I have now added “comments” links to all my blogs. This means that when you read something, you can add a comment, without having to subscribe.

------------------------------

Karl Dallas

Beiderbecke Re-imagined, With an Eclectic Approach

Slithering through the cracks that separate musical genres has long been a way of life for Geoff Muldaur. Over the years his albums have blended gospel and bluegrass, country blues and modern jazz, Tin Pan Alley and R&B. But however eclectic his approach, those who prefer their music in neatly labeled boxes have tended to agree that he belongs in the one marked "folk singer." His new album should put an end to that idea.

Mr. Muldaur has, at least temporarily, forsaken Leadbelly and Dock Boggs for a very different kind of roots music: the recordings and compositions of the cornet player Bix Beiderbecke, a son of the Midwestern middle class who in the 1920's brought a new degree of delicacy and lyricism to jazz, and who achieved his highest profile as a member of Paul Whiteman's high-toned dance band.
FULL REPORT
Order Private Astronomy (US customers)
Order Private Astronomy (UK customers)

How long will your precious CDRs last?
Many musicians store their precious music on discs burned on a PC. But how long will they last?
Computer geeks also store precious data the same way.
Theoretically, CDR data should be safe for ten years or so, but some alarming information is coming to light that you may be lucky to get as much as two years' life out of them.
More, using the popular stick-on laberls may destroy the contents!
Here's an article that describes what one industry pundit discovered:
Langa Letter: Time To Check Your CDRs:
Fred Langa reported: ". . . the only disks that failed were those that I had covered with a glue-on paper label from a print-it-yourself CD label-maker kit. Several of these labeled CDs were, in fact, totally unreadable by every means I tried (including special data-recovery software); all the data on those CDs is just plain gone. My best guess is the glue on these do-it-yourself labels interacted with either the foil or the dye, rendering the CDs useless. "
Langa also referred readers to a valuable resource of information on the whole question of CDR storage, which includes details of different labelling systems and how they can affect CDR contents:
Understanding CD-R & CD-RW - Disc Labeling
Adhesive Labels
"A more attractive way to label a disc is to apply an adhesive label. Several manufacturers offer inkjet and laser printer compatible products specifically designed for labeling discs as well as positioning devices to help with centering. Full surface or 'donut-style' labels are preferable to partial stickers but be aware that any adhesive label can potentially upset the balance of a disc when playing back, especially at high speeds, causing excessive noise, vibration and data retrieval problems. Heat, humidity, handling and the passage of time can also compromise the stability of adhesive labels causing separation from the disc surface and even interfere with the drive. Sticky labels may not be the best choice when archiving important data as some types of label adhesives can react with and compromise the disc over time. Remember too that, once applied, labels should never be removed or repositioned. Even smoothing air bubbles can concentrate physical stresses in a small area and delaminate the disc."
According to all these sources, the safest way to label CDRs is to use a fibre-tip pen specially designed for the purpose. Not so chic as that wonderful label you have printed out on your PC - but a lot safer!-KARL DALLAS

FW: October Events at Ryburn Three Step

From: Pauline Jones [mailto:Polly.J@btinternet.com]
Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2003 7:53 PM
To: polly.j@btinternet.com
Subject: October Events at Ryburn Three Step

Is it me, or are the months getting shorter?

Saturday 25 October - Dance

This month's caller for our 'Caller's Season' dance is the inimitable Sheila
Mainwaring. Sheila has called for our dances before and is always great
fun. Lovely dances and also music from Flos Headford's 'Shropshire
Sessionnaires'. No idea who they will be, though I have heard a rumour that
one of them will be Chris Parkinson...........

Saturday night, 8pm as usual, pay at the door. £5, £4 concessions (you must
tell us if you're a concession, Jake and I wouldn't dream of being so rude
as to ask!), family tickets always available.

Tuesday 28 October - Folk Club

This year, the folk club happens during the annual Intensive Appalachian
Flatfooting Workshop Week taught by Ira Bernstein. This gives us the
opportunity to hear the larger-than-life Riley Baugus, also known as 'The
Hands of Pangle' (he'll explain if you ask him)! Riley has spent time this
last year working on Anthony Minghella's film, 'Cold Mountain', making and
playing the banjos and generally mixing with the stars. His amazing skills
on banjo, fiddle and guitar and his Appalachian songs, ballads and southern
preaching are worth £5 of anyone's money (£4 concessions again - see above)
and there will undoubtedly be some dancing going on.

