Gypsy musicians at the Derby, Epsom

Musicians at the Derby (Surrey History Centre www.surreycc.gov.uk/surreyhistorycentre)

Gypsy street musicians at the Derby, Epsom at the turn of the century are a far cry from the Travellers Got Talent event at this year's Derby.
As our newly-wed Royals (including the former Kate Middleton) swan around and the jockeys' helicopters swarm in and out of Epsom like flies, around 100 Travellers and Gypsies gather to perform and judge one another's performance in the first round of this event.
Travellers Got Talent came out of the Gypsy Roma Traveller History month and has become a startling celebration of the culture. Maybe it also serves as a timely reminder to my mates in the media that most of our reporting of Gypsy issues is racist. 

Whatever. Here on Derby Day, in between the races (a flash of silks, thundering hooves and an arc of turfs sods flying through the air) professional Gypsy musicians including Kerieva (left) are followed by amateurs like Claudia (above) and Tracy (who wins this round) belting out their own music to an appreciative crowd.
Reminds me of another Traveller musician, Alex Stewart, who died last year a few months after sharing his final interview with me. I'll come back to him.