Programme
Here is a list of the guests coming up. Click on pictures to enlarge. To download the latest flyer from February 2010 (pdf format), click here. To get Adobe Reader, click here.
Since the 70s, STEVE's career has been intricately woven into the fabric of English Folk and its Rock offshoots.
In 1972 he was in the Albion Country Band with ASHLEY HUTCHINS, then released a solo album 'Stroll On', a
masterpiece that was voted 'Contemporary Folk Album of the Year'. Steve then became the first (and possibly
only) English Folkie to get a USA deal with Motown! Sometimes it seems like he's disappeared, but with the re-
release of his early back catalogue he's back and enjoying a new lease of performing life. He has continued to
release fine albums, most recently 'Time and Tide', featuring stirring songs rich in poetry and strong in message &
melody that engage with contemporary issues including the environment, war and peace.
http://www.steveashley.co.uk£7 members/£8 non-members
A big man, with a voice and presence to match, IAN tours all over the UK, Europe and America, captivating
audiences with his own 'songs of the road' and a good helping of traditional Scottish song including his excellent
Burns repertoire (he was a major contributor to the definitive 'Complete Songs of Robert Burns' on Linn records).
With tonsils purring like a Harley, and some great chorus songs (including the odd pop classic) as well as
haunting and compassionate ones, this is free-wheeling, leather-clad Biker Folk at its best! A great feel-good
evening in store from one of Scotland's greatest singer/songwriter/performers.
http://www.ianbruce.org£7 members/£8 non-members
One of the finest multi-instrumentalists on the folk scene, PHIL has spread his talents far and wide, including the
ALBION BAND, the ARIZONA SMOKE REVUE and SHOW OF HANDS, with whom he has thrice sold out
the Royal Albert Hall (God help us if they all turn up here)! He has played on zillions of sessions including MIKE
OLDFIELD, STEVE HARLEY & the ROLLING STONES, because he can play anything, from blistering
electric rock, stomping jigs & reels on fiddle and mandolin, slide guitar and, of course, acoustic guitar. Phil got
stuck in snow drifts en route last February so we have a helicopter on standby just in case.
Tickets available in advance AT THE CLUB ONLY to members (details here), and on the night (check Home page to confirm availability before you travel).
http://www.philbeer.co.uk£10 members/£12 non-members
BRUCE is an Appalachian fiddler par excellence and is, along with Andy Irvine and Donal Lunny, a member of
Celtic folk mega-group MOZAIK (a modern-day version of PLANXTY). Not only that, he's equally good on
guitar and banjo, and his playing and singing runs the whole gamut from Southern, Old -Timey, Scottish and even
Canadian & Norwegian music, all played with innovation, emotion and phenomenal dexterity. With an easy, laid-
back-porch Ry Cooder vocal style, he'll have you rocking (gently) in your seats.
http://www.brucemolsky.com£8 members/£10 non-members
A welcome return for this stylish and inspired guitarist & singer in the Lowell George/ James Taylor/ Eric Bibb
/Ry Cooder mould. From Statesboro, Georgia, BROOKS has a unique style that blends folk, blues, gospel, jazz,
African, Brazilian, and calypso into something special. To quote, 'he sings like the Angel of Soul and possesses a
melodic virtuosity that runs like liquid from his fingers' and tonight he'll be showcasing songs from his excellent
new CD 'Baby O!'. For us that'll be quality time indeed!
http://www.brookswilliams.com£7 members/£8 non-members
It is a great pleasure to welcome once again this legendary band back to our humble croft. Truly the Led Zeppelin
of Folk, the TANNAHILLS have an unerring ability to switch seamlessly between beautiful, evocative slow airs,
ballads and topical songs with rich vocal harmonies, to out-and-out hell-for-leather tune sets led by Highland
pipes, fiddle, whistles & flute with a rock-solid rhythm underneath. One of the all time great Scottish bands, they
have a pedigree as long as a caber and toss the whole caboodle of the Scots folk cannon into a simmering pot of
musical broth. Mists will swirl and babes won't sleep, but this lot are AWESOME!
http://www.tannahillweavers.com£9 members/£11 non-members
They've slimmed down from their last time here in Last Night's Fun but do not despair, this pair have lost none of
their capacity to assault your aural senses with the best in Irish-based music, soul-stirring songs and exhilarating
tunes on concertina and guitar. And then there's the craic; as ever you'll be the exclusive audience for their
trademark hilarious, uproarious, spontaneous between-songs banter - and if we could just get them on a celeb-
reality TV show the world would be a better place! Genius takes many forms and musical talent is often at its
best when unhinged. Tonight they will be plugging their new CD 'Lucy Wan' for all it's worth - and it is worth it!
