Around Kent Folk issue 115 February / March 2023

kent folk

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.

Welcome to issue 115 February/March 2023 issue of Around Kent Folk

I’m writing this editorial in that period between Christmas and the New Year so I hope it is not too late to wish you all a happy and successful 2023. It is now five years since I took over as editor of AKF and issue 85 for February / March 2018 was the first full issue I compiled following the sad deaths of both Bob and Kathy Drage in 2017. Since then, a lot has changed on the local folk scene, mostly as a result of the loss of important local figures and of course the closure of pubs and folk clubs during the Covid pandemic and the financial crisis. Some degree of normality has return with most clubs reopened but many of these are still struggling with reduced audiences and higher costs. This of course also affects AKF with less advertisers and increased production and postage cost. Therefore I am hoping 2023 will be the year when the folk scene can return to normal and I can start publishing more good news. Sue Watson tells us that plans are in hand for Deal Folk Club to re-start soon. The website will be updated when arrangements are finalised so keep an eye on AKF and on www. dealfolkclub.org.uk. Tenterden Folk Festival celebrates it’s 30th anniversary this year so we hope to make it an extra special event if funding and support is forthcoming. Chippenham Folk Festival, which is popular with many people from our region, celebrates 50 years this year. I openly admit that Chippenham is my favourite festival (after Tenterden!) and I have managed to attend it most years since I stumbled on the original Lacock Folk Festival while staying with my grandparents in Marlborough in the 1970s. I believe Broadstairs Folk Week has reached its crowdfunding target and is already well advanced with plans for August. If you have got some good news about your folk song club, dance club, session, Morris side, venue, band, etc. please let us know at akf@tenterdenfolkfestival.org.uk.

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

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: Malcolm Ward

Malcolm Ward

Malcolm Barrett Ward, or Malcolm, or plain Malc to his friends was born on 4th May 1942 and passed on 6th December 2022.

Hailing originally from the village of Kingsthorpe just outside of Northampton (the same village where close-contemporary comic actress Lesley Joseph grew up), he became an apprentice with the local East Midlands Electricity Board after he left school. This set him on a career path that would eventually see him move to the Oxted in Surrey in 1967 to join the SouthEast equivalent, SeeBoard where he was to meet with the late Pete Collins who was instrumental in introducing him to the worlds of folk music and the Morris.

Malc married Christine in September 1966 and children Andrew (1969) and Sarah (1972) soon followed. Throughout this time and indeed throughout childhood, he had been active in the Scouting movement, working his way from Wolf Cubs up through Scouts and Senior Scouts to pack leader before he and Christine founded a new group in Greens Norton and then eventually being appointed as Assistant District Commissioner in East Surrey. Only the demands of a young family and having to be on-call for his job saw him leave Scouting in 1975.

In addition to being a resident at the Tonbridge Folk Club since 2009, he had been involved with the Travelling Folk from at least the early-mid 90s and had been a staunch supporter of Broadstairs Folk Week from the early days. He was often to be seen and heard in the Neptune singaround and the shanties under the shelter at the end of the Jetty. He was one of those who stepped into the breach when the original committee resigned in 1995, and Pete Collins and Dave Hughesman took on the running. He acted as Chair until 1997 and then spent a further year on the committee.

Malc also had two other festivals close to his heart; Tenterden and the Harwich International Shanty festival where he had been involved from the beginning – or before then if you include his time with the pre-cursor at nearby Walton-On-The-Naze. In 2021, whilst sharing a drop of whisky after the Tenterden shanty session, and by then having accepted that the odds of beating the cancer that had already robbed him of one eye were minimal, he told me that as long as he could get through that weekend and the following one in Harwich, then he’d be content. We had the same conversation this year too but by then we both knew that he wasn’t going to be on any drug trial and he had, I felt, resolved to face the disease on his own terms, without debilitating treatment so he could maximise the remaining time he had with his family. Our chat took place in his caravan which also seemed to house an archive of songs he had learned, where he first came across them and anything else of related interest. One in particular that springs to mind was a newspaper cutting regarding the transportation of a baby Grand piano to an Amazonian tribe along the Essequibo River. Of course, this was only the latest incarnation of his caravan since, as he also told me, an earlier one had once been completely demolished in a traffic incident in Italy (not his fault!) resulting in the local police having to come to the rescue...

