For her last few UK gigs before she sets off for Spain and the USA (including a last-minute Concert For Haiti that she's just been invited to take part in), acclaimed singer/guitarist/songwriter Sarah McQuaid is still seeking fellow vocalists to join her in singing a six-part round she’s written.

Entitled ‘In Gratitude I Sing’, the canon features on Sarah’s third album, which is currently in the mixing stage and should be out in late 2010 or early 2011.

In the meantime, her first two albums When Two Lovers Meet and I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning are being re-released in North America as a double CD, just in time for Sarah’s first-ever US tour – a real humdinger that takes in 20 shows in 23 days, including such legendary venues as Boston’s Club Passim, upstate New York’s Old Songs and Nashville’s Bluebird Café.

Before she heads Stateside, Sarah will also be performing a Valentine’s Day concert at the Palacio de Congresos y de la Música Euskalduna in Bilbao, Spain.

On her return from the US, she’ll once again be sharing the bill with fellow Cornwall-based band Dalla at Grampound Village Hall, where Sarah debuted her canon a year ago. On that occasion, four members of Dalla had bravely agreed to essay the song with just five minutes of rehearsal time before the show.

“Up to that point I’d only heard the different parts together inside my own head, having just written it that morning,” Sarah explains, “so I was terrified that they’d turn out to clash! I also wasn’t a hundred percent sure that the key would be okay for both male and female voices.

“But actually they sounded even better together than I could have imagined, even with only five of the six parts – one man and four women including myself – and the range was fine for everybody, thank goodness.”

Eager to share the song with more audiences, Sarah is calling on any singers who plan to attend her concerts to join her onstage for ‘In Gratitude I Sing’. The sheet music is available for download from Sarah's homepage, www.sarahmcquaid.com, as is a MIDI recording of the melody.

Born in Madrid and raised in Chicago, Sarah McQuaid lived in Ireland for 14 years before moving to Cornwall in 2007.

Details of UK tour dates follow; for non-UK dates, see www.sarahmcquaid.com/calendar.html.

Thursday, February 4th, 2010
8.30pm
Acoustic Club
The Half Moon Pub, 31 North Street
Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire CM23 2LD
01279 833154
Price: Stg 4 (2 for performers)

Saturday, February 6th, 2010
8.15pm (doors 7.30)
The Warehouse Centre
7 Brook Road
Rayleigh, Essex SS6 7UT

07982 718292
Price: Stg 8/5 U16 Friday, February 5th, 2010
Concert For Haiti - 8:00pm
Saffron Walden Baptist Church
High Street
Saffron Walden, Essex CB11 3HD
01799 524002
Price: Stg 10

Thanks to Joanna Eden for putting together a last-minute Concert For Haiti to try and raise funds for this pressing cause. Tickets can be reserved at Saffron Walden Tourist Information Centre on 01799 524002 (ticket price includes two glasses of wine or fruit juice). Musicians taking part include Joanna Eden (http://www.joannaeden.com), Ben Sommers of Mozzy Green (http://www.mozzygreen.com) and Sarah McQuaid (http://sarahmcquaid.com) among others.

Sunday, February 7th, 2010 8.00pm
http://www.twickfolk.co.uk/TwickFolk (Twickenham Folk Club)
Cabbage Patch Pub, 67 London Road
Twickenham TW1 3SZ
Price: Stg 8

Saturday, March 27th, 2010
8.00pm (doors 7.30pm)
Grampound Community Hall
Fore Street
Grampound, Cornwall TR2 4SB
01726 883874
Price: Stg 7/4 conc

Friday, April 2nd, 2010
Time TBC
Isles of Scilly Folk Festival
St Mary's, Isles of Scilly
01720 422777

Friday, April 16th, 2010
8.00pm
No Alibis Bookstore
83 Botanic Avenue
Belfast BT7 1JL
Northern Ireland
028 90 319601
Price: Stg 8.50

Friday, April 30th-Saturday, May 1st, 2010
Border Grass
Weobley Village Hall, The Hopelands, Gadbridge Road, Weobley
Hereford, Herefordshire HR4 8SN
01544 327936

Friday, May 14th, 2010
8.15pm (doors 8.00)
The Goose Is Out!
Upstairs At The Magnolia, 211 Lordship Lane
London SE22 8HA
Price: Stg 6 / 4 singers/musicians

Saturday, May 15th, 2010
8.00pm (doors 7.30pm, workshop 5pm)
Ebbesbourne Folk
The Village Hall
Ebbesbourne Wake, Wiltshire SP5 5JD
01722 780717
Price: Stg 10 concert/10 workshop/15 both

Monday, May 17th, 2010
8.00pm
Tonbridge Folk Club (Nellie's)
Rose and Crown, 125 High Street
Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1DD
01892 822945
Price: Suggested donation of 5 Stg

Wednesday, May 19th, 2010
8:30pm (doors 8:00)
Folkmob
Blackheath Rugby Club, Kidbrooke Lane, Eltham
London SE9 6TE
07809 095237
Price: Stg 6

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010
8:30pm (doors 8:00)
Acoustic Music Club Kirkcaldy
Polish Ex-Servicemens Club, Bennochy House, Bennochy Road
Kirkcaldy, Scotland KY2 5TA
01592 653645

Thursday, June 24th, 2010
8:15pm (doors 8pm)
Folking Live Bracknell
Cellar Bar, South Hill Park Arts Centre, Ringmead
Bracknell, Berkshire RG12 7PA
01344 484123
Price: Stg 5
Folking Live Bracknell is run in association with www.folking.com, one of the country's leading independent folk, roots and acoustic music websites. The concert is a double bill with Horses Brawl (http://www.horsesbrawl.co.uk) and myself each doing a 40-minute set, plus a 20-minute opener from Garry Smith (http://www.myspace.com/garrymsmith). For more info, visit http://www.myspace.com/folkinglivebracknell or ring 01344 484123.

Friday, June 25th, 2010
8.30pm (doors 8.15pm)
The Ram Club
Old Cranleighan Club, Portsmouth Road
Thames Ditton, Surrey KT7 0HB

Sunday, June 27th, 2010
7.00pm
The Acoustic Kitchen - Live at the Riverside
Riverside Restaurant, 27 King Street
King's Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1ET
07814 838341
Price: 8 Stg

Friday, July 16th, 2010
8:30pm
Valley Folk Club
The Ivy Bush, 103 High Street
Pontardawe, Wales SA8 4JN
01792 830782
Price: Stg 5
For more info, visit http://www.pontardawefolkclub.co.uk or ring 01792 830782.

