The Festival Season is upon us and soon it will be Broadstairs. You can tell by all the rain although, this year, they do forecast a heatwave for the second week in August. So better get the wellies out then.
"What of the sessions?" I hear you cry.
I would like to make clear at this point that these entries are the fevered ramblings of a sessioneer and not a report from the Independent's Session Critic. Scoff and chortle into your ale if you will, but these are personal observations, based on my own predilections which are well known.
In an ideal world, I would like music sessions to be music sessions. Musicians who sing can do so whenever the muse is upon them but I would like singers who don't musicsh to go to folk clubs. Story tellers such as Adrian O' are welcome anywhere anytime. I'm not sure about poets. That's it in a nutshell.
Having said that, and contrary to popular belief, If I run a session, I would not turn away singers, poets or anyone else who comes to play/sing/juggle tripe/crochet chain link fences/gargle the Marseillaise/fart Rule Brittania or bend horseshoes by hand into interesting artistic objets d'art. I always leave it very much to them to work out whether they feel they are in the right place.
Well, the Irish session is still stuggling along and is very variable. Apparently, last week was a stonker (I had to miss it. Rats!) but this week was less stonking with a turn out of only 4 stalwarts. Nevertheless, a good time was had and some good tunes played. Beau of KentFolk came to support us and a good discussion was had as well meandering as it does around many topics.
As for Thursday in the Bear, It fares a lot better than the Irish Session and has a good following of musicians and singers.
Mike and Ruth always lay on a good evening's entertainment and everybody is welcome. Every Thursday night is different and it depends on who turns up and what they can do as to what happens.
In the back bar of the Bear (those of you who know it will appreciate this with incredulity), we have had, over the years: Bagpipes (full Highland and Irish and Northumbrian and Breton), Hurdy Gurdy, a selection of medieval wind instruments, Saxophone and Euphonium, Hammer Dulcimer, Nyckelharpa, Harp, Appalachian Clogging, French Dancing, Irish Dancing, English Sessions, Irish Sessions, Singers and Poets and I'm sure there's more. We've had Burn's Night, St Georges Day, Solstice Celebrations, St Patrick's Day and who knows what else besides (not all Thursday Nights). We've run sessions for the Hop Festival and Food Festival and Barn Dances for fund raising and charity.
As for guests, they are legion - Tim Edey, Paul Lucas, Davey Slater, Tan Tethera, Bob Kenwood, Eugene Lambe and many many more from home and overseas. Add to this heady mix, the Bear's long standing regulars and supporters and it is never a dull evening.
It's not always an English Music Session or even a mixed music session, but it is a good night and if I didn't enjoy it, I wouldn't go!
Friday, July 24, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Tuesday 23rd June 2009
I was given a tune book recently. Some kind soul knew of my interest in Folk Music and had found a small book entitled 'Folk Tunes' Book 1 for solo descant recorder copyright 1946. Yes, there is a book 2 and book 3.
Oh how things have changed thank goodness.
What was the idea of a folk tune in 1946? Well here is a list of things to play in a 1946 session (no, they didn't really exist then AFAIK).
It is a characteristic of this time that American, often Civil War tunes were mixed quite casually with the Irish, Welsh, Scottish and English ballads of the day. Folk was a different world which transcended national boundaries but somehow still got lumped together. I still can't believe that some of them were 'classified' as folk.
Just a taster from Books 2 and 3:
Amongst quite respectable tunes such as Keel Row and the Lincolnshire Poacher are Rule Britannia, Yankee Doodle, Go Down Moses and Jeannie with the light brown hair. I think it's stretching it a bit to put those down as 'Folk'.
I'm glad things have changed but it does make you wonder if folk should be classified and categorised and pigeon-holed at all. Maybe someone will look back on the last 40 years and exclaim 'What were they thinking!".
Oh how things have changed thank goodness.
What was the idea of a folk tune in 1946? Well here is a list of things to play in a 1946 session (no, they didn't really exist then AFAIK).
- Ash Grove
- The Bailiff's Daughter of Islington
- Billy Boy
- Charlie is my darling
- Cockles and Mussels
- Early one morning
- God Save the Queen. (As a folk tune !?!)
- Greensleeves (must crop up in every folk collection)
- The Harp that once thro'Tara's Halls
- Lass of Richmond Hill
- My Love's an Arbutus (a plant as far as I can tell!)
- On Ilkley Moor bah't 'at
- O Shenandoah
- Robin Adair
- Star-spangled Banner
- Swing Low Sweet Chariot
- When Johnny Comes marching home
- Ye Mariners of England.
It is a characteristic of this time that American, often Civil War tunes were mixed quite casually with the Irish, Welsh, Scottish and English ballads of the day. Folk was a different world which transcended national boundaries but somehow still got lumped together. I still can't believe that some of them were 'classified' as folk.
Just a taster from Books 2 and 3:
Amongst quite respectable tunes such as Keel Row and the Lincolnshire Poacher are Rule Britannia, Yankee Doodle, Go Down Moses and Jeannie with the light brown hair. I think it's stretching it a bit to put those down as 'Folk'.
