Issue 151 by Unicorn Folk

ISSUE 151

SUMMER 2020

...MUSIC ...DANCE ...FESTIVALS www.unicornmagazine.org

EDITORIAL

KEEP SAFE

“ He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” Epictetus

AND

We’re facing the biggest peacetime challenge for many generations as the whole world battles with coronavirus. But despite the stress and the pain, this unique online edition of Unicorn Magazine clearly demonstrates that there is hope, inspiration and enthusiasm within the folk world.

CARRY ON SUPPORTING

Realising the impact of the pandemic across the whole folk community, I wanted Unicorn Magazine to do something to help. So I have produced this special issue with NO CHARGE to any contributor – funding it from the magazine’s reserves, my own pocket and some very much appreciated donations towards the costs. It has to be an online version as there is no way to distribute paper copies, but it’s been designed so you can read it on screen or download it and print it out at home. Creating it has been quite a challenge, but uplifting and very rewarding indeed.

supportive, and never more so than now as we all do what we can to keep our treasured music and dance alive. And on page 51 there’s even a special offer from Hobgoblin Music for Unicorn readers – a 10% discount on the purchase of any new item over £50. I hope you enjoy reading this special bumper issue of Unicorn Magazine – please pass the access link to your friends and anyone you know with an interest in folk music and dance.

Issue 151 is crammed with examples of creativity, energy and optimism to entertain and inspire you as you cope with the enormous problems caused by the virus and subsequent lockdown. The various articles are all about people - celebrating what we have got and can do – rather than focusing on what we don’t have and can’t do. Although meeting in person at our clubs and festivals isn’t possible for a while, the articles highlight so many ingenious ways people are finding to cope with the situation and have shared their trials and triumphs.

Gazing into the crystal ball is tricky at the moment as things are changing fast, so right now I’m not able to predict what will happen with Unicorn Magazine for the rest of the year. But the best way to keep up to date with news from Unicorn and information about all things folk, is to sign up to the Blog here (I promise not to bombard you with junk and you can unsubscribe at any time!). Meanwhile, keep safe and carry on supporting music, dance and festivals. All my very best wishes

Many are learning new skills - especially with technology - and if you find yourself struggling, I’m sure they will share their knowledge and experience – just ask! The folk world has always been friendly and

CONTENTS Editorial and Contents

Sandra

Supporting Music

Berkhamsted Campaign for Real Music 3 The Cambridge Folk Club - Keeping Calm and Carrying On! 4 An Interview with Paul Sartin of Belshazzar’s Feast 6 Black Fen Folk Club 8 The Watford Folk Club 10 Foskett the Band 14 Strumming and Dreaming 16 CD Reviews 19, 23-24, 28, 30, 34, 39-40 Pete Cunningham and PJ Music 21 The Song Loft 22 Dan Evans – Dulcimer Player, Guitarist and Composer 25 Folk London 25 An Interview with Brown Boots Duo 26 The Baldock Fleadh 29 Book Reviews 31, 32 St Neots Folk Club 33 From Shindig to Shutdown at Royston Folk Club 35 Hitchin Folk Club 36 Emily Slade - Musician 37 Chesham Folk Club 38

EDITOR

SANDRA LAWES

07939 541927 unicornmagazine@hotmail.co.uk

CONTACT ADDRESS: 6 Holly Farm Close, Caddington, Luton, Beds LU1 4ET

Supporting Dance

What is Contradance? by Barry Goodman Linsleighders Folk Dance Club Bedford Folk Dance Club Phoenix Morris Instruction videos for solo Morris dances – Morris Federation Unicorn Ceilidhs Woodside Morris Men Lone Morris Festival by Simon Bailes London Barndance Contra by Andrew Findlay Hobgoblin Music - 10% discount for Unicorn Readers Friday Folk Roundabouters at 50 Whitchurch Morris Shall We Dance?

42 43 43 44 45 45 46 47 48 51 52 53 54 55

Kimpton What’s Happened to Our Festivals? Redbourn Folk on the Common 2021 Shrewsbury Folk Festival Launches a Virtual 2020 Festival St Albans Folk Music Diary Dates – FOR 2020 Tenterden Folk Festival October 2020 Homebrew ... Making the Most of Folk Music at Home

56 58 60 62 64 66 68

Supporting Festivals

I take great care to ensure accuracy in Unicorn Magazine. However, I accept no responsibility for any misprints or mistakes that appear. The views and opinions expressed in submitted articles and advertisements are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Unicorn Magazine editor. I assume that any letters sent to the magazine are intended for publication unless otherwise stated. I reserve the right to edit any material sent to the magazine for style, content or length. Please note that I cannot print material previously published in other publications without express written permission from that publisher. I reserve the right not to publish elements of free listings information if they appear elsewhere in the magazine or where I have space restrictions.

w w w. u n i c o r n m a g a z i n e . o r g 2

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Berkhamsted Campaign for

Real Music Saturday, 5th September: George Jackson Band. Rollicking old time Americana, folk/roots and classic bluegrass sure to leave you smiling, tapping your feet, dancing or all three! Saturday, 26th September: Paul McKenna Band. Paul has long been ranked among our finest younger singers and songwriters. Drawing on both Scottish and Irish roots in a dynamic, full-bodied array of original and traditional material.

Friday, 6th November: Gnoss. Lively Scottish four-piece... fiddle, flute, guitar, and percussion. Energetic tune sets and driving folk songs delivered with a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;maturity of ability many of a greater age will envyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (The Living Tradition).

Friday 4th December: Cardboard Fox. Featuring the Carrivick Sisters in a unique and powerful combination of dexterous instrumental playing, memorable songwriting and energetic live shows. Musical roots in bluegrass but their collective influences reach much further.

at The Vyne Theatre, Northbridge Road, Berkhamsted, Herts HP4 1EH

1EH

www.bcfrm.com www.unicornmagazine.org

KEEP SAFE AND

CARRY ON SUPPORTING

...MUSIC THE CAMBRIDGE FOLK CLUB -

KEEPING CALM AND CARRYING ON! VIRTUAL EVENINGS - AN ORGANISER’S PERSPECTIVE Our first virtual evening was on 17th April. These evenings began life as Open Stage nights, using a very similar format to our face to face Open Stage nights. So we invited performers who had booked Open Stage slots from March onwards, who’d been unable to perform because of coronavirus. We also invited artists to pre-register with us via our website or Facebook page to book a short slot, and, just as we would have done at our venue, we put together a running order and informed the participants. On the first two of these evenings, local performers were joined by performers from as far afield as Germany and Canada. Since then, we have also been organising Showcase evenings, opening up the range of performers to include big names familiar to our audiences. Our list just keeps growing, and we’re really pleased to count Boo Hewerdine and Brooks Williams amongst our performers. There have also been some rather heartwarming connections. For instance, when Bill Kelly, from the States, got in touch, we found that he knew celebrated Cambridge musician George Breakfast, so we put them on the same bill. We’re now streaming these evenings on our Facebook page too. While we’re unable to meet face to face, these Zoom evenings are a way of keeping our musical community together. They give the artists an opportunity to perform and to publicise their latest music - many of them have produced new work since the lockdown began, and appreciate sharing it with an audience. We ask our audience members to show their appreciation by visiting artists’ websites and purchasing merchandise if possible, or, if one is available, giving to their tip jar. On Zoom, the performers can see at least some of their audience, and so have a sense that they’re performing to a real audience - a little different from the experience of producing a live stream. As Alan and Lynne Hempton, one of our first guest duos, commented, they could play the gig without the three hundred mile plus round trip, or the overnight stay! Our Zoom audience is made up of those on our mailing list, and those they choose to invite. Audience members have joined us from the local area, from further afield in the U.K., and from abroad. Audience members also have a sense of belonging to a community. Not only can they can see each others’ faces perhaps more so than in a face-to-face gig - but they can also see each other’s reactions to the music. Our audience members even take the opportunity to chat with each other before the gig, when our sound man, Calvin Monk, opens our virtual meetings half an hour before the music begins, to organise sound checks. And, just as would happen at our ‘real’ venue, some of us hang around at the end of the evening, until we’re told to go. I know of at least one group of friends who socialise with each other on line after the meeting - almost as if they’re having a last drink in the bar before heading home. We would normally close during July and August, but we have decided that, with fewer opportunities to perform, we will carry on with our virtual evenings for the foreseeable future. We still have lots of performers on our list! 4

We are indebted to our sound engineer, Calvin Monk, for helping us Zoom so successfully, and our compère, Robin Mansfield, for working so well with the technology. Their thoughts follow... A Sound Tech’s View of an Evening of Folk over Zoom, by Calvin Monk Before the Zoom session... We chose Zoom as a platform for our Folk evenings as we felt interaction would be essential and in general it has worked very well. The biggest issue is that Zoom is set up for voice and is convinced that a guitar or mandolin is just background noise to be dealt with as offensively as possible. Fortunately, all this unwanted sound processing can be turned off, but unfortunately each performer needs to make these changes themselves and how to do this is not at all intuitive. To help, we have put together a “Zoom for Music” guide (with numbered steps and pictures) and we send this out to all performers. Zoom sound checks… Having learnt from experience, we now open our Zoom meeting early for sound tests and allocate a 5-10-minute slot for each act. Mostly this involves double checking the Zoom settings (you soon get to be able to hear the tell tales sign of not having “Original Audio” enabled). Even so, it is amazing what a difference you can make to the sound by suggesting just a few simple changes. A lot depends on the kit being used of course. Zoom is very bass sensitive and how do you handle that (or the vocal/guitar balance for that matter) when there is just a single mic? The answer is usually just to change the mic placement or have the guitar angled so it does not point at it. This is now a very good point to accept that, as a sound tech, you have very limited control. Just do what you can with these little tweaks and suggestions in the sound check and then relax. Really it will be fine – trust me.

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Clockwise from top left 1 Brooks Williams 2 Miranda Sykes 3 George Breakfast 4 Bill Kelly 5 Boo Hewerdine

Driving the Zoom session… We mute everyone except the performers during the music but make sure we unmute everyone to applaud between songs and also for general chat at the start of the evening and again at the end. This is important. Combined with the Zoom chat and comments on the Facebook stream, this interaction makes us a club with a temporary new home and not just a broadcaster. I’ve had to learn a set of tricks to work around the Zoom interface as it has a nasty habit of re-ordering the list of people just when you try to highlight someone’s video or unmute them. The best metaphor I have for this is “Playing Whack-A-Mole with folk musicians”. Sometimes you’ll miss. Stay calm - people are very forgiving. And afterwards… We decided early on only to keep the recording of each evening on Facebook for one week. This feels just about right. It gives time for people to catch up or share whilst still keeping some of the ephemeral quality live music should have. And finally… The job of a sound engineer is to help performers sound as good as is possible. The obvious part of this is all the knobs and wires, but these won’t make any difference unless the people on stage actually feel comfortable being there. When people start gigging, all the tech around them can be quite intimidating, but they get used to it and relax. Moving on-line, the same people are meeting a whole new load of tech and it’s just as scary even for the most seasoned of performers. Remember this. You really won’t help by jumping in with lots of suggestions. I allow myself a maximum of one interjection at the end of the first song of the set for something that is easy to fix and, even then, only if it is absolutely crucial. Seriously, just relax and enjoy the evening - you really are amongst friends. A Compère’s View of Folk over Zoom, by Robin Mansfield As one of the compères at the Folk Club, I find the main difference between live stage shows and online Zoom events is that you are very much in the hands of the Zoom master/soundman. He is in complete control of the session because he is switching the mute buttons on and off for the artist, audience and compère throughout the evening. In a staged performance, it is very much a shared experience, with compère and soundman taking instructions from each other. With regards to audience participation, in a staged performance the compère takes his cue from how the audience reacts, whereas Zoom events seem more artificial, with the compère leading the applause after the soundman unmutes. However, I can assure everyone that a warm atmosphere of camaraderie is created, and this may be because performers and audience alike are completely relaxed in their homes. And we do have some future events in the diary: • 23rd January 2021: The Cambridge North Folk Song Project launch event, NCI Club, Holland St, Cambridge. This community project invites residents of the area, and those who have a connection with it, to create new songs capturing their community and its stories for the future. If you are interested, please register by 5th June at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CB4folksongs or contact Dr Emily Peasgood by email at emily@emilypeasgood.com or phone 07749 115484. The songwriting sessions will be happening on Zoom, with project leader Dr Emily Peasgood (Ivor Novello Award Winning Composer & Sound Artist), and her team, Anna Hester and Bob Hines. The songs themselves will be printed in a beautiful song book that will be in libraries, schools and online as a free download. The January launch event will be followed by a celebration in early 2021 (date TBA). • 19th February 2021: Miranda Sykes • 19th March 2021: Christina Alden and Alex Patterson • 26th March 2021: Peter Knight and Jon Spiers • 16th April 2021: Brooks Williams • 23rd May 2021: Daoiri Farrell www.unicornmagazine.org

AN INTERVIEW WITH PAUL SARTIN

ONE HALF OF THE DUO BELSHAZZAR’S FEAST By Sandra Lawes How did you start your musical career and how did you meet Paul Hutchinson? I was introduced to music at an early age as my Mum was a musician, and I played the piano, recorder and violin. Later I took up the oboe and won a scholarship to the Purcell School of Music where I had a classical training. I got my first paid gigs when I was about 15 and about the same time, I became interested in traditional music, especially folk rock – Jethro Tull, Steeleye Span, Fairport Convention and the like. I used to go to the folk club at Cecil Sharp House (where I was the youngest member of the audience by about 30 years!). After some gap years playing the oboe professionally, I won a Church Scholarship to Oxford University where I got paid to sing at services, and after graduation landed a permanent job in the Cathedral Choir. At this point I had given up classical violin. Through Oxford Folk Club friends, I was invited to join a folk/rock band called ‘Life of Riley’ and the accordionist was Paul Hutchinson. He had a background as a church organist and played accordion for Morris dancing and ceilidhs. Our mutual reaction was ‘Oh my goodness’, and I have to say we didn’t gel immediately. It was only after all the rehearsals and the first performance that we got chatting and realised we had a similar sense of humour. Then in 1995, I had to stay with him in Dorset, and lubricated by some excellent wine, we found that we both liked to ‘mess around’ (in the nicest possible way) with tunes and have fun. So, we decided to try getting more satisfaction from our musical careers by forming a duo for ceilidhs and social dancing, where our ability to read music came in particularly handy. We chose the name Belshazzar’s Feast because we both had connections to the Church in those early days – and we’ve used it ever since. What were your main musical influences? I would say a blend of traditional classical and church music, plus the folk rock of my youth. I would describe Paul and myself as ‘sponges’ – absorbing ideas and inspiration from people around us. We’re always learning new things and adding to our knowledge bank. Is there anything about the instruments you play that you’d like to share with Unicorn readers? There’s nothing particularly interesting about my lovely Howarth oboe, but readers may like to know that my violin dates from the 1850s and was made by the English violin maker Furber. It has a unique shape which I love – it’s thinner and has a more pronounced curve, which makes it fit snugly when I play. I’m also trying to learn to play an English concertina which I found in my uncle’s loft when I was 18. I’ve had it repaired and ‘lockdown’ is finally giving me time to devote to it. How would you describe a Belshazzar’s Feast gig for someone who hasn’t seen you perform yet? Well, our press release calls us “a wickedly-inventive and beloved folk duo… notorious for our superlative ability, wit, rapport and depth of experience’’. The words ‘eclectic and eccentric’ have also been used to describe us. Our shows sell out and audience members tell us

that our performances are unforgettable – I think they mean that in a good way! We enjoy having fun with music and adding things that seem wholly inappropriate, as our focus is on keeping people entertained. We do tend to ‘throw caution to the wind’ in the second half of any concert when we do medleys of traditional tunes with pop songs thrown in – sort of ‘anything goes’. We tell shaggy dog stories and go on to play shaggy dog pieces of music! There is of course an underlying serious element to our work, especially when we draw from sources such as traditional songs from Hampshire/Wiltshire where we live, and family songs collected around the early 1900s which I’m very lucky to have. Have a look at this video clip https://www.dropbox.com/s/ pir1gpgla63roqm/Balshazarrs%20feast%20Ibiza.mp4?dl=0 of us playing at the Costa del Folk Festival in Ibiza which will give you a flavour of what we do. Do you plan your banter or is it totally spontaneous? We have some set pieces – and lots of people complain if we don’t do them! That can make it hard to vary our performances. It’s important to keep things fresh – so we ‘dust down’ old routines with new elements such as local geographical references or events of the day. Much depends on the atmosphere of the gig, and things always work best if the audience is relaxed and prepared to go with the flow. It’s actually quite hard to make things look spontaneous and easy. Who initiates the humorous comments – is it you or Paul H? I’m usually the straight man to Paul H’s humour. We tend to exaggerate our natural tendencies as we each have our own individual sense of humour – mine is drier and Paul H is very quick and brilliant at improvising. Where does the inspiration for your humour come from? It can come from anywhere – literally. We draw on current events, we take the mickey out of local mannerisms and we can even make things up about the pieces we play – although we do have to make it credible! How do you keep a straight face or a pained expression when the audience is doubled up with laughter? We do practice this, but we do sometimes end up losing it and laughing so much we can’t carry on. But it doesn’t matter, as it tends to break down the walls between us and the audience. In fact we do crack up quite a lot – there are some things that Paul H says in every gig that make me lose it for a while! What was the most satisfying performance you have ever given and why? That’s hard to answer because I have played in Faustus and The Remnant Kings with Jon Boden – of course Bellowhead in the past - as well as Belshazzar’s Feast which pre-dates the others. I really enjoy everywhere I play – I love clubs and festivals but I also love performing in old people’s homes, hospitals and schools – which I think is very important and special work because people in those audiences can’t just go out and buy the CDs like a club audience can.