Usual floor singers required, though. Hope to see and hear you there

Pauline

gabrielyacoub.com

lettre d'information de gabriel yacoub

live in quimpergabriel, yannick hardouin & michel van achter, [sound engineer] in the studio in belgium to mix the recordings of the 2 exceptional concerts at the théâtre de cornouailles, quimper, january 17th & 18th
recordings josé nédélec
release early 2004
[details]



dvdthe 2 concerts had been captured by b>chalut, gabriel's old time friend
a dvd of the whole concert, plus more images and some of gabriel's comments will be released soon

here's your chance...
the release of the dvd is the perfect occasion for gabriel to answer some of the regular and persistent questions that devoted fans have been asking for a long time now.
please, make your suggestion [on the forum]

MORE APOLOGIES!

Weird stuff is being posted to this blog. Sorry! We're working on it. Please ignore anything posted which is not directly to do with folk music.

Six items of Folk News from Sussex

From: Vic & Tina Smith [mailto:tinvic@globalnet.co.uk]
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2003 10:30 PM
To: Folk (Virtual Brighton)
Subject: Six items of Folk News from Sussex

 

1] FOLK AT THE ROYAL OAK, LEWES, THURSDAYS AT 8pm.

Station Street, Lewes

Enquiries:- (01273) 478124 or 881416

Email tinvic@globalnet.co.uk

 

Here is our programme for the rest of 2003:-

Oct 2nd * £3.00 * JOY LEWIS & DERRICK HUGHES

A very warm entertaining evening with songs and tunes played on Northumbrian pipes, whistles, hammer dulcimer and guitar

Oct 9th * £4.00 * A BAND LIKE ALICE

Bob Winquist, Richard Collins, Serryl Payne, Gary Payne, Alan Ward combine their considerable talents in the best of bluegrass.

Oct 16th * £5.00 * LEON ROSSELSON

The leading songwriter makes a very welcome return visit. Spirited singing of remarkable songs to polished guitar

Oct 23rd * £4.00 * TIM LAYCOCK

This will be the first solo appearance by this talented, long established performer who delighted us with his New Scorpion Band

Oct 30th * £4.00 * GINA LE FAUX

A great all-round performer- fine singer and sensitive guitar player and the best English fiddler around.

Nov 6th * collection * POST BONFIRE OPEN NIGHT

Nov 13th * £4.00 * BRYAN PETERS

Traditional songs unaccompanied and to guitar and tunes played on melodeon and anglo-concertina. A fine entertainer.

Nov 20th * £4.00 * DAVE ARTHUR, PETE COOPER & CHRIS MORETON

Dave brings along the musicians who played on his excellent recent album "Return Journey" Songs and tunes from Britain and The States

Nov 27th * £4.00 * JANE & AMANDA THRELFALL, ROGER EDWARDS & MARTIN ELLISON

The sisters sing beautifully together and receive wonderful accompaniments on guitar, melodeon and concertina.

Dec 4th * collection * LATE NIGHT SHOPPING OPEN NIGHT

Dec 11th * £5.00 * THE JOHN KIRKPATRICK CHRISTMAS SHOW

A sort of one-man version on the famed "Wassail" tour.

Dec 18th * CHRISTMAS PARTY NIGHT

Dec 25th * CLOSED

Jan 1st * CLOSED

We start 2004 with Bob Copper's Birthday Celebrations (Jan 8th). Other

guests in the new year will include Martin Carthy & Norma Waterson, Martyn

Wyndham-Read and No Man's Band, Dick Gaughan, Judy Cook.

Our website is at http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~tinvic

 

Those of you with listings/ gig guides etc. are asked kindly to include

these dates amongst them.

