From: Sheila Miller [sheilamiller55_at_yahoo_dot_co_dot_uk]

Sent: 18 September 2014 18:15

Subject: CELLAR UPSTAIRS FOLK CLUB: PROGRAMME CHANGE, 1 NOVEMBER, AND PROBLEM WITH PUB

Dear members, regulars and others

The Fraser Sisters will no longer be appearing on 1st November, as Jo Freya has double-booked herself, and has to be elsewhere with her trio, Morai. However, we will have one Fraser sister, namely Fi Fraser, with the Old-Fashioned, the trio to which she belongs along with Pete Bullock and Howard Mitchell (www.theoldfashioned.co.uk). Fi (fiddle and vocals) is a member of the famous Old Swan Band, and was a founder member of Token Women; Pete (keyboards and clarinet) was a member of the Albion Band, Excelsior, Rogues' Gallery and other bands; and Howard (double bass, melodeon and concertina) has played with North and South, Stradivarious, the Ram Company and others. They play a diverse range of material.

From the band's website: "Fi's love of traditional songs, often with a melodramatic twist, is allied to her sense of humour and southern English fiddle style. Pete is a master of harmony and arrangement, again adding drama and a humourous twist to the music. Howard brings his experience of traditional and period music to the trio, often seen in the musical interludes or additions to songs."

I'm also including the rest of the programme up to January. I hope we'll see you on some of these dates.

Also, I've only recently learnt that the pub we meet in, the Exmouth Arms, is up for sale, and there is a serious possibility that it will cease to be a pub. It would be very sad to lose such a good venue, especially as it is extremely difficult to find suitable pubs to run folk clubs in these days, particularly on a Saturday night. If any of you know anyone who might be interested in buying the pub, please ask them to get in touch with  me to get the owner's contact details . Also, of course, please let me know if you know of any suitable pubs, in case we do have to move.

All the best

Sheila Miller (club organiser)

20 SEPT: JAMES FINDLAY (fine young West Country singer of mainly traditional songs; he also plays fiddle and guitar, and he won BBC Young Folk Award in 2010)

27 SEPT: Rob Mason and Simon Prager (probably the UK's best blues harmonica player and fine blues singer-guitarist; both have played in other popular duos and bands)

4 OCT: ROSIE STEWART AND RO?S?N WHITE (two of Ireland's greatest singers, from County Fermanagh and Armagh respectively; their repertoires range from big traditional ballads to comic songs)

11 OCT: BARTRAM, BROOKES & WEATHERALL (Chris, Neil and Tony, respectively; mainly traditional songs and tunes from English trio who play fiddle, melodeon and washboard)

18 OCT: BEVERLY SMITH & JOHN GRIMM (excellent US singers of old-timey American songs; they play various instruments; Beverly has played at the club twice with Alice Gerard and once with Carl Jones)

25 OCT: CLUB'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY NIGHT with DAVE BURLAND (very popular Barnsley singer of traditional English and contemporary songs, known for his relaxed style, on an extremely rare visit south, plus cake)

1 NOV: THE OLD-FASHIONED (as above)

8 NOV: THE CLAQUE (great harmony group from Devon, made up of five fine singers: Barry Lister, Tom Addison, Dave Lowry, Sean O'Shea and Bill Crawford; the group includes former members of various popular groups, such as the Songwainers and Isca Fayre)

15 NOV: PETA WEBB, KEN HALL & SIMON HINDLEY (traditional American old-timey, Irish and English songs in harmony, plus the odd blues from guitarist Simon)

22 NOV: RATTLE ON THE STOVEPIPE (great old-timey band; traditional American songs on fiddle, banjo, guitar, etc, from Pete Cooper, Dave Arthur and Dan Stewart)

29 NOV: THOMAS McCARTHY (great Irish traveller singer with distinctive style and repertoire, many of his songs learnt from his extended County Offaly family)

6 DEC: JOHN KIRKPATRICK (masterly squeeze-box player and singer; traditional songs and tunes and some of his own, both serious and hilarious)

13 DEC: KATE LISSAUER (first-rate singer and champion fiddler from Maryland with mountain, bluegrass and folk songs; she plays banjo and guitar too)

2015

3 JAN: LONG HILL RAMBLERS (excellent old-timey band - fine singing and playing from Ben Paley, Tab Hunter, Dan Edwards and great young singer Laura Hockenhull)

10 JAN: Robb Johnson (popular political singer-songwriter - Rosa's Lovely Daughters, 6B Go Swimming, Undefeated and many other well-known songs)

VENUE: Exmouth Arms, Starcross Street, London NW1 2HR (on the corner of Cobourg Street, near Euston and Euston Square stations; parking is easy), on Saturdays at 8.15pm

INFORMATION: 020 7281 7700; www.cellarupstairs.org.uk (PUB: 020 7387 5440)

ENTRANCE: Members: ?6, non-members: ?7 (unwaged ?1.50 less), except on nights marked *, when it will be ?7 and ?8. Membership: ?2 for the year

ACCESS: The club room is up a short staircase.

RESIDENT PERFORMERS: Gail Williams and Jim Younger, Peta Webb and Ken Hall, Frankie Cleeve and Sue Williams, and Bob Wakeling