On Friday 6 February, we welcome back two of the finest exponents of traditional song in the United Kingdom – Damien Barber and Mike Wilson. It is difficult to accept that these relatively young men have a combined 40+ years’ experience of performing at folk venues.
Raised in Norfolk and heavily influenced by such earlier Norfolk singers as Walter Pardon and Peter Bellamy, Damien is a stylish and distinctive singer, either unaccompanied or using guitar or concertina. Though he has lived for a long time in West Yorkshire he retains a strong East Anglian identity.
Mike Wilson is the youngest member of the Wilson Family, the powerful Teesside singing siblings who have raised the rafters at many a festival or folk club event. Mike’s musical heritage is emphatically that of the North East – rural and industrial folk song, both traditional and modern.
Damien and Mike have a rich shared repertoire of traditional songs plus the work of modern folk writers such as Bellamy, Ewan MacColl and Mike Waterson.
Tickets are £10 (£7 club members), but are SOLD OUT. Bring a bottle or enjoy a cuppa from the kitchen.
On Friday 30 January the showcase guest at our song session will be singer, guitar player and melodeon virtuoso, Roger Gamble – a veteran performer of over 50 years in his own right. Now in his 83rd year, Roger maintains a keen sense of mischief, his voice still carries an edge and his playing has a quality that can move.
Roger’s repertoire is a virtual conducted tour of the time he has spent singing and playing in East Anglia’s folk clubs and pubs. From the folk revival of the 50s and 60s on to Dylan and the great singer-songwriters, through delta blues and with an occasional nod to the world of rock, he has amassed a treasure chest of material which is still developing.
There is no charge on the door, but there will be a raffle. Bring drinks of your choice, or make a tea or coffee in the kitchen.
On Friday 29 July we look forward to welcoming New Roots finalists 2016 The Lion’s Share as showcase guests within the song session. This London-based folk duo grew out of the UCLU Folk and World Music Society and is made up of Tom Blackburn, a Nic Jones-esque guitarist, who has had the pleasure of supporting such acts as Martin Carthy, and Jimmy Grayburn, a frailing and finger-picking banjo player. Together, with driving vocals and tight harmonies, they sing stories of love, betrayal and homelessness, respecting the tradition while adding their own personal touch. The Lion’s Share will perform two sets within the session.
