Bob Wood – 9th August

Dawn Martin and Willie Sinclair won The Open Stage Competition at the 48th Marymass Folk Festival. Dawn looks happy – Willie looks shocked !!! The Judges were Beth Folkemer of Dearest Home and the weel kent face Tom Smith of Prestwick. A very popular decision – Dawn has certainly earned it. We can now look forward forward to Dawn playing at the Saturday night concert, headlined by special guests Na Leanai – the next generation of The Sands Family from Rostrevor, Northern Ireland. Tell your friends!!

The Marymass Saturday Evening Concert is always one of the highlights of the year and this year comes into the ‘not to be missed’ category. This post is a request for members and friends to help get the word out about Na Leanai, who will be headlining the Concert at The Volunteer Rooms in Irvine on Saturday 22nd August. Na Leanai may not be a name familiar with music fans in Ayrshire, but once they realise the group’s association with one of Ireland’s first families of folk music, The Sands Family, they will know that they are in for a treat.

Photograph: Na Leanai and The Sands Family at Fiddler’s Green Festival. (It is the ‘youngsters’, Na Leanai, who will be at Marymass this year, an extended family concert is perhaps something we can hope for in the future.)

Na Leanai are the daughters and sons of various members of the Sands Family and sing the family songs, traditional songs, a few of their own, and play fiddle, whistle and guitar. They recently launched their first CD at the Fiddler’s Green Festival in a concert where The Sands Family and Na Leanai performed their own sets before coming together as a combined family group. It was one of those memorable moments that will live with people for years to come and promises much for their appearance at Marymass Folk Festival, 2015.

All of the Sands family share common traits including good humour, anecdotes and stories and above all great songs. Tommy Sands in particular is a songwriter with a reputation on a world stage, having performed and co-written songs with the legendary Pete Seeger, but brothers Colum and Ben also have that family gift of turning every day experiences into songs.

The name Na Leanai, means ‘children’, although in the case of the Sands it is better expressed as ‘the next generation’. And the next generation is very much in the minds of the organisers of the Marymass Folk Festival as they look forward to the festival’s 50th anniversary in 2017. Marymass Folk Festival was a springboard for many performers who went on to a career in music. Billy Connolly, Aly Bain, Alistair MacDonald, Gallagher & Lyle, The McCalmans, Johnny Silvo and many more, all look to Marymass with fondness and happy memories. For the Sands Family, who first came over from Ireland to play at the festival in the early 1970s, Marymass was important in their decision to become professional musicians. It opened the door to performances in Scotland and beyond for The Sands Family as a group, and also for individual members, particularly Tommy, Colum and Ben Sands who are regular visitors to clubs and concerts to this day.

Festival events run from Wednesday 19th through to Sunday 23rd August with a packed schedule of concerts, sessions and community events throughout the town. Arthur Johnstone & The Stars Band headline the concert on the Thursday evening with Celine Donoghue & Neil Sturgeon topping the bill on the Friday evening. Both of these concerts take place in Vineburgh Community Centre which is the home of the Irvine Folk Club throughout the year.

Photograph: Stephen and Pernille Quigg at Irvine Harbourside.

There is a particularly strong line up of resident performers who will be appearing throughout the week. The residents include fiddler Tom McConville from the North East of England, who returns after being a main guest in recent years, Sunjay Brayne, a young musician with quite incredible skills on guitar, The Stavanger Harbour Band who are regular visitors to Irvine from Norway, The Alistair McCulloch Trio and Stephen & Pernille Quigg. Ayrshire based Stephen Quigg is well known from his time with The McCalmans, one of Scotland’s top folk groups, and more recently with his wife and singing partner Pernille. A new name among the residents is Hector Gilchrist. Hector has made quite a name for himself in England over many years, and has released CDs on the prestigious Wildgoose label. Hector was involved in the early days of the folk music scene in Ayrshire, moving to the south of England from his home village of Coylton over forty years ago.

Tickets are available online via this website or from Joyce Hodge, 01294 551047. Some tickets will be available on the door, but early booking is advised.

(For anyone who wondered, Na Leanai is pronounced Na lah-nee.)

