Author Archives: bridget

New Year’s Eve Party

Posted on by

Norwich Folk Club continues to meet every Friday, with a singaround on Friday 28 December in the upstairs room, as usual. Everyone is welcome, whether to listen, sing or play.

On Monday 31 December we are holding our New Year’s Eve Party, with lots of songs and tunes. (Unfortunately the band is indisposed and not able to play for dancing this year.) Free entry. Bring songs, tunes, and party pieces, as well as your own drinks and some food to share. Prizes also welcomed for the grand Christmas raffle. Come along and join the festivities!

 

Bill Caddick on 14 December

Posted on by

Bill Caddick

As a special Christmas treat, we look forward to welcoming singer-songwriter Bill Caddick who, among many career highlights, worked with the Albion Band during the production of Larkrise to Candleford and The Passion, and was also a founder member of legendary folk-rock band The Home Service, as well as being the creator of such firm favourites as ‘Unicorns’ and ‘Cloud Factory’.

Bill’s songs have been recorded by the likes of June Tabor, Chris Foster, Alex Campbell, The Yetties, Christy Moore, Peter Rowan, John Kirkpatrick, Artisan, Coope, Boyes and Simpson and many others throughout the world.

We are also very pleased to welcome back the accomplished acoustic singer of traditional songs, Kirsty Bromley, as a support performer.

Kirsty Bromley

We first met Kirsty in the guise of babysitter to the stars, when Nancy Kerr and James Fagan were last in Norwich. Since then her singing career has blossomed and, among other exciting achievements, Kirsty was a finalist at the New Roots competition at St Albans in April this year.

Bring your own refreshments. Teas and coffee available. Reserve tickets (£9) by contacting us through the email link on the ‘About the club’ page.

Bob Wood on 2 November

Posted on by

Bob Wood

 

Our guest performer, Bob Wood, hails from the west of Scotland but is based nowadays in London. A warm and engaging solo singer and performer with an easy going sense of humour, he is known also as a highly accomplished finger style guitarist. Exploring a range of open tunings, his playing and song interpretations have been described as displaying a rare sensitivity, lightness of touch and great technique.

Bob’s regular repertoire nowadays retains firm links with the tradition, but includes also a splendid array of more contemporary songs. Expect therefore to hear material ranging from Robert Burns to Pete Morton; from Archie Fisher to Hank Williams; plus a smattering of pipe, harp and other tunes on guitar.

Reserve tickets (£8) by emailing via the link on the ‘About the club’ page. Bring your own refreshments. Various teas and coffee available.

Singarounds continue every Friday throughout the year. Free entry. All listeners, singers and musicians welcome. Showcase guests at the singaround on 16 November are the Old Wild Rovers, the resident band at Blakeney Harbour Room. Rousing shanties to warm a November evening!

 

Pilgrims’ Way on 5 October

Posted on by

Pilgrims’ Way

Pilgrims’ Way are named for the Rudyard Kipling poem, set to music by Peter Bellamy. They are Edwin Beasant (melodeons, guitar, bass) with Lucy Wright (vocals, jews harp, second fiddle) and Tom Kitching (fiddle, mandolin, reluctant vocals).

Their influences individually are many and varied, but they share a deep respect for the tradition and take as their inspiration some of the most influential bands from the 60s/70s revival.Their aim is to present gimmick-free English folk of the finest kind.

Pilgrims’ Way were nominated for the Horizon Award at the 2012 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. They were also winners of the FATEA Tradition award 2011 and nominated for the Spiral Earth Awards 2012 for best debut album.

In support is the winner of the Welsh Young Performers’ Award 2012 and a nominee for the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award 2012, Sunjay Brayne. An accomplished guitarist, Sunjay was one of most outstanding New Roots finalists this year.

Reserve tickets (£8) by emailing via the link on the ‘About the club’ page. Bring your own refreshments. Tea and coffee available.

 

 

David Gibb and Elly Lucas on 14 September

Posted on by

 

David Gibb and Elly Lucas

Elly Lucas and David Gibb

On Friday 14 September we have a change of plan. Unfortunately Jim Causley is not able to appear at the club due to illness, but we are pleased to welcome, for the first time, David Gibb and Elly Lucas, an exciting young duo hailing from Derbyshire in the Midlands who have have previously toured the UK extensively as part of David Gibb & The Pony Club.

David plays the guitars, melodeon and sings; Elly plays fiddle, viola and also sings. From these minimal resources, the twosome produce distinctive vocal leads, haunting harmonies and a quite dense instrumental sound. Their singing is simple and unadorned ‐ check out Elly’s wistful vocal on ‘Blacksmith’ or David’s lead to ‘Jerusalem Cuckoo’. The pair were chosen as finalists in the prestigious BBC Young Folk Awards 2011 and, on the road, have supported such acts as Cara Dillon, Chris Wood, Coope, Boyes and Simpson, Jez Lowe and Megson.

In early 2011, they released their first EP, entitled ‘Three Children Sliding On The Ice’, garnering praise and national airplay from the likes of the Mike Harding Show (BBC Radio 2): Mike Harding says, ‘I was very impressed’. In the autumn of last year, they spent some time in the recording studio with producer Chris Harding, putting the final touches to their début album ‘Old Chairs To Mend’, which was released on HairpinRecords in March this year.

Singers and musicians will be welcome as usual for floor spots before the main event. Reserve tickets (£6) by emailing us via the ‘About the club page’. Bring your own refreshments. Tea and coffee available.

Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman on 20 July

Posted on by

Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman

Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman make a welcome return to Norwich on Friday 20 July. Dave and Anni joined forces in 1985, after many years around the folk club scene, during which time they featured on several albums made by other performers. Anni has a specialist repertoire of songs originating from her native North East, and Dave has been writing songs in traditional vein since 1982, many of which are widely sung and have become part of the general song repertoire of singers all over the world.

‘If you love traditional music delivered with strength, clarity and simplicity, you certainly won’t be disappointed with this duo’ (Cornwall Folk Festival).

Tickets £8 can be reserved by contacting us via the ‘About the club’ page. Bring your own refreshments. Tea and coffee available.

Singarounds continue in the upstairs room at the Christ Church Centre from 8.30 to 11.30 pm every Friday throughout the summer. Everyone welcome, whether to listen, sing or play.

Sandy Brechin and Ewan Wilkinson on 22 June

Posted on by

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!

Zimmer Follies on 25 May

Posted on by

At the singaround showcase downstairs on Friday 25 May we are very pleased to welcome back the ever-youthful Zimmer Follies, an occasional group of much-loved stalwarts of the Norfolk folk scene. Mauny Wood is joined by Peter Colman, John Mathews, Colin Tait and Roger and Chris Gamble. Not to be missed! Free entry. Bring your own refreshments.

Singarounds continue every Friday upstairs at the Christ Church Centre, with a special evening on Friday 1 June on the theme of ‘Kings and Queens’. All welcome, whether to listen, play or sing. Free entry.

Jez Lowe on 11 May

Posted on by

Jez Lowe

Recently returned from a successful Australian tour, Jez Lowe has performed at some of the most prestigious venues in the world, both solo and with the Bad Pennies. His songs are sung by many other well-known folk performers, including Fairport Convention, the Dubliners, Liam Clancy and Bob Fox. Jez took part in The Darwin Project and, having contributed nearly forty songs to the BBC Radio Ballads series, is currently working on the upcoming series to be broadcast during the Olympic Games.

Tickets £8 (£5 members). Please check availability by email via the ‘About the club’ page. Bring your own refreshments. Tea and coffee available.