Category Archives: Singers

A special day at Frittenden

Flier

Saturday 29th March at Frittenden

Singdanceandplay by the fireside 2-5pm

An afternoon of singing in the lovely Bell & Jorrocks pub function room with:

  • Peter Collins  – legendary local singer with a fabulous voice, great songs, runs the Beacon Folk Club (look out for Wild Willie Barrett’s Sleeping Dogz and Roy Clinging doing dates at the Beacon in coming weeks!)
  • Nigel Hobbins – charming and singer of traditional, old fashioned and newly written songs from Whitstable and runs Whitstable folk club at the town’s Labour Club (Julie and Gavin Atkin are playing there on the  28th February btw!)
  • John Morgan – a highly respected singer with a smashing collection of traditional songs, with a lovely light voice and an engaging delivery
  • regular visitors Annie Dearman and Steve Harrison down from Yorksire with a collection of mainly old songs powerfully delivered
  • your hosts Julie and Gavin Atkin (of Marden) and friends!

Expect some great singing by the fireside, a variety of old fashioned, traditional and new songs, and a few tunes to relax by. Entrance £4 and £2 (concs).

Old Fashioned Night Out family barn dance 8-11pm

These popular events feature everyone’s favourite easy dances, a few party games, a few songs and a great candle-lit atmosphere. Music will be provided by the Horsmonden Traditional Music Workshop and friends, our good friend caller Fee Lock explaining what to do, and song spots from mighty musician and singer Matt Quinn and Annie and Steve. Tickets £7 and £4 (concs). All funds raised go to fund future events.

For information see singdanceandplay.net or call 07985 522734. Download a pdf of the poster/flier to share with friends here.

PS! The regular last Sunday of the month session on the evening of the 30th March features the excellent singer and storyteller Adrian O – it’s his first visit and he’s our first storyteller so don’t miss him! (Free event)

 

John Morgan sings at the Frittenden session, 27th January

John Morgan

Local singing star John Morgan will sing at the Frittenden session on the 27th January, starting at 8pm.

John has a fine style and an excellent voice, and specialises in traditional songs, frequently those of the South-East and often accompanied by his melodeon.

However, John also finds space for modern songs in his repertoire, many of which were written by friends – but when you realise just how many of the folk scene’s well known names are old friends that comes as no surprise.

Our sessions at Frittenden’s Bell & Jorrocks pub start at 8pm and are informal and free, with lots of old-fashioned and traditional songs and tunes, perhaps a little stepdancing and a big emphasis on variety, humour and entertainment generally.

If you liked your pub the way it was before the telly and the computer came, this is the event for you. You don’t have to be a performer in order to join us, but if you are, why not bring a song, a tune, a story or a poem yourself?

Harvest Hop Barndance at the Bell & Jorrocks, 24th November

Get ready for the Harvest Hop Barndance at the Bell & Jorrocks pub at 8pm on the 24th November, featuring our favourite dances, party games, surprise entertainments, raffle, and a great candle-lit atmosphere, with our own Rosie Davis calling, music from the Horsmonden Traditional Music Class and friends, and Frittenden favourites Annie Dearman and Steve Harrison adding to the general jollity.

Tickets are £6 and £4 (concs), with all funds raised going to help fund the Frittenden Old Fashioned Night Out day scheduled for the 6th April. Call Gavin on 07985 522734 to reserve your tickets now!

If you play English traditional music and would like to join the band for a few tunes, you’re very welcome.

We’re planning to have a list for the night, so if you’re not too confident about some of them, you’ll know when to dip in and play, and when to drop out and dance with your partner or go to the bar! Among the tunes we plan to use are the following:

  • The Hundred Pipers (march)
  • Cock of the North (jig)
  • Haste to the Wedding (jig)
  • Rig a Jig Jig (jig, natch)
  • Strike the Bell (32-bar step hop)
  • Off to California (32-bar step hop)
  • The Sloe (polka)
  • The Girl with the Blue Dress On (polka)
  • Oh Joe the Boat is Going Over (polka)
  • Donkey Riding (polka)
  • Three Around Three (polka)
  • Shave the Donkey (waltz)
  • Sussex Cotillion (incidental tune, but I guess it must be a cotillion!)
  • From Night til Morn (polka)
  • The Famous Fiery Clockface (jig)

Classic session and barndance tunes, every one of them, and they’re all either on the class pages, or this YouTube page.

PS – Here’s a video showing what a great time we had!

PPS – And here’s another, this time from Annie and Steve’s YouTube.