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As I was saying in that last incomplete sentence, those of you lucky enough to be in striking distance of London will be able to see a brilliant new exhibition at Cecil Sharp House, the headquarters of the . It's called and is a celebration of the work of . Doc? Well describing him is like trying to describe good beer, you're better off drinking it. For more than forty years Doc has been recording, filming, videoing and photographing pretty much every aspect of the traditional culture of this country; from the Burry Man of South Queensferry near Edinburgh to the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance, from Padstow May Day to the Bacup Nutters.

I've been sensing a growing interest, over the last few years, amongst young people in particular, in the songs and traditions of these islands. A lot of young singers and musicians are going deep into the archives to find their material looking for the source. If this results in another wave of folk musicians as in touch with the tradition as people like The Dransfields, Tony Rose, Nic Jones, Dave Burland, Maddy Prior and June Tabor were in the revival of the sixties it will be no bad thing; much of it will be down to the unpaid and tireless work of people like Doc Rowe.