Dick Gaughan in the Twickfolk spotlight

It was a big night at Twickfolk this weekend with both Dick Gaughan and Stuart Forester in the Twickfolk spotlight. With a big crowd, we found ourselves in the folk amphitheatre upstairs and under a fierce red spotlight it felt like we were in a boiling cauldron. The music lived up to it roasting atmosphere and it was a memorable night.
Stuart started off proceeding with excellent and unpretentious set of earthy narratives. Themes included piracy, hellraising and drinking, with 'The Star of the West' being my favourite. The room was packed out and as usual I perched on the stairs. I was soon accompanied by Twickfolk's Paul Micklethwaite who shot several mean Rotherham stares to those chatting on the back rows.
Once Dick commanded the stage, I was joined on my step by Stuart Forester himself. We we're both entranced by Dick and his eyes which we're the smallest smouldering coals held ours for the briefest second. Although he was up on the stage he was at one with us in the audience. His playing and delivery of narratives appeared ferocious but we never felt threatened because he made us kindred spirits to his cause. I was so taken by the red firey atmosphere I left early and opened up the studio doors so that night I could start getting my ideas down on paper straight away.
Dont forget to put the 27th January 2013 (6pm) in your diaries for the Private View of the 'Art Of Folk' exhibition with music from Alan Franks (7-7.30pm). FREE ENTRY.

Alban

Fil Campbell, Rowena Gee & Sue Graves - Twickfolk Songbirds

As you know my path to Twickfolk has come through the wilds of jazz and I'm slowly learning my folk knowledge 'on the job'. None have taught me more than Twickfolk's headliner last night Fil Campbell who took me on a tour of Ireland's folk heritage.
Her husband Tom Mcfarland drove my drawings forward, giving them rythmn and exuberance through his percussion. He charmed us with Twickfolk favourite David Francey's "Come rain or come shine".
Fils own tune 'Dreaming' was a highlight for me. Sung with passion, encompassing complex imagery and an intoxicating swig of surrealism.
Delia Murphy, Margaret Barry, Mary O'Hara and Ruby Murray inspired many of last nights narratives. Fil Campbell included all these singers in her TV series 'Songbirds.

Two more songbirds got the the evening started for us. Sue Graves (left) once again put us under her spell and Rowena Gee (right) demonstrated her versatility with two songs "Show me the river" and "Sailor girl".

The Sun always shines of Twickfolk

Apologies for being off the blog for a few days. I've had a rush of work including an excellent CD launch at Pizza Express of Burton Bradstock's latest folk-jazz project. I was in the illuminating presence of Rich Rainlore and he'll be writing about the gig on Rainlore's World Of Music in the next few days.

During these damp autumn nights what we need are those bright moments and none could be more cheering than Suntrap. They we're great to draw with 4 distinct characters (the mesmeric Sara Byers unbelievably described herself as unphotogenic) and featuring my favourite instruments to draw, the fiddle, from John Sandall and Mary Wilson. Paul Hoad's dry humour and the modern themes wrapped in well crafted tunes made it a great night.

After several weekends filling walls and my time on various building projects I didnt last the course with the Twickfolk performers last Sunday. I was there long enough though to experience Jacquelyn Hynes' beautiful flute, entwined by J Eoin's narratives.

I'd like to note some of the floor spots or support musicians for these two gigs. Twickfolk favourites Sue Graves and Paul Micklethwaite. With a leftfield appearance from fiddler Matt Grabham who Gerry had discovered busking the previous day and invited along.

A tale of two halves - Luke Jackson & Josh Harty

It was a double header at Twickfolk this week with two very different personalities and performances taking to the stage.
First was Luke Jackson's fresh rapid fire approach. His powerful voice and energetic presence roused us all from our Sunday night ennui. His tune 'Big Hill' brought us all to the peak of alertness and his set was over way too soon.
Next we had a very different and understandably more mature voyage with Josh Harty. Like the Montana landscape he is inspired by, he left plenty of space for us to think and dream. There were long instrumental journeys and his lyrics were measured and poignant. I had to work harder to achieve my drawings and struggled to represent him singing. Like an Ansel Adam's photograph, I marvel at the starkness and steely beauty of Josh's work.

Brooks Williams - more than quite good

When an American-born musician starts using 'Quite' quite frequently you know he'll be close to your heart by the end of a gig. Brooks lives in the heart of England now, a place that epitomises Englishness, Cambridge.
The day before his performance at Twickfolk I was in Cambridge myself, placing 31 magnetic artworks on the streets as part of the Text and Context exhibition.

He endeared himself to many of us last night as Twickfolk's volunteers tirelessly wrestled with technical hiatus. The power cut out at one point which hardly broke Brooks stride and he seamlessly sidestepped to an acoustic set without any fuss.

It had been a long day for the volunteers at Twickfolk. They had started by making cigar-box guitars after lunch and by teatime were busy playing with 'bottle neck' gusto. A few of these recruits were still brandishing them by nightfall. In fact, one cigarbox wielding gentleman was asked to calm down by other audience members because he was so emboldened by his workshop with Brooks, and started chipping-in with a few riffs.

Brooks was a pleasure to draw. His thin face and strong cheekbones make him quick to capture. The only danger being a flirtation with caricature if I wasn't careful. His set was fast moving and sincere, and very gentle when he was directing his attention to his wife who was sat next to me.
We'll all get a chance to see Brooks again on the Andrew Marr show this December, where if I had a choice I'd like to hear 'Statesboro Blues' and 'Belfast Blues' once more.

Twickfolk regular Geoff Heap sums it up beautifully
"I quite (very much) liked it too!"

Bouncing with Tom Kitching & Pilgrims Way

Last Sunday we all took a step down the Pilgrim's Way with Lucy Wright, Tom Kitching and Edwin Beasant. Along the road were fine performances and bouyant songs. It was an interesting night for drawing with a range of new and old instruments, the newest for me being the Jews Harp. I'm not a convert yet and was more taken by the traditional fiddle of Tom Kitching (image left) and the dancing of all 3 members of Pilgrim's Way.

This was the first footwork I've seen since starting the Art residency at Twickfolk, and yes Tom does rank as Number 1 in the Biggest Bounciest Fiddle Player ever seen.
http://www.pilgrims-way.net/theband.html

The Singer's Night jury - Alan Franks & Garry Smith

This was my first 'Singer's Night' at Twickfolk and it was not what I had expected. I thought I'd be in for an easy ride but I had to knuckle down and try to draw all the 16 musicians that we're performing. Unfortunately I fell short (sorry to Kate Moorhouse, Chris and Johnny Black) because I had just two songs to capture the essence of their performance, features and style.

Garry Smith (top left) is fast becoming one of my favourites to draw and listen to at Twickfolk. It is not just his demeanour that speaks of strength and power but his songwriting too. He was constantly in demand to help create bodycolour for other performers' vignettes, but it was his tune 'Edge of my world' that fueled the intensity in my drawing.

Alan Franks (below) made a strong impression upon myself and I think the others attending last night. His second tune of the evening, The Ballad of Daisy Waters, released a flood of appreciation. It must be a tremendous boon to be the recipient of other songwriters praise, for only they must know the hard work and elusive spirit that must be harnessed to write such a captivating narrative. 
Alan explained, 
'It's a new one and it's only the second time I've played it in public.
 I tried it once - in Lowestoft - but I was doing it in the wrong key - wrong for the guitar arrangement as well as for the singing - and it didn't really work so I put
it to one side.'

://alanfranks.com/Alan_s_music.html