What happens if you take the intoxicating swing and feel of gypsy jazz, add storytelling songs inspired by English and Celtic folk, and throw in a pinch of bluesy roots & rhythm? Gypsy-jazzy-rootsy-folk, of course!
Experienced performers, Scratchy Beard are an up-beat and enjoyable live quartet offering something a little different: very accessible roots/alt-folk/gypsy jazz music with an ear-catching line up of guitar, cello, drums & clarinet with, at times, three-part and four-part harmonies along with a reed organ, tin whistles, melodica & bottle-top slide guitar.
Having met in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Scratchy Beard are well-known in the Warwickshire area and have previously performed at the RSC. Describing themselves as ‘a cocktail of died-in-the-wool touring musos, classically trained instrumentalists and a celebrated illustrator.’ Founder member Spesh Maloney has scored and sound-designed for several feature films, film-shorts and theatre shows including the award-winning BBC documentary: 'Black Roses: The Killing of Sophie Lancaster'.
Prepare yourself for an entertaining evening journeying through an upbeat, fun and sincere collage of trans-European roots music.
'Last time they packed the place out so maybe it’s best to get here early!' Stratford Alehouse '…an upbeat, sincere & delectable collage of trans-European roots music'