History
Dalla was formed by Neil Davey and Hilary Coleman towards the end of 1999.
The Davey and Coleman families have been integral parts of the Cornish Celtic music scene since the earliest days of the current revival.
In the 1970's, Neil's eldest brother Merv collected much of the music now being played by Cornish traditional musicians, and the dances being danced, and he continues to be one of the main authorities in this field. Together with their other two brothers Andy and Kyt, Merv and Neil formed the seminal Cornish music group Bucca. Bucca was the first band to release a professional recording of Cornwall's traditional celtic music when, in 1980, they signed to Plant Life Records. The album 'An Tol an Pedn an Telynor' ('The Hole in the Harper's Head') was distributed in 13 countries worldwide.
Between them the Davey's have been responsible for many milestones in the revival of Cornish Celtic music and dance. Merv and Alison Davey co-founded the first display dance team Cam Kernewek, which later spawned the dance groups Asterveryn and Tan ha Dowr, and organised Lowender Peran - an annual celtic music and dance festival. Andy Davey co-founded the Ros Keltek dancers, now in existence for over twenty-five years. Kyt and Soazig Le Nen-Davey formed the band Anao Atao, well known throughout the Cornish diaspora, and Kyt more recently also set up the website Kesson.com which has become the first port of call for anyone seeking CDs of Cornish Celtic music. Meanwhile Neil Davey brought Cornish music to the worldwide audience of the Celtic band Anam, appearing at countless major festivals across the globe, from Melbourne to San Francisco, Taipei to New York, and Tokyo to Glastonbury. Anam's CD 'Riptide' was probably the first CD featuring Cornish Celtic music to enter the top ten in the UK traditional music charts.
The Coleman family in turn have been integral to much of the Cornish music scene not already covered by the Daveys! Hilary Coleman, and her brother Will, started off from a theatrical background, as members of Kneehigh and founder members of Bedlam theatre company. They played a key role in setting up community events across Cornwall based on local legends and traditions, such as St.Agnes' Bolster Day, and the Calstock May Revel. Inspired by Bucca, they became involved in traditional Cornish music, and formed Gwaryoryon, itself in turn quoted as a source of great inspiration for many musicians in Cornwall. Even their own parents, Patrick and Marion Coleman, were inspired to get involved, and formed the much loved Tamar Troylers. Marion Coleman also later started the annual gathering of musicians in Bodmin known as 'Racca Day'. Will Coleman introduced the Spanish Gaita bagpipes to Cornish music, and these are now becoming increasingly popular and accepted in the music of Cornwall, being used for instance at such prominent events as the annual Gorseth (Cornish Eisteddfod) procession.
In recent years, Hilary Coleman has continued to play a key role in Cornish music affairs, as a performer, a composer, a promoter of Cornish language through music, and as an organiser of many events raising the profile of local traditional music in Cornwall. She was a founder member of The Jack and Jenny Band, and of Sowena, and a member of the Cornwall Songwriters. She is at the forefront of the revival of interest in the clarinet as a traditional instrument in Cornwall, where it was popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries. She was also on the Racca Cornish tune-book committee, and co-founded Cumpas Ltd. (Cornish Music Projects) along with Frances Bennett. Cumpas gained an impressive track record for organising events such as Racca Day, the 'Forbidden Fruit' festivals at the Eden Project and Teer ha Moar concerts at the Minack Theatre, as well as doing children's workshops in Cornish music at schools throughout Cornwall.
Neil Davey and Hilary Coleman met at the Lowender Peran festival, and with their combined credentials in Cornish traditional music it was clear that any band they formed would be a force to be reckoned with. Their first musical collaboration was as members of Sowena, the other members being: Simon Lockley (who later also played with Dalla), Frances Bennett, Jen Dyer (who has also joined Dalla in recent years), and Alan Pengelly. Sowena, along with dancer Karen Lockley-Brown, were the pioneers of the nos lowen interpretation of the collected Cornish dances and music. A nos lowen is a night of accessible Cornish dances, where you simply join in by copying others who already know the dances (a little like the Breton 'Fest Noz' but with Cornish dances and music). Because of their accessibilty, both to dancers and musicians, these nights caught on in popularity extremely quickly, and although Sowena is no longer in existence, the scene continues to gather momentum in the hands of Skillywidden (effectively the 'Dalla dance band') and a growing number of other nos lowen bands.
