Around Kent Folk issue 111 June / July 2022

o u nd r a

ke nt folk Issue 111 June / July 2022

Your FREE Guide to Folk Events in Kent, Surrey, Sussex and beyond

Published by Tenterden Folk Festival, Charity No 1038663 Promoting folk song, music, dance, crafts and traditions.

ISSN 2634-7830 (Print) ISSN 2634-7849 (Online)

Welcome to issue 111 June/July 2022 issue of Around Kent Folk Spring is here, the sun is out, all Corona virus restrictions have been lifted in England, many folk clubs have reopened, most festivals are well advanced with their planning, but there are still problems ahead. Many festival and event organisers are experiencing huge price increases across the board when booking marquees, portable toilets and other infrastructure and services as well as shortages of security and medical staff partly as a result of people moving on to other things during the pandemic. The availability of marquees and portable toilets should improve as temporary Covid testing and vaccination centres are decommissioned. For most festivals this means that they announced their ticket prices and put them on sale before the full impact of these price increases were known, so will be working on a very tight budget this year. Affordable Covid cancellation insurance is still not available for festivals and events so the risk falls on the organisers. We are also hearing that advanced ticket sales are slow and people are leaving buying tickets until nearer the time and missing early bird offers. This may well still be due to worries over Covid as well as the cost of living, the cost of petrol and diesel, and worries over the war in Ukraine. However it makes festival and event planning and budget management very difficult and stressful for festival teams. The other shortage is of people willing to volunteer as part of the festival teams whether as set up crew or stewards. At a recent meeting of The Association of Festival Organisers there were even reports of organisers leaving the industry and of the need for counselling due to the stress of trying to run events over the last two years. If you value your local festivals, please support them in whatever ways you can and do not leave buying your tickets to last minute. You will find adverts for most of our local festivals elsewhere in this issue.

At AKF we are currently receiving a good number of CDs and books for review and also welcome reviews from our readers not only of CDs but also of local events and festival they have been to. Other folk news and contributions for Scene and Heard and Sussex Folk News are also welcome. Just email them to Bob, Vic and me as appropriate.

We look forward to seeing you all at a club or festival over the summer..

Alan Castle (Editor) PS: You can make a donation to Tenterden Folk Festival or this magazine via our websites or by post (see payment details on last page). Thank you. www.tenterdenfolkfestival.org.uk www.aroundkentfolk.org.uk

Around Kent Folk, the independent folk magazine for Kent, Surrey, Sussex and beyond, which is now published six times a year by Tenterden Folk Festival, edited by me with the invaluable assistance of Andy Wood from Anmar Printing Services.

Find us online at www.aroundkentfolk.org.uk and on Twitter as @AroundKentFolk, where you can always find a link to the latest and past issues of AKF. Please pass this link on to your mailing lists and place it on your social media so that as many as possible of our regular readers can find AKF online until we are able to get back to a full print run and physical distribution of the printed magazine.

Stay well and take care in these difficult times

Review of New Roots Competition 27th. March 2022 ‘Own the stage,’ said Ffion Mair, introducing the judges’ comments. ‘It’s yours from the moment you walk on until the moment you walk off. Engage the listeners, talk to them.

Don’t hesitate to adjust your tuning on stage if you need to.’

It was a delight to be back at the Trestle Arts Base, St. Albans, for the 22nd. New Roots competition for young musicians under 25 years old. Because of Covid, the 21st. event had first to be postponed from 2020 and then moved online to November 2021. This was another inspiring day full of delicious surprises for listeners, organised as always by the redoubtable Alison Macfarlane. It is a privilege to hear young musicians developing their own musical voices.

Young musicians from all over the country submit recordings of up to fifteen minutes, in all styles of traditional and contemporary folk, roots or world music. There isn’t a winner: the four judges listen carefully to the music sent in, looking for quality of performance and material rather than polished recordings, and invite the best dozen or so to perform at the final concert. Then the judges retire to prepare comments, encouragement and suggestions to help each one develop their performance. Those who aren’t chosen to perform on the day still get helpful comments. There’s a lively session for all the participants while the judges are out of the room, and you can bet the judges would love to be playing in it themselves. Those who take part in the concert are guaranteed performance opportunities at a range of supporting folk music festivals and clubs, giving them a chance to play outside their normal home territories.

This year’s judges were Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne, singer, melodeon & concertina player solo and with the band Granny’s Attic, Ffion Mair, who sings Welsh traditional songs with the Foxglove Trio, Andy Stafford, a Chippenham Festival organiser, venue and stage manager and musician, and Valmai Goodyear of Lewes Saturday Folk Club in Sussex.

Barry Goodman, caller, musician and singer, compèred the whole event.

This year there were ten finalists, including one who would have been with us last year but for illness. As always, the range of material and talent was not only impressive, but also highly enjoyable. Ruby and Eve began with a beautiful interplay of traditional tunes on two fiddles; the East Corner Trio brought tight, varied and entertaining traditional tunes from home and abroad on melodeon, banjolin, flute and pipes; the family band Third Time Lucky gave us the first songs of the day, with some pleasing vocal harmonies, and tunes on fiddle, cahon, guitar and piano. Alex Jenkins played delicate Welsh dance music on his harp and sang in both English and Welsh. Callum Granger was the first to offer songs he had written, with guitar, on topics ranging from personal emotions to the suffering of refugees. Sona were the first to offer mouth music in three-part harmony, then a witty selection of tunes and a ballad of shipwreck from Australia. Jasper Kanachowski played Irish dance music on Anglo concertina and sang with bouzouki. Piers Gorick played traditional and his own tunes on bouzouki, sang, and was the first to invite the audience to join in a chorus. Katherine

Kaims sang traditional songs and a more recent one, playing ukulele with inventive musicality. Finally, Willow Changelings played folk-rock songs of their own, one of them creatively linking the lore of changelings with child cruelty, and a subtly-altered song from the tradition, using guitars, fiddle and electric piano.

