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The Cambridge acoustic music club
for the discerning listener of live music
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Cambridge Folk ClubProgramme2010
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Friday 15 January: Na-Mara Na-Mara are Paul McNamara (voice, guitars) and Rob Gracia (mandolin, octave mandola, guitar, voice) and their combined musical vision doesn't appear to have many limitations or boundaries. The duo's repertoire includes music from the British Isles, Brittany, Asturias and Galicia with plans to venture even further. Support: Laura Cherry and Howard Roscoe |
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Entry: £8(door), £7(advance), £6(members).  |
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Friday 22 January: Open Stage with Kate Locksley
Singer and guitarist Kate Locksley stumbled into folk by rooting through her father's LP collection as a teenager, leading to a passionate interest in traditional song, especially those featuring salty seas and saucy sailors. Expect plenty of opportunity to sing along.
http://www.myspace.com/katelocksley
Entry: £4(door), £2(members), £1(performers).
 “I knew as soon as I saw Boris’s instruments that the Churchfitters were going to be interesting. However, on watching their set I can honestly say that they are the most musically inventive quartet that I have seen in decades. They received a standing ovation from the festival. Go and see them and you will understand why.” - Dave Pegg, Fairport Convention. |
Wednesday 27 January: The Churchfitters This Brittany based group of musicians from England, Ireland and France is taking UK audiences by storm with their unique and energetic performances. Four dynamic personalities present a fast-paced infectious show full of fresh, original songwriting as well as rearranged songs and tunes from the British Isles, uniting the rhythms of rock, pop and jazz with the universal appeal of traditional music. Outstanding vocals and an astonishing array of acoustic instruments including fiddle, double bass, bouzouki, flute, saxophone, guitar, banjo, dulcimer, whistle and mandolin allow them to create their unmistakable sound. A large dose of humour, a measure of eccentricity and an abiding sense of fun complete the band’s recipe for truly entertaining performances. |
| Support: Karen Johnson and Tony Clark Stylishly delivering innovative arrangements of songs by their favourite acoustic acts ( Boo Hewerdine, Eddie Reader, Karine Polwart ) Karen's enchanting, luscious singing is complemented by Tony's skilled, sympathetic harmonies and accompaniment on guitar or keyboard. |
Entry: £12(door), £11(advance), £10(members). |
Friday 29 January: Hot Lips and Chilli Fingers Band |
Support: Robert Brown |
Entry: £10(door), £9(advance), £8(members) |
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Friday 5 February: Open Stage with Alias Grace
Alias Grace were formed in 1996 in Cambridge by Irish vocalist Sandra O'Neill and multi-instrumentalist Peter Chilvers. They blend their own intimate songwriting with imaginative cover versions, delivering emotive live performances with sparse voice and piano arrangements enhanced by guitar and electronic textures. Influences include Joni Mitchell, Nick Drake and June Tabor. The duo recently collaborated on the iPhone application 'Air' which generates endless compositions from vocal and piano samples. They have released two albums through the Burning Shed label and are working on a third.
Entry: £4(door), £2(members), £1(performers).
Friday 12 February: Fen Song: Penni McLaren Walker, Claire Crossman and Bryan Causton
Fen Song is a haunting sequence inspired by the East Anglian landscape and in the best tradition of the acoustic ballad. The result of a collaboration between poet Clare Crossman and singer songwriter Penni Mclaren Walker with mandolin and bouzouki from Bryan Causton, Fen Song has been described as 'a meditation on the natural world' 'beautiful' and 'inspirational'.
www.clarecrossman.info
Support: Martin Kaszak
Musician and singer songwriter with an interest in all acoustic guitar music, Martin performs his own songs and a wide range of material from his guitar heroes including Blind Blake ,Blind Boy Fuller, Ralph McTell, Show of Hands, and Jim Croce. He plays an Avalon guitar and a genuine 1930s National Steel. He has appeared regularly at the Cambridge Folk Club as well as at other venues in Cambridge and beyond.
www.myspace.com/martinkaszak
Entry: £8(door), £7(advance), £6(members).