An evening with:
Trevor Moss & Hannah-Lou and The Lantern Players.

12th – 21st February 2010.

Following the release of Trevor Moss & Hannah-Lou’s self-titled debut album on Loose Music, the pair will be eschewing the conventional live music circuit in favour of an enchanting tour of village halls, bringing along for company a handpicked selection of the best players from their famous London folk club, The Lantern Society.

Their back to basics jaunt around the southern counties embraces a more rustic approach, advertising via the local post offices, pubs and village notice boards.

‘The village hall, pub, post office and shop are the cornerstones of the community, in fact that’s all there is in our village. Our country is blessed with a plethora of beautiful and too often underused village halls, designed and purpose built for close knit communities to gather in and perform to one another.’

Establishing their thriving folk club ‘The Lantern Society’ in 2008 and just completing the maiden year of broadcasting ‘The Lantern Society Radio Hour’ a bimonthly online radio show to great success, Trevor Moss & Hannah-Lou have become pivotal figures on the London folk and roots scene. Proof of this coming when The Camden Crawl, the capital’s biggest music festival headhunted the pair to sit alongside the industry’s elite on the festival committee for 2010.

Trevor Moss & Hannah-Lou, keen to involve the local communities, have invited a selection of local acts from in and around each village to join the bill and pit their wits against the Big Smoke’s best.

The Lantern Society Radio Hour will be producing and broadcasting a very special ‘Can’t Wait For The Spring Tour’ edition, capturing live the essence of the journey and continuing the modern field recording odyssey that is The Lantern Society Radio Hour.

Plans are being made for a northern counties leg of the tour later in the year, followed by Scottish, Welsh and Irish legs.

Dates for the ‘Can’t Wait For The Spring Tour 2010’ are as follows:

February
Friday 12th - Quorn Village Hall, Leicestershire.
Saturday 13th – Dilton Memorial Hall, Wiltshire.
Sunday 14th – Hambledon Village Hall, Surrey.
Monday 15th – Egerton House, Kent.
Thursday 18th – The Betsey Trotwood, London (ALBUM LAUNCH)
Friday 19th – Wytham Village Hall, Oxfordshire.
Saturday 20th – Evershot Village Hall, Dorset.
Sunday 21st – Freshwater Memorial Hall, Isle of Wight.

Tickets available in advance from www.wegottickets.com/lantern £5 in advance, Limited tickets available in the door £6

The album ‘Trevor Moss & Hannah-Lou’ is released on 15th February 2010 on Loose Music.
Contact Tom Bridgewater – tom@loosemusic.com www.loosemusic.com

Contact – Trevor Moss & Hannah-Lou – trevormossandhannahlou@gmail.com Tel – 07810 399884

For more information on TM&HL, the Lantern Society and the tour visit www.trevormossandhannahlou.com

The Lantern Society Radio Hour is available for free from the iTunes store or via the website.

The English Folk Dance and Song Society is offering a lecture and a six week course starting in February at Cecil Sharp House in Camden, examining from different perspectives the history of traditional song and dance in England.

Mary Neal Lecture
Friday 5 February, 7pm
Admission free, booking essential

The annual Mary Neal Lecture celebrates the work of Mary Neal CBE (1860-1944) and the continuing inspiration of her legacy for the participatory arts today.

Join us for the inaugural lecture, Hope's Song, given by Neal's great great niece, Lucy Neal OBE on Friday Feb 5th 2010 at 7pm at Cecil Sharp House, London NW1. Entrance is free.

Lucy, co-founder of the London International Festival of Theatre, draws on Mary Neal's work as a social reformer and suffragette to explore how traditions of song and dance are re-invented, and how we create our culture through participating in it.

An instigating spirit behind the English Folk Song and Dance Revival, Mary Neal's pioneering work with the Somerstown sewing girls and children of the Espérance Club is widely recognised as a precedent of radical participatory arts practice. For the young people involved social and cultural change went hand in hand. What do we learn from the past about the transformative power of the creative experience? Mary Neal's spirituality and connection to the natural world provide inspiration for looking at the value of collaboration and the future role of the participatory arts in an ecological age.

Last year, the original spirit of collaboration that brought Mary Neal and Cecil Sharp together was given renewed significance on the Mary Neal Day. In a historic reconciliation of their stories, Neal's papers were placed in the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library. Taking the lead from the Espérance Club experiment, makers, bakers, artists, children, folk musicians, singers and dancers came together to create a celebratory encounter between contemporary arts and English folk practitioners to look at tradition with fresh eyes.

More about the Mary Neal lecture at http://efdss.org/latestnews.html#maryneal

For more information call 020 7485 2206 or email info@efdss.org

Folk Song in England
Every Monday, 15 February - 22 March, 7-9pm
Course fee £60 - booking required

A series of six evening classes exploring the history and development of English traditional songs, from 1800 to the present day.

Focussing on England over the last 200 years, the course will address such questions as why we label certain songs ‘folk', where did they come from in the first place, and how did they get passed around? We will also investigate who sang these songs, when and where, and how it came about that after a period of slow decline they were collected and ‘revived' by later generations. Other major themes will be the interplay between the oral tradition and printed forms such as broadsides and songsters, and the part played by commercial venues like 18th century pleasure gardens and Victorian music halls in the creation and dissemination of our traditional song heritage.

Level: Beginner to intermediate

To book your place on this course, contact EFDSS directly on 020 7485 2206 or download the booking form from the website here: http://efdss.org/latestnews.html#folksong

New York City based Lisa Redford (“one of our finest singer/songwriters” Bob Harris, BBC Radio 2) makes a long-awaited return to her home country to play some special intimate solo acoustic concerts. The shows will be part of a mini national headline tour to support her latest third album, the critically acclaimed CLOUDS WITH SILVER. The tour also includes a second live session and interview on the prestigious BBC Radio 2 Bob Harris show.

Influenced by classic singer-songwriters such as Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and contemporary artists such as Ryan Adams, David Gray, Mindy Smith, Tift Merritt and Kathleen Edwards, Lisa is a versatile singer-songwriter whose music has been described as delicate acoustic roots pop with heartfelt lyrics, gorgeous melodies and stunning vocals. She has released three acclaimed albums 'Slipstream'(2003), 'Lost Again'(2005) and 'Clouds with Silver' (2008) that have received airplay across the world including Bob Harris's BBC Radio 2 shows. Her song 'Dragonfly' was played on his 'Best of British' special which featured the best songwriters in the UK and she has also recorded a live session for the show. She has also been the special guest at a 'Bob Harris presents Americana' showcase at London's Borderline.

