Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer
Vicki and Jonny are two of the most versatile musicians of the folk circuit today, a on stage – and now online, the duo are recognised for the high quality of their polished concerts; not only by their charismatic singing and playing but also by their involving, winning presence and easy rapport, their polished delivery that genuinely respects their listeners, and their lively, informed backstories. The whole package.
Their performances showcase new interpretations of old songs alongside original self penned tunes and new contemporary songs that are entirely at home in the tradition.
They have developed a sound that is both familiar and fresh. Strong believers in letting the music tradition live and breathe through sensitive interpretation, Vicki and Jonny allow the melody to sing without any constraints. Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer have developed an enviable reputation for their ability to reimagine folk and folk dance music; creating sounds that are simultaneously new and progressive, and yet entirely sympathetic to the tradition. They have become deeply involved in folk dance over the last ten years; contra, ceilidh and ’social dance’ both as the duo and as Purcell’s Polyphonic Party. They often insert performance elements into their dance music. You are very likely to find yourself dancing to a song – and we dare you not to sing the chorus as you go.
Vicki Swan – nyckelharpa, vocals, flute, assorted bagpipes
Vicki studied at the Royal College of Music on the double bass. She also plays the various types of bagpipes, flute, recorder, piano and nyckelharpa (Swedish keyed-fiddle). On leaving music college Vicki started down the long path of folk music and was only seen on rare glimpses back in classical orchestras. You’ll find Vicki now inhabiting the troll ridden forests playing her Swedish bagpipes, bagging tunes for new books. Vicki holds the Zorn Bronze Award for the traditional playing of Swedish bagpipes and runs workshops and teaches the nyckelharpa around the UK.
Vicki is a multi-instrumentalist with more instruments than is interesting to list here, so the main ones and their makers are:
Nyckelharpa by Sören Åhker
Fiddleharpa and Oktavharpa by Johannes Mayr
Tagelharpas by Anders Norudde and Visy Bloodaxe
Scottish Smallpipes by Hamish Moore
English Border pipes by Jon Swayne
Swedish säckpipa by Alban Faust
Wooden Flute (Pratten Model) by Tony Millyard
Jonny Dyer – guitars, accordion, cowhorn, harpsichords
Composer and competition-winning guitar player; Jonny’s outstanding technical ability, coupled with a wide-ranging musical taste has made him a tireless and forceful musical innovator. Jonny has been singing and playing choral music, soul, jazz and folk for as long as he can remember.
Jonny mostly plays his Fylde Falstaff guitar; his Taylor GA3 guitar and a custom gandola (guitar shaped octave mandola) by Rob Armstrong; his sazouki (saz/bouzouki cross) made by Colin Kendal. He also plays a Pigini 72 bass P36 and a Brandoni Piccolo accordion. Oh.. and a Börs Anders Cow Horn. Occasionally he gets out enough to play his 1959 Morley Spinet and digital harpsichord. Especially for Playford things.
