Rob Heron & The Tea Pad Orchestra are one of the hardest working bands on the UK roots music circuit and have built a sizeable fan base following numerous tours and big festival appearances.
A hot six-piece featuring guitars, mandolin, harmonica, accordion, trumpet, double bass and percussion, they’re more eclectic than most, mixing Western Swing, Gypsy Jazz, Hokum Blues, Ragtime, Cajun, and Roots-of-Country.
Their debut album, ‘Money Isn't Everything’, caused a sensation when it was released in 2012, winning a host of rave reviews – many of them 5-star.
Originating in Tyneside (but with band members from as far afield as Orkney and Warwickshire) the band played to their biggest audiences yet when American riverboat rag-time band, Pokey LaFarge & The South City Three invited them to open for them on their last big UK tour.
With Heron writing most of the songs, It’s difficult to believe that they’ve not been dredged up from some archive of old time Americana. Travelling to Shetland will be Rob Heron on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Tom Cronin on mandolin, harmonica and vocals, Colin Nicholson on accordion and vocals, Rob Blazey on double bass and vocals, Andy Watt on lead guitar and Ally Stuart on drums.
Out of the growing UK scene of bands with early American music influences, I'd say Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra are most likely to be the gem. I mean to say that they have one of the more original sounds budding. There is good songwriting with dynamic and unique instrumentation for the style. It's only magnified by the their clever arrangements. Most importantly they feel the old music but they're more concerned with speaking in their own voice, like you should, instead of someone else.
Pokey LaFarge
It's so great to hear music that tickles your heart strings, when you're so far from home.
Emily Miller, The Sweetback Sisters
Find out more at www.teapadorchestra.co.uk.
