Steamchicken Explained

Steamchicken
Origin:	Warwickshire, England, UK
Genre:	cèilidh-swing and jazz roots
Years Active:	1993–present
Label:	Chicken Records
Past Members:	Katy Oliver – trumpet (until 2018); Ted Crum (died 2020)

Steamchicken are a cèilidh-swing and jazz roots band, based in Warwickshire, England, and formed in 1993 by Bill Pound, Andrew Sharpe and Ted Crum.^[1] They have been described as "a band with attitude" and as musically mixing together "folk and Cabaret era swing jazz with panache and style".^[2] Their 2017 CD release Look Both Ways, in which they use a full brass section and a driving rhythm section, has been acknowledged as demonstrating their "knowledge of both folk and jazz, polishing traditional gems into sparkling arrangements, and adding successful original compositions to create an eminently hummable album".^[3]

Band members

Amy Kakoura
Instrument:	vocal
Associated Acts:	Andrew Sharpe, Steamchicken; Richard Durrant

• Amy Kakoura – vocals^[4]
• Andrew Sharpe – piano
• Becky Eden-Green – alto saxophone, clarinet, bass^[5]
• Joe Crum – percussion
• Tim Yates – bass
• Mandy Sutton – tenor saxophone
• Matt Crum – soprano saxophone, melodeon, synthesiser

Amy Kakoura also performs as a solo artist and as a duo with Andrew Sharpe. They have also written a musical together. Songs From a Ledge, in which Amy Kakoura played and sang one of the roles and Andrew Sharpe and Becky Eden-Green provided musical accompaniment, was performed in a production directed by Lana McIver at the Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham in 2014.^[6]

Founding band member Ted Crum, who performed on harmonica, bass and melodeon, died in April 2020.

Discography

Steamchicken

Albums

• Look Both Ways (10 February 2017), Chicken Records, STEAM16/3^{[7] [8]}
• 20 Years (27 July 2013)^[1]
• Calling All Chickens (2009)
• Wingin (2006),^[9] SCCD01
• Never Mind the Dots (1999)^[10]

Singles

• "Gypsy" (9 December 2016)
• "When I Get Low I Get High" (5 November 2016)
• "Violet Lane" (13 July 2018)

Amy Kakoura

Albums

• As guest vocalist on Richard Durrant's album A Quiet Word from the 13th Century (November 2015), The Burning Deck (TheBurningDeck001)
• As guest vocalist on Richard Durrant's album Christmas Guitars (21 October 2013), Longman Records Ltd (LONGMAN062CD)

EPs

• Half an Inch of Snow (December 2016)

External links

• Official website
• Amy Kakoura's website

Notes and References

1. Web site: Steamchicken – 20 Years . Rawcliffe . Paul . 2013 . Bright Young Folk . 29 May 2017.
2. Higgins . Marc . 2017 . 30 May 2017. Steamchicken – Look Both Ways (Chicken Records) . Northern Sky.
3. Web site: Steamchicken – Look Both Ways . Buckley . Martha . 18 April 2017 . . 29 May 2017.
4. News: Amy Kakoura's happy to have truly found her voice with Steamchicken . Anson . John . 9 March 2017 . . 29 May 2017.
5. News: Dream come true as local girl takes to Maidstone stage . 8 February 2018 . Downs Mail . 12 February 2018.
6. Web site: Songs From a Ledge – Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham. Whys . Glen . 19 November 2014 . Musical Theatre Review . 30 May 2017.
7. Steamchicken – Look Both Ways . Beeby . Dave. The Living Tradition . 118 . 2017 . 29 May 2017.
8. Web site: Steamchicken – Look Both Ways. Mainly Norfolk – English Folk and Other Good Music. Zierke . Reinhard . 8 March 2017 . 29 May 2017.
9. Harragan . Bob . Wingin'. The Living Tradition . 68 . 2006 . 29 May 2017.
10. Web site: Steamchicken . www.webfeet.org . 26 January 2021.