The deadline for entries for next year’s competition is January 31st. 2023. The final will be in April 2023, date to be fixed. For details, see http://www.stalbansfolkmusic.org.uk/newroots.htm or contact Alison Macfarlane (alison.macfarlane@lineone.net, 01727 852111).

Pictures show the tunes session which the entrants hold while the judges are out of the room conferring, and one of the MC (Barry Goodman, standing) and judges (left to right Valmai Goodyear, Andy Stafford, Ffion Mair, Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne) taken by Mike Pugsley.

Valmai Goodyear Belshazzar’s Feast - That’s all Folkies!

Wildgoose WGS427CD The best way to describe this final album from Belshazzar’s Feast is probably to quote from the cover.

“Herewith a commiseration of 25 long years together. One track each from our studio and live albums, plus three previously unreleased tracks (when you hear them you’ll understand why). Happy Anniversary us. Try to enjoy.

P&P”. If you have seen Paul Hutchinson and Paul Sartin live you will know what to expect from this album and one of the most entertaining duos to feature on the folk scene and you will not be disappointed. The three new tracks are Lovers Vows / Dawson’s Delight, Gethsemane / De’il Take the Warr and Staines Morris / AppleTree Wassil. I’ll finish this review with another quote from the two Pauls. “After almost 30 years making music and performing together, 2022 will see our last tours around the UK in April and May.” We wish them all the best with what they go on to do next.

Alan Castle (Editor)

Live Music Venue

★ Folk ★ Blues ★ Jazz

62 Sweyn Road, Cliftonville, Margate CT9 2DD

JUNE 2nd 9th 15th 16th 26th

Steve Ashley Gabriel Mareno Jazz @ 8 Tony Hudd and guests £10 Hannah Scott French Connection French/Breton music and dance 12-4.30 £5 Play or dance! - caller 27th Step/Clog workshop 12 - 1 £10, fun some clogs available. live music

JULY 7th 14th 20th 21st 26th 28th 31st

Skinner and Twitch Iona Lane Jazz night at 8 £10 Tony Hudd + guests Katy Carr Step/Clog workshop 12 - 1 £10, fun Some clogs available. live music Theo Mizú French Connection French/Flemish music and dance 12- 4.30 £5 Play or dance - caller

Please support live music by booking in advance- it's cheaper direct

always great music at Rosslyn Court concert doors 7pm. £12 1st hour live streamed. Tickets: www.rosslyncourt.com/concerts

Direct 07902 140 248

Scene & Heard As the wassailing bears blossom (an interesting image Ray Stiles would have appreciated), the festival season approaches. By the time you read this May Day and Sweeps news you will know, and the long hot spring which has advanced all the flowering will have settled into leaf. So where are we now?

The folk club guest scene is picking up gradually, it seems, with audiences supporting those who entertain and those who offer variety. Without doubt the O-wave hit attendances just when confidence was returning- like most of us I’ve had a spell out of action- and it’s been difficult for artistes to put viable tours together. Some clubs have reserves to tide them over, however regular losses on established names are not sustainable.

We do need to co-ordinate.. Needs must for performers, however if high-cost guests long booked then take nearby gigs too close to, there will be less choice in the long run. There is also the Costa issue... seen them in the swimming pool! Not to mention Zoom concerts preserved in aspic... I shall always prefer to see and hear close up and live, supporting the pubs and clubrooms which enable local music to flourish alongside the concert spectacle.

Among recent highlights, it was grand to see John Conolly at Faversham again, still with the sparkle and news of Grimsby... catching up on t’internet with Will Allen’s amazing output is always illuminating- whether it be fine traditional tunes or adder dancing... Woodshed favourites Granny’s Attic have been prolific in their own fields, Lewis’s way with tunes certain to ensure their longevity, melodic rather than riff-based.

There seems something of a resurgence of old favourites as singers return to real lifealways pleasant and delightful. Personally I always felt that although latency prevented all but cacophony on Zoom it was worth singing choruses to watch the singalong styles and involvement going on. Sue Watson’s continuing Deal Zoom on Fridays has a light and humorous touch enhanced by transatlantic touches. And when the Broadstairs Woodshed takes on surreal ukuleles, visiting musicians marvel at the vibe!

As Pigs’ Ear approaches as advertised, I should commend a recent CD by Bea Everett, who will be performing there. ‘Russian Doll’ I found entrancing. I must mention Kevin Henty’s outstanding song about Ukraine. Topical songs are rarely so fully formed, and only someone with deep understanding of how folk song works could have written such a powerful piece.

Various charity outings have been hitting the streets: based around Mike Wheeler and Ruth Cronk’s Tuesday night Faversham sessions, unsuspecting market-goers contribute to local Hospices- always good to see children dance spontaneously in the sun- they are the future of English Folk.

News of upcoming events: Nigel White’s club has reverted to its former venue- print dates meant that we may inadvertently have led astray, apologies for that... Morag at Rosslyn Court has interesting guests in June and July, Gabriel Moreno from Gibraltar and Katy Carr with Polish/Ukrainian material...

Faversham sees Steve Tilston, Jez Lowe’s return and the fascinating Quicksilver in its summer programme... my spellcheck thinks ST is Tolstoy... who might give us a tune on the night, how about it, Paul Steele! Dartford, the Orpington clubs and the new venture at Ash are providing rock-solid live folk music over in NW Kent, so there’s plenty to go to between festivals.

Deserving newcomers John & Di Cullen feature in the Oxford Folk Festival... KSC will be representing Kent at Chippenham, ‘The Singing Rail’ featuring in Great Western territory, and this year’s show for Broadstairs ‘Southern Rambles’ is under rehearsal... all good

entertainment to keep us busy.

