You might want to check out Kingfisher FM – local radio which now has a Sunday Folk Program. I’ll put a proper article here about that soon.

4th June, Gigspanner are at Huntingdon Hall, Box Office 01905 611427 – they’re a trio, including Peter Knight (the fiddle player from Steeleye Span). Again, I’ll add more details in the not too dim and distant.

5the June is the Green fair in Redditch – World Environment Day - from 10.30am – 3pm. The fair will be held in and around St Stephens Church in the heart of the town centre. There will be many stalls offering green products, fairtrade goods, organic produce, natural gifts and lots of info to help you lead a more sustainable, eco-friendly life. Also kids fun activities, talks, entertainment, alternative therapists, free vegan food samples and lots more…! Admission to the fair is free.

 Thanks to everyone who supported the gig. And thanks to Dave for a most excellent evening.

 I’m in the process of sorting out a few private events for the summer, and actually pinning down bookings for the autumn, so the current void that is the ‘coming soon’ page will be fixed in the not too dim and distant.

Folk club this week is not quite happening – two of our core members, Jonathan and Belinda, are getting handfasted, most of the other core members are caught up in this, and the celebrating thereof, so to those of you who aren’t, sincere appologies but we’ll be back to normal next week. I believe we’re going to Chris and Hajni’s.

The next guest night will be the 15th May when we have Dave Gibb (Not a former BeeGee, nor any relation, so far as I know!).

We were all very saddened to hear about the death of Vicki Williams last week. Trefor and Vicki played Redditch a number of times, and we were all very fond of them both.

This coming Saturday finds us with Bill and Lyn, the following week we should be with Chris and Hajni. Also on the 17th of April, is an event at Forge Mill – Farm Fun from 11 – 4  (at which I will be playing) and on the 24th April there’s an event at St Georges Church, redditch, trying to keep it open – I’ll be playing there too.

Longstanding favourites of Redditch Folk club, this highly talented duo play a range of instruments and sing in a number of languages, with a repertoire of traditional music from around the world.

Mike Freeman’s roots are in Eastern Europe, with grandparents from Russia, Roumania and Hungary.  He has played guitar and percussion with an assortment of bands, accompanied Middle Eastern and African dance troupes, performed at countless festivals throughout Britain, and featured on recordings in the roles of musician, arranger and producer. Mike’s main instrument is the Gambian djembe, from which he draws an amazing variety of sounds, but he plays everything from dholak and darabouka to bones, bodhran and congas, and composes tunes on guitar and mandolin.

Originally from Alaska, Tania Opland has travelled extensively and now lives on an Indian reservation in Washington State. Her vast repertoire reflecting the diversity of the communities whose music she has shared. She has appeared on radio and television in the U.S., Canada, Russia, Uzbekistan, Scotland, Ireland and England. Her five solo albums have received excellent reviews in acoustic music magazines on both sides of the Atlantic.

From early classical training on piano, cello and violin, Tania moved on to explore many different fiddle styles and a wide range of wind instruments, and even to experiment with such exotic instruments as chang, gidjak and doira, giving her a style rich in techniques and traditions. She still treasures the unusual blond violin, a handmade instrument by Eskimo craftsman Frank Hobson, which she has played since she was nine years old, but has recently switched to a c.1920 German violin converted to five-string for concert work. Other instruments include an early handmade Larrivee guitar, Flatiron octave mandolin, hammered dulcimer by Dusty Strings, Kiowa Native American flutes by Allan Guffey and Stellar Flutes, and a tiny ocarina by Clayzeness Whistleworks.

This pair are unique, and captivating. To learn more about them, visit their homepage – http://www.opland-freeman.com/

Tickets available on the door, for £5, concert commences 8pm with support from local performers. For advance tickets contact bryn(dot) colvin(at)blueyonder(dot)co(dot)uk or leave a comment on this blog post.

Lovely to see Andrew again, with his fabulous guitar playing.

Next week we are at Belinda’s house. Drop me a line if you need directions!

Wendy was last with us a couple of years ago, and I realised how much she’s grown as a performer in that time. Her singing voice – always lovely, has become a good deal more powerful, enabling her to hold her own in larger venues. She’s a stronger stage presence, and there was a lot more humour in the set, offsetting all the gorgeous traditional gloom. (oh, I love The Cruel Mother and tragic ballads, and she does them very well). We all ended up doing comedy hand gestures…

It was a very good night. I remain uncertain about the wisdom of Bill flaunting his knees in a kilt (if anyone sends me photos, I will add them!), but thanks to him, and to Chris for floor spotting, to Jonathan and Belinda on the door, Pauline and Hajni in the kitchen. Hajni made us posters, Jonathan got them printed. We have such a great team. Good to see some less familiar faces as well.

I’m glad we’ve moved to doing more accessible guest nights in public venues – its great to draw more people in, and I think there’s a lot of potential to grow in the future.

And it snowed!

We are running next week – Dave Simpson will host on Boxing Day – so if you’re all Christmased out (I will be!) do please come along.  I have not yet hatched a plan for the following week, but there will be something, somewhere…!

In the meantime, whatever you’re celebrating, have good festivities and be safe in the snow.

Next week we go to Belinda’s (drop me a note if you need directions) and just a reminder that the Christmas party looms on the 19th (we have the memorial hall for that). We will be running on Boxing Day as well – Dave has already offered to host that one, and I will definitely be there, so if you’re heartily sick of the festivities, we can do murder ballads and the such. Nothing like a bit of seasonal gloom and doom.