Les – Drummer and Dance Caller
Les has been interested and involved in folk music and dance for 30 years. He is a drummer (no jokes please, I’ve heard them all), caller, singer, plays a bit of guitar, and also plays the melodeon.
As well as being in Tumbling Tom he is also a founder member of the Ulverston carnival street band ‘Blast Furness’, plays for Furness Morris Dancers, and sings with a harmony-singing group ‘The Bradyll Friends’. His musical tastes are wide ranging through folk, world, jazz and classical, but he draws the line at country and western. If forced to pick 1 favourite artist, it would be Richard Thompson, or maybe Frank Zappa or Joni Mitchell or, or, or ,or…………
Until 2004 he had a regular job in the pharmaceutical industry and was only able to pursue his musical interests in his spare time. Since leaving that job he has been working as a musician and workshop leader in primary and early years education, and in the community. He has worked in many schools, mainly in Cumbria, has been involved in working with a young person’s folk band and also run community-based projects. He is a passionate advocate for the arts in education and has worked for the government funded Creative Partnerships (www.creative-partnerships.com) organisation, and also Cumbria Arts in Education, (www.cumbriaarts.co.uk ) He is a committee member of the Folk Arts organisation ‘Furness Tradition’ (www.furnesstradition.org.uk) and helps run their year round programme of events including an annual Festival.
He has been happily married to Hazel for x years and has 3 daughters and 1 son, all of whom are excellent musicians, and have played with Tumbling Tom at one time or another.
When not working or involved in music Les likes to go walking on the fells, often with fellow band members Steve and Hugh. He is a keen allotment gardener, loves trips away in his VW camper van, and has also recently taken up Tai Chi.