Back in the heydays of the Brighton folk scene local boy Tim forged his reputation as a wisecracking, barnstorming guitar picker before progressing the worldwide folk club circuit - and is still going strong.
These days a resident of France his energy is undiminished but has become a respected songwriter too, with a passionate commitment to, for example, prisoners on the death rows of America.
It's a testimony to the esteem and affection in which he is held that he remains our biggest crowd-puller - so come early if you want a seat!
Sunday, 25 October 2009
Friday, 21 August 2009
Monday September 7th 2009
AINE KING & ANTONY HODGSON
Aine and Antony have made music separately and together for many years. You can expect vocals, guitar, bohdran and fiddle in just about any combination, but they are probably best known for their powerful harmony singing and Aine's chilling unaccompanied ballads.
Although most of the material is from the Irish and English traditions, you could just as likely hear a contemporary, American or self-penned song or two thrown in.
More details at http://www.brightonacoustic.com/
Aine and Antony have made music separately and together for many years. You can expect vocals, guitar, bohdran and fiddle in just about any combination, but they are probably best known for their powerful harmony singing and Aine's chilling unaccompanied ballads.
Although most of the material is from the Irish and English traditions, you could just as likely hear a contemporary, American or self-penned song or two thrown in.
More details at http://www.brightonacoustic.com/
Thursday, 16 July 2009
The Rude Mechanicals - August 3, 2009
This is the rearranged appearance from February when the session was cancelled owing to the snow.
These three musicians are outstanding in their own right, with years of composition and performance behind them. Ray has twice been guest on Andy Kershaw's Late Junction programme on Radio 3 and, like Barry (formerly of Uncle John's Band) a multi instrumentalist, while Jeremy has many TV credits to his name.
These three musicians are outstanding in their own right, with years of composition and performance behind them. Ray has twice been guest on Andy Kershaw's Late Junction programme on Radio 3 and, like Barry (formerly of Uncle John's Band) a multi instrumentalist, while Jeremy has many TV credits to his name.
Wednesday, 1 July 2009
John Copper - July 4th
We had a great session in June with Pete Cartlidge & Vince Purcell and we are really looking forward to welcoming back John Copper, whose family have contributed so much to our folk heritage for four generations.
When he sang for us last year he reckoned it was his first solo gig for about 35 years but you wouldn't have thought it. He gaved us a rollicking good night of music hall hilarity plus, of course, a selection of songs which his family have made their own.
It'll be standing room only - so come early!
When he sang for us last year he reckoned it was his first solo gig for about 35 years but you wouldn't have thought it. He gaved us a rollicking good night of music hall hilarity plus, of course, a selection of songs which his family have made their own.
It'll be standing room only - so come early!
Monday, 13 April 2009
Next Guests: The Twagger Band
It’s roughly two generations ago that the first “folk” club opened in Brighton - the Skiffle Club in a cafe in Egremont Place - in 1957 to be precise - and, as elsewhere in the country, the folk “revival” was under way. 20 years on the charts were awash with the acoustic sounds of The Dubliners, Simon & Garfunkel and Ralph McTell and every town and village had a club. It was the indie music of the day.
Those heady days may be behind us but reports of the death of folk music have, to paraphrase Mark Twain, been greatly exaggerated. In recent times the success of the likes of Seth Lakeman, Kate Rusby and Show Of Hands have been heralded as an indication that acoustic musicians are once again swimming in the mainstream and the future looks bright. From other quarters come wails of despair: you’ll only get to see these top artists in concert venues because the folk clubs’ audiences are dwindling and can’t afford the fees or are closing altogether which means that the professional circuit that once existed can’t support them and soon there won’t be any clubs left at all.
As always, the truth lies somewhere in between. It’s true that the well known names will only be able to make a living if they mostly tour professional music venues like the Komedia or the Concorde here in Brighton - but not exclusively. To give some examples: The Watersons and Steve Knightley, both of whom have filled the Albert Hall in the past couple of years, played recently at the Royal Oak in Lewes and the Brighton Folk & Blues Club, as did Peter Sarstedt at the Hove Folk Club, in the usual folk club setting of a pub function room. That they did so is testament to the durability of the traditional clubs.
