The man! Amazing fiddler and co-writer with Fairport Convention, teaming up with Martin Carthy MBE, Beryl Marriott, Simon Nicol and Alistair Hullett, band member with Whippersnapper, The Ian Campbell Folk Group and Swarb's own band, Lazarus - his fiddle mastery knows no bounds. Dave is a veritable guru of the violin and a breathtaking musician, and his ranconteur conversation and his outrageous jokes are a delight. 

Photo: Mick Tems

Our favourite female singers! Lynne and Pat are two of the most experienced and established harmony singers on the folk scene. They have a leaning towards traditional English material, but occasionally diversify and perform their own material and Victorian/Edwardian songs. Their interpretation of both contemporary and traditional material is sensitive, moving and has plenty of humour.

Lynne and Pat have trespassed, touted, marshalled, organised and appeared at clubs and festivals in careers spanning two millennia. They offer a wide range of musical material, traditional, Victorian, Edwardian, contemporary, rude, silly and self-penned, all delivered with their unique blend of harmony and humour. Their latest album, September Days, is available now on Wild Goose Records.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

From Ashville in North Carolina, they're back... 

"Rural America explored with elegant simplicity. Their music and cleanly poetic songwriting bring to mind the great folksingers of our times" - Ashville Citizen Times

"Powerful, rolling, fingerstyle guitar playing is the first aspect to grab you. Lyrically, Robinson's songs are wonderful. Pure love for what life has to offer, without being over stated or painfully too-utopian about it. Perfect fodder for both old-time and contemporary folk enthusiasts" - Crossroads

"Many songwriters, such as Bruce Springsteen or John Mellencamp, have been heralded as modern day Woody Guthries or keepers of the American rural spirit, but that mantle might be better entrusted to musicians like Dana Robinson who embody both the heart and the soul of folk music" - Dirty Linen

...so listen!

Welcome back, Tom! If you like songs and stories of the sea, new and old, you'll certainly enjoy Tom's singing, his stories and his recordings.

Tom is a 24-year veteran of Her Majesty's Royal Naval diesel submarines, although now he's comfortably located on dry land in British Columbia, Canada. His stirring songs cover a wide range of nautical topics, from life on board H.M. ships, through the loneliness and lure of the sea, to traditional shanties and classic nautical poetry, set to his own and others' melodies - often accompanying himself with button accordion or ukulele. Tom is a surefire festival favourite, and the songs he written have taken a special place in the maritime culture - these songs are built to last!

Musician, singer/songwriter, dance caller, showman extraordinaire and melodeon and concertina seller and repairer, Pete is based in Coventry but has performed around the world, including New Zealand - which is almost a home away from home for him. Leader of the Aardvark Ceilidh Band, Pete is a talented hammered dulcimer and melodeon player - and a fine singer, too. 

Bernard's agent, Jacey Bedford, says: "I'm very sorry to have to tell you that Bernard Carney's upcoming tour has had to be cancelled. His wife, Eleanor, has been scheduled for open heart surgery to repair or replace a valve. This was supposed to take place before Christmas and be all done and dusted by the new year, but
with hospital waiting times it has currently been delayed until at least
February. Obviously, Bernard doesn't want to risk being out of the
country for a full month during Eleanor's recovery period (or even
worse, for the actual surgery if more delays occur).

"On behalf of Bernard, I send apologies. We both know you'll be
disappointed, but hope that you'll understand."

One of Llantrisant Folk Club's finest and dearest friends! Though Debby McClatchy lived most of her adult life near Roaring Spring, Pennsylvania, in the Appalachian Mountains, she was born in San Francisco in 1945. Her father's great grandfather came from Ulster during the famine, was a 49er in the gold rush and founded northern California's leading newspaper, The Sacramento Bee. Her early years in San Francisco have had a great influence on the way she lives her life and on her music. 

Debby's Mother came from the Smoky Mountains, near Knoxville, Tenessee. Her mom sang Carter family songs as lullabies, music hall songs for fun, and might yodel after a little creme de menthe.

Debby is an expert entertainer with wit and imagination. While she plays a variety of acoustic instruments, when touring she just totes her 1907 Bacon 'FF Professional' banjo and maybe a fiddle. She is recognised as one of the finest frailed-banjo players in the accompanying style and is much valued for her banjo and singing workshops. Her combination of goodtime, old-time banjo, glorious singing - with occasional outbreaks of mountain fiddling and freestyle Appalachian stepping - has made her a favorite in clubs and at festivals.

Dan's long-awaited return to Llantrisant Folk Club comes after he toured Britain with his Songs Of Stan Rodgers show, which proved to be one of the most moving and exciting in the Club's 30-year life. Born in Nova Scotia in the Canadian Maritimes, Dan is an absolutely stunning songwriter with a lovely, deep-brown voice that just commands you to pay attention; according to Dan, every set is a good-time experience. 