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Photos, Left: Jeremy Searle Above: Luke Paja; There are two memories that we particularly treasure – playing at the National Folk Festival in Australia, and singing and playing alongside local fishermen in the Seychelles in 2019. I’ll never forget those magical experiences - wonderful music and the warmth and hospitality of those events. What has been the most unusual gig you have ever performed at? Possibly when I played in an ad-hoc ensemble for the Oxford United Supporters Club some years ago. There were six of them in the audience and there were ten of us in the band! You put a great deal of musical and intellectual energy into your performances. How do you sustain your energy and enthusiasm? I admit this can be tough – especially on long tours. We do tend to look after ourselves better than we did when we were younger. We have a good diet (we like to have our lunches at garden centres when we’re on tour) and I take exercise such as swimming and running. We also know that it’s good to give each other space – even when we’re together in the car. We don’t talk all the time, in fact sometimes we don’t even speak. Paul H drives and I’m usually on my laptop. And we always try to get to our accommodation early, as we find it very helpful having an afternoon siesta to be on form for the evening gig. Are you planning any online performances – either on your own or together (with social distancing of course)? We’ve had three tours cancelled, so up to now we’ve been focused on trying to find replacement funding. We had been booked to play at The Place in Bedford in May, but of course that wasn’t possible. Paul H has put some solo stuff on his Facebook page https:// www.facebook.com/paul.hutchinson.946 and I have done some solo things https://www.facebook.com/paul.sartin.5. I’ve also done an online gig with Faustus which you can see on the Faustus Music Facebook page. Other things are in the pipeline, so watch this space. What plans have you made/are thinking about for resuming your performing post Covid19? No one really knows exactly what’s going to happen or what to do at the moment. Tours are being rescheduled for later in 2020 and into 2021, and details will be announced on our website and social media. In the meantime, all sorts of interesting online collaborations and innovations are going on – for example, I’m playing my oboe with an Italian guitarist. Do you have any unfulfilled musical ambitions? For some time now, I’ve been toying with the idea of performing solo – and the lockdown has forced my hand. I did my first solo performances on Zoom recently and it was great to see people

watching. I’m also getting to grips with the intellectual challenge of playing jazz – another of the loves of my life. What is the best advice you have ever been given? When I was in my late teens, I went on tour in the USA with a theatre group. We had a few drinks after the performance one evening, and when I got back to my room, I realised with absolute horror that my oboe wasn’t with me! By then, the bar was shut and there was nothing I could do. After a sleepless night, I got a call from the furious musical director who shouted at me down the ‘phone and warned me very severely NEVER to do that again! Since that day, my instruments have never been out of my sight. So, when our car was broken into in a big city in the North West of England, the thieves only got some old sweets and a well-worn jacket – our instruments were safe with us. Strangely, they didn’t take the CDs either – probably because they were too young to know what they were!! Where can we find out more about you two and all the wonderful music you produce? We really hope it won’t be too long before you can come and see us in person again – we really love performing to audiences and we miss it! We will be starting our extensive Christmas tour on 26 November in Canterbury and the dates from our cancelled May 2020 tour have been rescheduled for April/May 2021. All the details are on our official website www.belshazzarsfeast.com where you can also see videos of some of our performances and buy our CDs, including our latest live album ‘The Whiting’s On The Wall’.

You can also find us on • Facebook at www.facebook.com/feastieboys/ • Instagram at www.instagram.com/ belshazzars_feast/ • Twitter at www.twitter.com/feastie_boys • Youtube at www.youtube.com/channel/ UCJaAQ3GMuBPcVWvyDaBGIVg

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BLACK FEN FOLK CLUB By David Savage

Black Fen Folk Club (www.blackfenfolkclub.com) was the inspiration of multiinstrumentalist Robin Gillan (www.robingillan.com) who saw that Cambridge was missing a hub for folk and roots music which afforded regular opportunities for anyone to play acoustic music to an attentive audience. Starting in the Portland Arms more than 10 years ago, the club’s home is now the NCI Sports and Social Club in Holland St (CB4 3DL) where it meets (COVID lockdown excepted!) every Sunday evening at 7.30pm. Singers, instrumentalists (and dancers) from all musical traditions are welcome. (The NCI has a good bar with the least expensive beer in Cambridge – pre-requisite for a folk club!).

Monthly guest nights bring unique, inspirational and varied roots music to the city. We tend to invite artists who don’t regularly gig in Cambridge – a mix of seasoned professionals and newcomers and over the years we have welcomed some fantastic performers including Brian Peters, Tom Paley, Dipper-Malkin, Andy May, Sarah Jane Scouten, Peggy Seeger, Hot Rock Pilgrims, Thomas McCarthy, The Squirrel Hunters, Nick Hart, David Jones, Dave Plane, The Willows and most recently, Iona Fyfe, Geoff Lakeman, Rob Murch, Kit Hawes and Aaron Catlow, Alistair Anderson…… We always have floor spots available on our guest nights; it’s the opportunity for singers to bring their music to a wider audience – including our guests! Open Stage evenings make up the rest of the month – we don’t book spots in advance but we do recommend that you come along punctually if you want to get a song in both halves of the evening. It is not a singaround – there is definitely a performance element and performers are invited to use the stage. There is an admission charge for Open Stage evenings which pays for the room and enables the club to keep the cost of guest nights low (£8 on the door) whilst still paying our guests a proper fee. Themed Open Stages The club has picked out a few traditional seasonal themes for some evenings and we encourage performers to

contribute to the theme…. No obligation to conform but it is good to bring out traditional songs celebrating the year….Valentines, May, Midsummer, Harvest, Yuletide… as well as beer, the sea, rogues and vagabonds, lust and adultery………! The club normally closes in July and August; several regulars are heavily involved in local Festivals – Ely, Cambridge & FolkEast. At Cambridge festival the club runs a Sunday evening concert in the Club Tent and Singarounds in the Flowergarden and tune sessions in the bar. However, we may persist with online Open Stages through the Summer if the covid Lockdown continues… Who knows… But whatever happens, we’ll be maintaining the tradition one way or another. Hopefully this Autumn Black Fen guests will be:

6th Sept Liz Simmons Trio 27th Sept Maclaine Colston & Saul Rose 18th Oct The Wilderness Yet 8th Nov Broom Bezzums Check on our Facebook page or the club website for up to date information

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Probably meeting online for an OPEN STAGE every Sunday at 7.30pm through July and August. Hope to be back in the NCI, Holland St, Cambridge CB4 3DL in September in some form or another! Up to date details on the website! 6th September LIZ SIMMONS TRIO With husband Flynn (guitar & mandolin) and son Gabe, it’s a family outing! Liz & Flynn are ⅔ of the wonderful Low Lily. Liz was due to play in the UK with our own Hannah Sanders in May, but……. Don’t miss this! A great start to the autumn! 27th September MACLAINE COLSTON & SAUL ROSE Hammered Dulcimer and Melodeon - what is not to like? Two amazing musicians to blow the mind who have collaborated with or been part of Waterson:Carthy, Faustus and Whapweasel and others. You can be sure of some amusing song-stories, lively tunes and good craic.

October & November will see us welcome “The Wilderness Yet” and “Broom Bezzums”…. More of them in the next edition. EVERY OTHER WEEK will be an Open Stage evening with a couple of seasonally themed evenings but there will always be Floor Spots available on each guest night as well…….. lots of opportunity to showcase your talent! ADMISSION is £4.00 on Open Stage evenings and £8.00 (on the door) on Guest nights. Do check the website: www.blackfenfolkclub.com/Schedule.html the latest information on our plans and current programme.

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THE WATFORD FOLK CLUB FRIDAYS, 8-11PM IN THE COLNE RIVER ROOM AT THE PUMP HOUSE, LOCAL BOARD ROAD, WATFORD, WD17 2JP The Watford Folk Club is the friendliest Folk Club in Watford. There has been a Folk Club at The Pump House since 1973 and the present club was founded in 2008 and is a run by a committee and willing volunteers, all of whom are passionate about Folk Music. The Watford Folk Club has an enviable reputation for the quality and the quantity of its floor singers/players and for headlining new and established Folk performers. We run “Guest Nights”, “Singarounds”, “Spotlight Singarounds” and “Songwriters Circles” Guest Nights feature a professional or semi-professional Folk/ Acoustic performer who will play two 40-minute sets and a number of Floor Spots are available. At Singarounds, chairs are arranged in a circle and anyone can sing a song or two or play a piece or two. People also come to the club just to listen to the high-quality music. There is never any obligation to perform! Spotlight Singarounds feature two 20-minute sets at a Singaround from local supporters of the club. Songwriters Circles feature three local songwriters, discussing what inspires their writing and their individual songwriting process. Our Songwriting Competition is now a firmly established feature in the Folk calendar and many of the songs have entered the Folk canon. More details and entry forms are available on our website: watfordfolkclub.co.uk We’re really pleased with our lineup for this year, featuring not only major folk artists but also amazing local talent. Admission is by suggested minimum donation and varies from £5 (at Singarounds & Spotlights) to £7-£15 (at Guest nights). There is a real ale bar, great acoustics, and a friendly welcome every week.

Covid 19 Update

We hope that everyone is still keeping safe and well. It seems that there is going to be a VERY slight easing of the lockdown, but we do need to stick rigidly to Government guidelines. We have been talking to The Pump House and have agreed that we will remain closed for the time being, at least until September, providing that it will be safe to do so. We have advised Black*Scarr, John Kirkpatrick’s agent, Cherrington & Ward, Said the Maiden and Sam Brothers of the closure and will be rebooking them for 2021, along with all the other acts we have had to postpone.

Please visit their websites, social media, Bandcamp, SoundCloud pages etc. and support them by downloading tracks, buying CDs or donating: Black*Scarr: www.18tilidie.com John Kirkpatrick: www.johnkirkpatrick.co.uk Cherrington & Ward: www.cherringtonandward.co.uk Said the Maiden: www.saidthemaiden.co.uk Sam Brothers: https://www.facebook.com/sambrothersmusic/ https://soundcloud.com/sam-brothers

WHAT’S COMING UP in 2020 (Circumstances Permitting!) 4th September – Singaround £5 11th September – Craig Joiner £10 18th September – Singaround £5 25th September - Spotlight Singaround with Alan & Roy from Chesham Folk Club £5 2nd October – Singaround £5 9th October – C elebrate our 12th Birthday with the Polly Morris Band £12 16th October – Singaround £5 23rd October – Debra Cowan (from USA) £12 30th October - Singaround £5 6th November – Lizzy Hardingham £10 13th November – Singaround £5 20th November – Song Competition Final £7 27th November – Singaround £5 4th December – Harbottle & Jonas £12 11th December – C haS (Christine Connolley, Hazel Ritchings & Steve Last) £10 18th December – Christmas Singaround 25th December – Closed. For 2021 we are rescheduling performers we have had to cancel due to the Covid 19 pandemic. These include: NA-MARA DARIA KULESH GEORGE SANSOME (from Granny’s Attic) ODETTE MICHELL GLYMJACK TRIO JOHN KIRKPATRICK CHERRINGTON & WARD SAID THE MAIDEN SAM BROTHERS And also international acts from Denmark and Australia.

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COMMENTS FROM GUEST ARTISTS Hannah Martin “ This (Watford) is one of our favourite folk clubs.” Dick Miles “ Excellent atmosphere, good standard of musical performance, good real ale, helpful bar staff. Will definitely visit again.” Debra Cowan “ Thanks for the note and I am humbled that you want to have me back so soon.” Namara “ It is always a pleasure to play at the Watford Folk Club. The organisers are so welcoming and friendly, there is so much talent amongst the floor singers. Watford Folk Club holds a very dear place in our hearts. We loved every aspect of the gig last Friday.” Liz Simcock “ I’d love to come and play at the club again some time.” Ffion (Foxglove Trio) “ Glad to hear you’d like us to come back given that we know your club and enjoy playing there.” Finn (Shorelark) “ We just wanted to email to say a big thank you for having us at the club on Friday night – we had a great time playing for you and really hope you enjoyed our set. We loved the atmosphere at the club – some great floor spots, and we hope we can return to the club at some point in the future. All the best with the forthcoming events at Watford and thank you very much for supporting new and young artists.” For the latest information visit us at: www.watfordfolkclub.co.uk Find us on Facebook: Watford Folk Club or Email: WatfordFolkClub@outlook.com We will keep you updated as things progress and hopefully return to some kind of normal. We look forward to seeing you very soon!!!! Meanwhile, do take care and stay safe. Pete, Cynthy & Ellie (for and on behalf of Watford Folk Club) www.unicornmagazine.org

Watford Folk Club is pleased to announce that our ninth Annual ‘Write a Folk Song Competition’ final will take place in November and as usual we anticipate a large number of entries from across the UK. This year the theme is ‘Triumph and Disaster’ Our committee will whittle these down to just 10 finalists who will play warm up songs in the first half of the evening, and then perform their competition entries before three celebrity judges in the second half. After a short break, the winner and runner up will be announced!!! The club is usually packed and comments from the audience include compliments on the slick organisation of the final as well as the friendly atmosphere with some visiting the club for the first time. One comment in our visitors’ book read ‘a very enjoyable evening - the best folk club I have seen for many a long year!’

More details and entry forms are available on our website:

Watford Folk Club is rightly proud to have been instrumental in promoting songwriting and creativity since we’ve been running our song writing competition, which has been described by one of our audience as ‘a great education in the art and style of songwriting.’

https://watfordfolkclub. co.uk/songcompetition-2020

The competition is now a firmly established feature in the Folk calendar and many of the songs have entered the Folk canon. 12

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at The Pump House, Local Board Road, Watford WD17 2JP

is pleased to invite entries to our 9th Annual WRITE A FOLK SONG COMPETITION

Entries welcome from: 1st April 2020 until 1st Oct 2020 Grand final 20th November 2020 This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s theme is : TRIUMPH AND DISASTER For full details and entry form please visit our website: watfordfolkclub.co.uk or email: watsongcomp2020@outlook.com

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Foskett – the Band

By Charley Foskett

‘Foskett’ - ‘What’s one of those? A Foskett? - ‘Can I find one in a plumber’s tool bag’ I hear you ask - I’ve been called many things in my life, envelopes addressed to Mr. Biscuit, Mr. Bostick, Mr. Foket, even Mr. F***it can you believe - Anyway I digress The very clever and lovely Sandra Lawes has asked me to write my own Unicorn piece about, well, ‘myself’ - Oh, and of course my wonderful new band who just happen to be named ‘Foskett’. After receiving a full page feature and a glowing twenty five star CD review from Sandra in the last ill fated, doomed, blighted, cursed and damned hard copy of Unicorn (150) - I describe it as this because three thousand beautifully designed copies were lovingly distributed into the shops, the folk clubs, the pubs and so forth, and within the single pluck of an old G string, we were all locked down, gagged and bound and unable to go out and retrieve the said beautiful magazine. Grrrrrrrrrrhh! Anyway, back to the purpose of this piece, ‘Me, Me, Me and what a wonderful thing I have to offer the world of folk and roots music’ - Actually it’s much easier talking-up other

artist’s work without sounding like a complete egotistical **** (I hear members of my local Redbourn Folk Club muttering under their breaths - ‘Well he doesn’t usually have a problem in talking about himself when he comes here’). So I’m going to tell you all, in the most gracious manner possible, how amazingly great my new band really is. Brief potted Foskett history: Last life: Started out in early 1960’s alongside The Animals on Tyneside playing blues and folk rock, toured internationally till 1980 and then came off the road to start up a recording studio and music production business - began producing Irish and American country and folk artists - worked with hundreds of multi-million selling hit artists including two Beatles, one Rolling Stone and recently gigged as bassist in a band with John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin on mandolin.

