Jamie Smith’s Mabon Wins 2014 Spiral Earth Award

Jamie Smith’s Mabon, the first Welsh band scheduled to perform at the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF), has won ‘Best Group’ award in the 2014 Spiral Earth Awards. Recently awarded in the UK, the nominations were selected by the editorial team of the online folk and roots magazine, Spiral Earth. The winners were then decided by public vote and the full list was announced through Spiral Earth website.

Jamie Smith’s Mabon have been progressively building a reputation for their outstanding original Celtic songs and instrumental music and their vibrant live performances. They are booked for a host of festivals, including the first slot ever for a Welsh band at the Rainforest World Music Festival to be held in Borneo.

The band includes Adam Rhodes on bouzouki, fiddler Oli Wilson-Dickson, Matt “The Hat” Downer on bass and lolo Whelan on drums and percussion, alongside Jamie on accordion and vocals.

Jamie Smith’s Mabon has played sessions for BBC Radio 2 and Radio 3, headlined shows for Celtic Connections, WOMAD (UK), Interceltique du Lorient, Het Lindeboom (France), Music Meeting (Netherlands) and a host of high profile Festivals across Europe. In 2013, Jamie also won the accordion competition at the Festival Interceltique de Lorient. They are seen as one of the ‘must see’ acts at the Rainforest World Music Festival this year.

Rainforest World Music Festival will celebrate its 17th edition this year and will feature at least 24 bands to perform on stage. To be held at Sarawak Cultural Village in Kuching, RWMF will be held June 20-22, 2014. The organizer, Sarawak Tourism Board announced in a press released that it is delighted to have the winning band, Jamie Smith’s Mabon to make its debut for the first time at the festival.

More information about the RWMF program and early bird discounts are available at www.rwmf.net.