Recorded mostly in Brooklyn, CLOUDS WITH SILVER is co-produced with respected producer and multi-instrumentalist Brad Albetta (Martha Wainwright, Rufus Wainwright, Teddy Thompson) and also features some of New York’s most outstanding musicians who have worked with Ryan Adams, Hem, Norah Jones and Jeff Buckley. A couple of tracks also feature strings by one of Nashville’s most acclaimed producers David Henry (Josh Rouse, REM, Steve Earle). The acoustic songs are also enriched by some truly beautiful string arrangements. More of New York’s most outstanding musicians guest on some of the tracks. The album, like her previous ones, is distributed through Proper Distribution, the UK’s biggest independent distributors. It has earned glowing press reviews, international airplay and been the most successful release to date. Recently Lisa was made Artist to Watch at Acoustic Café, radio’s best international showcase for acoustic music and the acclaimed ‘Dragonfly’ featured in an independent US movie.

Lisa has also built a reputation as a compelling live performer and, along with many festival appearances, has opened for many respected artists including Kathryn Williams, Brian Kennedy, Chuck Prophet, Devon Sproule, Kate Campbell, Laura Veirs, Jesse Sykes, The Handsome Family, The Deadstring Brothers, Boo Hewerdine and The Arlenes, Kathryn Williams, The Hot Club of Cowtown, Eileen Rose, Rod Picott, Gina Villalobos, Corb Lund, Jess Klein, Eve Selis and many more.

In 2009, following a publishing deal with a much respected publishers in New York City, Lisa moved to the US and has been performing showcases, recording brand new material and continuing to earn new fans on either side of the pond. With the iTunes album ‘Lost Again – The Acoustic Sessions’ only available at gigs, this will be a rare opportunity to see Lisa live. Lisa Redford Spring 2010 UK Headline Tour Dates

Weds March 3rd The Prom, Bristol www.theprom.co.uk
Friday March 5th Farnham Maltings, Farnham www.farnhammaltings.com
Saturday March 6th The Grub, West Sussex www.grubonline.co.uk
Tuesday March 9th Amberley Folk Club, Amberley www.amberleyfolkclub.com
Thursday March 11th Norwich Arts Centre, Norwich www.norwichartscentre.co.uk
Tuesday March 23rd Bob Harris Radio 2 Live Session www.bbc.co.uk/radio2

Reviews for Clouds with Silver

“Her grasp of texture, mood and fearlessness in giving it her all, I suspect, comes with the realisation that she actually possesses a voice able to do her musical vision justice.” Rock n Reel Magazine ****

“There is a warmth and welcoming vibe to Redford's music that really is difficult to resist…Bob Harris, the patron saint of female singer-songwriters, has Redford right up there at the top of the pile. It's easy to see why with "Clouds with Silver" potentially being the record that will catapult her to new heights. Yeah, liked this one, mighty fine indeed.' Americana UK 8 out of 10

'a sensational breeze of fresh air..a fantastic insight into a world of love, loss and changes, Clouds with Silver gives you that accomplished feeling at the end of Time to Grow that you makes you realise you've just listened to a fantastic female singer-songwriter pour her heart out for you' Maverick Magazine ****

“Clouds with Silver is Redford's best album so far. Her pure, pretty voice has developed a deeper resonance and character and her attractive melodies and thoughtful lyrics have become more consistent and finer crafted.' Country Music People Magazine ****

“Excellent new album...a real step up in sound for Lisa, the quality and profile of the guests are guaranteed to raise her profile both here and the US, and this is an album that will bring her to an even wider audience.” Fish Records

”There's an immediate connection to the emotional territory of the songs, which imbues an easy familiarity and regular listeners to Bob Harris will already know Lisa's voice, with its subtle tremolo and classic country lilt. This is classy and assured. Lisa is one to watch for sure.” Properganda Magazine

"Hers is a pure and quite lovely voice which delivers some sweet Americana-tinged songs from the heart" Manchester Evening News

Celebrating the beauty and versatility of the harp music of Colombia and Cymru, this extraordinarily vibrant and popular project returns to Wales following the ecstatic response to two sell-out shows in 2009 and Cimarron’s triumphant set at WOMAD festival. 

From the cattle-rearing plains of rural Colombia on the Orinoco delta, Cimarron make wild, untamed joropo music that preserves the spirit of freedom found in one of the world’s most untouched regions. Rooted in a deep peasant tradition defined by the mestizo mixed heritage of African, Spanish and indigenous cultures and led by harpist and composer Carlos Rojas, harp, bandola, cuatro, maracas, bass and cajon hammer out rippling melodies and mesmerizing rhythms with jaw-dropping speed and passion.  Highlights include a dazzling array of solos, whirling dance and haunting love songs!

HRH The Prince of Wales' Royal Harpist from 2000 to 2004, Catrin Finch needs little introduction.  The virtuosic harpist’s stunningly innovative approach has captured the imagination of fans worldwide and she has enjoyed considerable classical crossover success. Since Catrin first met Cimarron in Caernarfon in 2007 to exchange traditional Welsh and Colombian tunes, their captivating musical chemistry has brought audiences across the country to their feet! 

“Their female dancer, in a gorgeous dress from some 19th century ballroom, swirls in a deadly-looking courting ritual round a stamping male, and a sensual past breathes again.” The Independent on Cimarron at WOMAD 2009

“If I’d not been jammed in the middle of the back row…I’d have fallen off my seat with excitement!” fRoots on Catrin Finch and Cimarron in Cardigan 2009

Tour Dates

08.03.10 @ 7.30pm Theatr Mwldan Cardigan | Aberteifi SA43 1JY
01239 621200 www.mwldan.co.uk £16 (£15)

09.03.10 @ 7.30pm TORCH THEATRE Milford Haven SA73 2BU
01646 695 267 www.torchtheatre.co.uk £15.50 (£14.00) 

10.03.10 @ 7.30pm WYESIDE Builth Wells LD2 3BN
01982 552555 www.wyeside.co.uk £15 full £13 advance

11.03.10 @ 7.30pm Lyric Theatre Carmarthen SA31 1BD
0845 226 3510 www.carmarthenshiretheatres.co.uk £15

12.03.10 @ 7.30pm Taliesin Swansea | Abertawe SA2 8PZ
01792 60 20 60 www.taliesinartscentre.co.uk £15 (£13)

13.03.10 @ 7.30pm The Riverfront Newport NP20 1HG
01633 656757 www.newport.gov.uk/riverfront £15 (£13)

14.03.10 @ 7.30pm Theatr Harlech Harlech LL46 2PU
01766 780667 www.theatrharlech.com £12.50 (£7)

Sidmouth FolkWeek has announced a preview of the performers appearing at the 2010 Festival, 30 July – 6 August. Following on from a fantastic and very successful 2009 event, 2010 is already set to become a brilliant year for Britain’s favourite seaside festival. The guest list will go public at noon on 14 December, when the new website is launched. www.sidmouthfolkweek.co.uk

Heading up the concerts at the Ham Marquee is a rare outing for Blue Murder, the vocal super-group collaboration between Martin and Eliza Carthy, Norma and Mike Waterson, and a capella trio Coope Boyes & Simpson. Known for cut-glass harmonies and beautiful renditions of folk songs old and new, it’s a guaranteed sell-out event.