Following Tenterden, Malcolm only made it to a couple more practice sessions with the Ravensbourne Morris Men who he had joined in the Spring of 1992 having previously danced alongside Pete Collins with Royal Borough of Tunbridge Wells since 1976. As well as holding the office of Squire for a time, Malc also acted as our liaison point for our biannual trips to our twin town of Neuwied in Germany where we would perform at their Deichstadtfest and held the position of side Archivist keeping the records of Ravensbourne dating back to our founding in 1947.

He was very much a talented and key member of our group of musicians, and for about the last decade or so was our lead musician. He had a marvellous recollection of how dances had been performed by previous incarnations of the side which was immensely helpful when we came to resurrect dances after some years of abeyance, and more than one Foreman has had him to thank. We knew that practice had gone well if Malcolm declared that our efforts had been “distinctively average, gentlemen” but he didn’t suffer fools gladly and woe-betide anyone trying to race ahead of the music with their sticking on a dance like Constant Billy, Headington. Not only was he at the heart of the practice sessions, but also our weekly dance-outs and particularly our après-morris singing sessions. Ravensbourne are a keen singing side, and Malcolm could be relied upon to supply both rousing chorus songs and solo numbers often accompanying himself on the concertina. In the pub he often had a story to tell and would never knowingly turn down the offer of a pint especially if it was Harvey’s Best. As a relative newcomer to the folk world, I found him generous with his time in explaining some of the etiquette and helping me try songs I might not otherwise have attempted.

He leaves a Malcolm-shaped hole in many people’s lives and will be sorely missed by the friends and family who remain behind.

Christopher Bearfoot Fool, Ravensbourne Morris Men

FOLK AT THE DRUM

The club meets every Monday evening at The Drum Inn, Stanford, Stone Street (TN25 6DN), between Canterbury and Hythe, from 7 till 10pm.

If you enjoy playing or listening to acoustic music of all types (folk, blues, country, rock, etc), you are very welcome to join us in the function room of the pub for a relaxed and entertaining evening.

Nominal £2 entry fee. For more information, contact Jeff on 01303 813188

Tonbridge Folk Club (Nellie’s)

Ye Olde Chequers Inn, 122 High Street, Tonbridge, TN9 1AS

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

6 February Dave Ellis & Boo Howard Dave’s playing blends beautifully with Boo’s superb vocals to give a truly lovely sound

20 February Dick Miles

Dick is a fine exponent of traditional song, sung acapella or accompanied by concertina or banjo. 6 March Alan Reid 20 March Steve Turner 3 April Martin Ledner

Tel: 01892 822945 info@tonbridgefolkclub.org www.tonbridgefolkclub.org

• Julie and Gavin Atkin sing and play mainly trad material Julie is a fine singer with a repertoire of songs about women’s lives, while Gav is a multiinstrumentalist, a sensitive accompanist and has a large collection of story songs and dance tunes

• Our first and third Sunday night Zoom sessions are friendly and fun, and we get some great performers. If you’d like to join us, drop us a line!