The Davey and Coleman families have been integral parts of the Cornish Celtic music scene since the earliest days of the current revival.
In the 1970's, Neil's eldest brother Merv collected much of the music now being played by Cornish traditional musicians, and the dances being danced, and he continues to be one of the main authorities in this field. Together with their other two brothers Andy and Kyt, Merv and Neil formed the seminal Cornish music group Bucca. Bucca was the first band to release a professional recording of Cornwall's traditional celtic music when, in 1980, they signed to Plant Life Records. The album 'An Tol an Pedn an Telynor' ('The Hole in the Harper's Head') was distributed in 13 countries worldwide.
Between them the Davey's have been responsible for many milestones in the revival of Cornish Celtic music and dance. Merv and Alison Davey co-founded the first display dance team Cam Kernewek, which later spawned the dance groups Asterveryn and Tan ha Dowr, and organised Lowender Peran - an annual celtic music and dance festival. Andy Davey co-founded the Ros Keltek dancers, now in existence for over twenty-five years. Kyt and Soazig Le Nen-Davey formed the band Anao Atao, well known throughout the Cornish diaspora, and Kyt more recently also set up the website Kesson.com which has become the first port of call for anyone seeking CDs of Cornish Celtic music. Meanwhile Neil Davey brought Cornish music to the worldwide audience of the Celtic band Anam, appearing at countless major festivals across the globe, from Melbourne to San Francisco, Taipei to New York, and Tokyo to Glastonbury. Anam's CD 'Riptide' was probably the first CD featuring Cornish Celtic music to enter the top ten in the UK traditional music charts.
The Coleman family in turn have been integral to much of the Cornish music scene not already covered by the Daveys! Hilary Coleman, and her brother Will, started off from a theatrical background, as members of Kneehigh and founder members of Bedlam theatre company. They played a key role in setting up community events across Cornwall based on local legends and traditions, such as St.Agnes' Bolster Day, and the Calstock May Revel. Inspired by Bucca, they became involved in traditional Cornish music, and formed Gwaryoryon, itself in turn quoted as a source of great inspiration for many musicians in Cornwall. Even their own parents, Patrick and Marion Coleman, were inspired to get involved, and formed the much loved Tamar Troylers. Marion Coleman also later started the annual gathering of musicians in Bodmin known as 'Racca Day'. Will Coleman introduced the Spanish Gaita bagpipes to Cornish music, and these are now becoming increasingly popular and accepted in the music of Cornwall, being used for instance at such prominent events as the annual Gorseth (Cornish Eisteddfod) procession.
In recent years, Hilary Coleman has continued to play a key role in Cornish music affairs, as a performer, a composer, a promoter of Cornish language through music, and as an organiser of many events raising the profile of local traditional music in Cornwall. She was a founder member of The Jack and Jenny Band, and of Sowena, and a member of the Cornwall Songwriters. She is at the forefront of the revival of interest in the clarinet as a traditional instrument in Cornwall, where it was popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries. She was also on the Racca Cornish tune-book committee, and co-founded Cumpas Ltd. (Cornish Music Projects) along with Frances Bennett. Cumpas gained an impressive track record for organising events such as Racca Day, the 'Forbidden Fruit' festivals at the Eden Project and Teer ha Moar concerts at the Minack Theatre, as well as doing children's workshops in Cornish music at schools throughout Cornwall.
Neil Davey and Hilary Coleman met at the Lowender Peran festival, and with their combined credentials in Cornish traditional music it was clear that any band they formed would be a force to be reckoned with. Their first musical collaboration was as members of Sowena, the other members being: Simon Lockley (who later also played with Dalla), Frances Bennett, Jen Dyer (who has also joined Dalla in recent years), and Alan Pengelly. Sowena, along with dancer Karen Lockley-Brown, were the pioneers of the nos lowen interpretation of the collected Cornish dances and music. A nos lowen is a night of accessible Cornish dances, where you simply join in by copying others who already know the dances (a little like the Breton 'Fest Noz' but with Cornish dances and music). Because of their accessibilty, both to dancers and musicians, these nights caught on in popularity extremely quickly, and although Sowena is no longer in existence, the scene continues to gather momentum in the hands of Skillywidden (effectively the 'Dalla dance band') and a growing number of other nos lowen bands.