Ralph Jordan

Ralph Jordan

is a Londoner, born in Streatham in 1954. He is a talented multi-instrumentalist (MacCann duet concertina, bouzouki, cittern, guitar, keyboards) principally known for his work as an accompanist and an arranger. He has an extensive musical background on the English folk scene.

He began playing MacCann duet concertina and performing in the 1970's, and over the years has been a member of many groups, and has worked with well known names in the folk world too numerous to list in their entirety. Worthy of mention amongst them though are his partnership with James Patterson Silas which commenced in the mid-1970's. The duo subsequently teamed up with Mick Ryan and Jon Burge to form the group Crows in 1978. Ralph eventually left in 1981 to team up with Nigel Chippindale and Colin Thompson and form the iconoclastic band Eric. Over the years he has also, for example,worked with Penny Hop, Martyn Wyndham-Read, and John Tams and had a stint in the more recent past as an honorary Fraser Sister on tour with Fi Fraser and Jo Freya.

In the summer of 2000 he teamed up with James Patterson again, and with the addition of John Dipper formed the band Patterson Jordan Dipper,producing the CD Flat Earth for Wildgoose Records in 2004. In 2007 he joined forces with Ed Rennie, Pierce Butler, Alan Rawlinson, Tim Normanton, and Trevor Bennett to form the dance band Housewives' Choice.

He was also responsible for bringing the Swedish bands Filarfoket and Groupa over to the UK in the late 1980's/early 1990's at a time when Swedish folk music was little known in this country.

He is a useful man to have around as, wearing his other hats, he has provided PA for many well known performers, and, in a previous existence, held down a BBC job as sound engineer/studio manager - or, as he has been known to term it "audio butler" - for many years, working with the likes of Andy Kershaw, John Peel (and Terry Wogan). His experience proved invaluable to the project which produced the second CD compilation of live performances by Nic Jones Unearthed for which he carried out the task of producer.

His name appears on many CDs as performer (either in his own right, or as guest artist) or as sound engineer/producer.