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CORONAVIRUS / COVID-19: The Club has temporarily suspended our Wednesday meetings. FolkWales Online Magazine is suspended, too; however, the Mick’s Picks album reviews will still continue. Folk musicians have been hit very hard by the global lockdown, so please support them by buying their merchandise. 

Pat the events organiser has rescheduled a number of artists; please have a look on our updated diary!

POSTPONED: May 20, 2020: Nick & Mally Dow

Nick is a mesmerising performer, guitarist and respected song collector who has been singing traditional folk songs for over 40 years. He has had a big influence on the folk scene; award-winning folk musician Jim Moray has quoted Nick as an influence, singing two songs from Nick’s repertoire and including one (‘Seven Long Years’) on his album Skulk.

Nick is an acknowledged expert on West Country folk songs; together with his gipsy wife Mally, he has collected over 300 songs in Dorset, and also found singers in Lancashire and Essex. He has also made recordings of gypsy singers some of which have been included on the Topic Records series The Voice of the People. He returned to the folk scene after a long absence, spending several years building up his signwriting business and building and restoring gypsy wagons.

Nick has lived an amazing life. From a rough childhood in South London, he has lived on his wits since he left home at eighteen – travelling half way round the world, living on the road with the travelling folk and learning their songs, working as a TV and film extra, broadcaster, narrowboat painter, writer, folklorist, guitar teacher and general dealer. Every song Nick sings has a story attached to it, and his gigs are as informative as they are entertaining. Nick and Mally now live happily in East Lancashire surrounded by moorland and fells.

(£8 admission, £5 members)

POSTPONED: June 3, 2020: Geoff Lakeman & Rob Murch

Here’s a real treat – Geoff is a Cornishman who has lived on Dartmoor for 40 years and has been described as “A stalwart of the West Country Folk scene and the father of a virtual folk dynasty.”  He’s the dad of Sean, Sam and Seth Lakeman, who are all internationally renowned folk musicians. They began playing as children in a family band with Geoff and their violinist mum, Joy.

Geoff is a leading exponent of the rare Crane Duet concertina. He performs self-written and West Country songs, English, Irish and Scottish folk and other music as varied as Jimmie Rodgers, The Louvin Brothers, Richard Thompson  and Randy Newman. He’s also one of the few to play 1920s and 1930s jazz on an authentic 1920s instrument.

His smooth tenor vocals and unique concertina accompaniment have won him plaudits and fans over the years, but it has only been since retiring from a long career as a Fleet Street Journalist that Geoff has truly spread his wings musically. 2017 saw the release of Geoff’s debut album, After All These Years. With a stellar line-up of musical family and friends it showcases his talents perfectly and illustrates the high regard and affection in which he is held. Geoff is now working with banjo virtuoso Rob Murch, which guarantees to be a bumper night!

(£8 admission, £5 members)

POSTPONED: June 17, 2020:  Hannah James and Toby Kuhn (England / France)

Accordionist and singer Hannah and French post-classical cellist Toby met in the summer of 2018 at the Floating Castle festival in Slovenia. After seeing Hannah perform one of her solo pieces, Toby suggested she should keep him in mind if she ever needed a cellist. After a short jam in the Slovenian sunshine, it was clear that the two musicians shared a common approach to music-making and a real artistic chemistry. Toby joined Hannah at a solo gig a few days later – and a new duo was born.

Their music is soulful, original and conversational. The combination of accordion and cello allows for a huge palette of sounds and textures which lift Hannah’s pure voice and deeply honest songwriting. In the next breath, they switch to choppy rhythms and joyful interplay between cello and percussive dance in a diverse, playful and hugely original performance. Watch this video of Hannah and Toby in concert, delivering ‘Hush Now’ and ‘Dayspring’.

