1 February: Open Stage with Helen Penfold
Singer songwriter Helen Penfold, writes from the heart but the meanings of her songs aren't always as straight forward as they may seem – they may have a bit of a twist.
Entry: £4 (door), £2 (members), £1 (performers).
8 February: Jackie Oates and Jim Causley
Jackie Oates: Jackie is a fine young singer and fiddle player of English traditional music. Since her appearance as a finalist in the Radio 2 Young Folk Awards in 2003, her sensitive, lyrical interpretations of English ballads and songs have been building her a strong reputation within the tradition. She has performed with such well-known artists as Rachel Unthank and the Winterset, and supported Show of Hands. Her second CD, The Violet Hour, will soon be released on Phil Beer's new Chudleigh Roots label. www.jackieoates.com
Jim Causley : Young Devon folk singer Jim Causley has become renowned for his warm, rich and mature singing voice, his natural gift for interpreting traditional song and his wry and cheeky stage presence. Nominated as best newcomer at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2006, he has already released two CDs, Fruits of the Earth (2005) and Lost Love Found (2007). Jim is also a member of the trio The Devil's Interval, has toured with Waterson-Carthy on their Frost and Fire Christmas tours, and has recently collaborated with John McCusker on the Cambridge Folk Festival commissioned project, ‘Under One Sky'.
www.jimcausley.co.uk
Support: Zoox are a superb trio serving up a cocktail of new melodies and traditional tunes with a delicate balance of strings, wind , percussion and voices . Be prepared for a fabulous array of instruments from contrabassoon to congas.
www.zoox.co.uk
Entry: £10 (door), £9 (advance), £8 (members).
15 February: Waking The Witch
Welcome back to Waking the Witch on this, their farewell tour. After five years on the road, and recording three CDs – Like Everybody , Hands and Bridges , and Boys from the Abattoir – together, the girls have decided that the time is now right to disband. Don't miss this final opportunity to catch Patsy Matheson, Jools Parker, Becky Mills and Rachel Goodwin's spell-binding harmonies and sparkling acoustic picking.
www.wakingthewitch.co.uk
Support: Martin Kaszak: Welcome back to guitarist and vocalist Martin whose wide-ranging set is influenced by Tommy Emmanuel, Ralph McTell, Jim Croce, Show of Hands and Blind Blake.
Entry: £10 (door), £9 (advance), £8 (members).
22 February: Open Stage with Andrew Noyes
Singer and geetarist Andrew Noyes performs a wide range of self penned songs. He may even slip in the odd poem when you're not looking.
Entry : £4 (door), £2 (members), £1 (performers).
29 February: Showcase: Lightning Jack, Rosie Eade and The Ouse Brothers
Lightning Jack: This popular local folk/rock band - Phil Utting-Brown (bass guitar and vocals), Lester Lloyd-Reason (guitar and vocals) Cliff Ward (violin, guitar, mandolin and vocals) and Ian Turner (percussion and vocals) – name The Pogues, The Waterboys and Led Zeppelin amongst their influences, but are now performing more original material than before.
www.myspace.com/lightningjackband
Rosie Eade: Rosie plays a mix of carefully chosen traditional songs and thoughtful, life inspired songs of her own, all arranged around her love of folk, folk-rock and her old nylon strung guitar.
www.myspace.com/rosieeade
The Ouse Brothers: Jim Gosney and Rick Sanders are so well-known around Cambridge for the powerful originality and soulfulness of their Cambridge delta blues that they hardly need any introduction.
Entry: £6 (door), £5 (advance), £4 (members).
7 March: Open Stage with Moses and The Ref
Moses and the Ref, Christine Connolley and Steve Last, perform folk songs both contemporary and from the tradition with voices which blend in superb harmony, either acappella or accompanied by Steve's guitar playing.
www.mosesandtheref.org.uk
Entry : £4 (door), £2 (members), £1 (performers).
