MondayMonday presents the best that the folk scene has to offer on the first Monday of every month (usually), see below for a list of our confirmed dates with more details be confirmed shortly, and visit our
myspace page to listen to clips from our forthcoming guests.
Monday 15th March - Wendy Arrowsmith and support from The Road
 Born and raised in the suburbs of Glasgow, Wendy’s musical influences as a child were mostly Trad Jazz or Church hymns! Although she learnt Burns and other traditional Scottish songs at school, it wasn’t until she moved to England to marry that she began to really delve into traditional folk music. Wendy has sung many different styles of music – ranging from large scale classical choral works, operetta and musicals to backing vocalist for a prog rock band! But with folk music she has found songs that come from the heart and allow great emotional expression and social commentary. She describes herself as “a singer who plays guitar”, but this shouldn’t detract from Wendy’s musical abilities not just on guitar, but also on whistles, bodhran, mandolin and most recently accordion.
See http://www.myspace.com/wendyarrowsmith
"THE ROAD is an acoustic Folk/Blues band, newly formed from old friends. We play original compositions together with American and British Traditionals freshly arranged!
Kelly Hunter.......... Vocals
Neil McArthur.........Guitar
Graeme Taylor.......Guitar, Mandolin, Banjo
Les Davidson........ Guitar, Mandolin
Michael Gregory.....Percussion.
Between us we have decades of Biographical credits...Michael Gregory and Graeme Taylor played with The Albion Band and The Home Service.
Les Davidson has played with Joan Armatrading, Gilbert O'Sullivan and Mory Kante, among many others.
Neil McArthur has been musical / vocal arranger for Harry Nilsson and Yusuf Islam. He was musical director for the international hit " Five Guys Named Moe "
Kelly Hunter is a Singer and Actress of many years standing, currently leading a double life as she sings in this band and plays leading roles at the Royal Shakespeare Company at the same time..
See The Road on Youtube
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Monday 5th April - Katriona Gilmore & Jamie Roberts/Ski Jordan and support spots by Kit & Cutter and Eoin Quiery
 "Katriona Gilmore (Rosie Doonan & the Snapdragons) and Jamie Roberts (Kerfuffle) have been performing together on the folk scene since 2006, while studying together at Leeds College of Music. Their self-penned material ranges from blazing instrumentals to songs which have been described as ‘heart-wrenching’, spanning all manner of subjects, to contemporary arrangements of traditional songs. Jamie’s dextrous percussive and lap-style guitar work is a visual as well as a sonic delight, while Katriona’s intricate fiddle playing shifts seamlessly from sensitive to fiery and back again in the blink of an eye."
See http://www.gilmoreroberts.co.uk
 Ski is a young folk singer who provides an enchanting twist on the traditional British folk song. Ski has an “individual approach to traditional songs, firmly keeping alive the spirit and beauty of each, whilst adding her own personality and fresh interpretation.” (Dennis Homes) Having lived, worked and studied in Wiltshire, Birmingham, London and Essex, Ski draws on her varied experience to tell songs of love, loss and betrayal with a “beautiful sweet rippling voice and delicate guitar style.” (Havering Folk Club) As a performer Ski has an enormous capacity to empathise and immerses herself in a story as if it were her own. Recently Ski has been working on original material which reflects the injustice, inequality, courage and resilience of the marginalised communities she has been working with in East London.
See www.myspace.com/skijordan
Eoin Quiery is a London based Country Folk Singer Songwriter and Guitarist
"a most prodigiously talented songwriter. Imagine the spirit of Woody Guthrie came calling on an Irishman in Liverpool..." LIVESTOCK MUSIC FESTIVAL
See www.myspace.com/eoinquiery
Kit and Cutter are a regular feature on the folk scene in South East London, indeed it could be said that they are the folk scene in certain parts of South East London, after many many months of negotiation (and begging) they have agreed to sing a few songs this evening for your pleasure, unfortunately for contactual reasons we are unable to display an image of Kit and Cutter..
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Monday 19th April - Chris Sarjeant with Paul Micklethwaite and Raven
A night of traditional and contemporary folk song with Chris Sarjeant and support slots
Chris Sarjeant has been recently described as,".a very major addition to the British Folk Scene.." by BBC Folk-musician of the year Tom McConville who added that his guitar work is "...impeccable.." and that he possesses, "...one of the best voices ever!"