Acoustic Convulsive Therapy at its most beneficial!
http://www.lastnightsfun.com£8 members/£9 non-members
Two young players at the forefront of the thriving Edinburgh folk scene. CLAIRE is a fabulous flute, fiddle and
whistle player who has toured extensively with TABACHE and CRAOBH RUA, while AARON has played with
Tom McConville & Pauline Cato and countless other bands, contributing sublime guitar & bouzouki as well as
vocals. In 2005 he was Instrumentalist of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards, a rare feat for an Englishman
(albeit with Irish roots)! Now firmly-established as a duo their stunning debut CD Secret Orders, released in 2006,
is full of beautiful interpretations of trad & contemporary Scottish & Irish songs, brilliantly played and
passionately expressed with energy, feeling and sensitivity. Their new CD 'Until the Cows Come Home' is the
product of their Scottish/German collaboration the '2Duos' and is equally brilliant!
http://www.clairemann.com£8 members/£9 non-members
After learning his craft in the early sixties with Ian Campbell and Martin Carthy, Swarb lent a hand to a young bunch of kids called Fairport Convention and the rest is history. 'Liege and Lief' was the start of the New Folk and the music changed forever. Since then, his output and entertainment value has been phenomenal. A whirling dervish of manic energy, he has played a trillion notes and continued to innovative in groups like Whippersnapper and Lazarus, the last named after his famous 'resurrection' of 1999, having famously been pronounced dead in a glowing obituary in the Telegraph! 'It's not the first time I've died in Coventry', he quipped at the time. Happily recovered, his one man show of music and banter is not to be missed.
Tickets available in advance AT THE CLUB ONLY to members (details here), and on the night (check Home page to confirm availability before you travel).
http://www.folkicons.co.uk/swarb.htm£9 members/£11 non-members
A first visit to our club from a man totally immersed in traditional American Folk music, and an archivist who is busy preserving the recorded traditions. With his encyclopaedic knowledge and wide experience as a performer and educator, Jeff connects 21st century audiences with the music and everyday lives of 19th century people with warmth, humor and understated scholarship. A talented musician on a variety of instruments he has the ability to inhabit a song, presenting musical traditions from the fishing villages of North Carolina to the lumber camps of the Adirondack Mountains and the whaling ports of New England.
http://www.jeffwarner.com£7 members/£8 non-members
LIZ is an established favourite at the Ram, writing and performing songs 'outside the box' with a warm-hearted sincerity, endearing quirkiness and a rare ability to connect with her audience on the same wavelength. Liz dissects her subject matter (herself included) in the nicest possible way, gently forming it into gorgeous melodic songs. Her new CD, Beachcomber, has just been released featuring 11 brand new songs which she will be showcasing. It also features the superb talents of IAN NEWMAN on double bass (transported by Smart car!) and WARWICK JONES on guitar, who she brings tonight. Songs in the key of life.
http://www.lizsimcock.com£8 members/£9 non-members
.... are HILARY SPENCER (ex-'Artisan') and GRANT BAYNHAM (ex 'That's Life'). Hilary is a powerful singer with three and a half octaves at her disposal and has been-there-done-that the world over. Grant is a seriously good folk and jazz player, often as fast and furious as his patter. Since meeting in 2001 they have establish themselves as a top act, with a mad mix of everything from ballads to blues, comedy, jazz and Grant's amazing originals, thrown at you with manic energy and humour. The opposite of sad!
http://www.quicksilveruk.com£7 members/£8 non-members
TIM made his debut here in 2007 with BRENDAN POWER & LUCY RANDALL and blew us away with his dexterity and energy. He is extraordinarily talented and has been soaking up music like a sponge since he was knee high to a leprechaun. Still in his youth he has already shone as guitarist and accordeonist with the likes of Michael McGoldrick, Lunasa, Sharon Shannon, Mary Black, Julie Fowlis, Altan to name a few, and now he's writing his own dazzling, infectious, liberating tunes. He keeps good company too - tonight features the stellar talents of Scottish singing sensation and fiddler ISOBEL CROWE and hot guitarist PETE GAZEY. All in all, electrifying music to excite the soul.
http://www.myspace.com/timedey
SUE GRAVES, HECTOR GILCHRIST and STEVE POOLE are familiar faces at the Ram, doing regular spots in whatever combination of them happens to be there. The concept of SOIREE is indeed that - a getting together of friends with music. Melodic, inspiring, and generally of a positive bent, the songs come from the very best of contemporary writers, together with a sprinkling of jazz crooners, traditional ballads, the odd tear-jerker and even a little Rock n' Roll. Hector and Sue combine in exquisite harmony with delicate acoustic guitar and harmonica, while Steve sings and provides the twiddly bits on guitar. Tonight they will be performing songs from their CD 'Serenading The Moon' and lots of new stuff, so come and be serenaded!
