French traditional music from Bof! on Friday 12 January

In 2000, Bof! started playing as a four-piece band specialising in traditional French and Breton tunes and songs for dancing or listening to. The band members are Val Woollard, Simon Haynes and Phil Lyons, who play diatonic accordions, bagpipes, recorder, flute and guitars, and Breton singer Gwendal Moële, who became a full-time member of the line-up in 2018. Their repertoire is mainly traditional music from Central France and Brittany, but also includes compositions by members of the band and others. Watch: Voile au Vent. 

Bof! have played in folk clubs, for dance groups and at festivals in England and France, as well as organising regular French and Breton dance workshops and public dances in East Anglia, as part of the Burybal and Prêt à Danser groups.

The concert will start at 7.30 pm. There will also be space for dancing. Bring your own drinks. Teas and coffee available in the kitchen, 50p. Tickets (£13 non-members, £10 club members) can be reserved by email via our contact page.

Tania Opland and Mike Freeman on Friday 14 April

Our guests on Friday 14 April will be Tania Opland and Mike Freeman. After over three years of pandemic inspired inertia, disruption and chaos, Tania and Mike are back on the road for their somewhat postponed 2020 UK tour.

In 30 years on the road together these two have played at art shows, boat shows, festivals, fairs, conventions, venues large and small and events both private and corporate. But most of the time they’ve been travelling back and forth across the Atlantic to perfom throughout the UK and North America bringing a car full of instruments, a jumble of multi-cultural folk influences, and a ton of fun to any audience they can reach.

They have recorded eight albums between them (including two collaborations with best-selling author Anne McCaffrey, in Ireland), and make numerous appearances as studio musicians on other recordings in the U.S., U.K. and Canada.

Expect songs and tunes from or inspired by americana, eurofolk, early music and global influences, sung and played with hammered dulcimer, 5-string violin/viola, recorder, hurdy-gurdy, clarseach, guitar, djembe and whatever else has been rediscovered when everything comes out of storage.

The evening starts at 7.30 pm. Tickets £13 (£10 club members) can be reserved via the email link on our contact page. Bring your own drinks and the kitchen will be open for teas and coffee (50p).

Song session showcase with Shorelark on Friday 21 October

shorelark-2016-001-landscapeAt the song session on Friday 21 October we look forward to a special showcase by Shorelark, a new young folk duo who were finalists at New Roots this year. Shorelark comprise singer-songwriter and guitarist Georgia Morgan Turner and recorder-player and English folk multi-instrumentalist Finn Collinson. Their meticulous arrangements make great use of unusual instrumentation, inspired by the duo’s wide influences, which range from Brazilian music to Baroque recorder works.

With a combined age of just 32, Georgia and Finn are experienced beyond their years and between them have enjoyed solo performances at the Barbican Hall (Georgia) and Cadogan Hall, London (Finn). They have also appeared at FolkEast Festival, Cecil Sharp House and Aldeburgh Festival.

Georgia and Finn will perform two sets within the song session, which is free. All singers, musicians and listeners are welcome to come along. Bring your own drinks – teas and coffee available in the kitchen.