THE MUSICIANS

Beskydy are not strictly a folk-band in terms of long haired pot-smoking Peter Paul and Mary types - although there is a strong whiff of Transylvania when the wind is blowing in a certain direction. Their music can be seen as folk, world, dance, or 'crack' in Irish with a bit of jazz thrown in if the wine is flowing freely. The band in its present form has been going for a number of years. They seem to do it for the enjoyment, although a clamour to buy their CD would not be unwelcome. A second CD is planned when time permits and hopefully before Hell freezes over.

In addition to the odd foray into Eastern Europe, the band has played at many theatres and venues including, in London, The Purcell Room, The Spitz, The Shaw Theatre,
The Hackney Empire, The Place, and the Bloomsbury. They also play at festivals, clubs, pubs and are available for private events (weddings/celebrations/partys and so on) and they have provided musical entertainment for The Czech and Slovak Embassies in London.

 

BESKYDY are - in no particular order:

 

Joanna Foster, (vocals), is also an actress and was in the Channel 5 soap "Family Affairs". The daughter of film actor Barry Foster, she was Ken Barlow's long-lost daughter in "Coronation Street" and has appeared in many stage productions (National Theatre, RSC, Young Vic).  She sings and writes for the acapella group, Kite, and tours regularly with The Helen Chadwick Group.

 

Gary Bridgewood, (violin), apart from being an extremely gifted violinist (it says here) he has his own musical instrument business. Yes, he's always fiddling about. Day and night. If your bow has lost its twang he's the man for you: www.londonviolins.com.
Known as "Gary the Vampire Slayer" locally, he can often be found wandering around Stoke Newington cemetery at night carrying a wooden pole sharpened at the end.
Gary is the founder of "Neighbourhood (Vampire) Watch - North London" and new (or any) members are welcome.

 

Peter Murphy, (accordion), is the man, in the loose sense of the word, responsible for getting the band together. He went to Transylvania with Professor Van Helsing in the late 1920s and was bitten by an elderly female vampire, compelling him to send the Beskydy message out to the world. Peter plays a mean accordion and has been know to rise to his feet on occasion. Peter has collaborated with such dignitaries as Sarah Brightman

 

Britta Eickholt, (viola), tall, strong, firm, unlike most of the men, Britta is both talented and modest. A scientist, she has more brain cells than Brown & Cameron put together - she plays the viola like a dream and knows how to find those sounds that other players can't reach. Britta is also very kind to animals and she and husband Andy have rescued two cats from Battersea Dogs Home.

 

Jacques van Rhijn, (clarinet) is another talented Beskydy musician who likes to inject a note of jazz into the proceedings occasionally. The composer of a techno-opera, "Venus" which played at the Hackney Empire some years ago, he is now part of The Real Tuesday Weld and is currently performing and recording with them. If you haven't heard them yet, check them out. Think lounge, beat, humour, wit, melody. Recommended.

 

Geoff Wass, (percussion) is the latest addition to the group. He came here from the USA, having seen "Little Britain" on DVD and believing it was actually like that over here. If you ask him about it, he'll say "Yeah but, No but, Yeah but....".

Beskydy are also occasionally supported by other musicians including Julia Doyle
(string bass), Martina Schwarz (accordion/vocals), Sally Davies (violin/Eb tuba/vocals),
(Martina and Sally also have their own website and perform together as Bow & Bellows.) and Oliver Baldwin (string bass).

Bryan James (webmaster/photos)    

This is the best photo I managed to get of Geoff as he's always at the back.