http://www.soireemusic.co.uk
Born in Madrid, Spain, raised in Chicago and holding dual Irish/American citizenship, singer/guitarist and songwriter Sarah now lives in Cornwall. Drawing on the traditions of Ireland, America and the UK, her music is sublime and compelling, characterised by velvety vocals ('as warm as a turf fire and as rich as matured cognac' wrote the Rough Guide To Irish Music), a distinctive acoustic guitar style (she has written a guide to playing in DADGAD tuning) and a natural warmth and ability to engage with her audience. Her stage manner is as easy as Joan Baez and she has a similar ability to interpret a wide and eclectic variety of Folk songs in various languages as well as writing a fair few gems of her own. Appalachian folk, Irish, Spanish, her forthcoming CD, The Plum Tree And The Rose, features pieces from the 13th-16th centuries including Elizabethan songs and instrumentals, songs in Old French, Old Occitan, Italian, German and Latin and six originals.
http://www.sarahmcquaid.com
There was a time when anyone from the Potteries would lift up their china cup or plate wherever they were in the world to check for the reassuring words 'Made in England'. Alas the industry has all but gone now, but these three young lads have the same stamp of Potteries quality! GARY WILCOX (Vocals, Percussion), PHIL HULSE (Vocals, Guitar, Bouzouki, Harmonica) and DUNCAN WILCOX (Vocals, Double Bass, Mandolin, Fiddle) create beautifully-crafted songs that document and vividly illustrate the passing of the old ways of their homeland, the local heroes and characters, the old industries and the struggle for a new identity and way forward. Angry, sad, funny, tongue-in-cheek and occasionally one-fingered salutes, the songs are kiln-fired and defiant in the face of adversity, with great harmonies and musicianship. Snapped up by Fellside Records for their third album 'Take Your Own Roads', while they nod their heads to the likes of Jez Lowe, Steve Tilston and Show of Hands their sound is very much their own, so check out these 'Boys from the Crock Stuff'!
http://www.thequeensberryrules.com
A Ram Regular, Mike is an excellent songwriter and guitarist who aims for the heart and hits! He has written some truly classic songs over the years - accessible, catchy and hugely enjoyable acoustic folk/pop ballads and rockers, sung with passion and underpinned perfectly by his trademark guitar style. Mike writes of love, longing & everyday issues without being trite - haunting tunes & anthemic choruses that you'll know and love (Old Fashioned Saturday Night, Certain Something, Not That Easy, Sailors All). His voice is warm, full & clear, bearing comparison with James Taylor, David Gray & Jackson Browne. MIKE has had a few brushes with fame along the way, and even had a recent hit single ('Not a Matter of Pride'), but intimate venues are still his world. He has a stunning new CD out, 'How Many Rivers', so we'll have some of that!
http://www.mikesilver.co.uk
A much-loved National Treasure, Teeside-born VIN is that rare thing - an entertainer of the highest order who can get a message across. A one-man wild-haired minstrel with a unique guitar and singing style and amazing tin whistling, he is one of the best live performers around, spinning hilarious yarns that are so far-fetched you actually believe them! And the songs (when he finally gets to them) - of love, hope, social issues and daft things - stir, shake, tickle, enlighten, provoke, sadden and always hit the spot. Sub-titles available.
http://www.vingarbutt.com
South African TONY is widely recognised as one of that country's finest guitarists, winning many awards and becoming an icon of the instrument over there. An international performer, he developed his unique finger-style technique over the years by watching and absorbing from such greats as Leo Kottke and Bert Jansch and by playing with just about every ensemble possible. His music just tumbles out at you, a mosaic that incorporates all of the evocative and infectious multi-textured rhythms, startling percussive effects, delicate melodic patterns and varying styles of his homeland, along with classical, folk and other influences. A warm and engaging performer with many a tale to tell, you don't need to be a guitar buff to appreciate his amazing kaleidoscope of sounds as he takes you on a true musical safari - and the only inoculations you'll need are from the bar!
http://www.tonycox.co.za
Woah! Hank is back on the ol' trail. With his dodgy hat, wide-toothed grin and George Hamilton IV "$incere" eyebrows, Hank is the nemesis of Country music yet he still aspires to the glamour of his heroes. Life President of the Nude Mountaineering Society and the one and only inductee in his own Hall of Pain (it's not that other stars wouldn't be seen dead in it, they're just too dead to be seen in it), he's picked at the soft, dark underbelly of Country music for a long time. Misery and melody, raw emotion and open ribcages are his trademark. All said, he loves it really, and if you split your sides laughing (as you will), he's a gen-u-ine doctor and he'll fix you right (for a small fee). Now D-I-V-O-R-C-E-D from his former pardner Reg Meuross, Hank has hooked up again with his old saddlepal BRAD BREATH (aka Andy, who is also the touring guitarist in that well-known Folk group PINK FLOYD). Currently a member of the mile-high club (BA are featuring his new CD 'Whistling In The Dark' as their chosen Country album on Transatlantic flights), Hank twangs like no other!
http://www.hankwangford.co.uk