After the enthusiasm of last weeks bumper attendance at the Wednesday Irish session at the Anchor at Wingham, this week saw a reduced but quality attendance of 4. Not a reed nor a fipple in sight and everything had frets. Everything also had a metal hoop, skin head ... well it was a mini-banjo fest really with 3 tenors and a Mandolin Banjo. Next time this happens though it will be 'the 4 tenors' as John has joined the ranks with a shiny new archtop Grafton. We still managed to power our way through many a jig and reel in a very session like manner - taking turns around the group. How refreshing. It developed as it often does into a nostalgia trip - this time from cinema organs to cinemas to Saturday morning clubs at the Gaumont and ABC, to threepenny bits. On the way passing through busking cinema queues and earning more in a night than a worker's weekly wage. Ah, heady stuff.
Thursday at the Bear was jolly good with an absolute absence of any plinky, thumpy or twangy. The added presence of dear Ralph, sparing time from his many projects (Patterson, Jordan and Dipper, Housewife's Choice ...) to play in the session. Not a song all evening and many a fine tune played. Quite a few Scottish (well it was Burn's night and at least two of us had Haggis, neaps and tatties for tea). Ralph and I were much heartened by the news that Free Reed are going to release an old Roaring Jelly (B I G Valerie Wilkinson ...) LP on CD in February.
Sunday at the Anchor, Faversham for an Irish session for anyone up for it.
Friday, January 26, 2007
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Sunday 21st January 2007
Things are picking up after the Christmas slump. Fortunately the stalwarts kept the sessions going so that the occassionals have somewhere to come back to.
The good news is that we saw the return of two players who have been missed - Andy banjo and Ralphie (different session of course). It is amazing the difference to a session's dynamics that one person can make. It's equally of course amazing that some seem to drift in and out without making a ripple. Anyway, Andy was on form and we played many of the old, driving banjo oriented sets from yore and everybody (I think) was happy. It's really good to see Andy back on the circuit again although he did mention defecting to an Old-time session at Rainham!
Nice to see Susannah and George again and all the regulars of course. Pete brought his electric keyboard instead of his accordian (which he was told was a write-off) but it didn't fall into the category of dreaded plinky things. We did ask for some Kilfenora type accompaniment but he wouldn't do it for some reason.
Ralphie's duett concertina is always a delight - even when he bends the accompaniment to the extreme! There was no plinky or out of place twangy on Thursday, but that was very much countered by the return of the much feared one-string bass. Any one got a Stanley knife?
It's a real pity that it isn't a session as such. It tends to be about an hour of Watershed practice followed by an hour or more of any guest who drops in. That's OK when it's players like Ralph or Martin the fiddle, but it attracts singers too. Call me old fashioned, but players don't invade the folk clubs and open mike events where the singers go, so why do singers invade music sessions? There used to be some session rules in the old days - Singing only after 11:00. Some of the other rules were useful too - Only 1 bodhran at a time and only 1 item of cutlery to be played at a time (there were a lot of spoons players). I think the restriction even extended to guitars if more than one turned up - saved the embarrasment of multiple keys and rhythms distracting the melody instruments.
All in all though, two good sessions.
Monday was the occasional (third Monday) session at the Plough and Harrow which tends towards an Irish / French mix with some strange versions of tunes being played sometimes. Phil on Hurdy Gurdy and pipes and Geoff on hooty things can always be relied on. Still a good session for beginners and intermediates as there isn't really an ego / alpha male problem and Martin runs it quite democratically. Interesting to hear other tunes played that you might not hear elsewhere.
Nothing tonight or Monday (as far as I know). Normal Wednesday (Anchor Wingham) and Thursday (Bear Faversham) and then Sunday Irish at the Anchor at Faversham for an end of the month treat.
If you didn't see Folk Hibernia on BBC4 on Friday night - wait for it to come round again - excellent programme on the renaissance and rise of Irish music with some history thrown in. Some great clips and all the names you know from sessions because you play their tunes!
The good news is that we saw the return of two players who have been missed - Andy banjo and Ralphie (different session of course). It is amazing the difference to a session's dynamics that one person can make. It's equally of course amazing that some seem to drift in and out without making a ripple. Anyway, Andy was on form and we played many of the old, driving banjo oriented sets from yore and everybody (I think) was happy. It's really good to see Andy back on the circuit again although he did mention defecting to an Old-time session at Rainham!
Nice to see Susannah and George again and all the regulars of course. Pete brought his electric keyboard instead of his accordian (which he was told was a write-off) but it didn't fall into the category of dreaded plinky things. We did ask for some Kilfenora type accompaniment but he wouldn't do it for some reason.
Ralphie's duett concertina is always a delight - even when he bends the accompaniment to the extreme! There was no plinky or out of place twangy on Thursday, but that was very much countered by the return of the much feared one-string bass. Any one got a Stanley knife?
