Lucy, Paul, Tim and Sue at the Sunday Session hastily reconvened at the Bear (below). Tim's Dad - Richard, Jane and others (right)

Monday 25th June 2007

There is a law of Irish Sessions, called Mulligan's Uncertainty Principle which states that you can know how to play a tune or know the name of the tune but not both together. Well it certainly seems that way sometimes and I truly envy those who know the name, the tune and the key of every tune.

Last night - the last-Sunday-of-the-month session which is supposed to be a regular booking at the Anchor in Faversham could have been a complete washout as the pub had unkindly booked a local amplified outfit who were doing bad covers when we turned up. Somewhat bedraggled, the small posse met up with Paul Lucas and Sue, visiting from afar and set about finding an alternative venue at very short notice - like 5 minutes. Then we tried to let everyone know. Apparently we hadn't confirmed that we would be going so they got someone else in. Harumph.

Anyway - decamp to the spiritual home of traditional music in Faversham which is the Bear who kindly let us play there. Just one poor barmaid on duty hoping for a quiet night and then we turned up. As someone put it (thanks anonymous) - "the lowest ceilinged, smokiest pub in the whole of christendom" - well, 1st of July will do little for ceiling height, but will have a big impact on the smoke.

The back room filled with musicians by some magical force and the music was glorious. As well as the regulars and Paul, some of the Broadstairs & Ramsgate contingent came as well. So that was Tim Edey and his father; Lucy with the Bodhran; Aaron from the morris; a couple I'd seen before but don't know (box and flute) and a chap with a whistle. All in all it was we agreed a very good and enjoyable session.

Friday 22nd June

One day past the solstice so it's probably safe to go out again near ancient monuments. And it's downhill now to, you know, the C word. Nights drawing in, winter draws on ... the old ones are the old ones as Pete would say. Dammit he's got us saying it now. And following the earthquake we have had the floods following a most humongous storm on Tuesday night when a lot of Kent lost power for the night affording the great opportunity for we few, we happy band, of making entertainment with acoustic instruments by candlelight. Aren't we lucky.

A quiet-ish normal-ish week this week session-wise. A welcome return of Andybanjo to the Irish session after a well deserved holiday in the exotic environs of Suffolk. Gateway to .... well nowhere really. A week of stalwarts (not a nasty type of accordion complaint) rather than surprise guests and enjoyable for that.

The mixed lumpy which is the Bear was particularly enjoyable as we sailed through many a tune and set that does not normally form part of the repertoire for the Thursday session. And quite right too. My partner in crime, Six String Shelagh and I were remarking on the need for something new in the session as we headed the wagons through the Dunkirk gap.

I find playing with Ralphie a delight. Not only are they beautiful tunes, beautifully executed, but there is always something else going on with variations of one kind or another. Ralph and I were discussing the fact that some tunes have innate tempo and rhythm and when you get it, it just feels fantastic and the tune flies ... errr even if they're slow. Well it feels right anyway - there's a built-in pulse which only seems to emerge when you get the tempo just right and the tune becomes the lovely little thing it was meant to be.

Sadly, we do tend to play many tunes too fast and with only a fairly light passing nod to the time signature in some cases (and key in others - yes thumpy has returned with his avant garde approach to the one string fretless bass aka rubbish bin and broom handle). Our other sin is to create what I call Cortina sets - you know, the bad back street weld where the seam shows after a cut-and-shut operation. I do believe that Ralph and I might found The Lumpy Traditional Tune Preservation Society to try and avert these ravages.

It really does pull some of these fine tunes out of shape if they're played too fast. And to bring us full circle, it's often the Irish (tunes) that get beaten up the worst - maybe because they're the hardest to play and decidedly not lumpy. I don't think you can actually play them on a D-G melodeon unless you're Tim Edey. By the way Tim, we think your latest CDs are great - don't listen to fRoots - what do they know?

Sunday session at the Anchor, Faversham on the 24th from 8:00. Strictly Irish.

Sunday 17th June 2007

I think Irish traditional music must wear you out more than other kinds. Our Irish session seems to suffer from various maladies and afflictions and rarely manages to get into full fling for more than 2 hours. It's more like 90 minutes most nights. On the other hand the mixed lumpy always goes on for at least 2 and a half hours, often three and only packs up because the landlord wants to go to bed! (and some of us have to go to work the next day :-( I envy those who took early retirement) .

On the Irish scene, there was a concert at the weekend organised by the redoubtable Beau of Kent Folk and featuring Tommy Peoples. On the Mixed Lumpy scene we are still blessed with Ralphie now he's retired and this week saw the welcome appearance of Bob Kenward who was pursuaded into song. Among his songs were Great Navy Days and the Pantomime which is in the Fred Wedlock tradition (and hilarious) if you haven't heard it.

Today promises one of the garden party events of the Summer (weather permitting) and at the end of the month is the famous Reculver BBQ. No weekend sessions at the moment but the normal weekly ones are still going.

We haven't seen Jez for a long time - if you're still out there, come and play some tunes!