Saturday, July 5, 2025

Folk Ace

If your musical tastes are inclined towards folk, roots and Americana, Kennet Radio has programmes just for you every month, produced by Stephen Ottner.  Stephen would love to hear your suggestions or comments and can be emailed at [email protected], on Facebook @folkace, on Twitter @folk_ace.
“He’s such a charmer” – Shaun Keaveny, BBC Radio 2

  • Folk Ace Guest: Presented by Stephen Ottner with a guest selecting the music and chatting about music in their life.
    8pm on the 2nd Tuesday of every month:  Latest programme here no guest, just music on the theme of the demon drink
    Next : 12th August
  • Folk Ace Gigs Guide: Presented by Stephen Ottner.  Your guide to gigs coming in the next month in the area bounded by Oxford, Reading, Southampton and Swindon.  
    8pm on the 4th Tuesday of every month: 
    Next 26th August
  • Gigs @ ACE Space:  Recorded and mixed by Mark Stafford.  Highlights from a gig at ACE Space.
    11pm on the 3rd Thursday of every month:
    Next 21st August
  • Shire Folk Showcase: Presented by Jonathan Roscoe & Graham Hobbs assisted by Stephen Ottner.  The co-editors of Shire Folk magazine bring you their pick of the latest CD’s (recently or not yet released).
    Quarterly, 9pm on the 5th Wednesday of the month: Latest programme here You can find the playlist here.  Plus the Shire Folk Best of 2024 — Best of 2023 — Best Of 2022 — Best Of 2021— Best Of 2020 Links to all previous programmes here
    Next: 30th April
  • ACE Space Special: Presented by Chris Martin, Richard Markham & Stephen Ottner. An annual celebration of gigs at ACE Space, looking back at the year past and forward to the year ahead: 2023/2024 — 2022/2023 — 2021/2022 — 2020/2021 —- 2019/2020

For full details of broadcast dates/times, check the Kennet Radio schedule.  Stephen would love to hear from you with your thoughts on any of the programmes or suggestions for the future or any gigs you think deserve a mention.  Email [email protected]

gigs @ ACE Space recorded and edited by Mark Stafford:

Guests who have already joined Stephen in the Kennet Radio studio can be found (and heard) here:

