January 2010

28th January

A draft programme for Gainsborough Festival can be downloaded from our website www.foaotmad.org.uk/events

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Crooked Still have a few dates this side of the Atlantic:

Sun Mar 21 St. Bedes's, Chorley, Lancashire

Mon Mar 22 St. Bonaventure's Club, Bristol

Tue Mar 23 The Borderline, London

Wed Mar 24 The Brudenell Social Club, Leeds

Thu Mar 25 City Memorial Hall, Sheffield

Sat Mar 27 Folk Music Gala 2010, Uppsala, Sweden

http://www.crookedstill.com

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Mike Compton is confirmed as teaching the 2nd mandolin class at Sore Fingers. 

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Some changes to the Wilders tour so I'll relist it completely

Thurs May 6: Borough Theatre, Abergavenny www.boroughtheatreabergavenny.co.uk

Fri May 7: Park & Dare Theatre (Rhondda Rocks Music Festival), Treorchy, Glamorgan www.cynonvalley.co.uk

Sat May 8: Theatr Harlech www.theatrharlech.com

Sun May 9: Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea www.taliesinartscentre.co.uk

Tue May 11: Aberystwyth Arts Centre www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk 

Thu May 13: The Welfare Hall, Ystradgynlais, Swansea www.thewelfare.co.uk

Fri May 14: Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan www.mwldan.co.uk

Sat May 15: Wyeside Arts centre, Builth Wells, Powys www.wyeside.co.uk

Sun May 16: Galeri, Caernarfon www.galericaernarfon.com

Wed May 19: Strule Arts Centre, Omagh www.struleartscentre.co.uk

Thu May 20:Town Hall, Bangor www.northdown.gov.uk

Fri May 21: Flowerfield Arts Centre, Portstewart www.flowerfield.org

Sat May 22: Market Place Theatre, Armagh www.marketplacearmagh.com

Sun May 23: Black Box, Belfast www.movingonmusic.co.uk

Tue May 25: Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny wwww.eaf.ie 

Wed May 26: Nesbitt Arms Hotel, Ardara, Co Donegal www.ardarafestivals.com

May May 27: Séamus Ennis Cultural Centre, Naul, Fingal, Co Dublin www.seamusenniscentre.com

Fri May 28: Bath International Music Festival www.bathmusicfest.org.uk

Sat May 29: Radcliffe Centre, Buckingham www.empty-rooms.com

Sun May 30: The Tunnels, Temple Meads, Bristol www.crhmusic.com

www.wilderscountry.com and www.brookfield-knights.com/up-coming-tours.html

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The Carrivick Sisters will be on at The Gallery, Queens Theatre, Barnstaple on the 2nd February 2010. 

Debby McClatchy and the Albemarle Ramblers will be at the LandmarkTheatre, Ilfracombe on 20th February 2010.

Check out the North Devon Theatres website for more details

http://www.northdevontheatres.org.uk

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24th January

Gainsborough Festival programme available on Events Page

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21st January

SIMON MAYOR & HILARY JAMES Sunday 14th February, 8.00pm, Crabshell Inn, Kingsbridge, south Devon

www.mandolin.co.uk

Not oldtime but superb musicians.  Simon is a superb guitarist and fiddler, but is principally recognised as one of the world's foremost mandolin players and composers.  Hilary's singing has received huge acclaim. Look out for her giant bass mandolin too and her versatile guitar playing on anything from Vivaldi to bluegrass.

TICKETS: £10.00 on the door or just £8.00 booked in advance by email, or telephone Neil White on 01548 856 601.

They'll probably sell out again so you're advised to book early.

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The Chestnut Creek School of the Arts is hosting an intensive Old-Time fiddle weekend with Betty Vornbrock, in Galax, VA. For registration info and location please visit: 

www.chestnutcreekarts.org  or contact:  (276)236-3500  Chris Shackelford, Director 

Spring Weekend- April 23-25, 2010

Fiddle with Betty Vornbrock- April 23-25, 2010.

Friday:  5pm Registration and Dinner.  Class 6-9pm

Saturday & Sunday 9am- Check in, set up.  Class 10am-4pm- Lunch served at 12 noon. 

