BILLED as the best of Bluegrass and Americana folk the latest Chapel Sessions promised an unforgettable evening of musicianship and succeeded in delivering.

The Growling Old Men – Montana, US-based Ben Winship and John Lowell – entertained a full house with their mandolin driven Bluegrass of the highest standard.

Opened by Hampshire based family bluegrass band Wood Wire and Words, just two voices a capella from the pulpit followed by their three-piece band selection of both covers and originals ended with the title track of their first album Riding the Rails.

The main act – London-based multi-instrumentalist Ben Somers, plus Montana-based The Growling Old Men, John Lowell and Ben Winship were snapped up by Chapel Sessions hosts on a brief teaching visit to the Sorefingers workshops in Oxfordshire.

Lowell’s guitar work both intricate and tasteful, Winship provided solid rhythm, fills and solos on mandolin and octave mandolin beautifully complementing the songs. Ben Somers added both the bass and soprano sax and often third harmony.

All three provided lead vocals and along with Ben Somers sax made the most of the acoustic properties of the building.

Standards such as Eight More Miles to Louisville and favourite Sarah Hogan, written by Winship, were interspersed by surprises too, with Somer’s yodelling song.

Applause from an appreciative packed audience resonated in every corner.

Sonja Davison and Richard Holland