FolkWeek Patron Martin Carthy will also be appearing with Brass Monkey, the highly-acclaimed quintet that also features FolkWeek favourite, John Kirkpatrick.

Sidmouth loves creating those special events that you just can’t see anywhere else, and this year at the Ham Marquee, you can enjoy A Celebration of Nic Jones, featuring folk stars from across the generations, paying tribute to the great man.

There’s also a Peace Concert for Hiroshima Day featuring Roy Bailey, David Ferrard, Sandra Kerr and Chumbawamba

Melodeon genius Andy Cutting has been the lynchpin of many a classic folk line-up, and in Andy Cutting and Friends at the Ham Marquee, he will be united onstage with some of his best musical mates, including Martin Simpson, Chris Wood, Ian Carr and June Tabor.

Concert-lovers will really be spoilt for choice this year, as the Ham Marquee line-up also includes Barry Coope & John Tams, Mawkin: Causley, Kerfuffle, Jon Boden & the Remnant Kings (performing songs from their acclaimed album), Jackie Oates (winner of two 2009 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards), The Fay Hield Trio, the hilarious Belshazzar’s Feast and Belinda O’Hooley & Heidi Tidow.

Those festival-goers who enjoyed the re-charged Bulverton experience last year will want to buy their season tickets early, because this year’s line-up really has got the “Wow!” factor.

Bellowhead, the award-winning, star-studded 11-piece Big Band who recently completed a sell-out tour of the country, will bring their fat, brassy sound to Sidmouth.

We are delighted to be hosting a reunion at Bulverton of the much-missed purveyors of punk-tinged Americana, Cordelia’s Dad. Lead singer and fiddler Tim Eriksen will also be teaching American Shape Note singing workshops; his previous students include Nicole Kidman, Elvis Costello and Sting!

Fusion maestros Salsa Celtica will light up the night with their hot mix of Celtic wizardry and Latin beats, while Shooglenifty will display their unique blend of trance-house grooves with Scottish traditional tunes. And Michael McGoldrick’s Future Trad Collective blends traditional Irish pipes and fiddles with DJ-produced Afrobeat, hip hop, reggae, disco, breakbeat and jungle.

By popular demand, last year’s wildly successful Silent Folkin’ Disco is back, and this year includes the debut of Silent Folkin’ Ceilidh. And brush up your Christmas carols and prepare to share a glass of cheer, as this year’s theme is Christmas in August!

Dance enthusiasts will be able to dance from morning to night. Lunchtime, evening and late night ceilidhs will feature a range of the country’s top bands, including Blowzabella, funkadelic young upstarts Toothless Mary and the debut of the Spiers and Boden Ceilidh Band. Social dancers will have a diverse programme of dance workshops, with afternoon and evening dances, put together by Robbie Thomas. A host of display and morris dance sides will add to the festive atmosphere throughout the town. Lots more names from the dance programme will be announced with the launch of the new website on 14 December.

There will be plenty of events for families and children. In addition to a full children’s festival and lots of youth workshops and activities, we’re looking forward to The Music of Bagpuss, featuring Sandra Kerr and John Faulkner (the voices of Madeleine the Rag Doll and Gabriel the Bullfrog in the original TV production) plus Nancy Kerr & James Fagan. Put on your Charlie Mouse mask and join in the fun!

The workshop programme will be as exciting and varied as ever, and will include the ever-popular instrumental workshop from John Kirkpatrick, and Sandra Kerr’s choir.

The traditional music and song programme has once again been put together in conjunction with John Howson. Guests will be announced with the launch of the website on 14 December.

FolkWeek Artistic Director, Joan Crump, said, “I’m very excited about the artists that we’ve already booked. But there are plenty more guests to add to the line-up over the next few weeks. Keep your eye on the website, www.sidmouthfolkweek.co.uk after 14 December.”

Behind the scenes, work is progressing on further improvements to the Sidmouth FolkWeek venues, including the campsite, to reflect comments from festival goers and in order to enhance the festival experience.

Season tickets will go on sale in January. On-line tickets are available from 1 January 2010 from www.sidmouthfolkweek.co.uk and by post and telephone from 4 January 2010 from the Box Office, Sidmouth TIC, Ham Lane, Sidmouth, Devon, EX10 8XR. Tel: 01395 577952.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 UK TOUR

Canadian folk-roots duo Madison Violet return to the UK for a run of dates in January and February, including Celtic Connections, in support of their widely acclaimed 2009 album No Fool For Trying.

Recently named Vocal Group of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards, a debut performance for the prestigious Mountain Stage radio show in Charleston, West Virginia recorded for imminent broadcast across the US and a Bob Harris BBC Radio 2 session lined up during their UK visit, there’s no doubt 2010 looks set to be another very exciting year for Madison Violet.

