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Leigh
Folk Festival 2011 Performers' Profiles Acadian Driftwood : Spawned in the alligator- ridden bayous of the Thames Delta, Leigh’s very own Cajuns dish up another spicy serving of South Louisiana ‘French Music’. The classic sounds of Lawrence Walker, Joe Falcon, and the Balfa Brothers rendered afresh on squeezebox, fiddle, guitar and ‘tit fer. Artgruppe : Resident band at ‘La Belle et la Beat’ at Southend’s Railway Hotel. Michelle, Roy, Jay & Justin – purveyors of heart -warming songs with a heart-breaking edge; a plethora of uplifting melody and harmony resting on a blanket of summery vibes. Helen Arney: Helen Arney is a musical comedian based in London, performing original and funny songs on ukulele, piano or with her all-girl comedy band The Balconettes. A prolific writer of comedy songs with a geeky dge, she’s been appearing as a guest throughout the “Uncaged Monkeys” national tour in April & May 2011, alongside Robin Ince, Prof Brian Cox, Simon Singh and Dr Ben Goldacre. “Champion of musical whims” (Evening Standard) Lizzie B : When it comes to multi-tasking, Lizzie B is something of an expert. The Essex-based singer-songwriter not only performs across the South East, but also hosts gigs and presents two radio shows on Saint FM (Essex) and Radio Seagull (North Sea/Netherlands). Accompanied by her acoustic guitar, she describes her music as ‘acoustic/folksy/bluesy/country’. Clare Blackman : Clare is a remarkably fine singer from Billericay, with a fine line in intelligent and poignant song-writing. And it’s great that we’re able to have her back at the festival for our 20th year. Simon Blackman : Simon is a writer and performer with the Southend-on-Sea comedy improvisation team ‘Quirkish Delight’. He began his performance poetry career in 2003 when asked to fill a gap for a theatre production that was running a bit short, and he’s been hard at it ever since. Bob’s Barbershop Boys : Voted the "most entertaining performance in the singing section" (of over two hundred entries) in the Southend Music Festival 2010. Bones & the Aft : Formed in 2010, specifically to play the Leigh Folk Festival after the demise of John Bently’s previous incarnation as the Afterrabbit, Bones & the Aft sets his impassioned pure storytelling within raw yet sensitive soundscapes provided by former Balaam & the Angel guitarist Ian McKean. Broggie : The alter ego of David Knight, local singer - guitarist extraordinaire and regular performer at The Hoy at Anchor Folk Club
Matt Boulter : Normally seen playing in successful folk-rock band The Lucky Strikes, Matt’s solo material is stunning. Matt has played alongside such greats as Simon Felice of The Felice Brothers, and this subtle Americana influence helps make Matt Boulter one of our exciting new must-see talents this year. Phil Burdett : Prodigiously talented singer-songwriter craftsman from our own seaspawn and seawrack strewn shores, eternally tidebound by the ‘ineluctable modality of the audible’. A local treasure, and still one of our best kept secrets. “One part bohemian-era Tom Waits, two parts stream of consciousness Van-the-Man circa Astral Weeks, topped off with the sensibility of Robbie Robertson” (Maverick) Tom Burgess : Basildon-born, but Southend- based singer-guitarist and songwriter. Tom is one of the moving spirits behind Shangri La Friday night sessions at the Railway Hotel in Southend on Sea. Julie Collings : Born in the Midlands, Julie has been a keen and prolific writer and performer since her early teens. Whilst her friends were hanging out at home, Julie spent her teenage years touring the UK, honing her skills as a performer, singer and songwriter. “Collings is cut from the old cloth, she stands and delivers with a voice that is warm and dry, backing that up with obvious craft on the guitar….It’s the kind of kinetic approach to song writing that influence Suzanne Vega would no doubt appreciate…Collings is of the same school of pared-down, introspective and self-aware song writing….Her strength is definitely her dedication to finely-crafted, introspective song writing” (Scott Sinclair - Wears the Trousers) Bob Collum : Go West, young man, the cry went up of ages past. And they did. Except for one guy, who went East. And that’s Bob Collum, who in trading the prairies of his native Tulsa, Oklahoma for the alluvial expanses of the Thames Delta, has brought to these shores a tasty take on country infused pop. Corncrow : Stephen Hunt and Kim Guy form the duo Corncrow whose lovingly crafted songs are imbued with the beauty of the landscape of their native Cornwall. Earthy yet ethereal, dreamy but direct, full of solitude yet offering much solace. Curtis-Slater Experience : Steve Curtis is truly one of the country’s great guitarists, with a soul and country voice that takes you to another place. As the Curtis Slater Experience he is joined by Ian Slater and the boys, and their blend of roots Country with a tinge of blues is a real treat. Cusack : Lance Cusack, sometimes also with band….a little bit Elliott Smith, a little bit Evan Dando, a little bit Velvet Underground. Alt-country, folk rock, indie-rock mixed with some punky ethics. Simon D : Not the 1960s chat show host, Simon is a great singer / guitarist with powerful, passionate vocals and performing anything from folk to classic standards. Dark Patrick : Intriguing Anglo-Ukrainian duo who successfully combine a mixture of old and new traditions with a modern sense, in a moody and mysterious acoustic blend of voice and instruments. There are elements of ethnic and ambient styles in an experimental presentation. Often tranquil but other times striking, their music spans an array of emotions within their genre. Dark Patrick combines the traditions of various peoples, having a repertoire of songs in English, Ukrainian and Irish languages, and their own compositions, which they deliver with such force, fullness and extravagance that it is hard to believe there are only two people on stage. Mick ‘The Hat’ Denny : Runner-up in our ‘open mike’ competition a few years back, Mick is a regular and popular performer at the Hoy at Anchor Folk Club.
