White Rose Morris Men
Nick has been an active member of White Rose since 1982. Details of their activities our available on the White Rose Morris Men's Website
Nick and Mary Barber
Playing together on fiddle and melodeon since the 1970's, Nick and Mary play traditional English dance music. They also play traditional French and Swedish material, together with a few of Nick's own tunes. Together they have been at the heart of many dance bands: "The Randon Band" (not the same band as the present one of that name), "Maxwell's Demon", "The Celebrated Nook Band" and "English Rebellion". In 1997 they made a CD,
"Crossword".
English Rebellion
Anahata and Mary Humphreys (melodeon, cello, concertinas and piano) together with Nick and Mary Barber (melodeon, horn, recorder and fiddle) have been playing together as a ceilidh band since 2002. See the English Rebellion Website.
The Offical Brawl
A well established West Yorkshire band consiting of Steve Harrison (whistles, recorder, sax, harmonica, caller), Nick Barber (melodeon, horn, recorder), Huw Jones (electric guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin) and Gordon Wood (percussion and caller). As well as standard traditional English dances, Offical Brawl include older "brawls" which can often be danced by any number of people.
The Big Band
Nick and Mary have run Big Band workshops at Sidmouth and Holmfirth festivals.
See the Big Band 2009 website.
English Session Tunes
The English Country Music weekends and the tune session in the Radway at Sidmouth Folk Festival were starting points for Nick and Mary's involvement in traditional English Music sessions. They are currently involved in the session at Linthwaite, West Yorkshire (The Sair, 1st Thursday of each month).
A Musical Diary
The majority of Nick's 200 or so compositions take the form of his musical diary. As an active musician playing in ceilidh bands and needing the right tunes for particular dances, Nick was always happy to create a few of his own. The first was a third part to go with the standard version of "The Cure of All Grief".
In 1996 though, things changed. Suddenly he was writing a lot of tunes - nearly all based on things that people around him did and said. Although the tunes are dance tunes, they are songs too. Often there are words which fit the melody.
The tunes are personal, and most contain a recognisable quirk or two. Nick wrote them, and plays them, for himself, not for anyone else - but is delighted when others express an interest in them or want to play them. If you like any of the music you find here, help yourself. Use it in any way you want.
Some of the tunes have been recorded, and many have notation available. Start from the index, which is in date order.
Musical Diary - Index
Blind Jack Project
A tune for Angela
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