o u nd r a
ke nt folk Issue 109 February / March 2022
Your FREE Guide to Folk Events in Kent, Surrey, Sussex and beyond
Lucy Farrell comes to Revelation Ashford in March (photo by Elly Lucas)
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 109 February/March 2022 issue of Around Kent Folk Well, here we are in January 2022 and the Kent, Sussex and Surrey folk scene is still being disrupted by Covid. Some clubs that re-opened suspended operations again in December while others took the decision not to re-open until 2022. Some continued to hold virtual clubs on Zoom while others managed to continue to hold live events. Your guess as to what will happen next is as good as mine. However, as you will see from adverts in this issue, some of our folk festivals have already started planning to promote normal events in 2022. Broadstairs, Southdown and Pigs Ear Folk and Ale, which is under new management, have started to publish their guest lists. Tenterden still have a couple of guests held over from 2020 and have started to book others. We are hoping that Jeff Warner will be able to get over from the USA this year and he is working on putting his UK tour together and keeping a close eye on UK and USA travel rules as they change. We also had the Wilson Family booked for 2020 but as only Chris and Steve could make it in 2021 we have re-booked the family for 2022. Let’s hope they can actually join us this time. I’m sure other local festival such as Rochester Sweeps and Hastings Jack in the Green are being planned for the May Day weekend, but as yet I’ve not seen and specific details. The late May public holiday has of course been moved to 2nd and 3rd of June as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. This has affected some folk festivals including Chippenham which is always popular with festival goers from our area. If you are planning a special folk music event as part of the Jubilee celebrations do not forget to AKF. You will find an increased number of album reviews in this issue of AKF together with at least one book review. It is good to see the folk scene still producing high quality CD albums and not moving over entirely to downloads. General music vinyl sales continue to increase and some new folk albums are also available on vinyl which can only be good.. 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
Sussex Folk News Writing this at what I hope will prove to be the height of the Omicrom Covid crisis, I do not have a great deal of great excitement to contribute on the folk club scene at the moment. The fact that, understandably, most are not committing themselves very far in advance in the current volatile situation makes my task more difficult with a deadline to meet. The Sunday night HORSHAM club at The Normandy Centre, Denne Road continues with policy of admitting existing members only with a programme of evenings without guest performers apart from Sunday 27th February when Jim McLean will be performing for them and on the same day of the month in March when it will be the Sussex song-writing duo that appear as Wildwood Jack. They are suggesting tentatively that Bob Fox will be travelling down from the north-east to sing and play for them on 6th March but that may depend on whether the event to previous night at The Lewes Saturday Night Folk Club goes ahead and at the moment that club has paused all its presentations. This serves to emphasise the importance of contacting the organisers to check that an event is taking place. Looking hopefully towards a brighter future, their website gives notice of an evening with Suntrap in May and another with Jez Lowe in June. The Chichester club meets on Mondays at the Chichester Inn in West Street. They have a programme of mainly Club singaround evenings with some with a theme for choice of songs but there two evenings with top-line guests in the current period; Winter Wilson will be there on February 7th and then four weeks later it will be Jez Lowe. Eastbourne folk club meets fortnightly on the first and third Wednesdays of the month at the Lamb in the Old Town is another that continues to show caution. They state that there will be the only arranged guest night until, perhaps, April. In view of the uncertainty of audience numbers in the current situation, they are not booking guests for the winter season. They do, however, have one special night to look forward to on 2nd February and here is what they about it: “This one is a bit special! An acoustic singer songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, the guy that sings with a cello, as well as mandolin, guitar and piano, Ray Cooper was for many years a member of Oysterband, then in 2013 he decided to go solo and has released three acclaimed albums. He now lives in Sweden and we have booked him while he is on a short tour of Great Britain while we have the chance.” Uckfield folk club is now at the Station Hotel in the centre of the town. They have moved their evenings from Fridays to Tuesdays and now meets monthly on the third Tuesday of the month. Their Facebook page asks us to “watch this space for updates” or you can obtain information from the organiser, Patricia Langridge by emailing uckfieldfolkclub@ gmail.com . I wonder how many streets can claim to have had five different venues that were the homes to folk clubs over the years. Certainly, Trafalgar Street in Brighton can! This is the road that runs down the hill from Brighton Station to St. Peter’s Church. At the bottom there is a pub that used to be called the Prince George when I used to run a club in the early 1970s. Halfway up the hill is the Nelson, the home of Brighton Acoustic Club which is still in abeyance since the beginning of the pandemic but recently sent a circular round to regulars asking for their views on a restart, so things may be on the move there. Leaving the most positive news until last, at the top of Trafalgar Street is the Brighton Toy Museum, in one of the arches under Brighton Station. This offers a small, intimate but very suitable performance area and amongst the people who use it are The Toy Museum Folk club. Here is what they say about their venture:“The Toy Museum Folk Club is our first foray into the more traditional end of the folk
