From: Martin Snodin [martin_dot_snodin_at_homecall_dot_co_dot_uk]
Sent: 15 February 2009 17:50
Subject: Acoustic Sussex Newsletter 2009-02-15

Newsletter         15th February 2009

 

Contact details
Tel. 01342 716975
or email:
info_at_acousticsussex_dot_org_dot_uk

Upcoming shows 23 February – 4 May 2009:

 


Now playing on our MySpace site: Martin Harley Band, Mark Erelli, Eliza Carthy and Bridget St John
click here

Ø     Monday 23 February
Click here for more details below

Martin Harley Band

Support Jemima Price

Ravenswood, Sharpthorne

 

Ø     Monday 23 March
Click here for more details below

Mark Erelli

Support: Cate Ferris

Ravenswood, Sharpthorne

 

Ø     Wednesday 1 April
Click here for more details below

Eliza Carthy

Support: Robert Brown

Chequer Mead
East Grinstead

 

Ø     Monday 13 April
Click here for more details below

A very rare appearance by
Bridget St John

with special guest Michael Chapman

Ravenswood, Sharpthorne

 

Ø     Monday 4 May
Click here for more details below

Karine Polwart

Support: Dan Reed

Ravenswood, Sharpthorne

 

Monday
23 February
MARTIN HARLEY BAND

at The Ravenswood
Sharpthorne

www.theravenswood.co.uk

Support: Jemima Price
£10 (£12  door)    8.00pm
Tickets 01342 714810
or
buy online via Acoustic Sussex website

Tickets are also available at Hobgoblin in Crawley and Bullfrog in East Grinstead

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Click here for News Release (PDF file)

 

Surrey-born Martin Harley is a mesmerising singer/songwriter whose original sound draws on influences from old time blues and folk to world music to create songs that sound so familiar you think you’ve grown up with them. Songs about living in cars, worn out shoes, girls lost in the carnival lights, satellite hunting in car parks and a constant sense wondering are recurring themes. His original approach to playing slide guitar across his lap and his accomplished finger style playing are the cornerstone of the music along with his whiskey soaked northern breeze vocals.

Martin has appeared on compilations with J.J. Cale, P.J. Harvey and Eric Clapton, Paul Weller and The Who. He has played with the likes of Bo Diddley, Omar and the Howlers, Joe Bonamassa, Lisa Mils, Dr Feelgood, Newton Faulkner, Scott Mattews, James Blunt, Martin Simpson, Chas n Dave, Happy Mondays, Magic Numbers, The Hat, The Beautiful Girls, Peter Bruntnall, Kate Walsh and many more. The band has recently completed a run of tour dates supporting James Morrison.

Voted by Digital blues as one of the best solo performers of 2006 and voted best solo acoustic act by London Acoustic in 2005 this slide guitar virtuoso in not to be missed.

“an understated, mature and intelligent masterpiece of American roots music” Maverick Magazine.
“In the Martin Harley Band the future of British roots and blues is assured. Formidable guitar skills “ Guitarist Magazine

 

Support for the show is provided by Sussex singer-songwriter, Jemima Price, who was compared by Time Out to Kate Bush and hailed as a “talent to watch” by Cosmopolitan. She has recently supported Jools Holland and Deacon Blue.

“Sensual and psychedelic….she has the potential to outperform any of the season's crop of female singer-songwriters.” Q Magazine

 


STOP PRESS!
Martin Harley Band to play Royal Albert Hall on 31 March, supporting James Morrison


Martin Harley Band

"No one is making music like it"
Guitarist Magazine June 2008

For more reviews, click here


Jemima Price

Monday
23
March
MARK ERELLI

at The Ravenswood
Sharpthorne

www.theravenswood.co.uk

Support: Cate Ferris
£10 (£12  door)    8.00pm
Tickets 01342 714810
or
buy online via Acoustic Sussex website

Tickets are also available at Hobgoblin in Crawley and Bullfrog in East Grinstead

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Click here for News Release and biography (PDF file)

Over the past 9 years, New-Englander Mark Erelli has been steadily gaining the reputation of one of the most talented writers and gifted musicians on the American folk scene, settling into a timeless, classic folk singer-songwriter groove where gritty, honest songs reflect the world around us. Erelli’s lyrical and musical intelligence marks him out as one of the finest storytellers in contemporary folk and he deservedly won the International Songwriting Contest in 2005.

