ABOUT US
Starting in 2014 at the Friends Meeting House in Lancaster, Dean, Ben, Wils, Cormac, Freya, Bob and Hugh have gathered papers, producers, partners, dots, songs, inspiration, choirs, lead-singers, musicians, speakers, amps, sound engineers, audiences, decor, printers, designers, tea bags, rehearsal rooms, emails and social media posts, press releases, ticket links, ticket fees, reviews, photos, recordings, satellite events, spare bedrooms and travel expenses to make their special brew of Sufjan Stevens’ Songs for Christmas happen.​
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Since then they have visited Lancaster Priory, Torquay’s Spanish Barn with a blanket, Arc Theatre in TrowbridgeSt Michael’s C of E Primary Academy in Exeter, The Assembly Roxy and Queen’s Hall in Edinburgh, The Great Hall in Dartington and Huddersfield’s Parish Church.
As well as Jackie Oates, Iona Lane, Richard Evans and Billie Bottle they have welcomed, leaned on and cherished members of Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Aubergines Family Orchestra, Dot Crotchet and the Raging Harmonies, The Unidentified Family Orchestra, The Choral Engineers, Crooks & Claridge, Raised Voices, Off the Rails big band, Family Selection Box, Deep Cabaret, Turnstone, Burst Horns, Plainview.
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The concerts have been produced by Wils Wilson, Bob Lockwood, More Music, Lancaster Arts City and Torbay Council.
THE TEAM
BEN McCABE plays drums, horn and sings backing vocals in Natural Causes, Deep Cabaret, Paddy Garrigan and the Stroller Priests and Kollega. For many years he’s been a linchpin at community music charity More Music in Morecambe and programmes gigs and festivals there as well as delivering creative music workshops with all ages.
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He’s the MD for Off the Rails big band - a creative jazz orchestra originally started by More Music that play original music as well as (often instant) arrangements of Fela Kuti, Bill Frisell, Bill Withers, Mulatu Astatke, Letta Mbulu and much more.
DEAN SPEEDWELL TRACY BRODRICK has lived with the challenge of his name for many years. The last decade saw an increase in his work in education. He helped to create 3 little alternative educational projects in his vicinity (The Greenhouse, The Phoenix and Lumiar Stowford) where music was part of the core curriculum.
Dean mostly plays piano, accordion and bassoon. But he sings and strikes drums frequently. His long lived band is called EMPTY BOAT. Since 1993 Dean has co directed PoopCreative, an NGO supporting the raising of awareness and funds to build water and sanitation projects in Mozambique. He is a frequent visitor to Brasil where he engages in the musical and spiritual culture of the peoples of Amazonas.
HUGH NANKIVELL is a composer and social musician based in Bristol.
Now honourably retired from the Sufjan project. Hugh was a guiding force for the first ten years sharing his arranging, leading and performance skills as well as his considerable energy with everyone that encountered the Sufjan concerts.
He compulsively creates songs and tries to musically respond to every issue he confronts. Currently he is preoccupied with making music with, and for, the elderly and especially those with dementia. He also is at the forefront of intergenerational practise, primarily bringing the very young into care homes to make music together with elders.