What a feast of tunes as well as songs and carols, seasonal, celebratory, ritual and otherwise for our festive gathering. We were joined by Robert and his fantastic fiddling for the first time; normally at choir practice on a Tuesday, we benefited from the holiday on this occasion. Miriam, back from Leicester, and Beth from Germany gave us the benefit of their singing and Kevin swelled the musician's contingent on bagpipes and concertina.
David opened on small pipes with 'Little Wee Winking Thing,' a curious title whether referring to a baby (Katy) or candle or other thing entirely. This was followed by Katy's Gascon carol, 'Pat-a-Pan,' Miriam's traditional English carol, 'Tomorrow Shall be my Dancing Day' and Ruth's dialect poem, 'Winter's Came.' Eliza sang a couple of wren hunting songs during the evening, the first, an Irish and the second a Welsh version. Some discussion of etymology and origin ensued (see comment - thanks in advance, Miriam).
Carole accompanied herself on guitar for her song 'The Island' about Westray and Robert burst in with Hector McAndrew's Kalianan Cottage, 'Bodaich Bheaga Abriachan' or 'The Little Old Men of Abriachan' and 'Loch Ness.' Kevin played three Spanish tunes on his adapted pipes with Spanish chanter on Swedish Sackpipa bag: 'La Amistad,' (friendship), 'Van Ness,' and 'Muineira.' Angus' first was Fairport Convention's 'The Summer Before the War' followed by David's 'Poverty Knock,' and Phil's rendering of Les Barker's much relished, 'Oh the Hard Cheese of Old England.' Returning to the seasonal were Katy's 'Time to Remember the Poor' or 'Cold Winter is Come,' an evocative traditional song and Ruth's 'The Shepherds' a setting of an early poem by William Morris, then Carole's 'When Winter comes Howling in' and Eliza's 'Gower Wassail.' Miriam gave us, 'Let no Man Steal Your Thyme,' David, the sea shanty 'Sailing Over the Dogger Bank ,' Angus took us to Whitley Bay with Aggie and Joe (sorry didn't note the title of this one) and Phil, 'Indiana' by Andy Mitchell and sung by the band, 'Patrick street.'
Tunes were from James on accordion 'The Sally Gardens' and 'The ? Behind,' Robert, with general joining in, 'The Pinch of Snuff' and Kevin on concertina with Matt Seattle's 'Lindisfarne' and the tune for the pantomime figure, Morgiana (in Spain).
Katy and Miriam duetted on 'O Come O come Emmanuel' and Beth sang, 'The Galway Shawl' and 'Ye Jacobites by Name,' a traditional song, rewritten by Robert Burns. Carole lightened the mood with 'The Rottenstall Annual Fair and Angus with, 'Higher Education' by Norman Turnbull.
Tunes during the latter part of the evening were James' 'Gaster's Dream' (and another one, unknown), the strathspey, 'Captain Carswell' and 'Inverness.' Robert continued with 'The Rushmore Downpour,'and 'We'll Make Charlie Wear the Crown' and David with 'Low Country Dance' and 'Up wi' Eli Early.' Kevin further mined the Spanish seam with two regional tunes; a Catalan and an Asturian Melody and Carole gave us four tunes on recorder: 'Bonny Nancy', 'Ireland, I dare not speak your name,' 'Tweedside' and 'God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.' Robert and Kevin played together on fiddle and concertina for 'Crested Hen,' 'Saddle the Pony' and 'Blackthorn Stick.' The musicians rounded off the night with polkas and Northumbrian tunes led by James and then Angus.
Beth gave the finish a fitting flourish with 'Stille Nacht.' Thanks for your contributions everyone.
January's date is the 26th. Hope to see you there.
Thursday, 24 December 2015
Friday, 27 November 2015
24th November 2015
Great to see Frank and Corrie with several instruments between them and also our local singer-instrumentalist, Rod, who slipped in quietly, tuned his guitar and gave us the pleasure of his company while his guitar sat there smug in the knowledge that it was in tune...job done for the night (which was fine). Also welcome back Ruth. Also good to see our other regulars including Carole who is becoming one of them. And long may it last.
So to business. Upstairs is grand and the large table set up with everyone sitting round is generally convivial and friendly. Good tunes from various sources and occasionally Europe on accordions (I think, though not the 'piano' variety), pipes, fiddle, recorder, whistle and guitars.
Frank and Corrie opened and closed the session, starting with two Northumbrian song tunes, 'Up the Raa' and 'Footy against the Wall' and 'La Sansonette, 'a Scottische from France on accordion and pipes. They later played an English Playford tune, 'Kettledrum,' then 'The Far Away Waltz' on box and fiddle, followed by 'The Woody Cock' on box and wooden recorder and later the Playford tune, 'Jenny Pluck Pears,' again on box and wooden recorder. Other numbers were on box and pipes; a Morris dance tune from Oxfordshire, 'The Old Drove Road,'and 'The Laird of Drumblair,' a strathspey. Angus played a couple of sets of tunes on mandolin with the musicians joining in. These were 'Winster Gallop,' 'Jaimie Allen' and 'Salmon Tails' and later, the polka set which includes 'John Ryan's' and 'Egan's' (I think). David played 'Lassie gae Milk on Cow Hill' on small pipes.
Katy began a military theme with Tennyson's 'The Charge of the Light Brigade,' arranged for singing. Robbie, a former soldier, sang his military songs, Strawhead's 'One-Eyed Jack' and 'Over the Hills.' These, perhaps, triggered (unintentional pun) Phil's later 'Brave General Wolfe.'
