Across the Pond # 9 - June 2000
by Paul Castle

June in the UK is traditionally the month for Wimbledon Tennis and, in more recent years, the Glastonbury Festival. Although, according to the founder of the present day Festival, Michael Eavis, in his history of Glastonbury, "Recent archaeological digs have suggested that there were regular midsummer festivals in the Lake Villages near Glastonbury as early as 500BC."

This month's 'American Connection' feature includes an exclusive 'pond scoop', with Richard Thompson talking for the first time about his performance at the recent Joni Mitchell All-Star Tribute Show in New York on the US TNT Network TV Show.

And yet again, there's another great mix of already established and 'soon-to-be' household names on their way over this month including Americana legends Bob Cheevers and Ramsay Midwood (with renowned guitarist Randy Weeks), ex-Byrds Chris Hillman, ex-Monkee Peter Tork with James Lee Stanley, top Cajun accordionist Eddie Le Jeune, acoustic bluesman, Woody Mann, renowned session player and ex-Greenbiar Boy John Herald, and top Canadian contemporary songwriter Lennie Gallant.

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The 'American Connection' feature - June 2000:
Richard Thompson

Following his electrifying performance on the recent Joni Mitchell All-Star Tribute Show in New York, all the new-found Richard Thompson fans out there might be interested to know that he's on his way over to the States again in August/September, not long after this month's solo UK tour. If you can't wait, come on over here! [Full UK dates below]. I asked Richard via e-mail for his impressions of that TV show [which also included performances by James Taylor, Shawn Colvin, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Cyndi Lauper and many others, including Joni herself].

PC: "How on earth did you all decide who was going to sing what?"

RT: "I'm unaware of the selection process for other artists. Larry Klein, the Musical Director, asked if I would do something a bit rockier and more up tempo, because a lot of the female artists had chosen ballads. 'Coyote' was favourite, but changing the gender of the lyrics made it very bizarre! So we settled for 'Black Crow'."

PC: "And having to do 'Woodstock' at the last minute when the Stone Temple Pilots pulled out must have been pretty hair-raising? Or did the producers ask you to have a couple of her songs up your sleeve?"

RT: "It was such short notice that I didn't have time to panic! Also I didn't have time to learn it - so it was off the top of my head melodically and in terms of guitar arrangement - it was nothing if not spontaneous! I was trying to forget Iain Matthew's version, and CSN&Y's version, and trying to forget Joni's presence in the audience. It's not a song I would have chosen, because it is so anthemic to a generation; and by about verse 3, I began to realize just how important it was to the audience - but I didn't crack!"

PC: "It was great to read of all those people on the Joni Mitchell online Discussion List rushing out and buying up your back catalogue on the strength of those performances. Of course, what they all want to know is 'Did you meet Joni'?"

RT: "Did I meet Joni? Don't you know all these songs are about me? Just kidding....Well, I met Joni up at her studio a few years ago - and I met her back in about 1968, when she opened for Fairport Convention at the Festival Hall in London (those were the days). Backstage at the Tribute was a zoo, I think I got all of 15 seconds, but she was obviously the centre of attention. It's great to see such an acknowledgment of a truly pivotal artist."

PC: "Do you have any news on your US tour in August/September? I see you're playing on the same bill as John Prine at your Vienna VA date?"

RT: "We have several co-bills with John Prine in Summer / Fall 2000. Our US Band dates are:

Aug 25 Chastain park, Atlanta, GA w/ J Prine
Aug 26 Wolf Trap, Vienna, VA w/ J Prine
Aug 28 Ocean City Music Pier, NJ
Aug 30 Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, WA
Aug 31 Spokane, WA
Sep 1 Rosegarden, Portland, OR
Sep 3 Hog Farm Festival, Laytonville ,CA
Sep 4 Sausalito Arts Festival, CA
Sep 5 Mystic Theatre, Petaluma, CA
Sep 6 Montalvo Centre for the Arts, Saratoga CA
Sep 7 Palookaville, Santa Cruz, CA
Sep 9 Street Scene, San Diego, CA
Sep 10 Sun Theater, Anaheim, CA

PC: "Many thanks for your time and good luck with the up-coming tours."

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Talking of Joni Mitchell, I had an e-mail this month from the renowned US folk radio DJ, Gene Shay. He writes, "On Friday, June 2, on WXPN Philadelphia, I'll be joining DJ Helen Leicht (pronounced, "light" ) and playing excerpts of my 1967-68 interviews with Joni. The station is celebrating Joni's appearance in town that night." [check http://xpn.org/ for times (around noon?) and listen on the internet].

