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THE MUSIC DIARY…

Guests galore in our mouth-watering musical line-up! Llantrisant Folk Club is bouncing back after that two-year pandemic lockdown; we’re going live every Wednesday at 8.30pm. 

Our Zoomaround sessions start on the first Tuesday of the month (8.15pm for 8.30pm) – https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89787380016 Meeting ID: 897 8738 0016 – no password. We hope to see you there!

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June 29, 2022: Showcase with Steve & Julie Wigley and Stonesthrow

Julie is a singer and songwriter from Derby. She and husband Steve are regulars at folk clubs around Wales and England, and her output of original songs has been phenomenal. Since 2015 they have produced seven albums, a songbook and a poetry/ songbook illustrated by Steve. Their eighth and latest album, Time Train, comprises 17 new songs.

They have featured on folk programmes on Radio Derby, Lincolnshire, Shropshire, Hereford and Worcester, among others and performed last year on the main stage at Moira Furnace Folk festival, Derby Folk festival, and the Yarmouth Sea Songs and Shanties Festival, Isle of Wight. Julie’s songs always have a story to tell and a number of them feature their home county of Derbyshire.

Delightful harmonies on guitars and accordion, and Julie’s song-writing is one to treasure. Please watch the Songs Fron A Caravan video when Julie sings her song ‘Southerlies’. Stonesthrow is a collaboration between Steve & Julie and their friend Tony Fowkes (pictured in the middle between Julie and Steve) and the trio sing mainly acapella versions of some of their favourite close harmony folk songs. (£3 entry)

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July 6, 2022: Andy Cutting

Andy Cutting is a rarity. A musician’s musician: a soulful and technically outstanding melodeon practitioner with an ear for a fine tune. Many of his tunes have been purloined along the way: some considered contemporary classics on the folk scene. But then, Andy is also a warm and emotive perfomer, modestly engaging his audiences with his self-deprecating wit and then flooring them with downright staggering musicianship. There are few melodeon players who put so much feeling into their playing, whether it be a set of dance tunes, or accompaniment to a slow English ballad.

Andy is the consummate accompanist, harmonically, rhythmically and melodically and an exquisite soloist. There is no one I’d rather work with – Martin Simpson

In my musical life I’ve been lucky to work with a few musicians that I would call a genius, Andy Cutting without a doubt is one of these people. He is not only a true master of his instrument but a very inspiring musician to play with and be around. I’ve learned loads just by listening & watching Andy play. To top it all off, you couldn’t meet a nicer fella – John McCusker

Hearing Andy Cutting play is like going through the wardrobe and finding Narnia. His music is glorious, joyful, moving, subtle, emotionally charged, a totally spell-binding experience that is never long enough – June Tabor

Andy is a top drawer player who speaks with his hands. I had no idea how lucky I was to work with him until long after we had gone our separate ways – Chris Wood

Please watch a video of Andy performing ‘In Continental Mood/Flatworld‘.

(£8 entry, £5 members)

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July 20, 2022: Pauline Vallance (Scotland)

Pauline is a singer/songwriter and clarsach player from Ayrshire. She says: “I love to explore different styles and genres and write songs about subjects as diverse as the beauty of the Northumberland coastline to the disaster of dogs eating mobile phones… A ‘typical’ gig, if there is such a thing, will consist of a variety of my own songs, some folk songs, particularly songs by Burns and Tannahill and possibly some unexpected rock covers. I am equally at home performing in small, intimate venues like Tannahill’s Cottage or grand venues like Stirling Castle, at events like chillout lounges at festivals to celebrations in Glasgow Cathedral and riverboats in Australia.”

Please watch a video of Pauline singing her new song ‘Last Orders’. This came about as a collaboration in a songwriting workshop in the One Weekend event in Stirling. She says: “We based it on the theme of an abandoned pub.”

(£8 entry, £5 members)

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July 27, 2022: Showcase with Pontyclun U3A Ukelele Club

(£3 entry)

 

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August 3, 2022: Beach Party with Jack Dawgs (Wales)

Howlin’ good-time music! Jack Dawgs is one of the latest Swansea bluegrass bands which was put together by Gower Bluegrass Festival organiser and guitarist Roland Emmanuel – Roland, who started a number of local bands including The Grass Snakes and Roots ‘n’ Galoots, can be seen in the picture, standing right next to the double-bass player.

It’s August, it’s the long, hot summer, and so compere Pat has organised a Beach Party – bring your virtual deck chairs, your shorts and your sandals! The Beach Party includes competitions for Knobbly Knees and Bulging Biceps – with prizes!

(£8 entry, £5 members)

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August 17: Fellow Pynins (USA)

Fellow Pynins is a Portland, Oregon based award-winning contemporary folk duo with a keen and bucolic sense of vocal harmony and song craft anchored in the balladry tradition. The duo consists of Dani Aubert (claw-hammer banjo, bouzouki) and Ian George (guitar, mandolin). They are songwriters, collectors and interpreters. Since 2016 the duo has toured the US incessantly and has gathered significant traction in the UK/ and Ireland, gracing festivals such as Cambridge Folk Festival, Wilderness Festival, Omagh Bluegrass Festival, and selling out legs of their most recent UK and Ireland tour. In 2019 they were named by NPR’s Bob Boilen as one of the best Tiny Desk submissions and the same year won the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time duet competition. Watch their ‘Pretty Polly video.

