E-Newsletter 254
6th October 2022
Hello everyone
With September now behind us and with some memories of several first class shows during September and early October here’s a reminder of what we have planned at the club for the rest of the year and a little beyond.
First off though we have to say that unfortunately there won’t be a club happening this Thurs Oct 6 at The Black Swan Inn. Our expected guest ANTHONY JOHN CLARKE has unfortunately had to pull out at the very last minute due to illness and on the back of 2 very successful and well attended concerts with BREABACH and YE VAGABONDS we’ve decided the best thing is to have a Thursday night off. By now anyone who has bought a ticket for this show should have been notified and refunded but please let us know if there are any problems. They’ll be an Open Mic at the club once again next Thursday Oct 13.
But the day before Wed Oct 12 acclaimed Irish singer DAOIRI FARRELL is our special guest at the National Centre for Early Music
Back with us again singer and bouzouki player Daoirí (pronounced ‘Derry’) Farrell is described by some of the biggest names in Irish folk music as one of the most important singers to come out of Ireland in recent years. Six months after releasing the album ‘True Born Irishman’ Daoirí won two prestigious BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2017 for Best Newcomer and Best Traditional Track and performed live at the awards ceremony in London’s Royal Albert Hall.
Support will be from Irish singer songwriter Paula Ryan
Thurs Oct 13 will be an ‘OPEN MIC’ at The Black Swan Folk Club. As always everyone’s welcome to sing, play, perform or listen.
Sun Oct 16 The JOSH BURNELL BAND will be at The Crescent Club
Revamped with a new sound, look and album, Joshua and his band return to the stage. After playing the folk festivals of the UK and releasing two albums of traditional songs, Joshua now returns to his original songwriting, exploring themes from traditional folk fused with his dynamic brand of retro pop-infused folk.
His latest album, Flowers Where The Horses Sleep, is inspired by the lives of people both past and present and explores humankind’s remarkable ability to find beauty, even in the ugliest of times; an ability as relevant now as ever.
Thurs Oct 20 JOHN and DI CULLEN are our guests at The Black Swan Folk Club
First time at the club for John and Di. They've built up a great reputation with Di´s voice and John´s delicate guitar playing adding to their vocal harmony. They will be covering a selection of traditional and contemporary material including new, inventive and intelligent songs which are by turn poignant, wistful & hilarious.
Thurs Oct 27 CLIVE GREGSON is at the Black Swan Folk Club
2020 saw Clive Gregson’s 40th year in the music business when he was due to mark the end of an era as he’d decided to retire from solo touring at the end of the year. Yes, you’ve guessed it, the pandemic put paid to that! To belatedly celebrate his illustrious four-decade career, Clive will be fitting in as many live dates as practically possible this autumn and we’ve managed to secure a date with him at the club. Singer-songwriting and guitar playing of the very highest calibre.
Fri Oct 28 ‘Beware of the Bull’ JOHN WATTERSON (FAKE THACKRAY) and PAUL THOMPSON launch their new JAKE THACKRAY biography at the National Centre for Early Music
Fresh from publishing their much-anticipated biography of the late, great Jake Thackray, John Watterson (‘Fake Thackray’) and Paul Thompson combine their talents as performers and authors to present an evening like no other, featuring Jake’s brilliant, hilarious songs and stories from his remarkable life.
Admired by Neil Gaiman, Jarvis Cocker, Jon Richardson and Arctic Monkeys, among many others, Jake is increasingly recognised as one of the greatest and most original British songwriters of the twentieth century; a unique talent, whose songs are full of wit, poetry, irreverence and humanity.
Thurs Nov 3 ‘OPEN MIC’ at The Black Swan Folk Club
Thurs November 10 TOM McCONVILLE and ANDY WATT
No stranger to the club award winning fiddle player TOM McCONVILLE returns to the Black Swan Folk Club with his accomplice ANDY WATT who as those of you who have seen him before will know is a highly accomplished guitarist and mandolin player. .
Thurs Nov 17 ALLAN TAYLOR at the Black Swan Folk Club
One of our most popular guests who has performed for us many times. Allan Taylor is one of the last of the travelling troubadours who came through the London and New York Greenwich Village folk music scene of the sixties and seventies. He’s travelled the world performing at festivals, concert halls and clubs. Considered to be one of the foremost singer-songwriters and guitarists in his genre, with more than one hundred and fifty recorded versions of his songs by artists in ten different languages, he’s made more than twenty CDs/Albums and continues to write, record and tour throughout Europe.
Wed Nov 23 MARY GAUTHIER at The Crescent Club
Another singer-songwriter of the highest calibre. Grammy-nominated and now accomplished author, Mary Gauthier released her new album Dark Enough To See The Stars (Thirty Tigers) in June 2022. Over the course of eight studio albums, Mary Gauthier has firmly planted herself as a truth teller, a songwriter unafraid to dive into the emotional core of her chosen subject. Her poignant songs move people deeply and often evoke an emotive response. It is one of the many things that connect her so deeply to her fans, and why they love her. On Dark Enough To See The Stars, she mourns the loss of dear friends that include John Prine, Nanci Griffith and David Olney. She also takes a different course by offering an optimistic side of herself with songs that celebrate the joy of new love and personal contentment.
