded by the living tradition of Finnish melodeon playing. Her active bands are Nordic co-operation Floating Sofa Quartet, Finnish folky girl band ENKEL, and The Moontwins - a warm-hearted rock’n’roll duo with one of Finland’s most respected guitarists PK Keränen. Currently she’s working on her singer-songwriter solo album. Join me this month as I chat with Leija about growing up with a champion punk rock guitarist father and how that's influenced her own take on composition, song writing and performance, getting to work with one of her musical heros PK Keränen in Moontwins Duo, nerding out over trad music from other Nordic countries that travels far and wide, and we even touch upon the socio-political history of Finland and how that's likely to have had an effect on the slow growth of social folk dance in Finland. Until Leija got her hands on it, that is! Leija's Links: Website | Instagram Join my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinar tutorials & learning resource archive: www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusic Folk Unbound: The Gathering 2025 - Early Bird prices end 14th March! www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk/folkunbound Visit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more: www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk Intro & outro music: 'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved. Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light': www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.com Get in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.uk Don't forget to like/subscribe/follow: YouTube | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#14
Feb 3, 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne: From Spice Girls To Folk Revivalists
Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne is well known on the English folk scene for his work with the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award nominated trio ‘Granny’s Attic’ and as a soloist. Originally from Birmingham, Cohen developed a keen love for melodeons and concertinas while still at primary school. Cohen’s main passion is for English traditional music and song, but his musical interests run broader than that, into Baroque music, ragtime, and Victorian popular music and he has been known to throw all of these into his performances and teaching. Join me this month as I sit down to chat with Cohen about his route into English folk music, how his journey through the education system all the way up to Leeds University School of Music has shaped his approach to the work, the evolution of Granny's Attic and the working relationship with Lewis and George, how he developed his distinctive style of singing and playing, and the importance of Black Music acknowledgement in the history of English folk music, and the influences that go between cultures. Cohen's Links: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp Join my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinars & learning resource archive: www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusic Mel's Improver melodeon workshop at The Stables, Milton Keynes Mar 1st 2025: https://stables.org/workshops Folk Unbound: The Gathering 2025 - Applications open 14th Feb! www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk/folkunbound Visit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more: www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk Intro & outro music: 'Dream Big' by Mel Biggs. All rights reserved. Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light': www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.com Get in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.uk Don't forget to like/subscribe/follow: YouTube | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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