• Gavin runs twice-monthly tunes-playing meetings with Goudhurst U3A on Mondays. Email for details

• The Tonic barn dance and ceilidh band: ‘A great band – music that makes you want to get up and dance! So good that we book them every year!’ John Sweeney, dance organiser and caller

Julie and Gavin Atkin

CD Reviews

Annie Ball, Bronwen Davies-Jones, Gareth DaviesJones and Katie Tertell - Howay the Lasses – Vol 1 Self release

This interesting albums features 10 newly written songs each of which is named after and about an important woman from North East England. The artists come from diverse musical backgrounds. Annie, from Northumberland, is a classically trained professional concert pianist with a folk background and works in London. Bronwen is a singer-songwriter from Newcastle Upon Tyne with a background in musical theatre and community arts, while her father Gareth is a touring singsongwriter who has released four solo albums and specialises in songs about the history of the North East. Katie comes from the USA but is now a professional cellist living in Northumberland. The songs on the album tell the stories of mathematician Janet Taylor, artist and animator Sheila Graber who is best known for Paddington Bear, Fiona Hill who became a presidential advisor in Washington, while the title track is a tribute to all the “lasses” who have done so much to change the world for the better. The album is unusually presented in a stiff 15cm square envelope that opens up into a large sheet featuring a picture of the artists. There is also a stiff booklet with all the words to the songs and stories told on the album. A very interesting and enjoyable album.

Alan Castle (Editor)

Scene & Heard

As I write the first snows are thawing, with a promise of balmy heat for the reindeer. I’ve given up making long-term plans and predictions- can 2023 be any odder than last year? Probably…

Not much seen and heard personally through September as, like many others, a sudden loss of voice kept me from pubs, clubs and sessions. However, guest nights seem to be reviving yet around the county, with a little bird telling me that Deal might also go live in January- watch out for details. Hunter Muskett were active across the county- a trio now, still with the ebullience that cheers. The Shake Me Up Sally combo has been making cameo appearances in addition to their individual gigs- always interesting when wider horizons are tackled with three voices in harmony. Revellers’ delights Morrigan were out in full rig, their Ightham Moat and Rochester Dickens freeze-up festival appearances generating real snow… thanks guys…

Some guests necessarily called off at short notice, especially if travelling from distance- it’s worth reporting that John Kirkpatrick made an icy journey from Shropshire to Faversham, arriving 15 minutes before the club began, and delivered a truly memorable couple of winter/|Christmastide sets with his customary panache. A true professional who fully involves his audience- every song but one had some active participation, from full chorus to catch-lines to music and movement!

I’ve received many interesting comments regarding chorus singing… pretty well all favourable to the piece a couple of issues ago. There have always been many strands to folk, from grass-roots gatherings to huge-stage festival congregations- we all select as we feel at the time, indeed as we feel comfortable these days. Personally I’ve gone for sessions where there is a mixture of content and styles, shanties, mixed instruments, and anyone who’s heard Jerry Jordan or Sue Watson would make space for solo song. At the heart, though, I have greater sympathy for folksong as a recreation, as I imagine it used to be: a gathering of friends at the end of a working day, rather than a business. Quite a few agree, I’ve found; the best performers are those who capture that atmosphere even when playing to hundreds. Ralph McTell’s concert in T Wells was wonderful.

Quick trips to Black Diamond in Birmingham and Chichester Club’s 60th demonstrated how strong the smaller clubs’ residents can be, and good to record that they too are finding numbers up. Always good to venture afield… it was the Chi club’s welcome 48 years ago which switched me on to traditional song, for which heartfelt thanks… Tom Lehrer’s words come to mind (check them out as he’s put them on the net free of copyright)… you should never have let me begin…

A real sadness to report the passing of Malcolm Ward, one of Kent’s most fascinating characters. I came to know him through the Beacon

and Tunbridge Wells sessionals and Broadstairs festival. He was always ready with a shanty or ballad, a traditional song, a monologue, a selection of WW1 authentic lyrics or the conclusion to the Last Night of the Proms. His fine voice he matched with a variety of concertinas which brought out the passion behind his committed delivery. It is little known that Tom Brown used him as an exemplar among other regional singers, pointing out Malcolm’s expressive qualities. A raconteur, a reservoir of questionable punchlines, he enlivened sessions like Woodshed and Travelling Folk with great glee. We shall miss him greatly. More to come from all who knew him.