JANUARY

Weds 27 London Green Note £10, 7pm 0207 485 9899 / www.greennote.co.uk
Thurs 28 Otterton Otterton Mill £10.50, 6pm Nr. Budleigh Salterton, Devon 01395 568521 / www.ottertonmill.com (music starts at 8pm)
Fri 29 Lancashire House Concert (suggested donation £12) 07905 015217 / www.houseconcertslancs.co.uk
Sat 30 Barnsley House Concert (suggested donation £10) 01226 752901 / www.wombwellfolk.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk
Sun 31 Glasgow City Halls Recital Room £10, 8pm Celtic Connections 0141 353 8000 / www.celticconnections.com

FEBRUARY

Mon 1 Bristol St. Bonaventure's Club £10, 7.30pm 0870 4444 400 / www.crhmusic.com
Weds 3 Basingstoke The Forge at The Anvil £12, 7.30pm 01256 844244 / www.anvilarts.org.uk
Thurs 4 Swansea The Chattery £8, 9pm 01792 473276 /http://homepage.ntlworld.com/thechattery
Fri 5 East Grinstead Grub Café & Music Bar £7.50, 8.30pm West Sussex 01342 313139 / www.grubonline.co.uk

True North Records

A wonderful album. Bob Harris, BBC Radio 2

There is not a weak track to be found on this magnificent and consistent album. Country Music People

...a gorgeous-sounding roots-pop collection R2 (Rock 'N' Reel) (4/5)

An album of satisfying melodies leaving you moved by the music. Maverick (4/5)

The double bass, lap steel, banjo and fiddle all dovetail into something sophisticated and mellow, and the two voices lock in with an almost Everly Brothers-style synergy. Manchester Evening News (4/5)

There is something magical about duets, the way the voices interlace to create a sound that is neither one singer nor the other but something else altogether. Canadian duo Madison Violet make it sound the easiest thing in the world, their voices blending as each backs up the other on these 11 self-penned, tear-stained tales of loneliness and life’s sorry harvest. Irish Times (4/5)

…gorgeously crafted… well worth searching out for fans of the likes of Iris Dement, or even Gillian Welch. Americana-UK (8/10)

A haunting and quietly stimulating record. NetRhythms

If Gillian Welch, Steve Earle and Alison Krauss had a collective love-child, their offspring might sound like Madison Violet's new album, No Fool For Trying.

Both hailing from Scottish small towns in Canada, Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac have chosen another musical path; one that channels their parent’s vintage record collection that comprised of the likes of Neil Young and Dolly Parton. Madison Violet came to be nearly 9 years ago after a chance meeting at an appropriately titled restaurant 'The Green Room'. Since that fateful meeting, the pair have come into a sound of their own, which has been described as both city-folk and tumbleweed pop.

With 2 recordings under their belt, both which were recorded in London, UK with producer John Reynolds (Sinead O'Connor, U2, Damien Dempsey) the pair have found themselves on the industry radar. Guest appearances on their albums by Clare Kenny (Indigo Girls, Shakespear's Sister), Fiachna O'Braonain (Hothouse Flowers, Michelle Shocked) and Julian Wilson (Grand Drive) were a welcome addition to the mix. Their first release, Worry The Jury garnered a handful of ECMA award nominations ('Best New Group' and 'Pop Album of the Year') and had the industry opening their eyes wide at the emerging career that was destined to blossom. Caravan, their sophomore release, went towards a more alt-country direction, which garnered them 2 ECMA awards nominations in the 'Folk album of the Year' and 'Best Group Recording' categories as well as a Canadian Folk Award nomination as 'Vocal Group of the year'.

This time, the duo have worked in their home and native land with producer Les Cooper at the helm and No Fool For Trying has taken them down a road lush with harmonies, banjo, fiddle, mandolin and upright bass. The songs wreak of heartache and loss but the listener will always find an uplifting twang in their sound, one that may invoke the essence of Lucinda Williams or Steve Earle. The touring duo have been dubbed road dogs, as they spend 9 months a year on the road, supporting artists such as Ron Sexsmith, Chantal Kreviazuk, Indigo Girls and The Temptations in Australia, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland, Italy and of course, Canada. From the Montreux Jazz Festival to Massey Hall, audiences have swooned over their storytelling and songs.

World-folk group Little Sister is supporting Dave Swarbrick at the Red Lion Folk Club, Vicarage Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham B14 7LY on 12th December 2009, 8pm.
Little Sister's Launch Party for their debut album 'Grey to Green' will be held at the Kitchen Garden Cafe, York Road, Birmingham B14 7SA on 30th December 2009, doors open 7.30pm.

To listen to a preview track from the album visit www.myspace.com/littlesistermusic

See www.littlesistermusic.co.uk, http://www.twitter.com/lilsistatwittle, http://www.myspace.com/littlesistermusic for more details.

Two nights and a day of dances, concerts and workshops with Blowzabella and their guests -
La Machine : Their first time in the UK “..easily the most exciting young band to come out of central France for years.” Concert, dance, meet the band, hurdy-gurdy masterclass.
Parasol : Gerard Godon (accordion) and Catherine Grimault (violin) from Bourges.

To book go to www.blowzabella.com
or phone 0788 794 8853

Taking a short break from his collaboration with fiddle player Tom Kitching, Gren Bartley embarks on a massive solo tour of the UK. Lasting for the entire winter, he shall be in all corners of the UK, taking in clubs, pubs, festival and arts centres. His solo album "Carry Her Safe" has been described as "outstanding quality" and his live act as "an engaging and engrossing display of virtuosity". This is a great chance to catch this songwriter deliver his stunning live performance near you.

6th Nov - The Navigation Inn, Cosgrove
7th Nov - The Bowl Inn, Hastingleigh
8th Nov - Songs In A Room, Uckfield
9th Nov - Tudor Folk Club, Chesham
10th Nov - The Malt Cross, Nottingham
11th Nov - The Beehive, Swindon
14th Nov - Peterborough Folk Festival
15th Nov - The Waiting Room, Stockton-on-Tees
18th Nov - Acoustic Eclectic, Stalybridge
19th Nov - The Robert Gillow, Lancaster
26th Nov - The FILO, Hastings
27th Nov - The Boar's Head, Horsham
28th Nov - Dinton Parish Hall, Aylesbury
29th Nov - The Forge Arts Centre, London

6th Dec - Prozac Yodel, Chelmsford
7th Dec - The Barge, Gillingham
8th Dec - The Musician, Leicester
11th Dec - Royal Oak Beer Festival, Bath
12th Dec - The Criterion, Leicester
13th Dec - The Priory Inn, Tetbury
15th Dec - The Globe, Cardiff

8th Jan - Ryedale Live
10th Jan - Muckle Lush Acoustic, Morpeth
12th Jan - Leith Folk Club, Edinburgh
13th Jan - The Scotia Bar, Glasgow
15th Jan - Stonehaven Folk Club
16th Jan - The Red Shoes Theatre, Elgin
18th Jan - Saucy Mary's, Kyleakin
19th Jan - Quarter Acoustic Music Club
22nd Jan - Rolling Hills Folk Club, Melrose

February dates to be announced

www.grenbartley.co.uk

Oxfolk Ceilidhs runs on a monthly basis, and offers a terrific selection of bands and callers to dance to.