And lastly from me, a thank you to the cheery crew at Lewes who made my visit so jollyhere’s to more gatherings to lift our spirits through the summer…

Sue is carrying on the friday zoom singaround - now know as the Friday Folk Zoom - every week from 7.30-10pm. Contact s.watson59@btinternet.com if you’re interested for the access code.

Bob Kenward

CD Review

The Exmouth Shanty Men - Tall Ships and Tavern Tales Wildgoose WGS438CD This double CD contains 33 tracks recorded live and includes some of the best known and most popular sea shanties ranging from the opening track, Leaving of Liverpool, to the closing track, Row on Row on. The Exmouth Shanty Men formed in 2007 and have performed at festivals and events in the UK and overseas including Krackow in Poland, where they have twice won the Stan Hugill trophy for the most authentic shanty. Do not expect perfect singing but do expect lively and entertaining renditions of popular shanties and expect to find yourself joining in High Barbury, Rollin Down to Old Maui, Strike the Bell, Yarmouth Town, Maggie May, Row Bullies Row and many more. Tom Lewis’s Sailor’s Prayer, and Tim Lacock’s Heavens a Bar are also included. If you enjoy singing, or just listening to, shanties and sea songs this is an album you should try.

Alan Castle (Editor)

BOUGHTON MONCHELSEA FOLK CLUB Change Of Venue and Change of Date

THE COCK INN (in the restaurant)

Heath Road, Boughton Monchelsea, ME17 4JD Audience, Singers, Musicians, Poets, All Welcome For more details call Nigel White on 07793 076827

CD Reviews

Nigel Hobbins - Levitating in Lockdown Legin15 When sending me his new CD for review Nigel said “I’ve just picked up the recent Around Kent Folk magazine.

Thank you and Gavin Atkin for the feature on Peter Collins.

I’m one of those singers who was chuffed to pieces when Peter sent me a link to him singing ‘Swing Boys Swing’ at the Tolpuddle Martyrs Museum. I only met Peter and Maureen reasonably recently at the Frittenden Sessions organised by Gavin and George Frampton I think. I’ve booked Peter several times since at the Whitstable Folk Club and was delighted when he and Maureen came to visit me at my workshop at Challock. He bought a carving of a little owl from me.” Levitating in Lockdown was recorded by Nigel in an old summerhouse next to his vegetable plot by his workshop on the North Downs. Nigel is well known in East Kent for his song writing and singer and this CD illustrates that well. There are 12 songs on the album, such as Seagull, written and composed by E.W. Rogers and Charles Collins in 1905 and researched by George Frampton, which Nigel’s Grandad used to sing during the second world war. There is also Morning Chorus which was recorded at dawn on 7th May 2020 in Challock. You can buy the album from Nigel at one of his gigs or via his website www.nigel-hobbins.co.uk/htmls/music.html.

Alan Castle (Editor) Oysterband - Read The Sky Running Man Music RMCD8 Some people reading this will remember the huge impact made by the Oyster Ceilidh Band and their parallel outfit, Fiddlers Dram, on the folk scene in Kent in the mid1970s. There have travelled and toured great distances since then; there have been several changes in musical direction and in their line-up but amazingly, three of the early members, the core of the band, are still there after all these years - Ian Telfer, Alan Prosser and John Jones and these three along with their current bassist, the celebrated record producer Al Scott have written all but one of songs heard here.

This album shows at least two sides of their current approach. In the opening two tracks and the final one, we can imagine the band playing in a huge summer festival fields anthemic songs with many repeated phrases, heavy backing and clearly destined to be crowd pleasers at such events.

Sandwiched between start and finish, there are some generally more thoughtful lyrics and more evidence of their early commitment to traditional song. Roll Away has that call and response structure associated with sea shanties and it would be easy to imagine thoughtful pieces like My Son, Streams of Innocence and My Son being picked up by solo singers and being well received at small venues.

A really well produced digipack and booklet with all the lyrics and fine photos all add to the enjoyment. oysterband.co.uk Vic Smith

CD Reviews

Lewis Wood - Foot Work Grimdon Records GRICD006 There are plenty of albums around of dance music but to the best of my knowledge this is the first album entirely of dancing. Lewis Wood had the idea in 2019 of recording an album of dance tunes where the dancers themselves are the main artists so promptly set about writing the necessary dance tunes. Lewis ended up with an album of 10 tracks for various step dance styles from across the country where he plays violin, acoustic and electric guitars, bass guitar and five string banjo and Melanie Barber, Tony Bennett, Lynette Eldon, Jo Harmer, Simon Barber and Lisa Sture do the dancing. Lewis is joined on two tracks by Matt Quinn. The album was composed and recorded by Lewis at home during lockdowns with the dancing be recorded at The Brook in Southampton in mid 2021. The dances cover Polkas, hornpipes, jigs, rapper, North East clog and Waltzes. The CD comes with a 12 page booklet which includes a paragraph or two about each tune and details of the dancers and the dancing as well as a selection of photos. The album was partly funded by a grant of £1,000 from the Alan Surtees Trust and, in my view, it was money well spent. This is a thoroughly enjoyable and very interesting album and will appeal to anyone who likes folk dance music or step dancing. It certainly emphasises what a good musician Lewis is.

Anna Tam - Hatching Hares (TAM003) www.annatam.co.uk Hatchings Hares is Anna’s second solo album and includes 15 mainly traditional songs and tunes, sung and played by Anna. Geoffrey Irwin adds fiddle on Helen of Kirkconnell and on Turlough O’Carolan’s Planxty Irwin and srah adds percussion on Holland Handkerchief while Anna plays a variety of instruments including nyckelharpa, cello, viola de gamba hurdy gurdy and piano. The only more modern song is Mike Waterson’s A Stitch in Time. Other well known traditional tracks include Brigg Fair, The Snow it Melts the Soonest and Fakenham Fair. Two tracks, When I was a Little Girl and Thanksgiving Waltz, were written by Anna. The album was recorded towards the end of lockdown and is very well recorded, produced and presented in a colourful bi-fold cover and includes a 12 page booklet with all the words to the songs and interesting notes. If you are not familiar with Anna’s solo work you can check out her weekly YouTube series entitled Folk from the Boat where she plays, sings and chats about her work and sometimes has a guest as well. Besides her solo work Anna is one third of the trio Coracle with Paul Hutchinson and Karen Wilmhurst and a former member of The Mediaeval Babes. This is definitely an album worth listening too.