This years Sweeps festival runs from Saturday 29th April till Monday 1st May with an array of bands, singers, musicians and dancers descending on Rochester for a weekend of colour, fun and celebrations of traditional folk music centred around the recreation of the chimney sweeps processions of Victorian times.

The Castle Gardens plays host to Sur Les Docks from France, Galician singers and dancers, the Fabulous Fezheadsa and all female shanty group, The Silver Darlings, amongst others while stages at Boley Hil, the City Wall, teh Crown and Eastgate Quarter have an extensive programmes over the weekend.

Pubs will also host music and the usual Gordon Hotel marquee will have evening concerts including a special Loins with the Dredgermen event celebrating the music of Chris Broderick. Sur Les Docks will play a pre festival gig at this venue on Friday 28th April. Rochester Sweeps Festival is sponsored by Medway Council and all events are free. Known Kent Festival dates for 2023 are Sweeps 29 April- 1 May; Pigs Ear 14-17 July; Chickenstock 27-30 July; Broadstairs: 11-18 Aug; Tenterden 5-8 October.

All best wishes for 2023 to singers, musicians, dancers, festival organisers, volunteers, and those who come along for the fun of it.

Bob Kenward

A VISIT FROM OLD MICK, ALAS

T’was the morn after New Year, and all through the house Every creature was stirring, but one lazy louse Back home late from The Sloop Inn, some more I would sleep Though my first resolution, I’d just failed to keep

The kids shrieking and screaming, all fresh from their beds Whilst diabolical demons all danced in my head Stockings too were hung over, but back of the chair That’s the last time I go there in Fancy Dress wear

Young Kane playing ‘Battlefield’, on Surround TV Why did we get Madeleine that Sabbath CD? The Viennese music compounded the din As the wretched Zanussi then reached ‘rinse and spin’

On our front lawn arrived an Outlander Sleigh I knew we should have widened our narrow driveway I staggered to the window, no more I could bear I tore open the chintz so, and threw up out there

We’re taught only teetotallers, this day don’t feel sick So I knew in a moment, it was my mate Mick To the white world was added some new fallen snow Plus the lustre of carrots, on snow flakes below

More rapid than liver salts, Mick’s caustics then came As he shouted such insults, and called me such names I’d forgotten until then, that we did agree Mark New Years whilst we still can, with dips in the sea

The drive hardly did impress, whilst hurtling to Hythe As I clung on like grim death, to wobbly insides My revised resolution to ban beer and brandy Corpse Revivers, Old Cubans, and Drambuie Shandy

From the shore, the French coastline was lost in snowstorms All the penguins had coats on, to keep themselves warm I saw icebergs then looming, the sea was so cold The ice crusted waves truly did break as they rolled

Whilst Mick donned his wet ski suit, the highest of spec Me just tartan-print Speedos, to keep things in check As we swam in the cold there, I found my head cleared Though not just my hangover by then disappeared

I know some walk the fell paths, the cobwebs to blow And some people join Health Clubs, just why I don’t know The best cure for malady’s a dip in the ocean Which restores your balance whilst your assets are frozen.

Jerry Crossley 2019.

December - January

Yes, Faversham Folk Club is open every Wednesday, 8 pm til 1030... we welcome performers and audience to our popular Singers’ Nights. On Guest nights, floor spots are welcomed by M/Cs if you arrive soon enough. A warm welcome is always available at The Limes!

1 Feb Edwina Hayes - Zoom favourite Edwina has many fine solo songs, some with Nashville influence from her experience there... truly engaging and full of warmth. She also covers a wide range of contemporary issues adeptly band entertainingly. £8/9

22 Feb Four Gone Confusion - The Fab Four (John & Di Cullen, Pete & Brenda Storer) bring their exquisite blend of harmony and high-class guitar... with eclectic song selections and oodles of charm... always a lovely evening. £7/8

8 Mar Lynne Heraud & Pat Turner - More harmony and original songs from Faversham favourites- be prepared to be surprised at glorious traditional ballads morphing into music hall and deeply moving insights. Not to be missed. £8/9

22 Mar Paul Downes - A stalwart of the folk scene, wholehearted singer and fine guitarist, Paul returns to explore and interpret traditional song in his own irrepressible style. £8/9

Coming soon: 19 Apr Si Barron 26 Apr Jackie Oates... others TBA

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!

