Doing The KCJ

       A slightly more sober and sadder atmosphere starting off  Bedworth Folk Club on Wednesday night than usual. We had learnt earlier that Gill Gilsenan had been taken very poorly and admitted to hospital. Malc gave us a brief update and then  we settled into a good night.  Hospital is hopefully the best place for Gill to be,where she can safely get proper care and some rest. If good wishes were anything to go by goodwill alone will nurse her back to health.

        Ill health was ravaging the performers  too, and also some of the audience,with a few notable absentees unable to join us. Malc Gurnham, now perhaps getting more used to performing solo got us under way with a selection of songs using his very pretty, shiny guitar with lots of knobs on.

          Dave Webb, a stalwart at The Newdigate was indisposed, so John B. Smith treated us to a funny recitation instead about how (not!) to successfully administer a  tablet to a cat. Some pretty graphic imagery got everyone chuckling and John followed up with a poem before getting behind the lens and snapping the rest of the evening's events from his armchair. (All but one photo here are courtesy of him). 

         John Kearney and myself followed John B. We are  nowadays introduced, whenever we appear together in one slot without Flossy as " Two thirds of Nunc-here tonight without the pretty one."  Hmm.

This cameo gave us  a chance to try out some new shirts and to get the audience singing with a few comedy songs. "Albert Balls to kick us off. "The Odeon " to follow, and a bit of Irish Reggae to finish. Karen Jones joined us on percussion and there is photographic evidence to prove this. 

        John Neal, an excellent songwriter and musician, like JK  and Malc himself, also based in Nuneaton, then followed. He was feeling a little mellow so did a couple of Ralph McTell songs. (Somebody has to) and one of his own. This opening sequence of artistes then completed, it was time for Colin and Karen (K.C. Jones), also from Nuneaton, to do their first guest spot.

         A mix of their own material and a few covers then followed. many taken from their album. Poor Karen was suffering badly with The Lurgy, and Colin seemed at times not far behind her.  A week away in sunnier climes had not helped matters, but there was something endearingly sexy about Karen's slightly huskier voice than usual.  They dedicated the excellent Ivory Battle to Gill. The audience belted the choruses out with a vigour which surely must have been audible as far away as Walsgrave. Karen (and Colin) are good songwriters, their arrangements are  always thoughtfully set out,using a variety of structures and the two guitars provide effectively contrasting melody and rhythm. 

          After the Interval, Brian Phillips broke up the Nuneaton monopoly by bringing  a little bit of Bedduff back to proceedings. He was on good form-as laconic and funny as ever. He showed a lot of phlegm -with some songs and a touching homage to nostril detritus. ( The prettiest way I can think of describing such a tricky subject. A bit of a bogey item for Brian). "Hesitation Blues" was particularly good. We must entice Brian out to The Anker Blues sessions some time. 

     I'm delighted to reveal that I won a bottle of Rose in the raffle. Having conducted hundreds of these myself in my time, it's always satisfying to be a winner somewhere else. Sometimes at our local folk clubs its the fastest you see people move, sprinting up to claim their prize! Not a Glenn Campbell CD maybe, but the next best thing. Then it was time to wheel back K.C. Jones. Another rich tapestry of covers and originals followed. Culminating in a very cheerful singalong as a finale.  Dragging Malc back up to join in with a few oldies like "Dream"    The final song was a rather lovely version of "Caledonia" with some excellent three way harmonies. In fact multiway as the audience had a good shot at innovating some of their own.