Target Age:  Any

Skill Level: Intermediate

Tuition: $180.00 Includes dinner Friday and lunch Saturday/Sunday

Rhythm, drive and phrasing are essential elements to Old-Time fiddling, no matter what style you prefer. The class will focus on these through bowing and rhythm exercises and learning a variety of tunes. These would be drawn from Betty's repertoire of West Virginia, Kentucky, and Blue Ridge styles, to help you develop drive, texture, and feeling in your fiddling. 

Intermediate students should be able to learn a tune by ear. Betty won’t be supplying written music, but will break tunes down to learn each part slowly, you will also explore non-standard tunings. Recorders welcome! Any questions, please me

Students are to bring:  Violin & Bow, tuner and recording device. (Optional)

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Fiddle / banjo duo Allison Williams & Chance McCoy will be bringing Appalachian music to the UK in May 2010.

Chance McCoy is a West Virginia champion fiddler, and Allison Williams played banjo for several years in the Forge Mountain Diggers, with Freight Hoppers fiddler David Bass. Chance and Allison have been performing together since their debut on BBC television in January 2009, live in London at the Folk America series.  you can see video of that performance (with a backing band) here:

http://youtube.com/allisonwilliamsmusic

Current dates are:

Wed May 19 Norwich Arts Centre

Thu May 20 Wolf Folk CLub, Wolferton, Norfolk

Sat May 22 House concert, Faversham, Kent

Thu May 27 Bournemouth Folk Club

Fri May 28 What's Cookin' @ North Star, Leytonstone, London

Sat May 30 Come Down And Meet The Folks, Stag's Head, Hoxton, London

As you can see there are some gaps. To book them in your town, contact by

You can also listen to them on their myspace pages:

http://myspace.com/chancemccoy

http://myspace.com/allisonwilliamsmusic

If anyone is interested in booking them for workshops, dances, or concerts, they'd like to hear from you.

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The Hot Club of Cowtown have some dates over here:

May 1    Belfast, Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival (The Black Box)

May 2/3  Kilkenney, Rhythm & Roots Festival

May 6    Manchester, Club Academy            

May 7    Gateshead, Town Hall             

May 8    Milton Keynes, The Stables            

May 9    Bristol, Bristol Fiddlers Club       

May 14   Leicester, Upper Brown Street Arts Centre

May 15   Dartford, Mick Jagger Centre    

May 16   London, The 100 Club  

www.hotclubofcowtown.com

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14th January

There's some changes to the Appalachian Magic Tour so I'll list it afresh:

 Debby McClatchy with The Albemarle Ramblers from Virginia (Pete Vigour, fiddle; Dick Harrington, guitar; Arnie Naiman, banjo) 

Feb 12-14:  Debby will be volunteering at the Gainsborough Old Time Festival in Lincolnshire; she says "Come play some tunes!"

West Country:

Feb 18:  The Western Hotel, Royal Square, St Ives - concert

Feb 19:  The Western Hotel, Royal Square, St Ives - session

Feb 20:  The Pavillion Theatre, The Promenade, Ilfracombe, North Devon

Feb 21:  Village Hall, Blisland, Cornwall

Scotland:

Feb 24:  Irvine Folk Club, Vineburgh Community Centre, Quarry Road, Irvine

Feb 25:  The Acoustic Club at the Polish Club, Bennochy Road, Kirkcaldy

The North:

Feb 26:  Ukrainian Social Club, Beckett Road, Doncaster

Feb 27:  Mellor Brook Community Centre, Whalley Road, Mellor Brook, Blackburn

Further South:

Feb 28:  Noel Arms, 31 Burton Street, Melton Mowbray

Mar  6:  Ceilidh in Haddenham, near Oxford, acoustic concert and set between dances

Debby's solo tour

May 15:  Cellar Upstairs Folk Club, London

May 19:  Llantrisant Folk Club, South Wales

May 21:  Bodmin Folk Club, Cornwall

May 25:  The Dartford Folk Club, Dartford, Kent

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Those of you who have indulged in cds from the Field Recorders Collective (if not, why not?) will probably be aware that founder member Ray Alden died in September last year. Bob Ward came up with this link to an appreciation in the Old Time Herald:

http://www.oldtimeherald.org/archive/back_issues/volume-12/12-2/alden.html

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Stuart Tod has a link to the late great Ray Stewart playing his own composition WolfHill on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VicsW8jC14Q

There is also, in the early stages of development, a website devoted to ray's life and banjo works etc -  www.raystewart.org.uk/node/7

Staurt has also put a version of Wolfhill on Youtube which is easily found.