Sussex Folk News

Starting in the West of the county this time and with Chichester Folk Club which meets every Monday at the Chichester Inn at 38 West Street. They have a tune session to start at 7.45 and the singing starting after a ½ hour of tunes. This is a club that has been lucky enough to be supported by good range of regular singers so they only book guests one a month. This means that there will be what they call ‘Club Night Singarounds’ on February 6 & 27 and on March 6, 20 & 27th. That leaves three other Mondays,; on Monday 13th February, they will be having one of their occasional theme evenings with “Valentines” as the theme. The two guest nights in this period are both experienced and established performers from the West Country; Jim Causley from Devon and Reg Meuross from Somerset.

Jim comes back to Chichester on February 20th and will entertain with mainly traditional songs accompanied on accordion and piano. He grew up in a wassailing village not far from Sidmouth Folk Festival and sang with Wren Music before heading to Newcastle University to study on their then brand new degree course in Folk & Traditional Music. He rose to prominence singing with The Devil’s Interval and Mawkin:Causley as well as touring with Waterson:Carthy and David Rotheray. In recent years, his work has focused on his musical settings of poems by his relative Charles Causley, penning his own songs and reviving lost gems from his home county. Three fine albums in recent years reflect his love of the songs of Devon.

Reg has been captivating audiences with his beautiful tenor voice, and with breadth and depth of material that is unparalleled. Reg has toured extensively for decades across the UK, Europe, North America and the Antipodes masterfully accompanying himself on his ‘44 Martin six-string guitar, harmonica, tenor guitar, banjo and dulcimer. Witnessing a Reg Meuross performance is to experience a journey into the heart, soul and songs of one of England’s most celebrated writers. Stories that need to be told; struggles that need to be known; injustice that needs to be uncovered; social conscience that needs to be celebrated – his music has an unrivalled power to reach and move the listener. After 14 criticallyacclaimed albums, Reg continues to prove how highly relevant his songs are, whilst reaching new audiences with consistently spellbinding performances. Sunday nights are when the Horsham folk club meets at their long-term home at the Normandy Centre in Denne Road. Horsham West Sussex. RH12 1JF They have a varied programme for these months

Two of their regular singers are featured on 5th March Sylvia Akagi and Peter Golden will be joined at odd intervals by joint and several members of the folk club to bring you what they describe as “a varied evening of entertainment, from the sublime to the cor blimey, from spoken to electric - but tastefully done.” Then the following Sunday it will be one their popular “Song & Dance” evenings with the singing interspersed with dances led by their own callers and musicians.

Sunday 19th February sees a return of a popular and regularly visiting duo of Dave Ellis & Boo Howard, With Boo’s wonderful voice and Dave’s stunning song writing and guitar playing, they are always classy, imaginative and engaging On 26th February it’s Ben & Dom who are a singing duo from South London. Ben takes the high notes and Dom takes the low notes (most of the time). The intricate blend of their harmonies comes from a close friendship and shared love of singing together. Ben & Dom weave their voices around songs old and new, performing original material alongside new interpretations of folk songs.