I'm glad things have changed but it does make you wonder if folk should be classified and categorised and pigeon-holed at all. Maybe someone will look back on the last 40 years and exclaim 'What were they thinking!".
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Wednesday 10 June 2009
It has been a long time since St George's day which was the last post to the diary. What has happened since then? Well it's a case of same old, same old I'm afraid but there are some observations which might be pertinent.
I know there are some regular readers who eagerly await the next entry but it gets harder and harder to write for two reasons. The main one of these is that more people read the diary so there is a much greater risk of upsetting somebody! Shelagh suggested writing a new one which was entirely fictitious but closely modelled reality, changing names to protect the guilty. It's tempting.
First observation then: the Irish Session still struggles to achieve critical mass for regular sessions, but there was a good turn out for a Sunday Session at the Unicorn at Bekesbourne. Not only were some of the old George crowd there, but a couple came all the way from Battle to join us. The pub is advertising Folk and a BBQ every Sunday. Whether this is genuine love of the genre or a way of attracting punters, I know not but it is a nice venue and we wish it every success.
Second: An old rant, but sessioneers play in sessions, singers go to folk club. In the words of the famous Alexander Orloff, Simples!
So why do singers turn up to sessions and take up valuable playing time? This is a genuine question, because they do.
Not that their output is unworthy of an audience, it is just a case of propriety.
Not that the individuals aren't nice people - they are. It's just a question of what that line is in the sand of folk that delineates one type of activity from another.
Maybe sessions are an entirely Irish concept and in England a session is a general folk gathering. Maybe it's to do with the concept of what the gathering is in the mind of the leader. Some like songs, some don't.
Then there is the idea of the clan. That is a small community of folk minded people who travel together as an entity. If there is a session, you get the singers, poets, jugglers, worriers and audience thrown in. But it's the same for a folk club, open mic etc. - the whole shebang work as a whole. Come one come all. Or a permanent BOGOF offer. This is probably essential in a small community to keep the music and song alive but not so essential in a richer environment.
Or perhaps it's a confidence thing. Maybe some singers are more confident singing in a session environment rather than in front of an audience.
Now most sessions can be enlivened by an occasional song and many musicians sing an occasional song in both the Irish and English session. But I hate it when the singers (who only sing) compete with musicians for spots so it becomes a competition. I just want to go and play music.
There is one other small problem as well. If you have a good session going with the right pace and drive, a song can kill that mood instantly and ruin the 'groove' for want of a better word. There are some who go as far as suggesting that some kinds of music do the same - like trying to get back into reels and jigs if someone plays a slow air or a waltz.
Life isn't easy being a sessioneer.
I know there are some regular readers who eagerly await the next entry but it gets harder and harder to write for two reasons. The main one of these is that more people read the diary so there is a much greater risk of upsetting somebody! Shelagh suggested writing a new one which was entirely fictitious but closely modelled reality, changing names to protect the guilty. It's tempting.
First observation then: the Irish Session still struggles to achieve critical mass for regular sessions, but there was a good turn out for a Sunday Session at the Unicorn at Bekesbourne. Not only were some of the old George crowd there, but a couple came all the way from Battle to join us. The pub is advertising Folk and a BBQ every Sunday. Whether this is genuine love of the genre or a way of attracting punters, I know not but it is a nice venue and we wish it every success.
Second: An old rant, but sessioneers play in sessions, singers go to folk club. In the words of the famous Alexander Orloff, Simples!
So why do singers turn up to sessions and take up valuable playing time? This is a genuine question, because they do.
Not that their output is unworthy of an audience, it is just a case of propriety.
Not that the individuals aren't nice people - they are. It's just a question of what that line is in the sand of folk that delineates one type of activity from another.
Maybe sessions are an entirely Irish concept and in England a session is a general folk gathering. Maybe it's to do with the concept of what the gathering is in the mind of the leader. Some like songs, some don't.
Then there is the idea of the clan. That is a small community of folk minded people who travel together as an entity. If there is a session, you get the singers, poets, jugglers, worriers and audience thrown in. But it's the same for a folk club, open mic etc. - the whole shebang work as a whole. Come one come all. Or a permanent BOGOF offer. This is probably essential in a small community to keep the music and song alive but not so essential in a richer environment.
Or perhaps it's a confidence thing. Maybe some singers are more confident singing in a session environment rather than in front of an audience.
Now most sessions can be enlivened by an occasional song and many musicians sing an occasional song in both the Irish and English session. But I hate it when the singers (who only sing) compete with musicians for spots so it becomes a competition. I just want to go and play music.
There is one other small problem as well. If you have a good session going with the right pace and drive, a song can kill that mood instantly and ruin the 'groove' for want of a better word. There are some who go as far as suggesting that some kinds of music do the same - like trying to get back into reels and jigs if someone plays a slow air or a waltz.
Life isn't easy being a sessioneer.
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