Tudor Folk Club
Chesham, Bucks, England

Archive January to June 1999

11 January 1999: Harvey Andrews - His new, official site. And his agent's new site (links updated 19 November).

25 January 1999: Judy Dunlop & John Scaife

8 February 1999: Chris Conway & Vikki Clayton

22 February 1999: Alan Burke. Fine Irish singer/guitarist. "A charismatic singer and songwriter, Alan is best known for his time with the marvellous 'After Hours'. A talented and witty performer, who can light up the most dreary February evening with the force of his personality and the fire of his singing". I've nicked this resume from Redditch Folk's programme. (Without permission, but with thanks!) He's the master of DADGAD and open-G tunings, so all you guitar fiends will want to check him out (oh yes I will!). His style encompasses traditional, Gaelic and contemporary material, and he must be okay, because he's supported Christie Moore, Sharon Shannon, Moving Hearts and Donnal Lunny: pretty fine accolade, eh? Currently touring to promote his wonderful album "On the Other Hand", he's got a superb voice, is extremely funny and a great all-round entertainer

8 March 1999: Thought Gang (previously known as Whiskey Before Breakfast). They are Martin Green- piano accordion, Kevin Duffy- guitar, Cathy Coombs- fiddle and Nigel Savage- percussion "He's small, intense, extremely hairy, either a musical genius or the Great Satan of folk music, ...plays piano accordion... His name is Martin Green. Green's band is all English but thinks it's Irish, resembles the cast of a Quentin Tarantino movie... Whiskey Before Breakfast delight in affronting the purists... 'The ones that stayed loved it.'...They really do break the rules" Folk Roots, Root Salad, May 1998. Also, from Rock 'n' Reel (sorry, don't know date: the quote's second-hand!): "Sure know how to whip up a storm... like chancing across a drunken session with abandon and flair all in place... poignant and superb"

22 March 1999: Noel Murphy. No web site found

12 April 1999: Firebrand "putting excitement into the tradition". Firebrand play a delightful mixture of Celtic, English and original tunes and songs on harp, fiddle, cittern, mandolin, guitar and vocal chords. Their presentation is nicely understated, allowing the character of the material to breathe. I particularly enjoyed their Breton tunes (including a slightly left-of-centre modern piece in 5/4) and an original song of John's concerning his Grandparents' marriage across the Anglo-Irish divide. Currently touring to promote their new album "Kyng Horn", Firebrand comprise a Scotsman, a Welshman and an Irishman (no jokes, please!). Peter Milne, Daniel James and John Harris (I think I can spot the Welshman, anyway) have been together since 1997, but have been playing the tradition for considerably longer. Recently featured on BBC television (okay, it was the Cheltenham Literature Festival, but at least it wasn't Channel 5), they generate a great atmosphere.
note: Pete adds: "We will be adding real audio & MP3 files to the web site soon. PS I'm half English/half Scots as is Daniel and John is half Welsh/half Irish. Cheers! Pete" so there you are! But it wrecks the 'no jokes, please!' gag.

26 April 1999: John Wright Band. "Very rarely do you come across a group or singer whose professionalism and charisma hits you squarely between the eyes, but that was the case back in January 1998, when I first encountered the John Wright Band. The clarity of John's voice, allied to the outstanding musicianship displayed by Kenny Spiers on guitar and Stewart Hardy on fiddle blew through the room like a breath of fresh air. Nine months on, I went along again and my first impression was not diminished one iota... ...It's the mix of material that for me makes the John Wright Band so popular with audiences... ...Many of the songs are tracks on the band's current CD "Other Roads", which is superbly engineered and is a faithful reproduction of their live sound. The material is a perfect reflection of what the John Wright Band is all about: songs with powerful, meaningful messages, mixed with ballads sung with sensitivity and feeling. I highly recommend that you treat yourself. It may be only in the last twelve months that the John Wright Band have been becoming more widely known in the UK, but they have a burgeoning reputation which is growing by the day." David Jones in Folk North West, Winter 1998. (They now have a web site! for this fine magazine which covers, er, the North-West (Stoke seems to be its southern border, through Cheshire and on up to Lancs, and including North Wales): club listings plus CD and gig reviews)

10 May 1999: Pete Coe.

24 May 1999: Madigan"Madigan are Jenny Crook - celtic harp and vocals; Henry Sears - fiddle viola, mandolin, whistle and vocals; Dominic Harrison - guitar, bass and vocals; and Brian Madigan - drums and flute ...I rather enjoyed the balance struck between the contemporary songs and the traditional tunes, given interesting and attractive arrangements by the band. The standard of musicianship is excellent.... Madigan have a great deal going for them... I look forward to hearing more of them in the near future" Dave Tuxford in Buzz!

14 June 1999: Ian Bruce.Ian is arguably the finest male Scots singer of his generation; I quote from a recent Folk on Tap review of one of Ian's gigs: "Ian Bruce's guitar picking style was inspiring... a good voice, good guitar and good songs, together with a good sense of humour, which adds up to a great performer and a marvellous evening's entertainment. Do not miss him if he appears in your locality." And from a recent interview in another edition of that same fine magazine: "His songs are written with the intention of performance, and he tries to do so in an entertaining way". So there you have it: Do not miss him. Also, from a recent Folk Roots review (Bob Walton, July 1998) of his current album, "Hodden Grey": "...more renowned for singing his own songs with that big voice of his... [Hodden Grey] is Bruce's first album of traditional material, and may well be his best yet. Returning to his roots - the family ceilidhs - he is equally at home with old favourites such as The Bleacher Lass, Will Ye Go to Flanders and The Diamond Ship as with less well known songs. Although he can sing as loudly as anyone I care to recall, Bruce can also use his voice flexibly and sensitively, and is ably helped by some ear-catching arrangements from Ian Lothian's accordion and Catriona MacDonald's fiddle amongst others. Great voice, great songs, tasteful and interesting arrangements - who could ask for more?" Links for Ian:

His official agent's site
...and also their site for the Ian Bruce Breeze Band
The Scots Magazine review of the album "Hodden Grey"
...or buy the album here!

28 June 1999: Pat Kilbride.Culled from his official web site: "Born in Ireland, Pat started out in the UK folk clubs late in the '70s with Scotland's Battlefield Band. His latest solo album "Loose Cannon" was short listed for a Grammy Nomination in '96. All through the 90's, Pat Kilbride has been at the forefront of New York's burgeoning Irish scene. Pat now splits his time between London (from where he will be working solo acoustic) and New York." Or check out some real audio clips here. I gotta say: they're pretty d*mn impressive, and I'm looking forward all the more to checking this guy out. I note with interest that he's got the mighty Lucy Kaplansky on backing vocals. And if she's impressed, then you've got to be, too!