It was a bit of a cultural departure for us booking the City Waites though, when we booked them on 23rd March 1975 at the Blacksmith's Arms, we may and only may have been tempted by their sauciness rather than any elements of mind improvement.
I've seen the Skeaping name on many credits since 1975 but I have not seen them perform in the recent past so I don't know whether sauciness has bitten the dust.
City Waites are Lucie Skeaping, Douglas Wootton, Roddy Skeaping and Michael Brain. They've made 15 CDs, numerous BBC broadcasts, a C4 documentary, given concerts for the National Trust, Barbican Centre and South Bank, and collaborations with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre. They featured in the film Elizabeth and provided the music for As You Like It at the Globe.
Would they have achieved all this without the ubiquitous Blacksmith's appearance? - Hardly likely I hear you think!
Quality music played by quality musicians with a bit of fun - I've talked myself into scouring the ads for a local booking!
TK©2001