Emily Smith on Friday 9 October

Emily Smith

Emily Smith

‘Scots Singer of the Year 2008/9’, Emily Smith has firmly established herself as a leading light in the Scottish folk scene.

Since winning the 2002 ‘BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year Award’ she has released three critically acclaimed albums, toured extensively with her band on the international folk circuit and is recognised not only as one of Scotland’s finest interpreters of traditional song but also as a talented songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.

Alongside her solo career, Smith has written, recorded and toured with artists from the folk scene and beyond including Eddi Reader, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Karine Polwart, John McCusker, David Scott and Phil Cunningham. She has recorded live sessions for BBC Radio 2’s Bob Harris, Aled Jones and Mike Harding alongside receiving regular play on BBC Radio Scotland. Smith was also involved in writing material for the much acclaimed Darwin Song Project at the Shrewsbury Festival last month.

This event will be at the White Horse Inn, starting at 8.30 pm. The concert will be amplified. Please check for availability of tickets £8 (£5 members) by email (see About the club page).

There will be singarounds at the White Horse Inn on Friday 25 September and 2 October – free entry and everyone is welcome to come along, whether to listen, sing or play.

Jim Causley at Manor Rooms on 18 September

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).

The Askew Sisters on 3 July

The Askew Sisters

The Askew Sisters

Emily and Hazel Askew are a young duo making waves on the folk scene with their energetic brand of English folk music. They play and sing with an infectious enjoyment and love for the music and their debut album ‘All in a Garden Green’ has been played by radio stations across the UK as well as in America, Canada, France and Australia (and it’s rumoured to be doing well in Japan). The girls have also had a full feature in Living Tradition magazine, written by Brian Peters.

“As more and more people adopt the mantle of traditional music, it is wonderful to see how they treat the material with respect and are prepared to put in hard work researching and collating songs and tunes.” EDS magazine

“The breezy robustness of their musicianship is demonstrated in the joyous way the two parts switch around, colluding and colliding during the course of a tune set, adeptly maintaining listener interest while keeping feet tapping … infectious pumping energy characterises their performance.” fRoots magazine

Start time: 8.30 pm, tickets £8 (£5 members). Reserve seats by email and pay on the door.

Harriet Bartlett on 17 April

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!

Barrie and Ingrid Temple on 13 March

Barrie and Ingrid Temple

Barrie and Ingrid Temple

Well established and much respected harmony singers Barrie and Ingrid Temple will be guests at the club on 13 March. Their songs are traditional, with original arrangements and accompaniment by Barrie on English concertina and guitar. They also sing Barrie’s original songs, written in the traditional style, many of which have been recorded by other performers.

Vicki Swan and Jonny Dyer on 6 February

Vicki Swan and Jonny Dyer

Vicki Swan and Jonny Dyer

Vicki Swan and Jonny Dyer are acknowledged as “one of the best young duos around on the folk scene today” (Famous Willows Folk Club).  Although best known for their instrumental skills with Scottish smallpipes, accordion and even Swedish Nyckelharpa, the duo are well recognised for their song arrangements too.  With their blend of traditional material and contemporary interpretations, they have developed a sound that is both familiar and fresh.

Tony Hall on 9 January

We look forward very much to welcoming local celebrity, melodeon player and modest wit Tony Hall to the Folk Club on Friday 9 January. Tickets £4 (£2 members). Summed up by Islington Folk Club: ‘East Anglian melodeon player with a distinctive, quintessentially English style, who played on the iconic ’80s Nic Jones release ‘Penguin Eggs’. Hall’s sets are laid-back affairs, interspersed with his dry, sometimes gently surreal humour.’ See the EDP article online from 19 June 2008: ‘Tony draws on squeezebox skills’, where there is also a video.

Bill Caddick on 12 December

Bill Caddick

Bill Caddick

Singer songwriter Bill Caddick will be the guest at the club on 12 December. Bill is perhaps best known for ‘Unicorns’ and ‘The Cloud Factory’. His songs have been recorded by the likes of June Tabor, Chris Foster, Alex Campbell, The Yetties, Christy Moore, Peter Rowan, John Kirkpatrick, Artisan and Coope, Boyes and Simpson.

It has been said about Bill:

“The man’s a wonder. Unique. Masterful. Magnificent. Enormous. Essential.” John Kirkpatrick

“Holds your attention from first to last. He has hell of a voice and plays a mean guitar” fRoots

“Simply brilliant. English folksong delivered with passion and commitment.” The Living Tradition

Tickets £8 (£5 members)

Video link

Bill Caddick at Southwell Folk Festival 2008

Jez Lowe solo

Jez Lowe, solo

Popular singer-songwriter Jez Lowe will be at the Folk Club on Friday 24 October. Jez was a nominee for BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2008 ‘Folksinger of the Year’. He has a new album just out, his 14th set of original songs of the North Country, and the BBC’s “Radio Ballads” – to which he contributed twenty-odd songs last year- has just won a Sony Radio Academy Award.

The new CD, JACK COMMON’S ANTHEM was inspired by the cult Geordie novelist of that name, whose work chronicled life in the North East in the early 20th Century. Jez Lowe has taken up that same torch a hundred years later, in a selection of songs and tunes that reflect the hard times, the good times, the hard work and hard play of the region where he was born and raised.

Friday 21 November at the Manor Rooms

Tim Laycock

Tim Laycock, singer, concertina player and actor, is the Folk Club guest on Friday 21 November. at the Manor Rooms, just up the Street from the White Horse Inn. Tim has appeared with the Albion Band and is a specialist in the songs, traditions and dialect of the West Country. Support on this evening is provided by the young fiddler and singer James Findlay, who was a finalist in New Roots 2008.

James Findlay