E-Newsletter 265
November 2024
Hello everyone
HUNTER MUSKETT are our guests on Thursday November 7.
A near legendary band in the 70s we were surprised to be see a Hunter Muskett reunion take shape a couple of years ago and grateful that we were able to get them along to play the club last year. And now we welcome their return.
Hunter Muskett are an acoustic/electric trio with Terry Hiscock, Doug Morter and Rog Trevitt. They play distinctive original songs in a folkie, bluesy sometimes Americana vein. Formed in 1968 the band played at home and abroad until 1974 producing two, now collectable, albums: Every Time You Move with bassist Danny Thompson and the Keith Relf produced Hunter Muskett. Doug Morter went on to carve out a career performing with the likes of Magna Carta, Albion Band, Maddy Prior, Michael Chapman and Jerry Donahue. Since resuming touring in 2010 they've released three albums of new material: They’ll doubtless be performing Terry Hiscock’s song Silver Coin a standard in folk clubs back in the day.
Then it’s two debut artists back to back.
First off on Thursday November 14 we present the AMY HOLLINRAKE TRIO.
Amy is a rising artist emerging from the South-East London folk scene with roots in York. Her songs re-imagine the stories in folklore and mythology through a modern feminist lens, soundtracked by her hauntingly beautiful and earthy brand of contemporary alt-folk. Musical touchstones include Joanna Newsom, Sandy Denny, Adrienne Lenker, and the new era of feminist folk artists such as Paris Paloma.
And the following week on Thursday November 21 we our guest is JOE TOPPING.
A debut of sorts as Joe did play here as a member of the John Wright Band some years ago. Described by Sir Tom Jones as “a Weaver of Dreams”, he is a folk singer and multi-instrumentalist from Liverpool. His charismatic stage presence and engaging stories have entertained audiences all over the country and across Europe, including live sessions on BBC Radio 2, ITV, The National Film Awards and a showcase at SXSW in Texas. He was a member of Ashley Hutching’s Rainbow Chasers. “Joe is a charismatic and accomplished singer songwriter effortlessly switching between his own thoughtful, melodic compositions and raucous standards!” -Steve Knightley (Show of Hands)
Our final club guest for 2024, before we launch into a December of Open Mic nights, is CHRISTINE COLLISTER on Thursday November 28.
‘......boundary breaking is routine for Collister and makes her one of the finest grown-up vocalists on the planet…’ – Q
Touring for the first time in four years, Christine will be performing songs from the “Children of the Sea” project along with a selection of old favourites. Her career now spans an incredible 40 years. Over that bridge of time she has released 24 albums, a DVD celebrating 20 years in the business and an acclaimed single with the BBC: the theme tune for “The Life and Loves of a She-Devil”
With so many great guests at the club over the last few months we’ve given December over to Open Mic evenings on December 5, 12 and 19. The Black Swan Folk Club Christmas Party will be held on Thursday December 19 with the club closed on Thursday December 26 (Boxing Day) and what has become the annual ‘Nothin’ But Dylan’ show with Blonde on Bob and Billy Bills will be held on Saturday December 28.
As well as our club nights we also have several concerts lined up. First of all at the National Centre for Early Music.
Welsh folk supremos CALAN are there on Wed Nov 13 bringing with them ‘a Mythical Musical Odyssey’
CALAN emerge with a new, captivating narrative. Ancient tales of Welsh mythology are meticulously brought to life, transcending the pages of folklore to resonate through the enchanting melodies of harp, guitar, fiddle, accordion, and song. ‘Nefydd’ tells stories of murderous princes, thieving highwaymen and the triumphant resurgence of the heart of Welsh folklore. CALAN's versatility is legendary in itself. From intimate house concerts to the grandiose Royal Albert Hall, Calan have become modern day folk heroes themselves. They also notably graced operatic superstar Sir Bryn Terfel's most recent album, marking their triumphant return to the musical forefront.
And our Christmas show with ST AGNES FOUNTAIN is at the NCEM on Monday December 2.
After such a successful concert last year we immediately snapped up St Agnes Fountain to kick off our seasonal celebrations. The band includes Chris While (vocals, guitar, bodhran, dulcimer, banjo, darbuka and percussion), Julie Matthews (vocals, piano, guitar, accordion and gazouki) and Chris Leslie (fiddle, mandolin, tenor guitar, bouzouki, ukulele, banjo, oud, whistle, native American flute and anything else he can lay his hands on).
‘The Aggie’s’ last album, Night Of A Million Stars included 9 brand new songs from the band and accompanied the putting up of a thousand Christmas trees throughout Britain and around the globe. As the reputation of the band reaches further afield, it is, without question, their magical live performances that has endeared them to an ever-growing audience.
