Supporting Your Local Folk Club

I've been reflecting on the popularity of House Concerts recently and it prompted me to comment.
Going back a long way in my history, we had a 17th Century barn in England, for similar events, but we wouldn’t be able to do that now due to the dreaded Public Liability Insurance - which on a plus side, as a folk club we can provide for our members, thanks to much detailed hard work by our behind scenes workers.
   Not only that, but you can’t afford to do House Concerts regularly. They are a lot of work for one or two people. As a folk club with our loyal volunteers, we can spread the workload –also, our neighbours don’t get upset.
   There are many ways to promote small scale folk/acoustic music, all necessary if we are to bring new performers into being, but the heart-stopping moment when you are alone on the stage in the spotlight, is the proving ground most would aspire to. We have to be here to provide that next step.
Our club has been going, in one form or another, since 1967 (approx) and I wonder if familiarity has not bred just a touch of contempt. Please take a moment, Newcastle, to Count Your Blessings!!

•  This is a hall without a liquor licence. If it had one we wouldn’t be able to afford it, and it would always be in demand for weddings, and what-have-you, so bye-bye Saturdays, also never a certainty of dates.
•  It is BIG, but the acoustics are good-ish. With lighting, (when we get the time) and sound it can work for us.
•  We can stage important folk events without running foul of Councils, local by-laws and the like.
• If enough of us turn up, we don’t have to charge each person a huge sum to make it worthwhile for our beautiful and trusting performers.

SUMMING UP:
   Really, the key to what I am trying to say is that WE (most of us) on the committee maybe aren’t all that pretty and trendy, hoary, may be a better descriptor, but we LOVE our music enough to do something about it. “Committee” is a horrible word – we are unpaid, we are friends, we are a co-operative, and WE ARE YOU.
   Please take the time to feel glad and PROUD that we are one of the few places in the country that still has a full scale working folk club. Volunteer! Support! Attend! And I promise you that the passion I feel in bringing you the very best in music that is on offer, will rub off on you. It is the glow that stays in the heart, shining like a “good deed in a naughty world”.

There’s an awful lot of “naughty world” about – take music for your antidote, and just maybe, say thank you once or twice.

Songman Without Borders

It has been a long wait, but November 3^rd will bring the folk club quite an illustrious performer called David Ross Macdonald who caught the attention of several of our members at the National Folk Festival in Canberra this year.  

This musician is a very special performer with a mesmerizing quality that evokes landscapes, and the drama of big skies.  For a former underground Geologist, there is an awful lot of sunlight-on-dappled-waters kind of feel to his lyrics and melodies.

He is a renowned finger-style guitarist who had a ghastly accident last year, when a knife went through his hand.  This was a major disaster for a man who earns his living with his guitar, a trusty Gibson Loo of seventy years old.  However he, like Django Reinhardt, has found new ways of doing the old things.  I would never have guessed his hand was in any way impaired from his captivating performance at the National.

By the time he reaches us he will just have returned from touring Canada.  In his other musical persona, he is the drummer for the ‘Waifs’. I suspect there is a third man inside too, since his writing is also riveting and I hope there will be a book one day.  (Try his Blog)

“Penguin Eggs” magazine, Canada, described him this way:  “Gentle grace and captivating melodies, songs that employ powerful imagery to evoke strong emotions and poignancy, stirring and soothing – often both at the same time”.

One of his CD’s (I got two) has a great little gift inside, which guitar aficionados will appreciate.  It is a free CD with twelve tracks, each one on a different hand-crafted Australian guitar, and a nice long track from each.  That’s in addition to the songs CD in the other pocket.

Supporting on the night :  We are lucky that Springtide,  Greg Wilson and Jaquie Luke are available to complete the line-up.  Having recently taken up residence in Dungog, I hope we will see more of them, and their huge family of instruments.  Jaquie mostly plays the hammer Dulcimer, and Greg is strings and squeezies. 

Cap In Hand in October

Cap in Hand 

 ...is a talented folk duo comprising “Dave Spira” and “Nigel Walters” (also of Wheeze and Suck Band).  These guys have proven their popularity with festival audiences and demand exceeds supply, as they rarely travel outside of their area.  Their first CD is due for release soon and is well overdue.

Dave and Nigel both play exquisite finger style acoustic guitar in a range of open tunings. They write many of their own songs and tunes with a wide mix of light and shade as well as ensuring ample opportunity for rousing audience participation.

They are both fine musicians and entertainers. With influences including Nic Jones, Martin Simpson, Simon Fox and Bill Mize their music ranges from traditional to contemporary. Come along and enjoy the delightful interplay between Dave’s dexterous finger style guitar and Nigel’s fine singing and multi-instrumental (guitar, mandolin and cello mandolin) playing.

 Cap in Hand offer all the ingredients for a fine evening’s entertainment and will be at the Newcastle Folk Club on Saturday October 6th.

