Tag Archives: Accordion

Belshazzar’s Feast on 10 May

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Belshazzar's Feast (photo Alan Cole)

Belshazzar’s Feast (photo Alan Cole)

Special guests on Friday 10 May are folk duo Belshazzar’s Feast, accordionist Paul Hutchinson and singer, oboe and violin player Paul Sartin. Paul Sartin is a member of BBC 2 Award-winning big band Bellowhead and of Faustus. Paul Hutchinson is a member of the progressive folk trio Hoover the Dog.

 

Belshazzar’s Feast start with traditional folk music, add a touch of classical and jazz, throw in a bit of pop and music hall, and top it off wry humour for a unique live experience.  They received a coveted nomination for the Best Duo Award at the 2010 BBC Folk Awards. ‘One of folk’s great odd couples – The Feast’ (The Independent on Sunday).

Their latest album, titled ‘Find The Lady’ and produced by Jim Moray, was released by One Little Indian Records in November 2010. ‘It is a bona fide English classic’ (R2, formerly Rock ‘n’ Reel).

TICKETS SOLD OUT. Bring your own drinks. Fine ales can be purchased at the nearby pubs and there is also an off-licence across the road. Teas and coffee are available in the kitchen.

Folk song sessions continue every Friday between guest nights, with a themed evening of ‘Love Songs’ led by June Thaine on Friday 19 April. Free entry. All welcome, whether to listen, sing or play.

The Norwich Folk Club’s Annual General Meeting will be held from 8 pm on Friday 26 April, followed by a folk song session from about 9 pm.

 

 

Martyn Wyndham-Read and Iris Bishop on 15 February

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Martyn Wyndham-Read and Iris Bishop

Martyn Wyndham-Read has been involved with folk music for over forty years. As a teenager in the 1960s he set off to work on a sheep station in Australia and became part of the folk song revival there, later returning to England with a wealth of traditional songs and stories.

In the early 1970s Martyn started the ‘Maypoles to Mistletoe’ concerts which portray the seasons of the year through song, music, dance and verse and illustration. Martyn is also the instigator of the well known Song Links Project. He is accompanied by Iris Bishop, regarded by many as one of the finest players of the Duet concertina. Shining Down on Sennen

Tickets are £10 and can be reserved by emailing the club using the contact box on the ‘About the club’ page. Bring your own refreshments – teas and coffee available.

 

Sandy Brechin and Ewan Wilkinson on 22 June

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Sandy Brechin and Ewan Wilkinson

Sandy Brechin is regarded as one of the most innovative exponents of the Scottish accordion. He has toured the world extensively with “Seelyhoo”, “Burach”, “The Sandy Brechin Band” and his ever popular ceilidh band “The Sensational Jimi Shandrix Experience”. Sandy was nominated in the best instrumentalist category at the 2011 Scottish Trad Awards.

Ewan Wilkinson was brought up the Scottish Borders, and has a strong grounding in the Scottish song tradition as well as a unique insight into the music south of the border. He is both an emotive singer and an articulate guitarist. Ewan has been hailed as an important new young talent of the folk scene. His debut album ‘Lost in the Day’ was released in 2009.

Ewan and Sandy have been touring together for eight years playing in folk clubs, festivals and acoustic venues throughout the UK as well as in the Middle East and Australia. The duo plays a mixture of Scottish, Irish and English traditional songs and tunes, together with contemporary folk songs, and original compositions.

Jessica Lamb

Support is from Jessica Lamb, a young Northumbrian Piper and singer who was a finalist at New Roots 2012. Tutored by Kathryn Tickell, Jessica was also a semi-finalist at the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards 2011 and 2012 and in 2012 played and taught at Towersey Festival. This summer Jessica will be representing folk music by playing with Folkestra at the opening of the Olympics in Trafalgar Square.

Tickets (£8) can be reserved by emailing the club via the link on the ‘About the club’ page. Bring your own refreshments. Please park tidily to allow everyone to get in!

The Sultans of Squeeze on 13 May

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John Kirkpatrick and Chris Parkinson

John Kirkpatrick and Chris Parkinson first appeared as The Sultans of Squeeze in 2004. Together they present a huge variety of music, performed on every possible combination of their various squeeze-boxes – John on one-row and two-row melodeons, three-row button accordion, and treble and bass anglo concertinas, and Chris on various two-row melodeons, piano accordion, and bass piano accordion. As well as the traditional folk songs and tunes that you might expect to hear from these two, they also tackle military marches, French waltzes, nostalgic popular classics and signature tunes, blues, zydeco, jazz, rock & roll, and some pieces of their own making as well.

Please check that tickets are available by emailing via the link on the ‘About the Club’ page. Bring your own refreshments. Tea and coffee available.

Pete Morton, Maggie Boyle and Chris Parkinson

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Chris Parkinson, Pete Morton and Maggie Boyle

On Saturday 12 December, in association with Norwich Folk Club, Pete Morton,  Maggie Boyle and Chris Parkinson bring their Magical Christmas Tree Tour to the Christ Church Centre on Magdalen Road (opposite the Whalebone pub), with an enjoyable mix of seasonal offerings and special treats from this accomplished trio of performers.