Thurs Nov 24 CHRISTINA ALDEN and ALEX PATTERSON at The Black Swan Folk Club
A Black Swan Folk Club debut for this duo. Christina and Alex have been playing music since they were children both raised in musical households in the Norfolk and Suffolk countryside.
They are multi-instrumentalist songwriters and have been working together for over seven years from their home in the centre of Norwich. Their music is firmly
bedded in the folk tradition of storytelling and their writing often reflects on the
relationship between humans and the wild; from unlikely friendships between a wolf and bear, migratory movements of Arctic foxes and people across land and ocean and the importance of re-wilding and enabling space for nature to renew.
Sun Nov 27 TALISK at The Crescent Club
If you’ve seen them before you’ll know what an electric night this is going to be.
Ground-breaking, chart-topping, genre-bending, globetrotting, instantly enthralling, it’s little wonder that Talisk rank highly amongst the most in-demand folk-based groups to emerge from Scotland in the last decade.
Mohsen Amini (BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards’ Musician of the Year 2018), Graeme Armstrong and Benedict Morris (BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2019) fuse concertina, guitar and fiddle to produce a truly innovative, multi-layered signature that has captivated audiences around the globe. At its core, three seemingly acoustic instruments – but in the hands of three master craftsmen; one unmistakable, bold sound and a captivating live show.
Thurs Dec 1 ‘OPEN MIC’ at The Black Swan Folk Club
Wed Dec 7 MARTIN CARTHY at The Black Swan Folk Club (special Wednesday night event)
A legendary artist who needs no introduction.
Lifetime Achievement Award – BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2014
It’s a real honour to have Martin back at the club once again. For more than 50 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. This will undoubtedly be a full house and a very special occasion to be able to see a true legend of folk music up close.
Thurs Dec 8 OPEN MIC at The Black Swan Folk Club
Thurs Dec 15 BLACK SWAN FOLK CLUB Christmas Party
Our annual Christmas Party where everyone’s invited to join in the fun with seasonal songs and music. Free admission.
Thurs Dec 22 ‘Celtic Christmas Strings’ with
MAIRE NI CHATHASAIGH and CHRIS NEWMAN at The Black Swan Folk Club
Our special Christmas show for this year!
There’s something magical about harps, and particularly at Christmas, though Máire and Chris’s alchemy on harp and guitar creates a very special magic at all times. Individually famed for originality, innovation and virtuosity on their respective instruments, together they have created one of the most distinctive voices in modern acoustic music and brought their unique musical vision to venues large and small in twenty-two countries on five continents. Their many recordings express both the depth of their commitment to tradition and an eternally playful, curious and adventurous spirit. Their Christmas show features a breath-taking blend of traditional Irish music, swing jazz and bluegrass, plus festive favourites given a fresh voice with arrangements that are intricate, inventive, moving and beautiful, and performed in their characteristically heart-warming style.
Moving in to 2023 so far we have the following artists lined up:-
THE CHURCHFITTERS at The Black Swan Folk Club on Thurs 26 January
ELEANOR McEVOY at The Crescent Club on Sunday 5 March
CHARLIE DORE and JULIAN LITTMAN (March date tbc)
IONA LANE at The Black Swan Folk Club on Thursday May 4
All our concerts at the Crescent Club and the NCEM are in association with Please Please You Promotions.
Ticket links and availability for all the above can be found by going to the Black Swan Folk Club website www.blackswanfolkclub.
Also watch our Facebook and Twitter pages for updates.
Other folk related events coming soon locally include:-
The NCEM in York have
Catrin Finch and Seckou Keita on Oct 8th
John McCusker on Nov 2nd
Lady Maisery on Nov 16
Furrow Collective on Dec 12
and Green Matthews on Dec 17
Every week you’ll find there’s a tune session on Tues evening from 8pm onwards at The Maltings, Tanner’s Moat in York.
Singer-songwriter DAN WEBSTER will be launching his new album at The Crescent Club on Fri October 21st
Local author and performer of traditional folk songs at many of our open mic nights JOHN WALFORD will be launching his new book THE CHOCOLATE ALBATROSS at the Black Swan this coming Sunday October 9 at 7-30pm. .
The emphasis of the evening will be to provide an enjoyable and entertaining event rather than simply promoting the book.
They’ll be readings of poetry and prose by Fiona Dudley, John Gillham, Ann Heath, Jane Roberts, John Walford and music from Chris Euesden.
Finally BLONDE on BOB with their annual Christmas show featuring ‘Nothin’ but the music of Bob Dylan’ are lined up to play The Black Swan this year on Thurs December 29th.
That’s it for this month.
As always we’re looking forward to seeing you soon.
Chris and The Black Swan Folk Club