FASH CHAT
Forest Folk is pleased to announce that Martin Carthy MBE has agreed to become its patron. For Forest Folk, this emphasises our commitment to promoting live folk song and music and bringing it to an even wider audience, goals which we feel are reflected in Martin's own achievements.
For more than 40 years Martin Carthy has been one of folk music's greatest innovators, one of its best loved, most enthusiastic and, at times, most quietly controversial of figures. His skill, stage presence and natural charm have won him many admirers, not only from within the folk scene, but also far beyond it. He has formed trailblazing musical partnerships with, amongst others, Steeleye Span, Dave Swarbrick and his award-winning wife Norma Waterson and daughter Eliza Carthy. Martin continues to champion folk clubs, is no stranger to the concert stage and is currently busy making TV appearances. He's a ballad singer, a ground-breaking acoustic & electric guitarist and an authoritative interpreter of newly composed material. Perhaps, most significant of all, are his settings of traditional songs with guitar, which have influenced a generation of artists, including Bob Dylan and Paul Simon, on both sides of the Atlantic.
What impressed Martin on his first visit to Forest Folk was the effort put into attracting people who had never listened to folk music and also those who had never been to a folk club or had not done so for many years. In such a diverse scene, Forest Folk puts on a programme of events which it hopes will appeal to as wide an audience as possible. These range from monthly singarounds which encourage the enthusiastic to perform in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, to the guest evenings with artists such as Show of Hands and Martyn Joseph; bands including Oysterband, The Phil Beer Band, Little Johnny England, and Brass Monkey; folk dance with regular ceilidhs; comedy with artists such as Les Barker, the New Rope String Band, and His Worship and the Pig; not forgetting one of the most adventurous acts Forest Folk has put on - the Demon Barber Roadshow. This show brings together song and dance, with a great band performing beautiful ballads and traditional folk tunes, and includes the amazing Black Swan Rapper – incidentally they have just been booked to re-appear on Monday 20 October 2008.
Then of course we have the annual Song & Ale event - if you want to sing, play, entertain, enjoy each other's company or just meet up with old friends and make new ones, come along to Forest Folk anytime from Friday evening on 27 June until Sunday afternoon on 29 June. It's friendly, it's informal, and it's fun – we've all really enjoyed ourselves these past few years and are looking forward to June 08!
There's camping just nearby with a lovely campsite just down the lane from the village hall; it is flat and easily accessible, and suitable for tents, caravans and motorhomes. Close by is Wickham, a large thriving village with plenty of shops, and the Forest of Bere, with many miles of forest paths and tracks, for walkers and cyclists alike.
To everyone who has supported Forest Folk in the past, we look forward to seeing you again – do tell your friends about us and email us at info@forestfolk.co.uk to get regular news updates.
Janet Wiles and Charles Gale
News from the Isle of Wight
There was a Folk & Blues Festival held on the Island last September and the attendance was good so it could become an annual event. But, there is a dark cloud. With unpaid fees and court cases pending, one wonders if it will happen again?
However, news of a new festival here on the Island – Folk Station, 15th to 17th August 2008 at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, Havenstreet.
This venture is aimed to showcase local talent in the folk/roots sphere. Based at Havenstreet it will use the mini rail network to have performances at Ryde, Sandown, Shanklin, Wootton and Smallbrook stations.
Friday evening there will be a Ceilidh. Saturday will have dance displays, busking and informal sessions during the daytime and in the evening there is a concert with a mainland group from Plymouth, Mad Dog McRea. Sunday there will be a lunchtime concert with music, song and dance.
Besides the local dance groups we hope to attract some mainland groups over with the promise of a mini rail tour as well as on site activity. Contact: Malcolm & Sandy Hector 01983 882269 Malcolm.hector@gmail.com
A new Folk Club has started at the Castle Inn, Newport. Held on the 2nd Friday of the month. It's organized by Bob Russell who hopes it will cater for those that prefer traditional music and song.
Our ritual dance teams are still very active.
The opportunity for social dancing is improving, with fortnightly Friday morning sessions in Ryde, dancing to CD's. Plus we have several dances over the year with our local bands.
Best wishes to all Solent Waves readers and hope to see you, either here on the Island or over there on the mainland.
Brian Reeves
Loose Cannons Hit Portsmouth
A new women's border morris team, The Loose Cannons, is hitting Portsmouth and looking to press-gang new dancers and musicians.
The Loose Cannons are a branch of the famous Loose Women morris dancers, who are based in Kent and they will dance their own interpretation of Border Morris, which is a 'loose', stompy style of dancing, with the liberal use of sticks and plenty of noise. The only hankies you'll find in this team will be to blow our noses on.
If you are over 16 and would like to be a founder member of this new team, either as a dancer or a musician, please email Elaine Cobb at loosecannons@live.co.uk for more details
Aren't we lucky!
Sitting updating our diary, I was struck by just how lucky we are in this area for the quality of visiting folk singers around the Clubs - Show of Hands, both on solo gigs and together at the Easter Festival, Waterson:Carthy and Spiers & Boden heading a star line up for the year at Forest Folk, Martyn Joseph, dubbed the Welsh Springsteen, coming to The Cellars, Eastney 27th April and Eileen McGann, a lovely singer/songwriter coming from Canada to the Fo'c'sle 18th July. So many in so few months, wow! Do come and join us supporting them all!
Yvonne Wheeler
New Folk Club
Milford-on-Sea Folk Club is just starting up (2nd Thursdays) and would love to have support from Solent Waves readers. When any club starts from scratch, it can be difficult to get going and Sue Whitlock has written to invite you all down to the club. You can telephone her on 01590 643404 or email susan[at]hwsolicitors.com
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