E-Newsletter 264

 Hello everyone

We’re just a few days away from the club reopening after our August break. So here we go with details of what we have lined up between now and the end of the year,

We start again next Thursday September 5 with a firm club favourite who needs no introduction JEZ LOWE. Last seen in York on the Radio Ballads tour alongside Bob Fox and Julie Matthews this is a solo show. A double nomination a few years ago in the BBC Folk Awards (for best singer and best new song) was a timely reminder of Jez Lowe’s standing in the UK folk and acoustic music scene

Thursday September 12 and it’s a date for another club favourite FLOSSIE MALAVIALLE making the trip over from her native France for a short tour. A few years ago Flossie was one of our most popular artists at The Black Swan Folk Club. After nearly 20 years of driving up and down the country between 2002 and 2019, she decided to take a year off in 2020, and go back to France to concentrate on other projects. She has since re-settled in the south of France. We're happy to have her back as a guest with her inimitable mix of French and English folk and popular song.

Coming down from Scotland on Thursday September 19 we welcome THE EILIDH GRANT TRIO

Featuring Vocalist Eilidh Grant, Fiona Cuthill on fiddle and Stevie Lawrence on acoustic Guitar and bouzouki, they bring a wide range of musical influences together and a love for traditional and contemporary folk  underpinned by a passion for the works of Robert Burns. Eilidh’s voice beautifully renders both classic folk songs and original material and she has made a considerable impression with her performances throughout Scotland and abroad. Fiona Cuthill was classically trained in violin by Bill Baxter, who played in the Halle Orchestra. The third member of the trio Stevie Lawrence was once a member of the band Iron Horse with whom he recorded 3 albums (including the soundtrack to the BBC series, “The Gamekeeper”).

We entertain cutting-edge singer-songwriter ROBB JOHNSON on Thursday September 26, It’s a while since Robb has guested at the club, but throughout his career he has remained at the forefront of political and satirical song-writing and released more than 40 albums since 1985, either solo or in collaboration.

"Britain's finest songwriter since Richard Thompson"- Venue

"An English original" - Robin Denselow, The Guardian

We’ve had some top Americana nights over the last few years and we have another one in store on Thursday October 3 when we present on tour from the USA JESSE TERRY. It’s a Black Swan Folk Club debut for this Americana singer and songwriter and he arrives with favourable comparisons to the like of Jackson Browne and a string of critical accolades.  "Whatever magic potion the troubadours in Laurel Canyon were sipping on in 1971, Jesse Terry managed to track it down and take a deep gulp. Now on his seventh album, 'When We Wander', Terry performs his beautifully crafted songs to around 150 audiences a year from Bonnaroo to Americana Fest. Berklee College of Music shaped his talent, propelling him to a five-year staff writer role on Nashville's Music Row. Awarded in 'The John Lennon Songwriting Contest' and 'The CMT/NSAI Song Contest,' his music has appeared on Netflix , PBS and ABC  Spring 2023 welcomed his book, 'If I Were the Moon,' via Schiffer Publishing, inspired by his eponymous song. Jesse will be accompanied by on guitar by Alan Fish.

We’ll also be treated to a spot from Australians WE MAVERICKS on the same evening.

It’s a special Irish themed Open Mic on Thursday Oct 10 hosted by PAULA RYAN. We’re dubbing this one ‘Halfway to St Patrick’s Night’ and we’re sending out an invitation to all our regular singers and musicians and of course any newcomers who may be along to come and perform their favourite Irish songs and tunes. Of course, Paula’s roots, songs and performances make her the ideal person to host this kind of night. As always on an Open Mic everyone is welcome to perform or if you don’t want to participate you can just listen.

BROTHERS GILLESPIE return to us on Thursday Oct 17 after their successful debut back in January last year.

 Described by Folk Radio UK as ‘weaving an especially compelling magic’, and 'showing British acoustic music in its best possible light’, this Northumbrian duo make music that is animated by lyrical songwriting, fine fingerstyle guitar playing, multi-instrumental musicianship and ‘the glorious tones of their blood harmony’ (Sam Lee). On this appearance they’ll be joined by their Canadian friend JESSE THOM who’ll be playing a support set and joining the Brothers for a few songs as well.

JACK RUTTER plays the club again on Thursday Oct 24.

We've hosted Jack at The Black Swan Folk Club on several occasions and are well aware of his great talent. His latest cd This Is Something Constant is the outstanding third in a trilogy of albums of traditional songs. Joined by a swathe of exciting guest musicians including Patsy Reid and Mike McGoldrick and produced by Joe Rusby. It is his best yet!  A combination of gripping story ballads and upbeat festival-stage firecrackers – stamping them with his trademark powerhouse guitar and bouzouki and soaring vocals treatment. Another chance to see Jack in an intimate club venue.