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14 March: Isambarde
Isambarde, with Chris's driving guitar, Jude's lyrical oboe, and Emily's incisive fiddle playing, are becoming more high profile than ever. They now have two CDs to their credit, Brunel's Kingdom and Barnstorming, have supported Phil Beer and Miranda Sykes, and Emily is about to record an EP with Phil Beer. They ‘sing and play with a fabulous energy and an amazing array of musical talents. Fiddle, guitar and oboe sustain their voices through a wonderful collection of tunes. We love their music.' Cloudstreet . www.isambarde.co.uk
This concert will take place at The Legends Bar, Cambridge City Football Ground, Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 1UY. For directions to the venue see: www.cambridgecityfc.com/afolder/Directions.shtml |
Support: Barron Brady blend their distinctive voices together, weaving in and out of the rich harmony created by Simon's masterful guitar playing and Rosalind's harmonium and whistles. Their set includes fine interpretations of English folk song and superbly crafted self-written songs, with lyrics which draw on the stories, legends and folklore of the South West. www.barronbrady.com Entry: £9 (door), £8 (advance), £7 (members).
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21 March: Closed (Good Friday)
28 March: The Crofters
The legendary Cambridge Crofters, with their distinctive brand of modern and traditional folk music, have been entertaining audiences since 1964.
Support: Dave Jenkins, whose traditional background mixes happily with his modern, self-penned compositions reflecting life and love.
Entry: £7 (door), £6 (advance), £5 (members).
4 April: Liz Simcock
A great singer-songwriter familiar to many of you, who acknowledges the influences of Christine Collister, Eddi Reader and Nancy Griffith, Liz is a talent in very much her own right. Enjoy her relaxed, endearing stage presence. Liz will be accompanied by Ian Newman and Warwick Jones.
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Support: David Stevenson: A regular performer at the Cambridge Folk Club, David has produced a series of strong, melodic, guitar-based songs, with an emphasis on first-person historical narrative including the outstanding Great War Trilogy and the epic of migration, The Last of England.
www.david-stevenson-music.co.uk
Entry : £8 (door), £7 (advance), £6 (members). |
11 April: Open Stage with George Horler
Another chance to come along and play, or to listen to talented local musicians. George Horler will be performing in the 30 minute spot for the first time.
Entry: £4 (door), £2 (members), £1 (performers).
18 April: Graham Robins and James Litherland
Graham is a powerful and emotive singer - songwriter with a career spanning four decades.
His heart and love of performing is still as young as yesterday, and his passionate and heartfelt songs and material are drawn from years of experience with influences crossing musical borders. Graham is accompanied this evening by singer guitarist James Litherland.
www.themodestmusicgroup.com/pages/artists/graham_robins.php
Support: Redhouse: Redhouse are six! The original duo of Amanda Hall and Richard Wildman now have bass, accordion, fiddle and backing vocals to give their mix of original, traditional and roots gems a big sound and a bigger heart.
www.redhouseduo.com
Entry : £8 (door), £7 (advance), £6 (members).
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25 April: Mike Silver
Mike Silver's songs are of longing, love and loss, perceptive and thoughtful, with haunting melodies and heart stopping lyrics. With a voice that is as warm and inviting as the fire in the fireplace on a cold winter's night, Mike is an outstanding treasure amidst the crowd.
www.mikesilver.co.uk |
Support: Kramer: From Holland, Kramer who are Rob de Jong (guitars), Jeroen Vriend (bass and vocals), Harald Veenker (drums), Marc Besselink (vocals and keyboards) have just released a new CD, “Life Cycle”.
www.kramer-music.nl
Entry: £10 (door), £9 (advance), £8 (members) |
2 May Open Stage with Les Ray.
Another chance to play on our Open Stage, and join singer and guitarist Les on his musical journey from the dust bowl to the West Coast, from these shores to Italy and Latin America, which might even include some songs of his own.
Entry: £4 (door), £2 (members), £1 (performers).
9 May Landermason and The Floozies:
The Club presents one of its occasional joint nights, as we welcome back the duo Landermason and local band The Floozies.