scene. We’ll be bringing some of the most talented musicians on the scene to the intimate arches of Brighton Toy and Model Museum. Join us to watch murder ballads performed beside a sprawling train set, or 18th century dance songs reconstructed under the watchful eye of the museum’s collection. These gigs will feature headline sets by established folk musicians of note, as well as shorter support slots by rising talents. Consider this as Folkroom’s take on the traditional folk club. We won’t have floor spots, and you’ll likely never see a raffle, but there will be a warm and welcoming space for folk fans to come together and celebrate the music they love.” Their ambitious programme:• Feb 15th – Alden Patterson and Dashwood • Feb 29th – Naomi Bedford and Paul Simmonds • Mar 14th – Ewan McLennan • Mar 28th – Jimmy Aldridge & Sid
Goldsmith • Apr 11th – Kirsty Merryn / Said the Maiden (Double header) • Apr 25th – Harp and a Monkey • May 29th – Edgelarks
Vic Smith
CD Reviews
Dom Prag - Needle and Thread (www.domprag.com) Most of the 10 tracks on this album feature Dom on guitar and vocals but on a few tracks he is joined by a variety of supporting artists in the background, including Phil Beer, Rowan Piggott, Rosie Hodgeson, Odette Mitchell, Tom Evans, Joely Koos and Rich Prag. Seven tracks are traditional folk songs such as Van Diemen’s Land, Lovely William, Fosters Mill and The Brisk Lad. The arrangements are simple and clear with Dom’s vocals and the words taking pride of place. Dom is making a name for himself at folk clubs and festivals around the country but also still does some busking in town centres. If you get a chance to see Dom at your local folk club or festival I recommend you do. Kate Green - A Dark Carnival (KGCD002) www.kategreenmusic.com Kate is a South Yorkshire based singer songwriter and this is her first CD for around 14 years. Over the 12 tracks she is joined by nine backing musicians and singers and some of the arrangements are rather contemporary, but her voice is always out front. Traditional tracks include Lady Diamond, Bows of London and Shallow Brown. Other tracks you will know are Banks and Braes from Burns, Fine Horseman from Lal Waterson and Cuckoo Song from Kipling / Bellamy. There are also five of Kates own songs and When the Levee Breaks written by Memphis Minnie in 1927. I particularly like Bows of London and would be interested in seeing Kate perform a live traditional set.
Every Wednesday 8.00 pm Best wishes everyone! We have a full programme of guests planned, please consult the website if you are in doubt re restrictions we don’t know about yet. 2 Feb
Dave Ellis & Boo Howard - Finely crafted songs with impeccable guitar and bass taking in elements of many acoustic genres. Bound to be many coming to admire the style and feel the warmth. £8/9
16 Feb
Jones Boys - Champion accordion to the fore, Sam Sloan and Gordon Jackson bring jigs, reels and thrills from mainly traditional sources ranging from Ireland to Bulgaria. Guaranteed to set feet tapping, ‘a rare fire and intensity’. £7/8
2 Mar
Bob Kenward - Kent’s youngest veteran, Bob returns to entertain with guitar, harmonicas and a range of songs from hops to music hall mysteries. Plenty of favourites and surprises from our evergreen resident... sure to be an uplifting night! £7/8
16 Mar
Liz Simcock - Poetry, emotion and splashes of humour from one of the country’s leading female singer-songwriters. We’re delighted to welcome Liz back after a two year wait- her new CD Winter Hill will doubtless feature. Liz’s heartfelt and incise repertoire is well worth travelling for. £7/8
30 Mar
Tom Lewis - Rousing, roistering songs from shanties to Transatlantic ballads- all with a twinkle in the eye and absolute commitment. Tom commands attention wherever he goes, with a clutch of original and moving lyrics thrown in for good measure. £8/9
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 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
Miranda Sykes
Saturday 5th February - Waterstones, Online £14, Door £16, U25 £7
Fairport Convention – Winter Tour
Tuesday 15th February - Colyer-Fergusson Hall, Canterbury, Full Price £30, U25 £15
TBC – Gulbenkian Tuesday 15th March 2022
Steve Knightley
Friday 25th March, St Mary’s Arts Centre, Sandwich, Online £20, Door £23, U25 £10
Gigspanner Big Band
Saturday 7th May, St Mary’s Sandwich, Online £20, Offline £21, Door £23, U25 £10
Show of Hands Duo Tour
Friday 13th May, Colyer-Fergusson Hall, Full Price £26, U25 £13
Daphne’s Flight
Tuesday 17th May, St Mary’s, Sandwich, Online £18, Offline £19, Door £20, U25 £9
Albert Lee
Sunday 22rd May 2022 – Gulbenkian, Full Price £25, U25 £15
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, 2021 Friday 11th February Dates: Dates: Friday 13th Friday 13thAugust, August,2021 2021 Friday 10th September, 2021 Friday March Friday 10th 11th September, 2021
All Allclub clubnights nights8.30 8.30toto11.00pm 11.00pm Entrance Entrancefee fee£4.00 £4.00( guest ( guestnights nightsasasadvertised) advertised) Enquiries EnquiriestotoChris ChrisWilkin Wilkin– –01634 01634366155 366155oror07821 07821606076 606076
CD Reviews
Simon Mayor & Hilary James - When Summer Comes Again (CDACS 081) This CD was recorded during the Covid lockdowns and released in November 2021. Lockdown gave Simon and Hilary a chance to revisit some of their old songs and tunes, write some new ones as well as looking again at some traditional and classical ones. The CD is a mix of poems, songs and tunes from Simon and Hilary with guest musicians Janet Giraudo providing some harmony vocals and Florence Petit on Cello. Simon plays a variety of instruments including his violin, dating from 1740, and of course the mandolin, while Hilary plays guitars, double bass and mandobass. Traditional songs include Summer is Icumen In, Lovely Joan and Jokey at the Fair and these are joined by Al Mio Bene from Bach, Barcarole from Tchaikorsky and William Barnes poem The Linden Lea set to a tune from Simon and Hilary. The remaining tracks are their own compositions including a live recoding of The Buttermere Waltz. This is a very well produced, enjoyable and relaxing CD. Alan Castle (Editor) Revels Revisited Starting at 5.30pm on Sunday March 6th ‘The Circle of Life’ is the title for this year’s production which takes place at St Dunstans Church in West Peckham. John and Di Cullen together with some regular and new performers will give an entertaining view of the theme, with an interesting mix of music, song and dance together with readings. There will also be a performance from the highly experienced harpist Margaret Watson to add to the occasion. Tickets priced £10 (to include a glass of wine during the interval) are available from Tricia 07904 065 763 /01622 817255 All proceeds will go to church funds.
