TIM HUGHES talks to Jackie Singer of Oxford-based folk band Kismet 

THEIR name, in Turkish, means fate, which seems fairly appropriate considering that, after 10 years, they seem to have found their destiny as one of Oxford’s best-loved groups.

Kismet is the folk band formed by singers, composers and multi-instrumentalists Melissa Holding, Katherine Lucas and Jackie Singer. Between them they play the clarinet, whistle, fiddle, mandola, accordion, percussion, Japanese banjo and harp. Their music moves effortlessly from Celtic dance and European folk to jazz, Jewish Klezmer, and traditional Armenian tunes.

Their music is mysterious, soulful, spiritual and uplifting.

And, despite the presence of guitarist Jon Fletcher, Kismet remain an overwhelmingly female experience.

“We’re a bit unusual in that we make a virtue of being local,” says Jackie, from East Oxford.

“Since we all have young families, the lifestyle of the touring musician just didn’t appeal, so we are working in a more organic and feminine way, spiralling around the wheel of the year, and the significant turning points in people’s lives.”

The band, who are working on their fourth album, have found their place as purveyors of uplifting folk.

“We are all singers as well as instrumentalists, so our repertoire is made up of songs with many harmonies as well as tunes,” says Jackie. “We write many of our own compositions and also play pieces from different European folk traditions.

“All of us enjoyed travelling in our younger years, and we still like exploring. A folk tune is never finished, never the same twice. We like to take a simple tune and find new ways to bring it to life.”

Each member brings something different to the mix – Jon’s guitar and mouth organ; Kath’s wind instruments; Jackie’s strings; and Melissa’s accordion and 13-string ‘koto’ harp, which she learned while living in Japan.

“It’s great to have a rich palette of sounds so when we are arranging things we have a lot to choose from,” says Jackie.

The band grew organically. Jackie recalls: “Kath and I met each other at the very first Oxford Dance Camp at least 15 years ago. We bonded over painting each other’s bodies and laughing a lot.

“Melissa met Kath at a party where Kath was playing Klezmer music, while I met Jon through the Catweazle Club.

“We women met at a point where we were all hungry for something new. At first we played Klezmer and Celtic tunes and songs, and improvised a lot. Our first gig was a slot at an open mic in Charlbury; we dressed up like gypsies and people enjoyed it. It made a change from all the 20-year-old men playing guitars and looking at the floor!

“Eight years, and a lot of cake and music later, people were asking us if we could do dances, and we thought we probably could.

“We needed an extra musician to add some ‘oomph’ to the sound. We knew Jon was a great guitarist and he agreed to join us.

“We really lucked out with him,” she adds. “It must have been quite hard to join three women who already had so much history. But it feels like he has added another oar to the boat, without changing the direction of travel.”

Part of Kismet’s appeal is their pastoral charm. “There’s a connection between folk music and nature,” says Jackie. “Three of us live in East Oxford now, and one in Charlbury, but we are all country folk at heart. With acoustic instruments you can walk off into a field and just play.

“We tend to be inspired by themes rather than just musical ideas. We’ve written music for the University of Oxford Botanic Garden, based around plants, and last year we created a full-length performance of pieces for the band, a choir and children’s choir, based on the Cotswold Line.”

On Saturday they play a show called Feast of Life at the Pegasus Theatre, in East Oxford. The night is a celebration of spring, timed to usher in May, and taps into one of Kismet’s passions – the rhythm of nature.

“The gig is on the eve of Beltane,” says Jackie. “So it will be full of life and lust!

“We’re bringing some uplifting, pastoral songs and some rollicking dance tunes, though with the Pegasus in cabaret style, it’ll be more a case of foot stomping and ‘mind dancing’ than full-bodied jigging.”

And if it seems like they are often singing with the same voice – it’s because they are.

“We’ve known each other so long we are like family,” says Jackie.

* Kismet play the Pegasus Theatre, Magdalen Road, Oxford, on Saturday. Tickets cost £12 (£8 concessions) and £6 for under-18s. Go to pegasustheatre.org.uk or call 01865 81215