Landermason are Fiona Lander (multi-instrumentalist and vocalist) and Paul Mason (guitarist extraordinaire) whose new album The Reason skilfully encompasses both the folk and jazz genres, taking the traditional music of the North East to a space of its own. “A sparky, supremely confident statement, this is one for the connoisseur.” - Living Tradition.
www.landermason.com
The Floozies are Daisy Windsor (guitar and vocals), Paula Welham (sax and flute) and Sue Szymanski (bodhran and ethnic percussion) whose original acoustic music, played on an unusual collection of instruments, is complimented by beautiful harmonies. “A real breath of fresh air on the roots scene.” Stephen Foster, BBC Radio Suffolk.
www.thefloozies.co.uk
Entry: £9 (door), £8 (advance), £7 (members).
16 May Showcase: Na Mara, Samantha Marais and Robert Brown
Na Mara: Paul McNamara (guitar and vocals) and Rob Garcia (guitar and mandolin) have an ever-expanding repertoire from lively arrangements of Irish fiddle tunes to poignant songs and ballads for voice, guitar and mandolin. When they played for us in February, we were privileged to hear the first public outing of their new song Solo Por Tres Meses, so we know there will be more excellent music this evening.
www.na-mara.com
Samantha Marais: New to the Club is the fresh young talent of Samantha, who delivers her exotic music, unusual imagery and anachronistic melodies with the innocence of a previous age. “Lighter than a Malteser in a flotation tank, Marais’ ethereal vocals (have) weightless, simple beauty.” - New Musical Express.
www.myspace.com/samanthamarais www.samanthamarais.com
Robert Brown
With his unique style and presence, Robert delivers a wealth of styles and emotions throughout the roots spectrum, drawing on folk, blues and jazz. Don’t miss this chance to hear this long-standing friend of the Club’s driving, emotional delivery of songs that make you think.
www.robert-brown.info
Entry £6 (door), £5 (advance), £4 (members).
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23 May Steve Lockwood
Local harmonica wizard Steve, and rock, blues, slide and ragtime guitarist Chris Newman are the duo Hot Lips and Chilli Fingers. They will take you on a seamless roller coaster ride through traditional music, presenting an eclectic mix of original and cover songs from the last 80 years. Expect some spice!
www.steve.ms
www.chrisnewmangrooves.com |
Support: Tony Clark and Karen Johnson. The charismatic combination of accomplished solo performers Karen (vocals) and Tony (guitar) delivers powerful and intimate arrangements of songs traditional and modern. |
Entry £8 (door), £7 (advance), £6 (members) |
30 May Tanglefoot
Al Parrish (double bass), Rob Ritchie (piano), Steve Ritchie (acoustic guitar), Terry Young (guitar, mandolin, five string banjo and harmonica) and Sandra Swannell (violin and viola) are the thunderous band Tanglefoot. Expect sets with rampaging energy, superb musicianship, breathtaking vocal harmonies and engrossing story-songs with hints of Celtic, French-Canadian and English influences. “A full-throated, multi-instrumental road of exuberance and delight.” Toronto Star.
www.tanglefootmusic.com |
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Support: Jade: This Cambridge singer songwriter combines an impassioned voice and ambient style; her musical influences include Kate Bush, Massive Attack, Jeff Buckley and Bjork. “Haunting melodies and vocals.” - Acoustic Stage.
www.myspace.com/jaderhiannon |
Entry £12 (door), £11 (advance), £10 (members). |
Please Note: Programme For June and July 2008.
The Golden Hind will be closed in June for refurbishment. The venue for all concerts in June will be The Romsey Labour Club, Mill Road (at the junction with Coleridge Road), Cambridge CB1 3NL. Multimap
6 June: Open Stage with Dave Stubbs. This concert will be at The Romsey Labour Club.
A talented and versatile acoustic guitarist/vocalist, Dave has been playing the folk clubs and pubs in his home county of Yorkshire for more than 10 years. Dave performs a mixture of folk, blues, jazz and more contemporary styles, throwing in a few of his own songs for good measure!
Entry: £4 (door), £2 (members), £1 (performers).
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13 June: Cloudstreet. This concert will be at The Romsey Labour Club.