BOUGHTON MONCHELSEA FOLK CLUB (FORMERLY THE STILEBRIDGE FOLK CLUB)
SINGER’S NIGHT NOW LIVE AGAIN EVERY THIRD WEDNESDAY MONTHLY
AT OUR NEW VENUE: THE BULL INN (IN THE FUNCTION ROOM)
LINTON ME17 4AW CAR PARKING EITHER AT THE BULL, OR, IF FULL, ACROSS THE A229 AT LINTON CHURCH (ACCESS ROAD IS 100M UP THE HILL ON THE SOUTH BOUND CARRIAGEWAY OF THE A229.)
AUDIENCE, SINGERS, MUSICIANS, POETS, ALL WELCOME. £2 PER HEAD ENTRY FEE TO COVER THE COST OF THE ROOM. FOR MORE DETAILS CALL NIGEL WHITE ON 07793 076827
Rowan Rheingans’ Dispatches on the Red Dress tour comes to Revelation Ashford in March
CD Reviews
Peter Knight and John Spiers - Both in a Tune (KSCD002) A new album from Peter Knight and / or John Spiers is always something to look forward to and this is their second studio album together. The title was inspired by a line in William Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like it’. Five of the ten tracks are traditional in origin with the others being written by Peter and / or John and one by Le Berger De Laleuf. Traditional tracks include an unusual and upbeat arrangement of Scarborough Fair, The Abbot’s Bromley Horn Dance and The Battle of the Somme. Peter contributes Le Dance De Madame Meymerie and John contributes Union. The album is released on 1st February and the review copy will be well played by then. Peter and John have very busy duo tour in February and March but sadly the only gig in our region so far announced is Farnham Maltings in Surrey on 23rd March. Alan Castle (Editor) STOP PRESS From February you will be able to support Tenterden Folk Festival by playing The Ashford Community Lottery and selecting the Tenterden Folk Festival page to buy your tickets. You could win up to £25,000, or one of many other prizes, for a minimum stake of £1. Check out www. ashfordcommunitylottery.co.uk for more details.
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
01 Feb 2022 - The Outside Track 08 Feb 2022 - Clive Carroll 15 Feb 2022 - Granny’s Attic 22 Feb 2022 - The Magpies 01 Mar 2022 - State of the Union 08 Mar 2022 - Phil Beer 15 Mar 2022 - Geoff Lakeman & Rob Murch 22 Mar 2022 - Winter Wilson 29 Mar 2022 - Sally Barker Solo 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
Book Reviews
Vin Garbutt - All the very best – The autobiography Published by McGeary Media www.mcgearymedia.co.uk What do we really know about the folk singers and musicians who stand up at the front of a folk club to entertain us? We sometimes join them for a “meet the guest session” at a festival and hear them chat for 45 minutes or so about what they do and why they do it, but we seldom get to hear their whole life story in their own words. This book gives us the chance to hear all about Vin’s upbringing from the day he was born in 1947 in South Bank, Middlesbrough to just before he died in 2017. His story is mostly told in his own words but there are also stories and tributes from his family, friends and colleagues including his wife Pat, who hails from Kent, their children, and well-known names on the folk scene such as Martyn Wydham Read, Jez Lowe, Tom Paxton, Mike Harding, Harvey Andrews, Bob Fox and many more. We also get the chance to have a look at a broad selection of photos taken over his life. In his own style, Vin talks about his time at school, his apprenticeship at ICI and finding folk music in the 1960s. He reminisces about his trips to Ireland to visit his extended family, his adventures busking in Spain with friends and the new friends he made on his first travels. We also get to hear of his adventures while gigging at folk clubs and festival across the UK and abroad on his numerous world tours. Vin’s talks openly about his strong Catholic beliefs which influenced his whole life as much as his equally strong political and social beliefs. The book is scattered with extracts from some of his songs, including some of the more controversial ones and explains how the reaction to these songs affected his life and career for many years after. Sadly Vin started to suffer with health problems in around 2005 and he had to adapt his life to cope but continued to work nearly to the end and this autobiography was complete just before he died. Personally, I found it an intimate, entertaining and extremely interesting read. Highly recommended. Alan Castle (Editor) Folk Ale “Ale” is a term used in past times by Kentish folk to describe a community celebration and that’s what Folk Ale is – a chance for musicians and fans of acoustic music to get together, sing, play, and listen to great music against a backdrop of beautiful Kent countryside. The Pig’s Ear Folk Ale was founded in 2003 by family folk group Pig’s Ear and for many years was run by the Rule family as a members organisation with a number of other loyal volunteers. With the agreement of the previous team a small group of Kent based folk enthusiasts are currently working hard to ensure that the 2022 festival keeps the spirit of previous years, albeit on a different site near to Edenbridge. In addition to the solar and wind powered concert marquee there will be a smaller venue hosting singarounds, playalongs and doubtless some impromptu events. While keeping the folk tradition much loved by Folk Alers the festival will also embrace some new folk, which in itself will become part of the tradition. Morris sides and Maypole dancing will add to the atmosphere, along with the return of the popular country walks. For more details keep an eye on the website (currently being updated), and put the date in the diary for one of the friendliest weekend festivals. 14-17 July 2022.
