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Islington Folk Club home pageThis is a list of the guests who have performed at the club since Autumn 1997. Note: all the external links worked at the time, but they haven't necessarily been checked since!
| Date | Artist | |
|---|---|---|
| 4th September 1997 | Keith Christmas & Julia Howe | British folk/blues. Critically-acclaimed new songs, with superior guitar accompaniment. He played on Space oddity, and Martin Carthy recorded one of his songs. |
| 11th September 1997 | Bart Ramsey & Netti Vaandrager | Old and new songs from everywhere. Yes, that Dutch-Texan singing, swinging fiddler is back, with her New Orleans songster-guitarist husband. |
| 18th September 1997 | Ian Bruce | With apologies for postponement from March, here's the man widely hailed as one of Scotland's finest singers and songwriters. |
| 25th September 1997 | Julie Henigan | Acknowledged as a singer, instrumentalist, songwriter, and collector, she's from the Missouri Ozarks, but has also spent time in Ireland and England, to good effect. Old and new material, with guitar, banjo, fidle, and Appalachian dulcimer. |
| 2nd October 1997 | Katie Howson & Jeannie Harris | Doyennes of the Suffolk scene, associated with Magic Lantern, the Old Hat Band, and many a country pub session. Traditional music and song, with twin melodeons. |
| 9th October 1997 | Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain | Another wonderful, if slightly improbable, evening from one of regular favourite groups. |
| 16th October 1997 | Pete Atkin | Witty original songs from an old favourite we haven't seen for long time. |
| 23rd October 1997 | Alan Burke | Afterhours' acclaimed singer-songwriter, now working solo. Irish songs, old and new, with guitar and bodhran. |
| 30th October 1997 | Florida | Our annual fix of a favourite band. Good loud dance music and songs, mostly English, with some French and other stuff. So why are they named after an American swamp? |
| 6th November 1997 | Aberjaber | Wales's leading exponents of celtic music; traditional and original tunes on harp, bagpipes and cello (and flute, soprano sax and percussion). |
| 13th November 1997 | Stocai | Six multi-instrumentalists whose CVs include Stömp, The Old Swan Band, Ran-Tan Band, and Token Women. Between them they play concertina, melodeon, bagpipes, fiddle, mandolin, flutes, whistles, bassoon, keyboards, and percussion. |
| 20th November 1997 | Sara Grey | Fine singing, and lovely frailing, of traditional North American songs and tunes. Postponed from last year. |
| 27th November 1997 | Pete Cooper & friends | London's all-round fiddle maestro, with his usual entourage of collaborators and students. |
| 4th December 1997 | Keith Kendrick & Jo Freya - The Calendar Show | Keith gave us a delightful evening in March, and is back with Jo and a special seasonal show, featuring their voices, clarinets, concertinas, guitar, saxophones, and whistles. |
| 11th December 1997 | The Hedgerows | The band which appeared on The evolving tradition is now a duo: Benji Kirkpatrick's voice, mandolin, guitar and whistle with Stephen Bradley's percussion. |
| 18th December 1997 | The Christmas Party | The nearest we get to a Resident's Night. |
| 8th January 1998 | Bob Davenport & the Rakes | Celebrating their 30th anniversary and a brand new album. No more enjoyable way to start the year; no more appropriate return to our old stomping ground. |
| 15th January 1998 | Brian Peters | The squeezebox specialist with an eclectic repertoire, but an emphasis on the songs and tunes or North-West England. |
| 22nd January 1998 | English Country Dance Band | The pocket edition of the Old Swan Band, doing just what they're famous for - English country music as played by English country people. |
| 29th January 1998 | Reg Meuross & Martin Belmont | Superior original songs in a countryish vein, from the sometime Panic Brother, Flamingo and Wangford mainstay, with the guitar hero who's played with everyone from Johnny Cash to Elvis Costello. |
| 5th February 1998 | Transylvania Mania | Our favourite local exponents of eastern European music in general, and Romanian music in particular. |
| 12th February 1998 | Pete Coe | The old reprobate, now recovered from the back trouble that prevented last year's visit. Old and new songs, with any number of instruments. |
| 19th February 1998 | David Campbell & Ed O'Reilly | Yes, our chain-smoking curmudgeon and his tall American friend. Songs from both sides of the pond, with banjo, concertina and guitar. |
| 26th February 1998 | The Other Band | A delightful combination of Marilyn Bennett's voice and harmonica, Iris Bishop's sqeezeboxes and Gerry Holder's double bass. |
| 5th March 1998 | Steve Tilston | One of Britain's very finest songwriters, and a lovely guitarist, on his own this time around. |
| 12th March 1998 | Carlene Anglin & Allister Gittens | A welcome return of the dazzling young fiddle champion, and her regular guitar accompanist. Perhaps her mum will turn up, too. |
| 19th March 1998 | Stuart Boyd | A young turk now making his mark, having been one of our most welcome visitors. Traditional songs, clever-bastard guitar. |
| 26th March 1998 | The Bismarcks | Small but perfectly formed - one of the most impressive little bands to hit the country dance scene recently, plus songs and stepping. |
| 2nd April 1998 | Reuben's Train | American country song (mostly), from London's most dramatic duo. Sophisticated, funny, weird - right up our street, in fact. |
| 9th April 1998 | Jim & Lynette Eldon | Songs, stories and fiddling from Yorkshire's boating busker, and the champion clogger who lets him play for her. |
| 16th April 1998 | Chris Sherburn & Denny Bartley | Irish songs and tunes, passionately sung and brilliantly played on Anglo concertina and guitar. |
| 23th April 1998 | Alistair Hulett & Dave Swarbrick | The original fiddle monster went to Australia, and came back with a new collaborator - a Scot celebrated down under for, among other things, fronting punk folkers Roaring Jack. |
| 30th April 1998 | Trish Sweeney & Peta Webb | Overdue return of one of Sister Webb's various vocal partnerships. Original close harmony arrangements of more or less traditional songs. |
| 7th May 1998 | Beskydy | A full serving of the Slovakian band who have thrilled us with a couple of impromptu invasions. Czech, Slovak, Balkan & Klezmer music & song. |
| 14th May 1998 | They're Coming Back to the Water | A history of Britain's waterways, in songs, stories & pictures. Jeff Dennison & Benny Graham are touring the canal system, presenting the show from their narrow boat where possible (i.e.not here). |
| 21st May 1998 | Saxophony | A welcome return of Terry Mann's sax quartet, newly formed when we first enjoyed them, and now being noticed further afield (see April's fRoots). |
| 28th May 1998 | Derek Taylor | Traditional songs, tastefully sung with sensitive guitar accompaniment, from a sometime regular, recently removed. |
| 4th June 1998 | Miln, James & Harris | Old and new songs and tunes, with an Irish flavour, from a young Gloucester-based trio boasting fiddle, guitar, cittern and Celtic harp. |
| 11th June 1998 | Airc | A new young local Irish band, based on the fiddle duo of Gerry Diver and Edel Sullivan, with accordion and guitar. (They were called Wired, for a while.) |
| 18th June 1998 | Sheila Kay Adams & Jerry Epstein | Jerry gave us an enjoyable evening of Americana, a couple of years ago. This time, he's escorting N. Carolina's finest. Sheila is a great ballad-singer, storyteller and banjo-picker, whose family were among Cecil sharp's informants. This will be her first ever appearance in London - don't miss it. |
| 25th June 1998 | Robb Johnson | One of London's, and our, favourite singer-songwriters. |
| 2nd July 1998 | Bart Ramsey & Neti Vaandrager | One of our favourite Americans returns, with her husband. 'Still married, then. Oh well… Songs from all over, with fiddle, guitar and piano. |
| 9th July 1998 | The Blowpipes Trombone Trio | "Global Village Band", they call themselves. The Sunday Times called them "a spirited celebration of British eccentricity". Traditional and original music on three trombones. |
| 16th July 1998 | Kristina Olsen & Peter Grayling | Another favourite American: a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who gave us a delightful evening two years ago, and is welcome back. This time she is with Australian cellist Peter Grayling, with whom she has recently released a CD. |
| 23rd July 1998 | Little George Sueref Trio | An evening of blues from the remarkable singer & harp-blower (last seen here with Big Joe Louis), and featuring our own regular bluesman, Simon Hindley. |
| 30th July 1998 | Bernard Puckett & Kathryn Locke | Our regular MC and resident lunatic renews his collaboration with sometime house cellist. Performance poetry with improvised accompaniment. |
| 3rd September 1998 | Tony Hall | If our annual exposure to this man isn't compulsory, it ought to be. Affable and droll, with a splendidly eclectic repertoire of quality songs and tunes. Oh, and he's the best melodeon player in England. |
| 10th September 1998 | Tim Edey | Guitar and melodeon. |
| 17th September 1998 | Mákvirág | Hungarian party time! |
| 24th September 1998 | Alistair Anderson | A long-overdue visit by one of the Northeast's finest; virtuoso concertina & pipes. |
| 1st October 1998 | Pauline Cato & Tom McConville | More Northumbrian gems, from the deservedly popular fiddle/smallpipes duo. |
| 8th October 1998 | Maggie Boyle & Frank Kilkelly | Two old favourites in a new combination: Maggie's lovely voice and flute with the one-man rhythm section anyone would choose (if he hadn't moved back to Ireland). |
| 15th October 1998 | Bobby Eaglesham & Chuck Fleming | Two founder-members of Five Hand Reel, touring for the first time as a duo. Scottish songs and tunes with fiddle, melodeon and guitar. |
| 22nd October 1998 | The Eel Grinders | English, French and original dance music from an Exeter-based band featuring a fiddler, a button accordionist and two pipers. |
| 29th October 1998 | Derek Brimstone | Back again: songs, stories and Cockney humour from a long-standing entertainer on the folk scene, with guitar and banjo. |
| 5th November 1998 | Joe Burke with Ann Conroy Burke | One of the greatest Irish button accordion champions, accompanied on guitar by Ann Conroy Burke (who's a fine buttoneer, herself). They don't generally play folk clubs, so grab this opportunity to hear them in an intimate setting. |
| 12th November 1998 | Martin Jenkins & Kalinka Vulcheva | The fret wizard last seen here with Whippersnapper, returns with the distinguished Bulgarian singer - one of the famously mysterious voices. |
| 19th November 1998 | The Drones | If you need to be told about them, it really is time that you heard them. |
| 26th November 1998 | Kate Lissauer | Old-time fiddling, singing and banjo-picking from a fine American musician now resident in London. Hip, hip! |
| 3rd December 1998 | Pete Atkin | We invited him last year, thinking it too long since we'd heard him, only to find that many others felt the same. Come early. |
| 10th December 1998 | The Rufus Crisp Experience | American old-time music from Dave Arthur, Barry Murphy & their banjos. |
| 17th December 1998 | The Christmas Party | Our Saturnalia: free admission to all members, and an opportunity to display any talent, especially if it's secret or inappropriate. |
| 7th January 1999 | Alan Burke | The former Afterhours frontman continues to make his mark as solo singer & songwriter. Powerful Irish songs, old & new, with guitar & bodhran. |
| 14th January 1999 | Mike Raven & Joan Mills | Incredibly, this is their first visit ~ they don't do much in London. When they first performed together, he was a very prominent guitar virtuoso with a varied & sometimes bizarre career behind him; she was a fine young singer who had already recorded. That was in the early 'seventies! No one-line description will serve; if you didn't know about them before, you'll be surprised. |
| 21st January 1999 | Benji Kirkpatrick | Last heard with thE Hedgerows, Benji's now going it alone. |
| 28th January 1999 | Szapora | On their triumphant previous visits, they were The Budapest Café Orchestra. They changed the name because some people expected Viennese waltzes. We know better: expect high excitement of the East European gypsy variety, and come early. |
| 4th February 1999 | John Conolly & Pete Summer | Our chance to singalonga the man who, most famously, wrote 'Fiddler's Green', in his current combination. Ultimate singability. |
| 11th February 1999 | Blackwater | The excellent young Irish band who turned up by chance in September, and turned a potentially disappointing evening into a highly enjoyable one. They work in various combinations; full lineup t.b.c. |
| 18th February 1999 | 'How are you off for Coals?' | Bob Fox & Benny Graham present a celebration of the culture & traditions of the Durham and Northumberland coalmining communities, using songs & stories enhanced by slides…' |
| 25th February 1999 | Leon Rosselson & Robb Johnson | Two of our favourite singer-songwriters performing together, at once, simultaneously! it really shouldn't be allowed. |
| 4th March 1999 | Dwight Diller & Dave Bing | Anyone who saw Dwight last year knows that he's as good an old-time banjo player as you're likely to hear, even West Virginia. This time round, he's joined by the ace West Virginia fiddler who's well known as one of the excellent Bing Bros. |
| 11th March 1999 | Reuben's Train | By popular demand, a return visit by London's drollest & most dramatic duo. |
| 18th March 1999 | The Dawn & Robin Gillan | A showcase for some of the fine young musicians who've turned up in recent months, including the above named and anyone else they may choose to involve. |
| 25th March 1999 | New Deal String Band | Finishing our month of old-time Americana in fine style, the great Tom Paley's re-formed string band, featuring the splendid fiddling of his son Ben. |
| 1st April 1999 | Cosmotheka | Al and Dave Sealey have spent some thirty years making British music hall and variety their own, and have been friends and favourites of ours for nearly as long. The original and best, and suitably foolish. |
| 8th April 1999 | Yash Bash | A loose aggregation of English devotees of Bulgarian wedding music, led by accordionist Peter Watson. Actual lineup to be revealed on the night. How much excitement can we stand? |
| 15th April 1999 | Gordon Tyrrall | Welcome return of a fine English singer, flautist and guitarist. If you haven't heard him solo, you may have encountered him in Dab Hand, with Brian Peters, or on BBC's Pride and Prejudice. |
| 22nd April 1999 | Pete Castle & Lucy Castle-Hotea | Two thirds of Popeluc, doing their English repertoire, with Transylvanian tinges. Traditional songs, accompanied by Pete's guitar and Lucy's splendid fiddling |
| 29th April 1999 | Carlene Anglim Trio | Carlene's marvellous fiddle and Ali's equally excellent guitar are augmented this time by the double bass of Trevor Lines. |
| 6th May 1999 | The Posh Band | English country music on fiddle, melodeon, feet and voices – and the steadiest rock-steady rhythm section since I don't know when. Black tie, carriages at midnight. |
| 13th May 1999 | Bluegrass Experience | Rosie Davis and Rick Townend leap back into action with their new lineup, featuring longtime associates TJ Davies and Adrian Farmer. Multi-instrumental bluegrass with clogging. |
| 20th May 1999 | Alistair Hulett & John Kirkpatrick | The fine Scottish singer-songwriter who escaped Aussie punkdom, with the accordian guvnor in hot pursuit. |
| 27th May 1999 | Katie's Quartet | A fine dance band from Suffolk playing music from England, Scotland, Ireland, USA, Canada and Australia in the East Anglian style – on melodeon, hammered dulcimer, banjo and cello. And more rock-steadiness. |
| 3rd June 1999 | Julie Henigan | Highly accomplished American singer and multi-instrumentalist, whose fine traditional repertoire includes material picked up during extended stays around these isles. |
| 10th June 1999 | Reg Meuross & Martin Belmont | Superior original songs in a countryish vein, from the sometime Panic Brother, Flamingo and Wangford mainstay, with the guitar hero who's played with everyone from Johnny Cash to Elvis Costello. |
| 17th June 1999 | Andrew Frank & George Hinchliffe | Sometime club stalwart joins forces with the leader of the band that got us thrown out of The Empress the first time. We haven't heard them together, but we know it will be highly musical, dramatic and funny. |