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This life: By the end of 2010 spent five years twice battling cancer (bowel and then rectal) - Chemo, Radiation, Stoma bags, massive invasive surgeries, sepsis and thinking my demise was nigh - I experienced a true epiphany and re-evaluation of my life and the love of life as it should be - Five years follow up of a wonderful distraction and healing of emotional and psychological trauma, using the development of a new massive love for all things folk and roots music - and to top it all off, the magical result being my forthcoming debut album ‘LATE BLOOMER’ https:// soundcloud.com/user-529420763/ tracks So, as I was about to say before I so rudely interrupted myself - FOSKETT the band are a bunch of hand-picked premier league musicians for whom I have enormous respect - they have a pedigree most players and dabblers would kill to possess and a background history of accompanying the greats of the folk and roots music fraternity They possess the god given talent to be able to instantly deliver 100% of what is required for each and every piece of music, every song arrangement, groove, tempo, key and feel within a nanosecond and also make it totally heartfelt and magical. The first guy to walk into my newly designed folk singing and songwriting

lifestyle was Ireland’s number one Celtic Fiddler and multi instrumentalist Mr. Aidan Burke (first cousin of Kevin Burke of The Bothy Band) - followed by drummer and percussionist Mr. Clive Bunker (Jethro Tull) - then came extraordinary session drummer Mr. Davide Giovannini as Clive’s dep (Clive still tours with Martin Barre’s Jethro Tull for a certain amount of the year - that is when we are not all in lock down) - Following those boys came one extremely gifted young multiinstrumentalist in the shape of Toby Shaer (Cara Dillon/Mike McGoldrick/ John McCusker/ Sam Kelly and the Lost Boys - need I say more?). The combination of ‘Burke and Shaer’ make one of the most formidable Celtic tune sections on the planet today! Last but not least, my bassist is up there with the best, a total monster player by the name of Mr. Stewart Milner, a man with a wealth of experience in every genre of live music. Foskett (the band) can be seen and heard on-line performing material from my debut album Late Bloomer - which incidentally I consider to be some of the greatest and most exciting work I have ever written, performed, recorded and produced in a fifty-year career of music production. The reason for this is that it was all created with love and above all honesty, just saying….

Late Bloomer also features a lovely duet called ‘Wild Wild Things’ with my so sadly missed friend Julie Felix (Julie was such a good friend and music partner of mine for the last five years) - the track also features my long-standing fiddle playing friend from LA - Scarlet Rivera (Bob Dylan/Joni Mitchell). Wizz Jones who is a very sweet and generous man and a legend in this game, features on the song ‘Only Passing Through’ which is a true story of the Great 1854 Tyneside fire. Whilst Paul Jones (Manfred Mann / The Blues Band) features on ‘Sinner Song’ - Peter Knight (Gigspanner / Steeleye Span) features on the song ‘Jimmy Gray’s Granny’s Eye’ which is also a true story about accidentally getting my childhood friend’s grandmother’s glass eye stuck up my bottom. There are other gems such as ‘Hole in the Clouds’ written especially for me by John Cameron, orchestral arranger and conductor of Les Misérables and leader of the 70’s supergroup CCS - the track also features Rock Chorus on backing vocals - Here is the promo link : https://youtu.be/WvG75ekoKko?t=41 Here are my web page links: www.foskettsfolkfactory.com www.charlesfoskett.com

On a serious note which leaves what I have just written as being totally insignificant - Let’s now just hope and pray that our scientists discover a vaccine which will immunise us all against coronavirus - The news is forever bleak and fearful and it’s easy to have one’s spirits dragged down and squashed - We must rise above all this my heart goes out to all who have lost someone because of this insidious monster. www.unicornmagazine.org

STRUMMING & DREAMING LOCKDOWN: DON’T LET IT BRING YOU DOWN – LES RAY On the Crosby Stills Nash & Young album 4 Way Street, when introducing his song, Neil Young says: “Here is a new song, it’s guaranteed to bring you right down; it’s called ‘Don’t Let It Bring You Down’”. In contrast, this issue’s Strumming and Dreaming is genuinely designed not to bring you down, after all, there are plenty of other things that are doing that right now. That’s the aim, and the means is by telling you about a couple of very positive initiatives intended to bring you live music during the lockdown. Hopefully it will succeed. Of course, in this issue of Unicorn there are lots of other pointers to where to find great music online coming from our region, but I thought I’d focus on a couple of initiatives that are close to my heart... and my home. Many of you will be familiar with the Flying Pig pub in Cambridge, a fine long-standing music venue that in recent years has been threatened with closure but continues to forge on. Like Cambridge’s other live music venues, the Flying Pig has suffered the effects of the lockdown, as have the musicians who play there. So in March Simon Edwards set up the Facebook Group “Flying Pig Promotions Keeping Cambridge Music Live” to help keep live music thriving and the community connected during this challenging time. Simon explains his aim as follows: “For me it is all about keeping the Cambridge musicians and music lovers’ community together and making sure there is a forum for musicians to continue their live music performances. I created Flying Pig Promotions Keeping Cambridge Music Live as I was concerned that without this, the community would suffer and in particular during isolation the potential long-term closure of venues could have a detrimental

impact. Since then I have organised over 160 live stream events, with an average of 20 events each week, and the group has grown to over 800 members. It is important to me to recognise all the musicians that have been involved in the live streaming events of the past 8 weeks, and the incredible impact this has on the wellbeing and mental health of the live music community, enabling them to remain connected and enjoying what they are passionate about”. Although not far from Cambridge, Royston is far from overshadowed by it and has a thriving folk scene in its own right, with a fine folk club and a summer festival (Royston MusicFest) involving dozens of musicians and large numbers of the town’s pubs. Not deterred by the lockdown, Royston Folk Club is running “Royston Shutdown Showcases” via their Facebook group on the evenings when they would have been meeting. And Carl Filby of Royston MusicFest has created a Facebook page to provide a platform for musicians who are releasing their music during the lockdown. The links for all three initiatives are below, so please do check them out. Looking forward to more uplifting times, but in the meantime...

keep safe and keep making music! les@cambridge105.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/groups/ keepingcambridgemusiclive/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/RoystonFolkClub/ https://www.facebook.com/roystonmusicfest/

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SUBSCRIBE TO UNICORN MAGAZINE BLOG SIGN UP TO THE UNICORN MAGAZINE BLOG NOW AND KEEP UP TO DATE WITH ALL THINGS FOLK

Geographically, Unicorn Magazine covers Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire and parts of London. But thanks to the wonders of the Internet, borders and boundaries blur and people read Unicorn all over the world. And in normal times, folkies travel widely to follow their favourite bands and attend festivals and other musical events. So wherever you are in the world, the quickest and easiest way to keep up to date with all the latest news from Unicorn Magazine and many other folk happenings is to sign up to the Blog. We’ve been posting information on the Blog since 2013 and in these days of lockdown, it’s a very easy and increasingly popular way to keep your finger on the pulse. And of course, you can unsubscribe at any time if you change your mind. Unicorn is fully compliant with GDPR and your data is safe with us – we will never share your information. All we need is your name and email address and your permission to send you emails (not many I promise). So why not sign up today?

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Due to Covid-19, it is difficult to plan for the next issue of Unicorn Magazine. If there is to be a hard copy edition for Issue 152, which would normally cover October December, the copy date will be

Friday 14 August 2020

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CD REVIEW NORTHERN SHORES & STORIES BY ELIZABETH & JAMESON Reviewed by Barry Guy Northern Shores and Stories is the debut studio album by Elizabeth & Jameson. The duo, based in Bedfordshire, is an award-winning collaboration comprising two rising stars of the UK acoustic music scene, Hannah Elizabeth of traditional folk trio ‘Said the Maiden’ and Griff Jameson from folk-rock band ‘Fred’s House’. The songs and stories featured on the album demonstrate simple classic folk song writing at its best. They are all inspired by the North Yorkshire coast, in particular the harbour town of Whitby with its many historical figures, myths and legends both famous and lesser known. Each song is performed with crystal clear vocals and beautiful backing harmonies, the musical accompaniment of guitar, violin and accordion perfectly complementing rather than overpowering the exquisite vocals. There is a pleasing variation of style and tempo between the tracks and the inclusion of field recordings of the physical locations that have inspired them helps create the mood and transport the listener to the locations featured. These gentle songs recall tales of love, loss, absent friends, loneliness and endurance. There is none of the usual dark folk song repertoire of violence, death and retribution. The accompanying booklet provides both the lyrics and information about the items or events that have inspired them. The album was launched on 22 May and further information is available from www.elizabethandjameson.co.uk.

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PETE CUNNINGHAM AND PJ MUSIC If you’ve visited folk festivals anywhere from Exeter to Aberdeen, chances are you’ve seen Pete Cunningham and his PJ Music stall – he normally attends more than 28 festivals during the year. But what you might not know is that Pete is an accomplished musician and singer. He plays mostly English and French tunes on guitar and melodeon, sings mainly traditional English songs and teaches guitar, melodeon, stagecraft and music theory for beginners. Pete was also the resident singer/MC at many folk clubs including Stevenage Red Lion, Hitchin, Bowes Lyon, Enfield and Hoddesdon Crown Folk Clubs. He is also a founder member of the Stevenage Sword Rapper Side with Brian Kell, and a singer with Filigree (with Roger and Christine Jeffreys and Pat Turner), and Heritage, a four part a cappella group with Tim Dowd, Mary Fookes and Paul Flannery. Pete’s first venture in the music trade was with Dave Mallinson, running the Eastern Dave Mallinson’s Music Shop. Then in 1996, he started P J Music in Botesdale, but festival trading made it impossible to continue with that premises. Now well established at so many folk gatherings, Pete sells a wide range of instruments including melodeons, accordions, guitars, mandolins, ukuleles, whistles, flutes, fiddles and bodhrans. PJ Music also stocks a wide range of instructional books covering many less well known instruments not easily found elsewhere, plus books about tunes, dance instruction, songs and instrument care and maintenance. Pete also stocks a large range of accessories, including strings for most instruments (classical, folk and rock) plus capos, picks and tuners. He also carries out instrument repairs and tuning with care and precision, specialising in melodeons and accordions.

For a full list of PJ Music’s current stock of instruments, accessories and books, please visit www.pjmusic.co.uk

P J Music

Music Books, Song Books, Dance Books, Instruments & Accessories, Strings, FX, Amps, Mics, Studio & Stage Equipment Everything for the Traditional Musician

New and Used Instruments for sale Melodeon and Accordion tuning

NEW IN STOCK Killarney Whistles C & D Brass or Nickel £82.00 Castagnari 'Clovis' D/G Melodeom £1995.00 Down Yorkshire Lanes, Bonnie Cumbria

All Major Credit & Debit Cards Accepted

01379 890088 – 07968 687011 ( Mobile)

www.pjmusic.co.uk E-mail pjmusic@btinternet.com Wayside Cottage, Chapel Lane, Botesdale, Diss, Norfolk, IP22 1DT www.unicornmagazine.org

THE SONG LOFT

ber the ng

by s open e the ynes from ic

We are all longing for the day when we can get back together again and sing and play the music that we all love so much.

ey y

See you then.

the

The Song Loft hasbut been running September and ho sadly passed away in 2009 we are fortunate between that Jane Armour sinceto1977 with the only term closure de Bill June and Barbara keep this particular candlelong burning (now there’s a being

forced upon us along with every other music venue by the what Covid-19 As her soon as we can safely reopen ords about the club outbreak. means to her and reminiscences of having ception: we will continue to provide the good people of Milton and beyond thethebest from the 8 Matt Keynes Armour had just started Thewith Song Loft previous year. Wefolk had and acoustic music world in 43 the friendly of the dea would still be continuing after these years, which isatmosphere very fulÞlling. led with being ableroom to give our audiences night after night Stratford. of high quality Beechey at York House, Stony

been asked to run 22 years of Folk at the Stables in Wavendon, so he who would be was happyfounded to join us atby The Song Loft -- as well as playing Thealso club the celebrated singer and nday. This way of getting to know so many musicians meant that The songwriter Matt Armour who sadly passed away in 2009 successful reputation throughout the United Kingdom. The only point we butbewe arethe fortunate Jane toArmour continues w would to draw attention ofthat all readers a list of some of the to work have been able to give welcome to our supportive audiences. Here, candle alongside Billaand Barbara to keep this particular musicians: Isla St Clair, Tannahill Weavers, Allan Taylor, Lucy Ward, burning (now there’s a title for a song!). ulie Matthews, The Journeymen Lite, Winter Wilson, Paul Downes, Cara ld, Chris Leslie, Bullfrogs, & Roberts, Thewhat ChurchÞtters Jane hasThe penned a Gilmore few words about the club means to Elizabeth & Jameson. These years of live music have been a bonus to her and her reminiscences of having been involved since its ony Stratford too, so we are really looking forward to carrying on that

The Song Loft is run by: Jane Armour, Barbara Bourn & Bill Reed. General Management enquiries: songloft@gmail.com Bookings please contact Bill: 07738 968804 / 01234 742189 Other enquiries please contact Jane: 01908 566407

inception:

“When we married in 1978 Matt had just ur we have recorded a special version of his songArmour “A Wee Session” forstarted The le we Song all wait Loft for thethe dayprevious when we can get We backhad together again that and sing year. no idea this musical e all love so much. idea would still be continuing after these 43 years, which is very fulfilling.

Those years have been filled with being able to give our audiences night after night of high quality musical events. ries: songloft@gmail.com Matt had been asked to run 22 years of Folk at the Stables in : 07738 968804 / 01234 742189 Wavendon, act Jane: 01908 566407so he knew very many artistes who would also be happy to join us at The Song Loft -- as well as playing in the Vaults Bar on a Sunday. This way of getting to know so many musicians meant that The Song Loft built up a very successful reputation throughout the United Kingdom. The only point we could really make right now would be to draw the attention of all readers to a list of some of the very fine performers who have been able to give a welcome to our supportive audiences. Here, then, are some of those musicians: Isla St Clair, Tannahill Weavers, Allan Taylor, Lucy Ward, Megson, Chris While & Julie Matthews, The Journeymen Lite, Winter Wilson, Paul Downes, Cara Dillon, Saffron Summerfield, Chris Leslie, The Bullfrogs, Gilmore & Roberts, The Churchfitters Show, Ninebarrow, IOTA, Elizabeth & Jameson. These years of live music have been a bonus to living in the very active Stony Stratford too, so we are really looking forward to carrying on that tradition.”

e Armour, Barbara Bourn & Bill Reed.

Friday 14 August 2020

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CD REVIEW ‘WHEEL AND DIVE’ BY CAMBRIDGE AND WALKER Jenna Walker and David Cambridge began their collaboration with a one-off duet at Black Fen Folk club, where they both often sang (solo) at Open Stage nights. Afterwards everyone said “You should do that more often” - and so they did, and thus began the duo “Cambridge and Walker”. First fruit was the EP “Worry Grief and Care” – still available as a download from www.Bandcamp.com to sit alongside David’s solo album “Songtales” (also available from Bandcamp) There have followed many successful and well received appearances at folk clubs around the region and sets at Bury, Ely and Cambridge Folk Festivals. 2020 was set to be a big year for them …….. such is life! “Wheel and Dive” is an eclectic blend of songs in and from the tradition, performed with delightful harmonies, clean, simple accompaniment, enhanced by some elegant cello from Hattie McCall Davies and well produced by Dan Wilde. There’s a couple of original songs, some novel arrangements of classics from Richard Thompson, Joni Mitchell, Tom Waits and John Martyn and a good smattering of traditional songs, mostly sparingly arranged with a couple of a capella numbers with beautiful harmonies. You could be very modern and download individual tracks from one of the streaming services (it will be available on Bandcamp) but if you do then you’ll miss out on the feel of the album as a whole – gentle, thought-provoking music in which one song moves seamlessly into the next. David and Jenna have clearly given a lot of thought to the ‘flow’ of this album from song to song, so sit in a comfy chair, play it right through in one sitting and in the right order and allow it to wash over you. (Have I been locked down too long?). You’ll find more information on their website

Reviewed by David Savage

www.cambridgeandwalker.com

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CD REVIEW ‘SLEEP DEPRIVATION’ BY VICKI SWAN & JONNY DYER Vicki and Jonny are probably best known for the combination of songs and tunes included in their concert sets and themed shows – however, their new album springs from their latest obsession; contra style music. The duo have been playing for dancing for some time now, and this album contains a repertoire of original tunes in a variety of styles, all of which are suitable for contra dance; but with a clever twist – it’s actually one continuous stream of music with bridging passages linking the tracks! “Marvellous Meg” and “Lightening the Load/St Albans Contra” are lively 32-bar reels, “Anastasia” is a cracking 48-bar jig, written for a specific dance (Quais de Seine by Jake Wood), but very suitable for any contra requiring music of this length. The only song on the CD, “Jiggle the Old Bones”, is a 48-bar reel with a catchy chorus that just exudes happiness, while the title track, “Sleep Deprivation” drives along with some tasty piano riffs from Jonny. Two tracks reflect Vicki and Jonny’s historical and geographical influences – “Medieval Contra” and “Caucasia Contra”. Of the two, I find the latter to be more successful as a dance tune, but both are fascinating in their use of unfamiliar rhythms and instrumentation (lyre and citole put in appearances in “Medieval Contra”). A lovely flowing waltz set (“Waltz for Shari” and “The Kindness of Thwaite”) and a final Chapelloise complete the track list. Featuring nyckelharpa, double bass, flute, pipes, piano, bouzouki, guitar, mandolin, citole, lyre and vocals, this album is a joy to listen to…and to dance to as well! Reviewed by Barry Goodman

Have a look at Barry Goodman’s article about Contradance on Page 42 and information about London Barndance Contra on page 48 of this magazine.

