The sound of silence

No, not an intimation that someone sang Mr Simon’s popular ditty of the 1960s; nor yet did a passing musician drop in to perform John Cage’s 4’33’’ (a work that should surely be incorporated into the repertoire of so many guitarists).

The title above is in fact a full and detailed record of the songs sung and music played by the three people who arrived for this week’s session. Even Indie didn’t believe it was worth his while to attempt to vocalise to an audience that numbered less than his legs.

We will meet again this Friday. What happens then, and from then on, will depend upon what support folkies in the area are willing to show.

(Number of people present - 3, of whom 0 performed)

Here We Arrrrrrrrrr Again

Tuesday 19^th being International Talk Like a Pirate Day your Substitute Scribe was shocked to discover that his own rendition of Phil Tanner’s version of Henry Martin (Child 250) was the only piratical event of the evening. 

The session began with Colin singing Droylesden Wakes, which he entirely failed to record in the Book as Dreighlsdin Wakes, which was its original title before it was rendered into ‘more gradely English’!

A couple of unusual partnerships should perhaps be recorded in case they one day prove to have been the birth of a pair of world renowned Super Groups. Firstly John B, having arrived with not only his trusty bodhran but also an Egg Shaker which he had bought that afternoon and was anxious to try out, asked Colin to accompany him on guitar whilst he sang Australian Slim Dusty’s Pub With No Beer. Secondly Derek, when singing Jarama Valley (Alex McDade), asked Roger, who had earlier both sung and played Red River Valley, to reprise his harmonica part as an accompaniment.

A touch agricultural

(Photo: администрация Волгоградской области)

For those of us who remember the halcyon days of Dragon Harvest Night with tables groaning under the weight of freshly grown or at least freshly purchased comestibles, and the assembled masses groaning under the weight of fines from Mike for breathing out of tune (or just for breathing), it was very sad to see the tiny turnout for this week’s charity evening – 5 performers, and one visitor  who sat through one complete round before deciding she had left her life elsewhere and went off to look for it.

But we are the Tradition, and the Tradition goes on in lean times in the hope they will again lean the other way. So there will be a small donation going the way of Shelter; precise details of the amount will appear here next week.

A cornucopia of themes

Barley (Photo: coniferconifer)

Last week's session was better attended than some recent ones but we still need more of you to come and join us. You never know, you may actually enjoy it despite what they say. This session seemed particularly packed with the unusual, the thought provoking, the entertaining and the random!

Colin was MC and kicked us off with Bob Dylan's Sara. In fact Dylan became one of several themes for the evening. John P's contribution was the long and perplexing Bob Dylan's 115th Dream. Simon eventually added The Mighty Quinn.