Alan Castle (Editor)

Folk in the Barn When Folk in the Barn started, 19 years ago in the Kingston Barn, one concert in April followed by a second in November of that year, with absolutely no plan to repeat the process, (it was sooo scary and stressful) little did I know that almost 20 years on, we’d not only still be going, but that June and July 2022 would see the peak of our ‘folky’ dream bookings.

It has been a long, eventful and (spiritually if not financially) rewarding journey. The one thing that has kept the flame alive, especially through these recent dark times, has been the music. That joyous feeling a beautiful concert gives you, that lasts for days and weeks, and the excitement of looking forward to the next one.

The unbeatable thrill when a pipe-dream becomes a reality. With that in mind we present for you on June 16th Teddy Thompson and on 25th July, his father Richard Thompson. And if that isn’t enough, we also have folk legends – Oysterband, a wonderful tribute to Sandy Denny with the Sandy Denny Project which includes former members of Fotheringay MkII, the incomparable and bonkers Gerry Colvin, and our Summer Garden party with Megson.

Details of all these www.folkinthebarn.co.uk.

As always we’re so grateful to our wonderful Folk in the Barn audience, without whom, none of the above would be possible. We’ve had huge audience support for our ‘keep concerts safe for all’ policy, so we shall continue with our ‘masks greatly appreciated’ request, and both the Sandy Denny Project and Gerry Colvin concerts will have covid ‘extra safe’ seating areas available to book. In those selected areas masks are to be worn and there’ll be some socially distanced seats for those that are more vulnerable but who don’t want to miss out on live music. (See advert in this issue).

Debs Earl

STATE OF THE UNION Boo Hewerdine & Brooks Williams

Fri 1 July Tickets £16.00 Otford Memorial Hall, Sevenoaks FAIRPORT CONVENTION Fri 3 June Tickets £30.00 KARA GRAINGER St Dunstan’s Church, Cranbrook Sat 16 July Tickets £12.00 The Vestry Hall, Cranbrook THE CROOKED VIPER

ROADSHOW Fri 10 June Tickets £12.00 Otford Memorial Hall, Sevenoaks

THE CHAPIN SISTERS Fri 22 July Tickets £15.00 Otford Memorial Hall, Sevenoaks

CHRIS HELME Fri 17 June Tickets £16.00 Otford Memorial Hall, Sevenoaks

TICKETS & INFORMATION AT:

www.stedithfolk.co.uk

CD Reviews

Simon Mayer & Hilary James When Summer Comes In Acoustics CDACS 081 It looks like this review is going to make its appearance at the most appropriate time!

Simon and Hilary have been around for decades now.

(Who remembers the big impression that they made with Spreadthick when they played in the company of Andrew Mathewson?)

Here they offer what we have come to regard as the usual catholic range of items from musical sources from the earliest known secular song in English Sumer Is Icumen In through the tradition and their own setting of Linden Lea to a Barcarole by Tchaikovsky and Bach’s Al Mio Bene adapted for Hilary’s glorious soprano voice. There are also more of their own compositions than are normally the case from their duo albums.

All of this may be regarded as an indigestible mix, but with the skill, knowledge and talent of these two and their sense of programming, it all seems right.

Every track feels that it has been carefully and painstakingly produced at leisure away from the pressures of a constant touring and performing life. As Simon writes in the well-produced booklet :- “This collection of pieces, recorded for the most part during the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021….. For us, free from concert commitments, it was time to write, to revisit and refresh pieces that had long been concert favourites, and to learn others long overdue. www.acousticsrecords.co.uk Bob Lewis - One Morning in May Combe Vale Music 041 Bob is the last of that small band of older Sussex traditional singers; people like George Belton, Cyril Philips, George & Ron Spicer, Johnny Doughty, Louie Fuller, Gordon Hall and Bob & Ron Copper. They found an audience in the county’s folk clubs at a time when the oldfashioned tap room pubs were dying out.

Bob is now well into his eighties but on the evidence of this album and of recent live performances, he is still in very fine voice.

On this very full album (21 songs and 64 minutes) Bob demonstrates his wide repertoire.

He beings out some old favourites that he has been singing for decades such as Bold Fisherman, Pleasant & Delightful and Life of a Man through to rather more modern songs like Married To A Mermaid and Miles Wootton’s Fish Fingers with a number of songs and carols associated with the West Country on the way. Bob had many singing friends down there and was active in the Padstow May Day celebrations.

The biggest surprise is to find that he has set three poems by his great friend, Bob Copper to traditional tunes and fine singing items they make. On these three Bob is given excellent accompaniment on the duet concertina.

The recording is of the very high standard that we have come to expect from Jim Ward and in particular, the way that he has been able to bring out the richness and subtlety of Bob’s singing. bob.h-lewis@virginmedia.com Vic Smith

Sussex Folk News All of a sudden it feels quite busy so let’s start with a venue that has not been mentioned in this column before. Railway Roots Nights are held in the newly-refurbished Railway Inn (formerly the Whistlestop Inn) at 2 Boundary Road, Portslade BN41 1GA – right by Portslade Station. The resident is Robb Johnson, the well-established singer-songwriter.

Floor performers are very welcome. Their nights are on the first Thursdays of the month and their attractions for the current months are 3rd June – Hannah Scott with support from Rob Cast and 7th July – Black Scarr with support from Graham Larkbey.

