Around Kent Folk issue 112 for August / September 2022

o u nd r a

ke nt folk Issue 112 August / September 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 112 August/September 2022 issue of Around Kent Folk A lot of things have changed, or are changing, on the folk song, music and dance scene.

Several regional magazines suspended publication during the lockdowns and have never restarted. The latest of these is Shire Folk which has ceased publication after over 40 years. Similarly The Living Tradition, the best national magazine for our type of music, has announced that the next issue, number 145, will be the last ever issue of this excellent magazine after over 30 years. On the other hand magazines like Folk London, and of course AKF, are managing to survive. No one starts to publish a magazine about folk music, whether national or regional, thinking it will be a money spinner, they do it because they enjoy it and as a service to the folk scene. Postage costs have risen substantially over the last few years and will no doubt continue to do so. The costs of paper and printing continues to rise even before inflation hit the 10% mark. Many regional magazines are started by a local folk associations or group of clubs to promote their members events and other events in their region while others are run by keen individuals or committees, so in most cases it is a labour of love on a not for profit basis. You may remember The Folk Diary in Sussex, What’s on Folk and others in Kent, they come, they stay around for a few years and then when the founder “retires” they are handed on to someone else or disappear. Do we still need regional and national folk magazines in the digital age? I think so (but I would say that wouldn’t I!). Where else can you find out about all the local folk clubs, sessions and other events in your area all in one place. PLEASE support the regional folk magazines that have managed to survive by reading them, subscribing to them, advertising your folk club, events and gigs in them, buying the albums and books reviewed in them, making a donation to help fund them, sending in news items etc. to them and just enjoying them while you still have them.

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 Front cover: Spiers & Boden, Christina Alden & Alex Patterson, Sharon Shannon, Wilson Family, Lindisfarne, Ben Paley. These are just some of a tremendous range of artists appearing at festivals over the next three months.

Broadstairs News Not long now until Kent’s week long seaside music festival!

There’s no typical day at Folk Week – if you like to join in, you could begin your day at the Poets’ Breakfast, join the festival choir, brush up your ukulele playing or perfect your flamenco guitar.

Or you could dance from morning till night, with a full range of ceilidhs, country dancing, workshops and cajun and klezmer hoedowns.

Some concerts are already sold out, but the new Festival tent in the Arena is now the largest indoor venue in Thanet – built for the festival week – so still plenty of tickets for lots of headline events.

The Souvenir Programme is now on sale with all the details of concerts, dances, workshops, free family events, festival campsite and over 180 pub gigs!

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 fundraiser for Folk Week. https://broadstairsfolkweek.org.uk/product-category/souvenir-programme/ We’re looking forward to seeing you in August Jo Tuffs (Festival Director)

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

Live Music Venue

★ Folk ★ Blues ★ Jazz

62 Sweyn Road, Cliftonville, Margate CT9 2DD

AUGUST 4th Island Girl - an amazing woman and her amazing banjo 6 - 12 Broadstairs Folk Festival Come and say hello at the pm Sailing Club Sessions!

17 Jazz at 8 with Tony Hudd and Guests £10 28 French Connection French/Breton music and dance 12-4.30 £5 Play or dance - with a caller

SEPTEMBER 1 8 15 21 22 25 26 29

Daria Kulesh & Tristan Seume Eastern

Ingushetian roots / western folk - Fab guitar Mac and Saul Welcome return of the Brit Folk pair-hammered dulcimer and melodeon Blair Dunlop -air of tenacity...displaying wellcrafted songs , traditional and contemporary Jazz at 8 with Tony Hudd and Guests £10 Good Habits cello/accordion, musical tales French Connection French/Breton music and dance 12-4.30 £5 Play or dance - with a caller Step / clog fun workshop with Lesley Riding and Banjo Dave 12-1 £10 some clogs available Ajay Srivastav and Vinod Kerai Back again Indian folk and Delta blues - don't miss!

always great music at Rosslyn Court concert doors 7pm. £12 £6 £18 1st hour live streamed. Tickets: www.rosslyncourt.com/concerts

Direct 07902 140 248

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 1st August Natasha Norodien & Terry Lees 15th August

Paul Stepto

5th September

Four Gone Confusion

19th September 3rd October

Richard Grainger

Paul Walker & Karen Pfeiffer

17th October

Christopher Mark Jones

7th November 21st November

Nick Dow Vic & Tina Smith

Tel: 01892 822945

info@tonbridgefolkclub.org www.tonbridgefolkclub.org

Julie and Gavin Atkin

Farnborough Social Club

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

4th, 11th, 18th, 25th SEPTEMBER

1st

15th, 22nd, 29th Our popular online Sunday night Zoom sessions continue – they’re fun and attract some great performers. If you’d like a link to join us, email Gavin Atkin at gmatkin@gmail.com.

