A FOLK club in Nettlebed welcomes a group, affectionately known as Aggie.
Chris Leslie, and female duo Chris While and Julie Matthews are all members of folk group St. Agnes Fountain.
As part of a national tour, they visit the borough with their show that promises carols with a curve, in an evening of inventive music and laughter.
Chris Leslie says: “It’s a lovely time of year to perform.
“We’ve known each other for years, and this is our 21st year of Christmas touring.
“We’re in rehearsal together now for the next few days, having not seen each other since last year, and we’re already smiling.”
The group’s first album was recorded in 2001, when they then performed as a quartet.
Fourth member, David Hughes, has since left to concentrate on solo pursuits, but remaining members Chris, Chris and Julie are keeping the Christmas Aggie spirit alive with their tour.
“We love each other’s music,” continues Chris.
“Our Christmas set has developed over the years.
“It’s wintry, with an overlay of Christmas.
“We love lots of different kinds of music, and we all play a number of instruments.
“So, really anything goes, with lots of influences in our music, from jazz scat to funk.
“Our carols, for example, are really groovy.”
Chris While and Julie Matthews have played more than 2,650 gigs, having first teamed up 25 years ago.
Since then the songwriters, musicians, and singers have appeared on over 100 albums, written hundreds of original songs and reached millions of people around the world.
Described as inspirational women, and two of the best and most hard working musicians on the world folk roots scene, both are also highly regarded producers.
They record all their music at their studio in a small Pennine town.
With voices that blend perfectly in smooth harmonies, they are also accomplished musicians.
Chris plays guitar, bodhran, dulcimer, banjo, darbuka and percussion,
while Julie plays piano, guitar, acordion and gazouki.
The third member of Aggie is multi instrumentalist, and singer songwriter from Oxfordshire, Chris Leslie.
He plays fiddle, mandolin, tenor guitar, bouzouki, ukulele, banjo, oud, whistle, Native American flute and anything else he can lay his hands on.
Known primarily for his work with Fairport Convention, over the past 20 years he has toured and recorded with a number of groups including the Albion Band, Jez Lowe, Ian Anderson, Whippersnapper, Alan Stivell, Feast of Fiddles and St. Agnes Fountain.
Chris has also provided music for a number of Radio Four plays and classic serials.
His fiddle playing has also been heard on the TV series Heartbeat, Midsommer Murders and Billy Connolly’s World Tour of Scotland.
St Agnes Fountain derives its name from the Christmas song, Good King Wenceslas.
“The show looks very Christmassy, too,” says Chris.
“We have big stained glass windows on stage that were built during our very first tour by our lighting engineer.
“There are pictures of the band hidden in each window.
“And the sound is brilliant, because we have our own sound technician, who tours with us.
”But this isn’t a carol concert,” says Chris.
“We love carols but it’s a winter show, and we do it our way.”
St Agnes Fountain celebrates 21 years together with new material, along with some reworked Aggie classic songs.
Their album, Night Of A Million Stars, was released last Christmas.
The group will perform at Nettlebed Folk Club, near Henley.
For information and to book tickets for the concert visit: https:www.nettlebedfolkclub.co.uk
For information about whileandmatthews.com