Gene also wrote, "I'm certainly interested in what's going on in the London clubs and at UK festivals. My radio listeners are always asking me about when this and that festival takes place. Your newsletter is an invaluable aid for a folkie broadcaster like me."

Thanks Gene, and others, for all your great feedback this month.

Paul Castle pdcmusic@freeuk.com

NEWSFLASH! In a fine piece of synchronicity, I see Gene Shay will also be hosting this year's Appel Farm Arts & Music Festival in Elmer, New Jersey on Saturday June 3, 2000 with guests Richard Thompson, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Jonatha Brooke, Moxy Früvous, Martin Sexton, John Gorka, Greg Brown, David Gray, Lucy Kaplansky, Willy Porter, The Asylum Street Spankers, Ben Arnold and Vanida Gail

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London Gigs - June 2000

Thur 1st Bob Cheevers
http://www.songs.com/cheevers/
(12 Bar Club)

A Memphis based legend of Americana here playing the London date of his first ever U.K. tour. Bob's new CD "The Stories I Write" (Hayden's Ferry Records) combines his "Delta Folk style of story telling with a distinct Southern Flavor - songs drawn from the well of personal experience."

Fri 2nd Isaac Guillory
http://www.anetstation.com/guillory/
(The Troubadour)

Fine singer songwriter and acoustic guitarist, whose first solo album recorded for Atlantic Records in 1973 has been re-released on CD titled " The Atlantic Years", a compilation of nine of the ten tracks from the first album, and four tracks from an un-released second album. His most recent, 'Slow Down' (PRCD 004) released in 1992, is a varied collection of live performances from all over the UK, including modern and traditional songs, from his own title track to Django Rheinhart's 'Nuage' and Paul Simon's 'Late in the Evening'. His new album 'Days of 49' is due to be released this summer.

Fri 2nd Fairport Acoustic Convention
http://www.fairportconvention.co.uk
(Watermans Arts Centre)

Amazingly, the group that pioneered "folk-rock" was one of the last to jump on the "unplugged" bandwagon. Their first all-acoustic album, 1996's 'Old*New*Borrowed *Blue' (Green Linnet) was an obvious move for Fairport, the stripped-down format pointing up better than ever the absolutely stellar playing of the members. Featuring original compositions penned by violinist Ric Sanders and multi-instrumentalist Martin Allcock, the album also includes the well-aged Fairport chestnuts "Crazy Man Michael", "Matty Groves" and "Genesis Hall" as well as covers of some of the best contemporary songwriters, including Loudon Wainwright III, Paul Mesters and James Taylor.

Fri 2nd Eddie LeJeune and the Tyldesley Playboys
http://www.rootsworld.com/rw/feature/lejuene.html
(File Gumbo at Cecil Sharp House)

In the introduction to his interview with Eddie discussing his accordion playing style and technique, Dan Willgings says, "For some time now, accordionist Eddie LeJeune has been a quiet fixture on the prairie Cajun music scene. He never pursued the bright lights or followed current trends but has always offered an honest soul-searching examination of his traditional Cajun music. The son of the legendary Iry LeJeune, the 47-year-old LeJeune has endured unjust comparisons with his father's legacy that could have been damaging to his musical development. As evidenced by his latest album on Rounder Records, 'Cajun Spirit', LeJeune's rich, generationally removed, older style of playing is uniquely his own."

Sat 3rd Graham and Eileen Pratt
http://www.stirrings.co.uk/folkzone/artistes/Graham_Eileen/
(Cellar Upstairs)

In addition to harmony work, their act focuses on Eileen's voice (considered one of the finest on the folk scene) accompanied by Graham's guitar, keyboards and concertina.Tony Rose says" I can offer no greater compliment than to compare [Eileen's voice] in range and quality to Joan Baez at her best, but with a mobility and fluidity that is Eileen's alone. Add to this the great range of power - and you'll understand why Eileen Pratt is no ordinary singer". Their 1997 album of mainly traditional material, 'Borders Of The Ocean' (Grail CD001) also includes a couple of Graham's own compositions. 1999 saw a CD compilation of tracks from older vinyl albums called 'Early Birds (Grail CD002) along with 'Bandstand' (Grail CD003), a CD re-issue of "Regal Slip", a 4-part harmony vinyl.