**********

2] SUSSEX FOLK GUIDE WEBSITE UPDATED

The Sussex Folk Guide Website has just been updated with listings of many

folk song and dance events in and around Sussex between now and the end of

October . There are over 110 folk song and dance events listed on the

site. You can find it at http://whatson.brighton.co.uk/folk

**********

3] THE FOLK DIARY

Most of the listings on the Sussex Folk Guide website are taken from the

paper magazine, THE FOLK DIARY Issue no 203 covers the months of October &

November. It also has adverts for various folk festivals, folk music record

companies, specialist shops, instrument makers and other services. There are

four pages of reviews of  new folk music CDs and books. To obtain copies of

this free magazine as it is published, please send SAE's to Vic Smith at the

address below. It is also the address to send review copies to. The copy

date for the December / January issue will be October 31st. Potential

advertisers are also asked to contact Vic for a statement of our advertising

rates.

************

4] INSTRUMENTAL & VOCAL WORKSHOPS IN LEWES

Valmai Goodyear - valmaigoodyear@aol.com - continues to organise some really

useful Saturday daytime instrumental work shops in Lewes. The next ones

are:-

Oct 11th  MOIRA CRAIG & SARAH MORGAN: VOCAL HARMONY WORKSHOP

Nov 22nd BÁRA GRÍMSDÓTTIR - ICELANDIC HARMONY SINGING WORKSHOP

Nov 22nd CHRIS FOSTER - GUITAR WORKSHOP

Dec 6th KEITH KENDRICK

Dec 13th NANCY KERR - FIDDLE WORKSHOP

Dec 13th JAMES FAGAN - BOUZOUKI WORKSHOP

************

5] ROCKET RADIO - FOLK MUSIC AND WORLD MUSIC PROGRAMMES.

Rocket Radio will be back in the Lewes area for a three-week period in late

October / November. The frequency on FM is yet to be allocated but there is

Vic Smith will presenting two weekly programmes. For potential listeners

outside the broadcast  are there will be streaming audio from the station's

website at  http://www.rocketradio.org.uk

Here is his schedule:-

Wed. 29th October 6-7pm Folk Music

Sun. 2nd November 8-10pm World Music

Wed 5th November 3-4pm Folk Music

Sun 9th November 8-10pm World Music

Wed 12th November 6-7pm Folk Music

Sun 16th November 8-10pm World Music

Any information/gig details/suggested interviews/CDs for inclusion in the

programme to Vic at the address below.

************

6] HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - SHIRLEY COLLINS

The Tenterden Folk Festival is always an enjoyable occasion. This year it is

on the weekend of 3-5 October. Highly recommended is the talk "A Most

Sunshiny Day" at 1pm. on the Saturday. Find more details on the festival's

website at www.folkspots.btinternet.com

+++++++++++++++++++++++

...And if you are ever looking for a good barn dance band, look no further

than THE SUSSEX PISTOLS - though you should get in quickly - available dates

for 2003/4 are being snapped up quickly.

Website at

http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~tinvic/pistols.htm

 

Vic & Tina Smith

26 Ferrers Road

LEWES

East Sussex

BN7 1PZ

England

 

Tel & Fax:- 01273 478124

 Email:-

tinvic@globalnet.co.uk

folk@brighton.co.uk

 

 ROYAL OAK WEBSITE:-

http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~tinvic

 SUSSEX FOLK GUIDE WEBSITE:-

http://whatson.brighton.co.uk/folk

SUSSEX PISTOLS BARN DANCE BAND WEBSITE:-

http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~tinvic/pistols.htm

FW: New CD from Duncan McFarlane Band

From: duncan.mcfarlane [mailto:duncan.mcfarlane@ntlworld.com]
Sent: Monday, September 15, 2003 8:13 PM
To: AA Dunxwork
Subject: New CD from Duncan McFarlane Band

 

Hello dear friends,
I last wrote to say the Duncan McFarlane Band (Acoustic) were recording their gig at Otley Folk Club on Aug 13th 03 for a proposed 'live' CD........
Well, it's all mixed and mass-produced, done and dusted - and is titled 'Can't Go There'.