Erelli’s songwriting talent is the reason he’s been chosen to join 7 other top international songwriters in the Darwin Song Project, one of a number of events taking place in 2009 to mark the bi-centennial of the birth of Charles Darwin. With a Masters Degree in Evolutionary Biology, Erelli is uniquely qualified to take part. The Project takes place in Shrewsbury (Darwin’s birthplace) from March 13-19, when the 8 artists will come together for a week to write songs that have a resonance and relevance to the life of Darwin. The artists are Mark Erelli, Karine Polwart, Rachael McShane, Jez Lowe, Chris Wood, Stu Hanna, Krista Detor and Emily Smith. The songs will be performed in a special concert on 19 March and recorded for CD release. BBC Radio 4 has commissioned a documentary on the project that is planned for broadcast in late March 2009.

Erelli released his self-titled debut at 24, exhibiting an uncommon musical maturity. Now 34, with an assured and varied back-catalogue, multiple awards and growing notoriety as an accompanist, he has one of the most impressive and varied reputations in modern roots music

“(Delivered is) darkly magnificent...Mark Erelli (has) something to say and a unique, poetic, compelling way of saying it.” Vintage Guitar

“When it comes to providing thoughtful, compelling folk-rock and Americana, Erelli is a masterful expert”
AllMusic.com

“Erelli addresses tough issues (war, development, love, post-9/11) with the grit of John Hiatt and the melancholy beauty of Ron Sexsmith.”  Washington Post

 


Mark Erelli

Click here to listen to tracks on Mark Erelli’s MySpace

Wednesday
1 April
Eliza Carthy
at Chequer Mead
East Grinstead

www.chequermead.org.uk

Support: Robert Brown
£15 (£ 12.50 conc)    8pm
Box Office 01342 302000
Tickets are also available at Hobgoblin in Crawley and Bullfrog in East Grinstead

Click here for News Release (PDF file)

 

 

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Twice-nominated for a prestigious Nationwide Mercury Prize, Eliza Carthy is also the winner of more than 7 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. This year, she is nominated in 3 categories in the 2009 awards (Best Singer, Best Album and best Orginal Track), to be announced in London on Monday 2 February.

Eliza has been a regular guest-presenter on the BBC Radio 2 Mark Radcliffe Show and has made several appearances on BBC TV’s Later with Jools. In addition, she has presented her own four part series on the history of English Folk on BBC Radio 2 and was recently the subject of the ITV documentary, Heaven & Earth.  She also featured prominently in the acclaimed BBC Four Folk Britannia season. Eliza was the first traditional English musician to be nominated a BBC Radio 3 Award for World Music (for 'Anglicana'). In March 2005, Eliza co-presented the awards with Benjamin Zephaniah - an event that was broadcast on BBC Four.

A truly inventive and innovative singer and fiddle-player, Eliza is a gifted musical conceptualist confirming her position as, arguably, the most impressive and engaging performer of a generation. Touring on and off since the age of 14, Eliza has performed and recorded with a diverse array of artists from Paul Weller to The Wainwrights, Nick Cave to Joan Baez.

Yorkshire-born and now Edinburgh-based, Eliza Carthy grew up immersed in the world of traditional music. She divides her time between touring and recording with her legendary parents, Martin Carthy and Norma Waterson and numerous pioneering solo and band projects. Describing herself simply as a ‘modern British musician’, Eliza is only just beginning to reach the height of her musical powers. Though she’s only just turned 30, Eliza has revitalised and made folk music relevant to new audiences and captured the most hardened of dissenters with intelligent, charismatic and boundary-crossing performances.

Accompanied by Willie Molleson on drums, Emma Smith on double bass and  Phil Alexander on keyboards / piano accordion, Eliza will showcase original material from her acclaimed new album, 'Dreams of Breathing Underwater' 

“Seriously impressive”  Daily  Telegraph

"Bewitching and original"  **** Q

"Magnificent"  **** The Guardian

“Eliza Carthy is one of the figureheads of the English folk revival … compelling”  Evening Standard

“A gloriously natural singer”' Q magazine

 

 


Eliza Carthy

Monday
13 April
A rare appearance by
BRIDGET ST JOHN

at The Ravenswood
Sharpthorne

www.theravenswood.co.uk

with special guest:
Michael Chapman

£10 (£13  door)    8.00pm
Tickets 01342 714810
or
buy online via Acoustic Sussex website

Tickets are also available at Hobgoblin in Crawley and Bullfrog in East Grinstead

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Click here for News Release (PDF file)

 

A very rare performance by the late John Peel’s favourite singer-songwriter from the 70s, Bridget St John.

London-born, St John learnt piano and viola as a child, and guitar while studying at Sheffield University. After graduating, she was the first artist to join Peel’s Dandelion record label, recording three albums between 1969 and 1972, including her renowned and highly collectible debut, Ask Me No Questions. She also recorded a number of BBC Peel sessions’ and toured regularly on the early UK college and festival circuit.

