Club Programme

Everyone welcome, singers, musicians, performers and listeners. Using the mic is optional.

Locally based and now becoming a national name transatlantic folk band The Magpies are one of the most exciting and innovative acts on the contemporary roots scene. Combining sublime harmonies with exquisite musicianship and impressive songwriting, The Magpies traverse Anglo and American roots, drawing inspiration from traditional Celtic folk, bluegrass and Appalachian trails, to create an effortless melting pot of music. Accomplished musicians in their own right, founding members Bella Gaffney (award winning singer-songwriter, guitarist and banjoist) and Holly Brandon (acclaimed fiddle player and tunesmith) perform alongside some of the UK’s finest roots musicians. Following the release of theirncritically acclaimed debut album in 2020, they released their second album Undertow in October 2022. It's a rich and varied showcase of their live sound, flawless instrumentation providing an elegant canvas for intricate harmonies and engaging storytelling. With a sound that pushes boundaries and brings a fresh voice to the current milieu, the album’s success comes as no surprise, with a quarter of a million streams on Spotify, a place in the Official Folk Albums Chart Top 40 and a live session on BBC Radio 2.

One of our favourite performers at The Black Swan Folk Club and one of the finest female singer/songwriters this country has produced in years. Edwina brings together English folk, Americana and the rich Northern singer/songwriter tradition to create a sound that’s truly her own. Highly accomplished she’s toured with such notable performers as Jools Holland, Van Morrison, Nanci Griffith and Loudon Wainwright III to name just a few. Edwina numbers Michael Parkinson and Mike Harding among her fans and the title track of her album Pour Me A Drink was covered by Nanci Griffith who calls her 'the sweetest voice in England'. Her cover of the Randy Newman song Feels Like Home was featured in the Cameron Diaz film My Sister's Keeper and has since had over ten million plays on Spotify and over thirty million plays on You Tube. Edwina's 4th album Ruby Rose was released in 2022. 'The sweetest voice in England. A wonderful young woman, so gifted and full of song.' Nanci Griffith 'Haunting, honeyed, solo songwriter.' The Guardian

Our annual Christmas Party where everyone's invited. Free admission but we'll be having a raffle with loads of prizes. Christmas songs from our regulars and anybody who cares to drop by and join in.

It's the annual MILLION DOLLAR XMAS BASH. Back again for their Christmas celebration of the music of Bob Dylan, BLONDE on BOB present an evening dedicated to the music of the world's greatest singer-songwriter. More than ably supported by Billy Bills and Graham Metcalf (FREEWHEELIN') plus the usual festive fun and games.

A special tribute night for one of our most popular and longest serving resident performers who sadly passed away recently. Music from a variety of his friends and fellow performers with all monies raised being donated to the British Heart Foundation.

Robb Johnson is a British musician and songwriter who has been called "one of the last genuinely political songwriters". He is known for his mix of political satire and wit. He's released more than 40 albums since 1985, either solo or in several collaborations. Robb Johnson says he’s just a bloke with a guitar. He is. But he’s one who has chronicled our times: painting the less-than-sunny political landscape in the moonlight of the personal. Just like a folk singer should. "Britain's finest songwriter since Richard Thompson"- Venue "An English original" - Robin Denselow, The Guardian

'Blessed with fingers capable of guitar-playing beyond mere mortals!' Lee's initial impact was immediate, captivating audiences at folk clubs and festivals and touring in a trio with Keith Hancock and Clive Gregson. He has since forged a successful solo career with his eclectic repertoire comprising folk and blues in all of its forms. His albums feature guest appearances from the likes of Christine Collister, Barb Jungr and Tom McConville and his career has taken him all over the world. A performer who can switch from contemporary and traditional folk, to 50s style, blues and jazz, Lee currently performs as front man for punk shanty band The Salts. His solo career has included being a finalist in BBC Radio’s Young Tradition Award twice. The subsequent broadcast, and a chance meeting with Spiv Records at a folk festival, resulted in his debut release, Limbo, followed by the much lauded song Slip the Driver a Fiver.

Everyone welcome, singers, musicians, performers and listeners. Using the mic is optional.

From Canada, a debut at The Black Swan Folk Club for this exciting duo. International touring award winning Canadians Gordie Tentrees & Jaxon Haldane have performed 950 concerts together since their Texas stage debut in 2014. Armed with 10 instruments (banjo, mando, cigar box guitars, fiddle- saw, harmonica, resonator, acoustic, porch bass, snare) never repeating themselves onstage with brotherly harmonies & masterful storytelling . From headlining Celtic Connections (Glasgow) to the Woody Guthrie Festival (Oklahoma) they never repeat, juggling the dark with the light, brotherly harmonies & masterful storytelling. Gordie Tentrees is also a 2023 International Acoustic Award Winner! "Organic & holistic folk, this is the wild sound of freedom and the freedom to fly" Midwest Record USA "Majestic songwriting, incredible insight, genuine authenticity ” Americana UK

Everyone welcome, singers, musicians, performers and listeners. Using the mic is optional.

One of the most exciting duos to emerge from the UK in recent times, Kit Hawes & Aaron Catlow combine heartfelt musicality, unparalleled virtuosity and vocal harmony. Using the folk music of the British Isles as a catalyst, Kit and Aaron create dynamic and effervescent interpretations of centuries-old material as well as original songs and compositions, all the while celebrating the timeless aural quality of a guitar, fiddle and vocals duet. Studio albums The Fox (2016) and Pill Pilots (2019) have been met by wide critical acclaim, receiving five star reviews and local and national airplay. The duo tour extensively in the UK and internationally across Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. BBC 2’s Mark Radcliffe is a champion of their work, saying “Kit and Aaron are reminiscent of the late Dave Swarbrick and Martin Carthy… I can give them no higher accolade. They are at the top of their game”. “Fleet fingered and ingeniously arranged. .....deserve to be thought of as up there with the best of them" - Songlines “Such dexterity, energy and passion.....mightily impressive” - R2 Magazine “The pair demonstrate an eclectic approach that lifts them head and shoulders above the rest”-Acoustic Magazine “Never a dull moment, with imagination firing throughout and an abundance of creative energy” -Living Tradition