Effra

Effra are Alex Bishop (guitar), Tom Newell (fiddle, mandolin) and Aidan Shepherd (accordion). Heralding from Bath, Shrewsbury and Canterbury respectively, they met in London in 2011. Although coming from predominantly rock, classical and jazz backgrounds, a strong connection was quickly formed, and they began meeting regularly to write and develop music that shared a common ground. Early performances were well received, and the band soon grew an identity of its own, fuelled by innovative ideas brought to the table by all three members. In 2012 after only a year since their first meeting, the band won the Bath Folk Festival ʻNew Shoots Competitionʼ on the strength of their compositions and high- energy performance. In 2013 they embarked on a successful tour of the UK promoting their self-titled EP. In 2014 they released their debut album, ‘Lose An Hour’. Having already been previewed on Late Junction (BBC Radio 3) and Sam Leeʼs Nest Collective Hour (Resonance FM), Effra will be releasing their hotly-anticipated second album in Autumn 2016 and touring the UK, including appearances at some of the biggest folk festivals.