Dulwich Folk

This is the most welcome of returns; Catherine, Linda, David and Moose were Dulwich Folk's first ever guests in January 2020 . They are harmony group par excellence from Suffolk so they don't perform in London enough, but if you like harmony singing you won't hear anything better in 2024! They perform a mixture of traditional and more modern songs. To get a good flavour of what they sound like go on soundtradition.co.uk and listen to their magnificent improvised version of " Bright Morning Star". Hearing this live will be the best possible musical start for the New Year! Support from our residents Ian and Sarah and Shotley Crue Entrance tonight is £12.

In 2014 Pete Cooper and Dan Stewart ( both from Rattle on the Stovepipe ) got together with Peta Webb and Ken Hall for a concert at the South Bank focussing on how English Scottish and Irish tunes and songs travelled with emigrants to North America and how they changed (for example how “The trooper cut down in his prime” morphs into the “ Streets of Laredo” Not surprisingly the concert was a great success given the musicians and singers involved and tonight Dulwich Folk are revisiting the concert!. Pete Cooper is one of our leading fiddle players while Dan is acknowledged as one of Europe’s leading old timey banjo players . Pete teaches fiddle at Cecil Sharp House and was a guest at Dulwich folk’s second ever gig , (playing with Richard Bolton). Peta Webb and Ken Hall offer superb harmony singing and an encyclopaedic knowledge of folk songs. Their Musical Traditions club was for 25 years the essential London venue to hear traditional singing . This is going to be fabulous, fun and we will learn something too! As always harmonies ( and silliness) from Shotley Crue and great harmonies from Ian and Sarah and songs/tunes from the floor . Entrance is £12.

Dulwich Folk are delighted to welcome back our local folk supergroup! Tamesas are three women who work in music, and Tamesas reflects their wide musical interests with a definite Celtic emphasis. (Tamesas is a Celtic work for Thames). Expect great harmonies with songs and music from the UK, Europe and America using among others fiddle, Bodhran, ukulele, flute and shruti box using gentle storytelling to driving, funky up-tempo rhythms. Aimee Leonard is originally from Orkney but many of us know her well as she leads the Dulwich folk choir! Aimee is a mighty singer and in an earlier life was a singer and bodhran player with the Irish band Anam. Aimee runs folk community projects, teaches on the Newcastle folk degree course and is a voice and singing coach. Kate Jones hails from Somerset and has been playing fiddle since forever, particularly in ceildh bands out west and in various folk collective projects. Her fiddle playing is influenced by blue grass, Irish and European styles and she has recently developed a passion for Welsh tunes . Kate is a music therapist. Emmie Ward grew up with folk music and is a fine traditional singer who also plays flute, ukelele, and tin whistle. She’s currently leads Folk Unlimited at Cecil Sharp House. As always there'll be songs from our excellent residents Shotley Crue and Sarah and Ian and songs/tunes from the floor. Get there early - this is going to be a great night. Entrance is £12

George and Matt are a new duo , who sing mainly traditional songs either separately or in harmony accompanied by George on guitar and Matt on mandolin or melodeon. Although they are a new duo they are very far from new to folk. George has been playing in Granny’s Attic for 13 years, released a well received solo album in 2020 and has established Queerfolk with Sophie Crawford. His stripped back guitar playing has drawn inspiration from Martin Carthy and his singing is focussed on establishing an emotional connection with the audience while at the same time offering new perspectives on traditional material. Matt was borne into a folk family- his father Dan is a leading member of Flowers and Frolics and Duck Soup among other things- Matt is an accomplished melodeon, mandolin and concertina player who recorded both on his own – with his widely praised album “The Brighton Line “- with his father “The Mighty Quinns” – with Owen Woods- and as part of the very popular Dovetail Trio. His singing is warm and distinctive and covers a very wide range of material . Matt and George released “In Sheffield Park” , a very well received album of traditional songs earlier this year and this material will form the heart of their current repertoire. However there will be room for other songs as well , especially humorous ones!

Na-Mara are Rob Garcia (mandolin) and Paul McNamara (guitar) who sing traditional and modern songs with passion and commitment with an all too rare international awareness, including English translations of songs from Breton, French and Quebecois traditions; and their take on traditional tunes from Brittany, France and the Spanish Celtic regions of Asturias and Galicia, as well as English and Irish songs . Their performance is given added piquancy by the fact that Rob's father was a Basque child refugee in the 1930s, and Rob's playing reflects that heritage. Paul's repertoire reflects his Middlesborough background and Irish heritage. Support from our residents the fabulous Sarah and Ian and the mighty Shotley Crue. Entrance is £12

Come and sing any song you like - no mics all acoustic. Trista is your MC for the evening

We know about Ian and Sarah as they are Dulwich Folk residents. We know they will deliver a great night of (mostly) harmony singing. If you like folk songs brilliantly sung this is the place to be. Ian and Sarah came late to performing but they've made up for lost time. As well as many of our most loved traditional songs expect some surprises! Singing together didn’t occur to Sarah and Ian until they got involved in the South East London folk scene about 12 years ago, having spent most of their lives making a wide range of music including classical orchestras and church choirs, Javanese Gamelan and classical Thai music. Although they had loved folk music for many years, it was hearing local singers at singarounds that inspired them to take part themselves, singing solo and in harmony. Ian and Sarah have a repertoire of mostly traditional and mostly unaccompanied English folk songs, initially drawn from the singing of Martin Carthy, Fay Hield, and the Silly Sisters. Having grown up in West Wales, Sarah will sometimes sing a Welsh song. They also play fiddle, whistle, bodhran, concertina and cello and occasionally accompany their singing. As well as being residents at Dulwich Folk Club, Sarah and Ian are regularly at The Goose is Out! where they have supported guest artists, most recently The Eliza Carthy Trio, and Nancy Kerr and James Fagan. . As a duo they have performed at numerous mostly local events including Bermondsey Folk Festival. With others they have sung and played in folk clubs, libraries, book shops, cemeteries, woodlands and on boats. Entrance is £10

This is an Irish night with a difference ! RACJAC ( or RACKERJAC) are the Irish performance poet and singer Peter Donnelly known as the Racker and the Flute/whistle player / singer Jacqueln Hines. So we can expect a very Irish evening with two wildly contrasting performers. The Racker is unique . Drawing heavily on traditions and absurdity his stories, rhymes & songs, are about Sheep, Smoking, Tennis, Oysters, Joyce, Midsummer, Politics, Christmas, The Dublin Riviera, Yeats, Football, Dracula, Wilde, Foul Rulers, Goldilocks, Boris, Irish Proverbs, English History, Burns, Chaucer, Pigs, Woking, Yorkshire, plus several biographical tributes & whatever you’re having yourself! Jacquelyn Hynes is an internationally respected whistle and flute player (and Piano player and singer) who plays across musical genres as well as traditional Irish and English music. Jacquelyn has played alongside and supported many of Ireland’s leading artists including Liam Ó Maonlaí (UK tour); Martin Hayes, Michael McGoldrick, Mary Coughlan and Lunasa (ICC). Her debut CD “Silver and Wood” received 4 star reviews Jacquelyn is also an actress and a Senior Folk Lecturer. How will these two possibly work together? Come along and find out ! Entrance is £12. Of course our lovely residents Shotley Crue and Ian and Sarah will also be on hand to provide ace harmonies .