CD Reviews
Linda Moylan - The Merchant Talking Elephant Records TECD470 This is Linda’s second CD on Talking Elephant Records was produced by Phil Beer and released back in November. Linda is an Irish born singer songwriter but moved to London’s East End in the 1980s. Some of Linda’s songs draw on her Irish roots but others seem to have more of a US Country and blues influence. There are however two traditional tracks on the CD, Black is the Colour and Star of County Down arranged by Linda. Phil Beer adds fiddle and various guitars on many of the tracks and there is also piano on some tracks. Song writing credits are shared with Eamon Gilmore, Ian Montague and Chris Wyatt. The album sleeve includes the words to just two of Linda’s songs, the title track, The Merchant and Old Black Boots. The Craigowl Band - 40 / 50 (KC2021CD) This is one for Scottish Country Dance enthusiasts or for playing loud on New Years eve. The album contains 15 sets of Scottish dance tunes played on two accordions, fiddle, piano, double bass and drums. There are reels, waltzes, Gay Gordons, hornpipes, military two steps, and Highland Scottisches, with titles such as The Highland Wedding, Drummond Castle Laundry, Davie’s Burn, Roses of Prince Charlie, Victoria Hornpipe, Sprig of Ivy and many more. There is also a very nice fiddle solo which includes The Eclipse and Robertson’s Hornpipe. Listening to it took me back to all those New Year’s eve party programmes on TV in the 1970’s and 1980’s. The six piece Cragowl Band formed 40 years ago and recorded this CD to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs. I‘m sure that if you play this album you will end up by jigging around the living room. Gwen Mairi - Douze Noels www.gwenmairi.co.uk This album arrived too late to be reviewed before Christmas but as I’ve been playing it a lot over the festive period I thought I would include it now. The album comprises 12 traditional Basque tunes for the Christmas season arranged and performed on lever harp by Gwen Mairi. Although they are Basque tunes you will recognise one or two of them as traditional carols. The CD was recorded at her home in Glasgow in September 2021 using a Glenelle Harp and supported by Creative Scotland. The collection was published in 1897 but is still fresh today. English translations of the track titles include There was a young virgin, O Christmas night, O Bethlehem, Let’s go Christmas, With the three kings, and, my favourite title, Let the world sing victoriously with joy! I recommend you buy it now ready for next Christmas. Alan Castle (Editor)
Scene & Heard Seasonal greetings to everyone in these rapidly-changing times... by the time you read this three impossible things will have occurred before breakfast and we shall looking forward to spring... As I write the revival of activities is stalled, short notice restrictions a blow to organisers and clubs just getting back on their feet. Orpington’s new venue at Farnborough Social Club has plenty of space, and it was lovely to be back in front of a good audience with the redoubtable Steve Moreham and meet up with Ted Handley, Anne Halford and Keith Halford for real. Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne later stood in for Nick Dow, his collaborator on a number of books published during lockdown and well worth seeking out for new trad material... Ian Petrie and Allan Richardson from Dartford have also been active across the county, their own club successfully introducing mainstream guests at the first opportunity. At Tonbridge Helen North has been welcomed, her bright personality shining through, and Dave Arthur drew on all his experience to present a spellbinding set to a capacity crowd- his previous gig having been C# House! The Faversham Christmas show with Morrigan was a delight, seasonal Wassail and traditional tunes across the centuries, neatly complemented by Kevin Henty’s Sittingbourne carol medley... a genuinely moving experience for all of us who love harmony singing. The session scene is surviving, with Bill Howarth’s East Kent in Canterbury and Mike Wheeler’s at the Market Inn in Faversham to the fore- Travelling Folk’s fortnightly Thursday forays have entertained from Weald to Pembury bringing folk music to pubs and listeners all around. If anyone is aware of more sessions in West Kent we’d be glad to hear of them. Zoomwise the combined Deal/Faversham Fridays contact Sue Watson for details) continue in strength and attract singers from across the world- so also Gavin Atkin’s Sunday fests. Geoff Doel has a folklore/ trad zoom monthly, at which Liz Randall was recently a guest. Mummers are buffing up their plays as I write... Deal is considering reopening for real on Thursday evenings, plans in abeyance until the dust settles; the Drum under Jeff Hartley is active but sadly Alan Austen and Linda Smith tell me that the Travellers’ Rest Club is closing for the