Although his name is synonymous with the seminal Folk-Rock Band 'Steeleye Span', Peter Knight has avoided being categorised purely as a Folk Musician due to the diversity of musical genres that he chooses to apply to his music making, and to the musicians he has chosen to work with. Peter has a rare gift of being able to seamlessly embrace a number of musical styles with consummate skill and effortless grace.
His prodigious talent was recognised at an early age when in true Billy Elliot style his life changed by winning a place at The Royal Academy of Music in London, an experience that has indelibly left its mark on Peter's style of playing. Resisting the lure of an extension to continue his studies as a classical soloist under the tutelage of an eminent Professor, Peter left the Royal Academy at 16 and was drawn to the copious presence of Irish Music that was flourishing in London during the 1960's. Inspired initially by the legendary Fiddle players Michael Coleman and Michael Gorman, Peter totally immersed himself into the playing of traditional music and began performing in Folk Clubs with guitarist Bob Johnson. Being invited by Ashley Hutchings to join the fledgling 'Steeleye Span' secured his place within the annals of British Folk Music, but an encounter with renowned Saxophonist Trevor Watts marked a very significant turning point in Peter's musical journey when he was introduced to the area of free improvisation.
Peter counts his playing with Trevor and his Bands 'Moiré Music' and 'The Drum Orchestra' as one of his most deeply influential and formative experiences, and has continued to use both improvisation and free improvisation as means of accessing a rich seam of emotion and depth of feeling, something that is particularly in evidence with his Trio 'Gigspanner'.
Guitarist and Composer Roger Flack is a well known and much respected Musician on the vibrant Hastings Music scene. Originally a Piano player and later a Drummer, Roger is now Primarily known as a Rock guitarist whose playing has been described as 'flawless', and his work with Gigspanner undoubtedly reflects his sensitivity and intuition as a performer within the area of improvisation.
"Despite being capable of string based fireworks", Roger has in the words of reviewer and Radio contributor Joshua Roberts "worked out the truth of the statement that less is more. In so many ways the band is built upon his solid and quiet presence"
Roger is also a founder member of the Celtic Folk Rock Band 'The Tabs' whose numbers include Fiddle player Garry Blakeley (Feast of Fiddles, Band of Two).
Afro-Percussionist Vincent Salzfaas is an inventive and colourfully expressive player who in addition to working globally as a Touring Musician, also contributes much to the advancement of African Drumming by means of Workshops through Schools and Festivals. Although Vincent actually studied in Senegal, he is not afraid of pushing the boundaries in applying his expertise within the other genres of Music, and his imaginative application of African techniques to the traditional tunes explored by Gigspanner is evidence of this.
His playing is described by Joshua Roberts as "a revelation. At times turning his percussion into a lead instrument, at other times providing driving rhythms, giving the music a highly original lift"
Gigspanner was originally formed by Peter with fellow Hastings based musicians as a vehicle to play the music he is passionate about at a local level when not working with Steeleye. In recent times it has become obvious that the Music is worthy of a much wider audience, and Gigspanner has now begun to tour at a national level and their Debut CD 'Lipreading the Poet' was released in November 2008.
Website: http://www.peterknight.net/gigspanner.htm
His prodigious talent was recognised at an early age when in true Billy Elliot style his life changed by winning a place at The Royal Academy of Music in London, an experience that has indelibly left its mark on Peter's style of playing. Resisting the lure of an extension to continue his studies as a classical soloist under the tutelage of an eminent Professor, Peter left the Royal Academy at 16 and was drawn to the copious presence of Irish Music that was flourishing in London during the 1960's. Inspired initially by the legendary Fiddle players Michael Coleman and Michael Gorman, Peter totally immersed himself into the playing of traditional music and began performing in Folk Clubs with guitarist Bob Johnson. Being invited by Ashley Hutchings to join the fledgling 'Steeleye Span' secured his place within the annals of British Folk Music, but an encounter with renowned Saxophonist Trevor Watts marked a very significant turning point in Peter's musical journey when he was introduced to the area of free improvisation.
Peter counts his playing with Trevor and his Bands 'Moiré Music' and 'The Drum Orchestra' as one of his most deeply influential and formative experiences, and has continued to use both improvisation and free improvisation as means of accessing a rich seam of emotion and depth of feeling, something that is particularly in evidence with his Trio 'Gigspanner'.
Guitarist and Composer Roger Flack is a well known and much respected Musician on the vibrant Hastings Music scene. Originally a Piano player and later a Drummer, Roger is now Primarily known as a Rock guitarist whose playing has been described as 'flawless', and his work with Gigspanner undoubtedly reflects his sensitivity and intuition as a performer within the area of improvisation.
"Despite being capable of string based fireworks", Roger has in the words of reviewer and Radio contributor Joshua Roberts "worked out the truth of the statement that less is more. In so many ways the band is built upon his solid and quiet presence"
Roger is also a founder member of the Celtic Folk Rock Band 'The Tabs' whose numbers include Fiddle player Garry Blakeley (Feast of Fiddles, Band of Two).
Afro-Percussionist Vincent Salzfaas is an inventive and colourfully expressive player who in addition to working globally as a Touring Musician, also contributes much to the advancement of African Drumming by means of Workshops through Schools and Festivals. Although Vincent actually studied in Senegal, he is not afraid of pushing the boundaries in applying his expertise within the other genres of Music, and his imaginative application of African techniques to the traditional tunes explored by Gigspanner is evidence of this.
His playing is described by Joshua Roberts as "a revelation. At times turning his percussion into a lead instrument, at other times providing driving rhythms, giving the music a highly original lift"
Gigspanner was originally formed by Peter with fellow Hastings based musicians as a vehicle to play the music he is passionate about at a local level when not working with Steeleye. In recent times it has become obvious that the Music is worthy of a much wider audience, and Gigspanner has now begun to tour at a national level and their Debut CD 'Lipreading the Poet' was released in November 2008.
Website: http://www.peterknight.net/gigspanner.htm