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FOLK

LONDON

Features, reviews, listings and more

£2

Folk London magazine: redesigned and relaunched • New look • New website • New focus on the people and places that make up London’s folk community

Special relaunch subscription offer: £18 £12 for one year (six editions) Get your magazine before it’s in shops:

folklondon.co.uk/buy

www.folklondon.co.uk • twitter.com/folklondonmag • editor@folklondon.co.uk www.unicornmagazine.org

AN INTERVIEW WITH...

BROWN BOOTS DUO By Sandra Lawes

One of the joys of producing a magazine like Unicorn, is that I get introduced to musicians I wouldn’t normally see performing. This happened recently when I came across Will Allen and Martin Clarke who are the duo ‘Brown Boots’. Multiinstrumentalist Will’s main focus is the melodeon and fiddle, and Martin is a highly skilled fiddle player. What is your background and how did you meet? We met playing sessions at folk festivals such as Shrewsbury, and quickly realised that we had a common approach to our music keeping it minimalist and simple without the need for high tech or lots of kit. We have both played for dancing for many years: Will especially for north west morris, Martin for rapper sword dancing. We started to play together regularly for ceildihs.

What makes you different as a duo? Because everything we do is based around dance music, we like to interact with our audiences as much as we can. We try to share our music with them rather than just performing in front of them. And we like to keep the music free-flowing and expressive without over-arranging it.

How did the duo get its name? Will was playing a gig at Rochester in early 2017 and his fiddle player dropped out at the last minute. Martin took his place, and a member of the audience noticed that we had matching footwear – we were both wearing brown boots - so we picked the name and it stuck!

Tell me a bit about your new album Referring to our dance roots, the debut album is called ‘First Steps’ and all 12 tracks are instrumentals. It’s a colourful journey with themes from different places. We’ve included a number of tunes that people will know – because we use improvisation to bring them to life and we don’t worry too much that they can be overplayed. The album was recorded live, mostly in one take, and the music evolves even through the album. It’s been described as ‘infectious’ (in a good way!). People say they feel like they’re in the room with us and find themselves dancing as they listen to our music - even if they’re in the kitchen! And we’ve introduced as much variety as possible to give our listeners an ‘immersive’ experience. You can listen to one of the tracks here https:// brownboots.bandcamp.com/album/first-steps and here is a digital version of the album booklet which gives more of an insight into each of the tracks. [See the CD review on page 28 of this issue].

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Where might Unicorn readers have come across Brown Boots? Will was a semi-finalist in the 2014 BBC Young Folk Awards, and he achieved an all-time record in the Speed the Plough contest at Whitby Folk Week. He is also the leader of Chiltern Hundreds Clog Morris, who you have probably seen dancing at St Albans, Ely, Wallingford Bunkfest and other events in the Unicorn area. You might also have seen us perform at The Cambridge Folk Festival, The Sidmouth Folk Festival or even Sandwich Folk and Ale Festival. Or maybe playing for Tower Ravens Rapper, a premier London female sword dance team.

What are you doing during the lockdown? We should have launched our album at The Slaughtered Lamb in Clerkenwell, London but sadly we had to cancel that due to COVID-19… but we did an online event instead. You can watch the whole thing here on YouTube. https://youtu.be/PFqTor8aMPg Sadly, the way we play doesn’t lend itself to online gigs at the moment. But Will is posting ‘a happy tune a day’ on his Facebook page, https:// william202.wixsite.com/willallenmusician?fbclid=IwAR3bFyI_ a7DHezXH1bjj1Yi896c8vjuscD8U_1KE8JQv7ghZL4jBkW9y7K0 and Martin is inspiring musicians across the world to make and share music in his Tunesday Tuesdays Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/692051374869573. We did the album launch online using Zoom, and we were thrilled to have over 100 people watching. And to make up for not being able to get together at the moment, Tower Ravens Rapper are having a Zoom meeting at the time we would normally be practising. It’s hosted by a different member of the side each time, and it makes a really good start to the week. We’ve tried to dance in our separate front rooms, but I’m afraid that’s not been entirely successful!!

Do you have any advice for musicians to help them cope with the pandemic? We know it’s a hugely challenging time for all musicians, but our advice is to find things you enjoy and look for new ways to collaborate. You have to find ways to make money, but don’t let that become all-consuming.

And finally, how can Unicorn readers find out more about Brown Boots or buy your album? They can see everything about us on our website at www.brownbootsmusic.com, Twitter @ BrownBootsMusic or Facebook @brownbootsmusic. The album is available on all the usual channels, but the best place to get it (and the only place to buy the CD) is https://brownboots.bandcamp.com.

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CD REVIEW

Reviewed by Barry Guy

‘FIRST STEPS’ BY BROWN BOOTS Brown Boots are Will Allen (a member of the ceilidh band Urban Folk Theory) on melodeon and Martin Clarke (who also plays for Silver Street Ceilidh Band and The Spring Heeled Jacks) on fiddle. Their new album ‘First Steps’ is more than just a list of their favourite tunes, these sets have been growing and changing with every performance, here crafted together to take the listener on a journey across beautiful musical landscapes. ‘First Steps’ is an album packed full of raw traditional music, a delightful mixture of familiar and lesser-known tunes, with a couple of the band’s own compositions thrown in. It’s the duo sitting down for an hour and enjoying playing tunes together, a comprehensive introduction to Brown Boots. Brown Boots’ music is steeped in playing for dancing, as well as gaining inspiration from playing with some of the country’s best traditional musicians at festivals and pub sessions across the country. Not wanting to lose those dance roots, they’ve combined them with a range of styles, timbres and shades producing soaring, lyrical melodies with rhythm that makes the listener want to move. Some of these tunes have a long and varied history and for anyone interested the booklet accompanying the album provides comprehensive details as to their origin, citing sources such as ‘Playford’s Dancing Master’ published in 1657. There’s an interview with the Brown Boots duo on pages 2627 of this edition of Unicorn Magazine. For more information about Brown Boots go to www.brownbootsmusic.com. You can also find them on Twitter @BrownBootsMusic or Facebook @brownbootsmusic. The album is available on all the usual channels, but the best place to get it (and the only place to buy the CD) is https://brownboots.bandcamp.com.

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THE BALDOCK FLEADH By Brian Burke

The Baldock Fleadh has been running now for 11 years and usually starts on the Sunday evening before the May Bank Holiday Monday (the one at the beginning of the month). The Sunday evening consists of a large session at Templars Hotel where there are special overnight rates for musicians. The actual Fleadh on the Monday alternates between three pubs with different sessions and dancers going from noon till about 7 o’clock or whenever the last musician decides to leave. The musicians get a free voucher for a drink in each pub and a grub voucher for whichever pub is having a barbecue. In the past we have ranged from 30 musicians in the first year to 60 plus on several occasions. Obviously, this year these were changed times but I borrowed a bit of local history from Baldock in that the Charter Fair, which has gone on since 1200 or so, has to appear every year or it would lose its charter to stage it in the High Street. During the war with the blackout they set up a coconut shy for two nights to keep it going and that’s where my idea of the ‘five minute Fleadh’ was born. My niece Sophie, a medical student who was in lockdown in Baldock, had learnt Irish dancing 12 or so years ago so she provided the steps and I provided the music. I also sang my coronavirus song based on the traditional ‘The Wild Rover’ with just a few bemused joggers and dog walkers for company but that was fine... the job was done. Continuity had been preserved! You can see the whole five-minute performance below. So next year we are hoping for a bumper crowd and great Craic will be had by all. The 2021 dates are Sunday 2 and Monday 3 May 2021. Also, you may be interested to hear that the BALDOCK FOLK CLUB is carrying on as a virtual club every two weeks broadcasting from the Orange Tree pub in Baldock at 7:30pm on a Wednesday and then it is put on YouTube. There was a gig on Wednesday 20 May where they had several guests sending in some great stuff.

Look for Baldock Folk Club on YouTube.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aqyHusVBmDDdjhY0eQ0spE2-CjSpLq_R/view

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CD REVIEW ‘CLOSE YOUR EYES AND THINK OF NOTHING’ BY PAVEY ARK Reviewed by Barry Guy Formed in 2016, Pavey Ark is a fast-rising alternative folk band fronted by singer songwriter Neil Thomas. The band’s debut album, ‘Close Your Eyes and Think of Nothing’, is an exquisite record that displays the talents of each individual while combining them masterfully into one cohesive voice. However, with a more upbeat pop feel and lacking the darker side of folk tales, this album is not necessarily one for traditionalists. Thomas’ poetic observations are often cradled with intricate guitar lines, melodic bass, resplendent strings and warming drum brushes. This sensitive musical accompaniment gives the songs a deeply complex ‘soundscape’ to complement the thought-provoking lyrics. ‘Close Your Eyes and Think of Nothing’ recognises the difficult complexities of humanity, but finds hope, love and beauty as the key to survival time and again. Thomas ponders topics including the enormity of first-time fatherhood, dreams of escaping the rat race and the push and pull of relationships past and present. The opening track - ‘Wallflowers’ - is a beautiful composition that marvels at the power of a mindset change inspired by a new relationship that can stop you just ‘being pulled along through life’. Other highlights from the album include the title track ‘Close Your Eyes and Think of Nothing’, that sees Thomas dreaming of “blissful ignorance”, the stunning build of ‘Hidden Hills’, the candid yet complex ‘Breaking Out’, and the lovingly nostalgic ‘Jenny Let Go’. It may take several listens to unravel the deeper meanings of some of the tracks, but that isn’t a great problem as they are all immensely enjoyable to listen to. To find out more about Pavey Ark, ‘Close Your Eyes and Think of Nothing’ or to purchase the album, go to paveyark.bandcamp.com

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BOOK REVIEWS The Eliza Carthy Songbook (Blue Bell Press) This is a long awaited book from one of the most iconic female traditional singers of our time. Eliza has captured a nuance in the subtle juxtaposition of poetic imagination and real life drama. Volume 1 consists of the words of 53 songs from the pen of Eliza (in proper joined up writing)

£14.00 plus £2.00 P&P Available from P J Music pjmusic@btinternet.com 01379 890088 07968 687011

Bonny Cumberland Music from the manuscripts of fiddlers in the Lake District c.1750–1880 480 jigs, reels, strathspeys, hornpipes, polkas, marches, minuets, waltzes and other pieces This book is a collection of dance music drawn from manuscript sources from Cumbria mostly written down between 1750 and 1850. These tunes consist mainly of jigs, reels and hornpipes which have been selected for their quality and because many seem to be locally composed, being found nowhere else.

Compiled by

John Offord (Author of John 'o the Green)

£18.00 plus £2.00 P&P Available from

P J Music pjmusic@btinternet.com www.unicornmagazine.org

BOOK REVIEWS S e a s o n s of o f Change Ch a n g e Seasons

Tom Kitching

T o m Ki tc h i n g

Bus k ing En g la n d Tom s pespent n t 18 mon ths bu s kinbusking g Busking England Tom 18 months arou nd Eng la nd .This is th e s tory o f a land more around England .This is the story o f a land more divers e th an he cou ld h a v e imag ine d . diverse than he could have imagined. Th e albu m for the Bus k Eng la nd proje c t. Recorded The album for the Busk England project. Recorded 'live ' a t Dan e b rid g e M e tho d is t C h a p e l, a nd fe a ‘live‘ at MDanebridge Chapel, featuring tu ring a rit F ä lt o n nMethodist o rd ic m a n d o la . T h e sand o u nd tra c kFält to a on y e anordic r a n d amandola. h a lf o f b usThe k ing sound a ro un d track E Marit to a n g la n d . year and a half of busking around England .

£14.00 £14.00 plus £2.00 P&P

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Latest news from St Neots Folk Club Like all Clubs we are unable to meet and will let everyone know when we will be allowed to gather as a group – however some folks have been Zooming to keep up to date! We do not see that we will be able to meet until at least September but watch this space! We must wait until the Priory Centre is opened!! It is closed until August 1st at least. The good news is that we have managed to rebook most of the cancelled artists into 2021 – see below for the info so far!

KEN FLEET – CLUB MEMBER FOR MANY YEARS Very sadly we report that Ken Fleet died at the end of April following a series of strokes. He died peacefully in Hinchingbrooke Hospital. He was 98 years old and had been a member of St Neots Folk Club since 1993 and served on the Committee for many years. We will miss him greatly, always singing along to the choruses and attending very regularly until ill health prevented him travelling. His wife, Edie, will be supported by us all – they were married for 70 years. IF WE CAN OPEN IN SEPTEMBER! Sept. 1st will be an Open Stage followed by Jez Lowe on Sept. 8th 15th Sept - planned guest from Canada – Maria Dunn has been moved to 2021 as she lost her funding. Hopefully Jay Turner (Australia) will be able to complete his tour – he has not played at St Neots for 25 years! Paid up members now have an extension of 6 months on their membership!

The 38th St Neots Folk Festival 2020 had to be cancelled BUT we were able to book most of the artists for 2021 as noted on the right. Having just got the leaflets and tickets printed for this year we are so glad that our guests could join us next year. We had already booked Granny’s Attic for 2021 so The Salts have moved to a Club night on 15th June.

2021 dates for guests so far. Empty weeks not shown! Rebooked from 2020 in red

Jan 5th - Dave Ellis & Boo Howard Jan 12th – Open Stage Jan 26th Round the Room Feb 9th or 16th Tim Edey or Showcase Feb 23rd - Round the Room + AGM March 2nd - Fake Thackray March 9th – Judy Cook March 16th - QuickSilver March 23rd - Over the Moon (Cananda) March 30th – Round the Room April 6th – Landermason April 13th – Caim April 20th Dan McKinnon April 27th Round the Room May 4th – The Hut People May 11th – Open Stage May 18th – Tania Opland & Mike Freeman May 25th - Round the Room June 8th – Marian Bradfield & Val Monteith June 11,12 13th FESTIVAL DATES with: Richard Digance, Granny’s Attic, Tom McConville, Ninebarrow June 15th – The Salts (from 2020 Fest) June 22nd - Megan Wisdom July 6th – The Snapes More news on the web site as it happens!

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CD REVIEW ‘A GOLDEN THREAD’ BY PETE MORTON Reviewed by Debbie Catt It’s been five years since acclaimed singer-songwriter Pete Morton’s last album, but his latest offering ‘A Golden Thread’ has been well worth waiting for. With eight brand new self-penned songs in this captivating collection, Pete also includes new arrangements of two traditional ballads and a cover version (with significant re-styling) of the Pete Seeger title track – ‘(Oh Had I) A Golden Thread’. Giving each song a truly individual character, Pete is joined by a host of highly talented multi-instrumentalists. Bringing their own very specific musical expertise are Sarah Matthews (fiddle, octave violin, viola and vocals), George Sansome (guitar and euphonium), Alice Jones (piano, clarinet and vocals), Matt Quinn (banjo, mandolin, concertina, melodeon and vocals), Justin Twigg (double bass), Mark Woolley (percussion and whistle) and The Peace Through Folk Choir. With his impressive skill in observation and sensitive interpretation demonstrated within every track, Pete reflects on global themes, many with an uncanny poignancy in the current pandemic crisis. Topics include human migration, the arms trade, climate change, love and loss – all expressed with genuine heartfelt human emotion. Pete also duets brilliantly with Julie Wigley on his original ‘I Live Your Love’ and with Jude Rees on ‘Good Day Mr Nobody’ - a re-worked version of one of his older songs ‘Emily Dickinson’. ‘A Golden Thread’ is altogether a magical combination of rhythms and styles, original, compelling and totally absorbing. For further information and to buy this CD, visit Pete’s website https://www.petemorton.com

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FROM SHINDIG TO SHUTDOWN AT ROYSTON FOLK CLUB BY MARK GAMON

Wednesday 20th May 2020. Hottest day of the year so far, we’re informed. Kind of puts us in mind of some similarly hot days back in August 2019, when Royston Folk Club staged a magical weekend of music in sweltering heat, at our first ever summer Shindig. We didn’t plan to do a second Shindig this year. Quality, not quantity, we reasoned. Virus permitting, the next Shindig is planned for August 2021. Make a note in your diaries. What we hadn’t planned was the complete closure of our club, along with all our sister clubs right across the UK. They’re just music venues, you might say, and the closure doesn’t amount to a hill of beans compared to what some people are going through, but we’re still a little heartbroken to have to cancel all our concerts - and not be able to mingle twice a month with The Legendary Roystoneers, who have all become true friends these last five years. So it goes. History happens whether we like it or not. What matters is keeping the faith, as our genial host, Whispering Chris Walls Cee Dub, has managed to do, even in lockdown virtual world. His Royston Shutdown Showcases channel the spirit of the club, the extraordinary resourcefulness of our community of performers, Royston’s insistence on stylish headgear at all times, and even the legendary Old Grey Whistle Test of yore. The best way to view the Showcases is to go to www. roystonfolk.org, then click on Shutdown Showcases in the menu at the top. You’ll find three videos there. Have a look at the Royston Folk Club Facebook Group too. Please drop by: we’d love to see and hear from you, and we’re guessing you’ve got time, when the lockdown gardening’s done. Rest assured, too, that Royston Folk Club will be back. Can’t say when (can’t even say which year) but someday soon we’ll gather our remarkable roster of performers and our equally remarkable listeners and convene at the Old Bull Inn in Royston for the party to end all parties. See you there, Roystoneers.