(£8 entry, £5 members)

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September 7, 2022:  Road Not Taken

Road Not Taken are a Bristol-based four-piece who are starting to make waves on the UK folk scene. Having honed their craft over a number of years of performing live, their debut album Fragment brings together eight songs, inspired by the tradition. Fragment is a collection of five inventive and atmospheric arrangements of traditional folk songs and tunes, two originals and a creative arrangement of a popular classic. Singer Anita Dobson’s clear and striking vocal soars over hypnotically beautiful melodies from Claire Hamlen on violin and viola, underpinned by Ant Miles’ understated finger-style guitar and Joe Hamlen’s creative use of harmonium, banjo and bass guitar.
On the album title, Ant (chairman of Downend Folk Club and director of Fancourt folk agency) says: “A fragment is a piece that can stand alone, but also form part of a greater whole, a bigger picture, which we feel reflects our approach to arranging songs from the traditional folk canon; our interpretations are just one aspect of the many variations which exist of these familiar songs.”

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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September 14, 2022: Showcase with Aidan Sheehan’s Harmonica Club 

(£3 entry)

 

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September 21, 2022: Hungrytown (USA)

After more than 15 years of world-wide touring and three album releases, Rebecca Hall and Ken Anderson – otherwise known as Hungrytown — have earned a reputation for the quality and authenticity of their song-writing.  Lyricist Rebecca is credited with compositions “that sound as timeless as any traditional songs” (Northern Sky, UK) while producer /multi-instrumentalist /husband Ken is lauded for his “remarkable affinity for instrumental embellishment” (No Depression) and for crafting Hungrytown’s “gorgeous vocal harmonies” (Folk and Roots, UK).

Hungrytown’s introduction to folk music came when a close friend, who died young due to a tragic misdiagnosis, entrusted to them her collection of 1960s folk albums and her guitar, which has since been featured on all of their albums. Inspired by the grit and true-to-life experiences she heard in these traditional ballads, Rebecca was inspired to write the lyrics that later became her first songs, aided by Ken’s flair for musical arrangement. Soon afterwards, Rebecca released two solo albums, Sings! (1999) and Sunday Afternoon (2002), both produced by Ken. In the winter of 2003, the duo quit their desk jobs, moved to the green hills of Vermont and decided to pursue a full-time career as touring musicians. They released their first CD, Hungrytown, in 2008; Any Forgotten Thing in 2011; and Further West in 2015. The couple continue to spend more than half of each year on the road in North America, Europe and New Zealand. 

Please watch this video of Hungrytown performing ‘Hard Way To Learn’ in the BBC Wiltshire studio.

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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CANCELLED: October 5, 2022: Sapphire Storm

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October 19, 2022 – Fundraising evening for MacMillan Nurses, organised by Julie Croad

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November 2, 2022: Ryan Young & David Foley (Scotland)

Ryan Young brings new and exciting ideas to traditional Scottish music, receiving international praise for his spell-binding interpretations on the fiddle. Focussing on traditional Scottish music, Ryan brings new life to very old, often forgotten tunes by playing them in his own unique way. His fiddle playing is brimming with fresh melodic ideas, an uplifting rhythmic drive and a great depth of dynamics and precision. His sound is very distinctive and takes you on an emotional and adventurous journey in any performance. He studied and graduated with a first class honours degree in Scottish Music from The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and has now also completed his Master’s in Music. Ryan has been nominated twice for the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award; he won the Celtic Connections Danny Kyle Award and was as a finalist in BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician (2015 and 2016). 

Ryan is accompanied by David Foley; please watch a video of Ryan and David playing The Leith Folk Club, Edinburgh. 

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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November 16, 2022: Janie Meneely, Rob Van Sante & John Conolly

(£8 entry, £5 members)

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November 30, 2022:  Showcase with Stone Mountain Ramblers (Wales)

Tony, Lee, Martin and Ian are based In Cwmbran and have just formed themselves into an acoustic quartet. They are looking to get involved with the folk scene and will be working on developing a varied repertoire with a focus on developing vocal harmonies.

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December  14: Christmas Party #1 with Chiefly Ourselves

Bring a SMALL plate of something to share and fabulous Christmas raffle.

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December 21, 2022: Christmas Party #2: The Magical Christmas Tree with Emily Sanders, Chris Parkinson and Pete Morton

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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January 11, 2023: David Boulton

David is a singer and songwriter from Stoke On Trent. In the dim and distant days, he used to gig with his friend  Jeff Parton in the duo His Worship And The Pig. David says: “Since we retired, I have been surprised by the level of interest still shown in the music we made and performed for over 20 years. People enquire about CDs or specific tracks and are playing them as part of their repertoire. Some, have even been recorded by other performers or used for various celebrations and a few for some touching remembrances and memorials.

“All this made me think that there is still a reason to keep these songs alive and available. I’m also hoping that people who haven’t heard the songs might also be interested…  I hope to trigger some fond memories of those times too.”

(£8 admission, £5 members)

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March 15, 2023: Megan Henwood & Findlay Napier (England/Scotland)

(£8 entry, £5 members)

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March 29, 2023: Mike & Dylan James (Brittany)

(£8 entry, £5 members)

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April 12, 2023: Tania Opland & Mike Freeman (Alaska/UK)

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October 11, 2023:  Colum Sands (Ireland)

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For past guests, click here

For booking Information & general enquiries…

Pat Smith			Mick Tems
Telephone	01443 226892		Telephone	01443 201634
Mobile	07989 209824		Mobile	07531 812400
Email (click)	Pat Smith		Email (click)	Mick Tems