Cloudstreet, Australian duo Nicole Murray and John Thompson, breathe new life into the tradition. Two lovely, exuberant people who entertain right royally with their clever vocal harmonies, well chosen songs (traditional, contemporary and self-penned), guitar, flute and concertina. They are superb singers, technically and emotionally, both solo and in delightful and beautifully considered harmony.
www.cloudstreet.org |
Support: Martin Baxter: Soloist Martin accompanies his singing with guitar or banjo. Well known around Cambridge for his adaptions and reconstructions of pre-WW2 Americana, he'll play “anything that moves.”
Entry: £9 (door), £8 (advance), £7 (members). |
20 June: Showcase: Marina Florance, Jason Hakin and Hector's Heroes.
This concert will be at The Romsey Labour Club.
Marina Florance: Marina performs self-penned material as well as songs by her guitarist Mick Kennedy and co-writer Julie Allen. We enjoy her deep, warm voice and compassionate delivery so much that we have asked her to play on our Club Tent stage at the Cambridge Folk Festival.
www.myspace.com/marinaflorance
Jason Hakin is a singer-songwriter from Ontario, Canada. His full length CD, “Writing Home”, has had an enthusiastic reception from his fans in Canada, England and France. Jason’s talent as a multi-instrumentalist has resulted in a sound that is highly melodic and instrumentally diverse and his songs are memorable, lovely and wistfully melancholy.
www.jasonhakin.net
Hector's Heroes are Tom Ling, Brian Cleary and Jon Ward. Tom Brian and Jon are no strangers to the Cambridge folk scene, having played in a number of bands and other combinations over the years. Hector's Heroes features Tom's strong and expressive fiddle playing, accompanied by Brian on bouzouki and Jon on guitar. They play a selection of traditional and original tunes, many reflecting Tom's Scottish roots, with novel arrangements of traditional and contemporary songs thrown in for good measure!
Entry £6 (door), £5 (advance), £4 (members).
27 June: Kerfuffle. This concert will be at The Romsey Labour Club.
Four of the finest young musicians on the folk scene today, Sam Sweeney, Hannah James, Jamie Roberts, and Tom Sweeney perform with immense vitality and style. Their music cannot easily be categorised and their vibrant arrangements draw on influences from across Europe, incorporating tunes, songs and dances.
www.kerfuffleonline.co.uk
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Support: Gren Bartley.
Gren Bartley's music is both contemporary and heavily rooted in old blues and folk songs with intricate and meticulous guitar arrangements, mature vocals and poetically crafted lyrics. He recently released his debut solo album, “Carry Her Safe”.
www.grenbartley.co.uk
Entry £10 (door), £9 (advance), £8 (members). |
The venue for concerts from the 1st July will be The Golden Hind unless otherwise stated.
4 July: Showcase with friends from The Mayflower Folk Club
The Mayflower Folk Club meets once a month at the Portland Arms. This evening is your chance to sample some of the great traditional folk music from their regular performers, including Debbie Patterson-Jones, Bernie Kedge, Joy Rutherford and Mike Tabecki.
www.mayflowerfolkclub.org.uk
Entry £6 (door), £5 (advance), £4 (members).
11 July: Open Stage with Justin Bernasconi.
Singer songwriter guitarist Justin Bernasconi is now a member of the Australian band The Stillsons but some years ago he was a regular performer at the Cambridge Folk Club. Justin returns to entertain us with his songs and skilful guitar playing.
www.myspace.com/thestillsons
Entry: £4 (door), £2 (members), £1 (performers).