Julie and I would be delighted to play or sing for online events or future live shows, including with our country dance band The Tonic! We’re based in Kent, specialise in trad and old-fashioned material, play a variety of instruments, sing separately and in harmony, and we’re always good value. See us in action at www.youtube.com/GavinAtkin

Singers & Musicians nights Nick Dow Singers & Musicians Night

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

CD Reviews

Bush Gothic - Beyond the Pale Fydle Records Fyd005 Bush Gothic are a trio who all hale from Australia and specialize in what you might call modern arrangements of old Australian songs. I’ve seen them live a couple of times and have played their previous two CDs many times. The main vocals are provided by Jenny M Thomas from Naarm in Melbourne who also plays fiddle. Dan Witten is on bass and Chris Lewis on drums. The 12 tracks on this album include well known Australian folk songs such as Jim Jones and Pub With No Beer, as well lyrics set to music or arranged by Jenny, such as Andy’s Gone With Cattle and Past Carin written by Henry Lawson. There is also Ben Hall Sleeps, a song written

by Jenny herself. As well as violin and lead vocals, Jenny plays viola, banjo, mandolin, piano. Dan provides lead vocal on The Ballad of 1891 written by Helen Palmer with music

by Doreen Bridges. The Lonely String Quartet add extra feeling to some tracks. The CD comes in an attractive cardboard cover with a small insert listing all the tracks and basic details. I recommend that you catch Bush Gothic at the CD launch at The Slaughtered Lamb in London on 30th July, at Sidmouth Folk Week in August or at other venues during their UK tour and do check out their entertaining video of Jim Jones online at https://youtu.be/9NI-FpZ7QaA.

Scene & Heard Well, it’s been a red-hot summer for music so far, Sweeps being blessed with a bright weekend and dancers out in force all across the county. Despite world events there seems a spirit of revival which is most welcome. Certainly it was a delight to host a stage where not only did the 30 acts from stomping Foot Down to driving Milton Hide bracket local legends galore, belly-dancers, Henry Sparks, Capella and Helen North, but a whole host of Kent’s musical characters came up to say hello. It’s always been the festival of greeting, and this year exceptionally welcome.

Nice also to be out and about: to be in singarounds where old favourites like Pleasant And Delightful or the Farmer’s Toast are aired and harmonized. I gather that barn dances are now picking up, which suggests that they’ve been sorely missed- let’s hope that the enthusiasm at festivals translates into folk music in the community again.

Unfortunately I had to miss Dan Walsh at Faversham, so it was good to welcome David Pleasants as guest compere at the club. A strong evening, with a Ukranian musician as featured on TV ensued. All of us continue to wish Ernie Warner well in his recovery – his presence and lockdown expertise on Zoom are so vital. Steve Tilston followed Bobbing Barn with a good crowd appreciating his mixture of recent and established songs- along with his own and contemporary/ blues influences, his version of Waters Of March was awe-inspiring. Singers’ Nights have rebuilt, as I gather has been the case at FolkMob and elsewhere- a healthy trend.

Dartford is offering an eclectic full programme of guest nights on Tuesdays, see their ad…

The Beer Cellar at Tonbridge – Roger and Malcolm celebrating their 80th birthdays in Mayand Paul Green’s Liberal Club have been busy with local acts, whilst Orpington Club on Thursdays has as ever a range of fine monthly guests to come. It’s well worth going to the off-guest nights as the singers and musicians on hand are of fascinating range and quality.

And exotic shirts.

Sue Watson and Gavin Atkin continue their Zooms on Fridays and Sundays respectivelycontact them for details.

A visit to Chippenham saw The Singing Rail in the West, with reference to Calne sausages.

An enthusiastic morning crowd was shunted by our two denizens, with AKF’s editor seeing fair play from the front siding… Kent’s presence was strong as ever, with John & Di Cullen, Sally Ironmonger & Brian Carter, Roger Resch and Jean Woollard contributing to acclaim, Hartley, Will Allen, Erin Mansfield, James Kerry skittering all over the place… Local and national heroes Sally & Brian are embarking on a wide-ranging tour across the country after their enforced break- booking well into 2023, their brand of Kentish folk history and direct challenge to injustice has them burning serious rubber North, East and West… deservedly so.

