Jamie Smith's Mabon

Jamie Smith's Mabon are a Welsh folk band renowned for their live performances and their seven albums released between 2001 and 2018. Founded in 1998, the band were in operation until disbanding in 2020.

Jamie Smith's Mabon
Jamie Smith's Mabon in 2016
Background information
OriginWales
GenresFolk music, Folk rock, Indie folk
Years active1998–2020
Websitehttps://www.jamiesmithsmabon.com/
MembersJamie Smith – accordion and voice
Oli Wilson-Dickson – fiddle
Paul Rogers – guitar
Matt Downer – bass
Iolo Whelan – drums and percussion
Past membersTom Callister
Callum Stewart
Adam Rhodes
Dylan Fowler
Will Lang

History

Founded as 'Mabon' in 1998, the group initially predominantly played Welsh folk tunes,[1] but they soon emerged to develop a more contemporary sound, calling on wide-ranging influences reaching far beyond the traditional canon.[2] Starting with Lumps of Mabon in 2001, the group released four albums as 'Mabon' before re-branding as 'Jamie Smith's Mabon' in 2011.[3] After the next two albums, Windblown (2012) and The Space Between (2015), with winning the 'Best Group' in the 2014 Spiral Earth Awards[4]and the 2015 Eiserner Eversteiner Award[5] in between, the group marked their 20th anniversary in 2019 with a live album and a worldwide tour.[2]

Renowned for their live performances,[6] Jamie Smith's Mabon took on many world tours and performed well over 1,000 gigs in four continents by 2018 alone.[2] Notable festivals the group have performed at include: Festival Interceltique de Lorient (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018); Celtic Connections (2011, 2015, 2019); the Rain Forest World Music Festival in Borneo (being the first ever Welsh band to perform here);[2] WOMAD UK (2011 and 2017);[7] WOMAD Australia (2019); WOMAD New Zealand;[2] Musicport Festival (2017);[8] Cambridge Folk Festival (2013 and 2017);[9][10] Sidmouth Folkweek (2017);[11] National Eisteddfod of Wales (2019); Fairport's Cropredy Convention (2011) and Cwlwm Celtaidd (2016).[12]

Musicians who have recorded, performed or collaborated with Jamie Smith's Mabon include: Tomas Callister, Callum Stewart, Adam Rhodes, Dylan Fowler, Will Lang[13]

The group announced their amicable disbanding with a farewell tour for autumn 2020.[14] Although the final date of the tour was planned to be in June 2020, coronavirus cut the tour months short.[15]

Musical style

Jamie Smith's Mabon predominantly perform purely instrumental music, thought they also have many songs with vocals. Nearly all of their music is their own composition, predominantly created by Jamie Smith and reflecting their varied interests and influences based in traditional or contemporary Celtic music but also reaching into world music and beyond.[13][9] Their ability to seamlessly blur 'the boundaries between the heritage of a traditional Celtic legacy and a more contemporary sound' has been noted,[2] as has their 'wide dynamic range, from quiet, reflective melodies and songs to loud and exciting music.'[16] Amongst the latter are tunes such as The Accordionist’s Despair, an incredibly difficult piece described as ‘… an unholy union of Bach and Metallica.’[2]

At the time of their release of Windblown In 2017, folk radio said that:[13]

One of the attractions of Mabon’s music is its untethered nature: traditionally inspired but all original. Rather than create boundaries and confines to work within they also take influences from other folk traditions and beyond

Band members
Jamie Smith's Mabon at the Festival de Cornouaille, 2014

Previous members: Derek Smith (guitar), Gareth Whelan (fiddle), Jason Rogers (bass guitar), David Killgallon (fiddle), Calum Stewart (flute, uilleann pipes),[13] Ruth Angell (fiddle), Tomas Callister (fiddle),[13] Adam Rhodes (bouzouki),[13] and Ronald Jappy (guitar).[17]

Discography
Jamie Smith's Mabon performing live
  • Lumps of Mabon (2001)
  • Ridiculous Thinkers (2004)
  • OK Pewter (2007)
  • Live at the Grand Pavilion (2010)
  • Windblown (2012)
  • The Space Between (2015)
  • Twenty - Live! (2018)

Other ensembles of Jamie Smith's Mabon members

References
  1. McFadyen, Neil (13 January 2016). "Jamie Smith's Mabon: Artist of the Month Interview". folk radio. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  2. Pratt, David (5 October 2018). "Jamie Smith's Mabon: Twenty (Live)". folk radio. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  3. McFadyen, Neil (1 January 2016). "Jamie Smith's Mabon - The Space Between". folk radio. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  4. "Spiral Earth Awards 2014 – The Winners". Navigator Records. 6 March 2014. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  5. Albrecht, Peter (2 February 2015). ""Eiserner Eversteiner" geht auf die Insel". Freie Presse. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  6. "Yn Chruinnaght". isleofman.com. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  7. "WOMAD 2017 Review: The Best Festival Yet". folk radio. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  8. "Musicport Festival 20th – 22nd October 2017". folk radio. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  9. "Latest Names Announced for Cambridge Folk Festival 2017". folk radio. 15 March 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  10. "Cambridge Folk Festival Announces Line-Up for 'Emerging Talent' Stage". folk radio. 12 June 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  11. "Sidmouth Folkweek". 26 July 2016. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  12. "Rura and Jamie Smith's Mabon headline Wales' interceltic festival". folk radio. 29 January 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  13. "An interview with: Jamie Smith's Mabon". folk radio. 17 December 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  14. "Jamie Smith's Mabon hits the road for the last time". IOM Today. 15 February 2020. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  15. "Welsh band Mabon say farewell and announce their final tour". folk radio. 19 September 2019. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  16. "Mabon / Yn Chruinnaght Celtic Gathering". Centenary Centre.
  17. "About Ron". Ron Jappy. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
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