| 24th June 1999 | Dan Quinn | Songs and drollery, tunes on the melodeon. He used to be almost as thin as Pete Coe, you know, and he played a red piano accordion. Too many anecdotes, not enough space. Just be there. |
| 1st July 1999 | Bob Davenport & the Rakes | A chance to finish off the season in style with these longtime friends of the club. Come early. |
| 16th September 1999 | Ian McPhearson with Dermot Kearney & Danny Meehan | Time Out Award-winning standup reads from his first novel, Deep Probings, with musical interludes by his friends and ours, on tenor banjo and fiddle. (Dermot & Danny sat in with The Rakes at our great closing night in July. Nothing like finishing as you mean to continue.) |
| 23rd September 1999 | Jimmy Crowley | The Irish theme continued with a first visit by Cork's 'living legend'. Irish songs traditional and original, accompanied on bouzouki, mandola and mouth organ. Martin Carthy says 'he embodies all that is good and true about music in which we are involved'. We say, come early. |
| 30th September 1999 | Beskydy | A very welcome return of a local band that plays Slovakian and other eastern European music and song. Carpathian madness, including a man who plays a goat. |
| 7th October 1999 | The Drones | More local favourites, with their very own brand of musical eccentricity. Original music on clarinet, cello and various objects not ordinarily associated with music. Cutting-edge skiffle? |
| 14th October 1999 | Brian Peters | Acclaimed singer of (mostly) English songs, traditional and not so traditional, with imaginative and sensitive accompaniments, as well as the odd dance tune, on melodeon, anglo concertina and guitar. |
| 21st October 1999 | Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain | George Hinchcliffe, Cremonese mandolin maverick - last seen here recklessly encouraging Andrew Frank - returns with the daft idea that guaranteed him a place in cultural history. We are not worthy. |
| 28th October 1999 | Clive Carroll | This young local musician was one of a splendid Irish band who turned up uninvited and gave us a great night, last year. Now going it alone and promoting his debut album. Clever-bastard guitar wizardy in the Pierre Bensusan vein. |
| 4th November 1999 | Brian Cookman & Rob Mason | Good-time blues, and shockingly funny patter, from a loverly irreverent all-rounder, and the best old-style face-pianist around. You like The Memphis Jug Band, Noah Lewis, The Possum Lickers? You'll love this, if you haven't completely missed the point. Okay, forget The Possum Lickers! |
| 11th November 1999 | English Country Dance Band | The ultimate eponym? (with form that also includes The Old Swan Band, Edward II, The Mellstock Band and Brass Monkey). English dance music on melodeon, fiddles, mouth organ and percussion, and the occasional song. |
| 18th November 1999 | The Other Band | Songs and tunes from various traditions, including old-time blues with a delightfully English twist, and Marilyn Bennett's own highly individual songs. She sings and plays harmonica, accompanied by Iris Bishop on accordion and duet concertina, and Gary Holder on string bass. |
| 25th November 1999 | Kate Lissauer | The welcome return of a lovely American singer, fiddler and banjo picker, now resident in London. She's spent time in West Virginia, learning from such as the Hammons family and Franklin George; and in Scotland, learning from such as the Stewarts of Blair, and performing with The Caledonia Ramblers. She does know the first thing about old-time music. And the second thing. |
| 2nd December 1999 | Tony Hall | The obligatory annual dose of England's finest melodeon player. Take with a couple of pints and a roomful of twitching, goggle-eyed squeezers. He also sings, and is wonderfully droll (as well as unreasonably tall) |
| 9th December 1999 | Pete Cooper | The fiddle maestro returns, with friends, collaborators and students. Fancy fiddling from all over, in whatever combinations he fancies. |
| 16th December 1999 | Christmas Party | Free admission to all our members, and a standing invitation to reveal that hidden talent, however inappropriate. May well feature an appearance by the Possum Lickers, unless you've been very good all year. |
| 6th January 2000 | Robin Gillan | Welcome back, to all our members and to the brightest young star of London's burgeoning American old-time scene. He sings, and plays fiddle and banjo, superbly (not to mention guitar, harmonica and mandolin, as required). An appropriately forward-looking start to the year (and the century, and the you-know-what, if you go along with the great calendrical inumeracy). |
| 13th January 2000 | Florida | Another welcome return, of the little local band with the big, brassy international sound, who have produced another fine CD since we saw them last. |
| 20th January 2000 | Siansa | A young band who turned up last year and gave us some quality floor spots. So much more effective than cassettes in the mail. Irish music and songs, with pipes, accordeon, fiddle, bouzouki, harp and percussion from some all-Ireland champions. |
| 27th January 2000 | Reuben's Train | One of our most frequently requested guests. If youíve missed them so far, this duo performs the fullrange of (mostly) American country music, with drama and humour. Powerful singing with excellent guitar. |
| 3rd February 2000 | Pete Morton | One of the handful of guitar-accompanied singer-songwriters that we're always happy to hear. |
| 10th February 2000 | The Sub-Committee Band | This nuclear division of the splendid Committee Band was for many years the club's resident combo. Barnstorming English dance music from all over, played on fiddle, melodeon, concertina, saxophones and guitar. A welcome reunion with some good old friends. |
| 17th February 2000 | Fiona Larcombe | A lovely singer and fiddler, who would certainly be up there with the Carthys & Rusbys of this world, if she didn't have a proper job. |
| 24th February 2000 | Robb Johnson | Another of the handful of guitar-accompanied singer-songwriters we're always happy to hear. So are many others - come early. |
| 2nd March 2000 | Keith Kendrick & Lynne Heraud | The Original Derby Ram returns, with a new collaborator - a singer recently returned to performance, after the usual time devoted to more pressing matters. Traditional songs (if Keith's own repertoire is anything to go by) with both Anglo and English concertinas. |
| 9th March 2000 | Kletzmer Klub | Traditional Jewish kletzmer music from another of our favourite local bands. |
| 16th March 2000 | Jabadaw | A are chance to see the chamber version of this Manchester-based band. Contemporary folk dance music from the English, French and Swedish traditions, played on hurdy-gurdy, fiddle, saxophone, and flute. Their stirring roots rhythms and innovative Anglo-european melodies are sure to delight you. |
| 23rd March 2000 | Bing Lyle & Ben Paley | Another duo we're often asked to book: Bing writes and sings, accompanying himself on guitar and accordion; Ben is the outstanding fiddler we last enjoyed with The New Deal String Band. |
| 30th March 2000 | Peta Webb & Ken Hall | Yet more good old friends: two lovely singers, of both Irish and American old-time songs, joined in exquisite harmony. |
| 6th April 2000 | Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain | An early return of one of the club's great favourites. If you've heard them, you know what to expect; if you still haven't, there's probably no hope for you. |
| 13th Aprl 2000 | Pete Cooper | In accordance with our new booking policy (ie booking the turns we like, rather than those the press and agents tell us we should like), another early return, of another reliably enjoyable performer: the local fiddle maestro, with his students and any other collaborators who happen to be passing. |
| 20th April 2000 | David Campbell | An opportunity to hear what one of our resident singers can do when he ís being paid (or at
least hasn't paid to get in). English and American songs, with some accompaniments on banjo or
ukulele. Plus: Angel Morris and a chance to welcome in the summer a month early with your own metropolitan sons of fun - without having to travel all the way to Bampton. |
| 27th April 2000 | Clive & Becky Carroll | The astonishing young guitar virtuoso returns, this time with his sister. He says she's a good player, too, and we believe him. Since his last appearnce here he's released a CD, recommended by John Renbourn, so bring plenty of pocket money. See the article in the March issue of fRoots. |
| 4th May 2000 | Saxophony | Our favourite saxophone quartet; the one that plays traditional English and original music, with some songs. |
| 11th May 2000 | Ron Kavana | Powerful contemporary and traditional songs, self-accompanied on bouzouki and mandolin by this great Celtic/World singer-songwriter. A rare chance to see him in a folk club. Come early. |
| 18th May 2000 | Tom Paley | London's greatest authority on, and exponent of, American old-time music, since his arrival in Britain decades ago. We had a splendid evening with his New Deal String Band, last year, and welcome every opportunity to hear him, in any company or none. |
| 25th May 2000 | Brendan Power & Andrew White | The gob-iron Gargantua needs no introduction; his current collaborator is a brilliant guitarist from Ireland, heading for a similar reputation. We've heard them together before, when they both turned up for Clive Carroll's first booking. What a happening place this must be! |
| 1st June 2000 | John Hegley | No description is necessary. In the years that John has supported the club, he's become a household name, but is still happy to join us when he can. Could be something to do with enjoying quality entertainment in comfort and good company. |
| 8th June 2000 | Janet Russell | By popular demand, the overdue return of a fine Scottish singer of traditional and her own songs. Well-known as a member of Sisters Unlimited |
| 15th June 2000 | Continental Drift | International dance music from a new ensemble featuring, among others, Blowzabella's Cliff Stapleton and Rosbif's Mel Stevens, on hurdy-gurdy and bagpipes. |
| 22nd June 2000 | Chris Wood | This outstanding fiddler, guitarist and singer is best known, these days, for his big-time collaborations, but he also works solo, so that he can still grace the odd folk club - a star after our own hearts! |
| 29th June 2000 | Andrew Frank & George Hinchliffe + Major Catastrophe | A whole year on from their first appearance here together, the golden-throated thespian songster is still doing improbable things with the founding genius of The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. We'll have some of that - and, lest there be any doubt as to which half of our slogan is relevant, one of our resident lunatics will demonstrate some of his more disturbing skills. |
| 14th September 2000 | Ruben's Train + Stetson Stan | We start the season with a well-established favourite: the voice-guitar duo that serves up full-spectrum Americana with drama, wit and chutzpah. And, for those who crave authenticity, the man who cut his teeth on a wagon wheel or perhaps it was a jammie dodger. |
| 21st September 2000 | Citizen Camembert | Based in Brighton, but inspired by the music of France and somewhere called Nostravia, this lively, cosmopolitan dance band features bagpipes, bouzouki, clarinet & hurdy-gurdy (and recorder, bass & percussion). |
| 28th September 2000 | Robin Gillan | The brightest young star of London's old-timey scene concentrates (to great effect) on fiddle & banjo, but can play all the appropriate instruments as required, and sings convincingly, too. A rare combination of native talent, serious study and good taste. |
| 5th October 2000 | Gail Williams & Jim Younger | More old-time gems from old friends of the clubís, usually to be found at Hale End on Thursdays. She's a lovely singer, and nowadays picks a fine banjo, too rounding out the string band provided by her versatile partner. |
| 12th October 2000 | The Drones | Usually, when we book this band, the pub gets sold the day before, or we get accused of disturbing the peace and corrupting the local populace; but we're not put off by such trifles! Original music on clarinet, cello & percussion, and various other stringy-reedy-windy-whirry-bangy things. |
| 19th October 2000 | Bob Davenport, Roger Digby & Dan Quinn | No-one has a longer association with this club than Bob Davenport and his accompanists tonight, both veterans of the great Flowers & Frolics. They hosted IFC in its glory years. The club's changed since then, but these men are largely responsible for its loveable quirks. Blame them. |
| 26th October 2000 | Ben Paley & Tab Hunter | The gifted fiddler who's given us many a good night in other combinations returns with his favourite accompanist. Traditional fiddle & guitar music from all over. |
| 2nd November 2000 | Sara Grey | We thought sheíd gone home for good, but it seems she couldn't stay away; which will please those who like to hear good traditional American songs & tunes, performed with authority and a lovely banjo style. |
| 9th November 2000 | Peta Webb & friends | One of the most thrillingly powerful singers of traditional songs around, with whichever of her many and various collaborators she brings along. |
| 16th November 2000 | Pete Coe | He sings traditional and original English songs, plays any instrument you can think of, and often dances at the same time. If you didn't enjoy him last time he was here, you obviously weren't. So where were you, and what time d'you call this? |
| 23rd November 2000 | Beskydy | Founded to accompany a Czech-Slovak dance troupe, this exciting string band (with accordion, clarinets and a splendid singer) now performs the full range of central & eastern European music. |
| 30th November 2000 | Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain | Bing Crosby, Cliff Edwards, Jimmie Rodgers, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Mia Farrow, George Harrison! Why do the British still associate the uke exclusively with George Formby? Something to ponder, while looking forward to our favourite rock 'n' roll band |
| 7th December 2000 | Pete Cooper | The maestro returns, with his travelling fiddle circus. |
| 14th December 2000 | Saturnalia Shin Dig (Christmas Party) | Our Saturnalia, free to members. If you have something to contribute to the evening, but usually have more sense, tonight's the night! |
| 4th January 2001 | Robb Johnson | Welcome, at last, to the new century; and we kick off with one of our favourite singer-songwriters (a select group indeed). |
| 11th January 2001 | Les Barker | Strangely, this appears to be the legendary drivelmeister's IFC debut; hard to believe, given our notorious weakness for delirious daftness. |
| 18th January 2001 | Jake Walton & Billy Surgeoner | A new combination of two famously versatile musicians, both known for long association with someone called Jez Lowe. Old and new songs accompanied on bouzouki, fiddle, guitars and hurdy-gurdy. |
| 25th January 2001 | The Other Band | It's always a pleasure to hear the unique blend of traditional tunes, old-time blues and Marilyn Bennett's original songs, accompanied on her own harmonica, Iris Bishop's squeezeboxes, and Gary Holder's double bass. |
| 1st February 2001 | The Posh Band | A welcome return of one of the new wave of great little English dance bands. Hot 'n' hairy tunes on fiddle, melodeon, banjo and piano, with singing and stepping. |
| 8th February 2001 | Clive & Becky Carroll | This young chap wandered in, played effortless banjo with some of our other guests, and asked if we'd be interested in hearing him play guitar. He turned out to be a dazzling virtuoso, championed by the likes of John Renbourn. Then he asked if we'd like to hear his sister; she played, too, and sang. 'Oh, alright then,' we said ... |
| 15th February 2001 | Fiona Larcombe & Terry Mann | One of our very favourite singers, and a lovely fiddler with it. What more could you want apart from her accompanist, who apparently plays everything that can be played? |
| 22nd February 2001 | Will Duke and Dan Quinn | The Wild Boys return! Dan plays melodeon and sings; Will plays concertina and sings. |
| 1st March 2001 | Anahata & Amos | An opportunity for two of our own sometime regulars to stretch out and show what else they can do. Tunes and songs from Ireland to Bulgaria, accompanied on guitar, anglo concertina, melodeon and cello not all at the same time, obviously. |
| 8th March 2001 | Pete & Lucy Castle | Pete sings his English repertory, to the accompaniment of his own guitar and his daughter's splendid Transylvanian fiddling. No, really. |