Her popularity peaked in 1974 when she was voted among the top 10 most popular female singer in that year's Melody Maker readers poll, alongside Sandy Denny. A highly-accomplished guitar player, St John credits John Martyn (with whom she has been friends since college) as her guitar mentor.

St John’s second album, Songs for the Gentle Man, was produced and scored by Pink Floyd collaborator, Ron Geesin. In 1974, she contributed vocals on Kevin Ayers' classic album, Shooting At The Moon' album and, in the same year, signed to Chrysalis Records for her 4th album, Jumblequeen. The album featured some top musicians including the folk guitarist Stefan Grossman, Chick Churchill (Ten Years After) and Mike Giles (King Crimson).

Commercial success did not follow the critical acclaim that St John received from the music press. She lay low for some time, finally emigrating to Greenwich Village in 1976, marrying and virtually disappearing from the public eye. But she continued to produce music and she released her next album, Take the Fifth, in the US in 1995. She later performed at a Nick Drake tribute concert in New York in 1999 and toured Japan in 2006 with the minimalist French musician Colleen. Over the years, she has also recorded with Mike Oldfield (on Amarok) and most recently was reunited with Kevin Ayers on his 2008 album, The Unfairground.

Joining St John for this one-off show is virtuoso guitarist, Michael Chapman, who a long-time friend of St John. Chapman most recently performed in the area when he performed at Chequer Mead in August 2008. (www.michaelchapman.co.uk)

 


Bridget St John


Click here to watch Bridget St John on YouTube


Bridget St John
with
Michael Chapman

Monday
4 May

KARINE POLWART

at The Ravenswood
Sharpthorne

www.theravenswood.co.uk

Support: Dan Reed
£12 (£15  door)    8.00pm
Tickets 01342 714810
or
buy online via Acoustic Sussex website

Tickets are also available at Hobgoblin in Crawley and Bullfrog in East Grinstead

BACK TO TOP

 

Click here for News Release (PDF file)

 

Award-winning Scots songwriter Karine Polwart combines sharp observations, expressive vocals and pop-inflected melodies with a probing intellect and compassionate lyricism. Possessed of a tender heart, the emotional depth of her lyrics effortlessly incorporate both contemporary and traditional folk influences.

Twice winner of Best Original Song at the BBC Folk Awards and nominated for two 2009 awards (Best artist, Best Album), she’s collaborated with alt folk balladeer King Creosote, Idlewild front man Roddy Woomble, the intellectual maverick of English folk song Chris Wood, bluegrass ace Tim O’Brien and even the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

A former children's rights worker, and driven by a strong sense of social justice, Karine allows images, narratives, questions and wry comic asides do much of her work.  She tries never to say too much. And whether it's the dilemmas of modern parenthood, the unsettling kindness of lies, or the resilience of hope, she admits most of her songs are an attempt to make sense of the fact that “there are people in this world who don't think like you do” (as she sings in her 2006 song, Daisy).  All of which is precisely the kind of sideways, allegorical approach to contemporary living that you might expect from someone with a Masters degree in philosophy.

Following the breakthrough of her debut album Faultlines, which won Best Album at the 2005 Awards, and its more lush and polished 2006 successor Scribbled in Chalk, Karine took time out to give birth to her son in 2007. In an extraordinarily creative and productive maternity leave, she recorded not one but two albums, including Fairest Floo'er, a collection of Scottish traditional songs. This return to her origins had a profound influence on her current bittersweet collection of original songs, This Earthly Spell. Indeed all four of her solo CD releases prove she's a writer able to combine ancient traditions with sharp contemporary observations and an independent sensibility.

“She weaves a deliciously thought-provoking magic that draws you back, time and again, for more.”
Rock n Reel magazine

“a passionate, perceptive songwriter” Uncut magazine

“exceptionally subtle and melodic” Q magazine

“takes the heart to places few singers even know exist” WORD magazine

 


Karine Polwart


Dan Reed

Don’t forget that as well as our own shows, the Acoustic Sussex website has a Regional Gig Guide and links to venues and clubs in the South East that offer folk, roots and acoustic music – and our MySpace site contains over 500 links to a variety of other MySpace ‘friends’ sites, including musicians, venues, magazines and lots more.

 


Regional Gig Guide

For your future diaries...

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Future 2009 dates in the Acoustic Sussex programme include:

Ø    21 May – Cara Dillon + Horses Brawl

Ø    8 June – Dick Gaughan + Mary Hampton

Ø     19 June – Show of Hands with Miranda Sykes

Ø     26-28 June – Crawley Folk Festival

Ø     20 July - Iain Matthews + Mary Leay

Ø     7 September – Sam Baker (band)

 

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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