Jez Lowe and The Bad Pennies Will Bring to Philadelphia Topical Folksongs from England’s Post-industrial Northeast

On Thursday, September 18, 2008, Crossroads Music presents Jez Lowe and The Bad Pennies, performing topical folksongs from England’s post-industrial northeast. The concert is part of Crossroads’ ongoing series of traditional, ethnic, international and related non-commercial music and will take place at 7:30 pm at Calvary Center for Culture and Community at 48th Street and Baltimore Avenue.

Jez Lowe has built an enviable reputation as both a songwriter and performer in the world of acoustic music, and as a recognized musical ambassador for his native North East England over the last twenty years. Jez Lowe and The Bad Pennies combine tunes on the traditional Northumbrian fiddle and smallpipes tunes with outstanding guitar, cittern, fretless bass, and keyboards

His songs, including "Back In Durham Gaol," "The Bergen," "Greek Lightning" and "These Coal Town Days" have been recorded by artists like Fairport Convention, The Dubliners, The Tannahill Weavers, Cherish The Ladies, Gordon Bok, The McCalmans, The Black Brothers, Liam Clancy, Bob Fox and hundreds more. He has performed at many of the most prestigious concert venues and festivals in Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand and recently completed a series of 23 topical songs for the BBC’s 2006 series The Radio Ballads. His most recent recordings are Doolally and

Jack Common’s Anthem. A new live album titled Northen Echoes is scheduled for release in late September 2008.

Kate Bramley joined The Bad Pennies in November of 2000 as fiddle player and vocalist. Kate still tours solo, and also with U.S based band Sweetgrass. In 2006 she released a new solo album, Little Canaan , featuring a mixture of traditional and original songs. In addition to a career in music, Kate is a theatre writer and director. In 2002 Kate and Jez collaborated on a new drama "Fighting the Tide" that toured throughout the UK.

Andy May’s accordion, Northumbrian smallpipes, and whistles brought a whole new dimension to the band when he officially joined the Bad Pennies in 2002. Previously a regular guest musician for the band and a sought-after session player. Andy is a record-breaking and holding, nine-time winner of the Northumbrian Pipers Society Annual Open Competition with 20 wins at open piping competitions. In 2003 Andy released his first solo album, The Yellow Haired Laddie with guests: Simon Haworth, Kathryn Tickell, and Simon James. He also performs as a duo with fellow Bad Penny Simon Haworth, and as a trio with BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award winning guitarist Ian Stephenson and former John Wright band member Stewart Hardy.

Bassist David de la Haye hails originally from the island of Jersey but is now based in Newcastle. He tours regularly with the fiddler Shona Mooney (the 2006 BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician) as well as the feel good Maybe Myrtle Turtle and the eclectic Anomaly.

Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 7:30 pm
48th Street and Baltimore Avenue in Philadelphia (Calvary United Methodist Church)

Tickets are $10-20 and are available at the concert and in advance from Brown Paper tickets (via its website or at 1-800-838-3006) and at House of Our Own Books (3920 Spruce Street).

For more information on Crossroads Music: www.crossroadsconcerts.org, 215-729-1028