foreseeable future- a great shame, many fond memories of sunny and jolly sessions under the North Downs over many years, and thanks to both and the evergreen Sheila Finn for their hard work in keeping it going. I still have the Golden Elephant... I’m sure we all have been saddened to hear of the loss of many singers and musicians across the country whose performances have been the soundtrack of our enjoyment and pleasure. None more so than Peter Collins, who made so much happen from the resurgence of Broadstairs to the wonderful Neptune sessions. An unmistakable presence and rolling bass which underpinned many a harmony, Peter was also one of the kindest towards other singers and organisationally was imbued with ‘can-do’. His funeral was a grand celebration, sadness overcome by the sound of the singing he loved. So for now let’s be looking forward to another revival as circumstances permit... my heartfelt thanks to everyone whose friendship and singing have been such a tonic in 2021, and to all the organisers at Broadstairs, Tenterden and the many, many clubs who have reacted so positively to the 57 varieties of regulation thrown at them with little or no notice. There have been plenty of good memories, as there always are when music triumphs over adversity... bless you all.... for... Comes the turning of the year/ All good men (and women et al ) have duty clear
To bring good luck on the winter drear/ And ride the Hooden Horse... So may our goodwill multiply exponentially! All best wishes to you and yours and see you when the sun shines. Bob Kenward
AKF Postbag Dear Alan, Thank you, just received my copy and duly posted my subscription cheque. Settling down to read I noticed a “typo” in your review of ‘The Fruitfull Fells’ CD and felt this should be rectified in the next issue, as follows:- The album was mainly recorded by Mike WEST (not Ward) at 9th Ward Pickin’ Parlor now in Machynlleth, Wales. As well as being a top quality sound engineer, Mike is a fine musician and songwriter along with Katie Euliss performing as Truckstop Honeymoon. My late partner Trevor Stephenson and I first met Mike and Katie in New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina washed away their home / Pickin’ Parlor in 9th Ward. Relocated to Lawrence, Kansas, in 2008 Mike recorded 3 tracks with Trevor and Al Clark, one of which is on Happy Trails CD ‘ Ain’t No Present Like The Time’ and in 2012 recorded and played along with Katie Euliss,Tricia Spencer, Mike Horan and Nate Craft on Trevor’s final CD ‘Cockney Cowboy’, whilst I took care of their offspring, occasionally called upon to add backing vocals and play my ’ti fer (Cajun triangle for the uninitiated). Finally escaping Trump Land, Mike continues to record and the whole family are fine musicians, touring once more. Kind regards, Nina Taylor.
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 Our provisional programme is: 7th February
Malcolm Ward
21st February 7th March 21st March 4th April
Alan Reid The Pitmatics Milton Hide
Four Gone Confusion
Tel: 01892 822945
info@tonbridgefolkclub.org www.tonbridgefolkclub.org
Singdanceandplay
Farnborough Social Club
6 Pleasant View Pl, Farnborough, Orpington, BR6 7BL FEBRUARY
3rd 10th, 17th, 24th
Geoff Higginbottom Singers & Musicians Night
MARCH
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!
3rd Dave Ellis & Boo Howard 10th, 17th, 24th Singers & Musicians Night 31st Richard Grainger Coming up Jez Lowe, Ian Bruce
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
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”
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 Feb 5 Feb 12 Feb 19 Feb 26 March 5 March 12 March 19 March 26
Open Night Open Night Open Night Open Night Open Night Open Night Open Night Open Night
Email to check Email to check Email to check Email to check Email to check Email to check Email to check Email to check
£3 £3 £3 £3 £3 £3 £3 £3
WORKSHOPS 2022 (10.45 am – 4.45 pm) The tutor performs at the club in the evening. Booking forms from club website. Half-price places for 2 under-25 year-olds. 9 April 30 April 11 June 9 July 23 July 24 July 10 Sept 17 Sept
Rheingans Sisters Fiddle Daoirí Farrell Bouzouki Emmanuel Pariselle & Didier Oliver Gascon trad JIB (Temples & Jim Mageean) Sea songs John Kirkpatrick Tune arranging John Kirkpatrick Vocal harmony Keith Macdonald, Ange Hauck German trad tunes Alistair Anderson Northumbrian tunesmiths Dan Walsh Clawhammer banjo ALISTAIR ANDERSON & DAN WALSH evening 15 Oct Andy Cutting Melodeon Rob Harbron English concertina Sam Sweeney Fiddle LEVERET evening 29 Oct Ben Paley Fiddle 11 Nov Riley Baugus Banjo
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 Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms Name Address
Town Postcode Telephone
FULL WEEKEND TICKETS: Admits holder to all Festival events except Thursday evening concert and camping, which must be booked separately.