Friday 19 February: Graham Robins and Ronnie Johnson
A magical and gloriously uplifting journey through Soul, Blues, Country and Gospel with Indy Award Nominee Graham Robins, whose soulful voice knits perfectly with the impeccable guitar playing of former Van Morrison sideman Ronnie Johnson. The lyrics, gathered from a lifetime of experience, ensures that a performance becomes a passionate embrace of heartfelt songs revealing great depth and sincerity.
Entry: £8(door), £7(advance), £6(members).
Friday 26 February: Alan Prosser (Oyster Band) Those who encounter him as the indefatigable core of Oysterband, power chords and solos to the fore in a sharp electric lineup, know only one part of Alan’s playing. Long before all this, he was part of a collective of young experimenters who one day would be playing medieval music for banquets, next delving into the arcane kabbalistic mysteries of the North Carolina Ramblers or the Mississippi Mud Steppers, and the next trying to fathom how the great English players - Davy Graham, John Martyn, Bert Jansch and Martin Carthy - managed to do that on their guitars. From Coley Jones to Nic Jones in one giant step. Support: Dave Stubbs Dave has been playing the folk clubs and pubs in his home county of Yorkshire for more than 10 years. With a soulful voice and versatile guitar technique, Dave performs his own musical arrangements of songs from Blues, Folk and Jazz, as well as his own material. |
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Entry: £10(door), £9(advance), £8(members) |
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Friday 5 March: Open Stage with Tony Phillips
www.myspace.com/tonyphillipssongs
Entry: £4(door), £2(members), £1(performers).
Friday 12 March: Norma Waterson, Martin Carthy and Chris Parkinson For more than 30 years Norma Waterson and Martin Carthy have been at the forefront of the English folk scene. Joined by their long time friend Chris Parkinson they perform fantastic traditional songs and music in a way only they know how. Her wonderfully compassionate voice makes Norma Waterson one of the country’s finest, most emotive singers. Martin Carthy has been a much loved and enormously influential figure in English folk music for over 40 years. Chris Parkinson has played music since the age of 5, starting with the harmonica and developing into a long career playing with various bands. His instruments include the piano, guitar, concertina, tin whistle, melodeon, piano accordion and fiddle. |
Support: John Meed with Lester Lloyd-Reason and Cliff Ward John Meed, singer songwriter and guitarist, will be joined by Lester Lloyd-Reason (lead guitar) and Cliff Ward (violin). 'I continue to be impressed by John's sense of narrative and perception' (FATEA). 'John Meed's music could easily sooth any troubled soul' (Music-zine) |
Entry: £12(door), £11(advance), £10(members)
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Friday 19 March: Open Stage with Heather McVey
Entry: £4(door), £2(members), £1(performers).
Friday 26 March: Redhouse Radio Redhouse Radio are an eight-piece semi-acoustic band, based around Cambridge. Their set features mainly original songs, laced with forgotten jewels from the roots/soul back catalogue. “Last week's session from Cambridge ensemble Redhouse Radio was up there with my favourite sessions of all time. The eight-strong band of accordion, flute, guitar, fiddle and djembe players surpassed themselves with songs of kinky politicians and drunken meanderings.” Jeremy Sallis, The Audio Files, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire Support: Dave Jenkins |
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Entry: £8(door), £7(advance), £6(members)
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Friday 9 April: Open Stage with Jon Lawrence
Jon Lawrence is a Welsh singer songwriter whose work has attracted praise from BBC Radio and national magazines such as Rock n Reel. His music spans a wide variety of influences which appear in his diverse albums, from the folk album “The Troubadour Ballads” to the world music oriented “Albatross Bay” or the country-rock inspired album “Isolated Incidents”. Jon has just released a new album, “The Girl in the Spotlight” which is a series of romantic jazz ballads.
http://jonlawrence.org
Entry: £4(door), £2(members), £1(performers).
Friday 16 April: Showcase: David Stubbs and Marina Florance
Dave Stubbs has been playing the folk clubs and pubs in his home county of Yorkshire for more than 10 years. With a soulful voice and versatile guitar technique, Dave performs his own musical arrangements of songs from Blues, Folk and Jazz, as well as his own material.
Marina Florance: Her deep, warm voice and compassionate delivery have made singer songwriter, Marina Florance, a firm favourite. Songwriting is her passion and she is thrilled when her songs are performed.