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HELP OUR WONDERFUL HITCHIN FOLK CLUB SINGERS AND MUSICIANS THE CRICKET PAVILION AUDIO CONCERT LUCAS LANE RECORDINGS FROM HITCHIN HERTS HITCHIN FOLK CLUB SG5 2JA

By Keiron Jones

SUNDAYS 7.30 – 10.15pm Doors 6.30pm

As far as we know at the moment, the club will reopen after the Summer Break. When we thought of all the wonderful singers and musicians who have entertained us for so long having their income cut to nothing so suddenly, it struck us that there may be something we can do to help. Since the late 80s, I have been recording concerts at Hitchin Folk Club, so we thought if we could offer whole concerts to download for a suggested donation of £5, it could mean the price of a meal for our beleaguered friends - it could be as basic as that. I put the idea out on Facebook and received lots of positive reactions from performers and audiences. So, as the requests came in, I had to first check with each artiste to see if they were happy to join the scheme. Then I started uploading concerts to Dropbox, which quickly ran out of space. After a brief relationship with Box, I ditched that and started using Google Drive which has been good, with 15GB of space. As the scheme progressed, more and more concerts were uploaded, and as more space was needed, I opened an account for Maureen. At the time of writing this article, I have 186 concerts uploaded, and even our rabbit now has a Google Drive account! I thought it would all slow down after the first month, but that hasn’t happened. In fact the word seems to be spreading wider, with orders coming in from as far away as Germany, Denmark, America and Australia! 735 concerts have now been ordered and enjoyed 12,000 miles apart! If you haven’t got involved with this scheme already but would like to give it a try, take a look at the Who played when? page (from about 1989) on our website, and see if there’s anything you fancy. All the concerts that have a recording have an ‘R’ in the right hand column. If the support was recorded as well (very common now, but rare in the early days), there will be an ‘R’ in that column too. An R indicator doesn’t necessarily mean that we have the artiste’s permission to share their music. At the foot of The Hitchin Folkus page on our website, there’s a list of all the concerts that are ready to go - the rest is up to you! Please send your requests to me by email at goodmusic@ hitchinfolkclub.co.uk - not Facebook or Messenger please. I have to keep careful track of who has asked for what etc, and I can do that best with emails. 36

SEPTEMBER 13th MARTIN SIMPSON

SEPTEMBER 27th RICHARD DIGANCE

OCTOBER 11th

ALY BAIN & PHIL CUNNINGHAM Postponed to 21st March 2021 th

OCTOBER 25

CHRIS WHILE & JULIE MATTHEWS

NOVEMBER 15th

URBAN FOLK QUARTET PLUS KELLY OLIVER

NOVEMBER 29th MARTYN JOSEPH

DECEMBER 13th

ST AGNES FOUNTAIN

DECEMBER 20th

ALBION CHRISTMAS If you would like a full copy of the programme, send us an email and we will put you on our emailshot list. For further details phone Maureen Jones on Hitchin (01462) 812391 goodmusic@hitchinfolkclub.co.uk www.hitchinfolkclub.co.uk

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LOCKDOWN LIVESTREAM

STRIKES A CHORD BY EMILY SLADE

In an arts centre in the south west, I was waiting to soundcheck, filling time, watching the news on a mobile phone about the global spread of coronavirus. It was only February but this was to be my last concert of 2020. Within a few weeks, the UK went into lockdown. All live concerts were postponed and the folk scene took to social media as an outlet for the ‘live music’ experience. For me, this brought about an unexpected and curious link to my past.

Thousands of musicians, sound engineers, lighting technicians, agents – mostly self-employed – find themselves at home, like much of the nation, waiting to re-fill their diaries. As lockdown eases, one can’t help imagining that hundreds of people gathering in the close confines of a theatre will be one of the last freedoms to be regained. Folk musicians continue to do what folk musicians have always done: we’re still making music. From our sofas, with guitars in arms, fiddles around the kitchen table, melodeons down the garden, with astonishing creativity they are harnessing technology to teach music, broadcast weekly request shows and for split-screen collaborations with other musicians. Some have set themselves remarkable challenges, such as Nancy Kerr’s project ‘A Leon Rosselson Song a Day’ throughout May, and Simon Care’s bi-weekly fundraiser, The Musical Jukebox. As a technophobe, on week one of lockdown I managed to prop a mobile phone on a stack of books and accurately press ‘record’. I dedicate a song a week to old friends from university and school, while connecting with new people on Facebook, mostly friends of friends who play guitars, collect guitars or even make guitars! Out of these videos, a delightful story of hidden connection emerged for me, a story which goes back to 1992, when my family moved to Pirton; a small village just outside Hitchin, North Hertfordshire. Keen to get to know the local community, my Dad promptly became a ‘Pirton Clanger’, a bell ringer at the parish church. I followed him. I joined the church choir. When I started writing

songs, I drew inspiration from this village – its church, the pubs and people. The song ‘Shire Boy’ became the title track of my debut album. I moved away from Pirton years ago, but ‘Shire Boy’ was a natural choice to record for the lockdown sessions. In early May, a guitar maker named Simon Potipher put out a Facebook request. Simon was adding the finishing touches to a beautifully handcrafted guitar, which he’d named ‘The Reverend D’. He was looking for a guitarist to demo the new instrument. Potipher Guitars have a Facebook reach of 4800 people, spread across the world, but with travel restrictions, the player needed to be fairly local. Living now in Cambridgeshire, I felt close enough to offer a hand (or two!) and Simon delivered the new guitar to my doorstep. He explained, from two metres away, how this instrument held special meaning for him. Simon had bought the wood three years ago and in that time his dad had sadly passed away. Simon built the guitar as a memorial to his dad, using that wood and naming the guitar ‘The Reverend D’, as his father had been a firefighter and also a chaplain. You can see me playing ‘The Reverend D’ here, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sYwPMneOcY ‘I listened to some of your lockdown music videos,’ Simon explained. ‘I was interested to hear the one you wrote about Pirton. My dad was once the vicar at the village church.’ Of course, Reverend John Potipher. Only then, I recognised the name. Simon’s dad was the vicar at the church while my dad and I rang the bells in the tower all those years ago. It seems I would have met Simon before too, on a Christmas Eve, for mince pies, before ringing for midnight mass. I decided to record two hymns for The Reverend D: Lord of All Hopefulness (or Be Thou My Vision) and The Lord is My Shepherd. The guitar, the tunes, but especially the story have reached out from the confines of my four walls, recording videos with nowhere to go. Facebook stretches out and around the world. Simon is now building another ‘D’ (Dreadnought) guitar for a Facebook friend all the way over in Maryland. Lockdown can feel like it will last forever. But this story has linked the here and now back to the past, bringing things full circle in a curious and beautiful way. And here is another song, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIyvKz58SzY I perform on this beautiful Potipher guitar – called ‘Towerblocks and Lullabies’. It’s all about how people use freedom. You can also follow Emily Slade on Facebook at Emily Slade Music https://www.facebook.com/Emily-Slade-Music-264080619465/

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Photography: Di King 37

CHESHAM FOLK CLUB’S VIRTUALLY BACK! By Ray Butler

In an attempt to combat cabin fever in our members and friends Chesham Folk Club is reopening not at the Whitehill Centre, but on line. We first used the Zoom videoconferencing system to host a virtual singaround on Monday, 1 June. Our online singers’ (or reciters’, or instrumentalists’...) nights offer a huge variety of performers and material and the virtual events will be no different . They are open to all and we happily encourage all acoustic based performers to come and have a go. All we ask is that you give of your best. If you are a musician, singer or performer, or just want to listen, you will always find a warm welcome, and we quite often get some really nice surprises. And on 29 June, 7:45 for 8 PM we have a virtual Feature night with a very welcome return to one of our most popular local artists Tim Brooks. You can find out more about Tim , his background and his repertoire at www.oldtimetim.com To attend, please email cheshamfolk123@gmail.com with June 29 as the message title and we’ll send you the access code and password a day or two before the event.’ If these online events work well we’ll make

them a regular feature, probably fortnightly, until we can meet again in real life.

Watch our website http://cheshamfolkclub.org.uk/ for details of more online events.

Technical Stuff In experimenting with Zoom and participating in other virtual events we’ve found that there are a few tricks and wrinkles in getting the best result, particularly in the audio settings in Zoom to stop it treating accompanying instruments as background noise. Joining Zoom meetings without installing their app is possible but tricky (They seem to REALLY want you to install their programme). Fortunately, our friends at Herga at the Castle are a few weeks ahead of us with Zoom, and have published tons of guidance notes on their web page https://herga.club/ that are so clear that even I can understand them (thanks, Herga!) • You will need a Windows, Mac, iPad or Android device with a camera, microphone and speakers • All tablets, Macs and Windows laptops should get you in • Desktop PCs may need external webcams, microphones and speakers • You don’t need to install Zoom, the link will allow you to participate via the Zoom web pages • If you have Zoom installed, please ensure it has been upgra ded to version 5 or higher • There are tweaks that need to be made to the audio settings in Zoom to stop it treating accompanying instruments as background noise

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CD REVIEW ‘IF HAWKS WERE DOVES’ BY RED VELVET Reviewed by Sandra Lawes Cambridge based folk-rock band, Red Velvet, will be releasing its latest EP ‘If Hawks Were Doves’ on 1 July. All written by members of the band, the six tracks are expertly performed by Deirdre Murphy (lead vocals), Les Ray (acoustic guitar/banjo/ backing vocals), Colin R. Smith (drums), Gene Thunderbolt (keyboard/electric guitar) and Mike Udin (bass/backing vocals). Also making a highly accomplished contribution is Sam Inglis, with his excellent work behind the scenes as Sound Engineer and Producer, plus his impressive vocal arrangements – especially on ‘Sad Songs and Wine’. Dealing with the light and darker sides of life and the positive and negative forces that affect us all, the songs are perfectly attuned to the challenging times we are currently facing. Deirdre’s rich melodic voice with its husky undertones reflects the deep emotions and feelings that inspired the lyrics. It’s clear that she draws on poignant life experiences to convey the passion within the music. Deirdre’s vocals are beautifully complemented by the contributions from the other members of the band – I particularly loved Colin’s rhythmic percussion, Les’ banjo playing in ‘Getting Too Serious’, and Gene’s fine guitar skills – driving the song along in ‘Still Believe in Love’. His outstanding guitar solos in ‘The Last Thing We Need Is Another Love Song’ reminded me of the amazing riffs characteristic of some Dire Straits’ performances. Although laying bare the pain of living and loving, the skilled songwriting also offers hope and optimism – much needed in these desperate times. Despite the regrets, pain and sadness, these are not songs of despair – they are uplifting and inspiring. Uncannily appropriate to the pandemic and lockdown, the songs allude to getting away from our trouble and having a trip to the coast ‘to breathe clean air and feel alive’. ‘Gotta get away to see the sea again….it’s getting too serious’ certainly resonated with me, and the mention of spending healing time with friends is something we would all love to do right now!

But you can find more information about the band at www.redvelvetfolk. co.uk, @RedVelvertMM or facebook. com/redvelvetcambridge/ You can also contact Les Ray on 07903 521412 or lesliealexray@gmail.com

I was also intrigued by the track ‘Impostor’, referencing a major topic of the moment – ‘imposter syndrome’. So many talented, clever people suffer deeply with this affliction - apparently both Deirdre and Les among them – but you certainly wouldn’t detect that when you talk with them or listen to their music. Even in this song, the struggle is resolved optimistically, and the destructive demon is beaten into submission. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this EP – both for its musicality and for the powerful messages in the lyrics. Sadly, with all live performances on hold due to the current Government restrictions, I can’t tell you about any forthcoming Red Velvet gigs. www.unicornmagazine.org

CD REVIEW ‘SEVEN’ BY LIZZY HARDINGHAM

Reviewed by Sandra Lawes

Based right in the heart of Unicorn country, Lizzy Hardingham is a highly talented folk musician and songstress who is making a huge impact on the folk scene. She’s had success in many local competitions including New Roots and Royston Young Artists as well as the Herts, Milkmaid Folk Club and Watford Folk Song songwriting competitions. She’s also enjoyed considerable radio play nationally and ‘across the pond’. Released at the end of May 2020, the ‘Seven’ EP is a mix of traditional, a capella and self-penned songs all on the theme of the sea. In my opinion, this is by far Lizzy’s best and most mature work to date. Her powerful, expressive voice is particularly well suited to these shanties and sea songs and original arrangements. She expertly shows her versatility in expressing different moods and tempos – and to my delight, I could hear every word of the lyrics. Lizzy’s stirring vocals are supported by quality contributions from Ellie McCann (banjo and mandolin), Cian David (electric guitar) and Mark Gordon (percussion) who also did a magnificent job mixing and mastering the tracks. Lizzy tells me that half of her family come from Merseyside and are keen supporters of the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) – she is donating half of the proceeds from the album to this charity. You will know some of the songs on the album like ‘Rolling Down to Old Maui’, ‘South Australia’ and ‘Shenandoah’, and may well have sung along with them at folk clubs and festivals – but Lizzy gives them a fresh treatment with captivating new arrangements. Other songs concern the way mankind has exploited the whale, the melting of a glacier and the mysterious Antarctic Ocean. I found the album an absolute delight – high calibre musicianship, expressive vocals and a charming mix of rousing traditional songs and touching ballads. I can’t wait to see Lizzy perform these great tracks live when life returns to ‘normal’. In the meantime, like so many artists, she has lost a great deal of income due to the postponement and cancellations of her gigs. She is doing livestream concerts and you can find out more about these (and leave a donation if possible) and buy her excellent EP at www. lizzyhardingham.com. You can also find information about her at: Facebook: www.facebook.com/lizzyhardingham Instagram: www.instagram.com/lizzyhardinghammusic Bandcamp: www.lizzyhardingham.bandcamp.com/ album/dusk

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Friday 14 August 2020

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KEEP SAFE AND

CARRY ON SUPPORTING

...DANCE What is Contra Dance?

By Barry Goodman

In the 17th Century, at around the time that North America was being populated by immigrants from Europe, English country dances had found their way to France and had become known as “contredanses”. The dances returned to England, and then were taken to what had now become the United States, to be reinterpreted as “contradances”. Arranged in long lines of couples standing opposite each other (“contra” = “opposite”), each long set is broken down into smaller sets of four who dance with each other, then progress as couples to form another set of four and start again. You dance with your partner, but also with your “neighbours” (the other couple in your set), working your way along the lines of dancers – so you get to dance with a lot of other people! The music for contra dance is traditionally provided by stringed instruments, such as fiddle, mandolin, guitar and bass, although bands come in all shapes, sizes and combinations, rather like ceilidh bands. There’s no stepping to learn – the dances are done to a brisk walk – and you can put as much energy as you like into the figures – there’s plenty of room for improvisation! Most of the local Folk Dance clubs include some contra dance in their programmes, and there are two regular events dedicated to the style in the Unicorn area – London Barn Dance Company, monthly at Cecil Sharp House in London, and Cambridge Contra Dance, fortnightly in Chesterton, Cambridge. In addition, Unicorn Ceilidhs include a “Contra-Ceilidh” in their schedule each year – keep an eye on the Unicorn Magazine Diary for details once we get back to ‘normal life’.