EARLY BIRD OFFERS: To 30th April 2022:
Full Weekend Adult £49.00 Youth 10 -16's £24.00 and Under 10’s £5.00 when bought with an adult ticket Caravan / Campervan £20.00 Tent £18.00 THURSDAY EVENING CONCERT: All tickets £11.00 before 30th April 2022
Email Date
Subsequent prices to be announced
Terms and conditions apply Where did you first hear about Tenterden Folk Festival Details of ticket holders (use extra sheet if insufficient room) First name Surname Adult / Under 16
Prices £
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Total £ CAMPING Up to 4 nights from Vehicle No. Prices Total Thursday afternoon to Registration(s) £ £ 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
Peter Collins, 1940-2021 With the passing of Peter Collins at the end of October 2021, the folk scene has lost one of the most widely recognised and best loved figures around Kent’s festivals and clubs. What’s true for Kent will surely go for Sussex too. Peter, who lived most of his long life at Wadhurst, close to the Kent-Sussex border, was a big man in every sense; he had a commanding, musical voice that could comfortably and sweetly range from low Russian bass up to a strong baritone, and a warm heart and a relaxed, genial manner that earned him genuine friends and admirers wherever he went.
Photo by Lewis Brockway
Peter was born in London in 1940, shortly before the Blitz. The eldest of four, he had two brothers and a sister. His father was an RAF pilot, and so the family moved around a lot during his young life: he lived in Singapore, London, and at RAF Wattisham near Stowmarket (where he finished his schooling). Then he studied electronic engineering at Lewisham Technical College and went on to Hong Kong for an apprenticeship with Hong Kong Electric. It was a background that led him to value the humanity of people, whoever they were and wherever they originated. Peter then moved to Sevenoaks, and through their joint involvement in the sport of swimming, met his beloved Maureen shortly before his 19th birthday. Maureen and Peter married in 1963 and were a devoted couple for nearly 60 years: together they had three children, which were followed by grandchildren. It is clear from the tributes online and at the funeral that Peter was very much loved by his family. Many who knew Peter as a singer probably knew Maureen almost as well, for she enjoyed singing events, had a lively sense of humour and enjoyed good company as much as Peter did. In earlier times she would drive so Peter could enjoy a beer or two, while in later times she continued to attend sessions, concerts and club events, even though her rare neurological condition meant Peter had to bring her to events in a wheelchair. The care Peter provided was amazing: he gave Maureen a varied and happy life for as long as it was humanly possible to do so. Maureen passed away in early March 2020, just as the first pandemic lockdown came into force, which meant that a normal funeral ceremony could not be held. Peter’s own funeral ceremony therefore celebrated both of their lives together. The funeral was also notable in other ways. It included several recordings of Peter’s singing, which, if you closed your eyes, transported you immediately to any one of a hundred rooms in which he’d sung. There was also a huge round of applause for the care he provided Maureen over many years. And there was the mighty Hartley Morris chorus, all in kit, singing Little Eyes. The humanist celebrant who led the ceremony must have been amazed…
Even as funerals go it was very moving, even when experienced online. In recent years Maureen and Peter have been regular attenders and Peter has been a greatly valued performer at local clubs, sessions and festivals, including Tonbridge Folk Club, Di and John Cullen’s Junction sessions at Groombridge, Tenterden Folk Festival, and of course our own mixed songs and tunes sessions at Frittenden, Marden and then Brenchley. He’s also been a great supporter of our efforts to revive old local carols – many of the YouTubes we’ve made feature his distinctive, roof-raising tones. Because Peter sang in so many different settings and among so many groups, I invited a range of people to tell me their stories. I couldn’t speak with everyone (there are too many!) and not all my emails led to replies, but I hope I’ve picked up on most of the most important threads of Peter’s activities on the folk scene. Singing in public: the early days When Peter was singing somewhere, if Sussex club and festival organiser, folk magazine editor and radio presenter Vic Smith was in the room, he’d often say: ‘If you don’t like this song, blame Vic Smith because he got me singing.’ Peter and Vic first met at a Morris event. ‘I was dancing with Chactonbury Ring in the mid70s, and Peter was dancing with Royal Borough. We had a joint Morris night and after the dancing there was some singing, and Peter sang well, singing join-in chorus songs. ‘Shortly afterwards, Tina and I played a gig at a folk club at the Calverley Hotel at Tunbridge Wells and Peter was there. I asked him if he was going to sing. He said he didn’t sing at folk clubs, so I said he should. ‘The next time I saw him was at an early Coppersongs folk club event, and I again asked him if he was going to sing that night. Peter mumbled something and said no, but I said: “Come on, you’ll be fine.” ‘So he did sing, and he had quite an impact. ‘Bob Copper loved him. I’d encouraged him, but getting such a warm reception from Bob gave him a big boost. After that he was a regular at Copper family events and singing sessions in the area, notably those where you would hear the older generation of Sussex singers, such as George Belton, Bob Copper, Sandra Goddard, Gordon and Mabs Hall, Bob Lewis, Ron Spicer and Cyril Phillips. ‘At one time this group were singing regularly in as many as three pubs: The Fountain in Ashworth, the Central Club at Peacehaven and the Ram at Firle.’ Di and John Cullen first came to know Peter in around 1974-75, when he was just beginning his folk club and festival singing career. John put it this way: ‘He’d done a lot of singing with his family around the piano and with rugby clubs, but he hadn’t done any public solo singing or singing in clubs until around that time. ‘He used to get nervous, but once he began singing in clubs, he just took off: he got very much involved with the Copper Family sings but he was also very involved with the Calverley Hotel sessions when they started in Tunbridge Wells, along with Geoff Evans and Malcolm Ward. ‘Soon after we met him, Peter quickly learned a number of Cyril Tawney’s songs and then in later years sang songs written by various friends, including Barry and Ingrid Temple, John Hislop, Graham Miles and others. Peter made his songs very much his own, but as Di emphasises: ‘The songwriters really loved him singing their material.’