Carole accompanied herself on guitar for Jez Lowe's, Yankee Boots and her own piece drawing on John Masefield's 'Sea Fever' as well as Stan Rogers,' 'The Lock Keeper' and Ian Tyson's, 'Four Strong Winds.' Angus also did a Stan Rogers, 'Tiny Fish for Japan,' and Cyril Tawney's 'Chicken on a Raft,' a good chorus number (if you can keep up). Ruth was well equipped with 'The New Nation Song Book' and the odd separately published song score. She sang 'Blow, Blow thou Winter Wynd' from Shakespeare's 'As You Like It.' Also 'Smoke Gets in your Eyes' (we benefited from the 'fire' theme at Brampton Folk Club - The Howard Arms - 3rd Tuesday) and 'The Nightingale. Also on the theme of 'fire' was Dawn's 'Fires of Ninety Eight' by John Warner. Dawn also sang 'The Last of the Widows,' and Davey Steele and John McCusker's 'Last Trip Home,' more of her evocative repertoire.
Corrie sang Sir Walter Scott's lovely Jock o' Hazeldean. As well as the aforementioned, Phil gave us 'The Donnybristle Mossmoran Mining Disaster,' and 'Cloudberry Day.' As discussed, there was a time when people here would pick yellow cloudberries, native to the arctic tundra, boreal forests and Newcastleton (and Northumbrian and other) fells. Apparently they are much sought after in Norway. Katy set off a deal of harmonising with her rousing, 'All the Good Times Are Past and Gone,' by Bobby Bare and later gave us the beautiful 'Three King's Sons; an Ode to the Sacred City' a Sinhalese Buddhist piece (partly as a riposte to Carole's comment about religious songs - let no one say we don't throw in a bit of religion and politics on folk nights).
Eliza, influenced by the season (though not the month) sang the 'The Month of January.' She later followed with 'The Great Selkie of Sule Skerry,' and 'The Lament of The Lass of Loch Royale' and Steven Schwartz' 'The Road the Gypsies Go.' David's songs were, 'The Lincolnshire Poacher,' Mike Harding's, 'King Cotton' and 'Roving Navvy' by Ian Woods.
I certainly enjoyed the night once again and look forward to our pre-Christmas night on the 22nd of December. Hope to see you there. Bring whatever songs and tunes you like; festive, seasonal or whatever takes your fancy, floats your boat etc. Eliza
Friday, 30 October 2015
October 27th 2015
Oh ye. Oh ye. The unanimous verdict was that our first time upstairs (in the larger room rather than the lounge downstairs) at the Grapes was a grand do. Acoustics are good and the beamed barn look as well as sitting round a long table worked well from all points of view. And what a turn-out to inaugurate the new room for the club, the ranks being swelled by the annual visit of an extended family, normally variously located in Sunderland, Manchester and London with their folk harmonies, fiddle and guitar to boot. Special mentions to Jed, Anna and Louis and appreciation goes to the grand voices of all and dancing by the smallest, some on the floor others in arms. It was great to have Mary (on accordion) and Larry (moral and liquid support) for the first time (though long-time participants in the festival) and to welcome again Carol H. (Guitar and voice) and Dave (dulcimer) and Carole B.(recorder, guitar and voice).
So, to business. There were lots of tunes this time with plenty of joining in - generally a good balance between tunes and songs. So i'll start with tunes. Jed started us off with a Swedish fiddle tune and later did 'Ashokan Farewell' composed by Jay Ungar in 1982 in the style of a Scotttish Lament for summer camps in the Catskill mountains in upstate New York. Mary played a variety of tunes in grand style on accordion, joined by Carol and Dave and also sometimes by Jed, Phil and Angus. She started with the bird set that she Carol and Dave have arranged: 'Eagle's Whistle,' 'Peacock's Feather' and 'The Cuckoo.' They followed with a set of jigs; 'Donnybrook Fair,' 'The Frost is all Over' and 'The Kesh Jig' and, later with 'Spillane Fiddle' and 'The Favourite' then 'Waves of Kilkee' and 'Around Loch Gill.' Dave played the lovely 'Fair and Charming Eileen O'Carroll,' on dulcimer. Angus produced his mandolin and gave us some Northumbrian tunes in G - 'Winster Gallop,' 'Salmon Tails' and 'Jimmy Allen,' with fiddle and guitar and other instrumental accompaniment - and later a polka set; 'Egans' and 'John Ryan's.' He also played the wonderful 'Margaret's Waltz' composed by Pat Shuldham-Shaw and dedicated to Margaret Grant on her retirement from the English Folk Song and Dance Soc. David played some bourees on his French pipes plus 'Drops of Brandy,' both the old and new versions. Carole (B.) played 'The Rose of St. Magnus' written by Ivan Drever on recorder, an instrument we don't hear enough of. Apparently she has quite a collection of these.
Songs included choral settings, accompanied and unaccompanied singing and, as usual, a good mixture of the contemporary and traditional. Anna as folk-choir leader, marshalled her well-rehearsed group beginning with 'Hush Thee My Dove' or 'The Manx Lullaby' in harmony and later, 'Early One Morning,' and 'The Waters of Tyne.' Louis, a young guitarist and singer gave us Bob Dylan's, 'Don't Think Twice.' We are hoping for more from him as well as the choir during their next year's visit.