18 July: Showcase: Kiss The Mistress, Invocal and Ruby Muse
Kiss The Mistress is based around the long standing musical partnership of Ginny Davis and John Ramirez. The combination of 'cello/voice and chromatic button accordion is underpinned by the driving rhythmical counterpoint of bodhran provided by Roy Jones. With skilfully crafted arrangements they perform their own self penned work and carefully chosen traditional material, celebrating the breadth of pan European music.
www.kissthemistress.co.uk
Invocal are a four piece female acoustic band that perform with cello, guitar, clarinet and four harmonious voices - described as having dark gypsy folk tugging from one side and an all out west end musical tugging from the other. Their songs tell tales of modern life - with caustic and bawdy humour, powerful and moving lyrics and expert musical prowess.
www.invocal.co.uk
Ruby Muse: Jools Heyes (vocals, guitar, mandolin, harmonica, piano) and Malcolm Heyes (guitars, harmony) play an eclectic mix of folk, soul, blues and pop which crosses genres.
www.myspace.com/rubymuse
Entry £6 (door), £5 (advance), £4 (members).
25 July: Marion's Freedom Celebration with Alquimia, Redhouse Radio and Lightning Jack.
Alquimia are Alquimia (voice, harmonium, harp, accordion, guitar, piano), Mark Powell (guitar, hurdy-gurdy, piano) and Will Summers (flutes, recorders, crumhorn and mediaeval wind instruments, voice).
Their music is a rich blend of traditional and original songs with mediaeval and celtic flavours presented with a contemporary twist.
www.myspace.com/alquimialive
Redhouse Radio: Redhouse, originally a duo, have grown to Redhouse Radio, a band! So large we've had to extend our stage! With vocals, fiddle, bass, accordion and guitars, they promise a set to die for. Their original songs, blended with traditional and roots/soul gems, will have you on your knees and on your feet.
www.myspace.com/redhouse6
Lightning Jack, are Phil Utting-Brown (bass guitar/vocals), Lester Lloyd Reason (guitar/vocals), Cliff Ward (violin/guitar/mandolin/vocals) and Ian Turner (percussion/vocals). This popular local band, who perform an eclectic mix of Celtic roots, blues, ballads and reels, will be appearing on our Club Tent stage at the Cambridge Folk Festival
www.myspace.com/lightningjackband
Entry £7 (door), £6 (advance), £5 (members).
1 August: Cambridge Folk Festival Club Tent, Cherry Hinton Hall: We're hosting the Friday Evening Club Tent, 6pm to 11:30pm. Our guests are Lightning Jack, Marina Florance, Katus Young, Robert Brown and Dave Jenkins
Programme September and October 2008
Please Note: Programme for September 2008
The venue for 5 and 19 September is The Romsey Labour Club, Mill Road (at the junction with Coleridge Road), Cambridge CB1 3NL.
The venue for 12 September is St Luke’s Church, Victoria Road, Cambridge, CB4 3DZ.
From 26 September onwards, the Folk Club will be back at The Golden Hind.
5 Sept: Open Stage with special guest Gren Bartley. This concert will be at The Romsey Labour Club. (Map)
We open our new season with a return visit from Gren Bartley, whose music is both contemporary and heavily rooted in old blues and folk songs with intricate, melodious guitar arrangements, mature vocals and poetically crafted lyrics. He recently released his debut solo album ‘Carry Her Safe’. Don’t miss this opportunity to listen or perform.
www.grenbartley.co.uk
Entry: £4 (door), £2 (members), £1 (performers).
www.myspace.com/uiscedwr
www.myspace.com/karentweed |
12 Sept: Uiscedwr. This concert will be at St. Luke’s Church.
For our first guest night of the new season we welcome back one of Britain’s most exciting new bands, Uiscedwr. Ace fiddle player and vocalist Anna Esslemont and Irish bodhran and percussion virtuoso Cormac Byrne welcome their new band member, guitarist and vocalist extraordinaire James Hickman, who has replaced Kevin Dempsey; this evening of music promises to be technically brilliant, breath-takingly versatile and incredibly energising. To make the occasion even more special, they will be joined by awesome accordion player Karen Tweed (ex Poozies and Swap). Not to be missed! |
Support: The prizewinning, local young talent of Bryony Lemon and her band will dazzle you with their rendering of music from the Irish tradition. |
Entry: £10 (door), £9 (advance), £8 (members). |
19 Sept: Showcase with Howard Roscoe and Martin Kaszak, Cruel Folk, and Gus MacGregor. This concert will be at The Romsey Labour Club.