Their first meeting in March on 5th is an Open floor night before they welcome one of the best known names on the folk scene on 12th *Pete Coe has had more than 50 years of

music making on the English folk scene. His contributions include traditional song research, song writing in traditional style, the founding of several seminal bands (the founder member and visionary force behind The New Victory Band, Bandoggs and Red Shift) plus solo and duo performances, dance calling, recording, field research, local folk activism in Ryburn Three Step and teaching at various levels. Together with his wife, Sue, he received the Gold Badge Award from the English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS) in 2016 for their outstanding contributions to folk dance, music or song. On 19th there is another Open Stage before they take the club out of its comfort zone on 26th with Buffo’s Wake. I’ll give you part of their self-description – “Buffo’s Wake is a twelve-legged beast, hatched in the murky backwater of Brighton, UK. Armed with accordions, violins and a bucket full of gusto they waltz, tango, mosh and kolo their way through a vast array of influences from Eastern European, Balkan and Russian folk, to punk rock and cabaret, telling tales of debauchery, deformity, zombies, incest and anatomy.” Something for everybody, then. Unlike the previous two clubs, Eastbourne folk club meets fortnightly at the Lamb on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. Both the first Wednesdays are Open Nights in this period which leaves two guest nights to mention. On 13th February, it will be Brooks Williams. Born in Statesboro, Georgia, this US-born guitarist singer and songwriter has been making his name over here, based in Cambridge; well, America’s loss is England’s gain for this performer is admired by both listeners and fellow musicians, and has been a leading light on the acoustic music scene for three decades. “He was playing Americana before it had been given the name.” Certainly, this is an excellent night in prospect. Then on 15th March it’s Anna Bass and Ray Taylor. They have been performing together since 2009, After touring with the band Two Coats Colder, Anna and Ray have been together both musically and romantically since around 2009. Both are equally at home on large/small stages, folk clubs and house concerts, with sets that includes a few of their own better known Two Coats Colder songs, some newly written material plus some loved folky covers of their favourite artists, such as, Karine Polwart, Mike Silver, Anthony John Clark, Tom Paxton, Joan Baez etc.

The Lewes Saturday night folk club meets at the Elephant & Castle and they have a strong programme in February. On the 4th it will be relative newcomers Dove’s Vagaries They are Sarah Pavey & Chris Evans sing & play melodeon, flute, Anglo concertinas, guitar, pipes, drum & the exotic Hulusi (Chinese gourd flute). They perform an entertaining mixture of Playford-era & music hall songs & tunes. Then on the 11th it’s a return of old favourites of the club, Pepoers Ghost Magic Lantern Show which brings Victorian Magic Lantern slides illustrated by songs, tunes & readings from Rene Marriott, Charlotte Oliver (voice, concertina, melodeon) & Richard Spong (fiddle, mandolin, guitar, voice) not forgetting Alan Marriott which is the lantern master

On 18th it will be Andy Turner who fine singing of traditional English songs is admired throughout the south of England. He sings these songs and plays tunes on concertina and melodeon with great style then on 25th February it will be local heroes The Twagger Band. They play English & Scottish traditional music & songs with a few excursions abroad from Joy Lewis (voice, hammer dulcimer, harp) Derrick Hughes (whistles, Northumbrian pipes, serpent, voice) Sue Evans (hammer dulcimer, English concertina, voice) Ian Chisholm (guitar, mandolin, voice) & Will Duke (Anglo concertina, voice)

WEBSITES FOR FOLK CLUBS

MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE - and it is always a good idea to check that details haven’t been changed since this article was written : -

CHICHESTER - https://www.chifolksongclub.co.uk/ HORSHAM - http://www.horshamfolkclub.co.uk/

EASTBOURNE - https://lambfolkclub.co.uk/ LEWES - http://www.lewessaturdayfolkclub.org/indexLSFC.html

Vic Smith

Editor’s note – Pete Coe has just been announced as a guest at

CD Reviews

David Carroll and Friends - Bold Reynolds Talking Elephant Records TECD483

For the purposes of this impressive CD, David Carroll’s friends are Brian Gulland, Dave Oberle, Graeme Taylor, Chris Leslie, Dave Pegg, Lucy Cooper and Tom Spencer. The nine tracks include The Last Leviathan, Follow me up to Carlow, Poor Murdered Women, Banks of the Nile, She moved through the fair, High Barbaree, Poor man’s sorrow, The battle, and Gentleman of high renown. Vocals are taken not only by David, but also by Brian, Dave, Chris and Leslie and all the vocals are clear and precise. The start of the first track is rather misleading, but it soon moves into a more traditional sounding mode. With such a great lineup of musicians and variety of instruments from fiddle, pipes, guitar, bass, bassoon, church organ and more spread across the tracks there is plenty of variety but the overall sound remains very traditional. Both the CD cover and small booklet are black and white but manage to contain all the information you need about the lineup and tracks and all the words to the songs. This is David Carroll’s first album and one that I will be playing for a long time.

