Oxford-based four-piece band, Moonrakers, has established a growing reputation in recent years, taking their music to non-traditional music venues across the Southern counties. In the last two years alone they’ve played to more than 4,000 people in churches, village halls and festivals, yet remain ‘under the radar’ in some respects, despite having a solid fan base outside the mainstream folk circuit. Refining their arrangements through live performances, they’ve received glowing reviews from the music press for past outputs - the band "just OOZES quality" (Living Tradition), presenting “exquisite music” (BBC), and a “highly infectious sound” (Maverick) that shows a "fine organic collection of apt musicianship" (Earbuzz). Instrumentally, the group creates a rich sound texture across an eclectic mix of traditional and contemporary songs and tunes. The choice of material is largely from the Irish, Scottish, Welsh and English traditions, interspersed with a significant number of their own compositions. This is the band’s fourth album and comprises much of the material they’ve played to highly appreciative audiences over the last two years. Anna Lockett’s 36-string Celtic harp is very much a centre piece of the group, complemented by Liz van Santen’s superb fiddle, Jon Bennett’s bouzouki, guitar, whistles, bodhran and vocals, and Jo Daley’s warm vocals. The contemporary songs range from the heart-wrenching Rag Doll (a true story) to I am the Mountain (a plea for respect for the earth’s resources). On the traditional side, the lively Strands of Magilligan contrasts with the dark arrangement of The Unquiet Grave. Robert Burns makes an appearance with a slow rendition of Ye Jacobites by Name, and the harp comes to the fore in Shule Aroon and Logan Water. The album was mixed at Warehouse Studios, Oxford, by the same engineer responsible for much of Steeleye Span’s recorded output. Steve “Geezer” Watkins does a fine job in bringing warmth and balance to the whole sound. Prior to forming Moonrakers, Jon Bennett played with Rosie Cross (Pywackett) and Ed Korolyk (Electropathics) in the Durham-based band Highly Strung. He has also toured with some of the country’s finest professional storytellers and published award-winning children’s songs for the BBC. Now firmly in Oxford, his chief focus is Moonrakers, though you may find him leading ukulele workshops at the Wallingford Bunkfest and in Oxford. Moonrakers itself has appeared at Oxford, Wantage, Witney, Penn, Lechlade, Alcester, Shennington, Wycombe and Wolvercote festivals over the last few years. Bookings, recordings, etc: 01865 769206 Moonrakers Celtic Music, 84 Sandfield Rd, Oxford OX3 7RL