From: Martin Snodin [martin_dot_snowdin_at_btopenworld_dot_com]
Sent: 06 August 2006 21:21
Subject: Acoustic Sussex newsletter - 6 August 2006

Newsletter              6th August 2006

 

Contact details
Tel. 01342 716975
or email:
info_at_acousticsussex_dot_org_dot_uk

The holiday season is well and truly upon us, so it’s goodbye from us for a few weeks, but don’t forget to get your tickets nice and early for our first event of the Autumn season when Shirley Collins’ starts her nationwide tour of the book ‘America Over the Water’ at Chequer Mead, East Grinstead on Saturday 2 September. More on ‘America Over the Water’ below

Later in the season, we have some great events planned.  Follow these links for details of:

Ø    Johnny Dickenson – 11 September, The Ravenswood, Sharpthorne

Ø    Richard Durrant – 25 September, The Ravenswood

Ø    Bob Fox and Billy Mitchell – 16 October, The Ravenswood

Ø    Pierre Bensusan – 6 November, The Ravenswood

 

For more information on Acoustic Sussex shows including sound samples, click on the artists' website links below or visit our
 
Myspace website

Saturday
2 September

SHIRLEY COLLINS
‘America Over the Wate
r’

at
Chequer Mead
East Grinstead
www.chequermead.org.uk
£12 (£9 conc)    8pm
Box Office:
Tel. 01342 302000
or email

 

 

 

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Shirley Collins, one of the most important figures on the British folk scene, is touring a show based on her book America Over the Water, telling how, in 1959, Shirley, a young folk singer from Hastings, set out across the American South with the legendary folklorist Alan Lomax, collecting and recording songs from both black and white communities across six states.

Shirley:“It was a journey that started in Virginia, took us into Parchman Farm, the notorious Mississippi State Penitentiary, up Kentucky mountainsides to record Primitive Baptists’ Open Air Prayer meetings, to the heart of Alabama for the Sacred Harp Convention, into tiny hamlets in the tornado belt of rural Arkansas where the pioneering spirit still existed, and into isolated black communities in Northern Mississippi…. ending our journey on one of the Georgia Sea Islands that had been settled by escaped slaves.”

America Over the Water combines the personal story of Shirley’s relationship with Alan Lomax with a unique first-hand account – through the song collecting - of the evolving social history of a racially segregated America on the cusp of the Civil Rights Movement. It goes to the roots of Anglo/American traditional music. The American story is interleaved with Shirley’s other journey: that of growing up in Hastings during and just after the Second World War, becoming a folk singer, and so meeting Alan Lomax in London.

The show features readings by Shirley and actor Pip Barnes, many musical excerpts from the field recordings themselves, and a visual display incorporating photographs taken on the trip or derived from contemporaneous sources.

“'I found it very touching indeed....... truly movung” - David Attenborough

 

“I think the show surprises people because they think it might be serious and studious but it’s full of this wonderful music” Shirley Collins

 

“Shirley Collins is without doubt one of England’s greatest cultural treasures.”  Billy Bragg

 

“Alan Lomax is a completely central figure in 20th century culture. Without Lomax it’s possible there would have been no blues explosion, no R&B movement, no Beatles and no Stones and no Velvet Underground. He was the conduit, mainlining the uniqueness and richness and passion of African-American music into the fertile early beginnings of Western pop music.”   Brian Eno

 


Click here for more on Shirley Collins  and
‘America Over the Water’

Monday 11 September
JOHNNY DICKINSON

at
The Ravenswood
Sharpthorne

www.theravenswood.co.uk
£10 adv (£12 door) 8pm
Tickets:
01342 714810/716975
or email

 

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Nominated as Musician of the Year in the BBC Radio 2006 Folk Awards, Johnny Dickinson is regarded by many as the UK's most potent slide player, with a unique and individual style of playing which crosses Celtic flavours with American Blues. He’s also a truly talented songwriter and powerful singer.  Reminiscent, sometimes of Kelly Joe Phelps, and sometimes of Martin Simpson, he’s a fast rising talent bound for international recognition.

 

"I'd go a long way to listen to Johnny Dickinson.  You hear a lot of good influences in his music but the result is something special.  For me his playing really hits the spot."    John Renbourn

 

"Johnny is a soulful player, singer, and a damn good writer! Don´t miss him!"

Tommy Emmanuel

 

Support to be confirmed

 


Johnny Dickinson

Monday 25 September
RICHARD DURRANT

at
The Ravenswood
Sharpthorne

www.theravenswood.co.uk
£10 adv (£12 door) 8pm
Tickets:
01342 714810/716975
or email

 

 

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Richard Durrant is a classically trained artist active in many walks of musical life. Respected equally in the world of classical, folk and rock music, he is in demand as recitalist, session player and composer. Best known for his lively and entertaining guitar concerts Durrant has won devoted fans throughout Europe - his sheer virtuosity and uncategorisable repertoire earning him a unique place in the world of the guitar.

 

Alongside his concert work, Durrant is a busy recording artist and broadcaster. He is also a successful composer of television and concert music.

 

Richard played lead guitar with Sky during their last national tour and still performs a two man show with the legendary Mr Herbie Flowers, playing a mixture of original material, classical and jazz.

 

Support to be confirmed

 


Richard Durrant

Monday 16 October
BOB FOX &
BILLY MITCHELL

at
The Ravenswood
Sharpthorne

www.theravenswood.co.uk
£10 adv (£12 door) 8pm
Tickets:
01342 714810/716975
or email

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This collaboration between Billy Mitchell and Bob Fox has been a long time coming. Both men learnt their musical trade around Tyneside and have been delighting audiences at home and away for many years.

 

They are both fine singers and musicians of stunning ability who can bring magic into any auditorium. Now, after many years of mutual admiration, they will share a stage and pool the wealth of talent at their disposal.

 

In concert Billy and Bob will perform alone and together, the material will be cherry-picked from their solo work and the combined back catalogues of Lindisfarne, Jack the Lad,The Hush and Bob Fox & Stu Luckley, to produce a memorable night of songs.

 

Support to be confirmed

 


Bob Fox & Billy Mitchell

Monday 6 November September
PIERRE BENSUSAN

at
The Ravenswood
Sharpthorne

www.theravenswood.co.uk
£10 adv (£12 door) 8pm
Tickets:
01342 714810/716975
or email

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French-Algerian Pierre Bensusan is rated as one of the top 10 finger-style guitar players in the world, and one of the most eloquent and diverse musicians of our time, effortlessly moving from classical to jazz to ethnic.

 

In solo concerts that have been described as “a must-have experience“ (sometimes lasting up to 3 hours), each performance is brimming with passion, drama, rich ornamentation, grace and sheer joy, along with some of the most dazzling acoustic guitar playing on the planet.

 

"Pierre’s music gives me the shakes. No other guitarist shares his  strange gifts of sophistication, accessibility and downright joy.  Even at its most complex, Pierre’s music only needs ears to be enjoyed."

Leo Kottke

 

Support: Matthew Ord

 


Pierre Bensusan

For your future diaries..

 

Tommy Emmanuel (28 November, Chequer Mead); John Tams & Barry Coope (11 December, Chequer Mead); Acoustic Strawbs (19 January 2007, Chequer Mead).

More information on all up-and-coming artists can be found on our website: www.acousticsussex.org.uk. You can also find us on MySpace (with samples from some of the artists appearing) at: www.myspace.com/acoustic_sussex. If you know anyone who you think may enjoy our events, please forward this email to them.

 

 

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