‘Singular and compelling; one of the finest singers in folk today’ – Songlines.

“A fabulous album: Jack has a terrific voice and that rare thing – a total

connect with the songs’ – Mike Harding

There can be no doubt that Jack Rutter is one of the finest interpreters of traditional song in the country’ – Folking.com

HIEDI TALBOT and BOO HEWERDINE are at the club on Thursday Oct 31. Another very welcome return.

After a sensational sold-out gig last year we welcome back this incredible duo. For over 30 years Ivor Novello award winning Boo Hewerdine has been considered one of the UK’s finest singer-songwriters. As lead singer of seminal band, The Bible through to his subsequent solo work and long-time collaboration with Eddi Reader. 2023 saw Heidi win Composer of The Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards.  Boo and Heidi will be singing songs new and old with a dash of humour and a good measure of storytelling. Tickets are already selling very quickly for this one. We have limited room at the club and so the advice is to buy in advance.

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.

For those too young to remember Hunter Muskett are an acoustic/electric trio with Terry Hiscock, Doug Morter and Rog Trevitt. They play distinctive original songs in a folky, 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 present 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”, Joe 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)

And 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. 2024: 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”

Another show where ticket sales are already showing that this will be a busy evening and so early purchase is advised.

With so many great guests at the club between September and November 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 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 there on Monday December 2.

After such a successful concert last year at the National Centre for Early Music we immediately snapped up St Agnes Fountain once again 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.

At The Crescent Club we have

JOHN FRANCIS FLYNN on Tues October 22

Innovative modern and quirky. If you saw this Dublin based singer and musician at The Crescent a couple of years ago, you'll know that he's at the forefront of the new wave of Irish folk music. The release of his second album Look Over the Wall, See the Sky has made a big impression and was a huge start to 2024. John masterfully unpicks traditional songs and rearranges them with an emotional force. The new album is a re-imagining of traditional Irish music: powerful, hopeful and free. John Francis is a singer and multi-instrumentalist who creates contemporary music using traditional and folk material. His debut album “I Would Not Live Always” was released on Rough Trade imprint River Lea Records in 2020, earning rave reviews and winning 2 awards at the RTE Folk Awards.

BELLA GAFFNEY on Sun October 27

It doesn’t seem that long ago since Bella was coming along to the folk club to perform a few songs on our singers and musician nights when she was a student at York University. An obvious talent she has now gone on to carve out a professional music career on the folk scene both as a soloist and with her band The Magpies.

She is a folk troubadour whose music seamlessly weaves together original compositions and traditional tunes from both British folk and Americana traditions. Winner of the prestigious 2016 Celtic Connections Danny Kyle Award. Celebrated for her folk-inspired songwriting and unique arrangements of traditional pieces her latest 2023 album, ‘Reflections,’ beautifully captures the essence of connections formed during the lockdown period. Her singles, ‘Fair and Tender Ladies’ and ‘Blood in the Earth,’ featuring duets with Sam Kelly and Leesa Gentz (Hussy Hicks). They have received widespread acclaim and BBC radio airplay and praised by critics and fellow musicians with Americana UK calling the album “a compelling collection” and Mike Harding hailing her as a “great singer, great guitarist, [and] really interesting songwriter.”

STICK IN THE WHEEL on Mon October 28

A York debut for the radical East London duo known for their intense live shows and exploring the raw holler of folk, synths, spoken word and intricate rustic dobro guitar. Full-force reworkings of centuries-old work-songs speak to contemporary issues of class, using multi-layered sonic palettes to deeply reflect hidden histories, told with a razor-sharp authenticity. Stick In The Wheel have created their own London vernacular, a contemporary roots music that celebrates the collective stories and traditions of the city – conjuring the past to point toward the future.

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.

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 Keep a watch on our Facebook and Twitter pages for updates.

Other folk related events happening locally include:-

The National Centre for Early Music in York present Leveret on 11/10/24 and Andy Irvine on 17/11/24.

St Wilfrid’s Folk Club in Ripon present Anna Bass and Ray Taylor (ex Two Coats Colder) on Friday 27 September.

Regular York sessions include The Maltings, Tanner’s Moat every Tuesday evening (tunes only) and old-time tunes and songs at The Golden Ball, Bishophill every Sunday evening. On Friday evenings there’s a session of tunes and songs 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.