Robin Sunflower started playing the harmonica in the 80s, joining the legendary blues act Victor Brox and the Blues Train, gigging extensively throughout the UK. In the early 90s he made the transition to chromatic harmonica after hearing the amazing playing of Toots Thielemans.
His next project was “The Identical Twins” – an avant garde jazz-tinged comedy folk duo who made veggie rasher muffins, gazpacho and popcorn as part of an interactive stage show. In 1997 he put together a 6 piece band for a 1 off stint at the Edinburgh Festival. The Woodbank Streetband went on to play 5 years running at Edinburgh, 4 years at Marlborough Jazz Festival, twice at Solfest, Castlebar Blues Festival (Ireland) and gigs in France from Tours to Bordeaux.
A personnel change a few years ago saw Woodbank become The Robin Sunflower Band. 2016 will see Robin’s band clocking up a 15 year resident slot at top Manchester club Big Hands.This year’s band features Dan Broad (guitar-Happy Mondays), Iain Mellor (Drums-Global Grooves) and occasional guests…John Ellis (keys-Baked A La Ska,Lily Allen,Tom Jones).Guest bass players including Matt Owens(baked A La Ska) in June, Danny Blomeley(Kyla Brox Band/ ex-Woodbank Streetband) in july…The Big Hands band is never the same twice(well hardly ever)
Robin has increasingly been invited to guest/session with other acts. Notable gigs include: Castle Howard banqueting hall with John Heliwell (Supertramp), Glastonbury Festival World Jazz Stage with Suns of Arqa, Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall with Kirsty Almeida, support to Elbow with Indigo Jones.
Since 1999 Robin has also run a weekly night (Quack) currently at The White House, Stalybridge (Monday) and Beer Traders, Marple (Tuesday). The night consists of an invited guest playing a 40 minute set from 9pm, followed by an hour or so of open mic. The guest returns for a shorter closing set around 11pm. Robin plays with all the invited guests and some of the open mic contributors too.
“Baked a la Ska” is Robin’s latest band. The line-up of this football team sized super-group reading like a who’s who of the North West jazz scene. Their ska versions of 70s & 80s pop classics have resulted in packed dance floors at Manchester’s Band on the Wall, Kendal Calling festival and Liverpool’s Mathew Street fest.To date they have released four albums: Baked A LA Ska; Just Deserts; Gas Mark 3-The Slow Burner; Ska of Wonder (Christmas album).
A chance meeting at the Big Hands residency has resulted in Robin working with comedian Sophie Willan (2015 Magners new comedy award winner, BBC new comedy awards finalist)…Check out “The Wiggle Song”- More to come:)
2016 will see the 5th anniversary tour of the Toots Thielemans Birthday Tribute Band.This band re-forms at the end of April each year for one week only to play music from Toots’ repertoire (Midnight Cowboy, Bluesette…) Toots’ first major gigs were with Benny Goodman in 1949. He went on to play with George Shearing,Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans, Jaco Pastorius, Oscar Peterson and pop acts such as Paul Simon, Billy Joel and Julian Lennon. A man at the top of his game for over six decades. He retired from public performance aged 91 in 2013.
2015 saw Robin playing sessions for all manner of recording projects from spaghetti western library music to trance groove dance music (with Balaphonic) to dub reggae with Bakery Studio (expect a harmonica dub album in 2016 with Al “Breadwinner” Monkey). Other exciting recording projects are being planned for 2016 – Listen to this space!