The Famous Potatoes : Now in their fifth decade (they started in 1979 – you work it out!), the eight piece Potatoes are a local institution, and have performed at practically every Leigh Folk Festival since its inception. Old-timey, western swing, rockabilly, Cajun and much more seamlessly mixed with folk songs and tunes from our own side of the big pond. Lucy & Jacob Farrell : A welcome return for the brother/sister duo, whose sibling chemistry adds much to an already impressive set of songs. They perform a mix of wonderful arrangements of traditional material, covers of some unlikely bedfellows (Lal Waterson and Bertolt Brecht among others), plus a few of Lucy’s own impressive originals. Younger brother Jacob adds stark electric guitar and melodeon to stunning effect. Flam Jam : Two local guitar heroes, namely Ian Elliott and Paul Brown. The passion of Flamenco guitar with its expressive rhythm (compás), fluid arpeggio and improvisational solos, blended with some jazz harmonic ideas. Flam Jam is all about the guitar and its dynamic sound textures. Jack Forbes : For the festival’s 20th year, internationally feted local folk writer and singer Jack presents his ‘Rolling Down The River Show’. This piece of folk theatre, co-composed with Charles Sharman-Cox tells the story, in music, song and narrative, of a journey through time down the Thames from London Bridge to Southend Pier. It is an entertaining dip into the social history of London's famous river. Expect laughter, tears - and audience participation! Foxen : Regular performers at Havering Folk Club, Margaret & John offer a quirky view on traditional folk. Grand Reunion : Inventors and prime exponents of the arcane musical genre known as ’cockle rock’, Mickie D and his band of bopping bivalves, with a bespoke blend of folk, rock and blues. Guilt Hands Shining : Guilt Hands Shining reportedly formed in a dusty cockle shed on the Essex coast, which makes them a natural choice for the Leigh Folk Festival. Drawing on influences from their immediate surroundings and travels throughout Europe, they have recorded a couple of EPs, which they have been promoting at a series of gigs and festivals. Phillip Henry & Hannah Martin : Phillip is a figurehead for the next generation of English slide guitarists, and has been blazing a considerable trail on the festival and folk club scene. He is considered by many to be one of the finest slide guitarists this country has ever produced, bringing together folk melodies of the British Isles, blues, gospel and Indian music in his moving and original compositions and arrangements. Hannah is a singer, songwriter, banjo-and-fiddle player from Devon, with a keen interest in traditional music. Her songs weave folklore and legend old and new with beautiful melodies and innovative arrangements, while retaining a strong sense of the living tradition. Recent years have seen Phillip and Hannah’s reputation go from strength to strength, with recording sessions in Nashville, and gigs all over Europe. Hillbilly Express : Lively band from the Havering Club stable. The Hillmisters : Pop, folk, psych, surf and noisy melodies. Southend’s very own Hillmisters admit to a bewildering range of influences, including Syd Barrett, the Velvet Underground, Robert Wyatt, Elizabeth Cotten, Sonic Youth, Fred Neil, Captain Beefheart, Anne Briggs, Gram Parsons, John Coltrane and Leonard Cohen. A perplexing and potent brew indeed. Dennis Homes : The Essex answer to Jake Thackeray, only better ! The Honeygales : The Honeygales are Kate Baxter, Diana Collier and Sarah Hemingway – a group of versatile singers based in Leigh-on-Sea with an enviable repertoire of traditional songs from far and wide, all delivered unaccompanied in joyous fashion. Sometimes playful, often delicate, occasionally rousing, always engaging. Steve Hooker : A long overdue Leigh Folk Festival debut for another local legend! Rockabilly, blues and soulman Steve still has the scars by which to remember The Heat (punk rock’n’roll 1977), The Shakers (rhythm’n’blues from hell 1982-1987), Boz & the Bozmen (glam rockabilly 1988) and Rumble (raw rockabilly 1994-1997). He’s also played and recorded with Boz Boorer (Polecats and Morrissey), Captain Drugbuster (Demented Are Go), Levi Dexter (Rockats & Ripchords), and Wilko Johnson (Dr Feelgood & The Blockheads). What took us so long! Jackie Wilson Says : JWS has the authentic energy and the vitality of the great soul bands of the 60’s and 70’s. A twelve piece line-up including 4 brass and 3 singers creates a massive classic ‘wall of sound’, which will be the perfect way to round off the 20th Leigh Folk Festival. Stern John : Stern John is a singer/songwriter determined to expose the bad guys, bullies and bigots through his ‘21st Century Protest Music’. His self penned songs, performed in their most basic form by Stern alone on guitar, take a swing at soaring house prices hoisted on an increasingly unemployed youth by successive greedy governments and de-regulated banks. He ‘defends the triumph of liberal thinking over racists and homophobes and rails against corporate fraud and the exploitation of workers in blue Britain and an increasingly sinister wider world’. He don’t pull no punches, but he don’t push the river.
Darren Jones : A welcome return to the Leigh Folk Festival for this fine local singer-songwriter. Louise Jordan & Co. Another Leigh Folk Festival favourite, who has been spreading her wings quite a bit since her last performance at the event. A folk singer admired for her ability to bring an enchanting twist to the traditional British folk song, now accompanied by her band. Having lived, worked and studied in Wiltshire, Birmingham, London and Essex, Louise draws on her varied experience to tell universal stories of love, loss and betrayal.
Ollie King : This year’s ‘New Roots’ finalist, Ollie is a traditional singer and multi-instrumentalist from Cambridge who cites Nic Jones, Martin Carthy and Nick Drake among his major influences. His instrumental prowess extends from guitar to bouzouki, and from melodeon to whistle. The Kittiwakes: Kate Denny, Chris Harrison and Jill Cumberbatch have been playing folk clubs and festivals since 2007 impressing audiences with their exciting live performance and unique sound. From rousing tunes through intricate three-part harmonies and finely arranged songs, the Kittiwakes have an acute sense of what's at the heart of the British folk tradition and bring it sailing into the 21st century with an honesty and playfulness that is at once enchanting, touching and irresistible. They have supported Show of Hands, Spiers and Boden and Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick amongst others. Lost Harbours : Lost Harbours was conceived from the bedroom recordings of Richard Thompson; influenced by an eclectic array of music including Nick Drake, Espers, Richard Youngs, Tara Jane O'Neil, Philip Glass and Nico, plus the writings of William Blake and Jorge Luis Borges. Initial vibrations occurred in 2004 and they've been shaking through ever since. Since the summer of 2009 Lost Harbours has acquired an extra member in the form of Emma Reed (who also plays in Ten Tigers) who plays a variety of instruments on most recent recordings. Lucky Strikes : Claiming influences from Ennio Morricone to the Band, via Calexico, Neil Young and Tom Waits, we are delighted to welcome the wonderful Lucky Strikes to the festival, and the sound of ‘tobacco, typewriters and the Death of Robert Johnson’….. Men Diamler : Men Diamler is a young man hailing from the north east of the south west. He has a fierce DIY ethic and a set of songs so good it makes you wonder if Old Nick has a claim on his soul. He’s been booking his own tours (which have covered Australia and pretty much all of the UK) for the last couple of years, and this will be his third visit to the Leigh Folk Festival. Moose : Joint winner of last year's Open Mike Competition singing unaccompanied ballads with a tremendous voice and passion. Navacross Navacross was formed late in 2007 by Noel Gander, Dean Baker and Mike Skinner and enjoyed instant success performing their original Soulful/Folk Rock to audiences at many open mic nights in and around Chelmsford Essex. This led to invitations to perform at larger venues in the area such as the Cramphorn Theatre, the Fleece and the Berwick Suite. In the autumn of 2008 Navacross expanded to a 5 piece band with the addition of Kevin Conran and Andy Pilgrim. Shortly after this the band began headlining gigs and has been in great demand since, playing regular gigs in and around Essex and Cambridge. Al Neville : Singer– songwriter and regular performer at Havering Folk Club. Lucy O’Driscoll : Another great songwriter and performer with strong Leigh links, inspired by ‘love, madness and love’, as well as the great Irish poet Patrick Kavanagh, and with musical influences as diverse as Leonard Cohen, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Shirley Collins and Throbbing Gristle! Simon Oliver : Well respected local singer - guitarist - songwriter and 'guvnor' of the popular