And then there are the singarounds, open mic nights and sessions which are growing in number and popularity as the live music scene changes. Our own session is one such. These days it’s standing room only which means, I hope, that we’re keeping up with the times. We’ve had some great musicians turning up and some unexpected delights from audience members who have contributed songs and tunes.
Our next guests, on May 4th, are the Twagger Band. They’re a 5-piece group who play armfuls of instruments between them and take up lots of room, so get there early!
More details, as usual at www.brightonacoustic.com
Those heady days may be behind us but reports of the death of folk music have, to paraphrase Mark Twain, been greatly exaggerated. In recent times the success of the likes of Seth Lakeman, Kate Rusby and Show Of Hands have been heralded as an indication that acoustic musicians are once again swimming in the mainstream and the future looks bright. From other quarters come wails of despair: you’ll only get to see these top artists in concert venues because the folk clubs’ audiences are dwindling and can’t afford the fees or are closing altogether which means that the professional circuit that once existed can’t support them and soon there won’t be any clubs left at all.
As always, the truth lies somewhere in between. It’s true that the well known names will only be able to make a living if they mostly tour professional music venues like the Komedia or the Concorde here in Brighton - but not exclusively. To give some examples: The Watersons and Steve Knightley, both of whom have filled the Albert Hall in the past couple of years, played recently at the Royal Oak in Lewes and the Brighton Folk & Blues Club, as did Peter Sarstedt at the Hove Folk Club, in the usual folk club setting of a pub function room. That they did so is testament to the durability of the traditional clubs.
And then there are the singarounds, open mic nights and sessions which are growing in number and popularity as the live music scene changes. Our own session is one such. These days it’s standing room only which means, I hope, that we’re keeping up with the times. We’ve had some great musicians turning up and some unexpected delights from audience members who have contributed songs and tunes.
Our next guests, on May 4th, are the Twagger Band. They’re a 5-piece group who play armfuls of instruments between them and take up lots of room, so get there early!
More details, as usual at www.brightonacoustic.com
Saturday, 7 March 2009
Next Guests: Ben Paley & Tab Hunter
Following our standing room only night with Paul Downes this week we are lucky to have been able to persuade this in-demand duo to play for us again on April 6th. They set the place alight when they came last year and are expecting another full house.
They have played together for more years than they care to remember - first in Brighton scratch-band the Aardvarks, later in the infamous bluegrass-rockers The Wild Turkey Brothers (who toured in support of The Levellers and Chumbawumba). Their duo work includes the launch of Evolving Traditions 2, Mrs Casey Music's compilation of the best of young British folk musicians, at the Barbican; working with Damon Albarn and Michael Nyman on the music for the Fox feature film Ravenous, and supplying incidental music for Channel 4's Grand Designs. They have impressed audiences at Fulbeck International Fiddle Festival, Broadstairs Folk Week and Brigg Fiddle Festival with sensitive interpretations of traditional tunes from the British Isles, Europe and America: their range of material reflects their shared love of all traditional music, and they play Irish, American, Swedish and Eastern-European tunes with equal measures of passion, skill and authenticity.
BEN (described by Folk Roots as "just about the best folk-fiddler of his generation") has been playing the fiddle music of the USA, Sweden and Ireland since he was six years old. He has toured widely with his father Tom (founder-member of the seminal New Lost City Ramblers) and recorded with Bing Lyle, Mandragora, The Saw Doctors, Murray Lachlan Young and The New Deal String Band. His collection of Swedish fiddle tunes (Swedish Fiddle Music, an Anthology published by Dragonfly Music) has become the standard work on the subject in this country.
TAB has gained his breadth of experience as a guitarist (flat-picker and accompanist), songwriter and recorded jews' harpist as a soloist and in duos and bands in the tradition, from Irish music to death-blue-metal-grass, through klezmer, jazz, Old Time and Scandinavian folk music. His playing has taken him to perform all over Europe, including England's prestigious Edale and North Wales bluegrass festivals. He has appeared on television and on BBC Radio.
