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Newsletter 25th February 2007 |
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Contact
details |
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Tune
into BBC
Southern Counties radio tomorrow lunchtime (Monday 26th) to
hear Anais Mitchell being
interviewed and playing live in the studio. Tickets are still available
for her show tomorrow at The Ravenswood, Sharpthorne, with Davis Celia in support (more
details, including a video link below). |
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For
more information including
sound
samples,
click on the artists' website links below or visit our Myspace
website
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Click on these
links (or visit the website) for more
information on upcoming shows. Ø
Monday 26th
February – Anais Mitchell (below) + support David Celia at The Ravenswood,
Sharpthorne Ø
Monday 12th March –
Thea Gilmore (below) + support Erin McKeown at Chequer Mead, East
Grinstead Ø
Monday 26th March – Richard Durrant (below) + support Wilber at The Ravenswood,
Sharpthorne Ø
Monday 30th April –
Charlie Dore (below) + support Zauberei at The Ravenswood,
Sharpthorne Ø
Monday 14th May –
Corinne West (below) + support Piefinger at The Ravenswood,
Sharpthorne |
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Monday
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Anais
Mitchell
began writing songs at 17. At
18 she moved from Vermont to Boston, and started playing for whoever would
listen. After a year of that, Anais enrolled in a liberal arts school back
in Vermont, where she studied political science and languages, ran a folk
radio show, and wrote and performed a good deal. She spent a half-year in
Austin, waitressing on 6th street and playing as much as she could. She
also recorded her debut album during that spring ('The Song They Sang When
Rome Fell'). In 2003, The
Kerrville Folk Festival honoured her work with the prestigious New Folk Award.
After
spending time in Cuba, a semester in the Middle East and some unexpected
touring with a rock project called "Circus Guy's Rock & Roll Revue"
Anaïs released her acclaimed album, 'Hymns for the
Exiled'. Anaïs
is passionate about the music of her native land, from old-school country
to dustbowl labour ballads to rebel rock. However, the time she's spent in
Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East has lent a worldly depth to her
writing, which she presents to her audience with a graceful presence of
spirit. With
a new CD, The Brightness,
released on February 13th, a nomination for Emerging Artist of the Year in the
2007 US Folk Alliance awards (to be announced on February 21st)
and with a live appearance on Bob
Harris’s Radio 2 show scheduled for March 3rd, this
should be the year that this intriguing singer songwriter gets the
attention she so richly deserves. Support
for this show is Toronto-based David
Celia, described as "roots-rock with hints of folk wrapped up
in a pop package” - and
getting excellent reviews whenever he plays in the UK. (Click the picture
on the right to see David’s new
video) |
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Monday
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Described
recently by Mojo magazine as "the most coherent, literate and charged
singer-songwriter of her generation", new mum Thea Gilmore has blazed a unique and
highly independent trail
since releasing her debut album in 1998 aged 18. Prolific and
diverse, her seven albums run the gamut from hushed, intimate acoustic
settings to full throttle rock, always unified by her spine tingling
vocals and inspirational lyrics. In
August 2005 released "Harpo's Ghost" to unanimous rave reviews. The album
includes her collaborations with Mike Scott of the Waterboys and moved the
Daily Telegraph to confirm her as "one of the boldest and most poetic
lyricists working in British music...". Thea Gilmore is a stunningly
affecting live performer: her own woman and defiantly, unshakeably the
real deal. “One
of the boldest and most poetic lyricists Support
for this show is Erin
McKeown, asinger songwriter described as having "the wit of
Randy Newman, the innovative stylings of Bjork, and the intricate
arrangements of Elvis Costello". Erin has packed a ton of music into her
young career. With 5 studio albums, 2 EPs, and numerous soundtracks and
compilations to her credit, the 28-year-old multi-instrumentalist hasn't
stopped for a breather in the last 10 years. Along the way she has
averaged 200 shows a year and garnered the praise of fans and critics
alike. Her new release. Sing You Sinners, has received rave reviews (4
stars in Sunday Times). |
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Monday
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Brought
up in a large, musical family Richard
Durrant was introduced to the music of Segovia and Django
Reinhardt by his guitar playing father. Meanwhile his older brothers where
indoctrinating him with folk and rock whilst his mother insisted on a
strict diet of English renaissance. Caught in the musical crossfire the
young Durrant was riddled with notes and left to sort out the resulting
musical identity crisis. Help came in the shape of a formal classical
training and Durrant emerged from the Royal College of Music in 1986 with
all college guitar prizes, a post graduate scholarship and a succesful
London debut under his belt. Now,
after many years of touring and recording, Durrant is widely acknowledged
as the most talented and versatile guitarist of his generation. His
current show is as close as anyone could possibly come to demonstrating
the enormous scope of the guitar. Richard's show, now called 'The Guitar
Whisperer', mixes well known classical repertoire with DADGAD folk tunes
and his own compositions. The result is an intriguing juxtaposition of
acoustic and electro/acoustic styles, entertainingly explained and
hypnotically performed. A particular highlight is Richard's brand new take
on Steve Reich's 'Electric Counterpoint, played to his own, specially
recorded, backing of electric, classical and acoustic
instruments. Richard
is the founder and director of the indie acoustic label LongMan Records,
which he runs with his wife Louise. He has produced a number of albums for
other artists including the highly successful Secret of Life by the
Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, and has written widely for film and
television - most notably for children's
programmes. "Richard
Durrant exhibits scale runs with the speed, intonation and dynamics that I
thought only Segovia ever produced. The tonal colours without loss of
precision in his playing are better than that of any other guitarist I
have heard. …Superb guitar playing. More please." Music Maker
Magazine Support
for this show comes from BBC Radio 2 Young Folk 2007 Awards finalist
Wilber, whose instrumental
music is a mixture of acoustic and electric guitar with occasional
excursions into mandolin, appalachian dulcimer and banjo.
