PRESTEIGNE-based folk musician Benji Kirkpatrick swings into Hereford tomorrow (Friday).

In the Courtyard crowd supporting him will be his mum, Sue Harris, who is well-known in the area for her folk singing.

Brought up in Aston-on-Clun, Benji was born into a musical household. Dad, John, is widely regarded as Britain's leading exponent of 'squeezebox' instruments.

At school in Bishops Castle, Benji learned the piano from the age of five, moving on to the trumpet and the electric guitar by the age of 11.

"I then got heavily into Jimi Hendrix," he said, going on to form a rock band - The Hedgerows - while at college in Ludlow.

"The Levellers were a big influence on me.

"Even though my parents were folk musicians, I didn't take much notice of them.

"My music gradually got more acoustic, drifting towards folk."

Working on the folk circuit (visitors to last year's Sheep Music will have seen Benji performing with Seth Lakeman) he hooked up with Paul Sartin, who in turn recruited Tim van Eyken and concertino supremo Robert Harbron.

The band, Dr Faustus, released its first album - The First Cut - in 2003 and its critical acclaim has included earning the lads a BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards newcomer nomination.

Their new album, Wager, is released by Fellside Records this week, with a month-long tour timed accordingly.

For their Courtyard fans they will play primarily English folk music - "traditional songs and tunes and some of our own music," Benji said.

"We spend a lot of time on arrangements, which we try and keep energetic and vibrant - a new edge."

Book to see Dr Faustus on 0870 1122330.