KentFolk News October 2007

Festivals :
Well, we have just had the Tenterden festival, which was going swingingly on the day that KentFolk paid a visit (particularly enjoying the Morena Slovak Dancers), and the Canterbury Festival is now upon us, with some excellent offerings for a range of the KentFolk genres, as well as classical music : www.canterburyfestival.co.uk/
or, (a few highlights) : www.bbc.co.uk/kent/content/articles/2007/08/22/canterburyfestival_feature.shtml

The first week of this festival has been one of the best to date :
Martin Simpson in the Festival Club on Monday 15th gave an excellent evening showing how to get more from a guitar than most are able to do,
The next night in the Festival Club Gundula Gruen and Zig gave a wonderful insight into the Gypsy and East European fiddle, full of infectious delight.
On the Wednesday only part of KentFolk was able to get to Quadlibet in Barham Court - "Dangerous Candelight" - a brilliantly conceived evening.
Thursday, again in the Fest' Club, Malinky (mainly Scottish) were a delight, with a set composed of tunes and songs that were all completely fresh to us - not a common experience these days.
Altan in the Gulbenkian in the Saturday showed that the reputation that went before them in the Celtic world was fully justified; the contrasting styles of the two fiddlers was pure pleasure.
And Sunday saw local heros Waterhorse give a very convincing performance to a packed Fest' Club of supporters as well as to those new to them. An evening that was a farewell to their old fiddler, and a hello to the new, both of whom gave excellent accounts of their capabilities.

Waterhorse - Canterbury Festival 2007 - hi-res

So a week to go, with Seth Lakeman, a Cajun dance, and Fluke still to come....

Well Seth gave a high-energy performance that was well appreciate by his many fans, who were up and dancing - but for us Cajun dancers it was an inspired performance by the Hackney Ramblers that set us alight the following night - with every remaining chink of free floor occupied by the majority of the audience dancing every possible dance style to the music - top quality dancing music from all the Ramblers, but particulary from Alan on fiddle and vocals (not an easy combination, as Chris Wood once said to me).

And for the final night of the fest, Fluke gave the brilliant performance we have come to expect of them, with both old favorites and tracks off their latest CD.

Fluke - Canterbury Festival 2007 - hi-res

An excellent festival !

KentFolk events : Advance info for 2008 : Yves Langlois the Cajun fiddler/songster (and guitar / lap slide guitar player) has now left Kent with Karen and new babe to return to live in France, but on present plans they will be paying a visit to Kent next May, with a Cajun Dance in Littlbourne Thatched Barn on the 25th May 2008.
And Laura Targett has emailed me from Australia, where she plays on the Celtic circuit, to say she hopes to be also paying a visit to Kent next May or June, so something will happen for that as well. See www.KentFolk.com/FiddlersVarious/ for previous events with Laura.

If I were to do a Fiddlers Various in 2009 - what fiddle genres would you like it to cover ? - answers to Beau@KentFolk.com

Selling individual MP3 tracks over the web :
For some time KentFolk has been using PayPal to sell local musician's CDs. A new technology that I have wanted for some time, is now in place: - KentFolk can now sell individual MP3 tracks, either directly from the KentFolk web pages, with paynent by CC or PayPal, or via the highly respected eFolkMusic in the USA.

If you are a band that would like to sell your tracks over the web, and of course this is particularly good for both CDs that have all sold out, as well as new tracks that are not yet on a CD, then please email me : Beau@KentFolk.com

I am limited in my time available to "turn the handle" on these, but will do what I can. As a preliminary offering, the 2003 Deal LifeBoat House shanty recording now has a few tracks on the web - all net profit to the NLRI, after the CC/PayPal deductions.

Multi-level directories of News :
Do keep sending me news and items for both the calendar and this news section -
Please see the info at the bottom of the news pages for guidance as to good formats to send me news items for these pages, and for event listings for the calendars.
cheers, Beau.