Our dates this season are:
Saturday 14th November - Climax Ceilidh Band with caller Pete Rees
Saturday 12th December - Christmas Party: Toothless Mary with caller Will Hall
Saturday 9th January - The Simon Care Trio with caller Cat Kelly
Saturday 13th February - What's Up Folk with caller Fee Lock
Saturday 13th March - Trinculo with caller Phil Bassindale
Saturday 10th April - Chalktown with caller Barry Goodman
Saturday 8th May - May Ball: Belshazzar's Feast with caller Chris Turner

Venue: Kennington Village Hall, Kennington Road, Kennington, near Oxford, OX1 5PG

For more details go to www.oxfolk.org.uk or call/text 07866 804220 / 07515 410211.

Autumn of Homecoming year sees a tour by Sinsheen to launch a new CD entitled LIFT, with Dundee’s Michael Marra in the producer’s chair. SINSHEEN, (Barbara Dymock and Christine Kydd) is a harmony singing duo from Scotland. Together they sing potent re-workings of traditional Scottish material plus contemporary songs from Scotland and beyond.
Christine and Barbara have selected an eclectic mix of songs for LIFT. Appropriately enough for the year of the Homecoming, they provide many fresh offerings from the Burns canon, plus they’ve added a wee bit of gospel, Americana and contemporary Scots to spice up the mix. The Sinsheen blend is a special one. Their symbiotic vocal fusion brings light, life and lift to their material. As Michael Marra says “The songs are the stars in the lift.

With two lifetimes’ collective experience of singing Scottish traditional songs gathered from “a’ the airts”, and fresh from recent successes including supporting the Donnie Munro Band in concert, Sinsheen celebrates it’s debut CD in a series of urban and rural concerts and launches in intimate venues all over Scotland, including an art gallery, a pub and the grandest of reception rooms in the National Trust property, The House of Dun.

The Edinburgh launch will take place on 20th October at the Wee Folk Club venue, 7pm at the Royal Oak pub in Infirmary Street, Edinburgh. Alongside the famous Sandy Bells Bar, The Royal Oak has been hosting folk sessions since the eighties. Christine was one of the hosts at the inaugural session! Reservations essential – contact @sinsheen.com

The Homecoming Launch of LIFT will be at the House of Dun, Montrose, Angus, Friday 13 November at 6.30pm, followed by a concert at 7.30pm.Booking advisable as seating is limited to 60

www.sinsheen.com www.myspace.com/sinsheen

Sinsheen ‘LIFT’ Tour 2009

OCTOBER

Tue 20 Wee Folk Club Launch , Royal Oak, Infirmary St, Edinburgh 7pm

Sat 24 Bank Street Gallery, Kirriemuir, 7.30pm

NOVEMBER

Fri 6 Craigie Folk Club, Kilmarnock 8pm

Fri 13 House of Dun, Angus Launch 6.30pm and Concert , 7.30pm

Wed 18 Caird Hall Dundee, World COPD Day.

DECEMBER

Sat 5 Cappuccino Concert, Wighton Heritage Centre, Central Library, Dundee 11am

New Album: High Bright Morning
Johnny Luck Records

"...beautiful ballads of love and revenge with fantastic harmonies......what's not to love?"
Scotland on Sunday Review

"Deborah Arnott and Clare-Louise Neilson (a)ren't afraid to play around the genre, exceptional harmonizing" The Scotsman

"A female banjo bluegrass duo you just have to hear..Deborah Arnott and Clare-Louise Neilson are sublime as they sing ballads of love and loss. Blueflint deserve your attention." Daily Record

"Blueflint play haunting bluegrass shot through with a yearning sadness and soothing harmonies." The List

Yearning ballads of love, loss and revenge nestle next to tales of suicide and untimely death. In Blueflint’s songs is an unflinching retelling of the human condition, lightened by exquisite harmony singing and the deft beauty shaped by their instrumental work. With High Bright Morning, Blueflint delivers a haunting, singular statement.

Steeped in Americana, the group's music is part bluegrass, part folk. Based around the banjo duo of Deborah Arnott and Clare-Louise Neilson, Blueflint subtly intertwines the three-finger picking and clawhammer styles of banjo traditions to accompany striking harmonies on a set of original songs. Blueflint's unique sound is enhanced by contributions from a talented, versatile line-up including Roddy Neilson fiddle, Ian Stoddart drums, Joey Sanderson Double bass (Hugh Kelly on tour) and production by noted composer Jim Sutherland (Aberfeldy; 'New Town' BBC).

www.myspace.com/blueflint

www.blueflint.org.uk

www.battlefieldband.co.uk
www.templerecords.co.uk

'Robber Barons', the first single release from Battlefield Band's new album 'Zama Zama…try your luck…', has already received airplay on BBC Shropshire, BBC Gloucestershire, BBC Scotland, Folkcast and Celtic Music Radio. The track, written by Alan Reid, looks at greed through the ages, from the 'Robber Barons' of the Middle Ages in Germany to the modern day politicians & bankers. The subject matter is as relevant today as it ever was… "This album started as a collection of songs and tunes about gold. But as we searched, like the alchemists of old, it turned into a wider idea. In the process we saw the greed, disasters and victories inherent in the search and exploitation of various sources of wealth in this world. Then, as if by demonic serendipity, along comes the worldwide economic crisis. We watched the major banks, insurance companies and Hedge Funds etc. implode, discrediting the entire financial system and many of its managers and advisers - But there was still more to come. We, in Britain, could only stand and watch aghast as many (too many) Members of Parliament, and the House of Lords at Westminster, 'the Mother of Parliaments' were exposed for their cynical misuse of the expenses system, often amounting to fraud.
As we put this album together, with our producer Robin Morton, we have been amazed, amused, angered, depressed and hilariously horrified. Who knew about the Zama Zama Boys? Or Ku'ula-kai, the Hawaiian God of Fish; or the extraordinary folklore and history of Chocolate? We will leave you to mine these extraordinary stories for yourselves." - Alan Reid

With the new album 'Zama Zama...try your luck...', Battlefield Band offer us songs both old and newly composed. Alongside new songs like 'Robber Barons' are tracks such as Nina Simone's 'Plain Gold Ring'.
As always with Battlefield Band, they produce Contemporary Scottish music - 2000 years in the making.

The release of the album celebrates the 30th Anniversary for Battlefield Band and their label Temple Records. For 30 years they have created and performed traditional Scottish music with a rare passion and joy, delighting audiences around the globe and evolving into what the press have called:
"...a wondrous, perfectly paced display by musicians firmly in command of their art...a Highland jam that rang the rafters." - The Washington Post

Under their banner Forward With Scotland's Past, Battlefield Band have been distilling their own unique form of the Scottish spirit and exporting it worldwide, with concerts in China, Malaysia, Germany, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Holland, Syria, Jordan, India, Sri Lanka, Egypt, U.S.A., Canada, Uzbekistan and the U.K.