The 2019 Contra Ceilidh with the English Contra Dance Band and caller Mike Courthold

If you are interested in music for contra dance, you might like to listen to Vicki Swan and Jonny Dyer’s latest album ‘Sleep Deprivation’ which is reviewed on page 24 of this magazine. 42

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Linsleighders Folk Dance Club usually meets on a Wednesday evening from 8-10pm (with a break in middle for a cuppa and chat) at the Forster Institute in Waterloo Road, Linslade, LU7 2NR. We have seven Club callers amongst our members and a typical night is shared by two of them, calling a variety of dance styles – English Country dancing, Playford, American Contras. Once a month (third Wednesday) we have a guest caller, usually someone who lives in the South East. We don’t have a website. If you would like further information please contact: Ann Tracey (Club Chairman) on 01525 376015 Email – anntracey2@aol.com At the moment, of course, the club is closed. We are all really missing our weekly dance session. However, those of us that have available technology have been meeting up via Zoom call on a Wednesday evening for a chat and catch up. We’ve even had a tune or two from one of our members. We’ve also held our Committee meeting via Zoom call.

We already had our Christmas Dance all organised for Saturday 5th December, Wing Village Hall, Caller: Mark Elvins, Band: Wild Ride. This will remain booked for now and will be reviewed in due course, as life and the way forward unfold!

Bedford

Folk Dance Club

Sadly, the Bedford Folk Dance Club is closed due to the coronavirus but when we are open, we are friendly and sociable. We include basic instruction and enjoy dancing to a wide range of folk and country music. We meet on Thursday evenings from 8pm to 10pm at St Marys Church Hall, Bedford MK41 0HL. We have about 10 visiting callers, using recorded music on normal club nights. In the Spring and Autumn, we hold a Saturday public dance at St Andrew’s Church Hall in Bedford, when we have a caller with a live band. We have a total membership of about 45 dancers, with attendance of about 25 on a typical club night. A partner is not required. The dances are mainly English folk favourites but we also enjoy American Squares, and some traditional contra dances. In ‘normal’ times, brief details of our club night events can be found in the Unicorn Diary together with contact details. We welcome new dancers, so please come and join us.

See our website for more information

www.bedfordfolkdanceclub.com www.unicornmagazine.org

Phoenix Morris are a mixed Cotswold Morris Side based in Rickmansworth. Morris is a great way to make friends and keep fit whilst keeping alive a centuries-old tradition. We practice every Wednesday night in Ebury Road Rickmansworth unless dancing out. We dance at local pubs and events as well as Folk Festivals across the country. We are a friendly bunch of people who love having a good time and always welcome new members, both dancers and musicians, and no experience is required. Do come along and give it a try â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be disappointed. For further details visit our website

https://phoenixmorrisdancers.com/

or ring our Foreman, Sue Stimpson, on 07831 815357 44

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Instruction videos for solo Morris dances Kindly provided by Pauline Woods-Wilson, Morris Federation President Morris dancers are getting bored in isolation. To help avert the boredom, The Morris Federation has started a set of ‘Isolation Instructionals’ to help performers learn a new solo dance while in isolation. So far they have published a Cotswold Jig called ‘Nutting Girl’ from the Fieldtown Tradition, taught by Owain Boorman, a solo dance in the North West style wearing clogs, taught by John Earnshaw, and a Sailor’s Hornpipe which can be danced barefoot, taught by Martyn Harvey, plus some warming up and cooling down exercises taught by Andrew Knight. See The Morris Federation’s YouTube channel: https:// www.youtube.com/user/MFnotation for all the Instructional videos. A link to the Notation and Music is included in the Advert Unicorn July-Sept 20:Layout 2 7/5/20 description, along with ‘jump to’ links so you can go back to wherever you left off learning.

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Dance the night away . . . it’s a barn dance – or is it a ceilidh? A ceilidh (say

kayley) is your chance to dance English folk dances with others. The caller explains all the moves and walks them through – the band starts – and a great time is had by all! There’s usually a dance display in the interval and a raffle. Singles and groups are welcomed – just come and enjoy dancing to great music from top bands. Tickets only £11 - singles & groups welcome.

See www.unicornceilidhs.org.uk

FRIDAY 11TH SEPTEMBE R

We had to cancel the April & May ceilidhs due to Covid-19, but hopefully we’ll be back in September. Keep an eye on the emails we send out, or the website for the latest news. Here are the bands and callers we’ve booked after September, until the NYE ceilidh: Fri 9th October - Gloworms with Jane Bird calling. Fri 6th November - Bosun Higgs with Ian Nichols. Fri 11th December - Junction 24 with Andy Rouse

St Mary’s Hall, Church St, Baldock SG7 5AE

geckoes with caller alan simpson

A six-piece band playing fid dle, keyboards, melodeon, co bass, electric and acoustic gu ncert rs and mandolin between theina, and originally formed in 19ita m, experience between them, an 86. They have a huge amount of Over the years they’ve relea d many unusual and exciting tunes. sed three albums - check the m out at www.geckoes.co.uk Alan calls regularly with the band, and knows the dances which fit the band’s tunes. Don’t miss the season’s first dance!

FULL BAR with REAL ALE

Tickets now available on line see website for details

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Doors open 7.30 p.m. Dancing 8.00 to 11.00 p.m. 45

WOODSIDE MORRISMEN In 1956, male members of the Phoenix Folk Club in Woodside, Finchley, decided to form a ‘Morris Club, which includes sword dancing in its repertoire.’ Eddie Reavell was charged with putting the Morris section together and practices began. The side was named after the Woodside Park area of Finchley where the folk club met and it first appeared in public in September 1957 at a meeting in Kingston-upon-Thames. By 1965, links with the parent folk club were more or less broken, and in March that year a letter was sent to members informing them that next Wednesday’s meeting would be taking place at the Railway Club in Watford. By July, Watford had become Woodside’s new home; an arrangement made possible through one of the Woodside men being a member of the British Rail Social Club and its activities gradually moved to the SW Hertfordshire area. In the early 1970s, Woodside faced a number of dilemmas which included losing its practice venue and declining in numbers. Circumstances soon came to the rescue though. Back in Watford, the Pump House Arts Centre was being developed and, with the prospect of finding a new home, Woodside members became active in preparing it for opening, and in the process also building a relationship with members of the Pump House Folk Club. Within a few years, Woodside had gone from near extinction to having possibly the strongest membership in the club’s history. In 1984 some members left to form the Phoenix side in nearby Rickmansworth and it is good to see both sides still performing nearly 40 years later. The side broadened its horizons further, becoming involved in festivals and events across the country and Europe, having made several visits to Bensheim near Frankfurt as guests at their wine festival. The Mummers’ Play was revived, and the side is now as busy as ever, with local and touring events, school and club involvement, encouraging the continuation of England’s folk tradition. During this time of the pandemic members have only been able to meet online and to do the occasional solo performance at home. 2020 was the first time for many years that Woodside have not danced at dawn in Cassiobury Park, Watford, on May Day although we did meet online to toast the summer albeit a little later in the morning! We still have a potentially full diary for when society returns to being more normal. We hope to be able to resume practising at the Pump House in Watford on Wednesday evenings in the winter and would always welcome new members.

Please contact Nick Wilson on 07860 663033 or email info@woodsidemorrismen.com 46

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LONE MORRIS FESTIVAL

By Simon Bailes

So, what do Morris dancers do when they can’t dance together? They have to do it on their own. There must be a joke in there somewhere but I don’t really want to dwell too long on what Morris get up to on their own in full kit with bells, hankies and sticks!

What I do want to do is give a big shout out to all the dancers and musicians who have taken part in the Lone Morris Festival events coordinated by Kathy Brickell and Anonymous Morris of Poole. At a time where all of our dancing activities are scuppered and we resort to Zoom, Face Time, Teams and all other manner of video communications to maintain contact with our fellow dancers, having a focus for our solo activities has been a tremendous boost for the morale of all of us. There is no need to tell anyone who is part of a dance side how fantastic it is. However, for those that have yet to succumb to the call of the Morris I feel it worthwhile trying to explain why it is such a good thing and not, as Oscar Wilde (or George Bernard Shaw, or Winston Churchill, depending on which source you use) allegedly suggested, something to be avoided as much as incest. The camaraderie and friendship you get within your own group and with the wider Morris is, for me, the basis of why Morris dancing is great. I accept that it’s often the case when you get groups of like-minded people together who enjoy an activity just for the sake of doing it, that their joy in undertaking their activity together creates a synergy which is greater than the sum of the individual parts. In accepting this though, my experience has been that the Morris world is populated with the most fantastic eccentrics who make spectacles of themselves in the name of tradition for no other reason than they enjoy doing so. That takes the buzz from their activities beyond anything that normal people do and it creates a shared experience that is treasured by dancers of all genres. I dance with Letchworth Morris Men. I meet up with the side every week during the winter and often twice a week during the summer at pubs, country fetes and all manner of other events. We share an enjoyment of Morris dancing but more than that we share a friendship both within our side and extending to an expansive network of friends and acquaintances across the country. I admit, most of us enjoy a beer or two and our summer programme often includes visits to a pub or two. But the thing that we have all missed most during our Covid confinement is the physical presence of our friends. We meet every Monday on Zoom and set the world to rights virtually, but it’s not the same as being together. Our May Day dance at the Ickwell maypole with Bedford Morris Men was cancelled, but in the spirits of the Lone Morris Festival, several of Letchworth Morris gathered on Zoom and we sang and

danced as best we could early on May Day morning. Some say it was the best that we have ever performed Mum Johnstone’s May Song! It was great to share our May Day silliness with our friends and then to post the resulting video onto the ‘How Many Morris Dancers Are On Facebook?’ group. Most of us have had to apologise to our neighbours for the sound of bells at 6.30 in the morning. Kathy Brickell (of Anonymous Morris, Poole) has given a focus for many of us with the initial Lone Morris festival on the 21st of March, then the two subsequent festivals to celebrate St George’s Day and May Day. At the time of writing there is another Lone Morris Festival scheduled for the late May bank holiday on 25th May. It’s been great to feel part of a wider event, even if we are all dancing on our own in the back garden. Congratulations to all that have taken part and have helped to generate what I think is a perfect antidote to Covid isolation. I will certainly be taking part on the 25th of May as will other members of Letchworth Morris Men. To help commemorate our lone Morris activities, a number of badges have been produced by Matt Davis of the Amble Badge Company with artwork by Christopher Todd and Hannah Davenhill. We Morris dancers can never have too many badges! Keep dancing everyone and let’s have a spectacular massed Morris event when we are let out of lockdown! Letchworth Morris Men https://www.letchworthmorris.org.uk/ Anonymous Morris https://www.anonymousmorris.co.uk/ Amble Badge Company https://www.facebook.com/amblebadgecompany/

Just for information St George’s Day event https://www.facebook.com/events/860108221125648/ May Day event https://www.facebook.com/events/234717737850561/ Late May bank holiday event https://www.facebook.com/events/282471459818797/

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London Barndance Contra by Andrew Findlay

Early Beginnings 395 dances, one virtual event and counting! In normal times London Barndance meets in the main hall at Cecil Sharp House (C#): 100+ dancers, great bands and callers, and lots and lots of energy. These days we mostly dance Contra, but that is not where we started… Cast your mind back to 1982: the Falklands War, Margaret Thatcher is Prime Minister, DeLorean Motors and the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company close down, the last Ford Cortinas are made and three million people are unemployed. Welsh nationalists bombed a water company, and the IRA bombed everything else. Dark days for many people, but what I remember it for is the start of London Barndance. I was a postgrad at Reading University at the time, and a couple of friends turned up at the folk dance club babbling about this amazing dance they had been to in London - American squares! Patter calls! Mind-bending fast dances! A whole carload of us made the trek to C# the following month and found Bernard Chalk and Blue Mountain Band (BMB) driving a very enthusiastic crowd of dancers into near exhaustion. It was a foregone conclusion that this would be a regular thing, so we were aghast when Bernie announced that he would stop running the events a few months later. Organisation was not really his thing, but fortunately everyone was happy to keep performing – they just wanted someone else to do

the admin. We could do that: Reading had just saved the Inter Varsity Folk Dance Festival from near ruin, and some of that team were still around, so Jane and I found ourselves in charge in short order.

LBC Takes Shape It was called London Barndance Company in those days (and still is at times). Bernie’s idea was to have a dance company in the sense of a group of people with a common interest: he and BMB were the backbone, but other people were involved too. Tom Holloway called parts of many early dances, and the idea was that any visiting musicians and callers would be welcome to get up on stage and perform. When Bernie was calling most of the dances would be squares that he had collected while travelling around the USA – he often claimed to have spread more American dances around America than the Americans did themselves! Bernie was a master of patter call, so many squares would start with no walk-through and dancers just had to follow instructions as they came. This

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took a bit of getting used to, particularly as sound systems were not as good in those days and it took some time to ‘get your ear in’ to interpret the call fast enough! It wasn’t all squares though – there would always be a mix of other forms including some classic Playford and quite a bit from Pat Shaw. Hard to believe now, but our first official guest caller was John Lagden. (Sssssh! Lisssten!). By the mid -1980s John Chapman, Mark Elvins and Ken Bonner were starting to appear regularly, with Arden Folk and Weston Country Dance Band creeping into the band list. Weston would go on to become our second-most-booked band after Blue Mountain. Even with Bernie’s open-stage policy there were very few touring bands or callers in the early days: Meg McCloud in 1984, Bob Dalsemer in 1986, Don Armstrong in 1989. It was only in 1994 that we got an all-American line-up: Claude Ginsberg and Julie King played for Mike Richardson. Touring bands and callers have been a fairly regular feature in recent years due to co-operation with Meg at Alcester and highprofile events like the Chippenham and Ely festivals.

among younger American dancers, very much like English Ceilidh here. We set up the Contra Corner mailing list to promote the idea in the UK, and LBC events gradually took on a new feel. Younger – often single – dancers appreciated the invitation to dance with lots of different partners through the evening, and our events became more inclusive and welcoming to newcomers as a result. We still dance squares and a handful of other forms occasionally, but Contra has become the driving force.

Contra Explained So what exactly is Contra? At first sight, it’s just longways improper dances done too many times through. But that description misses the point - it actually feels different. It’s smoother but with more energy. Interaction with partners and neighbours is more intense – in fact much too intense for some people who come from more staid forms of dance.

Saved by the Internet LBC has weathered a few storms over the years, including the time in 1986 when the owners of Cecil Sharp House the English Folk Dance and Song Society - tried to sell it off. We held one dance in Kentish Town before returning to a rather dusty and uncared-for Kennedy Hall when the Friends’ campaign forced a re-think. Eventually, many of the original younger dancers moved away from London and the audience thinned and grew greyer at an alarming rate. There were only five dances in 1996 as each one lost so much money. A small band of enthusiasts rallied around, and we boosted our publicity effort with adverts in all the nearby folk magazines. We were even listed in Time Out for a while, but what really saved us was the Web. Our website first appeared in about 1995 as part of Brunel University’s site, and moved to our own domain www. barndance.org in 2000. This finally gave us a route in to the vast student population in and around London, and our numbers started to pick up again. The new millennium saw a change of emphasis - John Meechan pointed out how successful Contra had become

What Makes a ‘Real’ Contra Event? Lots of people have their own ideas on this, but they all agree that really good zesty music is vital. Some comments from the Contra-Corner mailing list set the scene: Contra Dance is high energy dancing like our ceilidhs, but the dancers appear much more aware of their partners and neighbours and thus contra dancing is less aggressive than ceilidh dance. In the US, it’s expected that everyone will change partners for every dance. ... twirls even before the ladies give right hands in a

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ladies chain. Each dance is played at least 15 to 20 times through so that everyone, even in the longest of Contra lines, has the opportunity to dance as Couple 1 and Couple 2. Describing the music, the Americans use the term ‘zesty’. The majority of formations danced are ‘duple minors’ with the occasional ‘triple minor’. And eye contact is intense and great fun - once you get used to it. You can flirt all you want with your current partner, as it’s accepted that it’s just for this dance! ... high energy music, probably including French-Canadian reels, probably fiddle led, and tending to swing …15 or 20 times through? Well maybe not in London, or not often anyway, butmore times through than typical English dances, and there really is scope for some flamboyant dancing!

