It's been a while I'm afraid. Well the sessions have moved and morphed as they always do. Pete is back with us (no pun intended.... or did I) restored to health. Working with Pete is like having a twin brother who knows exactly what you're going to say. It's uncanny. A new fiddler - Larry joined us with his rather nice blonde fiddle. But no Andybanjo this week .

The mixed lumpy has been quite good, and this week someone did have words with the string bass player - he was just awful. Loud, with the wrong rhythm and hoplessly off key. None of us could play.

Reculver barbeque tonight and hoping to see the golden path up to the towers at sunset. The weather has been too poor for the past 3 or 4 years. Last year was abandoned when a thunderstorm came over. Lots of tunes I hope.

I think everyone who plays traditional music in Kent has now been through Pete Brown's studio in Folkestone to put something down for Adrian O's Weaving CD. It will be interesting to hear how all the contributions have been combined.

Last week was a very good week for music. The Thursday English session went extremely well as already reported. The Barn Dance at Painters Forstall was a roaring success. It was the kind of dance where the enthusiasm of the dancers lifts the band and the band, playing with the enthusiam inspired by the dancers, in turn lifts the dancers as well. The mutual boost takes the event to a whole new level and everybody had a good time.

On Sunday, there was a dilemma caused by a clash between the regular Irish Session and an annual visit of American students who love to round of their visit with a traditional session in a pub. The pub is always Simple Simon's in Canterbury, and they regard it as the highlight of their trip. Again, appreciative audience inspires the session. I think the decision to play for the Americans was the right one. It was acually very well balanced as an event, with 4 singers taking well controlled turns between the sets. The singers were Katie Bradley, Richard Mathewman, Bernard Quimby and Roly. Each one brought a different style which the audience loved. Even Mike's traditional drinking songs went well. Bernard sang comedty songs from Jake Thackwray and one I hadn't heard before - The Red-eyed Drinking Team. Katie sang Blues, Richard, traditional and Roly did his eclectic mix including the Beautiful Stranger which always goes down well.

It restores your faith in going out and playing when you have three events in a row which are as appreciated as these. Let's see what this week brings.

Friday 2nd June

It's been a funny old week in the sessions. Our piano accordianist is moby with a bad back and it makes such a difference to the sesion not to have him there. I've noticed in this and other sessions that for some reason, the audience seem to prefer not having reed instruments in the mix but then who do we play for - ourselves or an audience? We aren't getting paid in any way, so we'll do it the way we like it.

The mixed lumpy, or English session was excellent. Beautiful concertina playing by Chris, and some great songs by his daughter, Ellie. Usual suspects there also, but lacking Barbara the fiddle. On the other hand there was Martin the fiddle who plays at a frightening speed but has some fabulous sets and it's always a pleasure to see.

A blast from the past - we haven't been graced with thumpy-twangy for a few weeks now, but out of the blue another turned up. Nice chap but absolutely no sense of rhythm.

Tonight is a bit of recording for Adrian O'. He has a new CD project called 'Weaving' - about the weaving of lives. There should be more recording at the session next Wednesday for some ambient session noise with the tunes. Hoping to get the accordianist there for that one. Tomorrow is a gig at Painter's Forstall and then Sunday, which should be Stelling Minnis Irish Session, there is a session for some American guests at Simple Simon's in Canterbury. I think Stelling is postponed until the following Sunday.