(£8 admission, £5 members)

POSTPONED: July 8, 2020:  State Of The Union – Boo Hewerdine & Brooks Williams (England / USA)

Two legendary mighty guitarists, English singer-songwriter Boo Hewerdine and Americana/blues picker Brooks Williams, have just released their fourth album on Reveal Records – and the critics have gone wild. Boo and Brooks – a Statesboro, Georgia native who is now living in the UK – met in 2011 and created three albums, State Of The Union, Snake Oil and Saltwell Sessions. Their performances are consistently brilliant, emotive and entertaining. Audiences are still buzzing about their appearances on the main stages at Shrewsbury Folk Festival, Costa del Folk, Wickham Festival and FolkEast.  There’s an hour-long video of Boo and Brooks delighting the crowds at the Shrewsbury Folk Festival in 2018 – enjoy!

(£8 admission, £5 members – thanks to Arts Council Wales for the Night Out grant.)

POSTPONED: July 22, 2020: The Jigantics 

The Jigantics roared down to Llantrisant Folk Club some years ago and received a rapturous encore. They have slimmed down to four musicians and vocalists – Keith Thompson (guitar, bass guitar, who has sold over 100,000 albums); songwriter Sarah Kelly (ukulele and bass guitar, winner of the Musicians’ Union instrumentalist award); front man Mark Cole (squeezebox, harmonica, mandolin and guitar, an in-demand international session player); and percussionist Marty Fitzgibbon, who has performed with (and in front of) some of the biggest names in the world of popular music, including Mick Jagger, David Bowie and Lou Reed – but says the Jigantics are the most exciting project with whom he’s ever been involved.

They frequently swap instruments and share lead vocals, interpersed with stunning four-part harmonies. Never afraid to mix musical styles, but always with a touch of class, they combine original material with their own interpretation of Steve Earl and Tom Waites. Their foot-tapping, feel-good music, plus totally convincing tear-jerkers, makes for a remarkable  eveningsʼ entertainment. Here’s what the critics say:

“One of roots music’s supergroups and must-see live acts” (Daily Telegraph);

“An awesome band, genuine, easy-going and very skilled musicians” (Ken Brown, Square Roots promoter);

“You can’t go wrong with a band that has two standing ovations”
(Koen Hottentot, Roots aan de Zaan, The Netherlands)

Please watch an over-an-hour-long video of a Jigantics concert!

(£8 admission, £5 members)

POSTPONED: July 29, 2020: Jack Dawgs (Wales)

Howling good-time music! Jack Dawgs are a Swansea-based bluegrass-plus-Americana trio, founded and led by guitarist/mandolinist and Gower Bluegrass Festival organiser Roland Emmanuel. Come on down to the hoedown!  

(£8 admission, £5 members)

POSTPONED: August 12, 2020: Sadie and Jay (Australia)

This Brisbane, Queensland couple scored a massive hit with Llantrisant Folk Club with their clutch of exquisitely crafted original songs, with origins in the Anglo-Celtic tradition through contemporary Australian folk and roots – and 2020 sees them return to the UK in their third and most extensive tour yet. Their styles have leanings to the alternative with a tinge of blues and roots. Blending vocals of rare calibre with an evocative back-drop  of traditional folk instruments, Sadie and Jay perform intimate, expressive and resonant music.

With her Welsh heritage, double-bassist and pianist Sadie Gwynn Jones’ love for singing is instinctive. Born in England and raised in Australia, her distinctive voice and versatility led her to perform in bands, theatre and cabaret. Born in Scotland and raised in New Zealand, guitarist and banjo player David ‘Jay’ Penman grew up in a musical family immersed in traditional British folk music. For many years Jay has been a member of The Penmans, a four-part family a capella group who have entertained at New Zealand festivals and concerts. 

In their UK tour, Sadie and Jay will showcase songs from their new album, A Passing Of Seasons, of which David Hillier reviewed in the Australian Rhythms Magazine: “Quality oozes from their third album as the Brisbane duo paint vivid pictures of a range of characters and stories of tragedy and triumph from our front and back pages with brushes that are simultaneously subtle and bold.”

