Outbound to Wonderland, Ireland and Provence




'Impressive' - Garry Smith


 Last Sunday (16/12/2012) at Twickfolk wasn't a 'Runaway Train' of a night, more of a mystery tour that took us to places all over the Northern Hemisphere.

Our departure was courtesy of the ever impressive Garry Smith. As you know this is the 3rd time in 6 months that I've drawn Garry (left) and he still remains one of my favourites during the art residency. His tune 'Outbound to Wonderland' was named after a sign you'll see travelling through the Boston Metro. Wonderland was a Greyhound Track (1935-2010) and both Garry's song and performance capture the imagination (like the sign itself).

Next we had the spoken words of Racker Donnelly, who's Yuletide Suite animated both the audience and Racker himself to a near state of flight.

The main draw of the evening took a while to get up to full speed. Despite Duck Baker's tentative start I immediately warmed to him and hugely enjoyed his western swing tunes and especially 'The Blackbird'. We we're then joined by Helen Roche, who style doesn't immediately engender itself to the audience. Her thin delicate face and slight physique leans away from public as though she'd just got an umpleasant whiff of the Twickfolk crowd. This impression doesnt last long. As she sings she pulls you further in towards her. We started our journey in Scotland and Ireland, took various detours through Provence and end up at our final detination with Satan via Germany.

Next week is Twickfolk's Christmas celebrations with a seasonal singers night. Percussion aficionado Dave Mill's has promised me a cracker (of a song).

AL



Duck Baker




Helen Roche


  

Racker Donnelly

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