Monthly Archives: June 2014

Nancy Kerr and James Fagan on Friday 25 July

Posted on by
James Fagan and Nancy Kerr

James Fagan and Nancy Kerr

We look forward to welcoming back the winners of the Best Duo in the BBC Radio 2  Folk Awards 2011, Nancy Kerr and James Fagan, particularly since their touring together as a duo will become less frequent as the boys grow up. You probably already know many of their songs and if you haven’t come across them before, both fiddler Nancy and bouzouki-player James grew up in the folk tradition – Nancy is the daughter of Sandra Kerr and James is part of the Australian Fagan Family. See more here: Living Tradition article. Recently James has been playing with The Cara Dillon Band and Nancy’s new CD ‘Sweet Visitor’ is released on 21 July.

Tickets £11 (members £8) are SOLD OUT. Bring your own drinks – fine ales available across the road, with teas and coffee in the kitchen.

New Roots showcase session on Friday 27 June and harmony workshop on Saturday 28 June

Posted on by

Special guests filling the two spots at the showcase session on Friday 27 June are finalists at the 2014 New Roots competition at St Albans, Speldosa and Alex Cumming and Nicola Beazley.

Speldosa

Speldosa are a clarsach (harp), fiddle, hammered dulcimer and vocal trio who perform their own arrangements of traditional and modern tunes and songs. Speldosa is Swedish for ‘music box’, so expect a beautiful twinkly sound together with passionate songs and toe-tapping tunes.

Alex and Nicola

Alex and Nicola

Alex Cumming and Nicola Beazley are an exciting new box and fiddle duo performing songs and tunes from around England. They are both recent graduates of the Newcastle Folk and Traditional Music Degree. Expect plenty of lively tunes, spine-tingling arrangements and lots of sing-along choruses.

Singers and players are welcome to come along and take part in the song session – listeners also appreciated! Tickets £3 (£2 members) on the door. Bring your own drinks – fine ales available nearby and teas and coffee from the kitchen.

Alex Cumming and Rosie Calvert (of The Teacups) will be leading a harmony workshop from 10 till noon on Saturday 28 June. All welcome. Tickets £3 (£2 club members). Teas and coffee available in the kitchen.

 

James Findlay on Friday 13 June

Posted on by

James FindlayThe guest on Friday 13 June will be the winner of BBC Young Folk Music Award 2010, fiddler, guitarist and singer James Findlay. Brought up in the folk tradition, James is particularly passionate about songs from his home counties of Dorset, Somerset and Devon. With a great voice and a love for song that’s evident though his knowledge and understanding of the material, James is one of the most accomplished of the latest generation of folk performers.

James enjoyed a busy year in 2013 with commendations for his folk festival and folk club gigs as well as his part playing Little Musgrave in Jon Boden’s ‘The Ballad of Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard’. He has also been involved in other high-profile projects, including the recording of ‘The Liberty to Choose’, songs from The New Penguin Book of English Folk Songs, with Lucy Ward, Bella Hardy and Brian Peters, produced by Fellside.

Saul BaileyIn support is melodeon and English concertina player Saul Bailey, one of the very latest of the New Roots finalists to catch our attention. Saul enjoys experimenting with old and new English folk tunes – particularly ‘dance stuff, fast stuff, furious stuff and frankly ridiculous stuff’. Saul has appeared at various folk clubs and village events, as well as at Cambridge Folk Festival.

Bring your own drinks – fine ales available at nearby establishments, and teas and coffee in the kitchen. Tickets (£10/£7 members) can be reserved by email via the form on the contact page.

For beginners and upwards, the ukulele get-together from 7.30 till 8.30 on Friday 6 June will be followed by the usual song session.