Martin Kaszak (guitar and vocals) and Howard Roscoe (harmonicas or slide guitar) perform their own blend of traditional ragtime blues, interlaced with modern songs with novel accompaniments.
http://www.myspace.com/martinkaszak
Cruel Folk, Club regulars Sean and Paul Holden, prove that ‘The English acoustic folk tradition is alive and well and this is where you’ll find it’. Their material acknowledges the darker past of the tradition, and incorporates the influence of some of its most modern exponents.
www.myspace.com/cruelfolk
The intimate ambience created by ex-Loman singer/songwriter Gus MacGregor’s lyrics and delicate guitar work will make you feel you’re back in the West Coast era of James Taylor. This evening, the sensitive exploration of relationships in Gus’s thoughtful material is further enhanced by an acoustic bass.
www.myspace.com/gusmacgregor
Entry: £6 (door), £5 (advance), £4 (members).
26 Sept: Betmead, Rundall and Olney: Folk scene veteran Jon Betmead, ex Backyard Band and Free Agents guitarist Philip Rundall and Usual Suspect Lynne Olney play an entertaining mix of folk, country, pop and bluesy material. We hope bass player Dave Olney will be able to join the band if he can.
Support: Martin Baxter: Another chance to enjoy Martin’s legendary ability to play ‘anything that moves’ in his search for those feel-good blues vibes. |
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Entry: £8 (door), £7 (advance), £6 (members). |
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3 Oct: Patsy Matheson (ex Waking the Witch). We’ve broken the tradition of starting each month with an Open Stage, to welcome back Patsy, founder member of award winning female group Waking the Witch. She’s now teamed up with producer/guitarist Sam Bartholomew to make the stripped back CD, ‘Little Piece of England' with a sound that’s close as possible to real, unamplified acoustic. Patsy and Sam’s material, played on vintage American acoustic guitars, showcases songs from the new album and from her time with Waking the Witch, demonstrating how her accomplished, individual style has gained her an enviable reputation.
www.patsymatheson.co.uk |
Support: Nicola Clark. Singer/songwriter Nicola’s style is more chanson than folk; her material, which features humorous songs, was once described as ‘occupying the area between Purcell, Edith Piaf and Arthur Askey.’
Entry: £9 (door), £8 (advance), £7 (members). |
10 Oct: Dave Ellis and Boo Howard: Dave is known for his unique guitar style and Boo for her wonderful voice and exceptional bass playing. They complement their original, sensitive and subtle songs with guitar playing of the highest order; the material on their latest CD ‘Living on Light’ is as diverse and eclectic as ever. ‘Acoustic rock, folk and blues at its best.’
www.daveandboo.com
Support: Gary Woolley. Gary’s musical influences derive from a broad range of British and American songwriters. His nostalgic vocal style is complemented by an equally reflective guitar style reminiscent of Gaughan and Carthy.
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Entry: £8 (door), £7 (advance), £6 (members). |
17 Oct: A concert for John: The club presents a very special evening celebrating the life, words and music of John Gaskell, who played at and supported this Folk Club for many years.
Entry: £6 (door), £5 (advance), £4 (members).
24 Oct: Showcase featuring Marina Florance, Dave Jenkins and YveDevora.
Marina Florance: Marina performs self-penned material with a deep, warm voice and compassionate delivery. She and her band gave us a great set when they played on our Club stage at this year's Cambridge Folk Festival, and tonight she is 'going solo'.
www.marinaflorance.com
Dave Jenkins’ traditional background mixes happily with his modern, self-penned compositions reflecting life and love; sometimes heart-searching, sometimes amusing, his lyrics always make you think.
YveDevora are back as a duo to give us some more of their funky folk rock with its haunting harmonies and soulful melodies.
Entry: £6 (door), £5 (advance), £4 (members).
Special Concert
Thursday 30th October: Show of Hands with Miranda Sykes
Spires and Beams Tour
at the Emmanuel United Reformed Church, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1RR
Show of Hands are without a doubt one of the strongest current forces in acoustic music.