“Her voice is like chocolate”. Sue Marchant BBC Radio
www.myspace.com/marinaflorance
Entry: £7(door), £6(advance), £5(members).
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Friday 23 April: Liz Simcock
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Support: David Stevenson David Stevenson has produced a series of strong, melodic, guitar-based songs, with an emphasis on first-person historical narrative. His growing reputation as a passionate performer centres on the outstanding Great War Trilogy and the epic of migration, The Last of England. Other songs draw on his experiences of travelling around the world on business, with an acute eye and ear for observation, and emotional songs of love and distance. Entry: £9(door), £8(advance), £7(members) . Friday 30 April: Showcase: Invocal and April Anderson
April Anderson is a multi instrumentalist and a unique and refreshingly original singer-songwriter, who has just released her debut album “Swings and Roundabouts” on Acoustic Clock Records. She is the sole writer, arranger and producer of these lyrically quirky, well crafted songs and her music has been described as an idiosyncratic blend of contemporary folk, tinged with jazz. “Fabulous voice, fantastic songs, amazing live”- BBC Sue Marchant Show. Entry: £7(door), £6(advance), £5(members) Friday 7 May: Open Stage with Dragonfruit Dragonfruit are Clare Woodcock (violins/vocals) and Ian Heywood (vocals/guitar). Their style ranges widely from pure folk to pure pop and all stations in between, and features a lot of original material. It's the way they blend voice and violin that makes this duo special. Entry: £4(door), £2(members), £1(performers). Friday 14 May: Lightning Jack and the Sheri Kershaw Band Singer/songwriter Sheri Kershaw has now formed her own band. The Sheri Kershaw Band are Sheri (vocals/guitar), Martyn Hewitt (guitars) and Chris Brimley (bass). This has added a new dimension to her music. Sheri's influences include Joni Mitchell, Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan. “I am a musician and music is where my heart has always been, an expression of love and joy as well as the sorrows we all share as humans.” Entry: £7door), £6(advance), £5(members). Friday 21 May: Robb Johnson, Support: Les Ray Robb Johnson is now recognised as one of the finest songwriters working in the UK today. His songs feature in the repertoires of a wide variety of musicians, from folk legend Roy Bailey to acclaimed cabaret diva Barb Jungr. He has played pubs, clubs, pavements, pickets and benefits, arts centres and festivals, radio and TV, both in Britain and abroad, and the Royal Albert Hall. Robb has worked with a variety of bands, with friend and fellow songwriter Leon Rosselson, as well as solo. He has released many CDs on his own label, Irregular Records, some backed by his band, The Irregulars. Support: Les Ray Les is currently working on a project about how, at a time when "most young men and women grow up in a sort of permanent present" (Eric Hobsbawm), folk music can help us gain an understanding of our history and our relationship with it. So be prepared to be informed as well as entertained by his songs. Entry: £9(door), £8(advance), £7(members).
7:45pm Bank Holiday Monday 31 May: A Concert for East Anglia's Children's Hospices This will be the fourth year that Boo Hewerdine, one of the country’s most respected singer/songwriters, has taken part in this annual concert to raise money for the East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices based in Milton. Boo formed the cult Cambridge band The Bible before going on to make a successful career for himself as a solo artist and songwriter. His most famous collaboration is with former Fairground Attraction singer Eddi Reader, for whom he wrote 'Patience of Angels'. Hot Lips and Chilli Fingers Band: The magic combination of outstanding musicians Steve Lockwood (harmonica) and Chris Newman (guitar) will take you on a roller-coaster ride through the traditional music of the last eighty years, featuring an eclectic mix of original and cover songs, encompassing blues,roots and jazz. www.myspace.com/hotlipschillifingers Marina Florance: This fine singer/songwriter from Norfolk performs in her own unique, gentle way. ’Her voice is like chocolate’, Sue Marchant (BBC Eastern Counties Radio) www.myspace.com/marinaflorance Entry: £10. For Tickets telephone 01223 513932 Friday 4 June: Open Stage with Habiboun Habiboun are Houria Niati (vocals) and Miguel Moreno (classical Spanish guitar). This duo performs the perfect fusion of Arabo-Spanish music. This innovative genre achieves a blend of styles through the combination of just vocals and guitar, which is pure magic. Entry: £4(door), £2(members), £1(performers).