Katie gave a fine rendering of the 1756 lyrics in Scots' dialect (or language) by Jean Elliot to 'The Floo'ers o' The Forest' a pipe tune commemorating the Scots' defeat at Flodden in 1513 about the grief of the women and children for the deaths in the battle. She later sang an excellent version of 'Sandy Bells' Man' and, appropriate to the season, 'The Light of Halloween.' Steve accompanied himself on guitar with, 'The Valley of Strathmore' and 'Isle of Hope' by Brendan Graham. There were some great chorus/ refrains from Carol (H.) who sang with the accordion and guitar, 'When I Mowed Pat Murphy's Meadow' and 'Sweet Forget me not' with the addition of fiddle and another guitar and, later, 'My Own Dear Galway Bay by Frank Fahy. She also sang to accompany Dave on the dulcimer with, 'Outside Track,' a poem by Henry Lawson set to music by Gerry Halson (?). Carol (B.) did Tom Paxton's 'Can't Help but Wonder Where I'm Bound' and 'Borderland' recorded by Archie Fisher and possibly written by him. David sang 'The Little Piecer' by Dave Brooks and later, 'Albert Berry' by Ted Edwards. Phil's offerings were 'Brough Hill Fair by Dorothey Una Radcliffe and Steve Tilston's wonderful 'Slip Jigs and Reels.' Dawn rang the changes with a sad song and a humorous one; 'So many Colours in the Rainbow' by Marie Little and 'The Corvette' respectively. Eliza offered Peter Bellamy's setting of Rudyard Kipling's poem, 'The Smugglers' and the halloween ballad, 'Tam Lin' (Duncan Williamson's Version)
There were some tunes to finish led by Mary. A good night was had by all, it seems. Thanks for coming. We meet again on the 24th of November (and there will also be a December meeting on 22nd). It would be great to see friends and newcomers.
Eliza
So, to business. There were lots of tunes this time with plenty of joining in - generally a good balance between tunes and songs. So i'll start with tunes. Jed started us off with a Swedish fiddle tune and later did 'Ashokan Farewell' composed by Jay Ungar in 1982 in the style of a Scotttish Lament for summer camps in the Catskill mountains in upstate New York. Mary played a variety of tunes in grand style on accordion, joined by Carol and Dave and also sometimes by Jed, Phil and Angus. She started with the bird set that she Carol and Dave have arranged: 'Eagle's Whistle,' 'Peacock's Feather' and 'The Cuckoo.' They followed with a set of jigs; 'Donnybrook Fair,' 'The Frost is all Over' and 'The Kesh Jig' and, later with 'Spillane Fiddle' and 'The Favourite' then 'Waves of Kilkee' and 'Around Loch Gill.' Dave played the lovely 'Fair and Charming Eileen O'Carroll,' on dulcimer. Angus produced his mandolin and gave us some Northumbrian tunes in G - 'Winster Gallop,' 'Salmon Tails' and 'Jimmy Allen,' with fiddle and guitar and other instrumental accompaniment - and later a polka set; 'Egans' and 'John Ryan's.' He also played the wonderful 'Margaret's Waltz' composed by Pat Shuldham-Shaw and dedicated to Margaret Grant on her retirement from the English Folk Song and Dance Soc. David played some bourees on his French pipes plus 'Drops of Brandy,' both the old and new versions. Carole (B.) played 'The Rose of St. Magnus' written by Ivan Drever on recorder, an instrument we don't hear enough of. Apparently she has quite a collection of these.
Songs included choral settings, accompanied and unaccompanied singing and, as usual, a good mixture of the contemporary and traditional. Anna as folk-choir leader, marshalled her well-rehearsed group beginning with 'Hush Thee My Dove' or 'The Manx Lullaby' in harmony and later, 'Early One Morning,' and 'The Waters of Tyne.' Louis, a young guitarist and singer gave us Bob Dylan's, 'Don't Think Twice.' We are hoping for more from him as well as the choir during their next year's visit.
Katie gave a fine rendering of the 1756 lyrics in Scots' dialect (or language) by Jean Elliot to 'The Floo'ers o' The Forest' a pipe tune commemorating the Scots' defeat at Flodden in 1513 about the grief of the women and children for the deaths in the battle. She later sang an excellent version of 'Sandy Bells' Man' and, appropriate to the season, 'The Light of Halloween.' Steve accompanied himself on guitar with, 'The Valley of Strathmore' and 'Isle of Hope' by Brendan Graham. There were some great chorus/ refrains from Carol (H.) who sang with the accordion and guitar, 'When I Mowed Pat Murphy's Meadow' and 'Sweet Forget me not' with the addition of fiddle and another guitar and, later, 'My Own Dear Galway Bay by Frank Fahy. She also sang to accompany Dave on the dulcimer with, 'Outside Track,' a poem by Henry Lawson set to music by Gerry Halson (?). Carol (B.) did Tom Paxton's 'Can't Help but Wonder Where I'm Bound' and 'Borderland' recorded by Archie Fisher and possibly written by him. David sang 'The Little Piecer' by Dave Brooks and later, 'Albert Berry' by Ted Edwards. Phil's offerings were 'Brough Hill Fair by Dorothey Una Radcliffe and Steve Tilston's wonderful 'Slip Jigs and Reels.' Dawn rang the changes with a sad song and a humorous one; 'So many Colours in the Rainbow' by Marie Little and 'The Corvette' respectively. Eliza offered Peter Bellamy's setting of Rudyard Kipling's poem, 'The Smugglers' and the halloween ballad, 'Tam Lin' (Duncan Williamson's Version)
There were some tunes to finish led by Mary. A good night was had by all, it seems. Thanks for coming. We meet again on the 24th of November (and there will also be a December meeting on 22nd). It would be great to see friends and newcomers.