Over at The Crescent Club we have
KRIS DREVER on Wed November 6
Cherished and admired in equal measure by listeners and fellow musicians, award-winning guitarist, singer, songwriter and prolific collaborator Kris Drever has been a leading light on the UK roots scene for well over a decade. A highly skilled guitarist who adroitly blends traditional folk and flat picking with more contemporary influences – allied to a distinctively relaxed and poised vocal burr – Drever is an astonishingly fine interpreter of others’ songs, with an increasingly frequent knack for concocting seriously smart lyrical observations and earworm melodies of his own. Drever has played and recorded with an extensive range of artists including Mark Knopfler, Jack Bruce, Danny Thompson, Bela Fleck, Tim O’Brien and Jerry Douglas. Having grown up in Orkney, after leaving school and moving to Edinburgh he discovered the city’s thriving session scene in the early 2000s.
On the recording front an album in collaboration with Idlewild frontman Roddy Woomble and fiddler John McCusker, Before the Ruin, and a second solo album, Mark the Hard Earth, came soon after a steady stream of collaborative releases including last year’s visionary, nature-focused Spell Songs project.
TALISK on Fri November 15
One of the most talked-about folk bands of the 21st century, TALISK have been tearing apart stereotypes and redefining the genre for almost a decade. With over 15 million streams, 10,000 albums sold worldwide, and sold out shows across five continents – from Paris to New York, London to Tokyo, Glasgow to Vancouver – alongside headline appearances at festivals the world over, the Scottish trio have amassed a global, die-hard following. Wielding instruments that have rarely seen the likes of their music, Mohsen Amini (concertina), Benedict Morris (violin) and Charlie Galloway (guitar) have stacked up major awards for their explosively energetic sound – including five between BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio Scotland, and two highly coveted BBC Alba Scots Trad Music Awards. At New Year 2022 they played BBC One’s Hogmanay show to a television audience in excess of one million, and – as the only folk act alongside pop headliners – quickly amassed a vast, mainstream audience that continues to propel the group to some of their largest live shows to date. Headlining Glasgow’s iconic Barrowland Ballroom in 2024 – during Europe’s largest winter festival, the legendary Celtic Connections – Talisk’s star remains firmly on a rapid ascent.........and here they are back in York and back at The Crescent.
…and coming in 2025 at The Crescent on Tuesday February 25th
THE GUILTY MEN.
Since his successful partnership with Christine Collister, Clive Gregson has been a celebrated soloist on the folk club and acoustic scene for over thirty years. In-between his visits to the UK, based in Nashville, he was also working as a song-writer session musician and producer. Clive’s new project links to earlier days when as a leader of the band Any Trouble signed to Stiff Records he toured with The Cheaters which included long-time friend Neil Corsar. In 2021 Clive and Neil met up over lunch to catch-up and began writing songs together. Several weeks and quite a few songs later, they decided to expand the enterprise from a songwriting workshop to a full-blown band. Clive recruited keyboardist Jez Smith and bassist Craig Fletcher both from Barclay James Harvest… and the lineup was completed with the addition of drummer, Paul Burgess, who has played with 10cc since 1973. They named the band The Guilty Men. The days of the Supergroup may be long past… but The Guilty Men would surely qualify for that description! The band is made up of five of the finest musicians from the Northwest of England. Between them, they have played over 10,000 gigs on planet Earth, recorded thousands of songs and made countless radio and TV appearances. To say they’re experienced would be an understatement! Released in September 2024 The Guilty Men’s debut album “Invisible Confetti” contains 13 brand new songs recorded in the old-fashioned way: everybody playing live in the studio, intent on catching the moment. Most of the songs were laid down in no more than 2 or 3 takes… and with four featured lead vocalists, the album covers a lot of musical bases. “Invisible Confetti” rocks… with nods to Americana, country, folk, pop, psychedelia… it’s an exhilarating ride from start to finish.
Ticket links and availability for all the above concerts and club nights can be found by going to the Black Swan Folk Club website: - www.blackswanfolkclub.org.uk
Also coming in 2025 we have:-
Winter Wilson (Jan 9), The Hunch (Jan 16), Scott Matthews at the NCEM (Jan 25), Winter Folk Day (Jan 26), Steve Tilston (Feb 20), Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne (March 13), and many more to be announced soon.
Other folk related events happening in York and nearby include:-
Knaresborough Mummers celebrating their 50th year of performing with a concert at Knaresborough’s Frazer Theatre on Friday 8th November, which will be headlined by Bob Fox and feature the latest Knaresborough Mummers play, supported by Robin van Zelst. Tickets are available from WeGotTickets:-
The National Centre for Early Music in York present Andy Irvine on 17 November
St Wilfrid’s Folk Club in Ripon have a singaround on Friday November 8th
And Wetherby Folk Club present The Duncan McFarlane Band, Hazjak and Pelican Babies on Fri November 15 at Wetherby Sports Association.
Regular York sessions include a new Monday night get together at The Corner Pin, 17 Tanner Row, York YO1 6J replacing The Maltings Tuesday session which has closed for refurbishment and old-time tunes and songs are at The Golden Ball, Bishophill every Sunday evening. On Friday evenings there’s a session at The Three-Legged Mare in High Petergate.
As always, we’re looking forward to seeing you soon at The Black Swan Folk Club or at one of our in-concert events.