Thursday 4 February 2016

Eating for Victory-Folk in The Larder

   The first Wednesdays of the month have become busy days for me . Evenings are hectic at Nuneaton Folk Club, where organising, compering and hosting the Residency with Nunc eats up time and means I'm on my feet and hyperactive for at least six hours. So beforehand, although also a musical activity, the afternoon Cafe Cabaret sessions at The Larder in Atherstone are very much more relaxed and informal. It's a bit of a rush driving home from there, and then back into Nunny, but worthwhile
    I cannot think of any more vivid contrast, in Folk and Acoustic terms, than experiencing these two sessions inside ten hours. Maybe other venues like The Larder exist-a Military themed cafe where singers stroll amongst the diners and open and close the door for those entering or leaving. But if they do, then I've not experienced them. ( Yet-The Larder's sister cafe in Ashby has begun experimenting with them, too!) So all credit to Phil Benson for innovating these friendly gatherings, which have been going on for several years now.
    Yesterday for example, saw the usual broad range of material to enjoy with your teacakes, Bubble and Squeak and sausage butties. A few regulars were missing. Anne and Steve Beeson, jollying around the world: Malc and Gill wrangling elsewhere over new arrangements and new songs. But as well as other old faces assembled, newer ones continue to surprise and entertain.
    Julia and Dave Taylor and Elaine and John Meechan are two very different duos, but are often found there on First Wednesdays. John and Elaine swap the instrumentation round and combine jolly, earthy folk with a broad range of regional variations which are sometimes harder hitting. Dave and Julia combine fine singing and tasteful arrangements. They often chuck in parody or comedy too, for Dave in particular, is a master in writing a funny song, but they were reflective and a little more serious yesterday. Indeed, we had three lovely songs from bothduos.
     Andy Jones I've only got to know about recently. He's a deep character,with a distinctive voice, and he too really thinks about his material and arrangements. We had an unaccompanied ecclesiastical piece from him for starters, and that poised a few cups of coffee mid-air, I can tell you. Blimey!
     Mick Stanley (of Comharsa) and Peter McParland have become Larder regulars, and their contributions were also highly enjoyable. By way of a change yesterday Mick sang an English song whilst I did an Irish one.( I knew he could do it!) I offered The Oul Triangle and The Odeon before making a complete mess of “Lakes of Ponchartrain.”-a song I have recalled from memory in public many times without a safety net. Yesterday afternoon, having dedicated it to the late Gren Morris, that first verse just went completely awol. I was still thinking about Gren and his unique rendition of that fine song, so after the March morning, New Orleans and Jackson Town and the rest of it emptied itself from my head. I recovered sufficiently to reclaim the remaining verses and to pay homage to Gren-but Paul Brady would have sat with his head in his hands throughout.

    And then there was Dylan. No, not that one, another one. From Atherstone. Having borrowed Pete's guitar strap, he did a version of “House of The Rising Sun” which was both innovative and funny. Involving the audience in a new version of “call and response” singing. Later he followed with a Marc Bolan song, tastefully delivered. Top stuff-and typical of the range you can find nowadays at a Larder session.