Eliza
Wednesday, 23 September 2015
September 22nd, 2015
What a grand, champion, smashing' (north-eastern credentials sneaking out here) time we had last night (well I did, anyway). It was great to welcome Dave back and Meg and, for the first time, (drum roll) Rod was roused to cross the Square from the other side of the road through the village. Their presence and contributions were much appreciated. We were endowed with seven guitarists (Meg, Dave, Carol, Phil, Rod, Angus, and Steve) a recorder (Carol), a whistle (David) a bodhran (Rod) player, and a smallpiper (as opposed to small piper) (David), many voices and a partridge... Amongst her offerings, Carol sang one of her own... and the company boasts at least two other lyricists. I recorded the session on a new digital recorder, something i'll do randomly once every few months or so. Not sure how this will have turned out as last time it was done by an expert (thanks Kevin) but hope to upload songs and photos during the next week or so once I get my head round editing etc (which Kevin did last time). Watch this space.
To business. Eliza kicked off with Robin Williamson's version of 'The Raggle-Taggle Gypsies.' Sad (in my view) that being on the road in Britain belongs more or less to a romantic past (obviously not romantic if you actually live/ lived it). She later followed this up with Williamson's own 'The Road the Gypsies Go.'
There were a couple of emigrant/stranger songs, perhaps brought on by the refugee crisis. It was good to see Steve again with his topical 'Isle of Hope' by Brendan Graham about Ellis Island, passed through by emigrants from Ireland (and elsewhere) in the process of gaining entry to America. Dave did the 'Banks of the Bann,' a nineteenth century song about Delaney who probably moved from one part of Ireland to another (County Meath to Ulster?) as a result of too much drinking and sporting - so not really emigrant but he did arrive as a 'stranger'. Drunken and nutting maidens were also in evidence in Dave's bawdy 'Three Drunken Maidens' (with Rod on bodhran) and David's 'Nutting Girl' (and as he pointed out, summer is an odd season for hazelnuts).
David and Angus did starting work and Monday Morning Songs, 'The Little Piecer' and Cyril Tawney's 'On a Monday Morning' respectively. (Others by Tawney were 'Jack Tar on Shore' sung by Phil and 'Farewell to Kingsbridge' contributed by Katy). Other work songs were 'The 'Chiner's,' a steam threshing machine song (Shirley Collins' version) from Eliza, 'The Carver' by sung by David and 'The Right Side of the Footplate,' a Tony Williams song sung by Dave. Songs of heartbreak and relationships included Angus' Annie McElvie and his 'You Can't Stay Here' by Stan Rogers, Carol's 'A Heart Needs a Home' by Richard Thompson and, perhaps, Steve's 'Gentle Annie' written by Stephen Foster, Steve thinks for and about his mother. There were a couple of ballads; Katy's rendering of the Child Ballad, 'The Brown Girl' in Frankie Armstrong style and Eliza's 'Reynardine.'
Meg, who runs a club at 'The Railway' at Fourstones did some stunning renderings; of Mary Black's 'Bright Blue Rose,' John Prine's powerful, 'Angel from Montgomery' as well as her arrangement of Loretta Lynn's 'Coal Miner's Daughter' in a strong country bluesy style (I hope i've got this one right) and a rocking 'Two More Bottles of Wine' by Emmy Lou Harris.'
A strand that developed linking some of the songs was socialism/social justice versus fat cats. Carol set it going with Jim King's, 'Little Posh Kids' eerily resonant of recent revelations about the antics of a certain 'esteemed' leader and his cohort. Steve did Ray Hearne's haunting 'Calling Jo Hill' and Phil, 'A Socialist ABC' by Alex Glasgow.
Robbie borrowed Carol's copy of Strawhead's song book and found a trio of songs beginning with their version of 'Over the Hills,' now known at the Grapes as his personal signature song. He followed with 'The Fall of Babylon' and 'One Eyed Jack,' all rendered in his own inimitable style.
Carol and Phil did a couple of philosophical songs about time and change, Steve Tilson's 'Oil and Water' and 'Watch the Clock by 'Sam...' Eliza threw in a brief scrap of something longer from 'The Incredible String Band,' 'This Moment is Different' about seizing the moment. And (at the risk of sounding like someone compiling a book on songs with subheadings...well actually not being able to resist doing so) there were handful of comic songs, too; Katy's 'Granny Frazer's Flittin,' Rod's 'A Yorkshire Couple' and 'The Vicar and the Frog' and Phil's, 'It Went All Right at Home.'
Carol's own song was the evocative, 'The slow train.' And Rod did one that began, 'If I were a...' which I obviously thought was memorable (for those who are compos mentis unlike me, obviously) because I haven't noted anything else. ('...Witch's Hat comes to mind...but there have been one too many Williamson/String Band references.) It was good - that's all I remember. Sorry Rod.
Tunes this time were Dave's 'Merry Blacksmith' with guitar and bodhran accompaniment, David's 'Little Wee Winking Thing' (not recorded), 'Bobbing Joan,' and 'Cherry Garden' on small pipes and, to finish, some tunes led by Carol on recorder and then various people with Dave, Phil Angus and Rod on guitar, David on whistle. These included 'Bonny Nancy' on recorder and 'Harvest Home' and 'Midnight on the Water' on whistle.