Chichester Folk club meets of Monday evenings in an excellent clubroom at the Chichester Inn in West Street. This has always been a club that is well supported by many able performers and their current policy is for one guest each month with club nights and themed evening on the other Mondays. Their guest on June 6th is a rather special one with the fine Canadian performer Dan MacKinnon singing for them. He finally returns to the UK after COVID has postponed several previous plans.

The Lamb in the old town is the home of Eastbourne Folk Club which meets on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month. This means that they have four meetings in June and July.

Steve Ashley has long been a popular guest there and he will be there on 1st June. On the 15th there will be an Open stage evening with a particular welcome extended to newto-the-club singers and musicians and it will be free entry on that night. On July 6th that interesting band from Brighton, Bird in the Belly will be there and a fortnight later it will be Luke Jackson, guitarist and singer-songwriter from Canterbury.

Horsham Folk Club meets on Sunday evenings at 8 pm at the Normandy Centre, Denne Road, Horsham, RH12 1JF. Three things suggest that things are getting back to normal for them. Firstly, the policy that they adopted when they first re-opened after the lockdowns was that only club members could be admitted. This has now been rescinded and nonmembers are again welcome to their evenings. Secondly, they have reverted to the regular policy of having evenings that include dances alongside the song spots. The first of these will be on 3rd July. Here’s what they say about what this evening will offer: – “Songs, tunes and poems from members & guests. Tonight, we’ll also include some dances to our excellent ceilidh band - a venture into what we hope will be the post-covid era.” Thirdly, and most excitingly, they are returning to the policy of occasionally booking really top name guests; on June 5th they present Jez Lowe, who has long been one of the UK’s busiest folk performers. The other guest artists in June will be on 19th with the duo of Cathy and Sarah and on the 26th, Wildwood Jack - husband and wife Adam Piggott and Jayne Freeman, an acoustic guitar and ukulele duo from Kent.

The Lewes Saturday Night folk club is an umbrella organisation for a number of events in the town, nearly all of which take place at the Elephant & Castle in White Hill. As the name suggests, their main commitment is to the folk club. Sometimes the evening performance is preceded by a daytime workshop in the particular speciality of the performers. On June 11th they will be presenting two great musicians from France, Emmanuel Pariselle & Didier Oliver both great singers and instrumentalists who will bring a range of French traditional music and song to the club. In the daytime the pair will lead a workshop on the traditional dance music of Gascony and South-West France. (On the following day, the 12th, but not promoted by the Lewes club, there will be a ​“Sunday Special “ Bal Folk with Emmanuel and Didier at the Patcham Memorial Hall 3 Old London Road, ​Brighton BN1 8XR. This event in promoted by “Dansez Français”.)

The workshop that takes place on 9th July will be led by JIB, the name that is taken by three singers from the north-east, Jim Mageean and Ingrid & Barrie Temple. Their powerful

voices will be leading a workshop with title “The Sea; A Place of Work & Song” Again, in the evening they will be the guest singers in the upstairs room at the Elephant & Castle.

The biggest attraction of this period will be the visit of John Kirkpatrick on the weekend of 24/25 July. John will be giving one of his scintillating performances in the evening but will also be running two all day workshops. On the Saturday, he will be catering for musicians, The workshop will cover playing four-part arrangements of folk tunes, suitable for any acoustic instrument. Then on the Sunday he will turn his attention to singing with a vocal harmony workshop based on traditional songs and some of his own compositions.

As well as their weekend commitments, this club also runs two specialist sessions monthly in the pub’s clubroom All types of concertinas are catered for at “Concertinas Anonymous” in the Third Tuesdays of the month (21st June, 19th July) and a self-help group to practice tunes popular in local English sessions under the name “Lewes Favourites” and these take place on the 4th Tuesdays (28 June, 26 July).

Finally, and still in Lewes, the two English Tune Sessions that take place in Lewes have both moved the pub they take place in since they re-opened after the pandemic. The 1st Sunday lunchtime of the month has moved from the Volunteer to the Elephant & Castle and the 1st Tuesday one from the Volunteer to the Pelham Arms in the High Street.

VIC SMITH Obviously, I can only tell you about events that I know about so if you are organising folk music events in Sussex, please let me know at tinvic@globalnet.co.uk

Lewes Saturday Folk Club Traditional music every Saturday night

Elephant & Castle, White Hill, Lewes BN7 2DJ 8.00 – 11.00 www.lewessaturdayfolkclub.org valmaigoodyear@aol.com 01273 476757 Loyalty card: 6 evening visits = £5 off an evening June 4 Platinum Jubilee Open Night Bring songs & tunes June 11 Emmanuel Pariselle & Didier Oliver French songs & tunes, melodeon, concertina, fiddle, Gascon bagpipes June 18 Rattlebag 5-part female vocal harmony, trad songs June 25 John & Di Cullen New songs, vocal harmony, guitar July 2 Zak van der Vyver South African trad concertina July 9 JIB (Jim Mageean, Ingrid & Barrie Temple Sea songs new & old, vocal harmony July 16 Jack Hogsden Young Sussex singer, trad songs & tunes, guitar, melodeon, mandolin July 23 John Kirkpatrick Trad & new songs, melodeon, concertina July 30 Caroline Kendall Trad & new songs, guitar WORKSHOPS 2022 (10.45 am – 4.45 pm) The tutor performs at the club in the evening. Email to reserve places (£35). Half-price places for 2 under-25 year-olds.