 The support act on that night is local award-winning songwriter Maureen O’Brien who has just released her 6^th album.  Her music – a hard-to-define blend of contemporary folk/blues/jazz -  is played by numerous community radio stations across Australia.  Every song has a story and many are wrapped in a giggle.   They’re warm, human, reflections on contemporary life.

BUKHU  - A Thoroughly Modern Mongolian.

Traditional instruments and Throat Singing at its best

(aka Bukhuluun Ganburged) www. horsefiddle.com/ 

He’s an interesting man in anyone’s language.  You get the impression that anything capable of making a sound will be co-opted into his arsenal; supporting the most ancient of music or the newest of his tunes and songs with equal ease.  What he can do with a mobile phone ring tone, used to have to be supplied by two or three members of a band.

Added to his beloved Horse-fiddle, a completely ancient traditional instrument, he may use other, unnamed stringed things, a jews harp maybe, or all sorts of electronic wizardry, and then his voice as well.  More layers than an onion?

The voice intrigues me most.  He uses it as we would, vaguely baritone and mellow. (not thin and reedy like some oriental singers).  Then, with no warning other vocal sounds emerge interwoven with everything else he’s doing.  He explains there are four main tones possible in throat singing, from a high shimmer – like Northern Lights, but in sound, then on down to a bad, bad grumble.  He’s a natural teacher and tells you how to do it.

With a twinkly sense of humour, he makes himself understood in slightly halting English, obviously enjoying the interaction.  He is a new Aussie and his version of Waltzing Mathilda was so simple and loving it brought a lump to my throat.  Do come and see him.  For this man there are no barriers or divides – just music; and it’s great!

 

Bukhu performs on 1^st September 2012 at 7.30pm for the Newcastle and Hunter Valley Folk Club  at WESLEY Centre Hall, 150 Beaumont St. Hamilton – opp. The Exchange Hotel

Also on the night, to support the multicultural theme, will be the lovely young dancers from Marie Claire’s award-winning “Voyage of Irish Dance” school.  Additionally Bill Wiseman who is well known for his love of Irish Music especially the hauntingly beautiful Irish airs on whistle will also complete the lineup. 

Locked In With the ‘Lifers..’

One of the reasons I love this place is because as an ex-Sydney-sider -  where I was underwhelmed by the number of people who were actually involved in folk music - I found a thriving folk community here in the Hunter.   There is continuity that goes back to 1967 here in Newcastle which is worthy of recognition. 

And this is the main reason for our focus at the Folk Club in August on our Life Members  - we're calling it Locked in with the Lifers.
 

This will be quite a pleasant sentence to serve since our Life Members are made of the finest stuff, and are good company to boot.

This is their night when they get to sing, say or play, or get someone else to do it for them.  The Club has a reasonable accumulation of talented and dedicated members since we appoint two a year, and this is our way of saying “Thank you”.  The Folk Club has been serving the Newcastle Area since 1967, in one incarnation or another.

You can expect a fair degree of informality since these people know each other very well, and there will be no standing on ceremony.  Not all members become ‘Lifers’ and not necessarily because of their performance skills, so they are entitled to ask for someone else’s  voice to do it for them.  For newer members of the club, or members of the community who are keen to reflect on the last 55 years of local folk in Newcastle, here is an opportunity to travel down memory lane with members who have lived the journey.

As well as the concert, we will have a sticky bun tea for fun, and some photographs and memorabilia to ponder over.  This is the Newcastle area at its best, and the Club would not be here without the selfless dedication of these people.  Join us for a warm, friendly evening of songs, poems, stories and ‘craic’ – it will be one to remember. Oh, and I will be making a special cake - with a file in it!

 Catch the Lifers on:

4^th August 2012, at 7.30.

Newcastle and Hunter Valley Folk Club, Inc.

Wesley Centre Hall, 150 Beaumont St.  Hamilton.

For more Information:  Carole Garland, Bookings and Publicity Officer, 02 4929 3912

Newcastle and Hunter Valley Folk Club, Inc.

30 Years without a proper job!

  PAT DRUMMOND

30 Years without a ‘real’ job!

 

Is  he ‘Folk’? or is he ‘Country’?

Pat Drummond is that man, who with more than 30 years of trekking the Country making music, is probably all the above and much more.  He is impossible to pigeonhole as a seasoned observer of human nature should be.  It is easy for him to drop into another persona with wit and humour, and to make their joys and sorrows open to all.

Did I mention he is a consummate musician and writes award-winning songs?  His life is littered with awards for his country music, and achievements on stage both as a soloist and with others.

It’s old age that’s slowing him down.  He says he wants to go into semi-retirement as he has hit the big six-oh. However before, he slips into his dotage, he is going to make time for us on 7^th July, at the Folk Club, in the Wesley Centre hall, at 150 Beaumont St. Hamilton, at 7.30 p. 