Thursday, 27 August 2015
25th August
Hello to all, including, as the stats for this blog tell me, people who have viewed pages from Spain, the US, Ukraine, Germany, Russia, Greece, Ireland, France and India (and those are just the main ones). Based on the pages viewed, there seems to be an interest in smallpipes as well as traditional singing and playing. Perhaps some of you will call in if you are staying in the village some day.
It was a lively gathering as usual last night, if smaller than last time. The repertoire of those attending is impressive and there seems to be a good deal of knowledge of songs, writers and singers among you all, including Ray who doesn't sing (or prefers not to, perhaps) but certainly seems to know his onions. James provided the lions share of the tunes this time on button accordion, with the addition of some smallpipe tunes from David. The other instrumentalist was Carol, accompanying herself on guitar.
We started off with a strong female contingent and, after a natter, Eliza opened with a song learned from Silly Sisters (June Tabor and Maddy Prior), 'The Seven Wonders.' Carol threw down the gauntlet with a fabulous Les Barker parody of 'My Husband's Got no Courage in Him' learned from Norma Waterson's singing, the title of which substitutes the word 'Courage' for 'Porridge' which will give you an idea of where it might go. Katy's first offering was 'When Your Time o' Work is Done,' and 'Miriam's, Heather Dale's 'The Maid and the Selkie' in which, as Miriam pointed out, things end well, unusual for songs based on the selkie myth.' Beth's first was Emily Smith's, 'Put your Hand in Mine,' and Dawn joined us, beginning with,John Warner's lovely nostalgic song remembering the classroom, 'I Remember How the Ryans Came to School.' When the men joined us, David sang Cicely Fox Smith's 'The Race of Long Ago.' and Robbie, Harvey Andrew's 'The Soldier.'
At various points in the proceedings James played a set of Irish Jigs, one of which was 'One Hundred Pipers.' He later gave us Jerry Holland's Lonesome Eyes,''The Dance of the Riug Salmon' (some of us heard this as the 'rogue salmon' which produced an interesting picture) and also, 'Miss Monaghan's (a reel) as well as a couple of other nameless ones. 'David's tunes on pipes were 'Never Loved Thee More,' 'Bobbin' Joan,' 'Mount Your Baggage' and 'Pawkey Adam Glenn.'
At various points in the proceedings James played a set of Irish Jigs, one of which was 'One Hundred Pipers.' He later gave us Jerry Holland's Lonesome Eyes,''The Dance of the Riug Salmon' (some of us heard this as the 'rogue salmon' which produced an interesting picture) and also, 'Miss Monaghan's (a reel) as well as a couple of other nameless ones. 'David's tunes on pipes were 'Never Loved Thee More,' 'Bobbin' Joan,' 'Mount Your Baggage' and 'Pawkey Adam Glenn.'
Eliza later sang 'The False Knight on the Road' and had a go at Burns' 'Westling Winds,' helped out by Beth.
Carol accompanied herself on guitar for a great Mike Silver song (didn't get title and can't find it based on my scribble) and 'Dougie McClean's, 'Down too Deep,' as well as the rousing chorus, 'Yellow's on the Broom' and Dick Gaughan's anthem for independence with mutual respect, 'Both Sides of Tweed.' Miriam also gave us her haunting, 'Twa Corbies' and the gently humorous, 'Courting too Slow'
As a collector of many years Katy has much to delve into and there were some gems last night, Violet Jacob's powerful Scots dialect poem, 'The Norlan' Wind' set to music by Jim Reid as well as the mysterious traditional tale song, As I was Going to Banbury' which features salmon found in the head of a dead man, her choice inspired by James' earlier salmon tune.'
Beth's, 'There were Roses' by Tommy Sands spoke to and complemented Robbie's previous, 'The Soldier' (about senseless killing of people on all sides in the Northern Ireland conflict) and the Traditional 'The Blacksmith.' Eliza followed this with 'The Allensford Pursuit' based on evidence collected at witch trials at Morpeth Assizes which also has the transformations during pursuit. As was remarked, the female is outdone in these ritualized mating conflicts, though there are two versions in which this could be said to be ambiguous. Implied violence against the female precludes the singing of them for some, though I, for one, find the animal transformations anthropologically intriguing - but then i'm a sucker for mythological remnants.
Dawn later sang Jez Lowe's, 'The Big Fear' from the point of view of the animals who can become roadkill on the night of the lone badger's death and 'For the Lack of Honest Work.' Robbie gave us his favourite and ours, 'Over the Hills and Far Away' and David, Mike Harding's 'King Cotton,' inspired by a walk in the Rossendale valley.
Beth's, 'There were Roses' by Tommy Sands spoke to and complemented Robbie's previous, 'The Soldier' (about senseless killing of people on all sides in the Northern Ireland conflict) and the Traditional 'The Blacksmith.' Eliza followed this with 'The Allensford Pursuit' based on evidence collected at witch trials at Morpeth Assizes which also has the transformations during pursuit. As was remarked, the female is outdone in these ritualized mating conflicts, though there are two versions in which this could be said to be ambiguous. Implied violence against the female precludes the singing of them for some, though I, for one, find the animal transformations anthropologically intriguing - but then i'm a sucker for mythological remnants.
Dawn later sang Jez Lowe's, 'The Big Fear' from the point of view of the animals who can become roadkill on the night of the lone badger's death and 'For the Lack of Honest Work.' Robbie gave us his favourite and ours, 'Over the Hills and Far Away' and David, Mike Harding's 'King Cotton,' inspired by a walk in the Rossendale valley.