More details on the session at http://www.brightonacoustic.com/
They have played together for more years than they care to remember - first in Brighton scratch-band the Aardvarks, later in the infamous bluegrass-rockers The Wild Turkey Brothers (who toured in support of The Levellers and Chumbawumba). Their duo work includes the launch of Evolving Traditions 2, Mrs Casey Music's compilation of the best of young British folk musicians, at the Barbican; working with Damon Albarn and Michael Nyman on the music for the Fox feature film Ravenous, and supplying incidental music for Channel 4's Grand Designs. They have impressed audiences at Fulbeck International Fiddle Festival, Broadstairs Folk Week and Brigg Fiddle Festival with sensitive interpretations of traditional tunes from the British Isles, Europe and America: their range of material reflects their shared love of all traditional music, and they play Irish, American, Swedish and Eastern-European tunes with equal measures of passion, skill and authenticity.
BEN (described by Folk Roots as "just about the best folk-fiddler of his generation") has been playing the fiddle music of the USA, Sweden and Ireland since he was six years old. He has toured widely with his father Tom (founder-member of the seminal New Lost City Ramblers) and recorded with Bing Lyle, Mandragora, The Saw Doctors, Murray Lachlan Young and The New Deal String Band. His collection of Swedish fiddle tunes (Swedish Fiddle Music, an Anthology published by Dragonfly Music) has become the standard work on the subject in this country.
TAB has gained his breadth of experience as a guitarist (flat-picker and accompanist), songwriter and recorded jews' harpist as a soloist and in duos and bands in the tradition, from Irish music to death-blue-metal-grass, through klezmer, jazz, Old Time and Scandinavian folk music. His playing has taken him to perform all over Europe, including England's prestigious Edale and North Wales bluegrass festivals. He has appeared on television and on BBC Radio.
More details on the session at http://www.brightonacoustic.com/
Sunday, 22 February 2009
Next Guest: Paul Downes - March 2, 2009
First, belated apologies for the last-minute cancellation on February 2nd. Snow in Brighton! there'll be rain in the Sahara next...
Our next guest, Paul Downes, is an exception to the general rule that our guest performers are based in Sussex. Paul now lives in Devon but spent several years in this area and appears regularly with the Brighton Taverners. His association with the band stretches over more than thirty years, since he and Phil Beer co-produced and played on their second album Wrap It Up For The Lady.
He will be best remembered for the Downes & Beer partnership which swept all before them in the 70s & 80s and for joining folk supergroup The Arizona Smoke Revue. Since then he has played with, among others, Pete Seeger, Show Of Hands and The Joyce Gang. In addition to solo gigs he is currently part of Mick Ryan's touring theatre shows.
Why is he so much in demand? Quite simply because he is one of the most versatile guitarists you will hear in a long time - with stunning accompaniments to a huge range of songs, including his own.
His latest album, Directly, is out now - as is the long awaited reunion album with Phil Beer, Live At Nettlebed.
More details at: www.brightonacoustic.com
Our next guest, Paul Downes, is an exception to the general rule that our guest performers are based in Sussex. Paul now lives in Devon but spent several years in this area and appears regularly with the Brighton Taverners. His association with the band stretches over more than thirty years, since he and Phil Beer co-produced and played on their second album Wrap It Up For The Lady.
He will be best remembered for the Downes & Beer partnership which swept all before them in the 70s & 80s and for joining folk supergroup The Arizona Smoke Revue. Since then he has played with, among others, Pete Seeger, Show Of Hands and The Joyce Gang. In addition to solo gigs he is currently part of Mick Ryan's touring theatre shows.
Why is he so much in demand? Quite simply because he is one of the most versatile guitarists you will hear in a long time - with stunning accompaniments to a huge range of songs, including his own.
His latest album, Directly, is out now - as is the long awaited reunion album with Phil Beer, Live At Nettlebed.
More details at: www.brightonacoustic.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