Lockdown and Beyond So now what? We want our monthly fix of this intensely physical, driving social dance form – but Cecil Sharp House is closed, and we may not be allowed to dance socially for a year or more. So what can we do? Concerts can move online fairly easily (apart from the formidable technical problems for a band trying to play ‘together’ when they are not together at all). Performance is possible, but participation is harder – especially for a dance form where we have spent years telling people that giving weight is vital and that they are dancing with everyone in the set. Oxfolk showed the way by running its entire weekend festival on Zoom as a series of videoconferences - including the ceilidhs. So OK, if you can do ceilidh in lockdown, then why not contra? It might need a few broomsticks, flowerpots and other place-holders, but it might just work… As with so many other things, it needed a teacher to get things moving. Ali Ellacott had used Zoom with her students and rapidly came up with a big list of ideas - pre-event things, breakout rooms (sets in dance terms!) dances that might work for one or two, quiz sections, pre-recorded music and solo-performance spots. Group participation. Yes, let’s talk about that, as we wanted something of the feel of a contra event where you interact with lots of people in each dance. That’s why contras run so long - you meet new people every 30 seconds and the music keeps evolving so you don’t get bored. We had booked Bearded Dragons for our May dance, and fortunately they had already produced some demo tracks and put them on YouTube. Everyone knows the waltz (some of us very badly), so we asked people to make short videos of themselves dancing to the waltz track. I spent a few days learning to edit video, and put them all together trying to give a feeling of passing other dancers on the floor. This involved about 35 dancers, some on remote continents, and gave everyone watching something they could relate to. 50

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since 1976

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Rhodri Davies used two more tracks from Bearded Dragons and called dances to them live. It turns out that the older contras, where the second couple has nothing to do, actually have a use now! Some dancers found that they could ‘pin’ the video feed from another person, giving the opportunity to dance ‘with’ chosen partners. Zoom was not really built for music. There are some tricks that improve things, but it’s not possible for bands to play as if live on stage unless they are all in lockdown together. We’ll have to wait a bit longer for London’s first experience of Bearded Dragons live, but Vic did play us out at the end, and also showed some of the Techno Contra that they have been working on in Coventry. The waltz video is on YouTube, but we decided not to record the live event so we could all make fools of ourselves with friends and not worry about it. All in all, it was a success. We’ll certainly do it again, and more things may become possible as we all gain experience and find better technology. One day we’ll get back to the real thing though!

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Zoom With Us Our programme is on the website, and for now we’re sticking to the second-Saturday pattern – just running events on Zoom rather than at Cecil Sharp House. That means you need the Zoom details to join the events, and we’re not publishing the passwords on the web. All details are sent out on the LBC News and Contra Corner mailing lists a day or two in advance, and details of how to join those are on our homepage: www.barndance.org.

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FRIDAY FOLK 10 Reasons to Enjoy Folk Dancing...

Logo font Monotype Corsiv Dancing has always been a popular form of entertainment when people get together. Sadly, the current lockdown has brought an abrupt halt to social activities, but we are looking forward to the time when dancing can resume. It is a good opportunity to reflect on what is involved and why we get so much enjoyment from social dancing. At Friday Folk, we have been running weekly dance sessions in St Albans since the 1970s. Here are our 10 reasons to enjoy folk dancing with Friday Folk: Anyone can do it. You don’t need any previous knowledge. 1. Ready-made Entertainment. There’s no need to plan or prepare anything. All you need to do is turn up. Be there on a Friday night to be sure of a great evening’s entertainment.

7. Exercise. Dancing is a great way to keep fit. It’s at a moderate pace that gets you moving without tiring you out. And there’s extra satisfaction in moving in time with the music.

2. Fun. Dancing in a group brings enjoyment for all. We aim to keep people smiling throughout. It doesn’t matter if the occasional dance goes a bit awry. It all adds to the fun.

8. Tradition. The dances we do today are part of a long historical tradition. Recent dances are performed alongside those which can be traced back over hundreds of years. It’s difficult to analyse what makes some dances popular. It may be elegant movements, interesting patterns on the floor or simply things that are fun to do. Whatever the reasons, callers choose dances that will keep the audience entertained and on the dance floor.

3. Sociable. It’s an excellent way to meet friends and have a chat between the dances. You don’t need a partner. You can come in a group or on your own. The atmosphere is friendly and there is always a warm welcome for newcomers. 4. For Everyone. Dancing is suitable for people of all ages and from any background. Anyone can do it. You don’t need any previous knowledge. 5. Easy. At every session there is an experienced caller to explain what to do. The caller arranges the people on the floor and shows them the moves of the dance. Beginners progress rapidly from simple figures like lines and circles to more complex patterns. If you can walk, you can dance. 6. Good music. We are lucky to have lots of talented musicians who play regularly for us. If you want a break from dancing, just sit back and listen to the music.

9. A Challenge. Most of the dances are easy, but a few can be more demanding. They give an opportunity to test your mental agility. Can your group remember the sequence of moves and end up in the right places at the right time? Don’t worry. The caller will be on hand to help you out. 10. Co-operation. Social dancing is a group activity where a set of people get together to perform the dance. Each individual must know the moves and carry them out accurately. But the end result is much more that. It depends on the co-operation of everyone in the group to achieve overall success. This is the real joy of folk dancing.

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Logo font Monotype Corsiva

We hope to welcome dancers new and old to Friday Folk before long. Friday Folk www.fridayfolk.org.uk

Roundabouters at 50 by Lorna Sharpe As it turns out, 2020 isn’t the best year to celebrate an anniversary. Nevertheless, Roundabouters Country Dance Club will be 50 years old in September and it’s surely worth marking a half-century of dancing in Stevenage, even if Coronavirus has pushed the pause button on our activities.

We intended to hold our main celebration on 10th September with dancing and food, inviting other local clubs and anyone with past connections with Roundabouters. As I write this late in May, it’s anybody’s guess whether that will happen, but check with us nearer the date. How did it all start?

Looking back to the beginning, a local headteacher, Peter Shea and his wife Joy, were among a number of Stevenage people who danced at the Staplers club in Hitchin in the late 1960s. It’s hard to believe now, but the country dance scene was thriving and Staplers was expanding beyond the capacity of its hall. As Peter told it, he and Joy were walking through the car park with Brian Limbrick one evening when Brian said “You should start a branch in Stevenage”. They went home, thought about it, and agreed. By August 1970, the nascent Stevenage branch had a steering committee, had agreed the name Roundabouters, and had booked the Catholic church hall in Albert Street on Thursday evenings from 17th September until Christmas. A promotional circular was sent to local churches, schools and other organisations, and a barn dance was held on the Saturday before the opening to drum up support. That interest took off, numbers grew, and by February 1971 Staplers confirmed that the ‘Stevenage branch’ was fully independent.

The early years

Early newsletters show that as well as dancing on Thursdays, the club organised regular Saturday dances with well-known bands and callers. There were also walks and outings and formal displays at events like the annual Hitchin Gathering. In July 1975, the club joined Stevenage Sword’s Day of Dance, recording this as their first public display. The 10th Anniversary newsletter from September 1980 retells the story of the club’s founding, with a note from Charles Day explaining that the name was chosen because the names of several dances contain the word ‘roundabout’ and Stevenage roads are noted for their roundabouts. In the same newsletter, several people gave their impressions of that year’s Sidmouth Folk Festival, and member Mark Elvins provided instructions for a dance he had written for the occasion - A-Roundabout Ten.

During these early years, there was a steady inflow of new members, many were young professionals who had moved to Stevenage for work and were looking for new activities and friends.

A new home for the club

A big change came in 1983. The Albert Street hall was to be demolished and meetings were moved to the Friends Meeting House in Cutty’s Lane, where we have been ever since. This hall’s distinctive eight sides inspired Charles Bolton to write The Octagon - one of two dances he created for Roundabouters. The other was The Dancing Years which he wrote for our 25th anniversary.

The times they were a-changin’

Members continued to organise walks and other activities, and throughout the 1990s there were club holidays in Hawes, in the Yorkshire Dales. Photographs of public displays from that time show the women wearing bright red skirts with white blouses and green waistcoats. The men wore black trousers and white shirts with matching red neck scarves and sashes round their waists. This is a change from the early days when the women wore long skirts in a variety of bright colours, with matching sashes for their partners. The photographs also show a changing demographic. In the early days, members were all ages, even families with children, but gradually those children grew up. Most of the young professionals either moved away to progress their careers or had their own young children and found it difficult to go out on weekday evenings. Some of those parents returned later, and keen dancers brought in friends of their own age. But the picture is clear - the dancers were getting older, and the same story was being repeated nationwide.

Moving into the 21st century

In the 2000s, numbers started to fall. People began to drop out for health reasons, and some outside activities became less viable. But we still

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organised a club dinner and a Saturday dance to celebrate our 40th anniversary, with Peter Shea there cutting the cake. As weekly attendance continued to decline, we began to wonder whether we would reach 50, so we started a campaign, putting posters in promising spots around the town and notices in the local paper (as well as a regular diary slot in Unicorn). As a result, we’ve seen a steady flow of people getting in touch and wanting to ‘give it a go’. They don’t all take to it, but some discover that they really enjoy our particular kind of dancing and the friendly atmosphere that comes with it. Over the years, we’ve developed some traditions, like having a midsummer garden evening, and a Christmas party that mixes dancing with games, musical entertainments and the all-important carol singing. Some things have changed - such as the progression through vinyl records to tapes and then CDs, with the occasional caller even using MP3 files for music. But we’ve always had a culture of nurturing our own club callers as well as welcoming regular guest callers from outside. We also enjoy dancing to live music when we have the opportunity.

And what of the future?

Remarkably, we still have one of our original members, Richard, from 50 years ago, as well as a few others who remember the Albert Street days. Perhaps there are some young or would-be dancers in the Stevenage area who will see the club through to its centenary? Who knows, but it’s a nice thought. If there’s anyone reading this who was a former member, we’d love to hear your memories. Do get in touch via roundabouters@live.co.uk. And if you’d like to join in our celebrations, do let us know. We can’t guarantee that the event will take place on 10th September but - as Vera Lynn didn’t quite sing – “We’ll dance again some sunny day”. www.roundabouters.org.uk

Whitchurch Morris are Alive and Well Whitchurch Morris have been dancing Cotswold Morris for over 70 years. In normal times, they practice every Tuesday evening in Wilstone Village Hall near Tring and afterwards quench their thirst at the Half Moon Pub. At the moment, however, like (almost) everyone else, they are having to abide by the strict rules and guidelines of the lockdown and are not able to perform at their usual dance outs across the summer. But they particularly want folk enthusiasts and readers of Unicorn Magazine to know that they are alive and well and contacting each other by Zoom until they can resume their planned programme of events. They regularly add things to their Facebook page https:// www.facebook.com/whitchurchmorris/, where any change in plans or details for restarting will be posted as soon as they know them. They also have a website www.whitchurchmorris.org.uk

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Shall We Dance? Due to the effects of the pandemic and the lockdown, with the need for social distancing, dancing is currently off limits. So, we are not able to publish a full programme of events, as we would usually do in Unicorn.

However, we do have dates for your diary for Autumn 2020.

Unicorn Ceilidhs (see their advert on page 45):

1. On Friday 11 September, a ceilidh with the six-piece band Geckoes and caller Alan Simpson 2. Friday 9 October, a ceilidh with Gloworms and caller Jane Bird 3. Friday 6 November, a ceilidh with Bosun Higgs and caller Ian Nichols 4. Friday 11 December, a ceilidh with Junction 24 and caller Andy Rouse All these events are at St Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hall, Church Street, Baldock, Herts, SG7 5AE. Doors open at 7.30pm and dancing begins at 8.00pm. Contact is Alan Creamer 07946 439095 alan@creamer.me.uk and the website is www.unicornceilidhs.org.uk And we also bring you news of online events at Oxfolk Ceilidhs during the summer:

Online Events at Oxfolk Ceilidhs

1. Saturday 13 June, Kitchen Ceilidh with Cath Watkins + Nic Bradford and caller Ian Nichols 2. Saturday 11 July, Chris Green with Switched-On Playford and caller Bob Morgan 3. Sunday 19 July, Bal folk dance workshop with Kerry Fletcher and Bal with Naragonia Tickets and details available from www.oxfolk.org.uk

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KEEP SAFE

...FESTIVALS

AND

CARRY ON SUPPORTING

THERE’S NO STOPPING KIMPTON FOLK FESTIVAL By Brian King

Fantastic news. Despite the global pandemic, this year’s Kimpton Folk Festival has been saved. The entire line up of brilliant folk acts and all the other wonderful attractions associated with this unique event will be going ahead, lock, stock and barrel... just 12 months later than was originally intended.

The decision to abort things this summer was a difficult one for the organisers, but the health and safety of festival goers and everyone taking part was our top priority. Once it became obvious that we couldn’t proceed, we contacted all the acts we had booked to check if they were free next year. To our absolute delight, everyone got back to us to say they were willing and able to commit to taking part. So the full line-up of Kimpton Folk Festival on Saturday, 3 July 2021 will be: Fara, Megson, Nancy Kerr and James Fagan, Brooks Williams, Greg Russell and Ciaran Algar, Kit Hawes and Aaron Catlow, Said the Maiden, Lizzy Hardingham, Maddie Morris, Jon Doran and Ellie McCann. Many of the acts require no introduction of course. Not least folk royalty Nancy Kerr and James Fagan who headlined our very first festival back in 2016 and who are now our patrons. They’ll be hosting a special patron’s concert during which they’ll introduce two exciting new artists on the folk scene, singer-songwriter Maddie Morris and singer-guitarist Jon Doran. You’re going to be hearing a lot more of both these hugely talented young performers. Regular Kimpton Folk Festival-goers will also be familiar with the hugely popular duo Greg Russell and Ciaran Algar, returning by popular demand, and the stunning local trio Said the Maiden.

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Among the new names appearing are Fara, who are definitely going to blow people away. We’ve wanted to book this Scottish quartet for a long time now, having first seen them perform way back in 2015. We knew then that Kimpton would love them.

The intervening years have seen them go from strength to strength, with their magical blend of traditional and self-penned tunes and songs earning them international acclaim. Such has been their success, that they’ve always been busy touring elsewhere on our dates…so we are delighted to have finally got them on board. The line-up of Fara is built around the energetic fiddle playing and close harmony singing of Orkney-born friends Kirstan Harvey, Jeana Leslie and Catriona Price. They’ve recently been joined by Rory Matheson who has replaced Jennifer Austin on keyboards. Kirstan, Jeana and Catriona had begun their musical careers as part of the eight-piece Orcadian band The Chair, before breaking away to form Fara. Their music is deeply rooted in the traditions of their Orkney

Also new to Kimpton Folk Festival for 2021 are Megson. There are a lot of very good duos around on the folk scene, but none of them are quite like husband and wife team Stu and Debbie Hannah. The distinctive style of their hugely entertaining performances may have a lot to do with the fact that their musical backgrounds were a long way from folk. Stu and Debbie had been singing together since their schooldays in Middlesbrough. Debbie moved to London to study classical music and opera, and Stu followed her south, taking on an office job while playing electric guitar in punk bands. So how did they end up as a folk band? Debbie says it was because they were looking around for material which suited them both. Stu had switched from electric to acoustic guitar and mandolin so she suggested they try singing some of the traditional folk songs she was learning as part of her classical course work. So Megson was born, named after Debbie’s family dog, Megan, who had just died. “We were going to be called The Ghost of Meg,” says Debbie. “But friends said that sounded like a death-metal band.” Well Cannibal Corpse and Six Feet Under need not have worried. Stu and Debbie were embraced with open arms by the folk world, going on to delight audiences everywhere with their exquisite harmonies and energetic musicianship. Over 16 years and nine albums, this terrifically talented duo have developed a perfect blend of traditional and self-penned material, producing a wonderful back catalogue of politically astute and sociallyaware songs, all shot through with wry Northern humour.

upbringing, though their most recent CD, the stunning ‘From The Times Falls’, is comprised entirely of self-penned material. Their new songs incorporate words by Orcadian poets George Mackay Brown, Edwin Muir and Christina Costie and the rich imagery of Orkney is woven around new and enchanting melodies. The success of their earlier debut album ‘Cross The Line’ led to a nomination for the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards’ Horizon Award and a performance at the Folk Awards prestigious awards ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall in 2017.