James rounded off proceedings with 'The One Horned Sheep.' and 'The Redesdale Hornpipe '
Next month's date is Tuesday September the 22nd. It would be great to see you all then for the sharing of songs and tunes interlaced with congenial conversation.
- Eliza
Next month's date is Tuesday September the 22nd. It would be great to see you all then for the sharing of songs and tunes interlaced with congenial conversation.
- Eliza
Wednesday, 29 July 2015
28th July 2015
It was great to welcome our three new friends from France, Hortense, Florian and Thomas; three from Ireland, Christopher, Helen and Grace (two originating from Sweden and England) as well as Carole and Beth from Loch Lomond, Jim on accordion from Gilsland and Peter, the poet, from Alnwick. There was a bit of initial confusion about our Irish friends, Angus introducing them as from California (the kind of mistake I usually make). We also welcomed Ray and Dawn back again as well as Carol and Dave.
With our much appreciated regulars, this made for a good night. Although we were a wee bit squashed, we stayed in the downstairs bar, though are toying with the idea of moving upstairs to the larger room. It is a lovely room and a bit quieter. The only thing is, we are clinging to the cosiness of the small room - or perhaps I am....
And so to the musical detail. Instrumentals were provided this time by Carole on recorder, Jim on accordion, Dave on dulcimer, David on small pipes and whistle and Carol, Phil, Angus and Tomas on guitar. The tunes were dispersed throughout but grouped together here were: David's 'Never Love Thee More' on small pipes, then Carol, Dave and David's, 'Buy Broom Besoms' and Carol and Dave's, 'Eileen Aroon' and 'The Battle of the Somme.' Carole played 'Mr and Mrs McLean of Snaigow' and later 'The Rose of St. Magnus' and 'Sina's Tune' on recorder. Jim has a great repertoire of tunes and played us a clutch, of which 'Skibbereen,' 'Broken Loom' and 'Hugh's Barn' were some. Thomas gave a meditative rendering of 'Greensleeves' on guitar. David played 'Mount your Baggage' and 'Pawky Adam Glen' on smallpipes. Dave on dulcimer led everyone in 'EaglesWhistle.' All of the musicians had joined in with this one by the last gasp, apart from Angus who was engaged in some stage business. The Everley Brother's, 'Dream' was Dave's later left-field offering.
A theme of fish and fishing with a digression to sailor characters initiated by Katy emerged early on, only to wend its way through the evening. Katy's 'Herring Croon' by Gordon Bok, celebrates inshore fisheries and is from the album, 'Herring's in the Bay'. Carole's 'Follow the Heron Home' a poetic lyric by Karine Polwart mentions the salmon.' David threw in 'The Dogger Bank' about sailors 'on passage from the Dogger Bank to Great Grimsby' and later 'Windy Old Weather,' or, according to Stan Hughill, 'The Fishes,' Jim Eldon's version, and Phil reminded us of the closeness to the elements involved in the fishing with 'Three Score and Ten,' written for the fishermen from Grimsby and Hull who lost their lives in a storm of 1889.
A French and a Swedish song were among the fare served up. Katie's 'Le Roi a Fait Battre Tambour' dates from around 1750 and seemed well received by our French guests and others. Helen, singing in her first language, gave us a great rendering of 'Vem Kan Segla Forutan Vind?' or 'Who Can Sail Without Wind?' which she afterwards kindly translated for us.
Angus gave us Jerry Spurlock's 'The Man in the Moon,' 'Working Nine to Five,' and Chris de Burgh's 'These Broken Wings can take me no Further.' Dawn sang a great song by John Warner recollecting his life as a teacher and another Australian one, 'Dear Diary', Eliza, 'The Gallowgate Lad,' 'The Seven Wonders' and 'Lady Isobel and the Elf Knight' and Carole,' The Number Eight Mining Disaster.'
A couple of 'own compositions, showed what talented company we were keeping with Carole's, 'Kiss Goodbye to Romance: A Valediction Forbidding Mourning' (and why not recycle a title indeed) and Peter's performance of his poem, 'The Good Music.' (You can see him perform in Alnwick and around). David sang, 'The Labouring Man,' accompanying himself on smallpipes.
There were plenty of rousing swell as sweet and melodic chorus songs this time and everyone obliged by fair lifting the roof at times. Phil's, 'The Jolly Beggar' started us off and Grace, quietly poised and confident for one so young and on her first visit to a folk club, followed with Belfast City and, later, 'Loch Lomond' and 'Zena Dancing in the Village', Carol, 'Mr Punch and Judy Man', 'They Marry and Go' and 'When I Mowed Pat Murphy's Meadow,' Beth, 'The Galway Shawl' and 'The Fair Flower of Northumberland,' Phil, Dublin Town, Katy 'And so will we yet,' Robbie, 'Over the Hills and Far Away' and Eliza, 'The Twa Magicians.'
A lot of songs were sung and tunes played as you will have seen and, I for one, had a grand night as did one or two I spoke to. Perhaps you can join us next time when we gather once again to sing and play tunes. Until we meet... fare thee well. Eliza
With our much appreciated regulars, this made for a good night. Although we were a wee bit squashed, we stayed in the downstairs bar, though are toying with the idea of moving upstairs to the larger room. It is a lovely room and a bit quieter. The only thing is, we are clinging to the cosiness of the small room - or perhaps I am....