Sun 4th Alistair Hulett
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/sjsheldon/alistair.htm
and Dave Swarbrick
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/sjsheldon/swarb.htm
(Cecil Sharp House)

Alistair is one of Scotland's finest performers, described by Folk Roots Magazine as "at once an intense singer, radiating convinction." He has made two albums with the master fiddler, and thankfully, still very much alive Dave Swarbrick. Here's a link from 'Folk World News' of that infamous Daily Telegraph premature 'obituary' that had everyone stunned, including Dave himself, who, lying in a hospital bed in Coventry is quoted as saying "Ah, well - it's not the first time I've died in Coventry." They first joined forces in 1996 when they were both living in Australia. Their first album together, 'Saturday Johnny and Jimmy The Rat', was produced and originally released "down under". With their subsequent return to the U.K. they recorded 'The Cold Grey Light of Dawn' on the Musikfolk label .

Mon 5th Martin Carthy
http://www.folkicons.co.uk/wcart.htm
(Croydon Folk Club)

Solo folk club gig for the renowned traditional singer, acoustic guitarist and 'Waterson : Carthy' and 'Brass Monkey' member. I found this in his imusic.com biography "Martin Carthy has done more than any one person of his generation to keep the British folk music tradition ongoing and thriving as a living art form. Carthy has spent the good part of thirty years interpreting, reviving, and writing songs that are steeped in the lore, politics, history and romance of his native England."

Mon 5th Ramsay Midwood with Randy Weeks
http://www.ramsaymidwood.com/
(12 Bar Club)

Playing his first UK dates, accompanied by renowned guitarist Randy Weeks, Ramsay's music has been described as a cross between Tony Joe White, Woody Guthrie, John Fogerty, Junior Kimbrough and Jim Morrison. His debut album, 'Shootout At The OK Chinese Restaurant' (Glitterhouse Records in Europe) was named "Americana Album Of The Month" by Mojo Magazine back in January.

Tue 6th Chris Hillman
http://members.aol.com/byrdsonlne/byrdsstuff/chillman.htm
(Jazz Cafe)

What do The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Bros., Manassas, McGuinn,Clark and Hillman and The Desert Rose Band have in common? Answer: Multi-talented singer/songwriter/ bassist/mandolinist and guitarist Chris Hillman. After The Byrds groundbreaking album 'Sweetheart of The Rodeo', Chris left the group to form 'The Flying Burrito Bros.' with Gram Parsons, who had helped steer The Byrds in a more country-oriented direction. Since the break-up of The Burrito Bros., Chris has
alternated between country music, bluegrass and rock 'n' roll. His latest CD. 'Out of The Woodwork' (Rounder Records) features fellow Desert Rose band, Herb Pedersen as well as Larry Rice and Tony Rice.

Tues 6th Janis Ian
http://www.janisian.com
(Union Chapel)

Thirty years after she burst on the scene at age 15 with her controversial saga of interracial love, "Society's Child", (a Grammy nomination for "Best Folk Performance" in 1966 and a #1 hit single in the US), Janis has just released her seventeenth album 'god and the fbi' (Windham Hill) which the Boston Globe said "may be her most potent yet." In addition to the title track (which refers to "J. Edgar Hoover in a pink tutu"), the album also includes a duet with Willie Nelson on 'Memphis' ("the belle of the blues"). A regular advice columnist for Performing Songwriter magazine, Janis follows her current European tour with a "In Their Own Words" songwriters' session with Jimmy Webb at
The Bottom Line in New York at the end of this month (30th).

Thur 8th Janet Russell
http://www.rootsworld.com/harbourtown/russell.html
(Islington Folk Club)

A fine Scottish singer of traditional and original songs, known round the UK, Europe and the USA, where she has toured both solo and with Scottish singing partner Christine Kydd and with Peta Webb, Sandra Kerr and Rosie Davis in 'Sisters Unlimited'.

Fri 9th Nick Harper
http://www.nickharper.com
(Cecil Sharp House)
see full UK tour dates below

Son of legendary English singer songwriter Roy Harper and one of the UK's finest acoustic guitarist in his own right, Nick's new album 'Harperspace' will be on general release in the UK from the end of June and on sale throughout the tour at shows. People outside of the UK can get the album via this web site. A predominantly acoustic album with some full band songs, 'Harperspace' contains some of his strongest work to date. Written and produced by Nick himself with executive production by Glenn Tilbrook and mixed by Andy Metcalfe. For guitarists, Nick explains some of the unusual tunings he uses in these charts from 'Total Guitar Magazine'.

Go to:

More London gigs
Best of the Rest of the UK
Festival Listings
UK Tour Dates

Contact Paul Castle: pdcmusic@freeuk.com

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