Martin Simpson's career has for a long time linked Celtic folk with American music.

Dom Flemons (Carolina Chocolate Drops) calls himself The American Songster, creating music rooted in history.

The English Folk Dance And Song Society commissioned a collaboration between the two to explore how folk songs travelled from England to North America and vice versa, changing shape as they journeyed.

This was one of only four shows. Each emphasised how magically the project had fallen into place, with their mutual love of little-known tunes they had always wanted to perform.

Flemons' interest in English music hall song was there in his performance, communicating a lyric like a storyteller. He played slide, banjo, harmonica, the quills (a kind of pan pipe), dazzled with the bones and even got his lips round a Russell Hobbs kettle!

Simpson is a great acoustic guitar and slide player, add his banjo to the mix and the variety of sounds and moods were constantly engaging. When Flemons' voice faltered on If I Lose Let Me Lose, the audience picked him up and carried him through to the end.

Such was the appreciation of the sold-out Ropetackle crowd to the warmth of the players and this inspired musical collaboration.