I would like to give pride of place this week, to a band who have had a phenomenal rise to success since they came back to the UK from Beirut in 2016.

Their story is quite a remarkable one and local folk fans, like me, should be very proud and supportive of their achievements.

Following their BBC Radio Welsh Folk Award for Best Emerging Band back in May, they have now topped that in this ' prestigious BBC2 Folk Awards by winning Best Album of the Year for their debut album, Hide and Hair, released in 2018.

Unusually, Trials of Cato have taken a rather different route to becoming one of the fastest rising bands in the UK. As graduates of Cambridge University, this musical trio of friends, all English teachers by profession, found a mutual interest in the Celtic music of their Welsh homeland, all having originated in North Wales.

In the summer of 2015, their travels took them to the Lebanon where they surprisingly found that their music started attracting large audiences and they almost acquired a cult status over there, especially in Beirut.

This followed on from their debut on Radio Beirut in September 2015 and they went on to regularly fill some of the city's foremost music venues. Encouraged to try their hand in the much more competitively charged atmosphere of the UK music scene, they returned in 2016 with a 12-month 'make or break' plan that has more than exceeded their expectations.

Readers of this column will already know my opinion of their awesome talents, and comparisons made to two of their own heroes, Planxty and Silly Wizard, have brought them recognition and bookings all over the UK.

I am pleased to say their live sets and album tracks also include Welsh language songs and it is good to see they have remained true to their roots, whilst, at the same time, being truly bi-lingual, they appeal to audiences everywhere.

Although I claim no credit for their rise to fame, I am rather pleased that my faith and belief in their ability to make it has been vindicated, as illustrated by this extract from my column of October 2017 when they played at Wrexham Folk Club: "With prestigious festivals like Cambridge, Shrewsbury and the Wirral already under their belts in 2017 and bookings already in for Chester, Fishguard, Beverley, Anglesey, Whitchurch and London Folk Festivals in 2018, they look like keeping that important momentum going. They will also be going into the studio shortly to record their full-length debut album and I fully expect this to enhance their already growing reputation. Furthermore, I will stick my neck out and predict that it will be one of the outstanding albums of 2018."

How's that for crystal ball gazing?

They also received rave reviews for their appearances at the Festival Interceltique de L' Orient in Brittany and their debut album sold like hot cakes (or maybe that should be crème patisserie). Their tight instrumentation, rousing harmonies and enthusiastic live performances, with an original, contemporary twist to the traditional music of the British Isles, especially the Celtic Nations, marks them out from many other bands. They bring a breath of fresh air to any club or concert and I hope they go on to gain even more honours and awards in the future.

If you have not already bought that tremendous debut album, Hide and Hair, I will just give you a brief flavour of it and then you can pay a visit to the band's website or, better still, go along to one of their gigs and buy a copy.

The opening track, Difyrrwch (Amusement), a lively tune set, is fitting in that it reflects two of the band members' Welsh upbringing in the tempo and melody of the tune. This reminds me very much of that great Welsh band, Ar Log, at their best

Their first self-penned song, Gloria, follows. A transgender ballad, if there is such a thing, about a young miner who, having discovered his "other self", the said Gloria, leaves the pit to become a busker in Camden Town.

The Welsh language song, Haf (Summer) is next and is another upbeat one, featuring some very effective instrumental breaks in what is, again a very melodic offering. There is more instrumental brilliance on the tune set, Kadish (Trad)/Nightride to Armagh. Gawain creates a different atmosphere in this well-known tale of King Arthur's nephew and Knight of the Round Table in Arthurian legend. And then we return to the tune set, Libanus, followed by, possibly, my favourite track, a song by Graham Moore, Tom Paine's Bones. This is Trials of Cato at their best with both instruments and vocals equally at home on this traditional flavoured song.

Moving on, another original, These Are the Things, explores the injustices that exist as the rich get richer by exploiting the weak and the poor. Tradition is restored in the penultimate track of this enjoyable album with, My Love's in Germany.

Finally, we finish with a combination of vocal and instrumental brilliance once more in The Drinkers/Reels, bringing together the powerful vocals and harmonies that, married to some fine instrumentals on the following tune set, have already marked out Trials of Cato as, potentially, one of the greatest folk/roots/acoustic bands to be heard for many a year.

Recorded by Rod Callan at Pen Y Lan Studios, Meifod, mixed by Donald Richard and mastered by John Davis, the production and sound are crisp and well defined and, at £10, from the band's website or at any of their many gigs, it is excellent value for money. One to add to your collection.

A brief resume of this weekend's live gigs, as mentioned last week, reminds all parents with gifted children about the, Calling All Budding Musicians, Aged 8-18 that takes place for its second session on Sunday (October 27) hosted by The Raven Folk Club. The aim is to encourage all youngsters, from eight to 18, to take along their chosen instruments and play in a friendly group session that is entirely free and has the bonus of having music teacher Claire 'Fluff' Smith in attendance to give help and advice. At the end of the session, the best in class will be invited to The Raven Folk Club in the evening to play a real 'grown-up' spot. This is the second of these sessions hosted by The Raven and will take place at the New Scene Centre on Limewood Fields, Chester (CH2 2HH) between 4.30pm-6.30pm. If you want to take part, you can book your place, or register your interest in future sessions, by contacting Debbie Lee on dlee@newtonprimary.cheshire.sch.uk

At the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall Music Room on Monday (October 28) at 8pm, there is a rare chance to see The Pitmen Poets in concert. Jez Lowe, Billy Mitchell, Bob Fox and Benny Graham will be presenting a night of songs and stories laced with North East humour and humanity and tickets, at £23/£20, can be booked from the box office on 0151 709 3789.

Whatever you do, and wherever you go, enjoy your music.

By D.C.M.