Havering Folk Club. Peter Optical : A professional storyteller with many festivals under his belt, including Sidmouth, Towersey, Chippenham plus Cambridge. The Owl Service : Leigh’s very own psych-folk collective, the Owl Service was formed by Steven Collins in 2006 as a vehicle to explore his love of British films and television of the 1960s and 70s, his love of the great outdoors and the sound of the English folk revival. The debut album ‘A Garland of Song’ received rave reviews from Word and Plan B magazines among others. An EP recorded with Alison O’Donnell of Mellow Candle followed on Static Caravan in 2009, then in 2010 their sophomore full length record ‘The View From A Hill’ on their own Rif Mountain label garnered even more critical superlatives. Heavy, fuzz-fuelled folk for discerning rural psych heads! Page Boy : Page Boy combines original music with folk covers. Lead by singer Jo Page and accompanied by Ant Broadbent on guitar, the pair takes its inspiration from the harmonies of Crosby, Stills & Nash. Jo’s Laurel Canyon-esque vocals alongside Ant’s classical guitar playing make for a dreamlike, meditative listen. Pancho & Lefty Two well-known local ‘mal hombres’, performing stripped-down country rock, with more than a little salty Essex twang. Phillious Williams: Phillious Williams was born in the 17th century, at the time of the bubonic plague. A chronic bigamist and drunk, his life was mostly filled with misery and pain. Through the course of his pained and weary life he became a razor sharp, bitter but also charming and witty storyteller. Drowning in a shipwreck at the end of his 29 short years, all evidence of his life was thought lost until in the wrecks of the ‘Sabare Clar’ at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean were found his memoirs and stories....here they are put to song, amid the earthy strains of the ‘Heavy Western Sound’. Tony Prior : Chalkwell - based singer, guitarist, songwriter and regular performer at The Hoy for over 25 years. Tony is well known for writing and performing satirical news songs live on air every Sunday on BBC Essex, He also recently performed with Jack Forbes and others on ITV’s ‘Coastal Kitchen’. Reverend Jim Casy : Fine country and gospel trio steps straight from the pages of Steinbeck into The Ship Hotel! Simon Routh & Dave Anton : A great duo, giving every essence of feeling back to the blues. Guitar, blues harp and vocals performed with a passion. The Seasiders : Rowdy, end-of-the-pier naughtiness from the great Dave Woodcock and chums, Oh, they do like to be beside the seaside….. Silbury Hill : Silbury Hill is a folk rock duo based in the Ipswich / Colchester area. David Stainer and Scott Dolling started playing music together in 2008 after discovering a mutual interest in the prog rock / folk rock era of the late 60's early 70's. The live set is based around an original take on familiar numbers from folk, and contemporary pieces with a smattering of prog rock played acoustically. Skinny Lister : Skinny Lister is a family of like-minded musicians who came together in 2009: English to the core and with folk in their hearts, Daniel, Lorna, Max, Sam and Dan are the life, the soul and the party. Their music, equal parts traditional folk and ramshackle pop, rip-roaring and rum-totingly exciting, a Skinny Lister gig is an experience that spins you round, lifts you up and puts a smile on your face all the way home. Whether its heave-ho-ing shanties, family penned traditional songs or their own trade mark sounds from a lost summer spent tripping through fields of corn or hazy nights at a country pub, Skinny Lister is a lifestyle and the soundtrack to happiness. Ian Slater & Friends : Ian’s legendary Saturday night session, with plenty of special guests and a feast of Americana. Slow Loris : Another regular fixture at the Leigh Folk Festival, Slow Loris is a rip-roaring, acoustic/electric song and barn dance band, with an original sound as well as hot rhythms. The band’s music is a potent mix of folk roots, blues, songs and tunes written by Joe Parker and Jack Forbes. Jason Steel : Jason Steel is a singer & picker of stringed instruments. Originally from Yorkshire, he currently rests his head in North London. Shortly after joining The Owl Service in 2008, Jason began to record the songs that would make up the 'We Deserve Fire' 7" & the 'Eternal Embers' EP. These weaved the sounds of Appalachian and ragtime picking, the strange, old worlds of traditional folk and the ghosts of 1920s Tin Pan Alley (both recorded live to