Tag Archives: Fiddle

The Brothers Gillespie on Friday 4 October

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Described by Folk Radio UK as ‘weaving an especially compelling magic’, and ‘showing British acoustic music in its best possible light’, the music of Northumbrian duo The Brothers Gillespie is animated by lyrical songwriting, fine fingerstyle guitar playing, multi-instrumental musicianship and ‘the glorious tones of their blood harmony’ (Sam Lee).

’The stars of the show were The Brothers Gillespie … Imagine the guitar work of the early Nic Jones, the close harmony of the Dransfields and the commitment and honesty of Bob Davenport rolled into two brothers and you’ll get some idea.’ (Mike Harding)

Canadian singer Jesse Thom will be in support, and there will also be some floor spots.

The evening starts at 7.30 pm. Tickets (£13 non-members, £10 club members) can be reserved via our contact page. Bring your own drinks. Teas and coffees available in the kitchen, 50p.

The Rosie Hood Band on Friday 10 November

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A folk singer/songwriter from Wiltshire, Rosie Hood is known for her strong, pure voice and captivating performances, as well as being a member of The Dovetail Trio. A BBC Performing Arts Fellow and 2016 BBC Radio 2 Folk Award nominee, Rosie has become more than purely a traditional singer. June 2017 saw the release of her first full-length solo album The Beautiful & The Actual, a collection of old and new folk songs, described by The Guardian as “a classy arrival” ****.

Rosie has toured the UK and Central Canada, both solo and as part of The Dovetail Trio, as well as collaborating and performing with a host of fellow musicians including Emily Portman, Jefferson Hamer, Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne and the Andy May Trio. She is currently working with talented accompanists Nicola Beazley (fiddle/cello), Robyn Wallace (melodeon) and Rosie Butler-Hall (fiddle). Link to: A Furlong of Flight

The evening starts at 7.30 pm. Tickets (£13 non-members, £10 club members) can be reserved via the email form on our contact page. Bring your own drinks – teas and coffee available in the kitchen for 50p.

Teyr on Friday 9 June

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Described by Folk Radio UK as “High-energy brilliance”, James Patrick Gavin, Dominic Henderson and Tommie Black-Roff are three of the UK’s finest new breed of folk musician. Their folk trio TEYR (‘3’ in the Cornish language) evolved out of London’s thriving session scene; that, by combining bothy ballads, focsle shanties, folk tunes and Irish poetry, their trademark blend of voices and instruments draws links between the many sounds of the British and Celtic Isles, as well as the Nordic countries.

Having honed their craft over the best part of a decade, they thrive on weaving their diverse threads together by using close vocal harmonies, fiddle, uilleann pipes, guitar, low whistle and accordion, to characterise themselves and the influences of the great folk musicians who’ve come before.

To reserve your ticket (£13 non-member, £10 club member) email us via the Contact page. The evening kicks off at 7.30 pm. Bring your own drinks – teas and coffee available in the kitchen.

Christina Alden and Alex Patterson on Friday 5 May

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Christina Alden and Alex Patterson have been playing music since they were children and were both raised in musical households in the Norfolk and Suffolk countryside. They are multi-instrumentalist songwriters and have been working together for seven years. Their music is firmly bedded in the folk tradition of story-telling and their writing often reflects on the relationships between humans and the wild.

Christina and Alex have toured extensively in the UK and Europe, including a 23-date concert hall tour with Show of Hands. They have headlined and played on the main stage at some of the UK’s most prestigious folk festivals. They have written and self-released four albums, composed music for a BBC Radio 4 documentary series and have had over a million streams on Spotify. Their 2021 album ‘Hunter’ was well reviewed and had lots of national airplay: ‘a bright, lively collection of songs that plays so sweetly it evokes the sensation of a summer folk festival’ (The Guardian).

Tickets (£13 non-members, £10 club members) are available for this event by emailing via our contact page. Please note that this event runs from 7.30 to our new finish time of 10.15 pm. Bring your own drinks – teas and coffee are available in the kitchen.

The Churchfitters on Friday 3 June

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At 7.30 pm on Friday 3 June we welcome The Churchfitters, a delightfully quirky band that plays a dazzling array of unusual items, from a motorcycle petrol tank to a glass harp, as well as a number of more conventional instruments, including fiddle, banjo, sax and whistle. Singer Rosie Short’s voice has been described as being ‘like Annie Lennox in full flow’ (Fab Nights Productions).

These three flamboyant characters present their uplifting and entertaining show with a unique dynamism and describe their music as ‘Folk Unlimited’. Mike Harding calls it ‘brilliant and beautiful’ while Dave Pegg says they are ‘the most musically inventive group I’ve seen in decades’.

Reserve your tickets (£13 non-members, £10 club members) by emailing via our contact page. Bring your own drinks.