Songwriter Pete Morton sings from the heart, with songs that are an unruly mix of humour, politics, love and social comment, wrapping their way around the folk tradition.  He may also be persuaded to sing his well known song ‘Another Train’.  It’s bound to be on the tree somewhere!

Maggie Boyle is a traditional singer and flute-player. Through her ballads and tunes, old and new, she continues the tradition of music and storytelling passed on by her Irish family. Maggie’s voice and flute are an integral part of Christopher Bruce’s folk ballet, ‘Sergeant Early’s Dream’ created for Rambert Dance Company.  She has worked with James Horner, The Chieftains, Incantation, Bert Jansch, Steve Tilston, John Renbourn, Grace Notes and ,,,

Chris Parkinson, who has played music since the age of five, starting with the harmonica before moving on to everything else. However, he is best known for his melodeon and piano accordion playing, and is one of the most sought-after accordion players in the country. Among many others, Chris has worked with Martin Carthy and Norma Waterson, Ralph McTell, Billy Connolly, Mike Harding, Steve Tilston, Martin Simpson and Steve Phillips.

The Magical Christmas Tree is full of songs and tunes from everywhere and this is your chance to write the set list! A fun and spontaneous night for everyone – especially Maggie, Chris and Pete – who quite literally don’t know what they are going to do next … but they do it well! Tickets £8 (£6 club members) can be reserved by email, using the form on ‘About the club’ page.

On Friday 11 December there will be a singaround at the White Horse Inn as usual. Everyone is very welcome to join us – whether to listen, sing or play.

Jim Causley at Manor Rooms on 18 September

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Jim Causley

Jim Causley

Devon singer and musician Jim Causley has been nominated three times in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. He is one third of acapella trio The Devil’s Interval and also appears with the very successful Mawkin:Causley. Jim is known for his warm rich voice and his wickedly cheeky stage presence. A firm champion of English traditional songs and tunes – especially of West Country origin – he performs a mixture of traditional and contemporary songs. Jim’s debut album ‘Fruits of the Earth’ was released by Wildgoose Records in 2006 and he has also collaborated with Waterson:Carthy, Martin Wyndham Read and Scottish fiddle player John McCusker. Support is from up-and-coming New Roots finalists, Jonny Kearney and Lucy Farrell.  This will be at the Manor Rooms, just up the road from the White Horse, where you can buy drinks on your way. Please check for availability of tickets £8 (£5 members) by email (see About the club page).

Alan Helsdon on 8 May

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The showcase guest on 8 May, performing two sets within the singaround, will be Alan Helsdon, singer-songwriter, musician and historian of local folk songs and tunes. Alan is also the leading light of folk band Shufflewing. Free entry and everyone welcome.

The singaround on 1 May will have the theme ‘May Day’, which can be taken in any way that you like! As usual, entry is free and everyone is welcome, whether to listen, sing or play tunes.

The singaround on 24 April will be open to all kinds of acoustic music and songs. Free entry and all are very welcome. Come along and test out your new songs in a friendly atmosphere. No need to arrange spots in advance.

Harriet Bartlett on 17 April

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Harriet Bartlett

Harriet Bartlett

We are very pleased to welcome back Harriet Bartlett – one of our favourite performers. Harriet has been playing accordion for 13 years and performing at festivals, folk clubs and theatres for the past 8 years. Her repertoire consists of Celtic music on the piano accordion at lightning speed, heart-rending slow airs and beautiful songs. She has already composed many of her own tunes with a traditional style that belies her years. Harriet has played at many venues at home and abroad, including Celtic Connections, Sidmouth International, Venner Folk Frühling, Fylde, Bromyard and Warwick Festival. She’s been interviewed by Andy Kershaw on BBC Radio 3, has won a number of folk awards and has played on stage with Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham.

The singaround on 10 April has the theme of ‘Surprises’, which as usual can be taken in any way that appeals to you!

Check out www.littlebirdtoldme.info – it’s a website set up by Alan Helsdon and Joe Scaife that is full of information about local folk events. You’ll be amazed at how much is going on in the area!

Kiss the Mistress on 27 February!

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Kiss the Mistress

Kiss the Mistress

Showcase guests at the singaround on 27 February will be Kiss the Mistress, a popular local trio combining a rare mix of voice, cello, accordion and bodhran. Entry is free and everyone is welcome to come along.

Club officers John Robinson (chair), Bridget Lely (secretary), Fred Brown (treasurer) and Linda Robinson (membership secretary) were asked by the AGM to continue for a further year. Other committee members for 2009-10 are: Judy Bedder, Keith Ellison, Andrea Granville, Brian O’Neill, Caroline Peel and Kelly Woods. The AGM joined John in welcoming Andrea and Caroline to the committee and in thanking retiring committee members Les Ellis and Mick Selvey for all their work on the club’s behalf.

Members commented that guest nights in the past year had been really enjoyable and that they particularly like the wide variety of acoustic music styles at singarounds nowadays.

Membership for 2009-10 is now due and remains at £6. To benefit from reduced ticket prices on guest nights and receive regular updates on club news, download the membership form, or contact the membership secretary on any club night.