  • Ainsley Hamill Scottish singer/songwriter
  • Marcel Becker – double bass with the Liverpool Philharmonic and Klezmer-ish
  • Jon Bennett – founder of Oxford band Moonrakers
  • Eddie Bishop – fiddler in Police Dog Hogan
  • Andrew Bumphrey – promoter Marlborough Folk Roots, bringing the finest folk acts to Marlborough since 1999 
  • Janice Burns & Jon Doran Anglo-Scottish folk duo gaining much critical aclaim
  • Daisy Chapman – singer/songwriter from Trowbridge
  • Duncan Chappell –  promoter Big Ginger Tom Music with gigs at Harwell Village Hall 
  • Good Habits Manchester based duo playing accordion and cello
  • Peter Clark – Newbury resident with a passion for the banjo (and motorbikes)
  • Simon Coats – Promoter bring a variety of music to south Oxfordshire
  • Finn Collinson – virtuoso recorder player who has appeared at ACE Space and the Newbury Spring Festival
  • Sean Cooney – member of The Young ‘Uns and occasional presenter of Pick of the Week on Radio 4 plus more.  covered over 2 programmes Part 1 and Part 2
  • Richard Cox-Smith local guitar whizz and exponent of blues, jazz and ragtime
  • Charlie Dore – multi-talented singer, songwriter, actress, comedy-improv.  Talking about her album ‘Like Animals’ here
  • Digweeds – twins Dan and Tom.  Newbury based musicians and teachers 
  • Blair Dunlop – Singer/songwriter and producer and contributor of Albion Christmas Band 2022 album  
  • Katie Grace Harris – Bicester based musician sharing experiences from South Africa, South Korea and Scotland
  • Roz Firth – Froxfield based musician with a huge YouTube following
  • Murray Grainger – One of the UK’s foremost accordionists embracing classical, folk, improvisation.  Part 1 the start of his musical journey; Part 2 move into folk and some examples of his projects
  • Saskia Griffiths-Moore –  once seen busking the streets of Newbury now touring internationally.  Founder of “Talent is Timeless”
  • Brian Harrington – Newbury Weekly News gigs reviewer, Kennet Radio presenter
  • Maia Hendrickx – Newbury based musician and vocal coach.  Half of HendrickxRoy
  • Megan Henwood – Oxford based musician
  • Joe Hicks – Newbury based musician 
  • Graham Hobbs – Co-editor Shire Folk magazine
  • John Hocking – TwickFolk sound and booking
  • Gerry Hogan – Newbury based slide-guitarist of Hogan’s Heroes with a worldwide reputation
  • Paul Hutchinson – composer and accordionist of Belshazzar’s Feast, Pagoda Project, Hover The Dog, The Maniacs, Coracle
  • Paul James – Local musician who moved to Belgium after BREXIT, member of Blowzabella and Paul James & The Drowned Lovers
  • Mike Jolliffe – Newbury based music lover and supporter of live music
  • Louise Jordan – singer/songwriter/educator with a passionate for history and revealing the stories of some remarkable women from the past
  • Adam Kotz – Newbury based actor, musician and chairman of ACE Space
  • Simon Mayor & Hilary James – Reading based musicians well known in Newbury as part of the Mandolinquents.  Spread over two programmes Part 1 and Part 2
  • Cat McGill – Festival Director Folk Weekend: Oxford and fonder of Live To Your Living Room
  • Malcolm MacWatt – Scottish (but London based) singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist
  • Odette Michell – Singer/songwriter
  • Ant Miles – Director of booking agency Fancourt Music, chairman of Downend Folk Club, member of Road Not Taken
  • Ashley Morris – General Manager of the Newbury Spring Festival
  • Jackie Oates – Wantage based, highly acclaimed and award wining singer, song writer and fiddler.  Extended over 2 programmes with Part 1 and Part 2
  • Pete Ord – musician, producer, sound engineer, educator and technical director of Live To Your Living Room
  • Beth Parker – Andover based musician half of Ma Polaine’s Great Decline
  • The People Versus (Jack Wilkinson & Alice Edwards) – Two members of the Oxford based 6 piece band
  • Katherine Priddy – singer/songwriter whose debt EP was named as “Best Thing I’ve Heard All Year” by Richard Thompson in MOJO magazine
  • Patrick Quinn – Organiser of Celtic Connections on Campus.  Programmes from material recorded at CCoC can heard here and here
  • Eric Rein – Newbury resident with a passion for Blue Grass with a huge archive of festivals he has videoed 
  • Jonathan Roscoe – Co-editor Shire Folk magazine
  • Calum Roy – Newbury based musician.  Half of HendrickxRoy
  • Isabel Rumble Australian singer-songwriter making a name for herself across Europe
  • Chris Samuel – choir leader, member of The Spooky Men’s Chorale when they are on tour in the UK
  • Seren Spain – Australian singer/songwriter who spent most of her teenage years in Newbury
  • Sparrow – member of The Resonant Rogues from Ashville, North Carolina
  • Paul Sartin – Whitchurch based musician, Bellowhead, Bellshazzar’s Feast, Faustus.  Music director Andover Loft Choir
  • Steady Habits (Sean Duggan, Jamie Dawson, Dave Kelly) – Members of Oxford based Americana/Country band (formerly of Loud Mountains)
  • Geoff Smith – Promoter ‘Oxford Music & Folk’ and dedicated supporter of live music
  • Mark T – Thatcham based musician
  • Ange Takats – Australian Andover(ish) based musician
  • Loudon Temple – Scottish agent who has brought more than 40 bands from America to the UK
  • Tomorrow Bird Reading based duo
  • Tony Trigwell-Jones – former Artistic Director of Arlington Arts now teacher at Mary Hare school
  • Mike Trottman – promoter Empty Rooms Promotions brining the finest American bands to Oxford and Witney
  • Blánid Vox – Irish musician who was based in Newbury before moving to London
  • Garrett Wall – member of Madrid based Track Dogs
  • Scott Warman – Brighton based bass player with Long Haul and Porchlight Smoker.  Tour manager for American artists touring the UK
  • The Weeping Willows – award winning Melbourne based duo of Americana music
  • Something Sleeps Fiona Fey and Rey Yusuk of this London based band (and previously of Tell Tale Tusk)
  • Jon Wilks – Whitchurch based musician and music journalist
  • Mike Young – Half of duo Truckstop Honeymoon, originally from New Orleans but now to be found in North Wales

themes occasional programmes based around a specific theme