Date | Band/Artist | City | Venue | Country |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tour: Quack-Open mic & Guest. | ||||
12 Jun 23 | Phil Middleton | Stalybridge, Manchester | White House | UK |
Time: 8:05pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Water Street. | ||||
13 Jun 23 | Phil Middleton | Marple, Stockport | Beer Traders | UK |
Time: 8:30pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: 113 Stockport rd. Guitar and vocals original songs and Beatles and soul classics | ||||
17 Jun 23 | Baked A-La-Ska | Liverpool | Liverpool Philharmonic Theatre | UK |
Time: 7:00pm. Admission: £12–15?. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Hope Street. Full 11 piece stage riot | ||||
Tour: Quack-Open mic & Guest. | ||||
19 Jun 23 | Kathy and John Dyson | Stalybridge, Manchester | White House | UK |
Time: 8:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Water Street. | ||||
20 Jun 23 | Kathy and John Dyson | Marple, Stockport | Beer Traders | UK |
Time: 8:30pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: 113 Stockport rd. Sax and guitar jazz duo.top class | ||||
26 Jun 23 | Stevie Williams | Stalybridge, Manchester | White House | UK |
Time: 8:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Water Street. | ||||
27 Jun 23 | Stevie Williams | Marple, Stockport | Beer Traders | UK |
Time: 8:30pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: 113 Stockport rd. Manchester institution singer songwriter guitar and bass | ||||
Tour: Monthly Residency since 2001 | ||||
28 Jun 23 | The Robin Sunflower Band | Manchester | Big Hands | UK |
Time: 10:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Dan Broad Guitar John sandham bass Iain mellor drums Me harmonica and vocals Great freewheeling gig reggaerjazzrockskabluueslatingoodtime | ||||
Tour: Quack-Open mic & Guest. | ||||
03 Jul 23 | Kirk Mcelhinney | Stalybridge, Manchester | White House | UK |
Time: 8:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Water Street. | ||||
04 Jul 23 | Kirk Mcelhinney | Marple, Stockport | Beer Traders | UK |
Time: 8:30pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: 113 Stockport rd. Guitar picker blues folk and his own songs | ||||
09 Jul 23 | Robin Dewhurst | Manchester | Saison | UK |
Time: 3:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Burton Road, Didsbury. Two Robins in the same place Piano and harmonica jazz duo | ||||
09 Jul 23 | Sunflower and Ingram quartet | Stockport | The Railway, | UK |
Time: 9:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Heaton Norris. Jazz guitars and bass quartet featuring Adrian Ingram | ||||
Tour: Quack-Open mic & Guest. | ||||
10 Jul 23 | Sunflower and Ingram quartet | Stalybridge, Manchester | White House | UK |
Time: 8:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Water Street. | ||||
11 Jul 23 | Sunflower and Ingram quartet | Marple, Stockport | Beer Traders | UK |
Time: 8:30pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: 113 Stockport rd. Featuring Adrian Ingram jazz and blues guitar from Duke Ellington to Fleetwood Mac | ||||
16 Jul 23 | Sunflower and Ingram quartet | Stockport, Gtr Manchester | Bakers Vaults | UK |
Time: 3:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Market place. Jazz guitars and bass quartet featuring Adrian Ingram | ||||
Tour: Quack-Open mic & Guest. | ||||
17 Jul 23 | Kessena Ringland | Stalybridge, Manchester | White House | UK |
Time: 8:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Water Street. One of my favourite voices sings her own songs and a few Pop picks | ||||
18 Jul 23 | Sarah Winton and Colin Rocks (The Cogs) | Marple, Stockport | Beer Traders | UK |
Time: 8:30pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: 113 Stockport rd. Blues and soul piano and xdrums with etheric vocals | ||||
24 Jul 23 | My birthday eve | Stalybridge, Manchester | White House | UK |
Time: 8:00pm. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Water Street. My last gig in my 50s… With a few musical friends | ||||
25 Jul 23 | My 60th birthday | Marple, Stockport | Beer Traders | UK |
Time: 8:30pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: 113 Stockport rd. Nothing set in stone yet but some Baked People are expected | ||||
Tour: Monthly Residency since 2001 | ||||
26 Jul 23 | The Robin Sunflower Band | Manchester | Big Hands | UK |
Time: 10:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. I will be celebrating my 60th birthday by doing the same thing as usual Reggaerjazzrockskabluueslatingoodtime | ||||
Tour: Quack-Open mic & Guest. | ||||
31 Jul 23 | Sarah Winton and Colin Rocks (The Cogs) | Stalybridge, Manchester | White House | UK |
Time: 8:00pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: Water Street. Blues and soul piano and xdrums with etheric vocals original songs too. | ||||
01 Aug 23 | Kessena Ringland | Marple, Stockport | Beer Traders | UK |
Time: 8:30pm. Admission: Free. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Address: 113 Stockport rd. One of my favourite voices sings her own songs and a few Pop picks | ||||
26 Apr 30 | PRIVATE PARTIES (weddings, birthdays, etc) ARE NOT SHOWN on above list | any town | any place | UK |
Time: 10:00pm. Age restrictions: All Ages/Licensed. Private bookings are not shown on this list |