Fraser Bruce is back at Irvine Folk Club and he tops the bill on Wednesday 5th August after a fairly lengthy absence from the folk music scene. He was a very familiar face in the early days of the Club when it met weekly at The Eg although, depending on your age, this might be the first time you’ve heard him.
London born and Rutherglen reared, Fraser sang solo for a number of years singing traditional ballads as well as contemporary material. Then as now, he accompanies himself on acoustic guitar. There came a time when he brought his wee brother Ian to gigs and later they formed a formidable duo: each having a powerful voice and excellent guitar skills. In particular, their harmonies were spot on. They recorded three albums and toured worldwide. Ian then moved on to a solo career and Fraser took a break from the folk scene. But now he’s back.
Fraser has four shows at St Bride’s as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. He will be appearing alongside brother Ian and Moe & Ian Walker. The programme describes them as ‘four veteran performers’!
Wednesday 5th August is the final Club night before the 48th Marymass Folk Festival starts on 19th August. Therefore, limber up for Marymass by going along to Vineburgh Community Centre in Quarry Road on 5th August to hear Fraser Bruce. The Club starts at 8pm and it’s BYOB.
Speaking of Marymass, tickets are now available and Folk Festival leaflets giving all details of the five day bash are in all sorts of outlets. If however, you need to check info or want to reserve tickets – and that would be a smart idea as Vineburgh, the venue for the Thursday and Friday concerts, is a small, intimate venue – contact Joyce on 01294 551047 or visit www.irvinefolkclub.org.uk

Have just heard that Ian will accompany Fraser on his visit to Irvine Folk Club on Wednesday.

BBC Radio Scotland Young Musician of the Year for 2105 Claire Hastings is the special guest at Irvine Folk Club on Wednesday 22nd July. She is well thought of by her peers and music critics alike – even if she plays the Ukulele as her chosen instrument!
Claire is from Dumfries and sings and plays with a confidence that belies her years. She has a very fine voice and is said to be a compelling storyteller. After she graduated from the RSAMD with a degree in Scottish Music, Claire and her Ukulele travelled round the world for 18 months before she decided that being in Glasgow is where she really wanted to be.
She has been involved in a variety of workshops around Scotland including leading a Singing Workshop on Mull for people with Dementia and more recently delivered Tiny Tunes for Tiny people to a Mother & Baby Group in Edinburgh.
Claire has also undertaken several teaching projects including one for people in Glasgow with Mental Health issues and working with Feis Rois in Dumfries & Galloway primary schools teaching Scottish music and singing. Currently she is training to be a Colourstrings teacher and maybe she will explain what that is to those of us who don’t know.
As well as all of that, Claire is part of a duo with Robyn Stapleton and part of the Top Floor Taivers band. Claire’s debut album is promised for early 2016!
At the Irvine Club on the 22nd July, the talented Jenn Butterworth will be alongside Claire. So to hear the current Young Trad Musician of the Year, get along to Irvine Folk Club for 8pm on 22nd July to Vineburgh Community Centre in Quarry Road where it is BYOB.
And finally, Saver Tickets priced £40 are now available for this year’s Marymass Folk Festival and cover concerts on the Thursday, Friday and Marymass Saturday Night. It’s a bargain. Contact Joyce on 01294 551047 or email JoyceIFC@aol.com

‘What’s gannin on?’ is a well-used phrase on Tyneside and is doubtless a favourite with the guests at Irvine Folk Club on Wednesday 8th July Chuck Fleming & Benny Graham. Chuck is from Loanhead in Midlothian now living in Co Durham whilst Benny is a Tynesider through and through.
Chuck & Benny have been playing together for years in Pubs, Clubs and Festivals and have now decided that this is the year to go on tour – well, over Hadrian’s Wall for a start! Happily, the Irvine Club is included in the tour schedule as Chuck has been a favourite with Irvine audiences going back to when he was the fiery fiddler with the legendary JSD Band playing in what was then The Drill Hall in Irvine – now the Volunteer Rooms.
Chuck is a terrific fiddle player and also plays mandolin and guitar. Over the years he has worked with the likes of Kathryn Tickell and awesome concertina player Alistair Anderson. He was founder member of Five Hand Reel and now teaches fiddle and mandolin. The irrepressible good humour of Chuck is well known and on stage nothing seems to phase him.
Benny Graham is a singer and songwriter who served his musical apprenticeship in North East of England Folk Clubs. It was there that he learned the songs that grew out of the heavy industries that grew out of coal, steel and ship building on Tyneside and also the musical culture of the rural North East. He has a very good voice and also plays Button Box Accordion. After working for a few years as solo performer, Benny formed the three part harmony group Pegleg Ferret and toured the UK and the Continent.
His career then took a different direction when he joined a premier Tyneside theatre where he has since worked as a singer, songwriter and also a stage and production manager. Benny has numerous albums to his name.
Chuck Fleming & Benny Graham will be a mighty presence at Irvine Folk Club on Wednesday 8th July at Vineburgh Community Centre. The Club starts at 8pm and yes, it’s BYOB. Make sure you can be there.

Long since known for the freshness he brings to songs that others might have discarded for being too familiar, the gentle fellow with the storyteller’s voice Sean Donnelly is back at Irvine Folk Club on Wednesday 24th June. This is a change to the scheduled programme.

A native of Co Tyrone, who ‘emmigrated’ to Newcastle Co Down in the early ‘70s, Sean Donnelly has been popular on the folk club circuit for a number of years. He has made countless radio broadcasts and his seventh album And Our Time Together containing songs new and old, is one of which he is particularly proud.