An alchemist couldn’t have come up with a more potent, magical mix than that of Phil Beer, who can, as The Scotsman observed, “play nearly every stringed instrument known to man” and the inspired Steve Knightley, described by Mike Harding at BBC Radio 2’s 2007 Folk Awards as “one of England’s greatest singer songwriters”.
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www.showofhands.co.uk
www.mirandasykes.com |
Only A Few Tickets Left! Please Phone 01638 603986 |
31 Oct: Open Stage: Special guests Spencer Cleary. Long-established performers Philippa Spencer and Brian Cleary go back to their roots to explore the tradition’s beautiful and sometimes neglected songs, presenting them in a fresh and relevant way. Their pared-down arrangements not only retain the integrity of their songs’ melody and narrative, but also allow them to speak directly to the audience.
Entry: £4 (door), £2 (members), £1 (performers).
7 November: Megson
With their selection of original and traditional folk songs, duo Stu Hanna and Debbie Palmer have supported such folk luminaries as Show of Hands and Seth Lakeman; Bob Harris has described their act, with its captivating songs, beautiful harmonies, northern humour and impeccable musicianship, as ‘absolutely beautiful’.
‘For my money Megson are amongst the most exciting trailblazers of British contemporary folk,’ Seth Lakeman.
www.megsonmusic.co.uk
Support: Clara Kousah
Local singer songwriter Clara has just released her debut album Dark To Light, ‘a multi-coloured story book, (of) points and places in time and emotion’. Kousah’s voice has been variously depicted as phenomenal, powerful, and velvet.’
www.clarakousah.com
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Entry £9 (door), £8 (adv), £7 (members) |
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14 November: Joint guest night: Fran McGillivray and Mike Burke and Meridian
Fran McGillivray and Mike Burke: This acoustic duo’s stripped down sound is a gritty combination of acoustic blues, country, folk and Celtic influences. Their CD ‘Restless’ was recently featured on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire. ‘McGillivray has an agreeably controlled and laid-back vocal style, often with an American twang, while Burke is an excellent blues guitarist.’ - The Guardian, Feb 2008.
www.franmike.com |
Meridian play highly original music based around the driving chordal work of Richard Jones (accordion/guitar), the intricate melodic lines of Chris Walshaw (pipes, whistles, flutes) and the rhythmic harmonies and voice of Anna Tabbush (fiddle/flute/vocals).
'One to Watch. If you haven't seen these guys before you are in for a big treat.' Alan Surtees Director, Bridgnorth Folk Festival.
www.meridianfolk.co.uk |
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Entry £9 (door), £8 (adv), £7 (members)
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| Special Concert
Tuesday 18th November: Ralph McTell at the Emmanuel United Reformed Church, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1RR.
Cambridge music lovers are in for a treat when prolific and gifted songwriter Ralph McTell, now celebrating 30 years on the road, makes a welcome return to the city. “I’ve always loved playing in Cambridge”, he says, “because the audience is particularly warm and appreciative.” For this concert McTell will concentrate on his self-penned repertoire and return to the live format he and his audiences love most – one man, his guitar, and his songs. After ‘resting’ his most popular songs, such as the much-loved Clare to Here and the million-selling Streets of London, McTell is looking forward to giving them a new airing. But the concert will also contain rarer gems – with over 400 songs to his credit, McTell has no shortage of material on which to draw. At the Emmanuel United Reformed Church, McTell will intersperse old favourites with less familiar compositions. In fact, several of the songs in this show have never been played on stage before this tour. But whether from the earliest LP or most recent CD, the revisited numbers will take on new life in performance. A Ralph McTell show has an immediacy and intimacy which draws listeners in, weaving a tapestry of moods which spellbinds and enchants. McTell has an uncanny ability to capture in song timeless truths which are universally appealing and reach across generations. Concert-goers not only share in McTell’s finely-honed sensitivity, but are given an insight into the man himself: As he puts it, “These songs are what I am.”
