THE CO-OPERATIVE CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL - SKY ARTS

Smooth Operations is delighted to be continuing its television coverage of The Co-operative Cambridge Folk Festival in 2010, this time for Sky Arts. Four one-hour programmes will be broadcast throughout October, with a special two-hour highlights edition on Saturday 21st August at 9pm. This must-see highlights programme captures the best of this internationally renowned festival, including performances from the main stage and intimate backstage interviews. From the biggest names to the most exciting newcomers, the music featured includes Seth Lakeman, Natalie Merchant, The Burns Unit, Julie Fowlis, The Quebe Sisters, The Carolina Chocolate Drops, Salsa Celtica, Seasick Steve, The Imagined Village, Rokia Traore, Kris Kristofferson and the Boban I Marko Markovic Orchestra.

CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL - BBC FOUR

Since 2002 Smooth Operations has produced television programmes from Cambridge Folk Festival for BBC Four. The first five years featured two hours of highlights plus, from 2002-2004, a special one hour live broadcast from the main stage: 2002 showcased acclaimed Romanian Gypsy band Taraf De Haidouks, 2003 the innovative Irish/African fusion band Afro Celts and 2004 top songwriter Neil Hannon with his band The Divine Comedy. The highlights programmes featured concerts from the main stage, some specially-commissioned acoustic performances and a flavour of that special Cambridge Folk Festival atmosphere. All programmes were directed by Janet Fraser-Crook, whose credits include Later With Jools Holland, the World Music Awards and Glastonbury Festival. Coverage since 2007 has consisted of specialist concerts focusing on individual artists, with 2009 featuring Booker T, Oumou Sangare, Lucinda Williams and Martin Simpson.

BBC RADIO 2 FOLK AWARDS - BBC FOUR

In February 2004 and 2005 Smooth Operations produced television coverage of the 5th and 6th BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards at The Brewery, London. Highlights from the awards ceremonies were broadcast on BBC Four and included performances from many of the nominees and award winners including June Tabor, Jim Moray, Martin Simpson, Steve Earle, Joan Baez, Bellowhead, Tom Paxton, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Eddi Reader, Karine Polwart and Steeleye Span. Hosted by Mary Ann Kennedy and Mike Harding, the programmes included amongst their guest presenters the late Robin Cook, Stephen Fry, former MP Estelle Morris, the Rt. Hon Charles Kennedy MP and Terry Pratchett, and luminaries from the worlds of music and media including Ralph McTell, Eliza Carthy, Joe Boyd, Noddy Holder, Buffy Davies, Bruce Dickinson and Roddy Woomble.

STEVE EARLE IN CONCERT - BBC FOUR

To commemorate his winning the prestigious Contribution To Songwriting award at the 2004 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, Smooth Operations produced a half-hour programme for BBC Four showcasing outspoken American singer-songwriter Steve Earle. Recorded at Cambridge Folk Festival, Earle performed a solo set of songs including crowd-pleasers My Old Friend The Blues and Copperhead Road and some from his most recent album, Jerusalem. Backstage, Earle chatted to presenter and musician Mary Ann Kennedy about his celebrated music, his colourful career and the anti-war philosophy he articulates so powerfully in songs like John Walker's Blues.

KATE RUSBY LIVE IN LEEDS - BBC FOUR

A Kate Rusby special, filmed live at Leeds City Varieties in September 2003, was broadcast on BBC Four in February 2004. A DVD of this performance was produced by Smooth Operations and Pure Records and released in spring 2004.