| 15th March 2001 | Siansa | A return visit by a relatively new combination of six highly accomplished instrumentalists. Traditional Irish music on button accordion, fiddle, harp and pipes, with banjo, bodhran, bouzouki, guitar and whistles. |
| 22nd March 2001 | Florida | More hot 'n' hairy stuff, from another great little English dance band. This one's been at it for several years, now, and is still the loudest around. |
| 29th March 2001 | Pete Morton | Here's another of our favourite singer-songwriters. See how choosy we are? |
| 5th April 2001 | Derek Pearce & Buffy Davis | A rare appearance by a couple better known for their separate accomplishments: he was Roaring Jelly's multi-instrumental frontman; she was one of The Valance Bros, among other things. Expect good-humoured musicality, but no 'steamy' shower scene. |
| 12th April 2001 | Tony Hall | Oh good! It's time for our regular fix of England's finest melodeon player; and while we're at it, let's have a seasonal helping of "London's finest" morris side. |
| 19th April 2001 | Elayna Martin & Sam Stephens | This is their IFC debut, though neither is a beginner; some will remember him accompanying her mother. Passionate, big-voiced singing with tastefully expert guitar. |
| 26th April 2001 | The Drift | They've changed their name: they were called Continental Drift when we enjoyed them last year. Pan-European dance music featuring Mel Stevens' bagpipes and Cliff Stapleton's hurdy-gurdy. |
| 3rd May 2001 | Louis Killen | A welcome return of one of the most highly respected figures of the English folksong revival long resident in the USA, so don't miss this chance to hear his authoritative ballad singing, unaccompanied and with English concertina. |
| 10th May 2001 | Ken Perlman | Another distinguished visitor from the States, but this one is American, and an acclaimed master of that continent's instrumental skills: outstanding fingerstyle guitar and melodic clawhammer banjo. He is also a folklorist, specializing in the fiddle tradition of Prince Edward Island, Canada. |
| 17th May 2001 | Pauline Cato & Tom McConville | It's always a pleasure to hear this unsurpassed combination of Northumbrian smallpipes and fiddle not to mention Tom's delightful singing. |
| 24th May 2001 | Derek Brimstone | A superb guitarist from way back when good players weren't common, he also sings, frails banjo, and is very funny in case you didn't know. |
| 31st May 2001 | Pete Cooper | Cavey, chaps, here comes Squelch! Everyone's teacher presides once again over the Great London Fiddle Circus. Come early. Bring some rosin. |
| 7th June 2001 | Stéphane Morvan & Yann-Fañch Perroches | Breton dance music, traditional and original, by two celebrated exponents, playing wooden flute and diatonic accordion, respectively; this comes highly recommended by our resident players. |
| 14th June 2001 | Chris Wood | A longtime favourite, Chris doesn't need describing (fiddle, guitar and singing, all splendid); we're just grateful that he still chooses to play the odd folk club, between allstar collaborations. |
| 21st June 2001 | Peta Webb, Ken Hall, Simon Hindley | Two of our favourite singers apply their unmistakeable harmonies largely to their American repertory, with our favourite blues man supplying a third voice and guitar accompaniment. |
| 28th June 2001 | Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain + Major Catastrophe + Stetson Stan | Speaking of favourites, The Ukes are among that select group we like to hear more than once a year; and to complete the end-of-term atmosphere, here's our Real Man From The North, and the sweetly mysterious man from Texas. |
| 13th September 2001 | Beskydy | Welcome back, to all our members and to our favourite local exponents of Czech, Slovak and other music of central and Eastern Europe, with fiddle, clarinets, accordion and splendid vocals. |
| 20th September 2001 | Alistair Hulett | Another welcome return, of the fine Scottish singer-songwriter who's made such an impression on the British scene since his arrival from Australia, a few years ago. |
| 27th September 2001 | Ta Perivolia | The IFC debut of a duo specializing in Cretan music, played on the lyra, laouto, saz, ud, mandolin and kemençe. They've been booked for Sidmouth, so they must be good. |
| 4th October 2001 | For Dougie | An evening in memory of Doug Moncrieff, a club member whose involvement in the post-war folkmusic revival lasted from its beginnings until his death last year; featuring Bob Davenport and Reg Hall, Andrew and Dermot Moncrieff, and others who knew him. Proceeds to charity. |
| 11th October 2001 | John Hegley | What do Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, The Proclaimers and Elvis Costello have in common? That's right – great songs, stunning vocals and fabulous instrumental dexterity. The Bard of Luton returns with all of those things – and poems! |
| 18th October 2001 | Dave Burland | Dave Burland is one of the most respected singers on the British folk scene. He makes the long journey south to give us traditional and contemporary songs, performed in his inimitable, relaxed manner. |
| 25th October 2001 | Jean-Pierre Rasle's Cornemusiques | ‘850 years of authentic French bagpipes in less than 90 minutes'. A live performance of a history originally commissioned by BBC Radio 3. Dead cultural 'ere, innit? |
| 1st November 2001 | Davenport, Digby & Quinn | Have we mentioned, before, that Flowers and Frolics used to be this club's resident band, and that Roger Digby and Dan Quinn were founding Frolickers, and that Bob Davenport's been singing with them for a quarter of a century…? |
| 8th November 2001 | Reuben's Train + North and South | One of our favourite duos, purveyors of doom-laden Americana, is supported, this time, by another voice-guitar (and harmonica) partnership, which has given us some entertaining floorspots in the past year. |
| 15th November 2001 | The Drones | A beloved institution – a startlingly talented quartet producing original music on a bewildering array of instruments, many of them musical. |
| 22nd November 2001 | The Clarke Sisters | The Clarke Sisters are an acoustic Irish/Celtic three piece, featuring twin fiddles, innovative rhythm guitar and both male and female vocals. Their music ranges from exciting arrangements of traditional Irish jigs, reels and songs to catchy original tunes. But are they really sisters? |
| 29th November 2001 | Pete Cooper & Richard Bolton | Two widely respected master musicians perform original and traditional pieces drawing on a range of vernacular styles. They give a special place to ethnic English traditional music, in which the potent combination of fiddle and cello is deeply rooted (it says here). |
| 6th December 2001 | Brian Peters | The squeezebox specialist with an eclectic repertoire, but an emphasis on the songs and
tunes of Northern England. No singer outside Nic Jones and Martin Carthy has embraced the tradition and used its wellsprings in as vivid and ingenious a way-- Rock'n'Reel Blimey! |
| 13th December 2001 | New Deal String Band | American traditional music in the Old Time style from the legendary Tom Paley, Joe Locker and Ben Paley – on guitars, banjos and fiddles. Well, you knew all that anyway, didn't you? |
| 20th December 2001 | Xmas Party | Get that bouzouki down from the top of the wardrobe, dust off your old ukulele, but above all, don't forget your spoons. The culmination of another year swinging wildly between the extremes of fierce traditionalism and the eccentric limits of, let's be honest, the plain bonkers. |
| 27th December 2001 | Closed | Happy Christmas! |
| 3rd January 2002 | Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain | Grown-up dreams, so hard to beat, raised to new, even wuthering heights. |
| 10th January 2002 | Spicer & Holloway | Charles S. plays reed and woodwind instruments in various 'period' outfits, including The Mellstock Band and The Oxford Waits. Keith H. has played mandolin and melodeon with Chris Bartram and with the ceilidh band Phungus. Their new duo is a development from many collaborations during the past decade or so. |
| 17th January 2002 | Heaven Shouting | Though new to us, these six women have between them many years' experience of musicmaking in various genres. Traditional and original songs in unaccompanied harmony. |
| 24th January 2002 | Siansa | The latest visit, now an annual event, by the big band full of champion players; traditional Irish music in lively arrangements. |
| 31st January 2002 | Jon Loomes | One of those young bloods who apparently can do everything. Don't you just hate it when that happens? Known as a member of several groups, including Whorticulture, The Alligator Horses and Johnson's Pig, he plays fiddle, guitar, melodeon, English concertina and hurdy gurdy, as well as singing unaccompanied. |
| 7th February 2002 | Chris Pitt & Gavin Atkin | Cult '80s duo reunite for an evening of ridiculous songs and obscure concertina systems. Sources include English music hall, Jacques Brel, Robert Crumb, Joe Jackson and Ian Dury and some utterly miserable disaster ballads. Oh, good. |
| 14th February 2002 | David Campbell | By popular request i.e. the member who requested it isn't DC. English and American songs, in English, with occasional accompaniments on banjo or uke. |
| 21st February 2002 | Brian Cookman & Rob Mason | Old-time, good-time blues in the Memphis manner, from the irreverent jugband all-rounder and his faithful face-pianist. |
| 28th February 2002 | Xim | New to the club, but warmly recommended by our francophile resident players, this is a central French rhythm & groove outfit direct from Norfolk, with bagpipes, hurdy gurdy, accordeon, flute and percussion. |
| 7th March 2002 | Trish Sweeney, Peta Webb, Maggie Casey | One of our favourite singers returns with two of her many collaborators: powerful singing of traditional and original songs, with a feminist slant and accompaniments on guitar, fiddle and whistle. |
| 14th March 2002 | Troia Nova | This five-piece band takes its name from a legend that ascribes the foundation of London to refugees from The Trojan War, and performs traditional and art music from Greece and Turkey, as well as original material, on a plethora of regional instruments. Troia Nova's present incarnation is: Chris Williams (Cretan lyra, klasik kemençe, sazes, Cretan laouto, mandola), George Hadjineophytou (mandolin, Cretan laouto, sazes, cura), Helen Leaf (percussion), Anna Maratos-Tooth (cello, vocals), Panayiotis Poulos (lavta, sazes). |
| 21st March 2002 | Tony Hall | Our annual visit from the melodeon maestro, with tunes from all over and some fine self-penned humorous songs. Plus Angel Morris: Come early to catch a spot from those denizens of Spring, your local ritual dance side (newcomers welcome), performing outside in the Close. |
| 28th March 2002 | Dan Milner & Bob Conroy | Songs of Ireland and the Irish-American experience and music from the Golden Age of Sail from this American duo on tour. They come highly recommended by Peta Webb and Ken Hall. |
| 4th April 2002 | Mary Humphreys & Anahata | Traditional British songs and tunes; Mary sings in English and Welsh, accompanied on her own banjo and English concertina, and by our variously gifted sometime resident, on melodeon, anglo concertina, bagpipes and cello. |
| 11th April 2002 | Kirsty & Colin Cotter | A young fiddle and guitar/piano duo who combine traditional, old and new Scottish tunes with modern jazz-influenced accompaniments. Kirsty is studying Scottish Music in Glasgow and is a inspirationally creative and dynamic fiddler. Brother Colin is a fantastic guitarist and pianist who is on Tim van Eyken's CD. |
| 18th April 2002 | The Klezmer Klub | They call it Europe's jazz, and here are our favourite local exponents; music of the Jewish diaspora, on strings, reeds and brass. |
| 25th April 2002 | Leon Rosselson | He doesn't get compared with other British songwriters, because he works in the European chanson tradition, rather than the American castrated pop one. Which is just as well, as no-one would bear comparison. |
| 2nd May 2002 | Will Duke and Dan Quinn | English tunes on various melodeons and anglo concertina, by two of the finest players around, with more or less traditional songs, solo and in unison. Peck and wait? |
| 9th May 2002 | John Spiers & Jon Boden | A first visit by two rising stars of the English traditional scene; songs and dance tunes on fiddle and melodeon. 'The two Jo(h)ns are stars without trying, performing with a clear respect for their material, but with vigour, joie de vivre and, above all, an engaging rawness and immediacy in their interpretations that get to the heart of what traditional music is about: songs and tunes to be enjoyed and shared live.' Time Out |
| 16th May 2002 | Pete Coe | The legendary One-Man Folk Industry! A welcome return of the singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who is a reliable source of high-quality, energetic entertainment. 'He explores the heartland of the English folk song revival with an ease and honesty that invests traditional songs with a simplistic beauty.' Mojo |
| 23rd May 2002 | The Gloworms | Colin Cotter returns, this time on banjo, with Laurel Swift on fiddle and Jon Brenner on accordion. Together, they play English country dance music, with the odd song or clog dance for good measure. |
| 30th May 2002 | Clive & Becky Carroll | The return of the stunning genius of the fretboard and her brother, who's also quite good. 'Probably the best and most original young guitar player in Britain.' Acoustic Guitar magazine |
| 6th June 2002 | Robb Johnson Trio | One of our favourite singer-songwriters returns in company. What more can we say. Come early and grab an armchair before the teachers arrive. |
| 13th June 2002 | City Sheiks + Stetson Stan | Old-time blues, hillbilly ballads and cowboy waltzes, from our own occasional string band, a.k.a. The Possum Lickers. (Some felt that an advertised booking warranted a less disturbing name.) Plus our own Texan songster, for that authentic touch. |
| 20th June 2002 | Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain + Major Catastrophe | A shocking extravagance: our very favourite musical turn, topped up with our very favourite death-cheating nutcase. Come early. |
| 27th June 2002 | Pete Cooper & Richard Bolton | Pete Cooper fiddle and voice and Richard Bolton cello -- two master musicians based in London, though both originally from the Midlands -- have long been active as performers, teachers and composers in the vibrant multiculture of the capital and beyond. Their partnership brings together two artists widely respected in the worlds of traditional fiddle music and jazz improvisation. They give a special place to ethnic English traditional music, in which the potent combination of fiddle and cello is deeply-rooted, which always bears repetition. |
| 5th September 2002 | Martin Carthy | To kick off a great new season, we have the Brit who made most impression on the young Dylan and Simon, the guitarist who invented English accompaniment, and English song's principal ambassador to the world and they're all the same bloke! Come early. |
| 12th September 2002 | John Hegley | Here's another old friend who's become a proper mainstream star while we've known him. Fortunately, he still likes to drop in, often with a friend, like his dentist, or Lenin ... Come early. |
| 19th September 2002 | ||
| 26th September 2002 | Sam Dolan & Jon Brenner | Winners of the 2002 New Roots competition. We've seen Jon before on accordion with The Gloworms. Sam plays guitar and sings and writes the songs, with their witty lyrics and inventive arrangements. |
| 3rd October 2002 | Beskydy | Originally the music for a Czech-Slovak dance troupe, this thrilling band has become one of our regular treats, since surprising us with a full-scale stage invasion back in '97. Voice, fiddles, accordion, clarinet and more. |
| 10th October 2002 | Elle Osbourne | She gave us a couple of floorspots, one night in the Spring, and delightfully embodied both aspects of our motto. English songs, old and new, with and without fiddle. 'One of the most compelling performances of the year...' fRoots |
| 17th October 2002 | Steve Tilston | One of England's finest singer-songwriter-guitarists, he began as a precocious acolyte of Jansch and Renbourn, and went on to write entirely convincing traditional ballads. And he did like the ladies ... |
| 24th October 2002 | BOF! | BOF! play French and Breton music on bagpipes, bombarde, flute, hurdy gurdy, diatonic accordeon and guitar. BOF! is made up of members of two well-established bands: RSVP and The Hosepipe Band. Ooh la la! |