Friday 18 June: My Sweet Patootie Support: 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: £10(door), £9(advance), £8(members). Friday 25 June: Open Stage with Geoff Baker and Wishing Well Geoff Baker: Influenced by such varied folk musicians as Mississippi John Hurt, Woody Guthrie, Nick Drake and Bob Dylan, the music of California-based singer/songwriter Geoff blends furious finger-picking, folk urgency and post-punk energy. He likes his dreams impossible, his drinks neat, his tunes a little catchy, and his lyrics a little poisonous, and has “a fine line in protest song”. Time Out. The Wishing Well are Jai (lead vocals, acoustic and electric guitar), Vanessa (violin), Rivkah (violin), Pete (drums) and Joe (bass and harmony vocals). From Melbourne, Australia, The Wishing Well create spellbinding sounds which produce a rich tapestry of mesmerizing folk, pop and rock. They evoke an extraordinary gamut of emotions with their compelling and awe inspiring arrangements spun around magnificently poetic lyrics. www.myspace.com/thewishingwellband Entry: £4(door), £2(members), £1(performers).
Friday 16 July: Showcase: Andy Clarke and Tom Colbourn In recent years Andy Clarke has gained much experience as a solo artist, performing in clubs and festivals all around the country. His programme often includes a selection from the manuscripts of Baring-Gould the 19th century West Country folksong collector. "An excellent singer and instrumentalist who performs with the skill and taste of a master craftsman." - Pete Coe Tom Colborn has made a name for himself as a premier blues musician. Driving Delta bottleneck and funky ragtime accompany the voice of a true blues shouter. His set comprises self penned songs and instrumentals, blues standards and rarely performed songs from the tradition. “...brilliant blues guitarist...prodigiously talented...” - Real City Magazine Entry: £8(door), £7(advance), £6(members) Friday 23 July: Open Stage with Samphire Samphire is an acoustic duo performing a diverse mix of traditional and contemporary songs from both sides of the Atlantic, as well as original material. Having performed solo and in various bands in East Anglia for several years, Anna Bass and Ray Taylor have been performing together since the beginning of the year. With their two voices and two guitars, they create a changing landscape of rhythm and harmony. Entry: £4(door), £2(members), £1(performers). Friday 30 July: Cambridge Folk Festival Club Tent, Cherry Hinton Hall:
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Friday 3 Sept: Open Stage with The Stirrups
Make our first night back after the August break one to remember by coming down to our first Open Stage of the new season, to support our special guests this evening, local duo The Stirrups. Their set promises a mixture of European traditional with a modern edge, alongside some more familiar covers.
Entry: £4 (door), £2 (members), £1 (performers)
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Friday 10 Sept: Chris Newman and Maire Ni Chathasaigh, Chris and Marie’s unique, virtuosic musical partnership has been bewitching audiences for more than twenty years; we’re especially proud that they chose to make their debut appearance at Cambridge Folk Festival. The duo’s infusion of Irish traditional dance music, airs, jazzy improvisations and striking new compositions, would not be possible without Marie’s stunning harp techniques. Couple this with Chris’ blazing guitar work and it’s easy to see why their latest CD merits the title Firewire. A performer termed ‘the greatest Celtic harper of our age, Marie chomps on the bit of the harp’s respectability, playing storming jigs and reels. Music of fire and brilliance from the high wire act in traditional music’ (The Irish Times). Tom Conway writes thought-provoking and amusing songs about people, their emotions, attitudes and episodes in their lives. He lists Tom Waits, Johnny Cash, Richard Thompson, Neil Young and Mississippi John Hurt amongst those who have influenced him. |
Entry: £10(door), £9(advance), £8(members). |
Friday 17 Sept: Shana Morrison Don’t miss this opportunity to see Shana Morrison promoting her latest album, Joyride, released in March this year. Her first album for four years, it departs from the strictly blues idiom that has been her trademark since her debut album, Caledonia (1997). Joyride shows her favouring a more roots-based and country-influenced sound. The album demonstrates Morrison’s vocal skills and her songwriting skills; she has co-written 11 of the 13 tracks on the album, 9 of them with her friend, fellow songwriter and producer Kim McLean. A chip off the old van Morrison block! Graham Robins Entry: £12(door), £11(advance), £10(members). |
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Friday 24 Sept: Count to Fire and Robert Brown.