Jubilee weekend brought Sun Pier’s celebratory Cacophony on the Medway, hooters and fireships galore in the NE breeze, with Hot Rats on top form and a raft of styles following, including Allcock & Brown, Chris Sadler and Mike Ruff of Kentish renown, with their musichall/ singaround delights… coinciding with the 21 gun salute… a surprise appearance by Alice Jones amid tangling feet and a Straw Dog to conclude…

Mixed Morris news- though Hartley have been popping up all over, sessions, stands and even Tunbridge Wells Procession, other sides are reporting declining numbers. On a positive note, I have heard of some far younger performers deciding to embrace the lifestyle, so the dance goes on, having skipped a generation maybe. Finding a side close to may be tricky, as nowadays is the ability to put aside an evening or two a week for practice. Everyone’s out playing sessions!

A privilege to hear a couple of contrasting bass players recently- Scott Kirk of Hot Rats powering their jigs and reels like a VC10, and down at the Radford Mill Tangled Roots festival in Somerset Luke Jackson headlining with Andy Sharps augmenting and driving Luke’s skilfully crafted lyrics so sympathetically that his fills and rhythm were rock solid yet felt incredibly melodically natural. Both masters of the art.

Interesting to talk with Graham Knibbs and Ian Cutler on the subject of European gigs now that the continent has opened up somewhat. Hoops and barriers for both, and I’m sure this applies to many other musicians who necessarily toured there to make a living, the UK audience being finite. Let us continue to support efforts to ease the bureaucracy involved.

Confidence and numbers seem to be returning in the folk clubs I’ve visited and heard news of … please do send in your views and favourite acts as I’d love to add to the reports of what I’ve seen myself. As the scene revives, we shall be highlighting news of ‘Kent’ and ‘folk’ interest as per our title (yes, I know, Mr Bridge!)- remembering that the various revivals have made much use of other traditions. Such as Dave Goulder slipped in jazz chords, and the Watersons surely were highly influenced by the American scene among others.

And so to the summer: Pigs Ear and Chickenstock in close succession and then the week of Broadstairs… good to see Brown Boots on the menu and a whole host of folk artistes to savour. Steve Turner, Spiers & Boden, Mossy Christian, alongside Megson, While & Matthews, and Show Of Hands… plenty of sessions always (did I mention the Woodshed???) and a choice of tickets- see the website for details. I can’t wait!

Best wishes to one and all for a safe and joyous summer- yours in harmony Bob Kenward

CHURCHFITTERS Fri 7 Oct Tickets £14.00 Otford Memorial Hall, Sevenoaks

ANNIE DRESSNER Fri 16 Sept Tickets £10.00 Otford Memorial Hall, Sevenoaks

THE PEOPLE VERSUS Fri 23 Sept Tickets £14.00 Otford Memorial Hall, Sevenoaks

MIRANDA SYKES & HANNAH MARTIN Fri 30 Sept Tickets £16.00 The Vestry Hall, Cranbrook

SALT HOUSE Fri 21 Oct Tickets £16.50 Otford Memorial Hall, Sevenoaks

PETER KNIGHT’S GIGSPANNER Fri 4 Nov Tickets £18.00 Otford Memorial Hall, Sevenoaks TICKETS & INFORMATION AT:

www.stedithfolk.co.uk

Grayshott Folk Club www.grayshottfolkclub.co.uk

Grayshott Village Hall, Headley Road, Grayshott, Nr. HINDHEAD, Surrey GU26 6TZ Saturday August 6th 2022 @ 7.30pm THE OCELOTS (from Ireland) https://theocelots.com/ £15 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Saturday September 24th 2022 @ 7.30pm KATHRYN ROBERTS & SEAN LAKEMAN https://www.kathrynrobertsandseanlakeman.com/ £18 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Saturday October 15th 2022 @ 7.30pm BLACKBEARD'S TEA PARTY https://www.blackbeardsteaparty.com/ £18 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Saturday November 12th 2022 @ 7.30pm THE WAY DOWN WANDERERS (from Chicago, U.S.A.) https://thewaydownwanderers.com/ £15 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Saturday December 3rd 2022 @ 7.30pm INDIA ELECTRIC CO. https://indiaelectricco.com/ £18 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Friday December 16th 2022 @ 7.30pm Grayshott Folk Club's "Christmas Special" with: ST. AGNES' FOUNTAIN https://www.stagnesfountain.net/home £20 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------All tickets from: Grayshott Post Office or Des O'Byrne on 01428 607096 or e-mail: grayshottfolkclub@btinternet.com