| 31st October 2002 | Reuben's Train | Dramatic singing and sophisticated guitar from a favourite local duo; broad-spectrum Americana, we used to call it, before that word became a marketing category. |
| 7th November 2002 | Stocai | A strong theme running through Stocai's music is the amount of newly written material. Apart from that, the band's influences are eclectic and diverse; you will hear French, Irish, Quebecois, Scandinavian and good old English tunes, all moulded into a style of Stocai's own, with bagpipes, flutes, keyboards, melodeon, concertina, bassoon, fiddle and mandolin. Will the stage be big enough? |
| 14th November 2002 | Bob Davenport, Roger Digby, Will Duke and Dan Quinn | Bob celebrated his 70th birthday this year. His party was a star-studded affair, but there were still no voices bigger. |
| 21st November 2002 | The Drones | Our annual encounter with the avant garde not remotely folky (well, slightly), not traditional, but certainly eccentric, bless 'em (also highly musical and lots of fun). |
| 28th November 2002 | Andy Turner & Mat Green | English music on fiddle, anglo concertina and voice. Andy plays with Geckoes (the band, that is) and has sung on three Mellstock Band CDs. Mat is squire and fiddler for Bampton Morris and plays in The Woodpecker Band. Both are members of the magnificent Magpie Lane. Do not miss! "... a voice like a linnet. A linnet with a sore throat." Chris Wood |
| 5th December 2002 | Ken Hall, Peta Webb, & friends | English, Irish and American songs, solo, in unison or in close harmony, from two of our favourite singers and who knows which of their other collaborators. |
| 12th December 2002 | Pete Cooper & Richard Bolton | 'Pete Cooper's fiddle playing will be well known to fR readers, and here he's joined by cellist Bolton (who's played on the last two June Tabor CDs ...). Add this one to the fast growing genre of "folk extrapolated into classical". There's plain honest dance tunes in there ... but the duo find new and fascinating places to lead them to. A lot of the pieces are Cooper compositions, although I wouldn't underestimate the amount of improvisation and mutual intuition that's applied to them.' Nick Beale, fRoots CD review What else can we say? If you saw their visit earlier this year, you'll definitely be back. And if you didn't, come anyway. |
| 19th December 2002 | Christmas party | It's that time again. The massed spoons workshop was such a success last year that we've decided to make it an annual event, but with a time limit of two minutes. It's time to bring out your party piece. Don't worry if you haven't got one we'll do one for you. Come on, bloke with bouzouki on top of wardrobe you know who you are! Free to members. |
| 26th December 2002 | Closed | Happy Christmas |
| 2nd January 2003 | Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain | We promise not to let in any new members before established members, provided you're here at eight o'clock. Let us know, if you can't manage that. Happy New Year! |
| 9th January 2003 | Roger Wilson | Outstanding singer, fiddler, guitarist, songwriter sometime member of the House Band, Wood, Wilson and Carthy, collaborator with John Tams, Pete Morton and Kate Rusby. Come and see him up close and personal! |
| 16th January 2003 | Cliff Stapleton with Michael York | Orgasmic organistrum* combines with utricularian enchanterment**; original music by leading virtuosi of two ancient instruments. [*hurdy gurdy ** bagpipes] |
| 23rd January 2003 | Florida | Out of the steaming swamps of Kent, dripping wild pigs and leatherbacked snapping Tories, looms again the loudest little English dance band around. Be afraid ... |
| 30th January 2003 | ||
| 6th February 2003 | Ben Paley & Tab Hunter + Mark Lisicki | A welcome return of one of our favourite fiddlers and one of his various collaborators; traditional fiddle and guitar music from all over, by two fine players. Plus a chance to hear more from the singer-songwriter/guitarist who's become a regular ... |
| 13th February 2003 | Anatolia | |
| 20th February 2003 | Louis Killen | Recently returned from America, where he represented British traditional song for thirty-odd years ~ but he was well established here, long before that. Authoritative interpretations, unaccompanied and with English concertina. |
| 27th February 2003 | Mary Humphreys & Anahata | More lovely singing of traditional English, and perhaps Welsh, songs, accompanied on Mary's own banjo, and by Anahata on cello and various squeezeboxes. |
| 6th March 2003 | Dave Townsend | |
| 13th March 2003 | Tony Hall + Head of Steam | Our annual fix of one of our very favourite turns: mellifluous melodeon and daft ditties from the man who fills the stage in every sense. Plus support slot from a new band playing English dance tunes, from Playford and the like on fiddle, flute, oboe and bassoon. |
| 20th March 2003 | Martin Nail & friends | Our esteemed treasurer, webmaster and doorman, stentorian singer and squeezer gets a grip on the situation, with the good old friends who used to be our resident band. |
| 27th March 2003 | Sticks | Sticks comprises the Sudbury duo Issy and David Emeney and Val Woollard and Simon Haines from the Hosepipe Band. They perform traditional and original songs, tunes and clog dances all with a distinctly English flavour on melodeons, hurdy gurdy, bagpipes, guitar, mandola, flute, saxophone and more! |
| 3rd April 2003 | Tom McConville | Catgut Jim the Fiddler returns: the best of Northumbrian minstrelsy from the old charmer. |
| 10th April 2003 | Grace Toland & Sean Mone | Don't miss this rare opportunity to hear two fine Irish songsters, in a warm-up for their appearance at The National Folk Music Festival. Grace specializes in the songs & ballads of her native Co. Donegal. Sean is from Co. Armagh, and uses traditional tunes as settings for his own witty and topical songs. |
| 17th April 2003 | Pete Morton | Another chance to enjoy one of our favourite singer-songwriters; which will be especially welcomed by those who were unavoidably disappointed in January. |
| 24th April 2003 | Joe Bazouki & The Missing Puddings | Ukes GB refugee Dave Suitch recklessly embroils his friends (including fugitives from Walking The Witch) in 'folk of the Led Zep III school'. They'd like a category, but none will have them; original songs with bouzoukis, djembes and who knows what else. |
| 1st May 2003 | Will Duke and Dan Quinn | English tunes played with brio on various squeezeboxes; English songs sung solo and in unison, with humour and pathos. What more could you want? (Well, I'd like my clogs back, for a start...) |
| 8th May 2003 | Tom Paley | It's always a pleasure to hear the leading expatriate exponent of old-time American music on guitar, banjo and fiddle and voice. If you've heard him, you know what to expect; if you haven't, it's high time you did. |
| 15th May 2003 | The Possum Lickers + Stetson Stan | Our very own Texan redneck presents our very own purveyors of old-time blues, hillbilly ballads and cowboy waltzes. |
| 22nd May 2003 | Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain | The greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world. Come early (or not at all, if you're going to talk loudly through the other turns.) |
| 29th May 2003 | Baluji Shrivastav | Born in Uttar Pradesh, Baluji has an international reputation but is now locally resident, and came to our notice when he turned up to our Anatolian evening in February. He is a master of Hindustani music, specializing in singing, sitar, tabla and dilruba (it has a skin like a banjo, a fretted neck and sympathetic strings like a sitar, and is bowed like a cello ah, that dilruba!). |
| 5th June 2003 | Elle Osbourne | A welcome return of a fine English singer and fiddler who gave us a splendid evening last year. |
| 12th June 2003 | Fiona Larcombe & Terry Mann | Another welcome return of another lovely singer & fiddler, together with the man who plays everything, to an unreasonably high standard. |
| 19th June 2003 | Pete Cooper & Richard Bolton | Our fourth helping of this virtuoso pairing; English music, old and new, on fiddle and cello, with forays to Scotland, Ireland, America, Eastern Europe... |
| 26th June 2003 | Bill Caddick + Major Catastrophe | To round off the season in style, a visit from the legendary singer-songwriter we haven't seen at the club for far too long. Bill Caddick's songs read like a 'greatest hits' of contemporary English folksong ... and our very own death-defying action man. |
| 4th September 2003 | Jackie Oates | The IFC debut of the young fiddler and singer who won this year's New Roots competition with guitar accompaniment by Jim Moray. |
| 11th September 2003 | Derek Brimstone | Replacing the previously advertised guest: songs, stories and Cockney humour from a long-standing friend of the club. |
| 18th September 2003 | Andy Turner & Mat Green | Traditional English tunes and songs, with tasty concertina and hot'n'hairy fiddle and some simultaneous capering, if we're lucky. If you saw them last year, you'll probably want to bring a friend. |
| 25th September 2003 | Troia Nova | Our local Cretan extravaganza, replaced by Anatolia in February, now all present and correct. The name refers to a tradition that London was founded by survivors of the siege of Troy. |
| 2nd October 2003 | Balabustah | This fiddle-accordian duo, playing Klezmer and related East European dance music, came to our notice in the preferred manner, by turning up and giving us a floorspot, back in March. |
| 9th October 2003 | Kath Tait | A singer-songwriter of mild appearance and acid wit. Her simple tales could well offend a more conventional audience than the sophisticated crowd at Islington Folk Club. |
| 16th October 2003 | Stocai | Welcome back to the eclectic big band who play traditional music from all over, as well as their own, on bagpipes, bassoon, keyboards, concertina, fiddle, flute, mandolin and melodeon. |
| 23rd October 2003 | The Bismarcks | Another welcome return, of one of the finest little English dance bands who have come to dominate the scene in recent years. |
| 30th October 2003 | The Gloworms | English country dance music, with the odd song or clog dance for good measure from Colin Cotter on banjo, Laurel Swift on fiddle and Jon Brenner on accordion. |
| 6th November 2003 | Robin Gillan | American music & song, with whichever of the usual instruments he feels like playing, from the young prodigy of the London old-timey scene a rare opportunity, since America discovered him. |
| 13th November 2003 | The Drones | It's that time of year, again: original music on any number of (mostly musical) instruments; jolly good fun, with the emphasis on jolly, good and fun. |
| 20th November 2003 | Reuben's Train + Stan Ginter | More American song less traditional, more theatrical presented with the right blend of humour and humility, by a local duo we're always glad to see. Also, an opportunity to hear more than usual of the gentle songster with the severely disciplined banjo. |
| 27th November 2003 | Morena | Mostly from Slovakia, this sextet plays music from the Tatra Mountains with fiddles, bagpipes, shepherds' flutes, accordion and cymbalom. Includes the man who plays a goat, and dancing girls. (We may have made up the dancing girls ...) |
| 4th December 2003 | Davenport, Digby, Duke & Quinn | The Gateshead Belter returns, with a Frolicsome feast of buttons. |
| 11th December 2003 | Andrew Frank & George Hinchliffe | Goodness, it's the rest of the Bakelite Boys! The Chief Uke gives impeccable musical accompaniment to the immaculate singing and general theatrical business of another old friend. |
| 18th December 2003 | The Christmas Party | The Angel Band, The Possum Lickers, groovy prizes, booby prizes, whatever you may come up with, and all free to members. Bernard's threatening a new game, called 'Is it a potato?' |
| 8th January 2004 | Lost Chord | Songs and virtuoso concert pieces from the Victorian music hall, by two players perhaps best known as members of The Mellstock Band. Dave Townsend sings, accompanied by his own English concertina, and by Phil Humphries on serpent. Yes, serpent. |
| 15th January 2004 | Pete Cooper & Richard Bolton | Another heavyweight duo: we're delighted to welcome again this inspired pairing of Pete's fiddle and Richard's cello. Music from everywhere, including their own heads |
| 22nd January 2004 | Martin Carthy | 'Nuff said. Better come early! |
| 29th January 2004 | Cloud Street | Booked on the strength of a single startling floorspot, this pair of Aussies sing traditional material in harmony, and with humorous irreverence. "a delightful duo who not only inspire one another but put an indelible smile on the faces of their audiences. Strong harmonies, side-splitting stories and ballads brought to life in a way we hadn't seen before. Heartily recommended." Nancy Kerr and James Fagan |
| 5th February 2004 | The Other Band | It's always a pleasure to hear this unique and lovely combination of traditional tunes, original songs and old time blues, played on duet concertina, accordion, harmonica and double bass. With any luck, they'll bring the CD they were working on last time we saw them |
| 12th February 2004 | Tom Paley | Old favourite, stepping in at the last moment. |
| 19th February 2004 | Jim Younger & Gail Williams | Stalwarts of the London scene and old friends of the club, their long association with another Thursday club (a what?) has meant that we don?t hear enough of their multi-instrumental expertise or Gail's lovely singing. (She frails banjo these days, too.) |
| 26th February 2004 | The Posh Band | Postponed from last year because of injury, here at last is another opportunity to see one of the hottest little English dance bands around |
| 4th March 2004 | Chris Pitt & Gavin Atkin | Last year's reunion of this 80s duo was so good we had to do it again! Ridiculous songs from a bizarre range of sources, with the odd truly gruesome ballad thrown in for good measure. See one of the last Jeffries duet concertina players in captivity - plus vox humana. Hurrah! |
| 11th March 2004 | Brian Peters | Our regular visit from an evermore highly-regarded artist from the north. He's an excellent singer of a varied, mainly English repertoire, and a wizard on guitar, melodeon and anglo concertina. What more could you want? |
| 18th March 2004 | Gina Le Faux | English and Irish tunes and songs on fiddle, guitar and voice. Her musical CV includes bands the calibre of Hom Bru, Shegui, Red Shift and The Tannahills, quite apart from her well-regarded work in professional theatre as Musical Director, composer and front stage |
| 25th March 2004 | Metelyk | The name means ?Butterfly? and they are a Ukrainian Folk Ensemble who are celebrating 25 years of traditional folk song, dance music and back-breaking Ukrainian dancing. Tsymbali (a type of hammered dulcimer), violin and accordion. If you?ve never seen a Cossack dance on his head before ? then this is a night you can?t miss! |
| 1st April 2004 | Damien Barber & Fay Hield | An overdue return visit by the Norfolk Demon, this time with his current collaborator, who is probably best known as one of The Witches of Elswick. Traditional ballads, songs & tunes, with guitar & concertina |
| 8th April 2004 | Wayward Grace | Beautiful and striking harmony songs from Georgia, Bulgaria and elsewhere -- from a vocal trio who turned up and performed a floorspot, which was immediately followed by several members demanding to know whether they were booked. But of course. |
| 15th April 2004 | Tom Paley & Joe Locker + MC Stetson Stan | Our favourite old-timey old-timer returns, with his fellow ex-New Yorker and longtime collaborator. Traditional songs & tunes from two of the finest guitar-&-banjo-pickers around. And to complete the American ambience, the evening is presented by our homegrown Texan. |
| 22nd April 2004 | Martin Nail & The Sub-Committee Band | The Sub-Committee Band is a portion of celebrated dance outfit The Committee Band, but also used to be our resident band (we?ve always taken pride in having a good one). Our treasurer plays anglo-concertina with them, but tonight will also offer some of his traditional songs & ballads, and perhaps the odd Pete Atkin classic. Now with sensible introductions. |
| 29th April 2004 | Leon Rosselson | All these decades, even while the world has been taken over by singer-songwriters of little or no interest, Leon Rosselson has remained the most important and most rewarding this country has produced: witty, thoughtful, provocative and highly musical songs, in the European genre of ?chanson?. |