David Kidman writes in a review of Dan's visit to The Black Swan in the city of York: "He’s one of the most genuinely engaging performers I know. He put the near-capacity audience in thrall the moment he took to the stage with his customary opener Wandering Days, immediately winning over the curious into converts. Dan has a gorgeous baritone voice with an exceptional command of phrasing, light and shade – perfect for conveying the nuances and narratives of his finely-crafted songs." 

Both good friends of Llantrisant Folk Club - Derbyshire-born Keith is: "a stage presentation which values humour, whilst maintaining respect for the music and a wry, vernacular delivery (which includes rather than patronises), combine with a depth of repertoire and a vocal and instrumental skill to make his performances a pleasure. If you want an example of someone for whom folk music and life have become completely inseparable – a true folk musician – look no further than Keith" (Roger Watson, Director of T.A.P.S.). 

Artisan reforming! Thank (or blame) Lunenberg Festival in Nova Scotia - they have invited vocal fireworks trio Artisan to reunite to perform at their 25th Anniversary Festival from August 5 - 8, 2010. It was just too good an offer to turn down. Lunenburg has always been one of Artisan's favourite places to play since their first appearance there in 1995. So Hilary, Brian and Jacey said: "YES, PLEASE!"

Jacey said: "It will be five years since Artisan's retirement concert in 2005, so we're going to have to get together to rehearse some old songs and learn some new. There will be a new CD released with new songs, and also a Best Of Artisan retrospective - which we've been promising for quite some time."

You can see and hear Artisan at Llantrisant Folk Club - but don't delay. Artisan will together for a few short months, and then go their separate ways. Don't miss it!

Les writes strange poems and comes from Manchester. He was an accountant before he became a professional idiot. He's written 72 books, which sell in large numbers at his gigs because people don't quite believe what they've just heard. His poems have spawned a number of folk heroes: Jason and the Arguments, Cosmo the Fairly Accurate Knife Thrower, Captain Indecisive and Spot of the Antarctic.

Les began his career as assistant to Mrs Ackroyd, a small hairy mongrel who lay around in folk clubs, bit people and became famous. Mrs Ackroyd was the only dog ever to own her own record label. Since her sad demise, Les is mainly a solo performer, though he has taken to working with humans from time to time. The Mrs Ackroyd Band gradually evolved from an ever-changing who's who of the folk scene into a tightly knit, well-rehearsed group.

Les has several solo albums to his credit, including Dogologues, An Infinite Number of Occasional Tables, A Cardi and Bloke, Up the creek without a poodle, Arovertherapy and The War on Terrier. In addition there are highly acclaimed albums of his serious work; the folk opera The Stones of Callanish, Some Love, The Wings of Butterflies and Airs of the Dog, all involving a galaxy of talent. His serious songs have also featured on recent albums by Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick, and by June Tabor. June invariably includes a smattering of Les's serious and comic songs in her live performances. An evening with Les is one not to be missed!

Happy 30th birthday to us! From that first Wednesday, when the fledgling Llantrisant Folk Club started life in The New Inn in Swan Street, through our moves to The Bear, The Cross Keys, back to The Bear again, The Ifor Arms, The Brunel Arms, The Cross Keys again and The Windsor Hotel. 

The Club launched itself on an unsuspecting Llantrisant when Pat Smith and Mick Tems, the only two founder members, were playing in the Bedwen Haf twmpath band with Siwsann George and Stewart Brown, and needed a room to practice. Lionel, landlord of The New Inn, immediately offered his room - and suggested the four could start a folk club. The rest is history! 

Jo, musician and composer, comes from a pioneering background in folk and acoustic music. She plays or has played with Blowzabella, Token Women, The Lal Waterson Project, Coope/Boyes/Simpson/Fraser/Freya/Boyes, Maalstrom, The Fraser Sisters, Freyja, Scarp, The Old Swan Band, as part in duos with Kathryn Locke and Pete Moreton and as a session musician with Lal Waterson, Annie Williamson and Anne Lister. Surprisingly, Female Smuggler is Jo's first solo CD (she recorded an album called Traditional Songs Of England on request from the company who wished to release it, with arrangements done by them, so this is Jo's first in reality.) The intention behind the CD is to reflect the diversity of Jo's music. It's all here - beguiling instrumental, beautiful vocal, exciting traditional and visionary contemporary, and much of it is penned by the maestro herself. Jo is going out on the road to promote the album, accompanied by Neil Ferguson and Jude Abbott of Chumbawamba. Do not miss them!

Nicole Murray and John Thompson call their fabulous music "hot harmonies and beautiful ballads" and Rock 'n' Reel 

DON’T FORGET:

All other Wednesdays are Song And Music Nights, starting at 8.30pm. 

For past guests, click here