Dan Walsh and Mishra (UK)

Expect a wonderful expose of clawhammer banjo, percussion and guitar from a banjo master, his student and her partner, all of whom are seasoned performers from the UK.

Dan Walsh

Dan is one of the UK’s leading lights in melodic clawhammer banjo. Clawhammer banjo refers to playing with the back of the index or middle finger nail in a downstroke movement while the thumb concentrates principally on the fifth string which is a drone string but also picks other strings using a technique called drop thumbing. The hand assumes a claw like shape while the movement comes primarily from the elbow. The style is a very old one used primarily in American old time music though players like Ken Perlman, Michael J Miles and others have experimented with other genres using the technique. The good thing about the style is it can cover lead, chords and percussion all in one so it makes a great solo style.

Dan’s style is very percussive with lots of syncopation. Clawhammer is the foundation for pretty much all of Dan’s playing although he does also use a little of the other primary 5-string style ‘Scruggs’ style, named after the great Earl Scruggs who invented it which is more akin to guitar finger picking. Many other techniques are used such as pinched harmonics, tapping and Dan’s trademark ‘funkhammer’ style.

So then why did a thirteen year old from the middle of England choose the banjo? Dan had a long standing love of Irish jigs and reels, heard a banjo playing them courtesy of Barney McKenna and Gerry O’Connor, and said to his parents ‘I want to learn the banjo’. So a banjo teacher was found – the legendary George Davies in Cannock who taught 5-string melodic clawhammer style banjo. It was only a year into playing that Dan discovered this was not the instrument he had heard in all that Irish music that being the 4-string tenor banjo! Indeed Dan had never even heard of old-time or bluegrass music so had no inherent idea of what the banjo is supposed to do! He still plays those beloved jigs and reels, influenced greatly by legendary melodic clawhammer pioneer Ken Perlman, and has added old time and bluegrass to his ever growing list of influences on his playing.

Mishra

Kate Griffin and Ford Collier​ formed Mishra in 2018 as a creative partnership at the University of Sheffield, where they discovered a shared fascination of UK folk and Indian classical music, and explored the boundaries of their creative abilities.

Kate Griffin on vocals, banjo, and resonator guitar, and Ford Collier on low whistle, calabash, percussion and guitar, draw on their unique base of influences, encompassing folk music of the UK and America, Indian classical music, and soul to create a surprisingly accessible sound that audiences instantly connect to.

The recent release of their album 'Reclaim' gained critical acclaim including reviews in Songlines and Mojo. Performance highlights include supporting Jon Boden at Assembly Festival Coventry and performances at Cambridge Folk Festival, Sidmouth Folk Week, Broadstairs Folk Week and more.

TICKETING INFO...
+ there are NO booking fees nor additional fees for this show
+ general admission $40-00
+ members or children $35-00
+ ticket includes complimentary tea and coffee

BOOKINGS...
+ accepted before the day of the show
+ email bluegrass@xtra.co.nz, include your name, phone contact and the number of tickets required
+ you will receive a reply by email to confirm your booking
+ there are no booking fees nor any additional fees for this event

NOTES...
+ on the day, door sales at the venue, from 7:50pm
+ seating is general admission
+ free parking available by or near the venue
+ licensed bar at venue (no BYO allowed)