| 6th May 2004 | Tony Hall | It?s that time of the year -- hooray! The best melodeon playing you?ve ever heard, and a wonderfully eclectic array of tunes & songs from all over, including some songs of his own, which usually send one or two of us off to the osteopath. |
| 13th May 2004 | Stan Ginter + Bernard Puckett | Rumour has it he?s leaving us soon, so we take this opportunity to hear more than usual of the amiable Scottish songster and his tastefully restrained (or brutally repressed, depending on your p.o.v.) banjo. By way of alarmingly stark contrast, our regular MC offers an extra helping of his poetic excess. |
| 20th May 2004 | Threlfall-Ellison-Edwards | English traditional songs and music, with the stirring vocals of the Threlfall Sisters and masterful melodeon and anglo concertina from the blokes. As heard on the wireless. Not to be missed! |
| 27th May 2004 | Los Mareados + Mark Lisicki | Five-piece tango band, with violin, bandoneons, piano and bass. |
| 3rd June 2004 | John Hegley & Friends + Major Catastrophe | As ever, we welcome our favourite poet, with whichever of his collaborators he can drag along (?Yes, it?s called a folk club, but you?ll like it, honest.?). And, lest we forget there?s life beyond Luton, the good Major demonstrates once again the physical supremacy of Northern Man. |
| 10th June 2004 | Pete Cooper & Richard Bolton | Another of our regular favourites: sublime fiddle-cello duets, traditional and original, with songs for good measure. |
| 17th June 2004 | Possum Lickers + Stetson Stan | Our very own purveyors of old-time blues, hillbilly ballads and cowboy waltzes are presented by our very own lugubrious redneck. |
| 24th June 2004 | Fiona Larcombe & Terry Mann + London Spelmanslag | Finishing the season in fine style, one of our favourite fiddling singers is accompanied to perfection by her favourite multi-instrumental wizard. Plus asummer bonus from a multi-fiddle group playing Swedish tunes -- from the heartbreaking to the joyful -- with their complex and fascinating rhythms |
| 2nd September 2004 | Will Duke and Dan Quinn | The Wild Boys return, with their distinctive music for lungs and bellows. Any day now they'll be cultivated men. |
| 9th September 2004 | The Hosepipe Band | This Colchester-based band, playing traditional and newly-composed material, have gradually and seamlessly become club regulars. Rhythmic and melodic, the band's sound mixes British and European influences, with bagpipes, melodeon, hurdy gurdy ... and much more! |
| 16th September 2004 | Pete Morton | Another club favourite, Pete has a unique style of songwriting and traditional singing. With a passionate, strong voice and strident guitar style, traditional songs often rub shoulders with Pete's current writing with remarkable ease. "Not only impressive but a revelation ... totally original." The Guardian |
| 23rd September 2004 | John Spiers & Jon Boden | Didn't they do well! Last time they were here, they still needed first names; now, we don't need to tell you that they perform English traditional songs and tunes, with fiddle, melodeon and foot. |
| 30th September 2004 | Reuben's Train | Another cult we're glad to be in on: in case you haven't seen them before, this stylish duo perform (mostly) American (more or less) country songs, with a fine sense of drama, excellent guitar accompaniment, and no extraneous chat. |
| 7th October 2004 | Mats Berglund | Mats is from western Värmland in Sweden, close to Norway, and plays fiddle music from both sides of the border. He will entertain us with wild hallings, assymetric polskas and tales of the little grey men in the woods! Advertisement: Mats will be running two fiddle workshops on 9 and 10 October in central London. For details, ring 020 8341 1454. |
| 14th October 2004 | Pete Coe | Welcome, once more, to the man they call the one-man folk industry. He sings, dances and plays an impressive array of instruments, all to an unreasonably high standard. |
| 21st October 2004 | Stocai | Another welcome return, of the eclectic big band who play traditional music from all over, as well as their own, on bagpipes, bassoon, concertina, fiddle, flute, keyboards, mandolin and melodeon. |
| 28th October 2004 | Wizz Jones | Often mentioned as an important early influence by artists such as Eric Clapton, John Renbourn and Ralph McTell, Wizz is a legend, despite the fact that in a recent street survey in Tooting, not one of the three people stopped had ever heard of him. |
| 4th November 2004 | Julie Hennigan | Based in Missouri, Julie is an accomplished interpreter of traditional song, both from America, and from the British Isles, where she has spent a good deal of time to splendid effect. She's a fine singer, unaccompanied or with guitar, banjo or mountain dulcimer. You may have heard her with Tom Paley, in April. |
| 11th November 2004 | Chris Wood | It's always a pleasure to present this outstanding fiddler, singer and guitarist. Another legend? |
| 18th November 2004 | Tom & Barbara Brown | New to us, this highly-regarded duo is based in Devon and specializes in the traditions of the west country. Excellent singing, accompanied by Tom's concertina, guitar, mandola or melodeon. |
| 25th November 2004 | Robb Johnson | Such a regular favourite at the club, we can't think of anything else to say about him. "One of the biggest names on the folk circuit" Morning Star |
| 2nd December 2004 | Peta Webb, Ken Hall & Simon Hindley | Ken and Peta are longtime friends of this club (as well as running a fine one of their own), and lovely singers, whether solo or in spine-tingling harmony. This evening, they'll be concentrating on their American repertory, together with our resident blues ace and Possum Licker. |
| 9th December 2004 | Davenport, Digby, Duke, Quinn & West | We're pleased and proud that Bob continues to support the club whose uniqueness and pre-eminence he shaped. The Friends we're expecting are Roger Digby, Dan Quinn and Alex West late-Flowering Frolickers all and Will Duke. (Isn't this where we came in?) |
| 16th December 2004 | Party! Party! Party! | In traditional Saturnalian fashion, our rules are suspended: you don't have to pay, if you're a member; and, if your own rule is not to make a fool of yourself, now's your chance to break it. This is the event for which The Possum Lickers were formed, which just goes to show where this sort of thing can lead. |
| 6th January 2005 | Pete Cooper & Richard Bolton | We start the new year in fine style, with our annual dose of fiddle and cello wizardry ... |
| 13th January 2005 | Robin Gillan | ... and continue with more seemingly effortless virtuosity, from a young man who performs old-time American music on all the appropriate instruments. |
| 20th January 2005 | Troia Nova | Welcome back, to New Troy's (i.e. London's) scholarly exponents of traditional and classical music from Greece, Turkey and (especially) Crete. They're fun, too, by the way. |
| 27th January 2005 | Jon Loomes & Paul Scourfield | Our first exposure to a new multi-instrumental duo. Jon, a member of several English dance bands, was here on his own a couple of years ago, but has now teamed up with melodeon-player Paul, of Chalktown fame, who has given us several well-received floorspots in the meantime. |
| 3rd February 2005 | Stömp Unplugged | Stömp's reputation as a loud dance band will be challenged with this appearance. Whilst electricity enables them to reach halls full of dancers with their trademark slabs of rocking rhythm, something else has been going on with the band lately. Unplug that fiddle and concertina and put the rhythm section on a diet of acoustic bass and guitar and hand percussion and you've got a very different beast. Add a few carefully chosen songs and some tunes designed purely for listening to and you're promised an evening of surprises, with drummer Rob Gifford playing some guitar, Andrew King giving his tenor guitar an airing and Sheena Masson's penny whistle not feeding back. |
| 10th February 2005 | Jim Causley + David Campell + The Angel Band | It is routinely remarked that each generation of players is more impressive than the one before. The same can't be said of singing, especially solo unaccompanied singing, which remains a neglected field. So we're pleased to welcome a young Devonian who has taken on that very task singing traditional English songs in the traditional manner. And, since he'd be here anyway, let's have an extra helping of a resident who specializes in much the same thing. Plus, The Angel Band in concert (sssh, no talking) |
| 17th February 2005 | The Lost Chord | Songs and virtuoso concert pieces from the Victorian music hall, by two members of the celebrated Mellstock Band. Dave Townsend sings, accompanied by his own English concertina, and by Phil Humphries on trombone and serpent. |
| 24th February 2005 | Tom Lewis + Bernard Puckett | Twenty-five years a RN submariner, Tom is now based in Canada and has earned a reputation as one of North America's leading exponents of nautical song, traditional and contemporary. Apart from which, anyone who plays ukulele is fine by us. For good measure, our two-wheeled landlubber offers his urban shanties of Gosport and N21. |
| 3rd March 2005 | Tony Cox & Steve Newman | Two exceptionally fine guitarists from South Africa. Steve last graced these shores in the late 1980s, performing compositions that evoked the townships and savannah of his homeland. Tony's new to us, but is preceded by a similar reputation. |
| 10th March 2005 | Judy Cook | This Virginian has been a professional unaccompanied performer of 'the old songs' since the early 1990s: '... one of the finest exponents of ballad singing that the current American folk music revival has produced ... I'd go and listen to her anytime and anywhere' Louis Killen. |
| 17th March 2005 | Florida | '[W]e like to imagine ... a mythic meeting of our beloved English trad sound (scratchy fiddle, breathy pipe, wheezy squeezebox) with the wonder that is the brass band ... Imagine the brass band marching into a traditional tune session in the public bar ...' Notes to Florida's 1999 album 'Danse Macabre'. |
| 24th March 2005 | New Deal String Band | You probably know that our friend Tom Paley has been performing old-time music since the 1940s, and was a founder member of The New Lost City Ramblers. You may not know that this, his current group, was originally formed in 1966. He and Joe Locker re-formed in the O90s, with Tom's son Ben, a very fine fiddler. It is a pleasure, as ever, to welcome them back. |
| 31st March 2005 | Stanley Accrington | Tomorrow's news in the style of yesterday's songs in an original traditional way, sometimes daft, usually different. The former Rochdale Station Master is revealed as a talented wordsmith scatalogical, good-naturedly xenophobic and occasionally brilliant. We were so impressed by his recent floorspot and the Liverpool football shanty, Bold Rooney-O, that we had to have some more. |
| 7th April 2005 | XYZ | This teenaged family trio (two fiddles and guitar) is from Newcastle upon Tyne, where all three members have played with Kathryn Tickell's Folkestra, and two took part in the Blazin' Fiddles tour. As a group, they were Radio 2 Folk Award finalists in 2003. |
| 14th April 2005 | Andy Turner & Mat Green | In case you've missed their previous triumphant visits, these two are, among other things, members of the excellent Magpie Lane, and present a similar selection of traditional English songs and tunes. Andy is a fine singer and anglo concertina player, and Mat's fiery fiddling is as good as it gets. |
| 21st April 2005 | Andrew Frank & George Hinchliffe | Two of our best old, least folky friends return. The Ukemeister plunks and tinkles in support of the Physical Jerk's golden voice, to comic, dramatic and thoroughly musical effect. |
| 28th April 2005 | Martin Nail & The Sub-Committee Band | Before we had the excellent Angels for our resident band, we had the similarly excellent SCB for many years. Martin is still with us, of course, remaining our treasurer and webmaster, but truly comes into his on in front of this loud, lovely, adventurous dance band. |
| 5th May 2005 | Mary Humphreys & Anahata | Anahata is yet another old friend we see less often, these days, but when we do, we get the benefit of his fruitful collaboration with Mary, a lovely singer of English, and occasionally Welsh, traditional songs. Between them they play banjo, cello, concertinas and melodeons. |
| 12th May 2005 | Will Duke and Dan Quinn | You know what to expect by now: music played in an English style on anglo concertina and melodeon, English songs sung in turn or unison, and a jolly good time all round. |
| 19th May 2005 | Rod Clements | Lindisfarne songsmith, responsible for some of our best-loved folk-rock anthems, such as Meet Me On The Corner and Train in G Major, Rod is a seriously good guitarist in a variety of styles. Cracking melodies, foot-tapping grooves and accessible lyrics are the hallmarks of the Clements style. |
| 26th May 2005 | Kori Neil + Mark Lisiki | Multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter, Kori Neil plays traditional Appalachian music in the older, rawer styles of the American southern mountains. A member of the Canadian trio Dyad, whose latest album received acclaim in fRoots magazine, Kori will be performing traditional and original songs, on guitar, banjo and fiddle. For good measure, we'll have who knows what from the regular whose eclecticism continues to surprise. |
| 2nd June 2005 | Kath Tait + Emily & Hazel Askew | She's very popular, apparently, because she'd sometimes rather rude about men; but she's actually much cleverer, funnier and more musical than that. Of course, if you just want to hear her being rude about men, that's OK, too. Plus a support spot from the young fiddle and melodeon duo who were so good when they did a floorspot recently that we had to have them back. |
| 9th June 2005 | Pete Cooper & Richard Bolton | Sometimes we like a turn so much, we book it twice a year. An early return then, for our favourite fiddle-cello duo. |
| 16th June 2005 | Possum Lickers + Stetson Stan | Oh dear, it's that time of the year again. Still, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do, and it falls to our Texas Ranger to impose order amidst the varmint-bothering. In case you're wondering, it's country blues, with a side-helping of the Wild West, a line-up that epitomises the club's ethos. |
| 23rd June 2005 | Martin Carthy | Come early! |
| 30th June 2005 | Tony Hall + Major Catastrophe | How better to round off a season of treats than with one of our very favourite musicians and characters. And one of our favourite characters. If you're a newcomer, Tony is not only very droll, but as good a melodeon player as you're ever likely to hear. The Major is a Real Man, from Up North. So think on ... |
| 8th September 2005 | Posh Band | English 4 piece fiddle, melodeon, banjo, piano and song. Eccentric, rude, rhythmic and joyous! |
| 15th September 2005 | Lizzy Harrell + Tom Sennett | Double bill of New Roots winners! Lizzy, soon to be off to Newcastle folk degree, sings unaccompanied English trad and things she likes. Tom sings and plays melodeon with a Morris kicking beat. |
| 22nd September 2005 | Brian Peters | English trad songs with very clever stuff on squeeze boxes and he is pretty neat on guitar as well. Always welcome. Expect to be shocked by music excursions! |
| 29th September 2005 | Alan Jabbour & Ken Perlman | Highly rated touring USA fiddle & banjo duo playing Appalachian and Down East tunes, featuring the music Alan learned back in the 60s from West Virginia fiddler Henry Reed. Jabbour has a jaunty, lyrical fiddling style that is offset perfectly by Perlman's inspired approach to clawhammer banjo. |
| 6th October 2005 | Tom McConville | North East fiddler and singer comes through town. Also does Alexander technique. |
| 13th October 2005 | Balabustah | Ball-breaking Klezmer/Eastern European music from fiddle & accordion duo. |
| 20th October 2005 | Stocai | Part of their Capital Control tour, this potent English big bands bring squeezy, blowy, scrapy, twangy, strummy, hitty sounds to their club date on Sheena's home turf. |
| 27th October 2005 | Grace Notes | Rear chance to see in this part of the country Maggie Boyle, Lynda Hardcastle & Helen Hockenhull who all sing and individually play flute, bodhran, recorders & keyboards. |
