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 with Odette Michell
Next 12th November with Bella Gafney - 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: Latest programme here
Next 22nd October - 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 17th October - 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 2023 — Best Of 2022 — Best Of 2021— Best Of 2020 Links to all previous programmes here
Next 30th October - 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: 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:
- Alden Patterson and Dashwood supported by Edd Donovan from May 2019
- The August List + Loud Mountains from November 2019
- Banter supported by Dan Kemp from April2023
- Emily Barker with Lukas Drinkwater from March 2020 (last gig before lockdown)
- Phil Beer supported by Odette Michell from March 2022
- Hattie Briggs supported by Joe Hicks from January 2020
- Charm of Finches from January 2023
- Finn Collinson Band Anna Renae from April 2022
- Coracle from May 2023
- Charlie Dore from November 2019
- Good Habits from April 2023
- Ellie Gowers supported by Dom Prag – from November 2021
- Hérétique + Ma Polaine/s Great Decline from May 2018
- Jacob & Drinkwater supported by Ange Takats from February 2019
- Hannah James & Toby Khun supported by Katie Grace Harris from March 2022
- Chris Jagger from June 2018 at the one day festival at Shaw House
- The Kirals supported by Ben Baron from October 2023
- Banter supported by Dan Kemp from April 2023
- Benji Kirkpatrick & The Excess from June 2022
- Georgia Lewis and Mark T from November 2021
- Jackie Oates supported by Malcolm McWatt – from February 2022
- Old Baby Mackerel support by Richard Cox-Smith – from January 2022
- Kelly Oliver from September 2019
- Ma Polaine + Roz Firth – from October 2021
- O’Hooley & Tidow from December 2019
- Pagoda Project from February 2018
- Paul James & The Drowned Lovers supported by HendrickxRoy from March 2019
- Said The Maiden from September 2019
- Carter Sampson & Amelia White from June 2023
- Saskia supported by Jon Wilks from January 2019 Saskia from October 2021
- Something Sleeps supported by Bouzouki Bellows from July 2024
- Steady Habits from April 2023
- Suthering and Hannah Scott from May 2022
- Track Dogs supported by HendrickxRoy from February 2020 and also here from November 2022
- Truckstop Honeymoon from December 2022
- Dan Webster supported by Richard Cox-Smith from July 2019
- The Wilderness Yet from December 2023
- A Winter Union from December 2021
Guests who have already joined Stephen in the Kennet Radio studio can be found (and heard) here:
- 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
- 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
- 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 with a worldwide reputation
- Paul Hutchinson – Kevil based composer and accordionist of Belshazzar’s Feast, Pagoda Project, Hover The Dog, The Maniacs, Coracle
- Paul James – Local musician, 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
- 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
- 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 member of the Live To Your Living Room team
- 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
- Chris Samuel – choir leader, member of The Spooky Men’s Chorale
- 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
- Accordion
- Blue
- Burns Night
- Celtic Connections – 2019 — 2020 part 1 — 2020 part 2
- Duos
- Fatea Awards
- Harp
- Rhiannon Giddens
- Scottish
- Songs of Separation