The Narrows (the Narrers) A Survivor’s Tale from the vital Malta Convoy of August 1942

Words & Music by Bob Watson

© COPYRIGHT 1986/1989 ROM Watson 9 Compton Close Earley READING RG6 7EA UK E: watson.bob@tiscali.co.uk

The Narrows It were sixty years ago, but I still remember well, In all my days on earth I’ve never been so close to hell, And it sometimes still surprises me I ever lived to tell Of that channel down by Tunis called the Narrows.

There was Malta stood alone, hostile shores on every side, Resistance would be ended if she didn’t get supplied; And her last chance was the convoy that went sailing from the Clyde To run her food and fuel through the Narrows.

Chorus: Those were hard old times we knew, back in August ‘42, For the enemy didn’t fight with bows and arrows; No they gave it to us hot, threw in everything they’d got, When we took that Malta convoy through The Narrows.

I was in the Melbourne Star, one of fourteen merchant men, Mighty escort ranged around us like you’ll never see again; As we sailed across the Med – the Axis Lake they called it then – Took a lifeline out to Malta through the Narrows.

Both Deucalion and Eagle were sunk by submarines, But the rest of us kept sailing, making speed and making steam, Knowing well that there was worse to come when Tunis laid abeam, And the Axis had us cornered in the Narrows. Chorus Now Bomb Alley’s what they called the place, and soon we found out why – You couldn’t see the clouds at times for warplanes in the sky; For the Axis fancied Malta theirs for taking by and by, If they stopped our convoy getting through the Narrows.

So they really pulled the trigger as we passed the Skerki Bank, Clan Fergusson and Cairo and the Empire Hope they sank; But no battleships came near us, we had lucky stars to thank – They’d have made us into mincemeat in the Narrows. Chorus As we sailed around Cape Bon, waiting e-boats by the shore Sent a cruiser and six merchantmen down to the ocean floor; And the burning waters round us nearly added to the score Of the vessels lost in passing through the Narrows.

Pantellaria lay astern, with Valetta drawing near, But the Axis kept on trying, so we still weren’t in the clear, With Ohio far behind us, broken back and steering gear -Two destroyers brought her homeward from the Narrows. Chorus To the harbour of Valetta but five cargo ships came through: Port Chalmers and the Castle and the two Star sisters too, With Ohio scarcely floating – how she made it no one knew -Still she’d brought her precious fuel through the Narrows.

It were 60 years ago, but I clearly still recall, How Operation Pedestal saved Malta from a fall; And I’d count myself a lucky one to still be here at all When there’s better men laid resting in the Narrows.

Chorus Continued Overleaf...

The Narrows background In the summer of 1942, the island of Malta was laid alone in the centre of a sea controlled

by Axis navies and air forces, and surrounded on all sides by territories either supporting or occupied by Axis forces; desperately short both of food for her population and fuel for planes to repel the constant enemy air attacks. In recognition of bravery in the face of such adversity, the entire Island was awarded the George Cross.

Several previous supply convoys had failed to get through and by August a final effort was needed to alleviate a situation fast becoming impossible. This one – escorted by some forty warships – did at last manage to run some supplies to Malta – albeit at appalling cost. Out of the fourteen specially selected speedy merchant ships that set sail, only five made it to Valetta, but their contributions enabled the island to remain in Allied hands until successes in the North African desert and on the beaches at Anzio began the process of turning the tide.

The story of Malta’s gallant resistance and the convoy that helped to prolong it are subjects wide-ranging enough to fill several books. This song (a survivor’s tale) seeks to etch in the background and describe the voyage of the convoy that just HAD to get through. The outcome of the war might well have been very different had “Operation Pedestal” not succeeded.

The Living Tradition As I write this in Lewes on a sweltering afternoon in July, Fiona Heywood is working on issue 145 of The Living Tradition in a rural location in Donegal; sadly she is working on the last issue of the fine, influential magazine that covered many aspects of traditional and folk music.