11 June Emmanuel Pariselle & Didier Oliver Gascon trad 9 July JIB (Temples & Jim Mageean) Sea songs Tune arranging 23 July John Kirkpatrick 24 July John Kirkpatrick Vocal harmony 10 Sept Keith Macdonald, Ange Hauck German trad tunes 17 Sept Alistair Anderson Northumbrian tunesmiths Dan Walsh Clawhammer banjo 15 Oct Andy Cutting Melodeon Rob Harbron English concertina Sam Sweeney Fiddle LEVERET evening 29 Oct Ben Paley Fiddle 11 Nov Riley Baugus Banjo

Tonbridge Folk Club (Nellie’s) The Beer Seller, 64 High Street, Tonbridge, TN9 1EH

First and third Mondays of each month, 8 - 11 pm

Subject to the Covid 19 emergency, please check our website for the latest information tonbridgefolkclub.org Monday, 6th June

Ian K Brown

Monday, 20th June 4th July

Capella

Skinner and T’Witch

Monday, 18th July Monday, 5th Sept

Triage Four Gone Confusion

Tel: 01892 822945

info@tonbridgefolkclub.org www.tonbridgefolkclub.org

Singdanceandplay

Farnborough Social Club

6 Pleasant View Pl, Farnborough, Orpington, BR6 7BL JUNE

16th

Monroes Revenge Scintillating Bluegrass 2nd, 9th, 23rd & 30th Singers and musicians night Our popular online sessions on Sunday nights continue – they’re fun and attract great performers. Email gmatkin@gmail.com.

— We’re not planning in-person workshops in public spaces in the very near future, but there are lots of instructional tunes videos to work on at https://bit.ly/3jfOald.

— Julie and I would be delighted to play for online events or future live shows, including with our country dance band The Tonic!

JULY

7th Sally Ironmonger and Brian Carter 14th, 21st & 28th Singers and Musicians nights Orpington Folk Music and Song Club exists to promote folk music and song. It is a non profit making organisation and is for those who wish to listen to or take part in an informal evening of folk music and song.

For those who wish confirmation of guest(s) nights they can call any of the telephone numbers below.

Thursdays @ 8pm 01959 532 754 020 8325 6513 Website: www.orpingtonfolkclub.org.uk E-mail:orpingtonfolkclub@hotmail.com

June July Every Wednesday 8.00 pm 25 May

11 June

15 June

6 July

27 July

Dan Walsh - Virtuoso Banjo from the main man, gripping songs too. Dan has established himself as a true original, drawing on many musical influences and setting the place on fire with his astonishing mastery of tempo and fusion. £8/9 Enda McCabe - Local legend returns with wide repertoire and deft skills on a range of instruments. His Winds and Tides Permitting, as covered by Tim Edey, has become a haunting anthem. Enda’s 24 years in England and the Faversham Philharmonic are fondly remembered. £7/8 Steve Tilston - One of Britain’s most respected and muchtoured songsmiths, fine guitar work and songs to touch the heart. Many, many recordings, appearances on Later.. with Jools Holland and winner of the Best Original Song at the BBC Folk Awards 2012... Cropredy... and now Faversham! £10/11 Jez Lowe - What to say about Jez? Always something new and plenty to entertain and amuse. Firm Fav favourite since the 80s, musical adventures to make you smile and think... and all with an upbeat guitar, mandola and harmonica... and charm. £10/11 Quicksilver - Hilary Spencer and Grant Bayham combine folk/ blues/ jazz and even French Chanson to bring an evening of Comic Song touched with gold... a Rolls-Royce of a voice and virtuoso guitar... formidable and hilarious... another evening not to be missed. £9/10

All others Singers’ Nights, and not, necessarily, as advertised in the local paper, Swingers. All other Wednesdays are Singers Nights, only £2, where traditional mixes with contemporary and jollity is encouraged.

We ask that you please test yourself before coming to the club, to keep guests and all of us safe and well. We do what we can to ventilate and keep safe by distancing.

See you at the Limes!

Tenterden folk festival lottery You could win up to £25,000 while supporting Tenterden Folk Festival Buy lottery tickets online

www.ashfordcommunitylottery.co.uk/ support/tenterden-folk-festival

M OORE ESS OLK LUB M OOREor orL L ESSF F OLKC C LUB Oast OastCommunity CommunityCentre, Centre,Granary GranaryClose, Close, Rainham, Kent, ME8 Rainham, Kent, ME87SG 7SG (next to Rainham railway station) (next to Rainham railway station)

Live Liveclub clubnights nightsdue duetotoresume resumeon on Friday 13th August, 2021 August, 2021 Night Friday Friday 10th 13th June - Singers Dates: Dates: Friday 13th Friday 13thAugust, August,2021 2021 Friday 10th September, 2021 Friday 8th10th July - Singers Friday September, 2021 Night All Allclub clubnights nights8.30 8.30toto11.00pm 11.00pm Entrance Entrancefee fee£4.00 £4.00(including (includingraffle) raffle)

Enquiries EnquiriestotoChris ChrisWilkin Wilkin– –01634 01634366155 366155oror07821 07821606076 606076

Sussex Folk News XX Vic Smith

Dartford Folk Club BBC Radio 2 Best Folk Club of the year 2008 www.dartfordfolk.org.uk Enquiries: dartfordfolkclub@gmail.com

FLOOR SINGERS WELCOME (PLEASE BOOK) FEATURED GUESTS

07 Jun 2022 - Dan McKinnon (Rescheduled from April 2020) 14 Jun 2022 - Mama’s Broke 21 Jun 2022 - John Kirkpatrick 28 Jun 2022 - Spikedrivers 05 Jul 2022 - Reg Meuross 12 Jul 2022 - The Long Hill Ramblers 19 Jul 2022 - Chris & Wendy Moreton 26 Jul 2022 - Tim Edey (Rescheduled from July 2020) FOR UPDATES AND FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE GO TO OUR WEBSITE & FACEBOOK PAGES

DARTFORD WORKING MENS CLUB Essex Road, DA1 2AU EVERY TUESDAY 8.30 TILL 11.00

The Last Days Of June Words & Music by Bob Watson

1.

This time of year. you’d think it sweet. In the last days of June: The earth all warm beneath your feet, In the last days of June. When summer’s haze is on the meadow.

Every cloud’s a white balloon And coming seasons cast no shadow. In the last days of June. All In the last days of June.

2.