The Carrivick Sisters - Illustrated Short Stories Carravicks CD10

The seventh album from Charlotte and Laura features performances of 12 original songs. Both sisters provide vocals while Charlotte adds guitar, banjo and mandolin and Laura dobro, guitar, lap style guitar and fiddle and they have no need for any additional guest musicians. The style is a mix of English folk and Americana. Many of the songs tell the stories of Westcountry legends. The opening track “In the Odstock Churchyard” tells the story of a curse on a church near Salisbury. Other tracks include “The Gorge” which relates a horseback chase and a jump over a wide gorge; “War Games” tells of a worried mother and a boy playing at soldiers and “Sally in the Wood” of a woman mourning a missing child. This is another interesting and enjoyable album with some great singing and musicianship.

Alan Castle (Editor)

the 30th Tenterden Folk Festival

CD Reviews

Rattlebag - Five Four Silver

Rattlebag are a five piece a cappella harmony group from Hastings who deserve to be more widely known. They are mainly to be heard around the folk clubs, sing-a-rounds and festivals of Sussex and Kent and have played the free music stage and concerts at Tenterden Folk Festival. Rattlebag are Judy Atkinson, Faith Brooker, Lynne Heffernan, Emily Chambers and Sian Hayward. On this CD they sing a variety of traditional and more contemporary folk songs such My Johnny was a Shoe Maker, Magpie, Lizzie Lavender, Close the Coalhouse Door, Bring us a Barrel and the Cornish Farewell Shanty. Their style ranges from the quiet and gentle to the more robust but is always clear and precise. The 13 varied tracks on this excellent CD hold your attention and entertain you throughout, which is hard to do with an a cappella album. Another CD well worth adding to your collection.

The Tonic - Feeling Better

The Tonic is a four piece concert and barn dance band comprising Julie & Gavin Atkin from Kent and Ollie & Malcolm Woods from Essex and have been playing together for 10 years. You may have seen them playing for barn dances or at a music session at Tenterden Folk Festival and at other venues across South East England. This album clearly illustrates the range and style of their music which is mainly traditional English song and dance music. The CD was recorded and mastered by Gavin and is of a professional standard and the CD cover includes detailed source notes on all the songs and tunes. Julie features on piano, Ollie on percussion, Malcolm on melodeon, and Gavin on fiddle and melodeons and they all feature on vocals. Tracks range from Raking the Hay to Frankie and Johnny, taking in The Seven Stars / Up the Sides and Down the Middle and William Brown. The sound on this CD put me in mind of the traditional bands of the times gone by such as the great Flowers and Frolics. Highly recommended.

Alan Castle (Editor)

Day of the Wolf

by Bob Watson With feeling; not too fast © COPYRIGHT 1989 ROM Watson 9 Compton Close, Earley, READING, RG6 7EA watson.bob@tiscali.co.uk

Words & Music

Day of the Wolf

G D C G

1. I roved through the wilds and the woodlands, once when this old world was new,

G D C G

And the day of the wolf was at hand then, all creatures would give me their due;

G G7 C G Em Am – D7

I sang with my kin on a cold winter’s night, to the pale Hunger Moon upon high,

G D C G

While man lived in fear of the darkness outside, & he shivered when he heard the wolf cry

D D7 G

He shivered when he heard the wolf cry.

2. We lived by the laws of the Great One, that man was too proud to obey, He was driven by his greeds and ambitions, destroyed all that stood in his way; And for me there was nothing but hatred he felt, and in many’s the legend & the lie, He poisoned the minds of his children so they would shiver when they heard the wolf cry, Would shiver when they heard the wolf cry.