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The truth is that Peter was wide in his musical taste; he sang some jazz and Tin Pan Alley, and of course sang with Tony and Jane Petto as The Big Pettos, an act that included some American material. ‘We came to know Peter better when we were minstrelling at Mediaeval banquets with some of the people from Royal Borough Morris; we did them at the George at Rye for quite a number of years, and the Blue Boar in Leicester Square. Peter did a lot of the singing for those events. ‘In the early 80s, we went on to perform in a show with him about hopping at the Oast Theatre. Afterwards Peter would go round old people’s homes singing songs from the production, and was delighted by the way those people related to the songs written for it.’ ‘His heart was as big as his voice, and if he decided to give you a man-hug, it was the biggest, most enveloping and sometimes the longest man-hug you’d ever known.’ A lot of people would agree! Royal Borough Morris and Hartley Morris Dave Hankey was a founding member of mixed side Royal Borough Morris in the early-mid 70s. ‘Peter joined a little later and very quickly became our squire, says Dave. ‘He was a larger than life character with a big voice and was an obvious person for the role, and as it turned out he was a great squire. ‘In the early days when we danced on the Pantiles we used to get huge crowds. Peter was a star in the pub afterwards too. ‘We would sit and play our tunes and people would be polite, but really they would ignore us. But if Pete stood up and sang, they’d listen. Peter had an amazing voice and charisma.’ But there was more to come: Peter became a dance caller. ‘I think it was in 76 or 77 that we took part in the Tunbridge Wells Carnival and finished off dancing on the Pantiles, when Pete suddenly turned round and said “Let’s get some of the audience in to do a dance.” ‘So we did and people joined in, and it went down extremely well. Someone suggested should do this more often and so we formed the Royal Borough Dance Band. Pete was our caller for 14-15 years.’ ‘Pete’s passion was singing and, while Royal Borough was a great club of friends who had started the Morris, we weren’t really singers. But Hartley Morris certainly were singers, and so Peter spent more and more time with them, and finally drifted over to Hartley in the early 90s. The Udimore Bell Ringers Local musician and dancer, and ex-Royal Borough squire, Sue Evans took part in yet another of Peter’s activities: ringing hand-bells. In around 1978, Royal Borough members Sally and Colin Herriot were together with Peter in a pub at Udimore when they were invited to take up hand bell ringing by a local couple Ernie and Alice Stevens. ‘Ernie was a lovely old boy,’ says Sue. ‘He was a drover and knew all the ponds between Udimore and London.’ Sally, Colin and Peter agreed, and one day Ernie turned up with 36 bells in a sack. The bells had been in Ernie’s family since 1908. From that time, Ernie and Alice played the bottom and the top of the treble bells, while Sally played the middle range and Peter and Colin played the lower range. ‘The biggest bell is only middle C on a piano, but it’s enormous!’ says Sue.
