Across the Pond
February 2001

by Paul Castle

Best of the Rest of the UK - February 2001

Fri 2nd Fest Noz! with Michael McGoldrick
http://www.verticalrecords.co.uk/htmlsite/pages/fused.htm
The Southern Hotel, Manchester

An evening of Breton music and dance with Michael McGoldrick on
flute, Dezi Donnelly on fiddle and Ed Boyd from Flook! on guitar.

Fri 2nd Vin Garbutt
http://www.vingarbutt.com
The Electric Theatre, Onslow Street, Guildford 01483 444789

Described as "the funniest and most serious man on the Folk Scene",
Middlesborough-born Vin has been a major folk artist throughout the
world for over three decades. According to The Living Tradition,
"Audiences remain faithful to this unique performer who can sting
consciences with his songs one minute, and undermine bladder
control with his lunatic mirth, the next."

5th Robin Williamson
http://www.pigswhisker.com/
Nettlebed Folk Club

Solo gig by founding member of The Incredible String Band, who
with original members Mike Heron and Clive Palmer, have recently
reformed and have been touring the UK. His latest solo album,
'The Seed-At-Zero' (ECM) sets poetry by Dylan Thomas to music,
examines Thomas's relationship to the "Bardic tradition" of visionary
Welsh poets, revisiting some of Robin Williamson's strongest songs
from a distinguished 40 year career.

Sat 10th Chris While and Julie Matthiews
http://www.whileandmatthews.co.uk/
St Wilfrid's Parish Centre, Standish, Wigan 01254 54877

Ex-members of The Albion Band Chris and Julie's duo career began
in 1995 when they toured Canada as 'The Women of Albion' whilst
also becoming involved in 'Daphne's Flight', an all female supergroup
with Christine Collister, Helen Watson and Melanie Harrold. The
duo's new album is the live double CD, 'Stages'. Tonight is their last
UK gig before a 9 week tour of Australia and New Zealand.

Sun 11th Fairport Convention
http://www.fairportconvention.co.uk
+ Steve Tilston
http://www.steve-tilston.co.uk/
+ All About Eve
http://www.julianneregan.net/aae/index.html
The Anvil, Basingstoke

Sat 12th Simon Mayor & the Mandolinquents
http://212.67.202.53/~simonmayor/smq.htm
Nettlebed Folk Club

Top UK mandolin player Simon Mayor with classical guitarist
Gerald Garcia, mandolinist,guitarist and three times British bluegrass
banjo champion Richard Collins, plus the fine vocals and mandobass
of Hilary James. Their album 'Mandolinquents' was described by
Pete Fyfe in Steppin' Out as "a more than worthy contender for
album of the year!"

Thur 15th Sheila Stewart
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~tinvic/news.htm#feb15
Royal Oak, Lewes 01273 478124 or 881316

Daughter of Belle Stewart from Blairgowrie in Scotland and
regarded by many as the finest traditional singer alive in Britain
today. Last year Topic Records released 'From The Heart of
the Tradition' containing twenty songs, whilst Offspring
Recordings released 'Time goes on ... and time goes on ...'
including six stories along with five songs, all from the culture
of the travellers of Scotland. The Scots travelling people,
decried and despised as 'tinkers' by many of their country folk,
have been found to be the greatest carriers of traditional oral
culture in Britain - see this review by Vic Smith at Musical Traditions.

Fri 16th annA rydeR
http://www.rowdymusic.net/
Bingham Folk Club, The Fire Station, Bingham, Notts
01949 875685

Highly rated young singer songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who
toured with Fairport Convention and All About Eve last year. Her
latest album 'Pockets on Fire' (Woodworm Records) is, according
to Mojo Magazine, "An album with depth and integrity, deserving
a wide audience."

Mon 19th Bob Cheevers
http://www.songs.com/cheevers/
The Greys, Brighton

Highly regarded Americana Roots songwriter touring the UK from
Nashville. His album "Gettysburg To Graceland" was a Grammy
nominee for "Best Contemporary Folk CD of 1997". His latest,
'The Stories I Write' (Hayden's Ferry Records) combines his Delta
Folk style of story telling with a distinct Southern flavour and songs
drawn from the well of personal experience.

Fri 23rd The Cock and Bull Band
http://www.hemlockmusic.demon.co.uk/cockandbull.html
Mad Nanny Folk Club, Letchworth, Herts 01462 438 373

Named after two pubs in their home town of Stony Stratford (The
Cock and The Bull) over twenty years ago, they have remained one
of the UK's most popular ceilidh and concert bands. According to
Folk on Tap Magazine, "This is what great music sounds like when
you're inspired - a mysterious, heroic, wonderous racket!" Their
latest recording is 'Encore Du Vingt' (Mrs Casey Records)

Fri 23rd Shave the Monkey
http://www.shavethemonkey.net/
Woodman Folk Club Dudley

One of the UK's leading Folk Rock bands, playing songs and tunes
on instruments spanning nine centuries. Their new album is 'Good
Luck Mr Gorsky' (Percheron Musique) - see this review.

Wed 28th Steve Phillips
http://www.stevekennedy.ndirect.co.uk/STEVE-PHILLIPS.html
Derek Newton Theatre, Warrington(01925) 494 264

UK country blues guitar legend - a member of a duo called 'The Duolian
String Pickers' with Mark Knopfler in the sixties, with whom he joined
up again in 1986, along with Brendan Croker (see London Gigs), to
form The Notting Hillbillies. According to London's Time Out Magazine,
"you could never describe Steve Phillips of being anything other than
excellent. He deserves his cult reputation as one of the great white spirits
of acoustic blues. Hand him his steel National guitar, grant him a few
seconds of hush and pretty soon the spirits of Snooks Eaglin and Blind
Blake
will be summoned up for a kind of musical seance that would put
the willies up Doris Stokes."


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