PIERROT - English and French music for dancing and listening

Dancing to Pierrot... ...click to see 6 minutes from a Pierrot* dance:*

and here's the band...

Pierrot Ceilidh Band (from the left...)

Jerry Oakes (fiddle, hurdy gurdy)
Judy Oakes (mandolin)
Reg Stones (caller)
Chris Handy (acoustic bass, bouzouki, guitars)
Bob Cuthbertson (guitars, percussion, harmonium)

Since 1996 Pierrot has been Axholme's* premier Euro-ceilidh band, entertaining the lower Trent Valley and the wider world with a driving mix of English ceilidh, French bal and Breton fest-noz. Always seeking new challenges, Pierrot takes Burns Nights, Civil War re-enactments and Medieval Banquets in its stride... it does draw the line at Irish music, though, and once played a St Patrick's Night dance without any Irish tunes at all. No-one seemed to notice.

*Isle of Axholme - an area of low hills, polders, drains and turbaries where the River Trent approaches the Humber Estuary

Pierrot has been the cause of dancing as far afield as the Lincolnshire Coast, the Welsh Borders, the Yorkshire Dales and Epping Forest. The video at the top of the page gives an idea of the flavour of a Pierrot dance. You'll find another, rather older, at the bottom. When we get round to it we'll make some more.

A leading critic writes -

"The amazing Pierrot, based on the Lincolnshire - Yorkshire - Nottinghamshire borders, plays an exciting mix of French and English-style traditional dance music - from driving bourrées
to slower, seductive mazurkas*. Some of the tunes are self-penned - but don't confuse that with self-indulgent. This music is alive!

*(not to mention the stomping English polkas, jigs and hornpipes. Ed)

"Pierrot play mostly for dancing, and will give you a memorable and entertaining experience. With their own caller, Pierrot will lead you through a dazzling array of English and European dances. You will not be able to stop yourself having a superb time.

"They also play for other occasions - far too many to list - to which they bring their own brand of dynamic and infectious music."

- and a testimonial in a Well Respected Broadsheet -

"In these difficult times, it is more important than ever to remember what makes for a happy life...the top influences are community, exercise, listening to music and doing things in a group. These are the top four predictors of contentment...all found together in country dancing...the effect of all that twirling with family and friends while responding to the music produces a sense of wellbeing hard to replicate in any other single activity."

The Guardian, Jan 2009
(click to read the whole piece)

Here's another video. This one was made in an Axholme village in 2010, since when the line-up of the band has changed a bit, but the style and range of our dances is much the same.

Pierrot: the Movie
Clips from a Night With Pierrot

Dances featured in the video (tune titles in italics):

1 Farandole (Lilli Burlero)
2 Maître de Maison (Le Maître de Maison)
3 Jon's Polka (Sunshine)
4 Line Bourrées (La Méditerrannée)
5 Rockingham Reel (The Roman Wall/Seven Stars)
6 Buttered Peas (Buttered Peas/Jack O'Robinson)
7 Falling Masonry (Wearmouth Lasses/Spirit of the Dance)
8 Breton Couple Polka (Polka des Galvachers)

Click below for more about Pierrot and what we do.
To book Pierrot, contact Jerry or Judy Oakes on 01427 890151

or email pierrotmusic@hotmail.co.uk

When in France, try a visit to Chez Pierrot at:

Chez Pierrot Pizzeria, Rue de Four à Chaux, Vinassan, Narbonne

Chez Pierrot Pizzeria, Roscoff, Brittany

Chez Pierrot, Place Philippe-Chauvier, Bargemon, Var

...and further afield:

Pizza Pierro, Meligalas, Messinia, Greece

Cafe Pierrot, Fuzeta, Algarve, Portugal

If you find any more, do email us their address!

Page last updated 7th May, 2019