Count to Fire were formed in 2006 by Will Odgers (vocals, guitar) and Joe Baxter (bass). The band took inspiration from the intimacy and expansive sound of Americana but did not lose their own identity in the process. Joined by Joe Mansfield (violin), Dan Stewart (drums) and Ray Hill (pedal steel), the band builds subtle layers of violin, chiming guitars and swooping harmonies behind frontman Will Odgers' impassioned vocals. Their debut album 'Songs That Remind Me Of You' is now available.
www.myspace.com/counttofire
Robert Brown: Welcome back to Robert, whose music encompasses a wealth of styles and emotions across the roots spectrum. Citing his ability to deliver the power of rock on an acoustic guitar, Rock Magazine has called his performance ‘the best ever’.
http://www.robert-brown.info/
Entry: £8(door), £7(advance), £6(members).
Friday 1 Oct: Open Stage with Kevin Hunt
Another chance to come along and perform. Our special guest for this evening's half hour spot is singer-song writer Kevin Hunt. Originally from Sligo, he now lives in the Cambridge area.
Entry: £4 (door), £2 (members), £1 (performers)
| Friday 8 Oct: Hannah James and Sam Sweeney Support: The Willows Hannah James and Sam Sweeney have been called ‘two of the brightest young stars of the folk scene’. Recently nominated for the Horizon Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, Hannah and Sam, with their fresh take on the traditional canon, are clearly a duo on the rise. Although the duo is new, they’re both experienced performers; they’ve not only been in the established four-piece band Kerfuffle since their teens, but Hannah now performs with the dynamic Demon Barber Roadshow, and Sam has played with none other than Bellowhead. Their debut album Catches and Glees, released in August 2009, led to their BBC Radio 2 Folk Award nomination. |
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The Willows |
Entry: £9 (door), £8 (advance), £7 (members)
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Friday 15 Oct: Bob Fox Bob Fox has been a familiar figure on the folk scene for many years. In 2000 he celebrated 25 years of singing with a number of tours in Britain, Holland and Canada. Also in 2000, he was not only the special guest on Fairport Convention's tour, but also recorded his first ever solo CD, Dreams Never Leave You. Since then, Bob has been nominated Best Folk Singer in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2003.and 2004, and his version of Chris Leslie’s song My Love is in America, on his album Borrowed Moments, has also been nominated Best Original Song. |
Martin Kaszak (guitar and vocals) and Howard Roscoe (harmonica and slide guitar) are two accomplished muscians who perform their own blend of ragtime and country blues, interlaced with modern and self-penned songs. |
Entry: £9 (door), £8 (advance), £7 (members)
| Friday 22 Oct: Lightning Jack Support: Flaming June Lightning Jack are well-known local musicians Welsh bluesman (Professor) Lester Lloyd-Reason, (ageing) rocker Phil Utting-Brown, singer-songwriter Cliff Ward and percussionist and now vocalist Ian Turner; no strangers to the local festival and pub scenes, they perform a great set of their own material and covers guaranteed to create a lively, fun and exciting atmosphere wherever the venue. ‘This Cambridge group has musical roots in the work of Lowell George, the Waterboys, the Levellers, Bruce Springsteen and Led Zeppelin. So what we had on a Sunday afternoon was an immediate party. ....this was inspired billing’, Spiralearth.co.uk, on Lightning Jack's set at Ely Folk Festival. www.lightningjack.co.uk |
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Flaming June are fronted by singer-songwriter Louise Hamilton with Steve Calder (violin/viola), Clare Calder (Irish whistle/clarinet/backing vocals) and Paul Richardson (percussion). Louise writes powerful songs with heartfelt lyrics and catchy choruses about life and love. The band have supported Eliza Carthy, 6 Day Riot and this year's Glastonbury Emerging Talent winners Ellen and The Escapades, and have also played the Suffolk and Ely Folk Festivals. Their debut acoustic EP Under My Skin, from which Wohomusic has chosen Wednesdays and Weekends as track of the month, has just been released. |
Entry: £8 (door), £7 (advance), £6 (members)