"What the Chieftains have done for Irish traditional music, Battlefield Band are doing for the music of Scotland" - Billboard

Inspired by their rich heritage of Celtic music and fired by the strength and vibrancy of today's Scottish cultural scene, which indeed they have done much to create and fuel, they have led, and been at the forefront, of a great revival in Scottish music. Refusing to be limited musically by suffocating antiquarianism, or the music business' fashions, they have mixed the old songs and music with a new self-penned repertoire, all played on a fusion of ancient and modern instruments - bagpipes, fiddle, synthesiser, guitar, flutes, bodhran and accordion.

'No tricks, no gimmicks, just very fine music' - Mojo

“AN ALBUM FOR ITS TIME”
Released: OCTOBER 19, 2009

The hotly anticipated new studio album from Show of Hands, produced by Stu Hanna and featuring nine new Steve Knightley songs

Right on the money, Arrogance Ignorance and Greed – the new studio recording from Show of Hands – is an acutely topical “album for its time”.

The 20th release from the phenomenally popular pairing of Steve Knightley and Phil Beer unveils nine new songs from the mighty Knightley pen, spearheaded by a fervent title track that potently captures the mood of the moment as we speed towards the first anniversary of the global bank crash.

The 13-track album, produced by Megson’s in-demand Stu Hanna will be showcased on a huge County Towns tour (September 30-December 4).

Dark, stark songs contrast with flourishing production numbers highlighting the honed songwriting skills of Knightley, twice nominated for Best Original Song at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and the multi instrumental magic of 2009 Musician of the Year nominee Beer.

Striking original tracks range from the “greed” of The Napoli, a “true” song about looters scurrying for rich pickings on the Devon coast to the soul-searching The Man I Was and the chilling, explosive IED.

Guest musicians : Mawkin:Causley’s Jim Causley and Dave and James Delarre; Miranda Sykes, Matt Clifford, Jackie Oates and Andy Tween on percussion and cajón.

Between 1930 and 1935 The Mississippi Sheiks were the top selling band of their day, largely due to their hit song ‘Sitting On Top Of The World” which has gone on to be recorded by the likes of Bill Monroe, Cream. The White Stripes and Howlin’ Wolf. An intriguing blend of country, stringband, and weather-beaten blues, these sons of sharecroppers became underground stars throughout America. Recorded and produced by Steve Dawson (Black Hen Records), Things About Comin’ My Way – A Tribute To The Music Of The Mississippi Sheiks looks to re-ignite interest into this hugely influential band. Rather than just re-create the music, Dawson has gathered together a bunch of world-renowned artists to offer their own unique interpretations of the songs to offer up these songs in new and interesting ways. A house band was set up in Seattle including Wayne Horvitz (John Zorn) and Matt Chamberlain (David Bowie, Peter Gabriel) to provide a coherency to the sessions but still allowing these fascinating songs of another era to breath and flourish in the here and now.

'LUSH Acoustic' organise live concerts and gigs all over Northumberland promoting new, original music.

The LUSH Acoustic events feature a wide range of performers covering all types of acoustic-based music: contemporary and traditional folk, country blues, cajun, new folk and alt country. Singer-songwriters and Northumbrian fiddlers blend words and tunes alongside bodhrans, djembes, and a fabulous array of acoustic guitar styles.

Admission is free for most events and 'LUSH Acoustic' is a co-operative working to encourage new music in Northumberland and beyond. LUSH can provide music programming and PA for a wide variety of community events.

Contact: Bill Read: 01665 713278
or Carl Stiansen: 01670 760856

Website: www.myspace.com/lushacoustic
Email: info@chevstar.com

The two hour programme returns to the schedules on Monday 7th September with its original presenters Yvonne and John Hart and under its original name, “Harts of Folk”.

Radio Maldwyn is heard across Mid Wales and the border areas of Shropshire and Herefordshire, but can be listened to throughout the U.K. via the station’s website, www.magic756.net

Born in the North of Ireland, an area bitterly divided by opposing religious and political issues, singer-songwriter- activist Tommy Sands has spent his life using music to spread hope, healing and inspiration, as well as entertainment. Since the ’60s with his brothers and sisters in The Sands Family, as a solo performer, and most recently with his daughter and son, Tommy has been bringing traditional Irish songs and original, socially relevant material to audiences all around the world.

On his new CD ‘Let the Circle Be Wide,’ Tommy Sands continues to write and perform wise, moving, sometimes rollicking songs infused with his deep but clear-eyed love of his imperfect homeland. The CD reflects some of the changes resulting from the historic 1998 power-sharing Belfast Agreement; Sands’ spontaneous performance of his songs with a group of Catholic and Protestant school children outside those agreement negotiations was called “a defining moment in the peace process.”

Unlike the early Gaelic bards who wrote songs, stories and poems in praise of their own clans alone, well-known Irish musician and folklorist Professor Mick Moloney has dubbed Sands an “enlightened bard,” who “says and writes words that are more likely to bring people of diverse backgrounds together than to keep them apart.”

The fifteen songs on Let the Circle be Wide ring with Tommy’s warm brogue, the poignant Irish lilt of uillean pipes, fiddles, and whistles, but also carry the influence of different cultures, such as the unearthly vocal buzzes and drones of Mongolian throat-singing on “Rovers of Wonder.”

Sands, who plays guitar, whistle, banjo, and dotara, a stringed Indian instrument, as well as singing the lead vocals, shares his music’s power to heal (the high-spirited “Send for Maguire” and ethereal “A Stór Mo Chroí”), to rally (“Make Those Dreams Come True,” “Time for Asking Why”), to pay tribute to the departed (“The Song Sings On: Ballad of Tommy Makem,” “You Will Never Grow Old,” a gentle farewell to Sands’ late brother Dino), to fight prejudice (“Keep On Singing”), to unite people (the title song), and to celebrate Ireland’s natural beauty amid ongoing social change (“Fields of Daisies,” “Carlingford Bay”). The CD’s misty, welcoming opener, “Young Man’s Dream,” is Tommy’s “translation/part transcreation” of an ancient Gaelic song which would much later become Ireland’s most famous ballad, “Danny Boy.” This dream song, so apt for today, dates back more than 500 years, drawing us to “an island dreaming where the heart is free,” where “the dream of love, it belongs to all.”