3. Take a look at this world all around you, man’s doings are plainly displayed, The laws of the Great One are broken, for that soon a price must be paid; Man’s torn down the wilds & the woodlands as well, & he’s poisoned the earth & the sky, And there stands his fair one all wrapped up in furs, still she shivers when she hears the wolf cry, Still she shivers when she hears the wolf cry.

4. Now the wilds where I wandered are dwindling, my kin scattered wide in retreat, While Man with his greeds still unsated walks proud with the earth at his feet; And the battle that I never wanted is lost, defeated I’m wondering why –Why man who’s so high and so mighty & proud still shivers when he hears the wolf cry –Still shivers when he hears the wolf cry.

The 30th TENTERDEN Folk Festival

Thursday 5th to Sunday 8th October 2023

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.

EARLY BIRD OFFERS: Valid until 30th April 2023 Name Address Full Weekend Adult £60.00 Youth 10 -16's £30.00 and Under 10’s £5.00 when bought with an adult ticket Caravan / Campervan £25.00 Tent £23.00 Town Postcode

Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms

THURSDAY EVENING CONCERT: All tickets £12.00 before 30th April 2022 Telephone 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 £ Total £

Total £ CAMPING

Up to 4 nights from Thursday afternoon to Monday morning

Vehicle Registration(s) No. Prices £ Total £ 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

Fairport Convention – WinTour 2023

Saturday 11th February – Gulbenkian

Steve Knightley

Tenterden folk festival lottery

Saturday 25th February, St Mary’s Sandwich www.ashfordcommunitylottery.co.uk/

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. 116 April/May COPY DATE: 18th February

Then …

18th February 2023 – April / May

18th April 2023 – June / July 18th June 2023 – August / September

ADVERTISING RATES:

Current advertising rates are as follows:

Full colour: Back cover: £94

Inside front or back cover: £83 Full page (run of issue): £73 Half page (run of issue): £45

18th August 2023 – October / November 18th October 2023 - December / January 18th December 2023 – February / March

Grayscale:

Full page (run of issue): £44 Half page (run of issue): £31 Quarter page (run of issue): £20 Eighth page (run of issue): £12

Size Guide: Full page H 180mm x W 130mm, Half page H 85mm x W 130mm, Quarter page H 85mm x W 60mm, Eighth page H 42mm x W 60mm

Series discount: The discount for advance booking and payment of a series of 6 adverts is 15%, but you can still submit new artwork for each advert.

Artwork: If advert cannot be supplied at the correct size please add £10 to above rates. We accept adverts by email as high quality PDF, JPEG or TIFF. Email your adverts to AKF with a copy to Anmar Printing Services, details as below.

Payment: Cheques payable to “Tenterden Folk Day Trust” (NOT Tenterden Folk Festival or Around Kent Folk). Send cheque and hard copy of advert to the address below. You can also pay by BACS or internet banking. Ask for details.

News and Reviews: Please send CD, books, etc. for review to the address below. AKF also welcomes news and reviews of live gigs, festivals, etc. which you have attended. Website and Social Media: www.aroundkentfolk.org.uk twitter.com/AroundKentFolk ● facebook.com/AroundKentFolk

Contact details: Alan Castle, Around Kent Folk, 15 Repton Manor Road, Ashford, Kent, TN23 3HA Email: akf@tenterdenfolkfestival.org.uk Website: www.arounfkentfolk.org.uk Twitter: @aroundkentfolk

Andy Wood, Anmar Printing Services anmarprintingservices@gmail.com Phone 01732 865380

Name Address ..................................................................................................................................

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

SUBSCRIPTION £11 for 1 year (6 issues) Cheques payable to “Tenterden Folk Day Trust” Send to: Alan Castle, 15 Repton Manor Road, Ashford, Kent TN23 3HA