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Friday 29 Oct: Boo Hewerdine Support: Jake Cogan Talented local singer-songwriter Boo Hewerdine, who’s appeared on TV shows with hosts as diverse as Jules Holland and Andrew Marr, really needs no introduction. His musical career began when he formed The Bible in the mid 80s. Two of their finest songs, Graceland and Honey Be Good, came tantalisingly close to becoming huge hits, and a third, Glorybound, is one of those that Nick Hornby selected for his book 31 Songs. Boo’s first solo album, Ignorance, was released in 1992; his latest, God Bless the Pretty Things, in October 2009. Boo also writes with and for other artists, among them Eddi Reader, Clive Gregson and Christine Collister. He has continued to collaborate with Eddi Reader since five of his songs featured on her album Eddi Reader in 2003. |
Jake Cogan is Boo Hewerdine's ‘... favourite new singer’. Her songs and singing are wholeheartedly honest; at times raw and powerful, and at others witty and humorous, they reflect her character and West of Scotland upbringing. A servant of the traditions that she keeps alive, she belongs to that rare breed of selfless performers - those who live to let tradition breathe through them. |
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Entry: £10 (door), £9 (advance), £8 (members)
Friday 5 Nov: Open Stage with Cruel Folk
Cruel Folk are the musical equivalent of an unknown, silent horseman hanging around outside your farmhouse at three in the morning. The traditional music of England is a dark art-form, and it will never take you long to find murder, incest, love, death and betrayal. Cruel Folk celebrate this tradition, playing both original and traditional material in which darkness is never far away.
www.cruelfolk.com
Entry: £4(door), £2(members), £1(performers).
| Friday 12 Nov: Showcase with Emma Black, Stella Hensley and Chris Newman
Emma Black learned her craft as a busker in her hometown of Manchester, in the underground stations in London and in Amsterdam where she lived for a while. Since her debut album was released, Emma has played four national tours in the Netherlands and performed across the UK. "Emma Black's long dark tresses and pretty crystalline voice still doesn't prepare you for her soothing, hypnotic guitar work, which is fused with a folk outlook."....Manchester Music World renowned talented guitarist Chris Newman teams up with the haunting vocals of singer-songwriter Stella Hensley. Together they co write heartfelt, moving, melodic songs that stay with you long after the night has ended. |
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Entry: £8(door), £7(advance), £6(members) |
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| Friday 19 Nov: Steve Ashley, Support: The Larks | |
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Steve Ashley has long been regarded as one of British Folk's finest singer-songwriters. For nearly 40 years his innovative English albums have enjoyed widespread critical acclaim, and his songs have been covered by many leading folk artists, including: Fairport Convention, Anne Briggs, Dave Pegg and PJ Wright, Martin Simpson, Wizz Jones, St Agnes' Fountain, Phil Beer, Grace Notes and The Bushwackers. His award- winning debut album, 'Stroll On' is widely regarded as a folk-rock classic and his latest for Topic Records, 'Time and Tide' was described by fROOTS as 'a modern day masterpiece'. The Larks: Liz and Chris began playing together three years ago at Open Mic nights in the Bear Inn in Beyton, then formed the Larks, and performed a growing collection of songs at various venues, from pubs and folk clubs to festivals and gardens. They perform an eclectic mix of the songs that they love, to which they have added their own compositions. They produce a highly listenable sound with clever lyrics, catchy tunes and guitars, mandolin and voices working together in harmony. |
Entry: £9(door), £8(advance), £7(members)
Friday 26 Nov: Uiscedwr Widely acclaimed as one of Britain’s foremost contemporary folk acts, Uiscedwr will be performing at Cambridge Folk Club as part of the ‘Fish Cat Door Tour’ to promote their latest album. The eclectic repertoire draws on traditions from all over the British Isles tempered by influences as diverse as jazz, Latin, blues and klezmer. Spend an evening with Uiscedwr and travel on a musical journey with them around the world. Uiscedwr are Welsh fiddler Anna Esslemont ,Irish percussionist Cormac Byrne and completing the line-up for this tour is versatile guitar and 6-string bass wizard Nick Waldock. Kiss The Mistress combine voice and 'cello, chromatic button accordion and bodhran to create a dynamic rhythmic interplay rarely found outside of a guitar driven band. In their debut CD 'About Time', they explore different tempos and rhythms, revisit some old songs and share some new material. They take the listener on a dynamic journey from Scotland to Brittany via Suffolk, where many of the tunes on the CD were written. |