Chris has forged this enviable reputation despite only launching himself onto the Folk scene two years ago, since then he has been steadily winning audiences over with his arrangements and interpretations of Traditional English song.
See www.myspace.com/chris.sarjeant
To open the evening Raven and Paul Micklethwaite will be performing shorter sets between 8pm and 9pm
Raven - Caz & Ste separately have been playing and singing for many years. Caz, from Australia, has been a fan of English folk music since her teens. She and Ste met in London, and started playing a few folky songs together. A few months ago they took some of these songs out of the lounge room, and Raven was created.
See www.myspace.com/ravenfolkmusic
Paul is a London based Folk Singer and Guitarist taking some of his influences from the likes of Martin Simpson and Chris Wood, and recently opened for Lily Neill at Camden's Green Note.
See www.myspace.com/paulmicklethwaite for more details
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Monday 3rd May - Galley Beggar/Ellen Mary McGee
 "Taking inspiration from the likes of Fairport Convention, Pentangle and Led Zeppelin's acoustic explorations our music sets out to imagine the next phase of English Folk Rock.
Our live performances bring the intensity of a rock band to electric folk and include plenty of instrument changes as we move from music found within the collections of Cecil Sharp and Francis Child through to electrified psychedelic freakouts. Harmony vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin, violin, recorder, bouzouki, keyboards, bass and drums make up the sound of Galley Beggar."
www.myspace.com/galleybeggar
 "London-based Ellen Mary McGee, a multi-instrumentalist who specializes in stringed things like guitar, dulcimer, and zither, belongs to a small class of exquisite weirdos that also claims the great Kendra Smith, Faun Fables, and Spires That in the Sunset Rise—in other words, artists who don’t see why folk music should necessarily sound earthly. Though her music is undeniably pretty, McGee is no fragile flower; the proud resignation in her voice evokes a young Stevie Nicks." Monica Kendrick, Chicago Reader"
www.myspace.com/thecrescentsun
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Monday 17th May - Lou Brown and support from Roosevelt Bandwagon
 Lou's live work includes a 21-date tour of the USA along with headline shows to audiences of over 200 people. She's worked with many well-known musicians: Julie Fowlis, Karine Polwart, Hazel O'Conner, Paul Young, Boo Hewerdine, Steve Tilston, Clive Gregson, Megson, Eilen Jewell, Po' Girl, and Grammy Award-winner Albert Lee. Lou's debut album has received airplay on both BBC, commercial and internet radio, she was the featured artist on 'BBC Introducing… South' in 2008, and following a session for Johnnie Walker at Glastonbury 2009, her song 'These Arms' was played on several BBC Radio 2 shows, including the UK's most popular radio show, 'Wake Up to Wogan'. She heads into the studio on December 2009 to record her second album with Clive Gregson producing and playing, and guest vocals from Boo Hewerdine. In 2010 she will be undertaking a 5-week tour of the UK in May, following by a 4-week tour of Canada in September.
"Great, great singer with great songs." - Clive Gregson
"Good songs, great lyrics." - Steve Tilston
"We've got her album, it's really good." - Stu Hanna, Megson & producer for Show of Hands
"She held the audience captivated… with her beautiful songs." - Maverick magazine
See www.loubrownmusic.com or www.myspace.com/loubrownmusic
Roosevelt Bandwagon is a group of very experienced folk/ americana musicians playing in a collective for the first time. In the past, group members have toured in support of big name artists and in their own right, played at international festivals and spent periods as staff writers. See www.myspace.com/rooseveltbandwagon
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Monday 7th June - Suntrap/Jason Steel
 Suntrap are Sara Byers (voice, accordion, guitar, whistles, bohdran), Debbie Chalmers (violin, viola), Paul Hoad (voice, guitar, harmonica) and Mary Wilson (voice, violin). Together they perform a mesmerizing array of music including their own material and the best of the traditional and contemporary folk repertoire. Songwriters Sara and Paul create original, innovative works drawing on English song tradition and American Folk & Country.
