SRFN News No. 25: Hekety

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SRFN: Newsletter: Number 25 Winter 1999-2000: Hekety

All views expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily constitute SRFN policy.

Hekety — Who? Paul Davenport looks at Hekety

Browsing the discussion lists on the Internet in mid-August there was a lot of chat flashing round concerning a band who, like the Lone Ranger, had blown into town, blasted the scene and blown out again. The town was Sidmouth and the band was called Hekety.

It was astonishing to see the name bandied around over a week and by such a disparate range of people, some of whom were well known and others less so. The talk centred around a ceilidh held at the Anchor on the Thursday of the Sidmouth Festival, a ceilidh which seemed to have been something of a culture shock to many who were there.

The lineup of the band is as follows:

Jess Gleaves (fiddle)

Jess has played the violin from a very young age, and converted into a fiddle player upon discovering Whitby Folk Festival at the age of 11. She met Richard at Sidmouth International Festival in 1994, and so began a long and productive relationship (musically speaking, although they are also getting married in 2000 - congratulations!). Jess arrived in Sheffield as a student in 1995 and soon got involved with the Sheffield University Ceilidh Society, becoming Music Officer and President in quick succession. She has played in various ceilidh bands since she was about 15, and she and Richard decided to form Hekety in 1997.

Richard Arrowsmith (melodeons)

Richard has been playing music from the age of seven, first on piano, then piano accordion, and finally settling on the melodeon at 13. He has long experience of playing for dance, having joined the Jockey Men's Morris Club when he was 9 (he still dances and plays for them); he played for Glorishears of Brummagem for ten years. When not playing music, Richard gets paid to play computer games all day and his favourite word is "Marvellous", especially when it's in conjunction with good beer!

Jo Veal (clarinet)

Jo started playing the clarinet when she was 12, discovered folk music at University, and has never looked back. Her other musical interests include Klezmer, Jazz, French and Scandinavian music, and teaching. She also plays recorders and recently made her musical debut playing the ocarina. Jo also plays with Tashbain (a Klezmer, Jewish storytelling and dance band), and in a jazz trio.

Photo: Hekety

Gav Davenport (cittern & guitar)

Gav has used music as an excuse to avoid real work since his GCSE revision days when he began playing the guitar. After a dalliance with punk and heavy metal Gav made a spiritual decision to go acoustic in 1994, and immediately became afflicted with IAS (Instrument Acquisition Syndrome). The cittern is the latest (and last, hopefully) in a long line of instruments from guitar to mandolin. It is his firm belief that acoustic dance music needs more "kachunga" (see Nigel, below).

Paul Baker (guitars)

Paul started classical guitar when he was 6, but it was only at University that he discovered folk music and started playing rhythm guitar. When not playing he is also a keen dancer, especially of ceilidh and French dances. He enjoys a game of Carrom, and copious amounts of Real Ale.

Nigel Holmes (5-string bass)

Nigel's introduction to music came at the age of 7 with classical violin, but after reaching the heady heights of Grade 3 and achieving 2 Music O-levels he decided to change to bass guitar. He played in a wide range of bands and styles, including punk, funk, jazz and blues, and RnB, before settling for folk music in 1990. An original member of Hekety (and by far the oldest) he is a firm believer in "giving it some kachunga" (see Gavin, above). Nigel recently made his live Hammered Dulcimer debut playing the waltz at Gav's wedding. Also rather partial to Harlech cheese and port.

Having some knowledge of this band and, in the spirit of Network principles it is fair to say that the separate members of this hot little property can be found playing in Sheffield sessions at the Red House or the Gardeners Rest. The point of this is that, in a very real sense, Hekety are representative of a large number of extremely talented young musicians in the area. In many respects they are the rule in the burgeoning Sheffield Folk Scene rather than the exception. Playing an eclectic blend of traditional and self-composed material, the band seem set to become one of the most sought-after dance bands on the scene. The flavour of their performance is essentially English with subtle French dressing and Middle-Eastern spices. If that sounds a bit culinary then I suggest that this is a band which you really have to experience. They're very good to dance to, providing lift and drive at just the right times, whilst displaying musical integrity with regard to the treatment of their material and a give and take amongst the members of the band seen commonly in other musical genres, but often lacking in ceilidh line-ups.

To sum up? Young Sheffield at its best.

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