And so to the musical detail. Instrumentals were provided this time by Carole on recorder, Jim on accordion, Dave on dulcimer, David on small pipes and whistle and Carol, Phil, Angus and Tomas on guitar. The tunes were dispersed throughout but grouped together here were: David's 'Never Love Thee More' on small pipes, then Carol, Dave and David's, 'Buy Broom Besoms' and Carol and Dave's, 'Eileen Aroon' and 'The Battle of the Somme.' Carole played 'Mr and Mrs McLean of Snaigow' and later 'The Rose of St. Magnus' and 'Sina's Tune' on recorder. Jim has a great repertoire of tunes and played us a clutch, of which 'Skibbereen,' 'Broken Loom' and 'Hugh's Barn' were some. Thomas gave a meditative rendering of 'Greensleeves' on guitar. David played 'Mount your Baggage' and 'Pawky Adam Glen' on smallpipes. Dave on dulcimer led everyone in 'EaglesWhistle.' All of the musicians had joined in with this one by the last gasp, apart from Angus who was engaged in some stage business. The Everley Brother's, 'Dream' was Dave's later left-field offering.
A theme of fish and fishing with a digression to sailor characters initiated by Katy emerged early on, only to wend its way through the evening. Katy's 'Herring Croon' by Gordon Bok, celebrates inshore fisheries and is from the album, 'Herring's in the Bay'. Carole's 'Follow the Heron Home' a poetic lyric by Karine Polwart mentions the salmon.' David threw in 'The Dogger Bank' about sailors 'on passage from the Dogger Bank to Great Grimsby' and later 'Windy Old Weather,' or, according to Stan Hughill, 'The Fishes,' Jim Eldon's version, and Phil reminded us of the closeness to the elements involved in the fishing with 'Three Score and Ten,' written for the fishermen from Grimsby and Hull who lost their lives in a storm of 1889.
A French and a Swedish song were among the fare served up. Katie's 'Le Roi a Fait Battre Tambour' dates from around 1750 and seemed well received by our French guests and others. Helen, singing in her first language, gave us a great rendering of 'Vem Kan Segla Forutan Vind?' or 'Who Can Sail Without Wind?' which she afterwards kindly translated for us.
Angus gave us Jerry Spurlock's 'The Man in the Moon,' 'Working Nine to Five,' and Chris de Burgh's 'These Broken Wings can take me no Further.' Dawn sang a great song by John Warner recollecting his life as a teacher and another Australian one, 'Dear Diary', Eliza, 'The Gallowgate Lad,' 'The Seven Wonders' and 'Lady Isobel and the Elf Knight' and Carole,' The Number Eight Mining Disaster.'
A couple of 'own compositions, showed what talented company we were keeping with Carole's, 'Kiss Goodbye to Romance: A Valediction Forbidding Mourning' (and why not recycle a title indeed) and Peter's performance of his poem, 'The Good Music.' (You can see him perform in Alnwick and around). David sang, 'The Labouring Man,' accompanying himself on smallpipes.
There were plenty of rousing swell as sweet and melodic chorus songs this time and everyone obliged by fair lifting the roof at times. Phil's, 'The Jolly Beggar' started us off and Grace, quietly poised and confident for one so young and on her first visit to a folk club, followed with Belfast City and, later, 'Loch Lomond' and 'Zena Dancing in the Village', Carol, 'Mr Punch and Judy Man', 'They Marry and Go' and 'When I Mowed Pat Murphy's Meadow,' Beth, 'The Galway Shawl' and 'The Fair Flower of Northumberland,' Phil, Dublin Town, Katy 'And so will we yet,' Robbie, 'Over the Hills and Far Away' and Eliza, 'The Twa Magicians.'
A lot of songs were sung and tunes played as you will have seen and, I for one, had a grand night as did one or two I spoke to. Perhaps you can join us next time when we gather once again to sing and play tunes. Until we meet... fare thee well. Eliza
Wednesday, 24 June 2015
June 23rd 2015
Last night's folk club was tinged with sadness. During the day his family and the village had said farewell to Bruce Wallace who died a couple of weeks ago. David earlier played 'The Fifty-First Highland Division's Farewell to Sicily' for him outside the churchyard after the funeral.
Bruce was the very first person to turn up at the folk club, saying in his modest manner that he wasn't really a folk guitarist. It turned out he was a lovely finger-picking jazz and ragtime player whose handful of Scottish tunes grew as time went on. He became one of we three core folk night participants from the village. We will always remember his favourite, 'Bluebell Polka' and his quiet presence and sensitive playing.
Peter later brought some cake made by a member of his staff for us to share in memory of Bruce.
This was likely to be the last visit of Mike and Chris who are shortly off to Ireland to take up residence in the Mountains of Mourne. We have thoroughly enjoyed having them visit the club and I am sure they will delight their new local clubs with their wonderful playing and singing.
We were very pleased to welcome Miriam (once again) and Laura who joined us on vacation having finished their first year as students of English Literature.
So to business; we were but a select few last night, but the songs and tunes were no less memorable for all that. Tunes were provided by Mike and David on uilleann and English small pipes (English fingering - gosh, pipes are complicated). At various points in the evening Mike played 'The Green Fields of Canada,' 'The Choice Wife,' 'The Castle of Drumore' and 'I am asleep. Don't wake Me.' David opened with 'Mount your Baggage' and 'Pawky Adam Glenn' and finished with 'Buy Broom Besoms' (the Scottish version of the tune) and 'Mr Preston's Hornpipe.'