a single microphone). The results were effective; an emotional hinterland somewhere between Bert Jansch and Leonard Cohen, John Fahey and Cliff 'Ukulele Ike' Edwards. His debut long player 'Fire Begot Ash' garnered considerable praise in various quarters upon its release in March of 2010, followed by an invitation to record for the BBC at Maida Vale studios. Jason is currently working on his second album for Rif Mountain. He divides the rest of his time between staring at the moon, drawing old churches and listening to Leadbelly's 'Last Sessions' ‘As if Dock Boggs had come from Doncaster …’(fRoots) Straw Bear Band : The Straw Bear Band has a magpie nature, lyrically mixing folklore, myth, history and fiction. Musically they're just as eclectic, ranging from delicate acoustic song to scratchy electronica, ending up like a Joe Meek production of Tim Buckley. Live, they create a kind of 'medieval Krautrock' or 'garage-folk'. This direction has inspired the songs for the new Eccentric Heart project; an A-Z of British eccentrics. They confess to love concept albums such as SF Sorrow and In an Aeroplane Over the Sea, and this has spilled over into their writing. The band sings with fervor and heart, carving songs from wood and lung. Lead singer Dom Cooper also plays in The Owl Service. Their debut album was released on St. Piran's Day in 2007 by Hobby-Horse, the first Eccentric material will start to surface in 2011 on Rif Mountain. The band is named after a festival that takes place in the town of Whittlesey, where founder Dom Cooper grew up. Tim Sully : A great singer-songwriter - guitarist and Preview Club regular. Sundown Arts: Sundown is a diverse arts organisation curating events in Southend, London and across the UK. Past acts have included John Hegley, Frank Sidebottom, Adem, Pictish Trail, Ed Harcourt, Josie Long, Isy Suttie, Jo Caulfield, Scroobius Pip and many others. Sundown prides itself on successfully merging spoken word, live music, comedy, short films and DJs into one charismatic ensemble. Swinging The Lead : Newly formed shanty crew from way up river….well, Dartford to be precise. Three hog-eye men, namely Dave Webb, Brian Withstandley and Stephen Skey. Dave Symonds : Resident performer, both as an unaccompanied singer and with guitar, at The Hoy at Anchor Folk Club. Thameside Mummers : A Leigh institution and perennial festival favourites with their inimitable take on the traditional mummers play. The troupe was formed in 1971 to perform a one-off Christmas play at the Hoy at Anchor Folk Club; they are now one of the few full-time, traditional mumming sides in the country and their annual Boxing Day performance on Billet Wharf in Old Leigh, Essex has become a landmark local tradition. Tuppenny Bunters : A welcome return for the punk-jazz duo, with their idiosyncratic repertoire of classic TV and film themes, rendered on piano and drums. Usually to be found in Southend’s wonderful Railway Hotel, where they “take advantage of a real piano with a pick-up inside, allowing it to be really, really loud!” West Brothers : Well-loved local band, performing country blues and bluegrass with great feeling and expertise. Winners of the Preview Blue Angel Award. West Weston’s Bluesonics : Leigh’s very own ace harmonica player and singer Steve 'West' Weston fronts the fabulous Bluesonics acoustic blues band, which this year makes its long-overdue Leigh Folk Festival debut. Steve’s tone is extraordinary, as is his taste and style, and within his chosen field - old style Chicago/West Coast harp playing - he's right up there with anyone in the world today. Not only that, he can sing and front a band with great charisma. Yardarm Folk Orchestra : The Orchestra was formed by members of the Thamesgate Traditional Arts Association. With members from London and throughout Essex. They are based at the Trinity Methodist Church Hall, Westcliff on Sea, where they hold practices on the third and fourth of each month at 7.45 pm. Zoox : Zoox (Linda Game, Jo May and Becky Menday) is a superb trio serving up a cocktail of new melodies and traditional tunes with a delicate balance of strings, wind, percussion and voices. Be prepared for a fabulous array of instruments from contrabassoon to congas. Their rich and varied influences include Celtic, Appalachian, Klezmer, African, Cuban, rock, and classical. Exciting arrangements, great musicianship and infectious energy typify the performances of Zoox in a show which is guaranteed to entertain and enchant.
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