Ernie started them off by teaching them carols based on old written out notation, and the bell ringing outings started. ‘We did lots of performances. It was fun, particularly at Christmas. Peter made boxes for the bells, and renotated the music so it was more readable, and found someone to tune them and renew the leathers, and he and I wrote out new versions of carols.’ Recording Always a man who enjoyed using technical gadgets, Peter was interested in recording and recorded Photo by Gavin Atkin a number of local singers including Phil and Kay Burkin, Hartley Morris, Sandra Goddard and Bob Lewis and Mike Nicholson, as well as his own singing. Recordings of Peter’s singing can be found on his Soundcloud page, https://soundcloud. com/oldtimepete , and some lovely recordings he made of Bob Lewis can be found on the Sussex Traditions website https://sussextraditions.org/ . In recent times, when the pandemic forced Tenterden Folk Festival to go online, Peter took care of the technical side of editing performers’ contributions together to create online concerts, and in the case of Hastings singing group Rattlebag, made videos of their performances. The singer who was everywhere Peter was a star in Kent and Sussex, but he was also well known across England, often on his own and sometimes with Tony and Jane Petto as The Big Pettos. His connections with Broadstairs regulars Victory Morris were very strong and Peter often attended singing weekends in the West Country. He also made many trips to the North East, where he was friendly with the singing family The Wilsons, and of course Ingrid and Barrie Temple. And he also attended the well-known Whittlebury singing weekends, many of which he also recorded. Tenterden Festival organiser Alan Castle worked with Peter for many years, and admired the way he travelled around making connections. ‘With Pete, he made really good friends all over the country by performing at events. He was one of those people who managed to click with people everywhere.’ It was a skill that kept him busy with invitations and gigs. Another singer that enjoyed attending singing events and picked up lots of gigs that way was Mike Nicholson. Mike met Peter at the Whittlebury song and ale in the late 80s and ran into him at events from time to time. But then came a change: ‘When we moved to Sussex in the early 90s, he turned up on my work doorstep and welcomed me to Sussex.’ ‘We saw a lot of each other through singing. I found that if I heard there was a good session, I’d turn up, and find out that Pete was there.’ Chris Skinner and Jim Glover have been particularly close Sussex
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friends of Peter’s. Both spoke at the funeral, and the story Jim told about meeting Peter for the first time some 30 years ago was perhaps a typical first encounter. At the time Jim was very new to singing at clubs and as he finished his song, Peter came up, gave him and enormous hug and said: ‘Hello, I’m Peter and I liked your song.’ No doubt Peter also gave him a huge beaming smile and one of his distinctive giggles. After Maureen passed away, Peter planned to do a great deal more travelling and singing; he’d had his knees fixed and bought a small camper van for the purpose. But when the pandemic made that impossible or unwise, he joined Zooms all over the country, and beyond in Ireland and the USA – and at many of them he was accompanied by a lovely new puppy, Rowan. It seems such a tragedy that he has been taken from us at a time when he was still very much full of life and plans, despite his age. Broadstairs Folk Week and the Neptune’s Hall singarounds When I first arrived with the Kingsmen Sword Dancers at Broadstairs Folk Week in 1978, I recall that Peter was already running lunchtime singing sessions in the Neptune’s Hall, and that on our day off from dancing we were advised that joining his singaround would be the best fun we could find that day - and so it turned out. Looking back, one might think this was quite early in Peter’s public singing career, but already the role fitted him like a glove. Peter’s friendly manner, his great voice and his obvious delight at running a good singaround were all important to the formula. And even though he wasn’t long into his folk scene career, his experience with rugby clubs, Morris sings and singarounds in Kent and Sussex had prepared him well for leading the Neptune sings. In the mid-90s, Peter and Dave Hughesman together took over the running of the festival for a couple of years, and wisely he called on his accountant friend Mike Nicholson for advice. ‘Peter got me down because he knew I had some skill with figures,’ says Mike. ‘We had a meeting and with the treasurer and went down to the pub afterwards. ‘It was losing money and I remember saying my professional advice is don’t touch it with a bargepole, but I know you’re not going to listen to me so this is what you must do.’ ‘When they did take it on, Peter asked me if I’d like to perform at the festival and that is how I started going. ‘Later when Peter was working in the Ukraine and couldn’t run the Neptune session, I was asked to run the Neptune session for two or three years. ‘Then when Peter came back we started doing it together. Neptune singing regular and past chairman of Broadstairs Folk Week Dave Ellis recalls meeting Peter at the festival in about 1975, when the practice was to meet at the Neptune’s Hall before retiring to the Retort House in the car park for late night singing. ‘When Marge and Kevin Wiltcher took over the pub, we started singing in the public bar on Friday nights, and in Folk Week, this became every night, mixed with tunes from various musicians. ‘As time went by, the singers and musicians separated, with singers staying in the Neptune’s Hall and tunes players going over the road to the Barnaby Rudge. ‘The singers were then led by Peter, with support from Hartley Morris and a singer called Allan Craig. The lunchtime sessions drew so many in, it became the focal point for singers
at the festival. ‘There was no great programme, just a big man with a big heart and a huge knowledge of songs. Peter Collins was an inspiration to so many, encouraging them to sing their songs, without embarrassment and with gusto. Thank You Peter.’ Current Broadstairs Folk Week organiser Jo Tuffs is awed by the challenge of replacing Peter’s role in running the Neptune singing sessions. ‘We’ve been saying that you can’t replace someone like him, not after he’s been in the Neptune running those singarounds for forty years. They will continue, but it’ll take a bit of time and it’s not going to be simple. The Neptune sessions are an event within an event, with people coming for miles to be part of them. ‘They knew that with him in charge, they would be in safe hands, that the sessions would be fair and that good people would be given a chance to shine. It’s a skill and not everybody has it. ‘We also have to work out how to celebrate everything he did for next year’s festival.’ A summing up I’ve mentioned that Chris Skinner and Jim Glover of Sussex were close friends of Peter’s. I think of all the thoughts and words I’ve heard from so many people, Jim probably put it best when he said: ‘Peter loved so many things. Most of all his family, Maureen so very sadly missed, Becky, Matt, Liz and his grandchildren. He also loved his friends, his singing, the Morris, cooking, good food and drink, photography, gadgets, gardening, flowers, birds and other wildlife, and most recently his dog Rowan. ‘So many things that you can say that he loved life. He believed in people, looked for the best in them and found it.’ Gavin Atkin
Photo by Gavin Atkin
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