| 3rd November 2005 | Leon Rosselson + Ian Saville | Probably the finest political singer/song writer this country has produced with Marxist/Lennonist magician with bow tie put are a show to excite the mind and entertain the soul. You will believe in magic! |
| 10th November 2005 | Ken Hall, Peta Webb and Simon Hindley | Fabulous singers and old friends of the club return for their annual gig with bluesy finger pickin' good Hindley accompanying on guitar. Dress code cowboy! |
| 17th November 2005 | Kristina Olson | Touring USA bluesy singer guitarist whose song writing is well worth hearing. We like her a lot! |
| 24th November 2005 | Jonas Hjalmarsson | Over here for Tania's Swedish fiddle weekend, Jonas Hjalmarsson ("Jalle") is a fiddler from Älvdalen in Northern Dalarna and knows a multitude of tunes from his home area as well the rest of Dalarna and beyond. The region of Dalarna probably contains the richest variety of folk music styles in Sweden. He teaches fiddle at the Malungsfolkhögskola and on the traditional music course run by the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. |
| 1st December 2005 | Davenport, Digby, Duke, Quinn & West | Bob Davenport arrives mob handed for his annual gig at the club. Power house of passion and impressive friends who look a lot like a good bit of Flowers and Frolics. |
| 8th December 2005 | Ruben's Train | Dress code black. The dynamic duo will take us a dark journey, but not with out some laughs, maybe, through their repertoire of Americana, depression, despair and bad hangovers with style and Simpsonesque guitar and banjo accompaniment. |
| 15th December 2005 | La Strada | Fiery energetic violin, double bass and accordion, giving a dazzling display of Gypsy tunes, klezmer dances and folk melodies. This is traditional Eastern European music with a contemporary twist as recommended by the Angel's Richard Leskin. |
| 22nd December 2005 | Let's Party! | Pass that parcel time again! |
| 5th January 2006 | Rosie Doonan & Ben Murray | Happy New Year! In a suitably forward-looking mood, we start the season with two rising stars of the emergent generation. Ben and Rosie have pedigrees: both their fathers were founder members of Hedgehog Pie. He was previously in the band Tarras; now they're both being noticed for 'venturesome and eclectic' arrangements of their own and traditional songs. |
| 12th January 2006 | Pete Cooper & Richard Bolton | The very excellent fiddle-cello duo returns again, with a new album, the Savage Hornpipe |
| 19th January 2006 | Duck Soup | Here's our old friend Dan Quinn, with his latest collaboration. This time, his distinctive voice and outstanding medodeon-playing are combined with the various instruments of Adam Bushell and Ian Kearey a variety that includes twelve-string dobro and marimba. |
| 26th January 2006 | Meridian | Another IFC debut, for another highly distinctive trio. Chris Walshaw's intricately melodic pipes (and whistles and flutes) are joined by Richard Jones's accordion, and the fiddle, flute and lovely voice of Anna Tabbush. |
| 2nd February 2006 | Faustus | Something of a super-group, this: Paul Sartin & Benji Kirkpatrick, fellow members of both Bellowhead and the late Dr. Faustus, are joined by Saul Rose, well known for his participation in Waterson:Carthy. More cutting-edge English music, on melodeon, fiddle, oboe and various fretted things. |
| 9th February 2006 | Des de Moor & Russell Churney | From Tom Robinson to David Bowie, fRoots to The Morning Star, all are agreed that Des is a leading English exponent of the European tradition represented by Brel, Brassens and Ferre, singing his own songs as well as original translations from French, German & Dutch. Accompanied on piano by his regular collaborator. 'One of the country's leading interpreters of the cabaret-chanson tradition.' Guardian 'A sort of Brechtian Marc Almond.' Time Out. |
| 16th February 2006 | John Spiers & Jon Boden | Do we really need to say anything? We think not. Welcome back chaps! |
| 23rd February 2006 | Robb Johnson | His latest album is a collaboration with Russell Churney (see above), which is an interesting development. Robb's admirers include Chumbawumba and Tony Benn and us, of course, which is why he's one of the handful of singer-songwriters we book regularly. |
| 2nd March 2006 | Klezmer Klub | Our favourite local klezmorim return. If you don't know what to expect of a klezmer band, isn't it time you did? | 9th March 2006 | Chris Wood | Another old friend who probably needs no introduction, as he's been in the vanguard of English music for a surprisingly long time. Just in case: he's a fine singer of traditional and, increasingly, his own songs, an outstanding fiddler and an excellent guitarist. |
| 16th March 2006 | Zoox | Gadzooks! Yet another excitingly innovative new trio. You may have witnessed the floorspot when they played a rogue jukebox into submission. Eclectic music on fiddle/mandolin, soprano sax/whistles/contrabassoon, and assorted percussion. |
| 23rd March 2006 | Rattle on the Stove-pipe | Hell-for-leather English and Appalachian dance tunes, chorus songs and ballads from Dave Arthur (5-string banjo, guitar, melodeon and vocals), Pete Cooper (fiddle and vocals) and Chris Moreton (guitar and vocals). No-one goes away from a Rattle On The Stovepipe performance without a smile on their face, a skip in their step, and warmth in their heart. (It says here...) |
| 30th March 2006 | Emily & Hazel Askew & friends | The impressively talented sisters return, to host their own English music party, featuring singer and fiddler Bella Hardy, PS (a group from Pimlico School), and morris dancer Philip Bassingdale. | 6th April 2006 | Ben Paley & Tab Hunter | A welcome return of a very fine fiddle-guitar duo, playing mostly
traditional tunes from America, Ireland, Sweden and eastern Europe, superbly.
This evening is dedicated to the memory of Simon Breed, fiddler and friend, who died on 15 April 2004. |
13th April 2006 | The Devil's Interval | We enjoyed Jim Causley's singing last year; now he returns with collaborators Lauren McCormick & Emily Portman. English traditional songs, sung in mostly unaccompanied harmony, by young people! | 20th April 2006 | Jim Murray | Fine Geordie singer whose first gig at Islington was in 1969. Welcome back! Time has added friends and relations to the big warm, old school folk, singer guitarist with his own bright young things on fiddle, back from Beijing! | 27th April 2006 | Frankie Armstrong | For those who don't know: Frankie has been a much loved and respected figure in the English folksong revival since the 1960s, and was one of the female voices chosen for A.L. Lloyd's thematic collaborations. We don't claim to know what she's been up to lately, as it's been many years since her last visit. | 4th May 2006 | Will Duke and Dan Quinn | Ken Hall called them "the finest double act since Laurel & Hardy" and they're certainly a lot of fun, if a great deal more musical. Solo and unison singing, with squeezebox playing of the highest order. See the feature in the recent issue of The Living Tradition. | 11th May 2006 | The Possum Lickers + Stetson Stan | Our resident purveyors of old-time blues, hillbilly ballads and cowboy waltzes. Presented, in accordance with what we like to call tradition, by our other resident cowboy singer. | 18th May 2006 | Pete Cooper & Richard Bolton | An early return for one of our regular treats: traditional & original music for fiddle and cello, by two of London's finest players. | 25th May 2006 | Beskydy | Welcome back to one of our favourite big bands. Loud, lively dance music and impassioned singing from all over eastern and southern Europe. | 1st June 2006 | Twm Twp | New to us, a five-piece Welsh band, based in Brittany, including our favourite brass man, Trevor Bennett, and Richard Goodwin of Florida (band not swamp). Melodeon, piano, saxophones, bouzouki and trombone... and vocals. They've played festivals all over Europe and they're on at Towersey this year. | 8th June 2006 | Martin Nail & The Sub-Committee Band | Our erstwhile resident band (before The Angels), fronted on lungs and anglo-concertina by our Treasurer and Webmaster. Another club tradition, and always a pleasure. | 15th June 2006 | The Drones + Mark Lisicki | Another welcome return of old friends. The Drones play original music on various reeds, various strings, various percussion, and some things you might not otherwise consider musicalS Plus a bit more than usual of our least predictable regular. | 22nd June 2006 | Martin Carthy | We're proud, as ever. Come early. | 29th June 2006 | Stanley Accrington | We finish the season with a toothsome taste of the North. Tomorrow's news in the style of yesterday's songs from Stanley, whose idiosyncratic musings we greatly enjoyed last year. Plus the death-defying antics of our resident Real Man, who's from the same region, naturally. | 7th September 2006 | Fiona Larcombe & Terry Mann | Welcome back! We start the new season in style, with two good old friends: one of the best singers of traditional songs we know is also a fine fiddler, and is accompanied to perfection by the man who can play anything he turns his hand to, with unseemly proficiency. | 14th September 2006 | Attila the Stockbroker | We are delighted to present the sharp-tongued, high energy, social surrealist rebel poet and songwriter. His themes are topical, his words hard-hitting, his politics unashamedly radical. He's also very funny. | 21st September 2006 | Tony Hall | More laughs, as well as stunning musicality, from one of our best-loved regular guests; this is our annual visit by England's finest, and drollest, melodeon player. If you've managed to miss him in previous years, don't make the same mistake again | 28th September 2006 | Elle Osborne | September ends as it began, with another return visit by another young woman who sings and plays fiddle. Elle does both at once. She sings her own songs, as well as traditional ones, and also 'makes sound collages'. You heard it first here, probably. | 5th October 2006 | Vegar Vårdal | Tania's Nordic Ting this year brings us Norwegian Vegar, originally from Lofoten Island, who plays both standard and Hardanger fiddles. He performs with both the Norwegian band RUSK and theatre group Fant & Fente. | 12th October 2006 | Ed Rennie & Jackie Oates | Ed was best known for a long time as the melodeon player in that fine band The Bismarcks, but is now building a parallel reputation as a singer. Jackie is a(nother!) fine fiddler and singer, who first appeared here three years ago, as a New Roots winner. | 19th October 2006 | Alan Reid & Rob van Sante | Battlefield Band stalwart Alan and guitar wizard Rob present a seamless fusion of both the old and the new traditions, featuring Alan's compositions, Battlefield Band favourites and Rob's own songs. combining the DADGAD guitar style of Rob, the keyboard and guitar work of Alan and the fine harmony singing of both. | 26th October 2006 | Andy Turner & Mat Green | These two have become welcome regulars, since emerging as a duo from the excellent Magpie Lane. Andy is a fine anglo concertina player and singer and Mat is everybody's favourite fiddler. | 2nd November 2006 | Tom & Barbara Brown | Well-respected duo sing mainly traditional songs, particularly from the West Country, accompanied by guitar, concertina and melodeon. |
| 9th November 2006 | Robert Harbron & Emma Reid | The heart of the repertoire of these highly regarded young traditional musicians is in the dance tunes of England. Emma plays fiddle, Rob sings and plays English concertina and guitar. You'll have heard him in the English Acoustic Collective, we hope. |
| 16th November 2006 | Reuben's Train | Welcome again, to the thoroughly entertaining duo whose development has fascinated us for years, as they have cast their net ever wider and more improbably. The singing remains dramatic, the playing precise, the delivery direct. |
| 23rd November 2006 | Bob Davenport & Friends | This is what we like to call a tradition, and appears to be a happy exception to Bob's rumoured retirement which seems only right since, arguably, none of us would be here but for Bob, Roger, Dan et al. |
| 30th November 2006 | Wynndebagge | England's funniest Musical Historic Comic with bagpipes, hurdy gurdy and jokes that have stood the test of time. 'A unique musical and comic talent.' Towersey Village Festival |
| 7th December 2006 | Pete Morton | An old favourite of the club's, Pete is one of those (precious few) guitar-toting singer-songwriters who manage convincingly to combine original songs with interpretations of traditional ones. |
| 14th December 2006 | John Hegley & the Popticians | It's always a great pleasure to see The Bard of Luton, whether as booked guest or show-stealing floorspotter, and it's a special treat to welcome back his daft band. The party season's here again. |
| 21st December 2006 | Party, Party, Party | Another year draws to a close, and the weird ones huddle together for warmth, sandwiches, inexplicable Puckettian rituals, and a spot of possum licking. |
| 4th January 2007 | Mary Humphreys & Anahata | Happy New Year! Do you like traditional English songs (and perhaps the occasional Welsh one) appropriately arranged, sensitively played on English and anglo concertinas, melodeons and cello, and beautifully sung? Come and get it! |
| 11th January 2007 | Emily & Hazel Askew | We've been privileged to have these conspicuously talented young women turning up to do floorspots for some time now. Last year they gave us a splendid evening with their similarly talented friends, and it's high time we gave them full rein again. More traditional English music and song, with fiddle and melodeon, sensitively played, etc ... |
| 18th January 2007 | Pete Cooper & Richard Bolton | This stunning fiddle-cello duo have become firm club favourites over the past few years. If you don't know what to expect, it's time you did. |
| 25th January 2007 | David Rovics | "Songs of social significance." With his radical, bittersweet lyrics and immaculate guitar picking David Rovics has been called the musical voice of the progressive movement in the US. "In these days of ongoing neo-conservatism he carries the torch of dissent and protest in fact, if the great Phil Ochs were to come back from the dead tonight he'd probably be hailed as the new David Rovics." Andy Kershaw, BBC Radio 3 |
| 1st February 2007 | The Titanic Syncopators | Our old friend Peta Webb turns her extraordinary voice to another highly entertaining collaboration: antique popular song from the 1920s and 30s with jazz orchestra. Let's have a party! |
| 8th February 2007 | Residents' evening | Allan Taylor was unable to appear because of the weather conditions. |
| 15th February 2007 | Gail Williams & Jim Younger | American old-timey and other songs and fine singing and playing on banjo, fiddle, guitar from these old friends of the club. |
| 22nd February 2007 | Stocai | Put on your sparkly clogs... Traditional tunes from all over, and a good many of their own, played with panache on bagpipes, melodeon, bassoon, concertinas, fiddle, mandolin, flute and keyboard and don't forget the rauschpfeife. |
| 1st March 2007 | Danbert Nobacon | Danbert Nobacon? Yes, he's a member of Chumbawamba but the other reason his name may ring a bell is his principal role in a certain politician-soaking incident at a certain music biz shindig. Anyway, he's doing his own thing now, and tonight he's doing it for us. Can you afford not to be there? |
| 8th March 2007 | Klezmer Klub | Welcome again to London's favourite klezmorim, with what is, in effect, the traditional jazz of eastern Europe. |
| 15th March 2007 | Monroe's Revenge | From the rolling hills and sleepy hollows of SE13 comes this classic bluegrass line-up of banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin and double bass. Impassioned vocal harmonies and cleverbastard picking, just as you'd expect. |
| 22nd March 2007 | Martin Nail & the Subcommittee Band | You probably know by now that this eclectic outfit, part of the legendary Committee Band, was our resident band for some years and that Martin played anglo concertina with them. You'll certainly know that he has an enormous repertory of ballads and ditties, some lugubrious and comic. |
| 29th March 2007 | Tom Paley | The return of the legend. American old time music on banjo, guitar and fiddle and no doubt the odd Swedish fiddle tune. Where else in London on a Thursday night can you see someone who played with Woody Guthrie? |
| 5th April 2007 | Lau | Stars of this year?s Celtic Connections, a true super group. Kris Drever on guitar and vocals, Martin Green on accordion and Aidan O?Rourke (Scots Trad Music Awards Instrumentalist of the Year) on fiddle.