It's a real pity that it isn't a session as such. It tends to be about an hour of Watershed practice followed by an hour or more of any guest who drops in. That's OK when it's players like Ralph or Martin the fiddle, but it attracts singers too. Call me old fashioned, but players don't invade the folk clubs and open mike events where the singers go, so why do singers invade music sessions? There used to be some session rules in the old days - Singing only after 11:00. Some of the other rules were useful too - Only 1 bodhran at a time and only 1 item of cutlery to be played at a time (there were a lot of spoons players). I think the restriction even extended to guitars if more than one turned up - saved the embarrasment of multiple keys and rhythms distracting the melody instruments.
All in all though, two good sessions.
Monday was the occasional (third Monday) session at the Plough and Harrow which tends towards an Irish / French mix with some strange versions of tunes being played sometimes. Phil on Hurdy Gurdy and pipes and Geoff on hooty things can always be relied on. Still a good session for beginners and intermediates as there isn't really an ego / alpha male problem and Martin runs it quite democratically. Interesting to hear other tunes played that you might not hear elsewhere.
Nothing tonight or Monday (as far as I know). Normal Wednesday (Anchor Wingham) and Thursday (Bear Faversham) and then Sunday Irish at the Anchor at Faversham for an end of the month treat.
If you didn't see Folk Hibernia on BBC4 on Friday night - wait for it to come round again - excellent programme on the renaissance and rise of Irish music with some history thrown in. Some great clips and all the names you know from sessions because you play their tunes!
Friday, January 12, 2007
Friday 12th January 2007
First post of the year, so a happy new year to all our readers!
Christmas and new year are always a confused time for sessions - people away or with other commitments and of course festivities sometimes fall inconsiderately on session nights. Not really the case this year except that the regular last-Sunday-of-the-month Irish session at the Anchor in Faversham fell on New Year's Eve so we made up for it last week. It was a good jovial session with Pete and Adrian leading many of the tunes. Pete had his substitute accordian which got him a modicum of ribbing. Being tuned a little 'wetter' than normal, he suffered a few Jimmy Shand jibes and the red pearloid attracted the 'mother-of-toilet seat' comments, but all in good humour. At one point, Pete and Adrian swapped accordian and fiddle .... moving on then to the other sessions.
Wednesday at the Anchor in Wingham looked a bit thin for a couple of weeks, but picked up again this week to be an enjoyable session. Just after Christmas was very thin by all accounts (I wasn't there) and the one after was three banjos and a whistle who left early. Still this week saw a much better turn out and some nice sets were played without having to rely on the good offices of Pete.
Thursday at the Bear is always interesting. It's never the same two weeks running as I've said before and you never know who will turn up. Last week was missing Mike, but Ruth came and this week was almost full compliment (no Gina though). Good news is that Chris joined us, and a couple of musicians who drop in when their barge is in port (apparently) were there too. Bad news is that the bangy thumpy was there with a bigger than ever drum. Having just watched the excellent programme from Howard Goodall on rhythm, I was straining to hear what kind of interesting cross rhythms or syncopation he might be using. Sadly I failed. It must be me.
After muttering about the volume of the piano, a quiet word was had and the balance restored with no ruffled feathers. In fact seems to be an enhancement to have a keyboard undercurrent, as it is rhythmically different from the guitar and as long as it doesn't overpower, seems to work quite well. So strike plinky from the dreaded list. Quiet plinky is now embraced.
There will be a session at the Plough and Harrow at Tilmanstone on Monday 15th. Usual mix with a French accent I guess.
Christmas and new year are always a confused time for sessions - people away or with other commitments and of course festivities sometimes fall inconsiderately on session nights. Not really the case this year except that the regular last-Sunday-of-the-month Irish session at the Anchor in Faversham fell on New Year's Eve so we made up for it last week. It was a good jovial session with Pete and Adrian leading many of the tunes. Pete had his substitute accordian which got him a modicum of ribbing. Being tuned a little 'wetter' than normal, he suffered a few Jimmy Shand jibes and the red pearloid attracted the 'mother-of-toilet seat' comments, but all in good humour. At one point, Pete and Adrian swapped accordian and fiddle .... moving on then to the other sessions.
Wednesday at the Anchor in Wingham looked a bit thin for a couple of weeks, but picked up again this week to be an enjoyable session. Just after Christmas was very thin by all accounts (I wasn't there) and the one after was three banjos and a whistle who left early. Still this week saw a much better turn out and some nice sets were played without having to rely on the good offices of Pete.
Thursday at the Bear is always interesting. It's never the same two weeks running as I've said before and you never know who will turn up. Last week was missing Mike, but Ruth came and this week was almost full compliment (no Gina though). Good news is that Chris joined us, and a couple of musicians who drop in when their barge is in port (apparently) were there too. Bad news is that the bangy thumpy was there with a bigger than ever drum. Having just watched the excellent programme from Howard Goodall on rhythm, I was straining to hear what kind of interesting cross rhythms or syncopation he might be using. Sadly I failed. It must be me.
After muttering about the volume of the piano, a quiet word was had and the balance restored with no ruffled feathers. In fact seems to be an enhancement to have a keyboard undercurrent, as it is rhythmically different from the guitar and as long as it doesn't overpower, seems to work quite well. So strike plinky from the dreaded list. Quiet plinky is now embraced.
There will be a session at the Plough and Harrow at Tilmanstone on Monday 15th. Usual mix with a French accent I guess.
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