Tracks include - Can't Go There, Turn the Bones Around, Take me down to Robin Hood's Bay and Woodshed Boys
We'll be officially launching it at Otley Festival this coming weekend.
I have to say (well he would wouldn't he!) that we're extremely pleased with the result!
Ecstatic actually!
Rod Holt has done a fine job mastering it from the raw eight-track recording - a wee bit of tweaking on tone controls - no overdubs - no re-recording - no later 'additions'.
There's only one (seamless) 'edit'  - literally chopping into a song where I forgot the words, chopping back in at the correct point, and 'losing' the offending bars - the only giveaway being audience laughter present for no apparent reason. Buy one just to spot it eh?
Selling at a mere £10 for nearly 55 mins of music - a bargain!
Email me if you'd like one by post (p&p will necessitate adding a quid on)
It'll be available at the Festival Office - and wherever I, or the band are playing....

i.e. I'm on 'last' at the Red Lion on Friday 19th (with Anne from the band on fiddle with me)
The DMcF acoustic band officially launch it at Korks - we're on 2nd to last on the Saturday night.
And the full electric DMcFband line up kick off the final concert at 7.30 on Sunday night in the Civic - paving the way (with a bang!) for the likes of Sid Kipper and Christine Collister (hope I'm spelling things correctly!)
Hope to see you there then - all the best - Duncan

It's that time again! The new R3S season starts next week with the first dance. This year, instead of concentrating on the bands, we are having a 'Callers Season'.

On Saturday 20 September we see the return of Baz Parkes who will be bringing Grand Union with him. Last time he came, we had a wonderful time and some great dances. Some of you may not know that many of the bands stay on for a music session the next day at lunchtime at the Alma Inn at Cottonstones. If you've enjoyed the music on the Saturday night, why not come and have lunch at the Alma and listen to it again on the Sunday?

As for Folk Club, this month we have TWO (sadly, no two for one offer on this one). The first is on Tuesday 23 September - a special from storyteller, Billy Teare, who will also be performing on the following Saturday night as part of the Halifax Traditions Festival events. The second is on 30 September - Jeff Davis, old-time banjo, fiddle and mandolin player and highly-rated singer from the USA. Both of these events will be normal club nights with the usual songs from residents and floor singers.

See you at any or all of these events, I hope. 8 pm as usual. No price increase, either - £5/£4 concession - are we good value, or what? Family tickets always available.

The folk club venue is The Royal Hotel in Rishworth, towards the head of the Ryburn Valley. It is easily accessible from Junction 22 of the M62, or by leaving Ripponden on the road to Oldham.

Pauline
http://www.ryburn3step.org.uk

A' The Bairns O' Adam
(Hamish Henderson Tribute)
CDTRAX244 (September 2003)
Tracks include: The 51st Highland Division’s Farewell to Sicily * Mouth Music * Gillie More * The John MacLean March * Pipe Laments * Rivonia (Free Mandela).

From the Greentrax website:
Poet, songwriter, soldier, collector, academic - none of these pigeon-holes do justice to the late Hamish Henderson, one of the great cultural figures of 20th century Scotland. Most of the tracks were recorded specially for this album by artists who were personal friends of Hamish, or greatly admired his work.

Artists include Dick Gaughan, The Laggan, Fred Freeman, Alison McMorland, Gordeanna McCulloch, Adam McNaughtan, Geordie McIntyre, Rod Paterson, Jim Reid, Allan MacDonald, Margaret Bennett The Corrie Folk Trio and the Eurydice Choir. Session musicians who contribute to the newly recorded tracks are Sandy Brechin (accordion), Angus Lyon (accordion), Rod Paterson (guitar), Alison McMorland (banjo), Frank McLaughlin (smallpipes) and Malcolm Stitt (guitar and bouzouki). Produced by Dr Fred Freeman (producer of the Linn Records Robert Burns series).

Hamish died in Edinburgh on 8th March 2002, but at the celebration of Hamish’s life (which followed one of the largest Edinburgh funerals in recent times), the idea of a tribute album was already being suggested. The finished album consists mainly of Hamish’s songs and poems and is accompanied by extensive sleeve notes and song lyrics.

Three tracks were gleaned from The School of Scottish Studies archives - a spirited version of Hamish singing his own aong The 51st Highland Division’s Farewell to Sicily and a piece of mouth music, plus a track from the wonderful Jeannie Robertson who was one of Hamish’s ‘discoveries’ during his extensive field work collecting songs in North East Scotland.

Previously released recordings of Gillie More by Dick Gaughan and The John MacLean March by The Laggan, versions particularly enjoyed by Hamish, were licensed from Topic and Nevis Records respectively. Fred Freeman recited two of Hamish’s poems and Margaret Bennett read a third and linked it to one of Hamish’s favourite Gaelic songs. Piper Allan MacDonald, who played two of Hamish’s favourite laments at the funeral, also recorded both for the album.