?? some of the finest jigs and reels you are ever likely to hear, the sheer intensity of which peeled the paint from the walls.? Glasgow Herald |
| 12th April 2007 | Crucible | A dynamic English folk ensemble from Sheffield with melodeon, concertina, fiddles, bagpipes, frets and sublime harmony vocals.
"Crucible reach to the heart of the matter... bringing guts and attitude back into the music." fRoots |
| 19th April 2007 | Leon Rosselson | And they all sang Rosselsongs, but not like the man himself. Those of us who love his songs will always enjoy hearing them delivered with the wit and dexterity of England?s premier chansonnier. |
| 26th April 2007 | Chris Wood | Will he sing the chip shop song? Will he bring his fiddle? Come early. |
| 3rd May 2007 | Martin Carthy | If you don?t want to find the place already full, buy a ticket ? only available to members at the club. |
| 10th May 2007 | Megson | Songs both original and traditional from this young duo who are rapidly building a reputation up and down the country with their beautiful harmonies and impeccable musicianship.
?For my money Megson are amongst the most exciting trailblazers of British Contemporary Folk.? Seth Lakeman |
| 17th May 2007 | Sisters Unlimited | It?s been quite a long time since we saw this feminist festival of a group, so you may need reminding that it blends the many and various talents of Sandra Kerr, Peta Webb, Janet Russell and Rosie Davis. The group has reformed for a special series of performances celebrating twenty-one years of making music together. This is their only London appearance in this tour. |
| 24th May 2007 | Andrew Frank & George Hinchliffe + The Possum Lickers + Martin Nail & The Subcommittee Band; with David Campbell, Simon Hindley, Bernard Puckett, Stetson Stan, Mark Lisicki and The Angel Band | Concert Recording 1. Advance tickets only. |
| 31st May 2007 | Bob Davenport & Friends + Ken Hall, Peta Webb & Simon Hindley + Will Duke and Dan Quinn + Cheapjack; with Bernard Puckett, Stetson Stan and The Angel Band | Concert Recording 2. Advance tickets only. |
| 7th June 2007 | Geoff Berner | Canadian accordion virtuoso, combining folk, punk, rock, pop and klezmer.
?He is part poet, part storyteller, part jester, part political commentator, part raving drunken lunatic, but above all is a fantastic musician and entertainer.? Blue Chair Café, Edmonton (that's Canada, not N9) |
| 14th June 2007 | Roger Wilson | Singer, fiddler, guitarist and songwriter, as heard in The House Band, Wood, Wilson and Carthy, Urban Folk (with Pete Morton), The National Theatre. Not a bad CV, all things considered. |
| 21st June 2007 | Pete Cooper & Richard Bolton | It?s those men again! Our favourite fiddle-cello duo return, with a few songs and the odd spot of exceptional guitaring, to boot. |
| 28th June 2007 | Steve Turner + Major Catastrophe + Kathryn Locke | Finishing a great season with a bang: you may remember Steve, a fine singer and excellent concertina-player. He was off the scene for some years, but he?s back now, and proved it in February, when he gave us a couple of splendid floorspots. For good measure, the death-defying Northern Man gives his farewell performance, in honour of which historic occasion, the cello nymph makes a special appearance. |
| 6th September 2007 | Tom McConville & Dave Wood | We start the new season with the Northumbrian fiddling minstrel hailed as a seminal influence by Seth Lakeman. He's joined on this occasion by his latest collaborator, a fine guitarist who contributed to Tom's splendid recent album, Tommy on the Bridge. |
| 13th September 2007 | Reg Meuross & Phil Beer | Onetime Panic Brother Reg is an old friend we haven't seen for a while. His latest collaborator is new to us, but a regular at other obscure, intimate music venues. The Royal Albert Hall, that sort of thing. He is, of course, the fiddly half of Show of Hands. |
| 20th September 2007 | Possum Lickers + Stetson Stan | Our very own purveyors of old-time blues, hillbilly ballads and cowboy waltzes should be good tonight they had a bit of a warm up in May, after all. And, because we're sticklers for authenticity, they're presented, as usual, by our very own singing redneck. |
| 27th September 2007 | Robin Gillan | It's always a pleasure to welcome the multi-talented star of London's old-timey scene. Expect fiddling, guitaring and banjoing of the highest order. |
| 4th October 2007 | Ovidiu Fratila Band | Ovidiu is a dynamic young fiddler from Sibiu, Romania, and plays the music of his native region. He is accompanied by English accordionist Pete Watson and Slovakian Jiri Smirck on double bass. |
| 11th October 2007 | Brian Peters + Caludine Arcand | Always good value: a man who can play anything and everything on melodeon or anglo concertina, a good singer, and no mean guitarist either. That must be why we keep booking him, then. Plus support from a leading Quebequois fiddle player on a brief visit to the UK. |
| 18th October 2007 | "English Night" with Chris Sarjeant, David Campbell, and Lost in England | Tonight we're focusing on a range of manifestations of English tradition, with an informal combination of one of our resident singers, a young singer-guitarist who's given us some very tasty floorspots, and our own English fiddle project, for which 'Lost in England' is as good a name as any. |
| 25th October 2007 | Too Many Strings | This young Brighton trio play fiddles, guitar, mandolin and cello, between them. Traditional English songs and tunes meet klezmer and Turkish music from northern Cyprus. |
| 1st November 2007 | Pelle Björnlert | Our annual dose of Skandi exotica. Pelle is one of the Swedish folk-revivalist fiddlers of the 1970s whose area of musical speciality is Småland and Östergötland in the south of Sweden. He's here for the 6th London Annual Swedish Fiddle Weekend of workshops and dance. |
| 8th November 2007 | Rab Noakes | Founder member of Stealers Wheel, singer-songwriter, record producer. You don't want to miss him, believe me. |
| 15th November 2007 | Andy Turner & Mat Green | A welcome return of a favourite turn. In case you've missed all their previous visits, Andy is a lovely singer and concertina-player, and Mat is as exciting a fiddler as ever fiddled with half a bow. |
| 22nd November 2007 | Wild Willy Barrett's Sleeping Dogz | Well-known for his successful partnership with John Otway, multi-instrumentalist Willy Barrett is accompanied by cellist Mary Holland and Irish piper and whistle player John Devine to produce some highly emotive original music and arrangements. |
| 29th November 2007 | The KittyHawks + Mark Lisicki | American old-time music and song from a local five-piece with the classic instrumental lineup: fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar and bass. Plus a bit more than usual of one of our regulars. |
| 6th December 2007 | Reuben's Train | More Americana, and who knows what else, from the truly distinctive duo whose eclectic repertoire continues to extend into the ever more weird and wonderful. |
| 13th December 2007 | Frankie Armstrong | Welcome again to one of the most highly respected voices of the folksong revival. |
| 20th December 2007 | Christmas Party | What, again? You know the drill: daft games, distribution of rejected demo CDs and other prizes you never knew you wanted, more of The Possum Lickers (yes, you heard them in September, but they formed for the Christmas party it's called tradition), sandwiches... The rest is up to you: dust off that vent.'s dummy, polish that euphonium, practise those card tricks... or just turn up, to round off a great year. It's free, to members. |
| 3rd January 2008 | Tony Hall | Master of the two-row melodeon, played in a style all his own. Traditional songs and tunes, humour, off-colour jokes and general eccentricity. Currently working on that difficult third album in thirty years. |
| 10th January 2008 | Pete Coe | The legendary One-Man Folk Industry! A welcome return of the singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who is a reliable source of high-quality, energetic entertainment. 'He explores the heartland of the English folk song revival with an ease and honesty that invests traditional songs with a simplistic beauty.' Mojo |
| 17th January 2008 | Damien Barber & Mike Wilson | Traditional ballads, songs and tunes, with guitar and concertina. They only do one tour a year, so here's your chance to see Damien in an informal setting singing with his old mate Mike Wilson from The Wilson Family. |
| 24th January 2008 | Posh Band | English country music played on melodeon, fiddle, banjo and piano. Songs, step dancing 'The music is quite simply, a joy to listen to, wonderful tunes, played with bags of energy and bounce. The playing has that nice raw edge... the record is a delight.' Musical Traditions internet magazine |
| 31st January 2008 | New Deal String Band | American traditional music in the Old Time style from the legendary Tom Paley, Joe Locker and Ben Paley on guitars, banjos and fiddles. Tom performed with Woody Guthrie, was a founder member of the even more legendary New Lost City Ramblers ('I took to them immediately.' Chronicles, Bob Dylan), Ben Paley is '...just about the best folk fiddler of his generation' fRoots and Joe Locker's not bad, either. |
| 7th February 2008 | Robb Johnson | Such a regular favourite at the club, we can't think of anything else to say about him. How about '...creator of some of the most potent songs of the last decade.' fRoots |
| 14th February 2008 | Sam Lee + Bernard Puckett + Lost in England | Young singer of traditional English songs, with eccentric English poet and multi-fiddle band playing, guess what, English tunes, for another of our popular themed evenings celebrating our native culture. No morris dancing (the ceiling's not high enough). |
| 21st February 2008 | Pete Cooper & Richard Bolton | Virtuosi of the fiddle, mandolin, cello and guitar, their musical influences are diverse, but they identify their music both traditional tunes and songs, and their own highly original new pieces as 'Contemporary English Roots'. |
| 28th February 2008 | The Drones | A beloved institution a startlingly talented quartet producing original music on a bewildering array of instruments, many of them musical. The Drones play original music on various reeds, various strings, various percussion and cello. 'A delight.' Time Out. 'Surprisingly pleasant.' The Times |
| 6th March 2008 | Pete Morton | Guitarist and singer of his own powerful songs as well as traditional material. 'not only impressive but a revelation... totally original.' The Guardian. '... this guy is amongst the best the British roots music scene has produced in living memory.' fRoots |
| 13th March 2008 | Emily & Hazel Askew | Longtime favourites at the club since their early floorspots, this talented young fiddle and melodeon duo, performing traditional English tunes and songs, are making a name for themselves at festivals throughout the country. |
| 20th March 2008 | Peta Webb, Ken Hall & Simon Hindley | Ken and Peta are long-time friends of this club (as well as running a fine one of their own), and lovely singers, whether solo or in spine-tingling harmony. This evening, they'll be concentrating on their American repertory, together with our resident blues ace. 'Peta Webb... leaves no tear unjerked.' fRoots |
| 27th March 2008 | Andrew Frank & Michael Hebbert | Our own eclectic troubador rejoins the maestro of the Jeffries system Duet concertina for a trip down Memory Lane. It's not often that we have the chance to experience such a rare treat, so turn up in your hundreds. Absolutely unmissable! |
| 3rd April 2008 | Martin Nail & the Sub-Committee + David Campbell | Our revered treasurer, webmaster and stentorian songster Martin Nail returns at the head of the bouncy brigade that used to be our resident band, complete with piercing reeds and perverse time signatures. Plus a bit more than usual of another resident singer. |
| 10th April 2008 | Lynne Heraud & Pat Turner | Lynne has been here in other company, but this duo is new to us, in spite of being well established and highly rated as skilful interpreters of both traditional and contemporary song not to mention some hilarious joint compositions of their own. |
| 17th April 2008 | Will Duke & Dan Quinn | You know what to expect, by now, from two of the foremost exponents of English Country Music: great tunes played with taste and style on anglo concertina and melodeon; more-or-less traditional songs performed in highly distinctive unison. |
| 24th April 2008 | Klezmer Klub | Our regular dose of wedding, bar mitzvah and Yiddish theatre music, and they just keep getting better. Music for the feet and soul. |
| 1st May 2008 | May Day with Attila the Stockbroker | What better occasion for a return visit by the social surrealist rebel poet and songwriter and to ensure that all relevant traditions are honoured, he says he'll bring his fiddle to sit in with the Angels. |
| 8th May 2008 | Kristina Olsen | One of our favourite Americans is passing through again. If you didn't catch any of her previous visits, she's an intelligent and entertaining singer-songwriter, and very musical (she generally accompanies herself on guitar, but also plays concertina, piano and saxophone). |