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7th January

Dave Proctor asks me to mention that the Orkney Folk Festival will also feature ‘R Cajun and the Zydeco Bros’, featuring himself, so he will have to miss the Spring Camp...

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Carolina Chocolate Drops are making a welcome return to Derby on Saturday 30 January at 7.30pm.  Not to be missed by lovers of old time American music.

Derby Theatre (formerly Derby Playhouse), Theatre Walk, Derby DE1 2NF

Doors open 6.30pm.  Get there early for pre-show music and dance in the foyer.

Tickets £15, concessions £13. Box Office 01332 255800

Full tour dates:

JANUARY

26  Celtic Connections Festival

28  Town Hall, Gateshead

30  Derby Theatre, Derby

31  Memorial Hall, Sheffield

FEBRUARY

3   St. George's, Bristol

4   Bush Hall, Shepherds Bush, London

5   Arlington Arts Centre, Newbury

6   The Met, Bury

http://www.carolinachocolatedrops.com/

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Here's an update on the tune book being compiled by Clare Milliner and Walt Koken from Clare's tunebooks. The transcriptions are now complete (about 1400) as are indexes and cross references. These include details of original recordings and dates. Notes and comments that explain further

sources  etc. are in the process of being proofed. Walt and Clare are currently working on brief bios of the source artists and will shortly be investigating printing options.

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I have notes about the following sessions but little actual detail. I guess if you live nearby then you'll have an idea about them already.

Laverstock Green Cricket Club, Hemel Hempstead. 1st Tuesday of the month at 8pm. Contact Chris Lawrance

The Plough, Nottingham. Mondays 0115 924 3505

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Appalachian Magic Tour:  Debby McClatchy with Uncle Henry's Favourites (Pete Vigour, Dick Harrington and Arnie Naiman) 

Feb 12-14:  Debby will be volunteering at the Gainsborough Old Time Festival in Lincolnshire; come play some tunes

Feb 18:  The Western Hotel, St. Ives, Cornwall concert

Feb 19:  Western Hotel, St. Ives - session

Feb 20:  The Pavillion, Ilfracombe, North Devon

Feb 21:  Village Hall, Blissland, Cornwall

Feb 24:  Irvine Folk Club, Irvine, Scotland

Feb 25:  The Acoustic Club (in the Polish club) Kirkaldy, Scotland

Feb 26:  Ukranian Hall, Doncaster, Yorks

Feb 27:  Blackburn, Lancaster (venue tbc)

Feb 28:  Noel Arms Pub, Melton Mowbray

Mar  6:  Haddenham Ceili, near Oxford, acoustic concert and set between dances

Debby's solo tour

May 15:  Cellar Upstairs Folk Club, London

May 19:  Llantrisant Folk Club, South Wales

May 21:  Bodmin Folk Club, Cornwall

May 25:  The Dartford Folk Club, Dartford, Kent

www.debbymcclatchy.com

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The Wilders are touring from May 6th to 30th

Thurs May 6: Borough Theatre, Abergavenny www.boroughtheatreabergavenny.co.uk

Fri May 7: Park & Dare Theatre (Rhondda Rocks Music Festival), Treorchy, Glamorgan www.cynonvalley.co.uk

Sat May 8: Theatr Harlech www.theatrharlech.com

Sun May 9: Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea www.taliesinartscentre.co.uk

Tues May 11: Aberystwyth Arts Centre www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk 

Thurs May 13: The Welfare Hall, Ystradgynlais, Swansea www.thewelfare.co.uk

Fri May 14: Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan www.mwldan.co.uk

Sat May 15: Wyeside Arts centre, Builth Wells, Powys www.wyeside.co.uk

Sun May 16: Galeri, Caernarfon www.galericaernarfon.com

Wed May 19: Strule Arts Centre, Omagh www.struleartscentre.co.uk

Thur May 20:Town Hall, Bangor www.northdown.gov.uk

Fri May 21: Flowerfield Arts Centre, Portstewart www.flowerfield.org

Sat May 22: Market Place Theatre, Armagh www.marketplacearmagh.com

Sun May 23: Black Box, Belfast www.movingonmusic.co.uk

Tues May 25: Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny www.eaf.ie 

Wed May 26: Nesbitt Arms Hotel, Ardara, Co Donegal www.ardarafestivals.com

Fri May 28: Bath International Music Festival www.bathmusicfest.org.uk

Sat May 29: Radcliffe Centre, Buckingham www.empty-rooms.com

Sun May 30: The Blue Coconut Club, Blakewood Lodge, Pulborough, West Sussex   www.blakewood.co.uk

www.wilderscountry.com and www.brookfield-knights.com/up-coming-tours.html

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The Wiyos are touring from Jan 27th to Feb 7th.

