"English music can stand up with any other - as long as it's played with skill, knowledge, love and passion. English dance music is vibrant, good to dance to, good to listen to - so is The English County Dance Band" and Saturday evening's English Barn Dance in the Tenterden Club will certainly prove this. The English Country Dance Band was formed (or re-formed?) in 1995 following the 21^st anniversary of the formation of the original Old Swan Band and the 20^th anniversary of the first English Country Music Weekend. A group of musicians who had played together in other line-ups and who all lived in the same area decided to get together on a regular basis to play English music for dances, concerts and other events thus The English Country Dance Band was born. The line-up is now Paul Burgess (fiddle and piano), Flos Headford (fiddle), Jane Burgess (caller and fiddle), Martin Brinsford (percussion and gob-iron) and Rod Stradling (melodeons) all of whom are very well know on the folk scene. As well as playing for the barn dance, some of the band will be running workshops on Sunday morning so that you will have an opportunity to pick up a few tips and ask a few questions.

The Tabs are a nationally known five piece folk-rock band, from the Hastings area, with diverse influences covering the Celtic tradition, jazz, rock, and funk. As a result of the wide range of musical talents within the group, their music is hard to pigeonhole under any one standard heading. The band performs not only traditional music and songs from the British Isle, but also writes new and exiting numbers themselves. The mixture of traditional and contemporary music in turn gives their performance a unique edge. As well as topping the bill at many folk festivals and concerts The Tabs have also acted as support on Steeleye Span tours and played as guests of Fairport Convention at Cropredy Festival. Garry Blakeley, Roger Flack, Dave Pellett, Andy King and Nick Cooper will be playing fiddle, electric and acoustic guitars, bouzouki, electric bass, percusion and drums in The Woolpack Hotel on Saturday. Folk Roots magazine summed up The Tabs by saying "these boys can play and play up a storm".

SkynFlynt really need no introduction to audiences in Kent, and particularly to regulars at Tenterden Folk Festival. Their mixture of traditional folk songs and anything else that takes their fancy at the time, from Buddy Holly to Ralph McTell, is part of the tradition of the festival. Jane's fiddle playing adds a different dimension to the sound with Alan and Bob on guitars, Chris on whistles and Rob on banjo. SknFlynt will be in The Woolpack on Saturday lunchtime and in The White Lion in the evening but Bob Kenward will be back on Sunday to run the music on The Folk Trains with Ray Styles, Vic and Tina Smith and others.

The Pilgims are another folk band with a difference as they play music ranging from blue grass to Australian folk. With the Olympics in Sydney in 2000, there may be revival of traditional Australian folk songs and The Pilgrims will be well placed to be at the forefront. Their new album includes some of the best know "Aussie" folk songs such as South Australia, All for me grog, and Overlander, together with traditional English songs and some original compositions. The Pilgrims will be around the festival on Saturday in the concerts with Ben Paley joining them, and will no doubt drop in and do a few songs in one of the many sing-a-rounds in the pubs.

Tenterden Folk Festival - Tourist Information Centre, Town Hall, High Street, Tenterden, Kent, TN30 6AN

Tel. 01580 763572