| 15th May 2008 | Wizz Jones | A welcome return of one of those who labour under the burden of being hailed 'legend', by virtue of being still at it, after quite a long time. However, he's not only still here, but also just as good as you'd expect. |
| 22nd May 2008 | Katie's Quartet | More English Country Music, this time from Suffolk. One row melodeon, hammered dulcimer, banjo and cello played vigorously in the traditional manner. A rare treat for us town mice. |
| 29th May 2008 | Chris Sarjeant | This young singer-guitarist has impressed with many fine floorspots and a shared booking, during the past year. In case you missed them all, expect traditional English songs with sophisticated accompaniment. |
| 5th June 2008 | Beskydy | Rollicking East European dance music, and dramatic singing in various languages, from one of our favourite big bands. |
| 12th June 2008 | Leon Rosselson | Simply the best. Accept no substitute. Bring some poor benighted soul who doesn't know. |
| 19th June 2008 | At home with The Possum Lickers with friends + Stetson Stan | Our resident purveyors of old-time blues, hillbilly ballads and cowboy waltzes. Presented, in accordance with what we like to call tradition, by our other resident cowboy singer. |
| 26th June 2008 | Mary Humphreys & Anahata + Major Catastrophe?s indoor show for the End of Term Party (sandwiches) | Old friends of the club, Mary sings traditional songs, mostly in English and a few in her native Welsh, and plays banjo and concertina, and Anahata accompanies with virtuoso melodeons, concertina and cello. They play instrumental arrangements, mostly of English traditional music and some with a strong East Anglian flavour. 'Wonderful and unusual versions of songs and brilliant accompaniments and tunes.' Pete Coe |
| 4th September 2008 | Wild Willy Barrett's Sleeping Dogz | An eclectic mix of musical styles played by three virtuoso musicians on a variety of instruments ? all presented with a large dose of wry humour! |
| 11th September 2008 | Whitetop Mountain Band | Classic old time and bluegrass band from Grayson County in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia. Fiddle, mandolin, banjo, guitar. |
| 18th September 2008 | Jamie Rowan & Sally Wiltshire | Eclectic pianoman Jamie and chanteuse Sally present a survey of bar-room piano playing and singing from the 1890s to the present day. Blues, music hall, boogie woogie, jazz, traditional folk. |
| 25th September 2008 | Chris Wood | ?The Renaissance man of English folk.? Irish Times. Come early. |
| 2nd October 2008 | Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer | Young duo blend traditional material and contemporary interpretations, with Scottish smallpipes, accordion and nyckelharpa. |
| 9th October 2008 | Reuben's Train | Songs from the dark side. Americana, and more, from one of our favourite vocal and guitar duos. |
| 16th October 2008 | Tom & Barbara Brown | Rich harmony singing of mainly trad material, accompanied by concertina, melodeon, mandola and guitar. |
| 23rd October 2008 | Pete Cooper & Richard Bolton | Their musical influences are diverse, but they identify their music ? both traditional tunes and songs, and their own highly original new pieces ? as ?Contemporary English Roots?. Which is not to say that there won?t be wonky Eastern European and Texas ragtime as well. |
| 30th October 2008 | The Other Band | Duet concertina, accordion, harmonica, double bass and vocals. Eclectic and quirky, they do everything from straight ahead trad to Brett Marvin and The Thunderbolts |
| 6th November 2008 | The Expatriate Game | Irish and American songs and tunes from Maggie Boyle (flute, voice), Ben Paley (fiddle) and Duck Baker (guitar). Three master musicians in full flight! |
| 13th November 2008 | Johan Hedin | Swedish maestro of the nyckleharpa. Traditional music from the south-east of Sweden ? and new compositions. |
| 20th November 2008 | Tim Laycock | Songs and tunes on duet concertina. Tim is a specialist in the songs, traditions and dialect of the West Country, and the poetry and prose of William Barnes and Thomas Hardy. |
| 27th November 2008 | Martin Carthy | Come early! |
| 4th December 2008 | SOAS ad hoc Rembetiko Band | Rebetiko is the rebel music of Greece, with more than a hint of Sufi in its modes and music. It is a Byzantine blend of the Turkish rhythms brought with them by the immigrant Greeks uprooted from their homes in Asia Minor with the contemporary Greek music of the twenties and thirties. This is the music played by the SOAS Ad Hoc Rebetiko Band, a 15 strong band featuring powerful bouzouki playing, artful percussion and sublimely soulful singing. |
| 11th December 2008 | Woodlarks + Martin Nail + Cheap Jack | The filling in this sandwich is supplied by Tanya Jackson (vocals, guitar, melodeon) and Brona McVittie (vocals, guitar, harp, bodhran) exploring the wealth of British and American folk music and adding their own subtle twists and tinges. Our own Martin Nail provides the crusty wholemeal bread and Cheap Jack, the spreadable, lightly-salted English butter. |
| 18th December 2008 | Christmas Party | Get that bouzouki down from the top of the wardrobe, dust off your old ukulele, but above all, don't forget your spoons. The culmination of another year swinging wildly between the extremes of fierce traditionalism and the eccentric limits of, let's be honest, the plain bonkers. The ever-popular, free to members, shindig - with sandwiches, if we're lucky. |
| 8th January 2009 | Bob Davenport & Roger Digby | Bob out of retirement, with Roger from Flowers and Frolics on anglo concertina. Bob is dedicating the night to the memory of Francis Shergold of Bampton Morris. |
| 15th January 2009 | Matthew Ord + Malcolm and Ollie Woods + The Mouseyroom | A new face on the scene, with guitar virtuosity and fine vocals; an excellent vocal and melodeon duo from Essex, with East Anglian-style dance tunes and songs from between the wars (i.e. The Hundred Years War and the War on Trrrrr); plus another, eccentric, duo with one-row, four-stop melodeon, bass clarinet and voice. |
| 22nd January 2009 | Lizzy Doe, Joe Bardwell & Kate Locksley | New Roots 2008 finalists come out of the hot Cambridgeshire session scene playing hypnotic traditional tunes and new, often experimental, stuff of their own, which holds a healthy respect for the tradition. Fiddle and guitar now with added haunting voice from Kate Locksley. |
| 29th January 2009 | London Uyghur Ensemble | Four musicians and one singer/dancer with music from the Uyghur people, who live in East Turkestan, with a wide diaspora in central Asia (and Haringey). They play the long-necked tambur and dutar lutes, ghijak spike fiddle and percussion. Tell the MC he can pronounce it "wEE-ger" (although "ooygOOr" is closer). |
| 5th February 2009 | Tom McConville | 'Scintillating fiddle, a silky smooth voice, a wide grin and a dry Geordie wit.' A fantastic fiddler who frequently goes up the dusty end with tunes from the James Hill tradition. Fast, rhythmic dance tunes, slow airs, great singing, inimitable sense of humour and style. Unmissable! |
| 12th February 2009 | The Drones | Exciting quartet return to the club, playing original acoustic music and songs with cello, mandolin, clarinet, percussion, car parts, toys, birdcalls, musical saw, items from the garden shed... As seen on Blue Peter and heard on Radios 2, 3, 4, etc)! No toys are hurt during their performance and you can try it at home. |
| 19th February 2009 | Kath Tait | Witty, clever, catchy New Zealand songsmith tells tales of cycling and naughty neighbours, accompanying herself on guitar and harmonica. It's a long ride home! |
| 26th February 2009 | David Campbell | Now living in Birmingham, David brings back to the club, where he was resident for many years, his fine voice, banjo and ukulele. He sings English trad and Americana, along with his father, Ian's, noted songs. Welcome back. |
| 5th March 2009 | Mat Green & Andy Turner | Traditional English songs and tunes on anglo concertina and fiddle. They specialise in little-known tunes from eighteenth and nineteenth century village musicians' tunebooks, but will play any good dance tune from almost anywhere! |
| 12th March 2009 | Coombs, Locke & Puckett | Mandola/guitar and cello trans-euro tunes from Mr & Mrs Coombs, that's Geoff and Kathryn, and she makes sense of the poet, Bernard Puckett's, strange songs with ukulele and guitar, of London life and death and Stetson Stan. |
| 19th March 2009 | Sam Lee & Ed Hicks | Sam Lee is a gifted singer with a great love for the traditional songs of the British Isles and the English Gypsy community. He has performed at many of the major UK festivals, including Sidmouth and Whitby. 'Sleepy' Ed Hicks is a banjo player and singer of off-the-wall songs, all of which makes for an interesting and exciting evening, the embodiment of the club motto. |
| 26th March 2009 | Florida | Distinctive arrangements of tunes and songs with trumpet, saxophones, melodeon, fiddle and guitars. A brassy collision of traditional English country dance and good time jazz, underpinned by muscular dance rhythms. |
| 2nd April 2009 | The Mighty Quinns | All the way from Brighton, stalwart of the English music scene and long-time associate of the club, Dan Quinn on melodeon and vocals, with his son Matt on fiddle, mandolin, mandolin banjo and vocals. The evolving tradition? We?ll see. |
| 9th April 2009 | John Hegley | Local poet and musician does solo gig. Needs no introduction. |
| 16th April 2009 | Robin Gillan | Old time fiddle, banjo and guitar. From the foggy mountains of Barnet to the bayous of Cambridge -- and back. |
| 23rd April 2009 | Pálinka + Laura Victoria | Pálinka is an all-female band in London who have been brought together by their shared
passion: Romanian, Gypsy, Jewish, Saxon and Hungarian folk music from the remote villages of Transylvania.
Laura Victoria is a young musician who impressed us when she did a floorspot recently; she sings traditional songs and her own songs, accompanying herself on the cello. |
| 30th April 2009 | Maggie Sand & Sandragon | Maggie Sand and Sandragon perform a unique blend of traditional and original songs and high energy dance tunes from the mediaeval and Renaissance eras, played on crumhorns, recorders, flute, hurdy-gurdy, harmonium, bouzouki, mandola, guitar and percussion. |
| 7th May 2009 | Beskydy | You wait months for an eastern European band to come along ...
The name Beskydy refers to the Beskydy mountain range, which runs through the three main regions of former Czechoslovakia - Bohemia, Moravia and Slovakia. The music of Beskydy is largely inspired by the music from that region but also includes music from Macedonia, Bulgaria, Turkey and from the Jewish Klezmer and Jewish-Hungarian tradition. |
| 14th May 2009 | David Rovics | Radical singer-songwriter who has been called the musical voice of the progressive movement in the US. He?ll make you laugh, he?ll make you cry, and he'll make the revolution irresistible. Powerful, inspiring stuff. "Listen to David Rovics ..." Pete Seeger |
| 21st May 2009 | John and Joe Devine + Thomas MacCarthy | Uillean piper and multi-intrumentalist John, who we?ve heard with Wild Willy Barrett?s Sleeping
Dogz, brings his lifelong passion for Irish music, accompanied by son Joe on guitar.
With support from Tom MacCarthy, a singer from the Irish traveller community who is making a big impression in London folk clubs. |
| 28th May 2009 | Chris Sarjeant and Benedict Taylor | Mainly traditional English with voice, guitar/cittern and fiddle from a favourite of the club, with new sidekick, who greatly impressed with a recent floorspot. "Impeccable fiddle and guitar work, one of the best voices ever ... a very major addition to the British folk scene." Tom McConville |
| 4th June 2009 | Klezmer Klub | A local eclectic mix of musicians who play dance music, wedding music and sing Yiddish songs. "Their music is altogether a delight to the soul (and to the feet)." Rabbi Sheila Shulman |
| 11th June 2009 | Tom Paley | It's always a pleasure to hear the leading expatriate exponent of old-time American music on guitar, banjo and fiddle and voice and no doubt the odd Swedish fiddle tune. |
| 18th June 2009 | Pete Cooper & Richard Bolton | Contemporary English Roots on fiddle, mandolin, cello and guitar from two master musicians. "We were glad and proud to discover for us and our audience such bright artist as you ... Thank you for joy of dealings with your wonderful music. Much friendly love from Siberia." Radio Penguin, Novosibirsk |
| 25th June 2009 | Tom Napper & Tom Bliss Final Tour + The End of Term Party | The Final Tour -- so possibly your last chance to see them.
Tom Napper and Tom Bliss formed as a duo in 2002 and are one of the most successful acts on the UK traditional music circuit. Songs, traditional and contemporary, and tunes from all over, on guitars, mandolins of all sizes, banjo, fiddle, concertina, and possibly other instruments, if they can carry them. |
| Notes by David Campbell, Alex Szyszkowski, Bernard Puckett, et al |
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Page created by Martin Nail. Last revised 22nd September 2009