Please watch a video of Sadie and Jay performing ‘Leaving The Harbour’ at Upton Folk Festival.

(£8 admission, £5 members)

September 2, 2020: 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. “It’s great to hear an act eschew sentimentality in favor of honesty and to prove that you don’t have to go raiding the memory of others to find the stuff that really good songs are made of,” writes Jedd Beaudoin of Popmatters.

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, Hall released two solo albums, Sings! (1999) and Sunday Afternoon (2002), both produced by Ken. In the winter of 2003, the duo quit their boring 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)

September 9, 2020: Llantrisant Folk Club’s 40th Birthday Party, with buffet!

September 16, 2020: Findlay Napier & Megan Henwood: The Story Song Scientists

Snape Maltings, Aldeburgh, 2016 – Findlay Napier and Megan Henwood are a few hours into an English Folk Dance Song Society-run songwriting retreat. They are outside drinking their seventh coffee of the morning – Findlay has driven nine hours from Glasgow and is a bit wobbly. Megan is back from a month-long writing trip to Nashville and she is jet-lagged and delusional. “Fancy writing a song about maths?” Findlay enquires – and so the seed for this songwriting partnership was sewn. Their collaboration has led to the creation of songs about a hermit known as The North Pond Phantom, WBAI host Bob Fass’ lifesaving broadcast on November 6, 1971, Georg Cantor’s struggle with infinity, maths and God plus something about shepherds and leaders. They are yet to write a song about pick-up trucks – or beer.

Megan is an artist who calls on the elements in her songwriting. The distinguished Oxford singer-songwriter is far too self-deprecating to describe herself as a force of nature – but her third album, River, reaffirms her unique ability to create roots music of beguiling purity from what’s around her. Findlay is one of the finest songwriters and storytellers of the contemporary Scottish folk scene and has an insurgent talent that comes on like a Caledonian Loudon Wainwright. His most recent album, Glasgow, captures the timeless essence of one of the world’s great cities, distilled to artful acoustic guitar and Findlay’s remarkable voice.

Megan and Findlay will be showcasing an EP called The Story Song Scientists – please watch ‘The Shepherd’ video, or another video where they perform a Justin Currie song, ‘Driving With The Brakes On’. 

(£8 admission, £5 members)

October 21, 2020: Winter Wilson

When Mike Harding dubbed Winter Wilson as being one of the hardest working duos on the circuit, he had clearly done his homewor​k. Last year, ​aside from touring around the UK, Kip Winter and Dave Wilson performed in Australia, Spain, Belgium and Canada. They also released Live & Unconventional, the long-awaited live album that was recorded on tour and at Cropredy Festival ​last year with folk-rock icons Fairport Convention. 

Now in their eighth year as full-time musicians, they bring a sense of intimacy to every venue, blending superb, often hard-hitting original songs, stunning harmonies and musicianship with sometimes hilarious humour and tales of life on the road. Kip (vocals, accordion, guitar, flute) ​“simply has a voice to die for” (​ John Roffey, Maverick Magazine), whilst Dave (vocals, guitar and banjo) is now recognised as being amongst the top tier of British songwriters, with his songs sung throughout folk clubs across the UK and beyond. Together, their voices are sublime: ​“In 30 years of listening to folk music, I have never heard two voices blend so perfectly” ​(David Aird, Chairman, Glenfarg Folk Club)

(£8 admission, £5 members)

 

Oct 28, 2020: Daoirí Farrell (Ireland) 

Daoirí (pronounced Derry) is a former electrician who decided to become a musician after seeing Christy Moore perform on Irish TV. The Dublin-born traditional singer and bouzouki player has been described by some of the biggest names in Irish folk music as one of most important artists to come out of Ireland in recent years.

After a promising debut album, The First Turn, back in 2009, Daoirí spent several years studying traditional music and performance at colleges across Ireland. While at the University of Limerick, Fintan Vallely introduced him to the singing of the late Liam Weldon, an encounter that was to prove formative to his sound and his approach to folk song.

