A thorough understanding of folk traditions and a virtuosic mastery as an instrumentalist, John Kirkpatrick has risen to the top echelon of British folk music. A master of the button accordion, Anglo concertina, and melodeon, Kirkpatrick has balanced solo work; collaborations with his ex-wife and hammered dulcimer and oboe player Sue Harris in the 1980s; and session work with a lengthy and diverse list of artists, including Richard Thompson, Pere Ubu, Steeleye Span, Tarika Sammy, Gerry Rafferty, Tony Bird, and Loudon Wainwright III. Kirkpatrick has combined traditional folk music and modern sensibilities as a member of Brass Monkey, a group he founded with British guitar wiz Martin Carthy.