Across the Pond # 8 - May 2000
Mon 1st Odetta
http://www.vanguardrecords.com/odetta/
(Sheffield City Memorial Hall 0114 266 9018)
Born in Birmingham, Alabama and raised in Los Angeles,
Odetta came to New York in 1953 and appeared at the
famous Blue Angel, where both Harry Belafonte and Pete
Seeger helped introduce her to larger audiences. Belafonte
included her in a major television special in 1959 which
made her name nationally known, and her performances at
the Newport Folk Festival in the early 1960s are legendary.
Said to have been a major inspiration to artists such as Bob
Dylan, Joan Baez, Janis Joplin and Joan Armatrading, she is
currently touring the world celebrating her 50th anniversary
in show business and promoting her latest Grammy-nominated
album 'Blues Everywhere I Go' (M.C.
Records) "If the voice
of the people could be condensed into one word that word
would be Odetta" [Blues Revue, March 2000]
Mon 1st Keith Christmas
http://freespace.virgin.net/magic.christmas/htm/main.htm
(The Grays, Brighton (01273 680734)
Recorded his first album 'Stimulus' back in 1969 when he
also played the acoustic guitar on David Bowie's first album
'Space Oddity' and appeared at the first Glastonbury Festival.
Throughout the seventies he recorded four more albums while
touring with and supporting acts like The Who, King Crimson,
Ten Years After, Frank Zappa and Roxy Music. Described
recently as "a songwriter at the peak of his powers"
he has a
new album 'Love Beyond Deals' (HTD Records).
Tue 2nd Colum Sands
http://www.waterbug.com/sands.html
(The Comrades Club, Cramlington 01670 715106)
"Colum Sands has to be the odds on favourite for the
'Tom Paxton of Ireland' award. Both are consummate
folk singers, consistently giving us a body of accessible,
singable, deceptively simple songs. Each word is crafted
and carved into memorable facets, reflecting the wit and
wisdom of their authors."
[Andy Ryan, Irish Music Magazine]
Thur 4th, Fri 5th & Sat 6th
John Stewart & Nick Reynolds
http://members.aol.com/clackclack/index.htm
(Turf Inn, Dalry, Scotland 01294 832502)
Legendary songwriter, here reunited with Nick Reynolds,
who he originally joined in The Kingston Trio back in 1961.
His recent 41 track double CD, 'Gold - Best of John Stewart'
includes his classics 'California Bloodlines' as well as 'Gold',
with Fleetwood Mac's Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham,
from his hit album 'Bombs Away Dream Baby', plus 'Sweet
Dreams Will Come' a duet with Nanci Griffith, and his own
version of his song 'Daydream Believer', a hit for The Monkees.
For details of Nick Reynolds and The Kingston Trio, still going
strong over 40 years later, see http://brugold.com/TurtleT/kitmain.html
Sat 6th Magna Carta
http://www.magnac.com/
(English Martyr's Church Hall, York)
A mixture of new song and material spanning the last 30+
years of Magna Carta, interspersed by the racontuerial skills
of Chris Simpson, founder member of the band.
Sat 6th Horace X
http://www2.prestel.co.uk/horacex/
(Roots.net, Oxford)
Innovative, subterranean dance music; a swirling twisting
soundscape where wild gypsy tunes and irresistable dance
beats collide in a manic east/west mix of live and sequenced
music: Haunting fiddle, fierce horns with devastating bass
and drums and startling u.v. visuals create a completely
unique sensory episode.
Tue 16th John McCormick
http://mccormickjohn.com/
(Dartford
Folk Club, Kent)
"John is a brilliant guitarist who has mastered the
intricate style of the British Isles folk tradition."