Lilian Grace and Robbie Sherratt on Friday 9 April

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We look forward to welcoming Lilian Grace and Robbie Sherratt, two New Roots Finalists from 2020, to our online song session on Friday 9 April. These young performers show every sign of becoming stars of the British folk scene.

Lilian Grace is a young musician who specialises in unaccompanied traditional English folk song. Her songs are full of haunting rich harmonies, on occasion augmented by her minimalist use of concertina. Lilian graduated from Leeds Conservatoire in 2020, having studied under such well respected musicians as Nancy Kerr, Jim Moray and Bryony Griffith.

Photo by Mikko Malmivaara

Robbie Sherratt is a singer and fiddle player from the Staffordshire Moorlands. His debut album ‘Provenance’ draws from traditional music and melodies in and around his home county. Currently, Robbie’s studying for a Master’s degree in Folk music at Sibelius Academy, Finland where he’s honing his fiddling, teaching, and composing. He performs regularly in concerts and dance events in Finland, England and Estonia with duo Eva Väljaots & Robbie Sherratt and the Helsinki Ceilidh Band.

You can join the Zoom meeting from 7.30 pm for an 8 pm start and we finish at 11 pm. Email us via the form on our contact page to get the link, and let us know if you would like to perform yourself. We will try to fit in as many other performers as possible.

James Findlay at the online session on Friday 26 February

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We’re very pleased to be welcoming musician and singer James Findlay to do a couple of sets at our online song session on Friday 26 February. James Findlay first came into the public eye after winning the 2010 BBC Young Folk award. James comes from a family of folk singers and his enthusiasm lies firmly within the English tradition. He is particularly passionate about songs from his home counties of Dorset and Somerset. James has an extensive repertoire and love for song. This really shows in his knowledge and understanding of the material.

Among a number of recent projects, James recorded and toured an album of ‘The New Penguin Book of English Folk Songs’ with Lucy Ward, Bella Hardy, Brian Peters and Jacki Oates. James was also Composer, Musical Director and Actor in Birdsong – Lockdown 2020, an award-winning online adaptation of Sebastian Faulks’ novel.

The session is free, with the option to contribute to James’s tip jar (suggested contribution £5). You can join the Zoom meeting from 7.30 pm for an 8 pm start and we finish at 11 pm. Email us via the form on our contact page to get the link, and let us know if you would like to perform yourself. We will try to fit in as many other performers as possible.

Georgia Shackleton Trio: online guests on Friday 22 January

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Photo: Sam Jason Cook

On Friday 22 January we look forward to welcoming the Georgia Shackleton Trio, who will be performing two sets at the online song session. The group features Georgia Shackleton (fiddle, vocals), Aaren Bennett (guitar) and Nic Zuppardi (mandolin). Natural talents of the folk tradition, their self-penned material blends seamlessly with their imaginative yet authentic re-workings of traditional folk standards, influenced by British, American and Scandinavian folk traditions, with a regional twist from the group’s native East Anglia.

“Sparky, charismatic and intensely assured. An exciting and innovative young trio. A hefty thumbs up” fRoots Magazine

The session is free, with the option to contribute to the Trio’s tip pot (suggested contribution £5). You can join the Zoom meeting from 7.30 pm for an 8 pm start and we finish at 11 pm. Email us via the form on our contact page to get the link, and let us know if you would like to perform yourself. We will try to fit in as many other performers as possible.

Tania Opland and Mike Freeman on Friday 17 May

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The guests on Friday 17 May will be Tania Opland and Mike Freeman, touring from the USA and Ireland with an eclectic mix of acoustic music and songs, incorporating more instruments than any sane duo would tour the world with, including hammered dulcimer, guitar, recorders, cittern, violin, Native American flute, ocarina, hurdy-gurdy and percussion.

Their shows feature traditional and contemporary material from many cultures as well as original compositions, all presented with wit and style. They are ‘one of the most original and interesting musical combinations you’re ever likely to see! Between them they weave a fascinating musical tapestry’ Chester Festival, Kelsall, Cheshire, UK.

Tickets £11 (£8 club members) can be reserved by emailing via our contact page. Bring your own drinks. Teas and coffee available in the kitchen.

 

Alden Patterson and Dashwood on Friday 18 January

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Our guests on Friday 18 January will be Norwich-based folk group Alden Patterson and Dashwood, a trio who weave rich vocal harmonies, fiddle, dobro and guitar around beautifully written original songs and melodies.

The group’s music takes influence from folk traditions from both sides of the Atlantic, with uplifting instrumentals and self-penned songs depicting tales of young travellers, sleepy seas and their affection for home. ‘It’s lovely stuff’ – Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio 2 Folk Show.

The list is open to reserve tickets, £8 (£11 non-members). Email us via the form on the contact page. Bring your own drinks. Teas and coffee available in the kitchen.

The showcase guest on Friday 1 February will be the popular local performer, Kevin Green. Free event, with a raffle.