Named after a glorious waterfall in the Blue Mountains, Witches Leap ripple with the darkness of traditional Irish instruments. Backed with progressive bouzouki and guitar, they take the pathos and feistiness of Irish music and reinterpret it with originality arising from local mythology. Instrumental tunes give way to folk-punk inspired ballads.
Jade and Leigh hold the core of Witches Leap. Jade, who has a Masters degree in orchestral conducting, has performed as both a conductor and flautist all along the east coast of Australia and in the UK. In recent times, Jade has been drawn to exploring the heritage, conventions and possibilities of the traditional Irish flute. Leigh is a skilled arranger and guitarist who has performed on guitar and bouzouki at festivals across the country with the likes of Martin Doherty, Chris Wheeler and Julien Castegnaro.
Joining them are: Pelle who can sing in Welsh, English, Russian and Swedish as well as holding a PhD and two Masters degrees; as well as Mel with her deep passion for connecting people with community and culture. Mel has also performed at folk festivals all along Australia’s east coast.
Folk Unlocked
An incredible 65 Australian artists will be given a platform to be seen by members of the international music industry this month when they take part in Folk Unlocked, the inaugural virtual event from the …