[Alex de Grassi]
21st Pauline Cato & Tom McConville
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/obm/tom_p.htm
(Accrington Town Hall - 01254 380293)
Pauline is one of the greatest Northumbrian pipers. Her style
is traditional, influenced by the playing of Billy Pigg and
Tom Clough. Tom McConville is regarded by many as one
of the finest fiddle players in the British Isles. His rich double-
stopping complements and combines effortlessly with Pauline's
accurate, staccato, traditional style. They specialise in tight
unison playing and beautifully arranged harmony playing,
with the harmonies swapping between instruments. Much
of their material comes from their native north-east, but
audiences should not be surprised to hear French-Canadian
or Scandinavian tunes alongside Scottish, Irish and American,
and even some of their own compositions.
Tue 23rd Pint & Dale
http://members.aol.com/Pintndale/
(Dartford
Folk Club, Kent)
See full tour dates below
"Seattle-based singers and multi-instrumentalists William
Pint
and Felicia Dale rank among North America's most exciting
interpreters of music based in the traditions of the British Isles
and France. They're both talented ballad singers who can
blend their voices in a powerful counterpoint and they have
a great ear for old and new material. The most distinctive part
of their sound is Dale's wailing hurdy-gurdy, which the duo uses
both as a lead instrument in dance tunes and as an unconventional
but spine-tingling reinforcement on some of their songs.
[Tom Nelligan, Dirty Linen Magazine, reviewing their latest album
'Hartwell Horn' (Waterbug Records)]
Fri 26th Steve Earle & The Dukes
http://www.steveearle.net/
(Municipal Hall, Colne, Lancashire)
Following his highly successfull 1999 bluegrass album,
'The Mountain', recorded with the Del McCoury Band,
Earle prepares for the June release of his new album,
'Transcendental Blues', which, with the current edition
of The Dukes (guitarist David Steele, bassist Kelley
Looney and drummer Will Rigby) continues to explore
and blur the boundaries of country, pop, bluegrass,
rock and Irish music. The album includes two tracks
with Galway's extraordinary accordion player, Sharon
Shannon. Recorded in Dublin, Ireland, with Shannon
and her crisp, left-of-trad Irish band, "Steve's Last
Ramble" conjures up a giddy Dylan on a two-step
breakaway, while the lilting "The Galway Girl"
magically closes the gap between the Emerald Isle
and the Great Smoky Mountains.
Sun 28th Corey Harris
http://coreyharrismusic.com/
(Bishopstock Music
Festival, Devon)
Acoustic guitarist/vocalist who has been described as
"One of the hottest blues cats of the new generation".
Buddy Guy said of his mix of earthy, organic roots
music, "he sounds like the greens in the garden without
the fertilizer", the quote prompting the title of his latest
release 'Greens from the Garden' (Alligator Records).
Mon 29th June Tabor (Trio)
http://members.aol.com/cynthiafta/jt.htm
(Centenary Theatre, Wrekin, Shropshire - BBC Music
live concert. Tickets from Radio Shropshire 01743-248484)
Mon 29th e2K
http://www.adastra-music.co.uk/edward2.html
(Brewery Arts Centre,
Kendal 01539 725133
Free Concert)
Rising from the ashes of Edward II comes "e2K", a
small name for a big sound. The spirit remains the same.
Maximum danceability with English roots, strong songs,
and a party atmosphere. But the material and the voice are
different, and the grooves, although guaranteed to make
you move, are more African than Reggae. With the stalwarts
from Edward II joined by Robert Fordjour (Hugh Masekela,
Courtney Pine) on drums and the vocals of Kelly While
(Also appearing with The Albion Band), there is excitement
in the air.
Mon 29 Danu
http://homepage.tinet.ie/~fionnmacgiollachuda/Danu/danuindex.htm
(BBC Music Live, TV Stage, The Quayside, Newcastle
0191 2221717 & Newcastle Irish Centre, 43 Gallowgate,
Newcastle)
Go to:
Back to Page 1
More London gigs
Festival Listings
UK Tour Dates
Contact Paul Castle: pdcmusic@freeuk.com
Browse the index of Previous Articles