Veteran returns to the Folk Club

Roger and Chris Gamble will be the showcase guests at Norwich Folk Club singaround on Friday 30 April.

Singer and multi-instrumentalist Roger has been a stalwart of folk and acoustic sessions in Norfolk and Suffolk for over 45 years, drawing on a wide range of material, from English traditional to influences  as diverse as Randy Newman and Mark Knopfler. The trademark harmony singing of Chris and Roger has long been a feature of their local gigs.

Since moving to South-West Norfolk  their appearances in Norwich in recent years have sadly been limited, but their return promises to be a treat, with much of Roger’s ‘back-catalogue’ expected, together with some recent additions.

Bring your own refreshments. Tea and coffee available.


‘Creatures Great and Small’ on 16 April

The singaround on 16 April will have the theme ‘Creatures Great and Small’. Trawl through your repertoire or take off on new flights of fancy. We look forward to hearing some interesting and quirky, if sometimes tenuous interpretations. Everyone is very welcome to come along. Free entry. Bring your own refreshments. Tea and coffee available.

We have singarounds every Friday at the Christ Church Centre on Magdalen Road with guest performers roughly once a month.

Sewell Park College Hall, 5 March

On 5 March the singaround ‘In Celebration of Women’ will be at the new main hall at Sewell Park College, starting at 8 pm, as we must finish by 10.30 pm. Entrance is from St Clement’s Hill. Everyone is welcome. Drinks can be bought in the Sports Centre Bar or you may bring your own.

On 12 March we will be back at the Christ Church Centre, but tickets are SOLD OUT for Dave Swarbrick.

Temporary relocation, 26 February

Unfortunately, due to an unexpected delay in the licensing process, we are not able to meet at the Christ Church Centre this week. On 26 February, from 8.30-10.30 pm we shall be using the nearby new Main Hall at Sewell Park College NR3 4BX. This is just up St Clement’s Hill – the entrance is between Chamberlin Road and Elm Grove Lane. We can use the Sports Centre Bar for drinks or bring our own refreshments. We are told the acoustics are good and there’s room for dancing!

Watch this space for the location of  the singaround on 5 March ‘In Celebration of Women’ (either CCC or school hall). We shall definitely be back at the Christ Church Centre on 12 March with Dave Swarbrick. Tickets are sold out for this event.

Annual General Meeting on 19 February 2010

The Annual General Meeting of Norwich Folk Club will take place at 8 pm on Friday 19 February at the Christ Church Centre on Magdalen Road, Norwich. The main business will be the election of a committee to serve for the coming year. This is a chance for members to show their support for the club by voting for a committee to run events and by giving opinions on club matters.

Any current members who have not already received the agenda and the minutes of the previous AGM are asked to contact the club secretary by email though the form on the ‘About the Club’ page.

The meeting will be followed by a singaround, starting at around 9 pm. All welcome, as usual. Bring your own refreshments. Tea and coffee will be available.

Judi Daykin singaround showcase

Judi Daykin is the showcase guest at the White Horse Inn on Friday 6 November and will perform two spots within the singaround. Judi first sang in folk clubs “up north” back in the 1970s, but she was seduced away from the scene by the lure of the bright lights of show business. She trained as an actor and singer at drama school in London and has worked mainly in theatre for some years now. Folk music came back into her life in the new century following a chance conversation with Simon Nichol of Fairport Convention. He suggested a visit to their annual Fairport’s Cropredy Convention to see how things had changed. Inspired by this visit Judi rushed down to Norwich Folk Club and joined their ranks, as well as becoming a regular Cropredy goer.

Judi Daykin

Judi Daykin

Judi uses her actor’s storytelling ability to mix modern singer songwriter material with traditional numbers and even the occasional bit of poetry. Influences include Fairport Convention, Joni Mitchell and Show of Hands, all of whom will no doubt be showing up in her choice of songs. All welcome and entry is free.

On Friday 30 October the singaround is at the Manor Rooms, just up the Street from the White Horse Inn. Drinks can be bought at the pub and tea and coffee are also available. Everyone is welcome, whether to listen, sing or play, and the mix of music is often eclectic.

Shadows in the Shade on 4 September

Shadows in the Shade

Shadows in the Shade

Shadows in the Shade are Jed Stone and Des Tighe, names well known around the folk clubs and sessions of their Suffolk homeland. Both are founder members of XXLcior, a shanty crew put together to support the sail training trawler Excelsior, and in a past life both have sung with the shanty crew Capstan Full Strength. Both have performed often in Holland, now and again in Poland and once in Norway. As solo performers, each has travelled extensively the shores and bars of their native England, of Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Given their pedigree it was probably inevitable that sooner or later they would end up singing together, and inevitable that an album would follow. Now we welcome them to Norfolk for a showcase at the Norwich Folk Club singaround on 4 September.

Summer Sunday Singaround on 16 August

Our annual Summer Sunday Singaround kicks off at around 2 pm on the patio or in the usual function room at the White Horse Inn, depending on the weather! Sprinkled through the afternoon and evening, there will be spots from various local folkies.

The usual Friday singarounds continue throughout the summer – free entry and all welcome.

On Friday 21 August we shall be at the Manor Rooms, just up the street from the White Horse Inn. Collect your drink from the pub on the way. Tea and coffee available.

On Friday 28 August we are back at the White Horse Inn, as usual. Visitors and locals are all invited – why not try out a new tune or song in these friendly surroundings?

Graham Schofield showcase on 7 August

grahamschofield1

The showcase guest at the singaround on 7 August is Graham Schofield. ‘Graham has been singing in folk clubs around the country since the revival and has a wide and eclectic repertoire rooted in the tradition or having the feel of the tradition. He tends to find the passion in a song, whether of the countryside or the lot of the working man. His voice has a sweetness and range which allows him to slip easily from a gentle love-song to a rousing shanty and he relishes a lively audience who love to sing the choruses with gusto.’ Free entry, all welcome.

There is, of course, a singaround on 31 July, as usual and on every Friday throughout the summer. All welcome – why not try out some new material?

A Murder of Rooks showcase on 17 July

A Murder of Rooks comprise Isobel Morris: vocals and ukulele, Gary Southwell: 9-string guitar and vocals and Jim Kimberley: guitar and vocals. At least two of the three will be with us on 17 July to contribute a couple of spots within the singaround. Simplicity and restraint is the key, with sparse musical arrangements and unadorned vocals. Their version of ‘Sam Hall’ has the traditional English lyrics, and their recent CD also includes ‘Never Came He’, ‘The Handsome Cabin Boy’ and ‘Three Ravens’. All welcome, free entry.

The singaround on 10 July is open to everyone as usual, with new songs and tunes appreciated. Our definition of ‘folk’ is broad and we encourage the efforts of new and returning folkies. Free entry.