Joglaresa Belinda Sykes (voice, director) Directed by Belinda Sykes, this London-based British/Israeli/Irish/Arabic ensemble has been playing since 1992. Now well-established, it is particularly interesting for the way in which theplayers imaginatively push, and often transcend, the limits of what is often thought of as early music. It was the first medieval band to develop a programme of songs entirely devoted to Mary Magdalen, and tit was a pioneer in programming medieval Jewish and Arabic texts for otherwise more-commonplace Iberian and Crusades programmes - its Crusades programme (The Scimitar and the Sword) represents the voices of Judaism and Islam alongside the Christian viewpoint, and its Arts Council-award-winning programme of medieval Hebrew/Arabic/Spanish song (Dreams of Andalusia) includes songs by medieval Arab-Andalusian poets and Spanish-Hebrew poets. Joglaresa's work focuses on connecting ancient and traditional musics but, rather than create a 'fusion' or a surreal mix of these styles, it aims to use its players' combined experiences (upbringings drenched in traditional Irish, English, Maghrebi, Balkan and Middle Eastern music) to create a homogenous sound - Joglaresa members spent years in North Africa and the Middle East absorbing the best traditional tunes, learning the local languages (Arabic and Hebrew), and even intermarrying! Their performances include the Aldeburgh Festival, York Early Music Festival, London's Lufthansa Festival, the Queen Elizabeth Hall (London), St David's Hall (Cardiff), London's Barbican Centre, Sana'a & Aden (Yemen), Brezice Early Music Festival (Slovenia), Istanbul, Amsterdam International Festival of Jewish Music, Chinchilla Early Music Festival; tours in Germany, Belgium, Italy and Holland. Numerous radio broadcasts - the world over.... www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0MGVc_-Vts
Belinda Sykes, director of Joglaresa, was raised on a pure diet of English folk song, and is now an international concert and recording soloist. She studied voice and improvisation in Morocco, Bulgaria, Syria, Spain and India; oboe and recorder at the Guildhall School of Music. She has recorded and sung solo with Red Byrd, New London Consort, Tragicomedia, Harp Consort, Paul O’Dette, Ensemble Unicorn and Oni Wytars, and is the soloist on Karl Jenkins' new album Stabat Mater, with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. As an oboist she has played for the Gabrieli Consort, English Concert, King’s Consort, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Age of Enlightenment and The Hanover Band, and won the 1990 Reichenberg Award for Baroque Oboe. She has also collaborated with many composers including Sir Harrison Birtwistle, Dominic Muldowney, Trevor Jones, Howard Shore, Adrian Johnston and Jocelyn Pook. Belinda has a Masters Degree in Ethnomusicology/Arabic music from London University's School of Oriental and African Studies and is Professor of Medieval Music at Trinity College of Music. www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlzy9PvSb9w
He also makes regular guest appearances with the Mellstock Band, and has recorded and performed with the German Ensemble Oni Wytars. Last year he also recorded two 15th Century Italian songs for viol consort Fretwork’s new album.
Jean has also worked with Yasmin Levy, The London Irish Sinfonia, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Boyzone, Phil Coulter and BBC television. Jean played the harp at Buckingham Palace for Prince Charles 50th Birthday, and is also involved in ongoing concerts for the Live Music Now! She has also released an acclaimed CD of Irish harp music as well as appearing on The Lord of the Rings soundtrack. Jean has recently performed in Vienna and St. Petersburg providing music for plays devised by Boomerang Theatre Company. Tim Garside was the first British musician to tour internationally with Hossam Ramzy's Egyptian band and has played with traditional Rajasthani ensemble Musafir, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Transglobal Underground, Cheb Mami, Hakim and for many years with Natacha Atlas. He has also played for broadcasts by Andy Kershaw, John Peel and Jools Holland, and has recorded many BBC Radio broadcasts with Joglaresa. Stuart Hall is a jazz guitarist, violinist and double bass player who plays many traditional and historical stringed instruments and lectures at Middlesex University. He has performed with Hermeto Pascoal, Human Chain, Lol Coxhill, Delightful Precipice, Loose Tubes, Arguelles, Dankworth Generation Band, Powder Room Collapse, Creative Jazz Orchestra, Cleo Laine and John Dankworth, Billy Jenkins, and co-leads Orquestra Mahatma with Paul Clarvis.
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