Martin Carthy – vocals, guitar, mandolin
John Kirkpatrick – vocals, button accordion, anglo concertina, melodeon
Martin Brinsford – mouth-organ, saxophone, percussion
Roger Williams – bass trombone, tuba, euphonium

Brass Monkey – the five-piece band that started in 1980, sputtered to a halt in 1987, and burst back onto the scene with renewed vigour in 1997 – looked all set to build on the buzz of a re-energised come-back with regular new albums and annual tours. They had a unique sound, nobody else remotely resembled them, every live appearance was a wonderful success, and every new recording was greeted with joyous appreciation.

Tragedy struck when trumpet player Howard Evans was taken ill on stage during the band's tour in May 2004. The band continued the tour as a four-piece, hoping that Howard's illness was temporary and that he would be back in the fold at any time, but the eventual diagnosis was cancer, and he never played again. After a couple of years of intensive treatment, when occasional rehearsal sessions always had to be postponed, Howard passed away in March 2006.

To honour Howard's musical legacy, and to keep his memory alive, Brass Monkey will tour again as a four-piece band. Nobody could replace that wonderful trumpet playing, and it would be mad to even try. But to the band's relief, and the audience's delight, they discovered on that last tour that, with a bit of tweaking, the arrangements could still work, and that they could still make a more than reasonable noise.

Roger Williams, who has already proved his insanity by tripping effortlessly through the fastest of tunes on the bass trombone, also brings along the euphonium to add a softer melodic touch to the gentler pieces. Martin Brinsford can add sweetness or punch on his mouth-organ as required, and amongst his numerous accomplishments on the various instruments of percussion, he can create more drive with the knuckle of one finger than most drummers can muster on a whole kit.

Messrs Carthy and Kirkpatrick naturally lock into one another’s playing with an ease and precision that can only come of playing together for over thirty years. Sharing the vocals, and sometimes singing together in unison, they bring the fruits of years of experience to this band with an explosive freshness that is clearly driven by the excitement they all feel by playing together. It is a rare treat to see four masters of their art combine with such open hearted enthusiasm to reach such tremendous heights. Feel the power!