date: 11/05/99
[Paul Castle is a songwriter and journalist from London, England and has generously offered to keep us up to date on the folkscene there - the intent is to help connect the US and UK scenes and to enable both visiting folk fans and artists to travel more readily between the two countries. This letter and resource listing from across the Atlantic will be a semi-regular feature at this site. Enjoy. -HB]
Hello again from London. If you are visiting the UK this month don't be surprised if you see and hear a lot of fireworks - November 5th is our traditional 'Guy Fawkes Night', a rather dubious celebration, dating back to 1605, with public and private firework displays seemingly continuing for several weeks before and after the actual date. (If you want to know what that's all about, check out http://www.innotts.co.uk/~asperges/fawkes/ )
In London, musical fireworks can also be expected this month from North American visitors Taj Mahal, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Catie Curtis, Joan Baez, Suzanne Vega, Loudon Wainwright III, Carolyn Hester, Jane Siberry, as well as top acoustic guitarists Alex de Grassi and Woody Mann.
Over from Ireland we have Mary Black, ex-Dubliners front man Ronnie Drew, Mary Coughlan, Luka Blook and the truly amazing fiddle/guitar duo Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill, and down from Scotland, Phil Cunningham with 'Boys of the Lough' fiddler Aly Bain, plus a rare visit South of the border from songwriter Dougie Mclean - all in all, a great month in prospect.
Besides the concert/tour listings, the beginnings of an index of on-line resources for folk music in the UK are being collected on this site's International: British Isles netlinks page.
UK Folk Music Agencies (new)*
UK Venue Directory
UK Online Resources
UK Periodicals
Please send feedback to me Paul Castle at pdcmusic@freeuk.com or direct to Folk Music Guide Hugh Blumenfeld if you know additional (or better) sites and links for the artists. I would like to keep the database at 'folkmusic.about.com' to be as comprehensive and up-to-date as possible.
Mon 1st -
Sun 7th Mary Chapin Carpenter
http://www.marychapincarpenter.com/
+ Catie Curtis
http://www.mammothartists.com/curtis
(Lyric, Hammersmith)
Box Office : 0181 741 2311
7 night residency for MCC and her band, including ex-Fairport
drummer, Dave Mattacks, promoting her latest retrospective album
'Party Doll' and other Favourites. Supported by well respected
US songwriter Catie Curtis, whose new album 'A Crash Course in
Roses' is her first to be released in the UK.
Mon 1st Ronnie Drew
http://www.ronniedrew.com
(Purcell Room)
0171-960 4242
A one man show of songs, recitations and anecdotes from the ex-Dubliners
front man
Tue 2nd Kate Rusby
http://www.purerecords.demon.co.uk/
(Purcell Room)
"The brightest light in English folk music, Rusby is blessed with a delightful voice, an engaging, down-to-earth personality, and refreshing musical integrity." The [London] Daily Telegraph
Wed 3rd Martin Simpson
http://www.watershed-arts.com/msimpson.html
(Purcell Room)
A brief UK visit for the much respected American-based English
guitarist. "A Master Musician." Guitar Player
Thurs 4th :Joan Baez
http://www.baez.woz.org/
+ very special guests
Waterson : Carthy
http://cgi.dotmusic.com/MWtalentwatercarthy.html
(Lyric Theatre)
The last date on Joan's UK tour, with special guests
Norma Waterson, husband Martin Carthy and daughter Eliza Carthy.
Sat 6th Dougie MacLean
http://www.dunkeld.co.uk/dougiemaclean/dougie.html
(Queen Elizabeth Hall)
At the forefront of the Celtic music revival since the early '70s,
MacLean has established a reputation both as a contemporary songwriter
and sensitive interpreter of old Scottish songs.
Sun 7th John Renbourn and
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/x.dll?p=amg&sql=B42718#BIO
Alex de Grassi
http://www.degrassi.com
(Cecil Sharp House)
This rare collaboration between two of the world's top-rated acoustic
guitarists should not be missed. Renbourn is probably best known
for his early work with Bert Jansch and Pentangle. de Grassi's
first album 'Turning: Turning Back' in 1978 for Will Ackerman's
Windham Hill label was recently cited by Acoustic Guitar magazine
as among the top ten essential finger-style recordings and his
latest album 'The Water Garden' was nominated for a grammy. (See
other UK dates below)
Sun 7th Steeleye Span
http://www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/~zierke/steeleye.span/
+ Jacqui McShee's Pentangle
(Fairfield Halls, Croydon)
The current line-up includes Bob Johnson, Tim Harries, Peter Knight
and Gay Woods
Sun 7th Fernhill
http://www.bejo.co.uk
(Waterman's Arts Centre)
Welsh roots outfit with cittern, accordion, flute and European
pipes.
Mon 8th Jane Siberry
http://www.sheeba.com
(The Borderline)
Tue 9th (Queen Elizabeth Hall)
Celebrating the release of her New York Trilogy, 'Tree' (Music
for film & forests), 'Lips' (Music for Saying it) and 'Child'
(Music for the Christmas Season). A quirky but truly original
live performer - great website, too.
