Tim Edey and Brendan Power

Fresh from winning two titles at the prestigious BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in February 2012, the organising committee simply had to invite Tim Edey and Brendan Power back to entertain Shetland audiences once more.

Whilst Tim has been to Shetland several times in the past few years (including as an honorary Shetlander last year to perform with Ryan Couper in the Scotland’s Islands project!), it was 1993 that Brendan Power last performed at the Festival – long before he even met Tim.

Voted Musician of the Year 2012 at the Radio 2 Folk Awards, Tim Edey is without doubt one of the finest multi-instrumental players of his generation in the worldwide Celtic music scene. A virtuoso on both acoustic guitar and button accordion, his incredible musical ear and total technical command allows him to play the most demanding instrumentals and improvise freely in any style you throw at him. His musicianship has led to touring/recording with the likes of Sharon Shannon, Lunasa, Michael McGoldrick, Seamus Begley, Mary Black, Altan and Capercaillie as well as Tim releasing four solo albums to date with his compositions performed and recorded by a multitude of respected Celtic artists.

Performing with UK based Kiwi harmonica player and composer Brendan Power, this fantastic act picked up Best Duo at the 2012 Radio 2 Folk Awards. Power is acknowledged by many as one of the most versatile and creative harp players around and has recorded with the likes of Kate Bush, Sting, Van Morrison, Paul Young, James Galway, John Williams, Paul Brady, Altan, and Artie McGlynn. A fluent improviser in jazz/blues/pop styles, Brendan is also an expert player of Irish traditional music, winning the All Ireland title in 1994. He has recorded 15 solo CDs to date and works for Suzuki Musical Instrument Corp as their International Harmonica Specialist. As well as singing and composing original songs, he often throws in some nifty beatboxing too!

As a duo, they have a free-wheeling approach to live performance which is simply infectious. Loving to improvise, Tim and Brendan’s pieces sound different & fresh each time they perform them and it’s that sheer mad spontaneity which unfailingly captures audiences everywhere!