Retirement? Don’t you believe it!  He is so active and sprightly he looks only half his age and besides, the Australian music scene won’t let him.  Read more at www.patdrummond.net

Anyway he is thoroughly upstaged in that respect by our support artist, Douglas Stewart, who tops Pat’s record by more than twenty years.  At the age of 82, Douglas has spent almost sixty years on the stage, mostly in Britain.  He specializes in musical comedy, but has a marked flair for bush poetry, Flanders and Swan, bits from Gilbert and Sullivan, and more.  He is amazing, and has had the Lakeside Folk Circle in stitches since he arrived last year. 

A Rare Home Town Concert

Like migrating birds flying home to roost, from Tasmania a few weeks ago & ACT last week, Master Fiddler Chris Duncan and his wife Catherine Strutt on piano are giving the residents of their home town a chance to hear their superb Scottish music in concert.

This captivating duo are in huge demand Internationally as well as across Australia.  Individually they have spent most of their lives on the stage with traditional music.  Catherine, with her family and sister Jennifer, were part of Coalbrook Ceilidh since she was just 14.  The family now have changed genre to playing Scandinavian music.  Chris was heard to say he would need another lifetime to do justice to that music.

Perhaps he was joking!  If you listen to his 2 CD’S released by ABC Classics – the earlier being   ‘Fyvie’s  Embrace’ and the second ‘Red House’ – you can not imagine anything being past this astonishingly talented man. To hear them together is to be in the presence of an intimate conversation, fiery one minute, gentle and flowing the next.

Chris Duncan is passionate about his art offstage as well as on and dedicates one evening a month [when he isn’t away touring] to helping local fiddlers achieve their best.   Tunes are learned in the old way without notation and with constant little repetitions until the tune is fully learned.  This commitment to the music of this city is already bearing fruit in the form of quality young musicians with great technique and high standards.

Chris Duncan and Catherine Strutt are not to be missed in this rare opportunity to hear them perform.

The duo will be appearing at the Wesley Hall centre, 150 Beaumont St Hamilton, on behalf of the Newcastle Hunter Valley Folk Club, 5^th May at 7.30pm. They will be ably supported by Paul Regan from Lakeside Folk Circle who always has a wealth of warm, funny songs to share with us.

"If Mike Neville said it then it must be true" reflections on Jez Lowe's early songs.

JEZ LOWE and KATE BRAMLEY  at Newcastle and Hunter Valley Folk Club.
  3rd March, at 7.30pm.
I grew up in the North East of England like Jez Lowe.  Everyone in those days, watched Look North on evening TV, and Mike Neville was the much loved anchorman.

The job he had to do was appalling in retrospect -  it was always bad news.  Mrs Thatcher deliberately turned off the finance tap to all the old working class areas that would never vote Conservative.  Newcastle, Durham and Liverpool were cases in point.  The way that Maggie dealt with mines and the miners was legendary in its callousness.

Little maintenance was done to the mines, so accidents were fairly common.  My favourite Jez song is "The Last of the Widows". Like me. Jez would have heard the voice of Mike Neville intone the latest 'Lost' or 'missing' statistics, while the women, in coats and headscarves, turned their misery inwards to each other.
So bleak, so heartless and so frequent.

'Coal Town Days' notes the ending of mining in the UK.  It was cheaper to import it.  Many of those areas had been producing coal since Medieval days, and mining families traced their lineage through generations.  If they had been an endangered species of animal they would have had all the money they needed.
The humour of mining families comes through in many of the songs - 'Durham Gaol' is great i.e.
     Q. teacher:  "Where does coal come from?"
      A.  Kid:  "Next door's yard"

Jez's humour has become sharper over the years.  A recent album "Wotcheor" TTRDC111, (Howdee, in Geordie)  is full of gorgeous funny ones, plus a couple of toughies, like "The Judas Bus" about scab labour.
I hope they have brought lots of CD's with them, but if you miss out contact him on  www.jezlowe.com.


** Just a note on Mike Neville.  He got a promotion to a Southern TV station.  Such were the howls and protests of the Northerners, that Mike gave up the new job, and finished his working life on Tyneside.

Tastes Good to Me -

On Sunday 19th Feb. the Newcastle/Hunter Valley folk Club is featured in  TASTE OF HAMILTON FAIR in Beaumont St.and we are taking to the streets.
The happy cosmopolitan atmosphere of this renowned street fair will be the setting for 2 hours of local folk from 11.30am.  Stage and sound will be provided so it will be easy to find us.
We will soon be able to confirm which performers will be featured so watch this space.!!

COMING SOON!

 The Ukulele Orchestra of  Great Britain is making the journey to Newcastle on Wednesday 7th March at City Hall.

...also, Martin Pearson is playing at the Gallipoli Club in Hamilton on February 17th starting at 7.30pm.  Tickets $25/$15 contact Bev on 4962 2160 for details

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