- The City Waites
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The City Waites is a British early music band. Formed in the early 1970s, they specialise in English music of the 16th and 17th centuries from the street, tavern, theatre and countryside - the music of the common man. They appeal to a wide general audience as well as scholars. They have toured the UK, much of Europe, the Middle East, the Far East and the USA, performing everywhere from major concert halls and universities to village squares. Collaborations include the National Theatre (where they performed for her Majesty the Queen), the Royal Shakespeare Company and Shakespeare's Globe. They can be heard on several movie and TV soundtracks; they broadcast regularly and have made more than 30 CDs.
Contents
Performers
Lucie Skeaping
Lucie Skeaping sings and plays the baroque violin. Lucie is also founder-director of "The Burning Bush" which explores klezmer, traditional Jewish music as well as Arab-influenced music (www.theburningbush.co.uk). The band includes Robin Jeffrey who plays middle-eastern instruments. Lucie presents BBC Radio 3's Early Music Show and other programmes which showcase early music ensembles of the UK and other countries. ("The Early Music Show" is currently broadcast on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 2 p.m. on radio 3). Lucie is the author of the award-winning schools book "Let's Make Tudor Music" (pub Stainer and Bell) and her "Musical Mystery Tour" visits numerous schools each year. Lucie's many CDs include "Home Sweet Home" (with Ian Partidge), a celebration of 19th century parlour music, and 'English National Songs' (Saydisc). Her book 'Broadside Ballads' (Faber Music) won the Music Industry Award for Best Classical Music Publication 2006. Her latest publication is: 'Who gave thee thy Jolly Red Nose?', an anthology of recorder music for Peacock Press.
Douglas Wootton
Douglas Wootton is one of the few tenors who accompanies themselves on the lute. He also plays bandora, cittern, and tabor. Due to his promotion of the band they were voted the second-best Folk Band of the Year in the pages of Melody Maker. His down-to-earth approach sets the tone for the band. In his words, they avoid the "Laura Ashley school of Early Music". Douglas writes musicals for children.
Roddy Skeaping
Roddy was involved in the Early Music revival from its earliest days, working with the Academy of Ancient Music, David Munrow’s Early Music Consort and the Consorte of Musicke. He was appointed Leverhulme Research Fellow at Royal College of Music where he also taught the viola da gamba. As a composer he creates all the group’s musical arrangements and has also written scores for the Royal National Theatre, Shakespeare’s Globe, the Royal Shakespeare Company and several historical feature films. www.blazemusic.co.uk/Roderick_Skeaping.html
Nicholas Perry
Nick trained as a horn player at the Guildhall School of Music going on to study instrument making as a Craft Council apprentice. He has performed and recorded for most of London’s leading early music ensembles including the Gabrieli Consort, the English Baroque Soloists. the Taverner Consort and His Majesty’s Sagbutts and Cornetts. He is a regular player at Shakespeare’s Globe and the Royal Shakespeare Company and continues to work as an early brass instrument maker. He is currently the UK’s only professional serpent leatherer.
Michael Brain
Michael Brain plays curtal, baroque bassoon, recorder, oboe and sings. He was a chorister at Westminster Abbey. He is related to the famous horn player Dennis Brain. On stage he gives spirited descriptions of how the instruments are constructed. He also works as a plumber and in his own words, is the only member who also has a proper job outside of music.
Former members
The Skeapings and/or Douglas Wootton have been core of a constantly changing line-up. Musicians who have worked with the group previously include:
- Joe Skeaping - violin
- Keith Thompson - woodwind
- Barbara Grant - soprano, violin
- Nicholas Hayley - bass viol
- Robin Jeffrey - lute
- Richard Wistreich - baritone
- Graham Wells - woodwinds
Discography
- The English Stage Jig (Hyperion) - released March 09
- The English Tradition (ARC)
- Low and Lusty Ballads (Regis)
- Penny Merriments (Naxos)
- Bawdy Ballads of Old England (Regis)
- Christmas now is drawing near (Saydisc)
- How the World Wags (Hyperion)
- Pills to Purge Melancholy (Saydisc)
- The Music of the Tudor Age
- Music of the Middle Ages
- Music of the Stuart Age
- Music from the time of Henry VIII
- Music from the time of Charles II
- A Madrigal for all Seasons
On LP
- The City Waites (1975)
- A Gorgeous Gallery Of Gallant Inventions (1973)
External links
Categories:- Mixed early music groups
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