Happy St George's Day! I hope many of you are going out to celebrate with just as much gusto as we all celebrate St Patrick's night. So That'll be a quiet night in the snug and a dragon artistically arranged in relief on the head of your pint of bitter.
Bizarrely, we will be going to the usual Irish Session tonight although in the past an English Tune or two has been played in honour of England's Patron Saint.
If anyone knows how England came to get a Turkish Soldier in the Roman Army as our Patron Saint I'd like to hear the story. He is Patron Saint of a lot of other places as well so he was obviously a popular chap. I expect Mummers and Morris, singarounds and sessions throughout England at the very least to celebrate and it should be declared a Bank Holiday! Let's campaign for it. Real Ale for all and Jerusalem as an anthem.
Now, you know the trouble we've had identifying what sort of event Thursday night at the Bear is don't you? Well as luck would have it (reminds me of an Adrian O' story), last Friday I was attending an Investors in People workshop at Eastwell Manor. I must explain that this was an enforced attendance of my alter ego and not something I chose to do although the compensation is that the lunches are fabulous. Anyway, having finished early I decided to drop into fellow sessioneer and banjo miner, Andy Perkins at the Banjo Works in Faversham to say hello. Unbeknown to me, while I was playing a fabulous John Abbott Monarch Tenor banjo which had been recently restored, there was some discussion in the other room of this very Diary....
When I joined them, I explained the quandary over classifying the event on Thursday as it seemed to be an Open Mic (err, without a Mic) crossed with Mike Wheeler and Friends Entertain whereupon a suggestion was made that it should be called an 'Open Mike' session. Brilliant!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Thursday, 10th April 2008
Well it's been a funny couple of weeks. Full of ups and downs like a roller coaster ride (actually better not mention that at the moment since the Grade 2 listed Scenic Railway at Margate burnt down) but lets have a look at what we had:
Last Wednesday's Irish Session had a grand turn out of 4 who with heroic effort overcame the lack of critical mass and played all evening. They say it's good for the soul. I'm not sure if anyone went this week (yesterday) because nearly all the players were otherwise engaged so it seemed best to call it off. I hope it gets back on track soon.
On the other hand, last week at the Mixed Lumpy and Fre-lgian gathering there was a staggering turn out. A quick run down of the 17 or so musicians who were there included 3 members of Wheeler Street (Pete, Toby and Sophy) , Dave Bolton and wife Marion (pipes & harp), Roy Gill and Jack, Ken Latham and many of the regulars. It was a mixture of concert turns, songs and a few join-in tunes for the musicians. It really seems sometimes to be a rival to the Chimney Boy Folk Club but the overall aim I think is to entertain the chums and it usually succeeds.
It was remarked to me that sessions don't get much better. I felt moved to point out that enjoyable though it was and appreciated as it was by the audience (well those few who could squeeze in because of all the musicians) and entertaining as it was for said audience it was not a session. If it continues as entertainment rather than session, I rather think that we ought to get paid!
Friday, 11th April
I felt moved to write a postscript after last night's mixed lumpy session. While our thoughts are with Mike and his family, the gathering actually was a session and enjoyed by musicians and audience alike. It was a mixed gathering of seasoned sessioneers (Shelagh, Barbara and yours truly) with Lizzie and Colin who are becoming seasoned and a German girl who I think is Geisler and a chap who may be Martin. Apologies to either if the names are wrong. As a result of the session, 'Dark girl dressed in Blue' has now become 'Girl with no knickers on'. Ask Barbara.
We played old classics, simple tunes and strange tunes for example: Jaimie Allen / Brighton Camp / Rakes of Marlow and Curly Headed Ploughboy / Bonny Kate / Girl with no Knickers On plus some mazurkas from Colin, that strange Swedish Mazurka which does Judy's head in with the timing, the Golden Valley Quadrille and Chinese Breakdown. Some nice waltzes with the Crystal Wedding, Clogue and Man in the Moon. There were no songs. We did invite Richard but his voice was out of action so he declined.
Last Wednesday's Irish Session had a grand turn out of 4 who with heroic effort overcame the lack of critical mass and played all evening. They say it's good for the soul. I'm not sure if anyone went this week (yesterday) because nearly all the players were otherwise engaged so it seemed best to call it off. I hope it gets back on track soon.
On the other hand, last week at the Mixed Lumpy and Fre-lgian gathering there was a staggering turn out. A quick run down of the 17 or so musicians who were there included 3 members of Wheeler Street (Pete, Toby and Sophy) , Dave Bolton and wife Marion (pipes & harp), Roy Gill and Jack, Ken Latham and many of the regulars. It was a mixture of concert turns, songs and a few join-in tunes for the musicians. It really seems sometimes to be a rival to the Chimney Boy Folk Club but the overall aim I think is to entertain the chums and it usually succeeds.
It was remarked to me that sessions don't get much better. I felt moved to point out that enjoyable though it was and appreciated as it was by the audience (well those few who could squeeze in because of all the musicians) and entertaining as it was for said audience it was not a session. If it continues as entertainment rather than session, I rather think that we ought to get paid!
Friday, 11th April
I felt moved to write a postscript after last night's mixed lumpy session. While our thoughts are with Mike and his family, the gathering actually was a session and enjoyed by musicians and audience alike. It was a mixed gathering of seasoned sessioneers (Shelagh, Barbara and yours truly) with Lizzie and Colin who are becoming seasoned and a German girl who I think is Geisler and a chap who may be Martin. Apologies to either if the names are wrong. As a result of the session, 'Dark girl dressed in Blue' has now become 'Girl with no knickers on'. Ask Barbara.
We played old classics, simple tunes and strange tunes for example: Jaimie Allen / Brighton Camp / Rakes of Marlow and Curly Headed Ploughboy / Bonny Kate / Girl with no Knickers On plus some mazurkas from Colin, that strange Swedish Mazurka which does Judy's head in with the timing, the Golden Valley Quadrille and Chinese Breakdown. Some nice waltzes with the Crystal Wedding, Clogue and Man in the Moon. There were no songs. We did invite Richard but his voice was out of action so he declined.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)