One very unusual track on the album was found amongst Hamish’s personal things where it had lain for some years. In 1968 Hamish invited The Corrie Folk Trio (Ronnie Browne, Bill Smith and the late Roy Williamson) to the School of Scottish Studies to record his song Rivonia (Free Mandela). Martin Carthy, by chance, was visiting Roy Williamson and remembers the occasion. Without much arm-twisting Hamish convinced The Corrie Folk Trio to rehearse and record the song on the spot, a recording earmarked specifically for Nelson Mandela and the freedom fighters in South Africa.

A copy of the recording was in fact smuggled on to Robben Island where Mandela heard and received it with delight. Hamish later telephoned Bill Smith to say he had received a letter from Mandela thanking him for his ‘time, effort and concern’. Years later Mandela thanked Hamish in person while visiting Scotland - on the occasion of Nelson Mandela being presented with the Freedom of the City of Glasgow.

The CD can be ordered for £12 ($19.12) from http://www.musicscotland.com/acatalog/A__The_Bairns_O__Adam__Hamish_Henderson_Tribute_.html

Folk News lives!

Older folkies may remember the folk mag I ran under that title in the
Sixties and Seventies (God! that's 30 years ago or more - doesn't time pass
quickly when you're having fun!). Well, I've resurrected the name for this
blog-plus-mailing list. Blogs (short for weblogs) are the latest thing on
the web, providing a degree of reader interaction impossible with passive
web pages.

Blog membership is by invitation only, so anyone wanting to join should
send a message to karldallas@blueyonder.co.uk with the words "Join Folk
News" in the subject line.

To send a message to the Folk News mailing list (subscribers only):
folknews@topica.com
To subscribe to the Folk News mailing list: folknews-subscribe@topica.com
BTW, I am the featured guest at the Topic Folk Club, Bradford, on Thursday,
September 18, and my special guest will be a remarkable young lady I met
when I was singing at the Wallingford Folk Festival. She goes under the
strange name of KTB (her first name is Katie - geddit?). Her style is very
unusual, with touches of blues and bossa nova, though she does lovely
unaccompanied traditional ballads as well. She's a very fine, rather
jazz-tinged guitarist.

News from Topic Folk Club, Bradford

TOPIC FOLK CLUB, BRADFORD

INFORMAL NEWSLETTER

Greetings    and already it’s time to pester your inboxes again.

September 4             Kate Howden, Paul Jones and Tony Taffinder.  This is a great act to open the winter programme.  Kate and Paul were already a superb and well-balanced duo, their music full of intertwining guitar lines, plangent melodies and thoughtful understated lyrics.  Their Silver Waters CD was one of my top five of 2002.  Now they are joined by multi-instrumentalist Tony, to add width to their stage presentation (actually, he adds a great deal else, including acoustic bass guitar).  The three are just starting a 40-venue (and counting) tour of the UK, prior to the recording of a new CD.  Come and catch them while we can still afford them!   More at  http://www.howdenjones.co.uk/   Featured Support this week is Gerry Cooper, who has come back into folk circulation in recent months, with his accomplished blues guitar style.  There’s room for Floor Singers too, so let’s get the new season off to a big start.

September 11            Simon Howarth and Andy May.  Last seen on our stage in May, Simon and Andy are currently part of Jez Lowe’s Bad Pennies line-up.  Though naturally self-effacing when backing Jez’s distinctive style and delivery, when on their own (together) they open up to provide a glorious range of self-penned and traditional material.  Songs, guitar, whistles, Northumbrian pipes; to name but a few of the instruments we’ll see.  More (on Simon, at any rate) at http://www.morpeth61.freeserve.co.uk/   
Featured Support this week is from Fountainhead, a young folk/world music trio who last performed  a floor spot with us supporting Maggie Boyle.  Guitar, percussion, and strong female voices in harmony: they have the air of class about them.  Room for floor singers too.