Daoirí had cut his teeth as a singer in Dublin’s famous Góilin Singers Club and at other sessions across the city, many of which he still visits regularly. His follow-up album, True Born Irishman, was released in October 2016. The following spring his won two BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards – Best Traditional Track and Best Newcomer – and performed with a six-piece line-up at the awards ceremony at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

He has since performed in Australia, Canada, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, The Czech Republic, USA and Portugal, and played Cambridge Folk Festival, Milwaukee Irish Festival, Vancouver Island Folk Festival, the National Folk Festival of Australia and many more. In 2018 he toured the UK with Transatlantic Sessions and recorded his new album with Dónal Lunny in the producer’s chair.

(£8 admission, £5 members – thanks to Arts Council Wales for the Night Out grant.)

November 11, 2020: Jody Kruskal (USA)

Jody flew in from the USA last year for a UK tour and played an very entertaining Showcase for the Club, and we booked him without question! He was born in Chicago, but he’s lived in Brooklyn, New York City, for 30 years. He is a performer, composer, educator, dance caller and instrument designer,  expert dance musician and he sings and plays an anglo-concertina which he fashioned himself. Please watch a video of Jody singing ‘Ghost Riders In The Sky’ in Brooklyn – and a video of him playing his anglo-concertina in the open air, luring a herd of adoring cows. Finally, you must watch a video of Jody and his dancing companion, Henry, performing ‘Cluck Old Hen’ – it’s totally fascinating!

(£8 admission, £5 members)

Re-scheduled! December 9, 2020: Geoff Lakeman & Rob Murch

Here’s a real treat – Geoff is a Cornishman who has lived on Dartmoor for 40 years and has been described as “A stalwart of the West Country Folk scene and the father of a virtual folk dynasty.”  He’s the dad of Sean, Sam and Seth Lakeman, who are all internationally renowned folk musicians. They began playing as children in a family band with Geoff and their violinist mum, Joy.

Geoff is a leading exponent of the rare Crane Duet concertina. He performs self-written and West Country songs, English, Irish and Scottish folk and other music as varied as Jimmie Rodgers, The Louvin Brothers, Richard Thompson  and Randy Newman. He’s also one of the few to play 1920s and 1930s jazz on an authentic 1920s instrument. His smooth tenor vocals and unique concertina accompaniment have won him plaudits and fans over the years, but it has only been since retiring from a long career as a Fleet Street Journalist that Geoff has truly spread his wings musically. 2017 saw the release of Geoff’s debut album, After All These Years. With a stellar line-up of musical family and friends, it showcases his talents perfectly and illustrates the high regard and affection in which he is held. Watch the Sidmouth Festival video of Geoff singing ‘Tie ‘Em Up’, his tribute to the Cornish trawlermen. He is now working with banjo virtuoso Rob Murch, which guarantees to be a bumper night. 

(£8 admission, £5 members)

Re-scheduled! December 16, 2020: Christmas party #1 with Julie Croad, Adam Jenkins & Friends

Poet Julie ‘Sheds’ and phenomenal guitarist Adam perform a fundraising evening for Macmillan Cancer Support. it’s Christmas Party No. 1 – bring a SMALL plate of food to share.  £3 on the door and a Special Christmas Raffle – all proceeds will be donated to this charity. 

(£3 admission)

 

 

 

 

 

Rescheduled! March, 2021: Anthony John Clarke (Ireland)

This erudite and charming Irishman has the enviable reputation of providing entertainment of the highest quality. Hailed as one of the country’s leading songwriters and guitarists on the acoustic/folk scene, he enthrals his audience for over two hours, singing very witty and verbally complex songs and telling stories.Belfast-born Anthony John has recorded 12 albums and three singles including the beautiful ‘Seven in Ireland’ and ‘Irish Eyes’. He enjoys an enormous following in the UK, Europe, Australasia and the USA. Fairport Convention pays this tribute: “AJC is a national treasure.” In fact, the band’s multi-instrumentalist Dave Pegg has joined Anthony John in a touring duo. Please watch this video of him delighting the crowd in the Fleetwood Folk and Blues Festival. 

