WELCOME TO SOHO FOLK
AND BLUES

Ready for a unique and talented take on a wide range of musical traditions? Claude Bourbon is known throughout Europe and America for amazing guitar performances that take blues, Spanish, and Middle Eastern stylings into uncharted territories.  Claude Bourbon takes you on a captivating musical journey that defies borders and genres. With roots in classical guitar, his music flows effortlessly through the blues of the Mississippi Delta, the warmth of the Balearic Islands, the rich traditions of the Balkans, and back again.  His style blends Spanish blues with Gypsy rhythms, Eastern European melodies, and touches of flamenco inspired by Paco de Lucía. Influences from Ritchie Blackmore, Joaquín Rodrigo, JJ Cale, and even J.S. Bach can be heard in his rich, intricate playing.

Simon Stanley Ward has been performing almost non stop since his teenage years! Over the last decade, he has been playing his original music with his band The Shadows of Doubt in pubs, music venues, theatres and festivals in London, across the UK and in Northern Spain. Described as a country singer at heart with a streak of the surreal running through him, his live show is engaging, energetic and constantly evolving. At it’s best his performances can be gut-wretchingly moving and moments later silly, self deprecating and hilarious. His influences come from far a wide and include Elvis, Bob Dylan and John Prine.

Singer, songwriter, guitarist, poet, Abi Budgen is an artist in the deepest sense of the word, her work a beautiful explosion of everything that makes us human.  Abi’s innovative musical style is born of a lifetime’s love and study of traditional blues and gospel music, of which she is also an internationally respected teacher.  Also a well-loved voice in the Birmingham poetry community, Abi’s work has been published by Verve Poetry Press in anthology ‘Eighty Four’. She has recently collaborated with legendary Birmingham band The Destroyers performing her poem ‘The Wave’ with them both live and on their latest album, ‘Argonaut’.  Abi is frequently accompanied by long-time collaborator Dan Wilkins on drums and percussion.

Sara Milonovich is an alt-country singer, songwriter, and fiddler from upstate NY, who along with guitarist Greg Anderson, delivers a heady harvest of fiddle-driven original Americana roots music that captivates audiences with atmospheric, powerful storytelling; words that paint poignant scenes, and melodies that linger long after the last listen. They will be performing songs from their most recent album, ‘Northeast’, as well as previewing music from their forthcoming 2026 album.

Alderney-born Robert J. Hunter is taking the blues and Americana scene by storm. Armed with a gruff, powerful voice and the wild thud of an overdriven, foot-stomping guitar, he delivers a raw and soulful sound that is unmistakably his own.  His evocative song writing takes listeners on emotional, deeply personal journeys, echoing the spirit of artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Free, Jackson Browne, Rory Gallagher, The Band, The Eagles and Tom Petty.  Relentless touring across the UK and Europe has turned the band into a road-worn, well-oiled machine—super-tight, fiercely dynamic and impossible to ignore. Their genre-bending blend of blues, rock ’n’ roll and Americana continues to win new fans and captivate audiences with every show.