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Entry: £12(door), £11(advance), £10(members) |
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| Friday 3 Dec: John Conolly, Support: Samphire | |
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John Conolly is an internationally-respected songwriter who has based his style firmly in the folk tradition. His finely-crafted songs are performed with warmth, good humour and lilting accompaniments on guitar and melodeon. Many of John's songs have a tang of the sea, inherited from his upbringing on the east coast of England, where his grandfather and great-grandfather were boatbuilders on the banks of the river Humber. His best known composition, the classic 'Fiddlers' Green', has the ring of a true folk ballad, and has often been taken for a traditional song. John's more recent work continues his tradition of finely-crafted writing – listen to the heart-rending 'Willie Leonard', the elegiac 'Old Men Sing Love Songs', or the outrageously funny 'Smartarse'. Samphire is an acoustic duo performing a diverse mix of traditional and contemporary songs from both sides of the Atlantic, as well as original material. Having performed solo and in various bands in East Anglia for several years, Anna Bass and Ray Taylor have been performing together since the beginning of the year. With their two voices and two guitars, they create a changing landscape of rhythm and harmony. |
Entry: £9(door), £8(advance), £7(members)
Saturday 4 Dec: Mill Road Winter Fair
From 10am onwards, a large section of Mill Road will be closed to traffic to allow a host of street performers, musicians, dancers, and artists to congregate and entertain the public. Performances will also take place in the Music Marquee in Hope Street Yard, culminating in an evening gig at the Romsey Labour Club from 5.00pm – 10.00pm. The evening gig will be organised by the Cambridge Folk Club.
www.mill-road.com
Entry: Free
| Friday 10 Dec: The Scoville Units | |
Originally formed for a one-off show at last year’s Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow, The Scoville Units couldn’t possibly have left it there; they were having too much fun! The Scoville Units are a collective of six prominent faces from several different corners of the British folk and acoustic music scene: Ed Boyd – guitar, Leon Hunt – banjo, Miranda Sykes – double bass and vocals, Josh Clark – percussion, Gina Griffin – fiddle and vocals and Rex Preston - Mandolin. Each member throws in his or her strong musical identity, creating an ensemble that is not only very different but, if you talk to those lucky enough to have caught one of their early shows, extremely fresh and exciting. People are beginning to talk! Tom Colborn, AKA 'Delta Tom', offers a set of passion and humour, using a powerful vocal attack and stunning guitar technique. His performances of songs from blues giants such as Charlie Patton and Blind Willie McTell are not so much covers as invocations. His own material, while steeped in the traditions of pre-war blues, is unashamedly his own. He is an experienced performer at pubs, clubs, festivals and on the radio. |
(Picture courtesy of Martin Tompkins) |
Entry: £12(door), £11(advance), £10(members)
Friday 17 Dec: Open Stage with Greg Camburn and Pat Crilly
Pat Crilly and Greg Camburn: Pat’s lyrical songs reflect his observations on and experiences of working worldwide in the offshore oil industry. His strong, warm voice and guitar style will be complemented by the skilful whistle and sax work of Greg Camburn.
http://www.myspace.com/patcrilly
Entry: £4(door), £2(members), £1(performers).
Friday 7th January: Open Stage
Entry: £4(door), £2(members), £1(performers).
Friday 14th January: Dave Ellis and Boo Howard
Entry: £8(door), £7(advance), £6(members).
Friday 21st January: Showcase with Strangeworld and Na Mara
Entry: £8(door), £7(advance), £6(members).
Friday 28th January: Phil Beer with Miranda Sykes
Entry: £12(door), £11(advance), £10(members).