Sands’ musical inclusiveness extends to enlisting his daughter Moya (fiddle, bodhran, whistle, vocals), son Fionán (banjo, mandolin, backing vocals), his Sands Family siblings and additional musicians including guitarist Arty McGlynn (Van Morrison, Patrick Street, Christy Moore), guitarist/bassist Steve Cooney (Sinead O’Connor, The Chieftains, Chuck Berry, Dolly Parton), and co-producer/multi-instrumentalist Tom Newman (who worked on Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells), among others, to perform on Let the Circle be Wide.

With a new CD, a busy international performance schedule with Moya and Fionán, a weekly show on Irish radio, periodic tours with The Sands Family, and his involvement in social justice projects including peace concerts and educational programs in schools and prisons, Tommy Sands exemplifies the idealistic musician as a strong but gentle agent of tradition and change, a carrier of hope and solace, and a man of dreams and reality in the spirit of America’s Pete Seeger, Scotland’s Dick Gaughan and other giants of musical activism.

In 1999 Steven formed a band with bodhran player John Joe Kelly (from Flook) and Andrew Dinan on fiddle and they recorded 'Before the flood'. He played main guitar for Emiliana Torrini for 2 years travelling the globe playing gigs including the Montreaux Jazz festival and Glastonbury.

Now as a solo performer, with bottleneck guitar, tap shoes, voice and harmonica, Finn has been described as a 'one man folk and blues train'. With his energetic performances, Finn draws on old folk-blues music whilst addressing contemporary issues with raw passion. He has supported Martin Carthy, Paul Brady, Michael Messer, Isaac Guillory, Mary Coughlan, Kathryn Tickell, Lunasa, Capercaille and The Beautiful South amongst others.

2008 saw Finn release his debut album 'Houdini's Blues', an album of sparse beauty which was well received by critics and audiences alike and which brought him to Hohner's attention.

Visit www.myspace.com/stevenfinn for songs, video and more.

Across The Pond is now available again as an audio blog - see http://ontouracrossthepond.blogspot.com for a range of roots based acoustic music and news.

Born in San Antonio, Texas, singer songwriter Tish Hinojosa has long been a talented and much revered artist both in the US and Europe. Here, on her new studio album ‘Our Little Planet’ - released on CRS on November 17th – Hinojosa , inspired by her rediscovered love for country music, the 12 self-penned songs on this collection feature a deeply Americana mix of traditional bluegrass and Tish's trademark sound of contemporary folk and tex-mex.

The album is produced by and her long-time accompanist, Marvin Dykhuis, who also co-wrote the title song, as well as playing most of the instruments. It also features appearances by celebrated pedal-steel player Greg Leisz, duets with Texas country legends Rosie Flores and Dale Watson, as well as with rising star Carrie Rodriguez, all of which combine to add delightful new textures to "Our Little Planet's" stripped-down country sound.

http://www.mundotish.com

North East musicians Fiona Lander and Paul Mason otherwise known as the duo 'Landermason' are setting up a regular live music night at the Riverdale Hall Hotel in Bellingham, Northumberland.

Bellingham All Acoustic or the 'Baa' Club will take place in the back conservatory of the hotel on the last Thursday of every month (except December) at 8.30pm. This intimate room (seating 40 maximum) will provide the perfect surroundings for the enjoyment of acoustic music.

Fiona explains "The idea is to promote live music at two different levels. Firstly to provide a platform for invited guest artists who we feel deserve a wider audience. Some of these will be local, others from further a field. Secondly we want to encourage music making within the local community. We plan to have several floor spots before the guest comes on, so if anyone feels they could contribute a song, tune or verse on the night, then we'd love to see you. Everyone is welcome, even if you just want to come along, sit back and listen!"

The club kicks off on Thursday 30th October with North East songwriter PETE SCOTT. Pete, who has supported major names such as Lindisfarne, Janis Ian, Judi Tzuke, John Martyn and Richard Thompson has released 3 solo albums to date. His music has also been included in 'The Northumbria Anthology', a musical celebration of the North East of England's history and culture. Don't miss this wonderful live performer who is sure to bring a smile to your face! www.petescott.co.uk Admission £6.00

Other guests booked throughout the year are Kathryn Davidson & Dan Walsh, Gareth Davies -Jones, The Caffrey's, Richard Grainger and Adrian Nation. Keep checking for updates on the website.

For those who wish to make a night of it, an early evening 2 course dinner is available in the hotel restaurant before the concert at £12.00 per head.
Table reservations 6.30 for 7pm
Bookings 01434 220254

For more information about Bellingham All Acoustic:
Tel. 0778 8804784
www.baaclub.co.uk
www.myspace.com/baaclub

‘Under No Illusion', the debut album of the folk dance duo Folkus Pocus, was launched at the Lichfield Folk Festival on 21 June 2008. Published by the English Folk Dance & Song Society (EFDSS), the album features 17 tracks ranging from traditional tunes such as ‘Morpeth Rant' and ‘Pipe on the Hob' to tunes from Playford's 17th century dance collection including ‘Parson's Farewell', as well as American contra dance reels and some recently written tunes.
The CD booklet includes the descriptions of three previously unpublished dances, and all the tunes are played at dance speed.
The album will appeal to dancers, callers and musicians, particularly within the folk dance club scene, as well as folk dance festival enthusiasts.
Folkus Pocus are Caroline and Dan Hollingshurst, two young instrumentalists who met while studying music at university. Caroline's life-long love of folk dance music combines with Dan's improvised jazz and classical music background to create arrangements that are fresh, vibrant and eminently danceable!
Caroline's main instrument is the fiddle, but she also plays the flute and recorder on the CD, while Dan plays the piano. Read more about the duo at www.folkuspocus.com
The EFDSS is grateful to the Lichfield Folk Dance Festival and Lichfield Folk Dance Club for financial assistance with the production of this album.
‘Under No Illusion' by Folkus Pocus [EFDSSCD16] is published by the English Folk Dance and Song Society. Copies are available from the EFDSS, Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regent's Park Road, London NW1 7AY. Tel: 0207 485 2206. www.efdss.org Price: £13.95 plus £2.00 p&p.

Virtual Open Mic is a new on-line open mic radio website which will be featuring a wide variety of music leaning towards the acoustic and folk types.
See www.virtualopenmic.com for more details.

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Bex is still hard at work gigging in the London area (and elsewhere), to find out when and where visit her home pages at www.bexmarshall.co.uk and order her CD after listening to the clips available.