For more information about all the acts taking part in Kimpton Folk Festival 2021 and to buy tickets, go to www.kimptonfolk.uk

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What’s happened

to our festivals? Because of the pandemic, many of our beloved festivals have sadly had to be postponed or cancelled. This table shows the situation for many of our favourite festivals correct at the time of going to press – but things change fast and it can be hard to keep track of what’s happening, so please check with the organisers and their websites before making any plans or setting off to an event. Although we take the utmost care to ensure accuracy, Unicorn Magazine cannot be responsible for any errors, inaccuracies or changes in the information. Festival name

Original dates

Status

New dates

Website

Acoustic Festival of Britain

29-31 May 2020

Postponed

21-23 May 2021

www.acousticfestival.co.uk

Broadstairs Folk Week

7-14 August 2020

Postponed

6-13 August 2021

www.broadstairsfolkweek.org.uk

Bromyard Folk Festival

10-13 September 2020 Postponed

9-12 September 2021

www.bromyardfolkfestival.co.uk

Cambridge Folk Festival 30 July - 2 August 2020 Cancelled TBA

www.cambridgelive.org.uk /folk-festival

Chippenham Folk Festival 22-25 May 2020

Postponed

28-31 May 2021

www.chippfolk.co.uk

Costa del Folk Portugal

15-21 October 2020

Cancelled

N/A

www.costadelfolk.co.uk

Ely Folk Festival

10-12 July 2020

Postponed

9-11 July 2021

www.elyfolkfestival.co.uk

Fairport’s Cropredy Convention

13-15 August 2020

Postponed

12-14 August 2021

www.fairportconvention.com

Folk by the Oak

19 July 2020

Postponed

18 July 2021

www.folkbytheoak.com

Folk in a Field Festival

3-5 July 2020

Postponed

TBA

www.folkinafield.co.uk

Folk on the Pier

8-10 May 2020

Postponed

7-9 May 2021

www.folkonthepier.co.uk

FolkEast

21-23 August 2020

Postponed

20-22 August 2021

www.folkeast.co.uk

Gate to Southwell Festival

4-7 June 2020

Cancelled

TBA

www.gtsf.uk

Hartlepool Folk Festival

16-18 October 2020

Still advertised

N/A

www.hartlepoolfolkfest.co.uk

Kimpton Festival

04 July 2020

Postponed

03 July 2021

www.kimptonfolk.uk

London Folk Festival

3-6 September 2020

Still advertised

N/A

www.londonfolkfestival.co.uk

New Forest Folk Festival

1-5 July 2020

Rescheduled

26-30 August 2020

www.newforestfolkfestival.co.uk

Shrewsbury Folk Festival

28-31 August 2020

Postponed

27-30 August 2021

www.shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk

Sidmouth Folk Festival

31 July - 7 August 2020 Postponed

30 July - 6 August 2021

www.sidmouthfolkfestival.co.uk

St Albans Folk Week

26-28 June 2020

Postponed

Provisional 25-27 September 2020 www.stalbansfolkmusic.org.uk

St Neots Folk Festival

12-14 June 2020

Postponed

11-13 June 2021

www.stneotsfolkclub.co.uk

Swanage Folk Festival

11-13 September 2020

Still advertised

N/A

www.swanagefolkfestival.com

Tenterden Folk Festival

1-4 October 2020

Still advertised

N/A

www.tenterdenfolkfestival.org.uk

The Great British Folk 27-30 November 2020 Still advertised N/A www.bigweekends.com/weekends/ Festival (Butlins Skegness) the-great-british-folk-festival Towersey Festival

28-31 August 2020

Underneath the Stars

Postponed

27-30 August 2021

www.towerseyfestival.com

31 July - 2 August 2020 Postponed

31 July - 1 August 2021

www.underneaththestarsfest.co.uk

Warwick Folk Festival

23-26 July 2020

Postponed

22-25 July 2021

www.warwickfolkfestival.co.uk

Whitby Folk Week

22-28 August 2020

Postponed

21-27 August 2021

www.whitbyfolk.co.uk

If postponed due to Government restrictions, new dates will be 5-8 August 2021

www.wickhamfestival.co.uk

Wickham Festival 6-9 August 2020 Still advertised

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Friday 14 August 2020

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REDBOURN FOLK ON THE COMMON

2021 By Jenny McNaught

Folk on the Common is a free Sunday afternoon concert which is held every June and presented by Redbourn Folk Club.

But looking ahead to much happier times next summer, Folk on the Common 2021 will be on Sunday 13 June 2pm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6pm.

Our thanks go to the Redbourn Parish Council and local businesses for their support, and to the Redbourn Cricket Club for their hospitality. The event has grown in popularity over the years, and attracts local families and friends from further afield who gather on the grass with a picnic to enjoy an afternoon of music. Headline performers in the past have included Isla St.Clair, Jeff Warner, Ranagri, Cardboard Fox, The Carrivick Sisters and Miranda Sykes - with support from many of our best local singers and musicians. The planned date for the 2020 event was Sunday 14 June and along with so many other gatherings it could not take place.

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BREAKING NEWS!

SHREWSBURY FOLK FESTIVAL LAUNCHES A VIRTUAL 2020 FESTIVAL Shrewsbury Folk Festival has revealed plans to host a two-day online event for its fans after being forced to postpone this year due to coronavirus. The four-day festival usually takes place at the West Midlands Showground in Berwick Road over the August Bank Holiday Weekend but organisers have created ‘Virtually Shrewsbury Folk Festival’ to fill the gap on August 29 and 30.

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SHREWSBURY FOLK FESTIVAL LAUNCHES A VIRTUAL 2020 FESTIVAL The online festival will feature musical performances recorded exclusively for the event, inclusive workshops for all ages, dances and broadcasts of some of its most popular past shows. More than 7,000 people a day normally attend the festival, which draws crowds from across the UK and abroad. Its line up always features the cream of folk, roots and acoustic musicians from across the UK to international Americana and world music stars. Virtually Shrewsbury Folk Festival has been funded thanks to grants from the National Lottery via the Arts Council England Emergency Response Fund and Shropshire Council’s Emergency Arts Fund. Festival Director Sandra Surtees said: “We have incredibly loyal supporters and the festival is often their most anticipated weekend of the year. Although we can’t be together, we hope that people will enjoy recreating their own festival at home by joining in our virtual activities including workshops, dances or

listening to their favourite artists. Of course it won’t be the same as being there but we hope that Virtually Shrewsbury Folk will go some way to filling the big void that we will all feel over the festival weekend. We are very grateful to the Arts Council and Shropshire Council for supporting us to deliver this programme that everyone can get involved with.” A full programme will be available at www.shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk from early August. Updates will also be available on the festival’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram platforms. Organisers are in the process of confirming the line up for next year’s festival that will take place from August 27 to 31, 2021.

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ST ALBANS FOLK MUSIC DIARY DATES – FOR

2020

By Alison Macfarlane

At the time the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic hit us, groups in St Albans were putting the finishing touches on a series of spring and summer events. I persuaded the other people concerned that we should postpone the events until later in 2020 rather than cancelling them. As our events are small, I felt that people were going to be desperate for live music and dancing and being small made it feasible to reorganise them, if circumstances permitted, so we should keep our options open. Three months on, where are we? At the time we took our previous decisions, social distancing had not yet become an issue and it was hoped that the lockdown might not extend for longer than 12 weeks. It is now obvious that it will last much longer and that the policy of social distancing will last even longer still. The two-metre rule has devastating implications for all the arts from the National Theatre and the Royal Opera House down to every live folk music and dance activity. Now it appears that there is little evidence for it and that the World Health Organisation is recommending separation by one metre. If this policy was adopted here, it would make a considerable difference to us. As a result, we are not currently in a position to say exactly what will happen, but we are publishing a list of dates when something will happen. Please put them in your diaries and visit our website www.stalbansfolkmusic.org.uk The only event which looks impossible to reorganise is an event in St Michael’s Street, which would involve a lot of people crowding together. 64

This is our current situation. New Roots New Roots 2020 final was due to take place on April 26. It has been postponed to November 1, again at Trestle Arts Base. Trestle is currently closed, so plans to be open by November 1. If not, we may need to put it online, but whatever happens, everyone will be welcome, especially folk club and festival organisers. This year is the 21st New Roots event and a celebration was being planned for Sunday June 28 as part of St Albans Folk Festival. This has now turned into an online event on the same day, so join us on Sunday June 28 for performances by some of the amazing singers and musicians who have taken part in New Roots over the years.

St Albans Folk Festival This was moved from the end of June to September 25-27. At present it is unclear whether or not we can have a Day of Dance on Saturday September 26. It is too early to know if the music showcases can take place in their original venues – Waterstones and St Albans Old Town Hall Museum. We transferred our festival concert at the Abbey Theatre to Sunday September 27. Fay Hield will still be the guest, although singing solo and Alison Raymond, winner of Watford Folk Club song writing competition will be support. As things stand at present, the Abbey Theatre is unable to decide when it is feasible to reopen, because of the impact of distancing rules. If the events can’t take place live, they will be taken online. Write a new song for St Albans The theme is ‘St Albans Scoundrels’ and the closing date has now been extended to July 31. The final will take place on Saturday September 26. For details, see www.stalbansfolkmusic.org.uk These will be updated when plans for the final, which may include taking it online, are available. Folk at the Maltings Concerts have been planned for October 12, November 6 and December 4, the last of which was the May Day concert. We are waiting to hear from the Maltings when and how it will be re-opening.

Help probably needed! To make sure our plans happen, we shall need help from people with skills in putting music online and others who are willing to learn and help. Please email info@stalbansfolkmusic.org.uk

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Dates for your 2020 diary As this issue of Unicorn goes to press, the definitive information needed to make decisions about the form most of these events will take is not available. It is likely that some events planned as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;face to faceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; will be moved online. As decisions are made, the details will be posted on our website www.stalbansfolkmusic.org.uk There are fuller details in this issue of Unicorn. We hope you will join us in the relevant way.

Sunday June 28, all day, New Roots 21st anniversary

An online celebration, involving past finalists, some of whom are now well known names on the scene.

September 25-27, St Albans Folk Festival Saturday September 26

Day of Dance in the City Centre Free showcase performances, sessions and singarounds Final of St Albans song writing competition

Sunday September 27

Festival concert with Fay Hield at the Abbey Theatre, 8pm

November 1, New Roots 2020 final Trestle Arts Base, St Albans, 11am-3pm Audience and festival and club organisers welcome Folk at the Maltings Maltings Arts Theatre, The Maltings, St Albans AL1 3HL

Monday October 12, 8.00pm Alden, Patterson and Dashwood and The Shackleton Trio Friday November 6, 8.00pm James Findlay plus New Roots finalist and BBC Young Folk Award 2019 winner Mandie Morris Friday December 4, 8.00pm The Devines plus Elie Rees and New Roots finalist Nancy Potts www.unicornmagazine.org

TENTERDEN FOLK FESTIVAL

2020

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Tenterden folk festival 2020 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tenterden, the Jewel of the Wealdâ&#x20AC;?

Thursday 1st to Sunday 4th October 2020

WE HOPE THIS MAY STILL HAPPEN i

Guests confirmed so far:

Bill Jones, Bob & Gill Berry, Brian Peters, Broomdasher, Dick Miles, Graeme & Heather Knights, Jeff Warner, Morrigan, Pete Castle, Peter & Barbara Snape, Scolds Bridle, Tom Patterson, The Tonic with Fee Lock, The Wilson Family More still to be confirmed Plus up to 50 Morris sides and dance display teams

Local and regular guests Bob Kenward, Chris Roche, Gavin & Julie Atkin, Jerry Crossley, John & Di Cullen, Malcolm Ward, Peter Collins, Roger Resch, Spare Parts, Sue Watson, Travelling Folk, Vic & Tina Smith, Vic Ellis one man band Free music stage & showcase guests Ashford Folk Band, Broomdasher, The Kukes, New Frontier, Nunhead Folk Circle, Open Water, Direction Carsairs The Yardarm Folk Orchestra More still to confirm

CONTACT INFORMATION: Festival director: Alan Castle, 15 Repton Manor Road, Ashford, Kent TN23 3HA E: alan@tenterdenfolkfestival.org.uk Crafts & stalls: Margaret White E: info@tenterdencraftfair.org.uk Chief steward: Sally Argent E: chiefsteward@tenterdenfolkfestival.org.uk Dance co-ordinator: Spud Jones E: dance@tenterdenfolkfestival.org.uk

Tenterden Folk Festival Registered charity No. 1038663 www.unicornmagazine.org

THE HOBBY OF HOMEBREW ...

MAKING THE MOST OF FOLK MUSIC AT HOME By Dawn and Stephen Black Enjoying folk music and dance has a natural association with the joy of ‘liquid refreshment’ – from hop or grape. And while we can only appreciate our music remotely at present, the hobby of homebrew can make your viewing and listening experience feel much more authentic! At The Happy Brewer, we help you get the very best results from your homebrewing. Forget exploding demijohns and ‘iffy’ efforts only fit for stripping paint - the hobby of homebrew has come into the 21st century and is becoming a very cost-effective hobby. So whether you’re a huntergatherer or accomplished millionaire, the hobby of creating your own quality beverage at home is very satisfying and rewarding. Recycling and re-using are at the heart of the hobby, and we recommend re-using equipment wherever possible. Maybe someone you know has an unloved demijohn in their shed or attic? Check all plastic buckets and barrels - if their interior is smooth, the item is safe to use. If it’s scratched or flaky, we recommend obtaining a new container as scratches harbour bacteria that can spoil your beverage. Apart from the usual fruits, you can make wine from flowers, leaves, even tree sap - if it’s edible, you can make wine from it! Some people find the process of gathering fruits and vegetables to make their wine really rewarding. Others simply like the process of fermentation - the choice is yours. The hobby even extends to fruit essences and oil extraction for aroma therapy. Elderflowers are blooming in our glorious sunshine right now, and making cordial or champagne is both easy and fun for summer supping. With the restrictions lifted on outdoor exercise, now is the time to get picking. To give you the best flavour and aroma, pick elderflowers in the warm afternoon sun. If you need a recipe - just get in touch, as we supply these for free from our shop. And cider season will be here before you know it. Cider is one of the easiest beverages to make and can be a real family project - even the kids can lend a hand. Simply collect your apples, (70% cooking, 30% eating plus a few crab apples) obtain a fermenting container for your juice, (one that you can fit an airlock onto), and ferment naturally or with a cider yeast. When fermentation is complete, you need to decide if you want still or sparkling cider - then treat accordingly for bottle or barrel. The quality kits you can get today are second to none – whether for beer, wine, cider or spirits. The majority of kits include all the ingredients (apart from water) needed to produce a quality product in the comfort of your own home 68

or in the ‘man cave’. Beer kits take 21 days to produce results - with only about 45 minutes preparation time. If you are willing to make beer from grains, the preparation time is seven to nine hours from start to having the wort in the bucket ready for fermenting. Small independent microbreweries such as Woodfords, St Peter’s, York and Slater’s all produce quality real ale kits at about 53 pence per pint - that’s better than supermarket prices with exceptional quality to match! Making kit wine at home is also easy and can take as little as five days, although most wine kits require 28 days to make a beautiful bottle of wine. A top quality product takes six to eight weeks. Most kits include pure variety-specific, freshly-pressed grape juice sealed in a pouch - as good as if you’d visited the vineyard and crushed the grapes yourself! Kit wines start at about £1.50 a bottle, but what you make is comparable to a £7 to £10 bottle from a supermarket. More expensive kits cost about £4.20 a bottle, but that same quality wine would cost you around £45 a bottle for a similar shop-bought wine. Whether you want to celebrate a special occasion or just share with family and friends there’s always a homemade homebrew waiting for you. The Happy Brewer has been East Anglia’s leading retail supplier of beer, winemaking and spirit products since 1985. We’re located at Roxton Garden Centre, Bedford Rd, Bedford, MK44 3DY (just off the Black Cat roundabout on the A1 just south of St Neots). For more information and plenty of free advice, call us on our helpline 01234-353856, visit our website www.thehappybrewer.com and you’ll also find us on Facebook and Twitter.

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Bedfordshire’s Premier Home Brew and Wine Making Specialists •

Comprehensive range of bitters

•

Large choice of wines

•

Wide selection of lagers

•

Excellent prices

•

Free advice

HOME BREW HELPLINE

01234 353856

contactus@thehappybrewer.com www.thehappybrewer.com Open Tuesday to Saturday 9.30am to 5pm Sunday 10.30am to 4.30pm Closed Monday except Bank Holidays

Roxton Garden Centre

@ The Black Cat Roundabout Bedford Road, Roxton, MK44 3DY www.unicornmagazine.org

Friday 14 August 2020

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UNICORN – SUPPORTING FOLK FOR 151 ISSUES “ Unicorn was my gateway into live folk music and remains my number 1 go-to resource.” Hamish Currie, www.bcfrm.com “One of the most useful resources for the folk fraternity.” Pete Cunningham P J Music

“ As half the original editorial team and printer for the first 120 plus issues, I’m delighted that Unicorn has reached this milestone, and is now in the capable hands of Sandra, who I’m sure will continue to develop and stretch the magazine’s compass. Bravo!” Alan Creamer

“ It starts with a line in the Unicorn, music turns it into a community, it ends as lifelong friends. You provide the Unicorn and we will keep providing the Rainbows.” Cee Dub Royston Folk Club

“ To me Unicorn is a precious resource, in so many ways. As a radio presenter, it provides me with information about music and musicians on the scene that is incredibly useful when planning my show. As a musician, it showcases the venues in the region that might want to play our music. But most of all, it provides a precious voice for the many, many people who share my passion for folk music.” Les Ray Broadcaster and musician

“ I have lived in the Unicorn area since the early 80’s, as folk enthusiast and now professional musician – it’s ‘the Bible’ for folk music, dance and song in this area.” Dan Evans FISM Dulcimer player guitarist - composer

“ Local Folk would not be the same without Unicorn Magazine - a constant and reliable source of information about local folk music, dance and song that’s proved invaluable for the past 150 issues.” Barry and Gill Goodman

“ My local bible since the 90s. And better-looking than ever!” Mark Gamon – Royston Folk Club 71

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SANDRA LAWES

07939 541927 unicornmagazine@hotmail.co.uk

CONTACT ADDRESS: 6 Holly Farm Close, Caddington, Luton, Beds LU1 4ET