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Entry £19 (door), £18 (advance), £17 (members) |
21 November: Open Stage with Steve Bradshaw
Steve writes acoustic music from Nick Cave-esque pseudo Christmas carols to suburban acoustic post punk, with lyrics about decrepit train stations, flying schools, healing and biscuit factories’.
www.myspace.com/stevebradshawuk
Entry: £4 (door), £2 (members), £1 (performers)
28 November: Pete Morton, Roger Wilson and Chris Parkinson Christmas Show
Ace accordionist and founder member of The House Band Chris Parkinson collaborates with chums Pete Morton – singer of traditional songs with a contemporary edge - and ex-House Band member Roger Wilson - singer, fiddler, guitarist and songwriter to bring in the Christmas season.
www.chrisparkinsonmusic.co.uk
www.petemorton.com
www.littlebackroom.com/rogerwilson.htm
Support: Tom Conway (vocals, guitar), joined by Joel Halcomb (bass). Tom's material has 'the same level of humour and seriousness that gave Tom Waits, Randy Newman and John Prine their legendary status'. - Maverick Magazine.
Entry £10 (door), £9 (adv), £8 (members)
5 December: Showcase with Sunday Driver, Na Mara and The Ouse Brothers
Sunday Driver are well known for their enthusiasm for experimenting with new sounds, ‘bringing together the innocence of English folk and the shimmering vibrancy of Eastern influences’ (bbconline) On their recently released CD ‘In the City of Dreadful Night’, the current line-up includes clarinet, tabla, sitar, concert harp, guitar and vocals. The band has written music for several soundtracks including an award-winning BBC Radio 4 documentary ‘Leprosy: a forgotten disease’.
www.sundaydriver.co.uk
St Albans-based duo Na Mara, Paul McNamara (guitar and vocals) and Rob Garcia (guitar and mandolin) were last seen at a windy Broadstairs Festival, where they were supporting Cara Dillon. Their repertoire ranges from arrangements of Irish fiddle tunes for mandolin and guitar, to poignant songs and ballads arranged for voice, guitar and mandolin.
www.na-mara.com
The Ouse Brothers are Rick Sanders on vocals and rhythm and Jim Gosney on lead. They have been whooping it up with an eccentric and urgent mixture of blues, country and originals for some time now. But their flame is undimmed by age or experience. Which is considerable.
Entry £6 (door), £5 (adv), £4 (members)
12 December: Coup de Grass:
Keith Pearson's Coup de Grass is an exciting mix of all that is great in Bluegrass and in Folk. Their music, which ranges from fast, dazzling banjo, guitar and harmonica solos to ballads of exceptional beauty is just a part of what makes them one of the most popular and sought after acts currently playing the clubs and concert stages. Time and time again, at concerts and festivals, people come up to the band after a show and say "I didn't realise how much I liked that kind of music until I heard this band."
www.keithpearson.co.uk
Support: Tony Carling
Tony Carling is as unique an artist as you could wish for, a warm engaging and totally relaxed performer. His song writing brings to life in sometimes hilarious fashion the observations and characters he has met from growing up around the children’s homes in South London and working in the building trade. So come with an open mind and be prepared to leave with a new song in your heart!
www.tonycarling.co.uk |
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Entry £9 (door), £8 (adv), £7 (members)
19 December: Open Stage with Benji Osborn
Benj Osborn is a Cambridge-based singer-songwriter who plays an eclectic a mix of original songs that combine elements from jazz, folk, blues and soul. Influences from classic songwriters such as Nick Drake and John Martyn are present alongside a contemporary feel for modern rhythms and rhymes. Sit back, sink into the music, and enjoy.
www.myspace.com/mystringtheory
Entry £4 (door), £2 (members), £1 (performers) |
Coming up for 2009:
9 January: Jez Lowe
23 January: The Churchfitters
6 February: Queensbury Rules
13 February: Zoox
20 March: Heidi Talbot with Boo Hewerdine and John McCusker
27 March: Emily Barker
17 April: Mawkin/Causley
8 May: Bella Hardy
15 May: Nancy and James Fagan |
