MALVERN musician Vo Fletcher is joining forces with members of folk-rock legends Fairport Convention to create a new musical melange.

The outfit is making its debut at a Malvern Fringe concert on Tuesday, May 1, at The Grove, Avenue Road.

The band - which has no name - consists of Vo plus Ric Sanders and Chris Leslie, both on violins, and Mike Gregory on percussion.

Vo is well-known for a wide variety of musical activities, including the Early Birds, making music for youngsters.

Ric and Chris are members of folk-rock stalwarts Fairport Convention, and Mike Gregory has been in the almost-as-legendary Albion Band and Home Service.

Vo said: "Ric and I go back years, playing jazz, and he was also in Soft Machine for a while."

He said the music they are currently playing was a world/ jazz/folk fusion which included everything from jazz standards to numbers by Joe Zawinul.

Another local band who are taking part in the Malvern Fringe spring festival are I've Just Seen Roger, who play a heady mix of tradition Irish, rhythmic bluegrass and zingy Cajun music.

They will be deploying their violin, guitar, bass, melodeon and drums at the "Psycho-ceilidh" being held at Malvern Youth Centre on Saturday, April 28.

The evening will begin with an energetic ceilidh dancing session led by caller Dean Clarke, followed by the band playing in a free dance style.

The programme for the Spring Festival is: Saturday, April 28, May Day Event, Great Malvern, 11am-5.30pm (procession 2pm), free. Includes a display by Malvern Hills Gymnastics Club in the park at 3pm, not at the Dome at Malvern Girls' College as previously advertised; Bluehorses, Ginger's, Worcester Road, 7.30pm, £4; Kids' concert, The Grove, 8 Avenue Road, 5.30pm-6.30pm, free; Psycho-ceilidh with I've Just Seen Roger, Malvern Youth Centre, 8pm-late, £4/£3. Sunday, April 29: Sue Black recital, The Grove, 7.30pm, £15. Tuesday, May 1: Vo and Co, The Grove, 8pm-late, £5/£4. Saturday, May 5: Bare Bones dance workshop, Dyson Perrins school, 4pm-5.30pm, £2; Bare Bones dance performance, Dyson Perrins school, 7.30pm-9pm, £6/£5. Sunday, May 6: Elizabeth Ryder and friends, The Grove, 8pm-late, £2. Saturday, May 12, Zion Train, Malvern Youth Centre, 8pm-late, £9/£8.