(£8 admission, £5 members)

March 24, 2021:  Over the Moon (Canada)

Canadian roots/swing duo Over The Moon’s Suzanne Levesque and Craig Bignell are awarding multi-instrumentalists/vocalists that met, fell in love, got married and discovered their voices blend so well together that people often tear up upon hearing them sing.
Living on a ranch in the foothills of Alberta’s Rocky Mountains, it’s inevitable there will be a strong sense of place – and the rhythms of the land when you start to make music.   When the couple released their debut album, the resonances were there for all to hear. reflecting the pulse of life,  lived in a territory that is both dirt-hard rugged and beautiful.
Their music is a wild ride from 1940s-sounding western swing and Appalachian old-time to cowboy blues.  Simple and sweet, all of their material has a common thread that speaks of the Canadian west. On their UK release, reviews were glowing: “Exceptional” (American Roots UK); “There’s so much to enjoy here” (Country Music People); “You will love this”  (Maverick Magazine);  “We knew we were on to something special” (Elmore Magazine, New York)

 

(£8 admission, £5 members)

April 21, 2021: 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)

May 5, 2021: The Outside Track (Scotland)

Winner of Best Group in both the Live Ireland awards and the Tradition In Review awards, The Outside Track are one of the top Celtic acts in the world. They were Best Live Act nominees in the MG Alba Scots Traditional Music Awards, and won the German Radio Critics Prize for their album Flash Company. Live Ireland hailed them as “Among the top bands in the world – stunning on every cut!”

The Outside Track’s marriage of Celtic music, song and dance has been rapturously received around the world. Hailing from Scotland, Ireland and Cape Breton, its five members are united by a love of traditional music and a commitment to creating new music on this as a foundation. They blend fiddle, accordion, harp, guitar, flute, whistle, step-dance and vocals with breath-taking vitality. Their blend of boundless energy and unmistakable joie de vivre has won them a large following around the globe.

Band members include: Nova Scotian-born Mairi Rankin, one of the hugely influential Rankin Family, legends on the Canadian music scene – she plays fiddle, sings and also step-dances up a storm; Teresa Horgan, from County Cork, who has an emotive singing style; Ailie Robertson, from Edinburgh, who is widely regarded as one of Scotland’s leading young traditional musicians – composer, arranger, teacher, improviser and harp virtuoso; and from the Highland village of Evanton, Fiona Black developed a love of music and dance from a young age, through the feisean movement which provided her the opportunity to nurture her passion through learning to play the piano accordion. composing and recording.

(£8 admission, £5 members)

May 26, 2021:  Rory McLeod 

Rory Mcleod – ex-circus clown and fire eater, a one-man soul-band, poet and storyteller, singing his own unique upbeat dance stories. He’s a modern travelling troubadour using tap shoes, a capella, harmonica, guitar, trombone, spoons, finger cymbals, bandorea, djembe and various percussion instruments.

Rory has travelled the globe for different reasons at different times, from Asia to the Middle East, from Gambia to Cuba, Central America, Australia, North America, Canada, Europe and other nooks and crannies of the earth. The Sydney City Hub observed: “You don’t listen to McLeod – you travel with him.”

Rory’s look on life: “I’ve travelled to look for work, to mend a broken heart, to be with someone I longed for. I’d travel to visit friends and on the way I’d make new ones, I’d roam because I was curious to see what was around the next corner, sometimes I travelled to follow the warmer weather and migrate… like the birds and the big whales and fishes do”.

(£8 admission, £5 members)

Rescheduled! June 9, 2021: Tania Opland & Mike Freeman (USA/England)

She’s from Alaska and he’s from England, and their motto is: Have hammered dulcimer, guitar, fiddle, mandolin, hurdy-gurdy, recorders, whistle, djembe, ocarina, will travel! 