See www.suntrap.org |
 Jason Steel is a unique guitarist and singer haling from South Yorkshire. When he isn't dazzling audiences with his fretboard dexterity as part of The Owl Service, he's writing and recording beautiful rag-time influenced vignettes for acoustic guitar, banjo and ukulele. Fusing the influence of players such as Elizabeth Cotten, Bert Jansch and Mississippi John Hurt with the hushed intimacy of Jackson C. Frank, the result is compelling, intricate and affecting music. Jason's debut release (the strictly limited Eternal Embers EP) has sold out; A four song lathe cut is imminent, with a full album to follow later in the year. Jason also writes, records and plays with the wonderful Nancy Wallace.
See www.myspace.com/jasonsteelmusic
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Monday 21st June - Matthew Ord
 Matthew Ord is a London based singer and guitarist with a fresh take on the traditional music of the British Isles and North America. A dedicated musician with a deep passion for folk music from an early age, his repertoire reflects the length and breadth of these traditions, drawing together the Delta and Piedmont blues, Scots and English Ballads, jigs, reels, slow airs, nursery rhymes and protest songs, all skilfully performed with warmth and conviction. After graduating from university in 2005, Matthew has pursued a career as a gigging musician, a journey which so far has taken him to Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Norway, the southern US and the far north west of Canada.
Along the way he has shared the bill with legendary guitar players Albert Lee, Pierre Bensusan, Martin Carthy and Martin Simpson and respected folk performers such as Seth Lakeman, Tom McRae and Kathryn Williams. He has performed at many of the UK's major festivals including Glastonbury and Cambridge Folk Festival and twice at the SXSW music festival in Austin, Texas.
See www.myspace.com/mattheword
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Monday 5th July - Brooks Williams
 Few guitarists transcend genre and style, but Brooks Williams has made a career of it. His music is a fearlessly evolving melange of intricate blues-soaked finger-style guitar and soulful singing. He defies categorisation. Brooks Williams is blessed with multiple talents, merging acoustic guitar wizardry with the singer-songwriter tradition and has been hailed as “an acoustic guitar god” a “one man wonder” and the “Angel of Soul”. “A consummate artist, Williams ranks among America’s musical treasures.” (Dirty Linen)
His latest CD The Time I Spend with You is a high-energy, up-beat recording of rootsy originals, blues classics and finger-picked instrumentals (the title track actually written in the UK); a very personal recording it shows an artist at ease with his musical roots, but more than that, a musician who simply loves the music he plays; rooted in the blues but as fresh as any music you are likely to hear. He’s passionate about passing it on to the next generation of guitarists too; his workshops and master-classes as legendary as his concerts; he’s a natural, inspirational teacher and his instructional DVD Guitar Groove: a Session with Brooks Williams in which he shares his unique approach to teaching is out now. It’s pleasantly difficult to pin down Brooks Williams; he’s a diverse and versatile musician who is quite simply one of the most entertaining and engaging performers on the circuit today.
www.brookswilliams.com www.myspace.com/redguitarbluemusic
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Monday 6th September - The Askew Sisters
 Emily and Hazel Askew are a young duo making waves on the folk scene with their energetic brand of English folk music. Using fiddle and melodeon, they play and sing with an infectious enjoyment and love for the music, winning them fans wherever they go. From rhythmic foot stomping tunes to powerful interpretations of songs and ballads, their playing always guarantees to engage and inspire those who hear. They've spent the last couple of years playing at venues across the country, from top festivals and folk clubs to London's National Theatre and National Portrait Gallery.
"Hazel's rich gutsy voice and inventive melodeon playing combined with the skill of Emily's singing fiddle or soulful cello are a new force to be reckoned with!" Stirrings Magazine
"What the Askew Sisters do so well is tell the story and allow the music accompanying to help that story-telling along." EDS Magazine
See www.askewsisters.co.uk
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Monday 4th October - Steve Tilston and support from Raven
 Steve Tilston has been described as, an artist of “stylistic versatility and consummate musicality,” “a complete guitarist,” “a singer songwriter of rare talent” and “absurdly accomplished.” Ask anyone on the English folk scene who their favourite guitarist, singer, songwriter and entertainer is and nine times out of ten his name will crop up in the top three of every department.
