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Artist
Dr Faustus
12+ albums
folkacousticenglishAllenglish folk
about
Dr Faustus was an English four-piece folk band formed by Paul Sartin (died 2022) and Benji Kirkpatrick alongside melodeon player and singer Tim van Eyken and concertina player Rob Harbron. From 2006, Sartin (initially) and Kirkpatrick continued as Faustus. Sartin and Kirkpatrick had been playing together for a number of years, and were looking to expand their work with others to explore traditional English music. Sartin met van Eyken and Harbron while performing the Mick Ryan opera "A Day's Work" at Salisbury Playhouse. The band's name came from the traditional tune Dr Fauster's Tumblers rather than the Christopher Marlowe play of the same name. The early years of the band were spent playing for the charities Superact and Live Music Now, putting live music into schools, prisons, hospitals and other venues. In 2002–03 the band recorded their first album The First Cut on Fellside recordings, and toured it through UK folk clubs and venues. They received a nomination for the Horizon Award (best new artist) at the 2004 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. The band recorded their second album, Wager (2005), on Fellside. The album was toured, but afterwards rather than continue together the group disbanded to focus on other musical projects, including Bellowhead (of which Sartin and Kirkpatrick were founder members), Waterson–Carthy, van Eyken's solo work, and Harbron's duo with Emma Reid. In 2006 Sartin and Kirkpatrick decided to reform the band, with the addition of their friend mel