Tania and Mike have a wonderful stage presence – “Their repertoire is vast, and includes things like sing-alongs in Russian. Credits include numerous UK and US tours and seven albums (including collaborations with Anne McCaffrey)” – Whidbey Island Folk Festival, Washington, USA

“Unquestionably the most talented duo we have ever had at this club… I’ve never seen so much variety in a single set” – The Song Loft, Milton Keynes

(£8 Admission, £5 members)

July 28: Pharis & Jason Romero (Canada)

(Photo by Laureen Carruthers)

Canadian multiple award winners Pharis and Jason are a sentimental anchoring and the perfect antidote to this sped-up life. They have a classic story: some scratchy old records and a custom banjo led to their meeting in 2007, and they quickly knew they were in for the long haul. They’ve since released six records, toured all over, and garnered two Juno awards, multiple Canadian Folk Music Awards, and performances on A Prairie Home Companion and CBC’s The Vinyl Cafe.
The sound of their two voices together is quietly show-stopping. The songs are inspired by the world the Romeros live in and the lifestyle they have chosen to lead, focused on balance, simplicity and intention (with a powerful dose of the early country and folk they so dearly love). Add in a bustling boutique banjo business and the raising of two young children with the busy life of active musicians, and the balancing act itself becomes an art form.
They are passionate teachers and believers in many things folk; Pharis is Artistic Director for Voice Works, (a workshop for singers) and Jason teaches all styles of banjo playing, especially old-time three-finger playing.

Please watch this video, ‘Bet On Love’. 

Rescheduled! August 11, 2021: Sadie and Jay (Australia)

This Brisbane, Queensland couple scored a massive hit with Llantrisant Folk Club with their clutch of exquisitely crafted original songs, with origins in the Anglo-Celtic tradition through contemporary Australian folk and roots – and 2020 sees them return to the UK in their third and most extensive tour yet. Their styles have leanings to the alternative with a tinge of blues and roots. Blending vocals of rare calibre with an evocative back-drop  of traditional folk instruments, Sadie and Jay perform intimate, expressive and resonant music.

With her Welsh heritage, double-bassist and pianist Sadie Gwynn Jones’ love for singing is instinctive. Born in England and raised in Australia, her distinctive voice and versatility led her to perform in bands, theatre and cabaret. Born in Scotland and raised in New Zealand, guitarist and banjo player David ‘Jay’ Penman grew up in a musical family immersed in traditional British folk music. For many years Jay has been a member of The Penmans, a four-part family a capella group who have entertained at New Zealand festivals and concerts. 

In their UK tour, Sadie and Jay will showcase songs from their new album, A Passing Of Seasons, of which David Hillier reviewed in the Australian Rhythms Magazine: “Quality oozes from their third album as the Brisbane duo paint vivid pictures of a range of characters and stories of tragedy and triumph from our front and back pages with brushes that are simultaneously subtle and bold.”

Please watch a video of Sadie and Jay performing ‘Leaving The Harbour’ at Upton Folk Festival.

October 20, 2021: Ryan Young and Chris Amer (Scotland)

Ryan Young, Scots Trad Music Awards Up And Coming Artist Of The Year, is a brilliant young fiddle player who is bringing new and exciting ideas to traditional Scottish music. He recorded his debut album with triple GRAMMY winner, Jesse Lewis; FolkWales Online Magazine editor Mick Tems reviewed the album and awarded it five stars. Ryan holds a first class honours and a Masters degree from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, as well as being a finalist in both the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards and the BBC Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year.

Ryan launched his debut album at Feakle Traditional Music Festival in County Clare, Ireland, where he was accompanied by renowned guitarist, Dennis Cahill (Martin Hayes; The Gloaming). He was nominated for the Horizon Award at the 2018 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, was the winner of Folking.com’s Best Musician for 2018, as well as being nominated for Folk Band Of The Year at the 2018 MG ALBA Trad Music Awards. He is very influenced by the fiddle playing of County Clare and has been fascinated by the playing of renowned fiddlers such as Bobby Casey, Paddy Canny, Martin Hayes and Tommy Potts from Dublin. 

