| Description | Price |
| Jazz-folk quartet, up to 2 x 60 min sets, person booking provides PA equipment | £240 (GBP) |
| Jazz-folk quartet, up to 2 x 60 min sets, we provide PA equipment | £270 (GBP) |
| Jazz-folk trio, up to 2 x 60 min sets, person booking provides PA equipment | £180 (GBP) |
| Jazz-folk trio, up to 2 x 60 min sets, we provide PA equipment | £210 (GBP) |
| Jazz-folk duo, up to 2 x 60 min sets, we provids PA equipment | £150 (GBP) |
FiddleBop plays jazz-folk. That's Hot Club Gypsy swing, jigs'n'reels, traditional folk songs, and jazz of all flavours... on violin, Spanish guitar, cello, and fretless bass. We sing too, with four passionate voices in harmony.
With this unusual combination of instruments and voices, FiddleBop creates music that is sophisticated but not stuffy, danceable and exciting but not rhythmically boring, and which has plenty of go-for-it improvised solos but is still tuneful and melodic. All with a dash of fun and good humour 😃.
"... a wonderful evening of life-affirming music..." (Brecon Jazz Club 2025)
"Fiddlebop played an amazing set of wonderful music that delighted everyone" (Brecon Jazz Club 2024)
"FiddleBop... transform gypsy jazz stylings into a welcome hamper of swing..." (Buzz Magazine 2023)
So what ties all this together? Why, our Gypsy-style zing, passion, and joie de vivre!
FiddleBop can perform as a four-piece band, a trio, or a duo.
= areas covered (up to 100 miles)
= free travel (up to 10 miles)
Our live set may include:
Crazy Rhythm
Bei Mir Bistdu Shein
Sheebeg Sheemore (Turlough O'Carolan)
Charleston (James P johnson)
Give Me Your Hand (Rorry Dall O'Cathan)
Cheek to Cheek
Jo’s Gypsy Jazz (Joanna Davies)
Naima (John Coltrane)
Dinah
Minor Swing (trad arr. Django Reinhardt)
Still With Me (Joanna Davies)
My Favourite Things (arr. John Coltrane)
Don’t Mean a Thing (Duke Ellington)
Joseph Joseph/Odessa Bulgar
Carolan’s Concerto (Turlough O'Carolan)
Morrison’s Jig (trad.)
Abbots Bromley Horn Dance (trad.)
Limehouse Blues
Here There Everywhere (Paul McCartney)
Night in Tunisia (Dizzy Gillespie)
Thirteen-and-a-half Days in the Desert (Joanmna Davies)
Milestones (Miles Davis)
Shenandoah
Black Bottom
Party Politics (Dave Favis-Mortlock)
St Thomas/Drowsy Maggie (FSonny Rollins/trad.)
Sweet Sue
Devil Amongst Tailors (trad.)
Sweet Georgia Brown
The Parting Glass (trad.)
Dark Eyes (trad.)
4 x mics, PA with 4 channels for 4 backline amps
We need driving directions, and an idea of venue size (photos are useful).
We can provide PA equipment suitable for small to medium sized venues.
If we use our own PA then we can play a selection of recorded music between our set(s), if required. Or you can play your own choice of music (e.g. from a phone).
In 2023-25, FiddleBop played at these festivals:
* HowTheLightGetsIn at Hay-on-Wye
* The 36th International Upton Jazz Festival
* Landed Festival
* Brecon Jazz Festival
* Cwmaman Music Festival
and we loved 'em all!
No matter where we are, we love what we play (and it shows)...
Formed over twenty years ago in Oxfordshire by husband-and-wife duo Jo Davies and Dave F-M, FiddleBop is now based in Wales. The band has played at festivals including Upton Jazz, Brecon Jazz, and HowTheLightGetsIn; and in jazz clubs including the much-lamented Le Quecumbar, Brecon Jazz Club, and Oxford Jazz Kitchen. Following a recent series of personnel changes, FiddleBop is now sounding better (and more stand-out different) than ever.
Lineup:
Dave Favis-Mortlock Violin and vocals
Joanna Davies Guitar and vocals
Ian Jones Cello and vocals
Graeme Lamble Fretless bass guitar and vocals
Fairport Convention, Stephane Grappelli, Pentangle, Stuff Smith, Gipsy Kings, Dave Swarbrick, Incredible String Band
We normally arrive one hour before we play. If using the band's PA, we need one hour to set up and soundcheck and one hour to take down. If using a house PA we need 20 minutes to set up and soundcheck. Performance times are up to 2 x 45 minute sets. We're happy to be flexible tho', within reason.
We’re happy to play outside but we ask for cover (this being the UK), a flat level surface and a power supply close to the performance area.
Clients are welcome to pick a set list from our repertoire or let us choose the music for them.
"... a wonderful evening of life-affirming music..." (Brecon Jazz Club 2025)
"Fiddlebop played an amazing set of wonderful music that delighted everyone" (Brecon Jazz Club 2024)
"FiddleBop... transform gypsy jazz stylings into a welcome hamper of swing..." (Buzz Magazine 2023)
HowTheLightGetsIn Festival at Hay-on-Wye
Upton Jazz Festival
Landed Festival
Brecon Jazz Festival
Brecon Fringe Festival
Cwmaman Music Festival
Etc.
Le QuecumBar ("The World's Premier Django Reinhardt Gypsy Swing Venue"), London
The Rose and Crown, Oxford (in association with Oxford Jazz Kitchen)
The Nag's Head On The Thames, Abingdon.
The Hay Globe, Hay-on-Wye
The Foundry, Brecon
The Muse, Brecon
The Bank Vault, Aberystwyth
Etc.
Wedding
Party
Private Event
Corporate Event
Hotel / Restaurant Event
Bar / Venue Event
Concert
Charity Event
Burns Night
New Year's Eve
1930s Music
Folk
Folk Rock
Jazz
Gypsy Jazz
Originals
PAT tested
Lighting system included
Instrumental
Male & female vocalists
PA / sound system included
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