The first issue (pictured here?) appeared in mid-1993. I was contacted, along with quite a long list of others, by its first editor and publisher Pete Heywood to see if I would contribute to his new venture; yes I would! My first article was in issue no. 3 and was on that great father and son traditional singers George & Ron Spicer and I am told that my article on Rattle On The Stovepipe will be one of my contributions to this final issue and others are in the current issue, (No. 144 also pictured here?). Just under thirty years of contributing news items, book and record and reviews, obituaries, articles and photographs as well as avidly reading issues as they arrived convinced me of what a great job the magazine was doing. It also came to be in important source of information for enthusiasts and an essential advertising medium.

Tina and I met Pete and Heather Heywood not long after they married in 1970 at TMSA festivals and at their folk club in Kilmarnock. Pete was born in Manchester in 1949 and as well as the folk club the couple were involved from the start in one of Scotland’s premier folk festivals at Girvan. The move towards full time employment working in a range of activities in Folk Arts was a gradual one. Adding the magazine production to the folk club and festival was followed by the CD album company Tradition Bearers.

This series some of the finest performers of traditional song including the likes of Alison McMorland, Geordie McIntyre, Bob Blair, Jack Beck and Jimmy Hutchison/ One of several really excellent album featured the arresting voice of Heather Heywood. The label’s

associated emphasis was on “live performance and giving respect, where respect was due, to both performers and material”.

Inspired by the like of Folkworks in the north-east and Traditional Arts Projects South, the next move was into traditional song and music workshops. This came in the form of Summer Schools under the title Common Ground: Scotland. There was an interconnect ness about all these activities but at their core was always the love of the tradition.

Life must have been hectic in the Heywood household!

Pete and Heather had three daughters who included Fiona who became involved in the magazine, gradually taking over the role of editor with her partner Jim Byrne overlooking the design and production. One paragraph from their website has the feel of a mission statement: “The main aim of the magazine is to highlight the rich heritage of traditional music in the UK, Ireland and further afield, and attempt to bring it to a wider audience. Whilst we feel that we are certainly on the right track to achieving this aim, a little bit of extra support is always extremely welcome.”

Like all stand-alone single subject magazines, LT took a great hit during the pandemic and with no festivals and few album releases the vital advertising revenue was decimated and recovery has not been rapid. It had always been something of a labour of love by the committed and even since the decision to cease publication; we have been hit again by the cost of living crisis.

None of this detracts from the sterling work of bringing out high quality product issue after issue. Many highly respected performers including Brian Peters, Jo Freya and Nic Dow have been amongst the contributors.

We all need to say “Thank you and Well Done” to Fiona, Pete and Heather Heywood, Jim Byrne and Moira Murray. Your magazine will be missed.

Vic Smith Tenterden Folk Festival 2022 Plans are well advanced for Tenterden Folk Festival 2022 which will take place over four days from Thursday 29th September to Sunday 2nd October. The first of the 50 or so events will be the Thursday evening concert in The Tenterden Club which will feature Keith Kendrick and Sylvia Needham plus Dick Miles and may be another surprise guest.

Unfortunately, Jeff Warner, from the USA, has had to postpone his UK tour yet again. This year’s other guests range from Jack Hogsden, a young folk degree student from Sussex, to the four brothers who make up the amazing Wilson Family a cappella harmony group from Newcastle. Other guests include Jack Rutter, Si Barron and many more. See the Tenterden Folk Festival adverts for the full guest list and more details. Nick Dow will be launching the second volume of his book “Secret Stream” and presenting a workshop on modern Gypsy Songs. Morrigan will present a show to commemorate the composer Ralph Vaughan Williams who was born 150 years ago, on 12 October 1872. He was an important figure in the English folk song revival of the early 20th century. Popular local band Foot Down will be playing for the English Barn Dance on Friday evening with caller John Sweeney and in The Vine Inn on Saturday evening. Some of the Continued Overleaf...

other festival highlights will be the numerous free music sessions in some of the local pubs, that performers come from all over the country to take part in, and of course the hundreds of colourful Morris dancers, folk display dancers and street entertainers, who will perform around the town centre over the weekend and, on Saturday, process along the High Street. Sadly Shepherd Neame have put The William Caxton on the market so it’s future is uncertain. However This Ancient Borough and The Tap Room at Old Dairy Brewery have offered to host song and music sessions and we hope to have the Woolpack Barn back on the list of venues. As well as all the music and song events in various venues around the town there will be a large marquees for the craft fair and stalls and free music and dance stages on the Recreation Ground.

More details of the weekend’s events, the full list of guest artists, Morris sides, etc. and details of how to buy tickets can be found on the website at www.tenterdenfolkfestival.org.uk.