Tue 9th &
Wed 10th Suzanne Vega
http://www.vega.net/
+ Mark Nevin (9th only)
http://www.marknevin.com/
+ Tom Robinson (10th only)
http://www.tomrobinson.com/
(Bloomsbury Theatre)
Promoting her new Best of Suzanne Vega album 'Tried & True'
Tue 9th David Gray
http://www.davidgray.com/
(Shepherds Bush Empire)
His latest album,'White Ladder', was self-produced in his living-room
Wed 10th Loudon Wainwright III
http://www.wing.net/loudon/
(Shepherds Bush Empire)
His latest album 'Social Studies' includes songs about Jesse Helms,
Tonya Harding, Bills Clinton and Gates, Sadaam Hussein, The Beatles,
Santa Claus, and O.J. Simpson
Thur 11th Norma Waterson & Eliza Carthy
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/sjsheldon/homepage.htm
for Eliza see http://members.xoom.com/Elizanet/
(Waterman's Arts Centre)
Mother and daughter, both with hugely successful recent albums
- Norma with 'The Very Thought of You' and Eliza with 'Red Rice'.
Fri 12th Woody Mann
http://www.woodymann.com
(The King's Head, Merton)
A student of legendary blues and ragtime guitarist Rev. Gary Davis,
Mann has himself taught the likes of Paul Simon. "...in a
class by himself. Phenomenal." Guitar Player Magazine
Fri 12th Suzanne Vega
http://www.vega.net/
(Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon)
Sun 14th Martin Carthy
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/sjsheldon/homepage.htm
(Cecil Sharp House)
Solo gig from Martin before he joins the rest of the family for
Waterson : Carthy's tour of Canada and the States.
Sun 14th Mary Black
http://www.celts.dk/mblack/frindex.htm
(London Palladium)
One of two London stops on her current UK tour promoting her new
album 'Speaking With The Angel' (see UK tour dates below)
Tue 16th Taj Mahal and Toumani Diabate
http://www.guitarsite.com/newsletters/991011/22.shtml
+ Alvin Youngblood Hart
(Royal Festival Hall)
American blues legend Taj Mahal is reunited with his African musical
ancestry in a unique collaborative project with Malian kora master,
Toumani Diabate
Tue 16th &
Wed 17th Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill
http://www.martinhayes.com/index.html
(Purcell Room)
Irish fiddler Hayes and guitarist Cahill are superb interpreters
of traditional Irish music. Their new album 'Live in Seattle'
has just been released. "Flock to their concerts, queue in
the rain, these guys are worth it" Irish Times
Thur 18th Chris While and Julie Matthews
http://www.bluemoonmusic@freeserve.co.uk
(12 Bar Club)
Launching their new album 'Higher Potential' on Fat Cat Records
Fri 19th Jez Lowe and The Bad Pennies
http://www.geocities.com/~jezlowe/
(Cecil Sharp House)
"A fabulous entertainer, warm hearted communicator and peerless
chronicler of life in North East England." Folk Roots
Magazine
Fri 19th John Kirkpatrick
http://www.thebeesknees.com/
(Court Sessions - The Grove, Balham)
One of the most well-known and popular performers on the British
folk scene for the past twenty-five years. He is widely regarded
as Britain's leading exponent of 'squeezebox' instruments
Fri 19th Lindisfarne
http://www.lindisfarne.de/
(Waterman's Arts Centre)
Sat 20th Sin E
+ Mary Jane Lamond
http://www.chatsubo.com/mjlamond/maryjane.html
(Queen Elizabeth Hall)
0171-960 4242
Sin E's distinctive feel for Irish music blends with the rhythms
of Africa and India and jazz - they will also presenting a specially
conceived show for children in the afternoon (2.30pm) Support
from Mary Jane Lamond from Cape Breton in Canada who sings in
Scottish Gaelic.
Sun 21st Ralph McTell
http://www.folkcorp.co.uk/mctell
(Hammersmith Apollo)
His latest double CD 'Travelling Man - the journey the songs'
is a live recording a some of his most popular songs including
'Streets of London'
Tue 23rd Carolyn Hester
http://www.rgfrecords.demon.co.uk/Releases/Current/19.html
(12 Bar Club)
Legendary Texan singer/songwriter from the 60's, recently brought
to prominence again by the likes of Nanci Griffith, touring the
UK with her husband, David Blume (see full UK tour dates below)
Thur 25th Phil Cunningham and Aly Bain
http://www.desert.net/ww/02-01-99/alibi_blue.html
(Cecil Sharp House)
A rare London date for two of the most respected figures in Celtic
music - fiddler Aly Bain from The Boys of the Lough and world-famous
accordion player Phil Cunningham
Thur 25th Kate Lissauer
http://www.wildwood-records.co.uk/K_info.htm
(Islington Folk Club at The Horseshoe)
American singer, fiddler and banjo picker now resident in London
- has spent time in West Viginia learning from the likes of the
Hammon Family and Franklin George
Sat 27th Al Stewart
http://www.things.org/music/al_stewart/
(LA2)
Rare live appearance from Scottish singer songwriter perhaps still
best known for his hit song "Year of the Cat."
Sun 28th The Fureys
http://www.cosmik.com/aa-january99/reviews/review_fureys.html
(Walthamstow Assembly Hall)
0181-521 7111
Mon 29th Mary Coughlan
http://www.cnotes.com/cnotes.artists/marybio.html
(Union Chapel)
"One of the most critically acclaimed singers in Europe."
The Directory of British Entertainers
Tue 30th Roy & Nick Harper
http://www.royharper.com
http://www.nickharper.com
(Dingwalls)
Legendary British songwriter Roy with his up-and-coming son, Nick
(see tour dates below)
Tue 30th Luka Bloom
http://www.myspace.co.uk/dweb/jan/jbloom.htm
(Union Chapel)
The Irish Times described latest album 'Salty Heaven' as "Not
just a wonderful album but an album filled with wonder"
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