From: Martin Snodin [martin_dot_snowdin_at_btopenworld_dot_com]
Sent: 25 February 2007 10:26
Subject: Acoustic Sussex newsletter - 25 February 2007

Newsletter         25th February 2007

 

Contact details
Tel. 01342 716975
or email:
info_at_acousticsussex_dot_org_dot_uk

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).

 

For more information  including sound samples, click on the artists' website links below or visit our Myspace website


Now playing - song samples from Anais Mitchell and Thea Gilmore

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

 

Monday
26 February
ANAIS MITCHELL
at
The Ravenswood
Sharpthorne
www.theravenswood.co.uk
£10adv (£12 door)    8pm

Buy tickets online or:
Tel. 01342 714810/716975
or email

 

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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)

 


Anais Mitchell


The Brightness CD


David Celia website

Monday
12 March
THEA GILMORE
at Chequer Mead
East Grinstead
www.chequermead.org.uk
£14 (£12 conc)     8pm
Box Office 01342 302000

 


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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
 currently working in British music ." The Telegraph

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).

 


Thea Gilmore

 


Erin McKeown

Monday
26 March
RICHARD DURRANT
at
The Ravenswood
Sharpthorne
www.theravenswood.co.uk
£10adv (£12 door)    8pm

Buy tickets online or:
Tel. 01342 714810/716975
or email

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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

 


Richard Durrant

 

 

 

 

 

 


Wilber at 2007 BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards

Monday
30 April
CHARLIE DORE
at
The Ravenswood
Sharpthorne
www.theravenswood.co.uk
£10adv (£12 door)    8pm

Buy tickets online or:
Tel. 01342 714810/716975
or email

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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”
Alan Jackson

Support: Zauberei
(recent winners of the Acoustic heat  in Horsham’s Battle of the Bands)

 


Charlie Dore

 


Zauberei

Monday
14 May
CORINNE WEST
at
The Ravenswood
Sharpthorne
www.theravenswood.co.uk
£10adv (£12 door)    8pm

Buy tickets online or:
Tel. 01342 714810/716975
or email

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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”
Alan Cackett, Maverick

Support: Piefinger

 


Corinne West


Piefinger

For your future diaries..

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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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