Ryan is accompanied by wonderful Scottish guitar player and composer Chris Amer, who is  establishing a reputation for his tasteful and musically intelligent playing style. Born and raised in Edinburgh, he moved to Glasgow in 2012 after gaining a place on the prestigious Jazz program at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Chris held the guitar chair with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland for several years, and on numerous occasions has appeared on The Jazz House radio programme on BBC Radio Scotland. As well as being an active musician in his own right, Chris was a member of the Scottish project Amer//Hawksworth//Munro, who released their EP Confluence in 2016. More recently, Chris has been collaborating with musicians, including multi-instrumentalist Mike Vass. As a composer, Chris has his work played on BBC Radio and at Glasgow PLUG New Music Festival, and has so far released two EPs of entirely original music.

Please watch this video of Ryan and Chris playing two amazing reels, ‘Up Da Stroods’ and ‘Little Donald In The Pigpen’. Enjoy!

(£8 admission, £5 members)

November 3, 2021: Cup O’Joe (N. Ireland)

Cup O’Joe is a close family trio who have been playing together from their early teens. Brothers Benjamin, Reuben and sister Tabitha were raised in the traditions of bluegrass and folk and it is these traditions that their music is rooted in. They blend the intricate tones of bluegrass,  folk and jazz to create their own progressive acoustic sound. Their mix of original and re-imagined traditional songs sets the ingredients for an energetic and enthusiastic performance, and this is giving them a growing presence on the surrounding acoustic music scene in Ireland, the UK and Mainland Europe. Their music is a delicious mix of banjo, guitar, double bass and harmonies that blend together like only sibling harmonies can.

The former Radio 2 Young Folk Award Finalists have toured extensively through Ireland, England and Central Europe over the years. In 2017 they were selected to take part in the Bluegrass Ramble at the International Bluegrass Associations week-long conference and festival in Raleigh, North Carolina, being one of the first International bands to do so. Cup O’Joe released their debut EP, Bluebirds, and followed up with the first album, In The Parting. Watch their video, which contains two songs – and a very young Cup O’Joe performing ‘The Way It Is’ and the Gerry Rafferty hit ‘Stuck In The Middle With You’, accompanied by fiddler Niall Murphy.

“They make a truly gorgeous sound and play with such intuition as only a family can do” – Cara Dillon

(£8 admission, £5 members)

December 1, 2021: Quicksilver

Hilary Spencer and Grant Baynham are a pair of tremendous performers who can turn their prodigious talents to any style of song from folk to jazz via blues and French chanson. Their repertoire includes songs by Jake Thackray, Victoria Wood and Grant’s own offerings, both comedic and serious. Hilary’s fabulous voice and incredible dynamic range is complemented by Grant’s voice and virtuoso guitar which offers styles from John Williams to Django Reinhardt. There simply is not another duo like them. They’ll grab the audience’s attention and not let it go from the opening notes to the last encore.

Hilary holds the prestigious record of appearing at Llantrisant Folk Club more times than any other artist – her voice is a thing of beauty. The smoothly-powerful centre of Artisan’s benchmark a cappella for 20 years, she has rightly been described as: “A Rolls Royce of a voice, one of the defining sounds of English Folk” (Steve Ritchie, of the Ontario band Tanglefoot.) 

Grant matches the baroque style of his songwriting with a guitar technique of gorgeous intricacy. His lengthy broadcasting credits include four years on BBC1’s That’s Life! As Ned Sherrin put it: “Comic song touched with gold.” 

Watch the video of Quicksilver kicking the whatsit out of Victoria Wood’s ‘Ballad of Barry and Freda’ – enjoy!  

(£8 admission, £5 members)

 

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

 

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