Still in Battle of Waterloo commemorative mode, Eliza sang 'The Bonny Light Horseman' and David, 'The Plains of Waterloo.' As a former military man who used to train soldiers for duty in Northern Ireland, Robbie added to his repertoire a song by John Harvey Andrews, 'The British Soldier' and also gave us his rendering of, 'Over the Hills and Far Away.' Miriam made a judicious choice by singing, 'Where have all the Flowers Gone' (though before most of the other military ones) and Eliza did 'The Female Soldier' to the accompaniment of David's bodhran (though he thought it needed a bit of tlc, namely a drink).
As well as all of these matters military, there were some great songs of occupation from Chris' 'The Jute-Mill Song' (sung in her inimitable fine style despite house-moving related exhaustion) to Katy's 'The Dundee Weaver' and, later, 'The Miller' and David's 'Albert Berry' (the miner versus the coal) by Ted Edwards.' Mike's 'William Hollander' tells a tale of a young man who starts off as a cooper, is bound to work on a slaver with Captain Moore and how the captain became a pirate and his crew had not much choice but to follow suit and he eventually ends up in Newgate. There were also songs of food from Chris, the Irish, 'Colcannon or 'The Little Skillet Pot' and Katy's hilarious, the Scottish 'Jeely Piece Song.'
Miriam's highly accomplished 'Bryd one Brere', was not only sung in Middle English to the original mediaeval tune but she somehow communicated this as some guy addressing a bird on a briar. She gets the prize for the most original range of songs as she also sang 'The Old Penny Whistle' by Bruce Mainland.
That only leave the rather raunchy Burn's 'Dainty Davie,' though stupidly, as Katy pointed out, I missed out the most explicit verse (a Freudian slip in reverse - or perhaps the opposite). Her 'Dundee Weavers' had the better of me for bawdiness. My 'Who are you my Pretty Fair Maid' was no match. But Chris' 'Cupid's Garden' stole the laurels for the implied loss of virginity without so much as a word of it being spoken.
So there you are. All the best to Chris and Mike. We missed you Bruce, still playing...somewhere, perhaps. Eliza
Bruce was the very first person to turn up at the folk club, saying in his modest manner that he wasn't really a folk guitarist. It turned out he was a lovely finger-picking jazz and ragtime player whose handful of Scottish tunes grew as time went on. He became one of we three core folk night participants from the village. We will always remember his favourite, 'Bluebell Polka' and his quiet presence and sensitive playing.
Peter later brought some cake made by a member of his staff for us to share in memory of Bruce.
This was likely to be the last visit of Mike and Chris who are shortly off to Ireland to take up residence in the Mountains of Mourne. We have thoroughly enjoyed having them visit the club and I am sure they will delight their new local clubs with their wonderful playing and singing.
We were very pleased to welcome Miriam (once again) and Laura who joined us on vacation having finished their first year as students of English Literature.
So to business; we were but a select few last night, but the songs and tunes were no less memorable for all that. Tunes were provided by Mike and David on uilleann and English small pipes (English fingering - gosh, pipes are complicated). At various points in the evening Mike played 'The Green Fields of Canada,' 'The Choice Wife,' 'The Castle of Drumore' and 'I am asleep. Don't wake Me.' David opened with 'Mount your Baggage' and 'Pawky Adam Glenn' and finished with 'Buy Broom Besoms' (the Scottish version of the tune) and 'Mr Preston's Hornpipe.'
Still in Battle of Waterloo commemorative mode, Eliza sang 'The Bonny Light Horseman' and David, 'The Plains of Waterloo.' As a former military man who used to train soldiers for duty in Northern Ireland, Robbie added to his repertoire a song by John Harvey Andrews, 'The British Soldier' and also gave us his rendering of, 'Over the Hills and Far Away.' Miriam made a judicious choice by singing, 'Where have all the Flowers Gone' (though before most of the other military ones) and Eliza did 'The Female Soldier' to the accompaniment of David's bodhran (though he thought it needed a bit of tlc, namely a drink).
As well as all of these matters military, there were some great songs of occupation from Chris' 'The Jute-Mill Song' (sung in her inimitable fine style despite house-moving related exhaustion) to Katy's 'The Dundee Weaver' and, later, 'The Miller' and David's 'Albert Berry' (the miner versus the coal) by Ted Edwards.' Mike's 'William Hollander' tells a tale of a young man who starts off as a cooper, is bound to work on a slaver with Captain Moore and how the captain became a pirate and his crew had not much choice but to follow suit and he eventually ends up in Newgate. There were also songs of food from Chris, the Irish, 'Colcannon or 'The Little Skillet Pot' and Katy's hilarious, the Scottish 'Jeely Piece Song.'
Miriam's highly accomplished 'Bryd one Brere', was not only sung in Middle English to the original mediaeval tune but she somehow communicated this as some guy addressing a bird on a briar. She gets the prize for the most original range of songs as she also sang 'The Old Penny Whistle' by Bruce Mainland.
That only leave the rather raunchy Burn's 'Dainty Davie,' though stupidly, as Katy pointed out, I missed out the most explicit verse (a Freudian slip in reverse - or perhaps the opposite). Her 'Dundee Weavers' had the better of me for bawdiness. My 'Who are you my Pretty Fair Maid' was no match. But Chris' 'Cupid's Garden' stole the laurels for the implied loss of virginity without so much as a word of it being spoken.
So there you are. All the best to Chris and Mike. We missed you Bruce, still playing...somewhere, perhaps. Eliza
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