Black British Folk Takeover at Cecil Sharp House, London -  Line up announced.

Friday, September 05, 2025

On Saturday 4 October 2025, the English Folk Dance and Song Society and Angeline Morrison will present the Black British Folk Takeover as part of Black History Month. Press release attached.

We have received the following press release;

Black British Folk Takeover at Cecil Sharp House

Song, Music and Storytelling from British Folkies of the African Diaspora

On Saturday 4 October 2025, the English Folk Dance and Song Society and Angeline Morrison will present the Black British Folk Takeover as part of Black History Month. This festival-style all day event is a celebration of Black folk talent on the UK scene – and is the first of its kind.

Curated by Angeline Morrison who performed ‘The Sorrow Songs: Folk Songs of Black British Experience’ Live at the BBC Proms in July (listen here), the Black British Folk Takeover includes folk music styles from traditional ballad singing to contemporary, experimental folk-inspired music, as well as a live conversation on African diasporic identities and relationships with British folk and a sing-around and music session Folk Club led by the musicians and open to all audience members.

Bringing together some of the most exciting voices in folk music for this special day of music and storytelling, the Black British Folk revival features music from Angeline Morrison & Mataio Austin Dean, Germa Adan, Bethany Weimers, Marie Bashiru, Border Widow, Calliope, Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne and Muco, and conversation with Zakia Sewell and Emma Kathryn, interviewed by Angeline.

Angeline Morrison, Guest Curator of Black British Folk Takeover: “I’ve been nurturing the tiny flame of the idea for this event since 2020, so I was thrilled when the English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS) offered to host it – at the iconic Cecil Sharp House. Myself and my folkie friends and fellow musicians, dancers, magicians and folk lovers will be taking over Cecil Sharp House for an afternoon and evening of folk sounds, songs and stories that shine a long overdue light on the African and Caribbean Diaspora’s love for, and ongoing relationships with, British folk. So whether you’re a hardcore folkie or a curious lover of all music, this event aims to bring you joy, surprises and lifting of the spirits.”

Katy Spicer, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of English Folk Dance and Song Society: “We are delighted to present the first ever Black British Folk Takeover, showcasing some of the country’s outstanding Black folk talent at our atmospheric venue, Cecil Sharp House. We look forward to welcoming audiences with open hearts and minds for a programme showcasing the diverse landscape of folk music from both established and emerging young Black musicians.”

BLACK BRITISH FOLK TAKEOVER LINE-UP

Angeline Morrison
Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Angeline combines a love of traditional song, a respect for the hidden ancestral voices of Old Albion, explorations of diaspora, nation and history, and a belief in enchantment as powerful charms for decoloniality.

Mataio Austin Dean
Artist, poet, musician, and activist, Mataio’s uses Guyanese and English folksong and images to explore Guyana’s largely overlooked anti-colonial and anti-slavery revolutionary history.

Germa Adan
Composer, vocalist, and string musician, Germa’s music traverses Haitian, American, and British folk traditions through the rich sonic languages of the Afro-diaspora, the improvisational spirit of jazz and poetic storytelling.

Bethany Weimers
Folk-influenced alt-pop singer-songwriter, Bethany’s songs are driven by powerful haunting vocals, vivid lyrics and infectious choruses, telling stories inspired by nature, history and the human condition.

Marie Bashiru
Marie’s music resembles a melting pot of folk, soul and indie rock, and lends an earnest familiarity and yet at the same time, points to a new and unique sound that heralds a new generation of singer-songwriters in British music.

Border Widow
Made up of Chardine Taylor-Stone (Big Joanie) and Hatty Carmen (Thigh High), their music is characterised by haunting darkwave pop melodies and atmospheric soundscapes creating an immersive experience that is both eerie and beautiful.

Calliope
The experimental, multi-instrumental folk duo take inspiration from folk traditions of the black diasporic transatlantic world, blending salt-of-the-earth trad tunes, ancestral musical traditions and cosmic modernity.

Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne
Leading his generation of English folk musicians as both a commanding singer and a masterful player of the Anglo concertina and melodeon, Cohen plays traditional songs and tunes along with some self-penned material and a few surprises along the way.

Muco
Singer, songwriter and composer of British-Burundian heritage, Muco’s music is inspired by a love of language and storytelling. He combines lyrics and influences from Old, Middle, and Modern English, as well as French, Swahili, and Kirundi.

Zakia Sewell
Broadcaster, writer and DJ, Zakia hosts Dream Time on BBC 6 Music and has presented podcasts on identity, music, mental health and culture. Her forthcoming book, Finding Albion (Hodder Press, 2026), explores British national identity, folk culture and myth.

Emma Kathryn
Writer and author, Emma is a practising folk witch and Obeah woman, and explores the relationship between history, land, folklore through the lens of her mixed heritage and working-class experience, and particularly in reference to British and Jamaican folklore.

Tickets are available here:
https://www.efdss.org/whats-on/26-gigs/15117-black-british-folk-takeover-2025

LISTINGS

Black British Folk Takeover
Saturday 4 October 2025, 1.15pm - 10.30pm
Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regent’s Park Road, London NW1 7AY
Tickets: £35.50 (Under 30s £20.50)
Box Office details:
http://www.cecilsharphouse.org / 020 7485 2206

FULL PROGRAMME SCHEDULE
1.15pm – Doors open
1.35pm – Introduction by Angeline
1.40pm – Angeline Morrison & Mataio Austin Dean
2.20pm – Muco
3.05pm – Germa Adan
3.45pm – Interval
4.15pm – Bethany Weimers
4.50pm – Marie Bashiru
5.25pm – Border Widow
5.55pm – Break

6.15pm – Folk club

7.15pm – Doors re-open
7.30pm – Introduction by Angeline
7.35pm – Angeline Morrison in conversation with Zakia Sewell and Emma Kathryn
8.40pm – Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne
9.40pm – Calliope

THE BLACK ARTISANS

The English Folk Dance and Song Society is hosting The Black Artisans, a striking photography exhibition by visual artist Jo Sealy, as part of its Black British Folk Revival programme.
Through 36 powerful portraits, The Black Artisans celebrates the range of creativity and skill of UK-based Black craftspeople. The exhibition highlights both traditional heritage crafts and wider cultural practices – from weaving and woodturning to steel pan making and calabash artistry – shining a light on makers too often left out of the story of British folk heritage.
Jo Sealy, Photographer: “This exhibition is about making visible the extraordinary contribution of Black artisans to our shared cultural heritage – and inspiring future generations to discover these crafts for themselves.”

About the English Folk Dance and Song Society
The English Folk Dance and Song Society champions the folk arts at the heart of England’s rich and diverse cultural landscape. As the national development agency for the folk arts, it delivers a dynamic national and local education programme, enabling and increasing access to the folk arts. It runs the acclaimed National Youth Folk Ensemble. It supports folk artists through a flourishing artists development programme. It manages the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library – England’s national folk music library and archive. The custom-built headquarters of the English Folk Dance and Song Society is Cecil Sharp House, a busy arts centre situated just north of Regent’s Park in central London. Visit http://www.efdss.org