Wed Jan 27: Celtic Connections, Strathclyde Suite of Glasgow Royal Concert Hall (with Pokey LaFarge & The South City Three)

Thurs Jan 28: Celtic Connections Festival Club

Sat 30: Eastgate Theatre, Peebles 

Sun 31: Buccleuch Centre, Langholm 

Wed Feb 3: What’s Cookin’, The Sheep Walk, Leytonstone

Thurs Feb 4: The Maze, Nottingham

Fri Feb 5: Brooks Blues Bar, The Telegraph, Putney Heath, London

Sat Feb 6: The Ropewalk, Barton-On-Humber

Sun Feb 7: Civic Theatre, Bedford - tickets from 01234 269519 or 01234 822138

www.thewiyos.com and www.brookfield-knights.com/up-coming-tours.html

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Clogging updates from Kerry Fletcher

www.kerryfletcher.co.uk

Weekly Appalachian Clogging - Faversham, Kent

On: Thursdays (term times only)

2010 Spring Term: 11 weeks: 7th Jan - 11th Feb (week off-half term 18th Feb) 25th Feb - 25th March

2010 Summer term: 12 weeks: 15th April - 27th May (week off-half term 3rd June) 10th June - 8th July

At: St Catherine's Schoolroom, Preston Lane, Faversham ME13 8LG

Class times: 6.30pm-7.30pm Beginners, 7.45pm-8.45pm Improvers, 8.45pm-9.45pm Intermediates

Cost: £6/£5 conc. per class (payable by term only) Discount for 2 classes - Improvers & Intermediates: £10 / conc. £8 per class. Youth – conc. rate for 15-25year olds.

Please note: Kerry is not taking complete beginners until September but please contact her if you are interested in joining.

Monthly Appalachian Clogging - Pirton, Herts

On: Saturdays 2010: 9th Jan, 30th Jan, 27th Feb, 27th March, 24th April, 15th May, 5th June

9th January with Kerry Fletcher & David Carr

9.30am-10.30am Beginners / 10.45am-11.45am Improvers / 12noon-1pm Intermediates

OR Flatfooting with David (at same times) / 1pm – 2pm Musicians

30th January with David Carr (he will be continuing our present work)

9.30am-10.30am Beginners / 10.45am-11.45am Improvers / 12noon-1pm Intermediates 1pm – 2pm Performers

27th Feb at Baldock Scouts Hut as we can't use Pirton village hall

Baldock Scout HQ, Park Drive, Baldock, Herts SG7 6EX

9.30am-10.30am Beginners / 10.45am-11.45am Improvers / 12noon-1pm Intermediates / 1pm – 2pm Performers

27th March 9.30am-10.30am Beginners / 10.45am-11.45am Improvers / 12noon-1pm Intermediates /1pm – 2pm Musicians

24th April 9.30am-10.30am Beginners / 10.45am-11.45am Improvers / 12noon-1pm Intermediates / 1pm – 2pm Performers

15th May 9.30am-10.30am Beginners / 10.45am-11.45am Improvers / 12noon-1pm / Intermediates / 1pm – 2pm Musicians

5th Jun 9.30am-10.30am Beginners / 10.45am-11.45am Improvers / 12noon-1pm Intermediates / 1pm – 2pm Shared lunch

At: Pirton Village Hall, Nr Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 3PS (except Feb which is at Baldock)

Cost: £6 per hourly session / Friends rate: £5 per hourly session when paying for 3 months.

Monthly Appalachian Clogging - Baldock, Herts

On: Mondays Improvers/intermediate level

2010 18th Jan, 22nd Feb, 22nd March, 26th April, 24th May, 21st June

At: Baldock Scout HQ, Park Drive, Baldock, Herts SG7 6EX

Time: 7.30pm – 9.30pm Cost: £9


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