So pleasant to relax and lie, In the last days of June. And watch those lazy times go by, In the last days of June. But far away a warnings sounding. Drums that beat a martial tune. Come closer till we feel them pounding. In the last days of June. All in the last days of June.

3.

Across the drowsy noontide hour. In the last days of June. As bees explore the hedgerow flowers. In the last days of June. Comes the tale we hear them telling. War must come (they say) and soon. Is paradise lost a foolish dwelling? In the last days of June. All in the last days of June.

4.

So what’s in store for you and me, In the last days of June,’ No longer fine and fancy free, In the last days of June. And will we still be here together. Come the changing of the moon. Or vanished like the summer weather. In the last days of June. All in the last days of June?

The years 1914 & 1939 both had lovely summers & both overshadowed by fears of what might come - and did. © COPYRIGHT 1986/1989 ROM Watson 9 Compton Close Earley READING RG6 7EA UK E: watson.bob@tiscali.co.uk

Tenterden Folk song and music sessions RETURNING SOON The William Caxton West Cross, Tenterden TN30 6JR The second Tuesday of every month 8.00 p.m.

Free, sing-a-round style folk session Floor singers, musicians storytellers, step dancers, etc. always welcome Information: E: info@tenterdenfolkfestival.org.uk W: www.tenterdenfolkfestival.org.uk T: 01233 626805 Tenterden Folk Club has been running consistently since 1993 Tenterden Folk Club is part of Tenterden Folk Festival (Charity No 1038663) Promoting folk song, music and dance

Collections or Best prices paid 354 135 Ring Collin 07860

WANTED

LPs, EPs, 45s, CDs

Folk, Blues, reggae, jazz and WANTED rock LPs, EP

s, 45s, CDs Folk, blues, reggae , jazz and rock Collections or small er items

Collections or smaller items, best Best prices paid prices paid Ring Collin 07860 354 135

Ring Collin 07860 354 135

TENTERDEN

olk festival 2022

folk festival

f

Tenterden

“Tenterden the Jewel of the Weald”

CD Review

Andy Smythe - Hard to be Human DER08 Andy Smythe is a singer songwriter from Greenwich in London who has been working on the folk and acoustic music scene in the UK for about 20 years as a solo performer and with his bands. He has also toured in the USA. This is his eighth studio album and includes 14 self penned tracks which are influenced by folk, blues, rock and other genres of music. On this album Andy plays guitar, bass, organ, piano, harmonica, percussion and synthesisers. He is accompanied on some tracks by Chris Payne on violin, viola and cello. Some tracks on this album are rather more rocky than others but Andy’s clear vocals are still out front and the lyrics are well worth listening too. The title track, Hard to be Human, and a couple of others are sung to just a guitar accompaniment with harmonica breaks and would go down well in folk clubs or sing-a-rounds. There are two versions of Love’s my Saviour on the album and the acoustic versions closes the album and is well worth a listen.

Alan Castle (Editor)

SKI TRIP Oh Polly, oh Polly, the snows have now begun, And we should go off skiing, all on the downhill run; Go grab Goretex and thermal vest, and come along to ski, I’ll take you to the slopes, my love, in High Germany.

Oh, Billy, dearest Billy, you know not what you say, My feet they are both done in, on slopes I dare not stray; Besides, you ape, I’m out of shape, and am with child you see, When taken on the slopes, my love, in High Germany.

Oh Polly, oh Polly, oh this can never be, We only went to Schladming so you could learn to ski; I blame that fool from your Ski Skule, who taught to bend ze knees, Perfecting your swing turns, my love, in High Germany.

Oh Billy, dearest Billy, you have yourself to blame, Whist all you fellers, down that Bier Keller, were playing drinking games, I went and tried a night sleigh ride, the starry skies to see, And shared a blanket with young Hans, in High Germany.

Oh Polly, oh Polly, I curse that demon drink, We lost our way on our bobsleigh, and wrecked the town’s ice rink, Whilst your young fool from old Kizbuhl, with schnapps he did make free, And shared with you his apple strudel in High Germany.

Oh Billy, dearest Billy, you love that four man Bob, That’s just as well, cos I’ve heard tell, they say I’m having quads, Not just the beat of tiny feet, but also it will be, The patter of tiny Hans, my love, in High Germany?

JJ Crossley 2017

Thu 29th Sept to Sun 2nd October Folk song, music, dance, crafts and traditions

TENTERDEN

olk festival 2022

folk festival

f

Tenterden

“Tenterden the Jewel of the Weald”

Tenterden Folk Festival 2022 Thursday 29th September to Sunday 2nd October

Ordered by: Information may be stored for the use of Tenterden Folk Festival only

FULL WEEKEND TICKETS: Admits holder to all Festival events except Thursday evening concert and camping, which must be booked separately.

Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms Name Address

FROM 1st MAY TO 31st AUGUST

Town

Full Weekend Adult £63.00 Youth 10 -16's £29.00 and Under 10’s £5.00 when bought with an adult ticket Caravan / Campervan £25.00 Tent £20.00

Postcode

FROM 1st SEPTEMBER

Telephone Email Date Terms and conditions apply

Thursday evening concert: All £14.00

Full Weekend Adult £69.00 Youth 10 -16's £32.00 and Under 10’s £5.00 when bought with an adult ticket Caravan / Campervan £30.00 Tent £25.00 Thursday evening concert: All £14.00

Where did you first hear about Tenterden Folk Festival Details of ticket holders (use extra sheet if insufficient room) First name Surname Adult / Prices Under 16 £

Total £

Total £ CAMPING Up to 4 nights from Vehicle No. Prices Total Thursday afternoon Registration(s) £ £ to Monday morning Caravan/Campervan Tents TOTAL PAYABLE £ HOW TO PAY (also available online from www.musicglue.com/tenterdenfolkfestival/tickets/ Make cheques payable to "Tenterden Folk Day Trust". Send cheque and details of the tickets you require, together with 2 x A5 stamped and addressed envelopes (for tickets and free programme) and a list of the full names of all ticket holders and age if 16 or under, to Tenterden Folk Festival, 15 Repton Manor Road, Ashford, Kent TN23 3HA

Join in and Dance, Sing, Play, Volunteer….