Tenterden Folk Sessions The popular Tenterden Folk Sessions restarted on Tuesday 12th July 2022 at This Ancient Boro, Ale House and Tapas Bar, at 3 East Cross, High Street, Tenterden, TN30 6AD. The folk sessions start promptly at 7.30 and run through to 10.30. If the session prove to be successful, This ancient Boro will become our regular venue. All folk singers and musicians, step dancers, storytellers, poets and similar performers are welcome, or of course you can just come and listed and watch. Beer is served straight from the barrel and food is also available. For more information check out www.tenterdenfolkfestival.com/ Tenterden-Folk-Sessions/ We look forward to seeing you all there.

Alan Castle Festival Director

CD Reviews

The Gilchrist Collective - Most Truly Yours Luke’s Row Music LRCD007 The Gilchrist Collective are Peter & Barbara Snape, Brian Peters, Sue Burgess and Poppy Weatherall.

This CD, and the live show it comes from, focuses on songs collected by Anne Gilchrist who was born in 1863 and died in 1954. Anne collected songs around the Northwest of England but also in Sussex when visiting her brother. Her collecting was done in the early 1900 when most collectors were working in the South of the country so her work in and around Lancashire was unusual. The 19 songs featured on this CD include Brennan on the Moor, Barbara Ellen, A Brisk Young Sailor, Rounding the Horn, Female Cabin Boy, and When John’s Sail Was New. The music is provided by Peter on Melodeons, Brian on guitar, mandolin, Anglo concertina and melodeon, and Poppy on Violin with vocals provided

by Peter, Barbara and Sue. The live show had its premiere in St Mildred’s Church during Tenterden Folk Festival 2021 and was very well received as I’m sure the CD will be too.

The CD comes with an insert containing a short biography of Anne and the lyrics to all the songs. Definitely an album you should have in your collection.

Paul Walker & Karen Pfeiffer - Auf Wiedersehen, Me Duck Crazy Mouse Records CM04 Paul, who comes from Staffordshire, first met Karen in her hometown of Stuttgart in Germany, and invited her to perform with him in England. The rest as they say is history. Paul provides guitar and vocals while Karen provides vocals, recorders, flutes and percussion. On this album they are accompanied by Paul Hutchingson, Ciaran Algar and Ed Bersey. Of the 12 tracks, nine were written

by Karen and Paul. The other three are Diamonds and Rust from Joan Baez, Under That Old Clare Moon from John Spillane and Peat Bog Soldiers / Die Moorsoldaten from Johann Esser, Rudi Goguel and Wolfgang Langhoff. Song titles include Our Golden Age, What if my Pockets Were Empty and Down to Numbers, No Time (The Facebook Blues), and the title track, Auf Wiedersehen, Me Duck. The CD comes in a plastic free, eco friendly, digpacki packing with cork inserts and with an insert with all the words to the songs. Paul and Karen are heading down south in September on their way to Germany and will be appearing at Tenterden Folk Festival and Tonbridge and Faversham Folk Clubs.

Alan Castle (Editor)

CD Reviews

Damien O’Kane and Ron Block - Banjophonics Pure Records PRCD56 This album from Damien and Ron could be subtitled Dueling Banjos Ireland v. USA. With a couple of exceptions, the 13 tunes and songs on the album were written by Damien or Ron and most have a family theme having been written about or dedicated to family members.

One tune, Andy Brown, comes from Aly Bain. The music is very up beat and some has a very Irish feel but mostly seems to have been more influenced by American banjo styles. There are numerous guests on the album playing a variety of instruments but the best known are probably Michael McGoldrick on whistle on Happy Little Phoebe / Manny Mountain and Kate Rusby on backing vocals on Woman of No Place. Most tracks were records live as opposed to in a studio. The banjo comes in for a lot of stick but this banjo playing at its best. The booklet which comes with the CD includes comprehensive notes about each track and when and how it was written.

Bella Hardy - Love Songs NOE Records NOE13 You might call this an easy listening album, or perhaps more correctly, easy to listen to. With Bella’s delicate fiddle style and quiet voice it is relaxing and enjoyable music.

Bella is joined by Mike Vass on guitar and Tom Gibbs on piano and clarinet but again none of these overpower the all important vocals. Of the 11 tracks seven are traditional, three were written by Bella and one, Silverlight, was written

by Bella together with Joel Cadbury. The traditional tacks include Hares on the Mountain, My Johnny was a Shoe Maker, Greenwood Laddie, Lowlands Away, and Loving Hannah. It is hard to believe that this is Bella’s 10th solo record in 15 years, but the quality is there for all to hear. There is really no more need be said.