Steve Tilston is one of our most celebrated song-smiths, with many of his songs adopted into the tradition. His 35 year career has been marked with the release of a 5-CD boxed-set; Reaching Back: the Life and Music of Steve Tilston. Featuring classic, rare, previously unreleased and new recordings, Reaching Back is a timely celebration of one of our finest performers. Not one to stand still however and with “Madame Muse” at his heels Steve is “reaching forward” with a new collection of songs and a new CD Ziggurat.
“When our generation of songwriters is assessed on our contribution to our time, Steve's work will rank alongside much better known artists.” Ralph McTell
www.stevetilston.com & www.myspace.com/stevetilston
 Caz & Ste separately have been playing and singing for many years. Caz, from Australia, has been a fan of English folk music since her teens. She and Ste met in London, and started playing a few folky songs together. A few months ago they took some of these songs out of the lounge room, and Raven was created.
See www.myspace.com/ravenfolkmusic
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Monday 1st November - Clive Gregson and Support from You are Wolf
 More than 25 years as a performing musician and Clive’s on as fine form as ever and will be celebrating the release of a Best of Clive Gregson compilation in the spring of 2009. Born and raised in Manchester but based in the States, Clive Gregson is an accomplished singer, musician and record producer of world-renown. He first attracted attention back in 1980, when his now legendary band Any Trouble burst onto the music scene. Their come-back album Life in Reverse is out now! In 1985, he formed the groundbreaking partnership with Christine Collister and toured with the Richard Thompson Band. He’s also toured with Eddi Reader, Boo Hewerdine, Nanci Griffith and Dennis Locorriere. He’s one of the most respected songwriters of his time, producing a steady stream of stunning albums throughout his career. Mary Chapin Carpenter named him as one of her favourite songwriters. Melody Maker described Any Trouble, as the most exciting new rock 'n' roll group since The Pretenders and according to Guitar Player, he is one of the 1000 great guitarists. Artists who have recorded his songs include Fairport Convention, Claire Martin, Norma Waterson and Nanci Griffith, who recorded I Love This Town on her number one chart topping album.
www.clivegregson.com www.myspace.com/clivegregson
 You Are Wolf peddles experimental folk and originals through looped vocals, melodica, bass and whatever else she can lay her hands on. Elsewhere, as Kerry Andrew, she's a composer of experimental vocal music and choral music, as well a performer with adventurous a cappella trio, juice, punky jazz crew DOLLYman and folkjazz sextet Metamorphic. You Are Wolf explores mostly English folk songs and original material with gentle touches of electronica, weaves in spoken word and throws in an array of wild vocal techniques.
See www.myspace.com/youarewolf
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Monday 15th November - Steven Finn and K.C. McKanzie
 K.C. McKanzie does her very own brand of Americana and Folk. A bittersweet Old-Time-flavour combines with a contemporary touch of rootsy rhythms.
See www.myspace.com/kcmckanzie
From the driving rhythm of his amplified two-tone tap shoes, through the raw energy of his bottleneck and explosive harp playing, to the wonderful words delivered with true passion, Steven Finn electrifies audiences. Described as “one of the best young acoustic blues guitar players on two legs” Steven is also one of only 3 UK artists to be endorsed by Hohner harmonicas.
www.myspace.com/stevenfinn
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Monday 6th December - Sarah McQuaid
 Born in Madrid, Spain, raised in Chicago and holding dual Irish and American citizenship, singer/guitarist and songwriter Sarah McQuaid lived in Ireland from 1994 to 2007. She has since moved with her husband and two children to the home formerly occupied by her parents near Penzance, Cornwall.
I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning, the long-awaited follow-up to her acclaimed debut album When Two Lovers Meet, marked a distinct change of focus for the musician whose rich voice has been likened to “matured cognac”. Whereas her first album was a feast of Irish music, this is an enchanting celebration of old-time Appalachian folk, with Sarah’s arrangements punctuated by her own fine compositions and a cover of Bobbie Gentry’s classic ‘Ode to Billie Joe’.
See www.sarahmcquaid.com
And plenty more to be confirmed so keep watching this space, as we genuinely think you will be hard pressed to find a better folk night in London...
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