There’s an army of yellow-shirted volunteers who make Folk Week happen…and there’s still time to join them.

Folk Week is a community event, a registered charity and we ALWAYS needs volunteers!

You can be anything from 18 to 75 – and the mix of the generations is one of the great strengths of the festival.

Volunteers fulfil a huge range of tasks – minibus drivers, fund-raising with the collecting tins, stewarding at events, selling tickets in the Box Office, lottery tickets or merchandise at the Craft Fair, serving drinks at the Jack Hamilton Festival Bar, welcoming people to the Folk Week campsite, setting up PA for bands – there’s a very long list!

In return for just 35 hours a week you will have the opportunity to explore this amazingly diverse festival, plus free camping. When you’re not working, there’s a huge range of concerts, workshops and dances for you to enjoy as part of your festival week ticket. So – if you’d love to experience the full festival week on a limited budget – this is the way to do it!

Visit the Folk Week website – www.broadstairsfolkweek.org.uk and check into our online portal where you can fill in the form. Or email us on info@broadstairsfolkweek.org.uk or call us on 01843 604080.and we’ll send you a form.

Dance News - The Sarah Thorne Theatre becomes dance central at Folk Week 2022. After 2 years of drought, dance is back!

You can swing your partner at ceilidhs, let your hair down with Ushti Baba and L’il Jim, brush up your Appalachian clogging and dip a toe into French, Breton and Flemish dance.

The music ranges from traditional British folk through to electric Cajun, Klezmer and fusion. All our callers and workshop leaders take great care that you have a lot of fun when learning new skills.

Dance and ceilidh bands include Albireo, Banter, Hill Top Ceilidh band, the Cock n Ball band, Dampier’s Round, the Loshn Klezmer Trio, Ushti Baba and the Rejigged Ceilidh band.

The Country Dance programme is directed by Madeleine Smith and this year’s callers include Charlotte Rich Griffin, Sibby and Jeannie Byron Williams.

The venue will have a full bar and soft drinks – and is a convenient half-way between the Folk Week campsite and the Festival Arena. More details are on www.broadstairsfolkweek. org.uk Workshops - Join the Festival Choir, the Ukulele all-rounders, sing with Spooky Men, learn African drumming with Kakatsitsi – or join small groups of musicians keen to learn Flamenco guitar, Swedish fiddle, melodeon, bodhran – there’s something for everyone throughout the week.

If you’re between 10 and 18 – join the Band in a Weekend to create a musical journey together.

The Festival Arena - This year, there’s a large, seated concert tent in the Festival Arena park – so hopefully we’ll be less vulnerable to passing showers (surely not in Folk Week!)

More details about all the events are on the Folk Week website www.broadstairsfolkweek. org.uk The Souvenir Programme will be published in mid-June – order online or phone 01843 604080 – it’s £6.50 including postage and packing and is packed full of information about the bands and daily events – plus it’s an important fund-raiser for Folk Week.

We’re looking forward to seeing you in August!

Meets every last Tuesday of the month, from 7.00 pm. All welcome.

No paid guest performers, just residents, itinerants and wayfaring strangers (rich or poor).

PA available if you need it.

Hat collection (if you need one).

Contact details: Jerry ‘Hatrick’ Crossley Phone - 07387 382050 Facebook - EgertonFolkandBluesClub

This issue of Around Kent Folk was produced by Alan Castle and Andy Wood on behalf of Tenterden Folk Festival. Promoting folk song, music, dance, crafts and traditions.

Registered Charity No 1038663 Issue No. 112 August/September COPY DATE: 18th June Then …

18th June 2022 – August / September 18th December 2022 – February / March 18th August 2022 – October / November 18th February 2023 – April / May 18th October 2022 - December / January 18th April 2023 – June / July

ADVERTISING RATES: Current advertising rates are as follows: Full colour: Back cover: £85 Inside front or back cover: £75 Full page run of issue: £65 Half page (run of issue): £40 **NEW**

Grayscale: Full page (run of issue): £39 Half page (run of issue): £28 Quarter page (run of issue): £18

Series discount: 15% if you pay in advance for a series of six adverts. You can still submit new artwork for each issue.

Artwork: Copy for new advertisements should be supplied as camera ready artwork by email as a high-resolution PDF, JPEG, or TIFF. Existing, regular advertisers need only send in new copy to update existing adverts.

A minimum extra charge of £10 will be made if you cannot submit your artwork in the correct format or sizes. Adverts and listings should be sent to akf@tenterdenfolkfestival.org.uk with a copy to anmarprintingservices@gmail.com Payment: Cheques payable to Tenterden Folk Day Trust (not Tenterden Folk Festival or Around Kent Folk). Send cheque and hard copy of adverts to: Alan Castle, 15 Repton Manor Road, Ashford, Kent, TN23 3HA You can also pay by BACS or internet banking. Ask for details.

REVIEWS AND NEWS ITEMS: AKF also includes CD and book reviews. Please send items for review to the address above. AKF also welcomes reviews of live gigs and festivals that you have attended and other folk news which you can email to us at akf@tenterdernfolkfestival.org.uk WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA: www.aroundkentfolk.org.uk twitter.com/AroundKentFolk ● facebook.com/AroundKentFolk Around Kent Folk Subscription Form Name........................................................................................................................................

Address ................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................................

Telephone:.......................................................... Email:...........................................................

SUBSCRIPTION £9 for 1 year (6 issues) Cheques payable to “Tenterden Folk Day Trust” Send to: Alan Castle, 15 Repton Manor Road, Ashford, Kent TN23 3HA