Chandra Chakraborty and Saskia Griffith-Moore Together in Love and Separation MWMCD010 You might, at first, be surprised to find this album reviewed in AKF until you look at the track list and find songs like She Moved Through the Fair, Country Road and Scarborough Fair, shoulder to shoulder with Bhromor Koiyo Giya and Tomay Hridmajhare Rakhbo. In fact all the tracks are traditional except Country Roads which is of course by John Denver. Chandra and Saskia provide the vocals as well as playing harmonium and guitar respectively, and are joined by three other musicians playing tabla, keyboards, harmonium, BV’s and guitar. The album is described as representing the sacred traditions of Eastern and Western culture, artfully fusing the common themes of love and loss. Chandra is a well known Indian classical vocalist and has sung at The House of Commons and at The Commonwealth Games. Saskia is a London based folk musician. Definitely worth a listen.

Alan Castle (Editor)

Sussex Folk News The biggest news from Sussex for these months of the year are always to do with the county’s biggest folk festival, from 22nd to 25th September. Southdowns Music Festival in Bognor as usual will cater for a wide range of activities from the top name concerts which this year will include Spiers & Boden, Lindisfarne and The Men They Couldn’t Hang through workshops, tune and song sessions and dance displays. Dance groups are coming from far and wide, including London, the Isle of Wight, Brighton, Lewes, Hampshire and West Sussex. Teams will be displaying a varied range of folk & ethnic dance.

Styles include Appalachian, Northern Clog, Cotswold Morris and dances from around the World, all performed with great verve, colour and style.

Ukuleles have always been given prominence at this festival and this year there is a special marquee devoted to performance and workshops with this instrument. Lots more information, advice and tickets from; - southdownsfolkfest.co.uk In previous years, members of the Chichester folk club have run singaround sessions at this festival but I cannot see such slots in the programme this time. Meanwhile, the Chichester club continues its weekly Monday sessions at the Chichester Inn in West Street.

Apart from the last Monday of each month when they have guest singers, their meetings are either singaround or theme evenings but the singers they have booked are rather special. On August Bank Holiday, 29th, they will be listening to the remarkable voice of Nick Dow. Nick is an acknowledged expert on West Country Folk Songs and together with his wife Mally 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 Topic Records series ’The Voice of the People’. His own CDs are amongst the finest around and show a fine understanding of English traditional singing style. Then on September 26 they the Pete Morton who is amongst the finest of English folk singersongwriters. Two great nights in prospect.

The Lewes Saturday Folk Club is another that does not close during the main holiday month of August but maintains a low-key programme of singaround evenings each run by different resident singers. When it comes to September, they start their autumn programme with a band with three excellent nights is prospect. Mossy Christian has been making a name for himself in the last couple of years, mainly through Zoom appearances and on 3rd September, he will make his first appearance in Sussex. His singing, step dancing and attacking playing of one-row melodeon, fiddle and anglo-concertina will share the evening with Megan Wisdom, a young talented, traditional singer and musician who has a growing reputation, both locally and nationally, for her pure voice and fine, clear singing style.

On the following Saturday, Keith MacDonald, Ange Hauck & Mel Stevens will be present their admirable range of European dance music from diverse countries played on a wide range of instruments and then on the following night again a real coup for this club when they present Alistair Anderson & Dan Walsh, from different generations of folk performers but two of the most dynamic musicians in folk music who strike sparks off each other in a fantastic new, cross generational, duo. Their repertoire ranges from Bluegrass songs to Northumbrian rants; from Jazzy ballads to Old Time reels and their performance combines high energy with world class musicianship.

Three All-Day Saturday Workshops are associated with these evenings. Keith and Ange lead one on manuscripts & collections of dance music, mainly from the 18th. & 19th. Century and from Germany and there are two on the 17th. Dan will lead one on Clawhammer banjo whilst Alistair runs one on various Northumbrian tunesmiths.

Vic Smith

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 August 6, 13, 20 & 27 Come All Ye nights Young singers, Sept 3 Megan Wisdom & Mossy Christian trad & new songs, fiddle, melodeon, table harmonium Sept 10 Keith Macdonald Ange Hauck, Mel Stevens British, German & French trad tunes, bagpipes, accordion, melodeon Sept 17 Alistair Anderson & Dan Walsh Songs & tunes, banjo, guitar, Northumbrian pipes Sept 24 Geoff Lakeman & Rob Murch Old & new songs & tunes, duet concertina, English classical banjo WORKSHOPS 2022 - 23 (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.

