Fiddlebox

FIDDLEBOX is a four-legged, musical tour-de-force. Vocalists Helen (the Fiddle) Adam and George (the Box) Whitfield play together with telepathic precision – they’ve been together for 11 years and play about 100 gigs a year in Wales and further afield.

Their last CD “On the East Wind” represents a bold attempt to redefine the boundaries of Welsh traditional music through the prism of other traditions. They present several songs in a new musical style, which they call 'Klezreig' - a synthesis of Cymreig and Klezmer that is proving highly popular with audiences everywhere.

Helen Adam says: "We are taking a fresh and loving look at Welsh traditional music which is robust enough to stand its own alongside other, better known folk traditions."

George Whitfield says: "We recorded it in a Welsh chapel using its natural ambience in order to get the acoustic sound you can expect when you come to see us."

On the East Wind also contains a full emotional range of distinctive, very catchy pop and folk, from George's upbeat 'Simply Fly' to an update of the gruelling traditional English song 'Pills of White Mercury”.

“Very, very talented… a fresh approach to the music” Frank Hennessy, BBC Radio Wales.
"A strong sense of Welsh musical tradition is prominent in their music, which is heavily
influenced by life in modern Wales" - Wales Millennium Centre.

Fiddlebox bring "a fresh sound to folk and popular music" - 'The Big Cheese' Festival, Caerphilly.

"Passionate, cinematic instrumentals" - Rock and Reel magazine.

"Fresh and lively...a delight. They help any event go with a swing." - David Hardy, National Botanic Garden of Wales.

“…beautiful music…totally original…and deserving of an even wider audience” Pembrokeshire Life.

Fiddlebox are regular performers at the Millennium Centre Cardiff, the Royal Welsh Show, the National Botanic Gardens, events such as the Semaine de Golfe in Brittany, and numerous festivals and events in Wales and abroad. They are also regularly heard on Welsh radio stations.

Helen and George are both immigrants to Wales, where they met, but have made it their home.

About George
George Whitfield's accordion was specially constructed by a top craftsman, Claudio Beltrami, in Stradella, Italy. It employs a unique bass switching system, designed to his specification with three rows of bass buttons that permit more complex bass lines and four sets of hand made reeds. Together these produce a big sound with chunky chords, that is usually only achieved with larger concert accordions. George also plays with rocking folk band Pressgang, and in blues band Bluebox.

About Helen
Helen Adam is a classically trained musician, part Lithuanian Jewish and part German. She plays a Welsh built fiddle made by Gerard Kilbride. Helen has become fluent in Welsh and represented Wales at the International Celtic Congress 2010. She is also a composer of 3 full length works commissioned by the Arts Council of Wales. She is a member of Clera, the society of Welsh traditional instruments and music and performs with Clerorfa the Welsh folk orchestra. She runs workshops, teaches and performs with her family Klezmer band, Klezmic Rays, when not with Fiddlebox. She is at present writing a series of violin duets based on Welsh folk tunes.