"With
a personality as big as his hairstyle, 15-year-old Oxfordshire guitarist
Wilber hit the stage with a sense of humour and a gleaming resonator
guitar to “tickle”.The closest thing to a bluesman in the event, young
Wilber performed three pieces including Stefan Grossman’s ‘Vestapol’, a
superbly evocative slide composition called ‘Nobody’s Grave’ and a set of
tunes that featured nods to Grossman, Doc Watson and Big Bill Broonzy"
BBC
website |
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Monday
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Charlie
Dore
is one of the UK’s most respected songwriters. Initially a highly original
solo artist (her self-written single Pilot Of The Airwaves reached number
13 on the Billboard chart back in 1980), she went on to ply her gifts for
inspired melodies, big harmonies
and clever, quietly subversive lyrics in the wider commercial
marketplace, and with great success: Tina Turner, Celine Dion, George
Harrison, Lisa Stansfield, UB40, Jimmy Nail, Sheena Easton and Hayley
Westenra are just a handful of the diverse artists to have covered her
songs. Originally
trained as an actress, Charlie has worked in TV, Theatre, Radio and Film,
starring opposite Jonathan Pryce In the award-winning 'The Ploughman’s
Lunch' With
her acclaimed album, Sleep All Day, Charlie hit a new vein of creativity,
drawing freely on her acoustic folk/country roots. Written simply and
organically with Julian Littman, the album drew unequivocal media praise
and many new fans. Her most recent album, ‘Cuckoo Hill’ also received rave
reviews; if you appreciate good songs, beautifully sung, it’s highly
recommended. “Imagine
what might happen if you shut the McGarrigle Sisters in a room with
Gillian Welch and made them listen to Lennon and McCartney all
day” Support:
Zauberei |
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Monday
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From
the open meadows of California’s sierra mountains, Corinne West spins
tales with a part velvet and part grit voice that is both achingly
penetrating and highly addictive. Her music has a cool, layered, yet
driven sound and has been referred to as "utterly spell-binding",
"radiant", and "extraordinarily beautiful" by reviewers world-wide.
Her
writing runs a golden thread through the likes of country, bluegrass,
western, Americana and folk, resulting in a style that is hers alone.She
is forging her own contribution to Americana music, which fuses the
distinct voice of an original singer-songwriter with the driving steam of
an American Roots train. “It’s
quite impossible to not give your full attention to Corinne West; her
enchanting voice, music and exceptional lyrics simply will not allow it”
Support:
Piefinger |
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For
your future diaries.. |
Future
dates in the 2007 Acoustic Sussex programme
include: Ø
4
June 2007- Vin Garbutt (see
website) Ø
22
June - Claire Martin (see
website) Ø
7
July - Chris & Kellie
While (see
website) Ø
15
September – Ric Sanders Group
(see
website) Ø
2
October – Kirsty McGee (see website) NEW
DATE (tbc) Ø
15
November – The Dylan
Project (see website) NEW
DATE More
information on all up-and-coming artists can be found on our website: www.acousticsussex.org.uk. You
can also find us on MySpace (with samples from some of the artists
appearing) at: www.myspace.com/acoustic_sussex.
If you know anyone who you think may enjoy our events, please forward this
email to them. |
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