10 Sept Keith Macdonald, Ange Hauck German MSS 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 11 March 1 April 29 April

Jez Lowe The Wilsons Will & Pippa Noble

Songwriting Vocal harmony the Wilson way Ballad Forum

August - September Every Wednesday 8.00 pm

7th Sept

Nigel Hobbins - Local songwriter Nigel with guitar and always fascinating set of songs which stick in the memory.

Doubtless many from his newly launched CD also. £7/8

14th Sept Rattle on the Stovepipe - Top-class Americana from Dave Arthur and friends. Dave, longtime editor of EFDSS magazine, outstanding player of guitar, melodeon, banjo, followed in Sharp’s footsteps in the Appalachian mountains, joined in old-timey magic by Pete Cooper and Dan Stewart. Check them out and catch them live!

All other Wednesdays August and September are Singers Nights 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!

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

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) August Singarounds - Tuesdays 02 Aug - 30 Aug Please See Website For Further Details FEATURED GUESTS

6 September - Oka Vanga (Rescheduled from March 2022) 13 September - Rattle on the Stovepipe 20 September - Lee Collinson 27 September - SykesMartin (Rescheduled from April 2021) 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

TENTERDEN

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Tenterden

“Tenterden the Jewel of the Weald”

Cara Dillon

Friday 9th September – Colyer-Fergusson Hall, Gulbenkian

Turin Brakes

Sunday 16th October – Gulbenkian

Beth Nielsen Chapman

Monday 31 October – Gulbenkian st

Los Pacaminos

Sunday 13th November – Gulbenkian

Calan

Wednesday 23 November – Gulbenkian rd

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

Full details and booking links are at

www.folkinthebarn.co.uk

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 Friday 13th August, August - Closed for2021 festivals Dates: Dates: Friday 13th Friday 13thAugust, August,2021 2021 Friday 10th September, 2021 Friday 9th September Friday 10th September, 2021 All Allclub clubnights nights8.00 8.00toto10.30pm 10.30pm Entrance Entrancefee fee£4.00 £4.00(including (includingraffle) raffle)

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

Hooden Horse

From 8 Feb – 17 Whitstable May Day procession 2017 photo credit: James Frost Jun 2023 Maidstone Museum will be hosting an exhibition on Animal Guising and the Kentish Hooden Horse, including the museum’s two old and rarely seen hooden horses. You may have stumbled upon ‘live’ hooden horses at the Banbury Hobby Horse Festival, Broadstairs Folk Week, Sidmouth Horse Trials or attached to a Morris side. However, hooden horses are indigenous to East Kent and in the 19th century and early 20th century sources identified hodening or hoodening as a Christmas custom. The hoodeners were often farm labourers and stable hands and the troupe usually included a man dressed as a woman Molly, a Waggoner and Jockey along with the horse. The performance involved a lot of jocular rough play and singing at pubs and the houses of local gentry. Revival groups in St Nicholas-atWade, Whitstable, Deal, Dover, Canterbury and Tonbridge continue this tradition with varied ways of interpreting it, often performing a play. The exhibition will explore both the tradition and Canterbury Hoodeners 2016 photo credit: Mark Bowerman revival as well as making comparisons with other animal disguises. Among the exhibits will be a 19th century Welsh Mari Lwyd – a similar Christmas house-calling custom – from the Horniman Museum. From the same century, there will be the skull of an Old Horse disguise that had been thrown in a pond at Hooton Pagnell Hall in Yorkshire, when the guising troupe retired. To bring things up to date we will be exhibiting Post Workers Theatre’s Autohoodening project – approaching the injustices of contemporary seasonal work at places like Amazon warehouses through the forms of folk drama. Keep your eye on the Museum’s event listings for the performances by hoodeners, autohoodeners, Lunatraktors, with talks by Prof. Ronald Hutton, Dr Geoff Doel and others.

James Frost, independent curator and hoodener https://www.jamesedwardfrost.com https://museum.maidstone.gov.uk

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

TENTERDEN

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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

Collections or Best prices paid 354 135 Ring Collin 07860

WANTED

LPs, EPs, 45s, CDs

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

“

“ from all major online retailers from birnamcdshop.com

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

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. 113 October/November COPY DATE: 18th August Then …

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

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........................................................................................................................................

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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