26th August 2008

A grim bank holiday but it's been busy on the session scene. There was Broadstairs of course with numerous sessions going on from organised to campsite impromptu. On Monday, the regular trek of East Kent sessioneers to The Lord Nelson took place to play with Paul Lucas and guest who this year was Pip who many will remember from the local scene. He is now studying for a Folk degree in Newcastle so good luck to him for that.
There was an amazing array of 'Folk' instruments including a metallic silver accordion (no go faster stripe though) and a huge white midi-interfaced 120 bass accordion which seemed stuck on music hall (there's a setting ...). Add the fiddles, banjos, melodeons, flutes, whistles, guitars and bangy-shaky things and that was the session. I refuse to be drawn.

In and around the festivals, one gets the true feeling of sessions. 'Anything but Irish' proclaimed one and 'English Only' said another. Some are 'Celtic' and to be fair some, like Paul's are 'Come All Ye' sessions.

I'm not sure if sessions that exclude Irish are perpetrated by those who can't play Irish or Don't like Irish or just think it shouldn't be played by non-natives. Probably a combination of all three. There is certainly a divide although some sessioneers manage to play on both sides and are accepted.

I also had the time to go to the Tilmanstone session and found it a pale shadow of its former self. This is a shame because it suits some musicians down to the ground - especially beginners but whereas the session used to be extremely tolerant of the tentative and timid *BUT* also play tunes at approaching normal speed and rhythm so beginners knew what to aspire to, it is now terribly slow and I know from experience that it will not improve on its own. There is talk of closing it if the next one does not pick up. That's the third Monday of the month at the Plough and Harrow at Tilmanstone from about 8:30. Go Rock Them.

There will be a lot of sessioning this week as it is the hop festival at the weekend. Sorry, The International Faversham Hops Festival. So we will be sessioning Wednesday (Irish), Thursday (Mixed Lumpy), Friday (Irish - in the Bear), Saturday and Sunday lunchtimes in the Bear after playing in the Festival Band both mornings.

And Rest.