2009

It's our summer break now where we get around festivals talent spotting! Please say hello if you see us!  

Look for us at Stokes Bay, Fairport's Cropredy Convention, Shrewsbury, Bunkfest, Swanage, Banbury and maybe others!

 Friday nights!!  

September 18th - Kate Bramley 

£8 (£6 members) Book Tickets Here

Kate is a fine singer and instrumentalist, best known as fiddler and vocalist for the North-east’s ‘Jez Lowe and the Bad Pennies’ and the American band ‘Sweetgrass’.

In the early 90's she frequently performed in the USA with the four part a capella group, Northern Harmony, and some of her early songs were published in the book of the same name.

In 1992 she met Jim Striebel and Mike Schachte of 'Sweetgrass' in Ireland and joined the band shortly after, recording three albums in five years, and touring extensively across the western states of America and the UK.

In the late 1990's Kate was the fiddle player and harmony vocalist for the Yorkshire based band 'Freewheelin', with songwriter Jacquie Hanham and guitarist Pete Dean. 

In 2000 Kate joined Jez Lowe and the Bad Pennies and has toured almost exclusively with the band since that time. She has performed occasional solo concerts, as well as continuing her theatre writing and directing career, but the busy touring and recording schedule for the band has meant little in the way of solo music projects.

This is a rare chance to enjoy Kate solo and appreciate her talents. There are sound clips of her performing on her website HERE

In support we have the delightful Terry McDonald, member of the local group "The Warwick Slade Collective" and stalwart of Wimborne Folk Club.

Hear Terry HERE

EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about it!

Friday September 25th - "Keep it Local!"

Admission £4 members and non-members

A variety night featuring local talent. Five local artists from the region performing a short set each, culminating in a longer set by an invited guest act.

Already signed up we have Rod Jenkins, Mary Jane (acoustic), Andy Stone, Bob Whitley & Frank Boyle, and our guest spot is Bob & Gill Berry from Devizes Folk Club, organizers of Chippenham Folk Festival, members of Tinkers Bag.

We hope to make this a two or three times a year event to give you the chance to enjoy the friends who perform as support artists for us, and other talented local performers. The next one is likely to be in April 2010. Watch this page for details.

 

October 16th - Nancy Kerr & James Fagan

£12 (members £10) Book Tickets Here

Nancy Kerr and James Fagan were the winners of the 2003 BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for Best Duo. This well-loved duo combine highly skilful and innovative performance with accessibility, warmth and stage presence. Rarely are duos so full in sound; Nancy’s earthy and exquisite fiddle and viola playing dances with the striking rhythmic texture of James’s guitar-bouzouki, while their rich singing both as soloists and in harmony evokes the stories of the songs they choose and write. They approach their music with energy and infectious smiles. They bring an air of happiness to their audiences, not to mention an irresistible urge to join in the familiar songs. 

Nancy has made good use of their time in Australia this year to write some superb new songs. Come and hear some of them at the club.

Nancy and James are regular visitors to Wessex Acoustic and always delight.

30th October Judy Dinning with Kenny Speirs

Tickets £9 (£7 members) Book Tickets Here

Judy Dinning is a singer/songwriter who performs her own compositions as well as those of contemporary writers from the USA and UK. Drawing also from the library of traditional songs of her native North East, she plays guitar, keyboards, dulcimer and percussion. Her own style is predominantly English, with her main influences being Sandy Denny, Maddy Prior and Jacqui McShee; but she acknowledges that the American singer/songwriters Judy Collins, Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez have also been a great influence in her musical career. Judy is also a great admirer of the Irish tradition and the singing of Naimh Parsons and Mary Black in particular.

As well as performing solo, Judy is a member of the band Real Time (with Kenny Speirs (guitar), Iain Anderson (fiddle) and Tom Roseburgh (keyboards) and has toured Europe, Australia and North America in recent years. Solo she has played many folk clubs and festivals also supporting many major acts including Pentangle, Ralph McTell, Aly Bain, Fairport Convention and John Renbourn. Also in Judy's past is a spell with Jez Lowe and the Bad Pennies from 1997 until 2002.

Kenny Speirs is a talented singer/guitarst, an ex-member of the John Wright Band.

See and hear Judy and Kenny (as half of Real Time) on YouTube HERE

 

November 20th - DANSMALL (Dan Plews & Guy Fletcher)

£10 (£8 members) Book Tickets Here

Escaping from the formidable band Dansaul, Dan and Guy bring us some traditional and modern folk, maybe a hint of jazz, with a touch of folk-rock for good measure.

Guy Fletcher, (Tickled Pink,  Little Johnny England, Dansaul and occasionally The Larkrise Band) is a virtuoso violinist and a mean broom dancer!

Dan Plews, (ex Kings of Calicutt, Dansaul), is an accomplished guitarist and singer bringing a modern outlook to traditional and contemporary folk.

Together these fine musicians will raise the roof and spirits with their musical talents and humour.

Sound clips and video HERE

December 18th - "A Night (or possibly A Drink) at the Bar Humbug with Peggy & PJ"

£12 (£10 members) Book Tickets Here

Dave Pegg (Fairport Convention, The Dylan Project) and PJ Wright (Little Johnny England, The Dylan Project) combine to give  us a night of folk and folk-rock, with a passing reference to Christmas.

They have delighted our club audience before so don't miss out on this great night out.

2010...A Folk Odyssey

Coming in 2010... Wendy Arrowsmith (a Scottish nightingale), Dave Swarbrick (a legend!), Damien Barber & Mike Wilson, Mad Agnes (American, tight harmonies), Barron Brady (young talent and energy) and more!