Big box, Little box

by Sally Hall

My big accordionI long to play music in a way which feels fun and soulful… to feel joy from music, without shame or inhibitions. I dream of feeling relaxed at trad sessions and not wishing that the ground would swallow me up. I imagine how it would feel to play confidently, without the nervous shakes that come when I feel I’m getting it wrong. I long to feel a part of the lively jigs and reels at sessions, and the soft waltzes and airs.

I have been trying to do this for so long but it has always felt like an uphill struggle. In the last few months however, I’d say that I’ve had a breakthrough, which has come in the form of a new, little box.

I have always had accordions in my life. As a small child, I sat cross-legged, mesmerised by my grandma’s huge piano accordion. “Again, again!” I used to say, “Ragamuffin!” (my favourite jazzy ragtime tune).

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Not Morris but ...

• Cambridgeshire
• Morris

John Clare's Scraping

You know how it is, you're doing the ironing or cooking and you have the radio on in the background and suddenly your ears prick-up as you become aware of something familiar or interesting.  Well, there I was preparing an early supper when I heard Jon Boden's voice talking to me from the radio.  He'd put together a great little programme about the poet John Clare, the "Northamptonshire peasant poet".  He's one of my favourite poets and I even have an 1820 copy of his first book "Poems Descriptive of Rural Life and Scenery" which I inherited from my Mum.  So, Jon Boden immediately got my full attention, especially as the programme was celebrating the 200th anniversary of the publication of that book.

John Clare, the Northamptonshire Peasant Poet

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Derby Folk Festival 2022

Derby Folk Festival is back this autumn bringing amazing acts and a great atmosphere right into the heart of the citProduced by Derby LIVE and in association with Bob on Arts this year’s festival will run over three days from Fri 30 Sep to Sun 2 Oct. After the sell-out success of last year’s festival, which saw visitors travel from around the UK and Ireland to attend the 15^th Derby Folk Festival, this year’s impressive line-up continues to prove that Derby is the place to be for all things folk. This year, as usual, events will be taking place in fantastic venues including Derby Market Place, The Old Bell Hotel and Derby Cathedral. The festival will also be working with the Museum of Making and QUAD on more activities.

Organiser Bob Rushton from Bob on Arts said This year’s list of artists continues our long tradition of mixing well known established acts with those who are newer to the scene. We’ve tried to reflect the wide range of genres from across the folk scene and really hope you’ll enjoy it as much we know we’re going to!

The festival will kick off on Friday on the Mick Peat Stage in the Market Place with performances from Lady Nade, and Sound of the Sirens – all introduced by festival patron, Lucy Ward. Saturday sees concerts in Derby Cathedral as well as the main marquee, and includes Granny’s Attic, The Carrivick Sisters, Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage, Bob Fox & Billy Mitchell and more. There’s even a special performance of the fantastic show, The Pitmen Poets. Spiers & Boden will make a welcome return to the city as Saturday’s final act. Sunday kicks off with another show Nelly; a folk musical, about Nell Gwynne – along with Jez Lowe, Old Sea Legs, Narthen and more. The festival closes with special guests Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman.

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March 24 Walsham Le Willows

• Norfolk
• Advert

Last October East Anglian Traditional Music Trust (EATMT) held a very successful afternoon of entertainment in Walsham Le Willows Memorial Hall. The event was such a success that we have booked the hall again for March 24^th. 

East Anglian Traditional Music Trust (a charity) hold some keys to the past in our area. The Trust collect, archive and perform music, song, dance, and stories which have been passed down through generations. We are constantly looking for ways to share these treasures and capture the interest of new audiences.

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New Youth - how oldie musicians are doing it for themselves

• Cambridgeshire

Article by Les Ray

My colleague at Cambridge 105 Radio Julian Clover and I were chatting to Neil King of Fatea at Cambridge Folk Festival back in the summer. Neil was saying that Fatea aims to promote up-and-coming folk artists, particularly those who are not at the young end of the scale but are now at the age when they have the time and opportunity to pursue their music, plus they have a wealth of experience to bring to the songs they write; he mentioned Marina Florance in particular.

The truth is, Marina is just one very fine example of older performers from our region making headway on the local and national folk scene. Marina is slightly different in that she didn’t start performing in public until she was in her late forties. A more common phenomenon is that of musicians who played in bands in their youth but gave it all up to focus on family and career. Now that the children have flown the nest and they are close to retirement age, if indeed that exists, they have the time and maybe a bit more disposable income to devote to that passion that has never left them - music. I’m thinking perhaps of the Boxwood Chessmen, Thursday’s Band, Kelly & Woolley, Cambridge Walker, Two Coats Colder, or even my own band, Red Velvet. And that’s just the start of a very long list of performers that I’m calling the “New Youth” movement, since these are musicians enjoying a new youth in music.

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Old Glory Molly trip to Kent on video

• Suffolk
• Morris

Old Glory's recent trip to Kent was captured on film by a Brighton based young film maker, Conan Roberts of Unfolding Films.   Filmed on a very cold day at the end of November in the harbour and on the beach at Whitstable, Kent.  The film conveys, in a few quick frames, some of the essential magic, mystery, energy and power of the Molly and is enhanced with a voice-over by one of the dancers.

If you like this one another film by the company with a flavour of the Morris called "Modern Nature - Nature" may also interest you.  If you can identify any of the sides involved please let me know so that I can give them a credit.  I suspect that some of the sides may be from the Brighton area where Unfolding Films are based. 

The film maker, Conan Roberts, has expressed an interest in filming a wide variety of Morris traditions, events and performances, so it may be worth contacting him through their website (see above) if you have something which may be of interest.  I've already suggested that he might like to visit Thaxted in June.

Dave Evans, Mardles Morris Correspondent

8th January 2020