Andy Smythe vocals/piano/guitar. With Les Elvin (bass), Barry Targett (violin/guitar) and Mel Wright (drums).
Can perform solo, duo, trio or full band!
Influences
Dylan, Phil Ochs, Beatles, Lennon, Roy Harper, Neil Young, Springsteen, Rufus Wainwright, The Waterboys, Bach, Chopin, Debussy, Kerouac, Ginsberg, Hemmingway, Laurie Lee, WH Davies, Native American Philosophy, Nature, The English Countryside
Sounds Like
Myself - I sing with my own natural voice. My acoustic guitar playing is influenced by Dylan, Phil Ochs and Mike Scott. My piano playing by classical music first and foremost and then perhaps Rufus Wainwright.
Other people have said I sound like Phil Ochs, Roy Harper, Neil Young....
My music comes from my soul to you the audience!
'The Andy Smythe Band' are a different kettle of fish and Barry and Les bring their own musical styles into the mix. Barry is heavily into jazz, blues and bluegrass and he has his own unique style on electric violin. Les has played in all kinds of combinations too - but he does some wonderful counterpoint runs so you'll hear some McCartney bass in the mix!
Andy Smythe is a folk singer who sings songs of hope about the very essence of what it means to be a human being in the 21st century. He believes that we can learn from the past and use it to make informed decisions about our collective future.
On his first album ‘Love Unspoken’ (2002) he explored poetry as a medium and a very pastoral English folk sound as his palette. In compositions such as ‘Autumn Gold’ and‘Love Unspoken’ he painted pictures of his childhood and relationships to forge a very powerful and cohesive album. ‘Really I was a poet first and a songwriter second’ muses Andy ‘but gradually a very personal approach to my writing emerged as a result of travelling, busking and absorbing literary influences’. The press were very complimentary about this first CD and many predicted a very bright future.
‘This guy’s gonna be big’ Folking.com‘
'Songs beyond the scope of most singer/songwriters’ Time Out
Love Unspoken was eventually released in the USA by Converge Records and Andy went on to play the CMJ festival in New York and launch the album at the Satella World Music venue.
‘I gradually came out of my singer/songwriter shell’ says Smythe and ‘I moved out of the London acoustic singer/songwriter scene and into the more professional folk circuit – here I needed something different to stand out and I had to learn how to craft sets and enchant an audience’. What made Andy unique was his ability on the piano and now inevitably came the hard graft. ‘On the folk circuit you have to become part of the community and I certainly did the rounds – 100 miles to do a floor spot just to get seen’, and gradually the music developed. On his second album ‘Last Throes of Summer’ (2004) you can see the musical development on piano ballads like ‘Brothers’ and ‘Maid of the Loch’.…
‘Maid of the Loch should be an international standard – it’s that good’ Rambles…
In 2009 Andy has developed into one of the most musically adept performers on the folk circuit. On stage he alternates between his Roland stage piano and his guitar and enchants the audience with that incredible voice! He is more than a match for anybody and he is travelling far and wide on the folk circuit from London, Liverpool to Birmingham….and the whole circuit is noticing Andy as a major talent finally achieving his potential.
In 2009 he has also finally found his musical ‘soul mates’ in Barry Targett (violin/guitars) and Les Elvin (bass). Together they’ve now played over 50 gigs together and are earning a reputation as one of the finest bands in the south of England.
'Voice, band, fiddle, songs - a wonderful warm sound' Mike Scott of The Waterboys
On February 1st 2010 their first album ‘Nation of the Free’ is set to be released. It is being distributed nationally (in the stores!) on Andy’s own label ‘Dreaming Element Records’. Andy feels that finally he’s hit the jackpot ‘with this record all of the ingredients have come together – the song writing is passionate and mature – the singing has reached its pinnacle and the musicians have excelled – they’ve put their souls into it. There were just some magical moments in the sessions where we’ve captured the sheer essence of the songs.’
Hi there great to meet you last night - hope the journey home was OK. We managed it really quickly. Shame John and I arrived late and only caught the last three songs of your set. Great sound though - hope to catch the full set next time!! Yes definitely must come down and visit your neck of the woods!!! Look forward to catching you again soon Cheers Ginny and John KTM
Many thanks to you and Barry for a great set last night. Several people said at the end how good you were, so I hope you sold some CDs! I'll certainly keep you in mind for future bookings. All the best for now. Kev
Hi yer Andy" Great to hear from yer. Have just been getting an ear full of yer tracks [great stuff] & Its great to hook up here now for sure. Have a good one next week at the Man of Kent Rochester I used ta go there from time to time when I lived in Rochester. (Steve Dambusker) Drop us a comment and stay in touch. Love & peace to you from Devon’s most fiery raucous and hairy rocking folk band The Dambuskers. A legend in their own lunch time And rebels without a clue. Keep Music Live and keep it real!!!. -
New record "Odo Sanbra" out now! Look for us on the Africa Channel this Fall! Profile of OBDBI guitarist Nathaniel Braddock in new Guitar Player Magazine! New collaboration with Samba Mapangala debuting this month!
A bit of advance notice - MondayMonday proudly presents Rún and Steven Finn and more at The Wilmington Arms, Clerkenwell on Monday 7th December
Rún collect and arrange old folk songs written in the ancient language of Erin. So far, thanks to Nora from Donegal, they have a nice wee collection of well-known ditties and are now adding to their repertoire with some unusual old forgotten songs from the province of Ulster. Rún are five fantastic lassies who perform four-part vocal arrangements of old Gaelic songs like ’An Cailín Rua’ (the red-haired girl), ’Casadh an tSúgain’ (twisting the hayrope) and ’Bo Na Leath Adhairce’ (the one-horned cow). Rún is the Gaelic word for ’secret, wish or love’ (cf. rune). See http://www.myspace.com/runceol ..
Steven Finn’s ears were filled with the music of Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Johnny Cash and old time country music. Aged 15 he began teaching himself the guitar, learning songs like Leadbelly’s ‘Bourgeois Blues’ and Charlie Daniels’ ‘The devil went down to Georgia’. On hearing Bob Dylan songs Finn started to write his own words and in doing so found a lifelong passion for Jazz and Folk Blues, a getaway car he could drive. See http://www.myspace.com/stevenfinn for more details
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