September 18            Karl Dallas.  What to say about Karl?  Activist, campaigner, journalist, organiser, musician, performer, demonstrator, circus hand, human shield, committed Christian  he has been all these things, and still is most of them.  His style is immediate  he is The Man if you are on a demo and want someone with a guitar to come up with a catchy tune and relevant chorus to sing as you march (or sit).  He has been active in the folk scene for 50 years (including being NME’s Folk Correspondent during the glory years (NME’s and Folk’s)).
No Featured support yet  so an opportunity for any number of floor singers to come down and be (almost) sure of a proper spot.

September 25            Singers and Musicians:  Theme: Drinking songs.  Well, that’s the traditional, second half of the evening.  From 8.00pm, for about an hour, there will be a Special Press Showcase featuring the recently-released CDs by Topic regulars Rahel Guzelian and John Waller.  This will be hosted by BCB Radio’s Folk Guru Tim Moon, and various cultural big-wigs have been invited.  There’ll be nibbles  so if you fancy coming for the singaround, come early and enjoy something different.

October 2               Kevin Loughran.  Local singer and guitarist, with a range of accessible songs performed with his own unique interpretation. 
Featured Support will be Ian Hill, also a local guitarist and singer.  But more of October later.

A great start to the Autumn season.  More on all this via the Topic website:  www.topic-folk-club.org.uk


The Autumn Season continues with some strong and varied acts.

Oct 9           Roy Wilcocks and Bridget Guest  two voices, one guitar and many wonderful, relaxing self-penned songs.  Featured support  Bradford’s own four-piece band Codarajo

Oct 16          Darren Poyzer  Wacky Manchester-based musician and entertainer with his own inimitable songs telling it like it is now.  Featured Support: Julie Ellison: a really serious guitarist.

Oct 23          Singers and Musicians  featuring a visit from the regulars at the Buttershaw/Wibsey Gaping Goose singaround sesions (every Wednesday evening from 8.30 on Slack Bottom Road)

Oct 30          Tom and Barbara Brown  this is proper west-country tradition: squeezebox, songs, dance tunes: you can almost hear the Morris bells.  Featured support slot available

November 6              Singers and Musicians  theme of gunpowder treason and plot and anything else even vaguely related.

November 13             Steafan Hannigan and Saskia Tomkins  - a nationally-known duo with a list of instruments as long as the rest of this line (well, it is in the printed version): Uilleann pipes, bodhran, cello, violin, whistles, voices … Featured support:  Friendly Visit.  Another multi-instrumentallist trio based in Otley who pop in now and again to do floor spots.

November 20     The Amazing Mr Smith.  Now this will be something completely different.  Making a very rare visit to the north, The Amazing provides a cascade of humour, musical puns, outlandish props and banter that takes your breath away.  Featured Support: Emily and Ben, a somewhat more sober duo providing a foretaste of what we’ll be getting next week.

November 27             Emily Weygang and Ben Harker - York-based duo with guitar, fiddle and whistles providing mostly traditional songs.  No Featured support booked yet.

December 4              Singers and Musicians or it could be the AGM.  Or both.  Come and provide an amendment to the substantive motion in song and verse.

December 11             Keiran Halpin.  We are very grateful for a return visit from this highly popular singer songwriter, many of whose songs are now well into the public domain.

December 18             The Durbervilles  to add a bit of noisy oooomph to the seasonal festivities and sandwiches.  The occasion will as always be violently interrupted by the Holbeck Mummers and their traditional brand of seasonal theatrical offering.

Next Year, already.  Yes, the booking lists are already filling up.  But no space for more listings here.
See you all some Thursday at the Melborn at one of the above events!  8.30 start.  Be there by then if you want to perform a floor spot, which are still available every night even where there is a Featured Support artist booked.  No smoking.

                                                                                        Log On!  To our
John Waller                                                     Website: www.topic-folk-club.org.uk
Topic Newsletter Editor j.waller@bradford.ac.uk                 updated every week      Log on!

Hello and welcome to this new weblog. If you're as new to this exciting technology as I am, then there'll be a bit of a learning curve, but having pioneered mass media folk mags in the Sixties, I think you'll agree in time that it's going to be a valuable resource. To join the blog, send me an email with "Join Folk News" in the subject heading. I will then invite you to join by email, and if you respond you will be able to post your own messages, all of which will be posted automatically to my "KD on folk" mailing list.