Gentle, quiet, unshowy, easy relaxed style are all words that are used repeatedly when people describe Sean. He has a knack for knowing a good song when he hears one and has accumulated a vast repertoire that draws heavily but not exclusively from the traditional wells of Ulster song. He also writes songs. Sean has a quiet storyteller’s voice with a distinctive Northern Ireland enunciation and a delicate guitar style that is the envy of many. He plays an open-tuned guitar that complements his singing ideally.

Tommy Sands who knows a thing or two about singing says of Sean ‘there is a gentleness in the man’s voice and a kindness in the guitar that unwrinkles the mind and body’ . What a gift Mr Sands has for finding the right words!

Irvine Folk Club on Wednesday 24th June is the place to savour the songs, the singing, the stories and the music of Sean Donnelly. The Irvine Club meets in Vineburgh Community Centre in Quarry Road, starts at 8pm and it’s BYOB.

Finally, the 48th Marymass Folk Festival programme giving full details is now out. They are available in all sorts of places but, if you can’t find one then phone Joyce on 01294 551047 or visit www.irvinefolkclub.org.uk

Unfortunately John Hinshelwood has had to call off tomorrow night because of illness. Should still be a good night so come along and support the club.

With nearly thirty years’ experience playing on the Americana, Country and Folk circuit, the John Hinshelwood Band will be strutting their stuff at Irvine Folk Club on Wednesday 10th June. They last played at the Club almost four years ago.

The well established name of John Hinshelwood on the Scottish Americana circuit has come about from playing at Country Festivals, Bluegrass Festivals, Folk Clubs and Arts Centres all over the UK. Glasgow based John describes himself as a singer and songwriter. He plays acoustic guitar and does vocals.

His respect and admiration for the late Gram Parsons led him to form The City Sinners – a six-piece outfit set up to perform a show based on Gram’s life and music. The Sinners continue to play on an ad hoc basis. Canadian vocalist Sandra Gellatly was recruited to the Sinners and went on to form a duo with John Hinshelwood. A result of this collaboration was a CD in 2009 called Shattered Pleasures. It featured 9 original compositions by John. Lowering the Tone is John’s third CD and was released last year.

Tim Black on acoustic and electric guitars, mandolin and vocals and Ed McGlone on bass and vocals complete the John Hinshelwood Band line-up.

Americana could be described as an amalgam of American musical styles, including folk, country, blues, rhythm and blues and rock and roll. To check out this very loose description, get along to Irvine Folk Club on Wednesday 10th June at 8pm to hear the John Hinshelwood Band. The Club meets in Vineburgh Community Centre in Quarry Road and it’s BYOB.

Finally, the annual Folk Night organised by Ardrossan Highland Games is on Friday 12th June in The Lauriston Hotel. It features Dave Gibb, Spancil Hillbillies and Ayrshire man Ciaran Sinclair. Tickets are £10 from 07967 810550. The concert starts at 7.30pm

Ardrossan Highland Games are holding a concert in The Laurieston Hotel, Ardrossan on Friday 12th June at 7.30pm featuring Dave Gibb, The Spancil Hillbillies (starring the clubs very own Eddie Dunlop) and Ciaran Sinclair. Tickets priced £10 are available from the hotel or by phoning 07967810550.

Lanarkshire Folk band Haggerdash tops the bill at Irvine Folk Club on Wednesday 27th May at Vineburgh Community Centre. As each band member plays a minimum of three instruments, chances are that the Club will be awash with instruments if they bring everything they can play! Pity the ‘Roadie’ if they have one!
Haggerdash enjoy what they do and that’s probably why they are as busy as they want to be. The band members have been involved in Folk music for many years playing with bands such as Setanta, Clachnacuddin and Hot Toddy. Their wide range of material reflects the many musical influences they have absorbed over the years.
Alan Jones used to be MC at Irvine Folk Club, but then moved to just outside East Kilbride. He plays Concertina, Bouzouki, Guitar, 5-String Banjo and also does lead vocals. Jack Bethel plays Hammer Dulcimer, Fiddle, Whistle and Concertina. A founder band member is David Logan who does vocals and plays Tenor Banjo, Mandolin, Cittern and Bodhran. Finally there is Billy Stewart another founder member and he plays Bouzouki, Guitar, 5-String Banjo, Harmonica, Bodhran and he sings too.
Haggerdash play at Clubs all over Scotland and do Festivals too including Marymass, the Portsoy Boat Festival, Glenfarg and Orkney. Earlier this month they played at the Girvan Folk Festival.
On Wednesday 27th May expect Haggerdash to play a mix of contemporary and traditional material with an emphasis on entertaining the audience. The Irvine Club starts at 8pm.
Finally, the guest list for this year’s Marymass Folk Festival is now complete and as soon as possible Festival programmes will be available. Watch this space. Helping keep music live in Irvine, that’s what Irvine Folk Club is about.