Shammick Acoustic ~ 2012 programme

Open night: with visiting performer Simon Kempston. An award-winning songwriter, a rich, powerful singer, and one of Scotland’s leading guitarists, Simon was classically trained, but is also steeped in the history of folk, blues and Celtic traditions.  With a style that can’t easily be pinned down, he has performed at blues, jazz and folk festivals.  We don’t mind that – as long as he’s acoustic! www.simonkempston.co.uk

Concert night: Paul Downes. It’s more than three years since Paul’s last appearance at Shammick Acoustic, and it’s high time he was back again!  A superb acoustic guitarist in every musical style imaginable as well as a mellifluous and sensitive singer, as an individual performer, he’s nowhere near as well known as he should be.  Starting in his early teens as a classical guitarist, he rapidly discovered folk music, alongside his friends Steve Knightley and Phil Beer, and has made his living in its various forms ever since.  Starting with Downes and Beer, then with the Arizona Smoke Revue, and the legendary Pete Seeger, he has toured the world.  More recently, he has worked with The Joyce Gang, and currently tours and records with song and ballad opera writer and singer, Mick Ryan.  No wonder he rarely does solo gigs!  So this is a rare opportunity to find out why the man is in such demand to work with other artists.  He has a fun, but not irreverent, approach to his live performances which is particularly engaging, and puts him amongst the most respected artists on the British acoustic music scene.  Don’t miss him!  www.pauldownes.com

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Open night:  with visiting performer Bill Crawford.  Now a long-time resident in Bridgwater, Bill is Devon born and bred, and was at one time, along with Tony Rose and Ken Penney, a member of The Journeymen, resident group at The Jolly Porter Folk Club in Exeter.  Bill is a fine singer, with a store of local songs, and usually has a real twinkle in his eye as he sings them.

Concert night: Craig & Willoughby. No strangers to North Devon audiences, this is a rescheduled date for Cathryn and Brian, due to the death of Cathryn’s father just before their last intended visit to Shammick Acoustic.  A much-in-demand Nashville session singer, American Cathryn has worked with The Righteous Brothers, Bobby Bare, Tom Paxton, Emmylou Harris and Chet Atkins, amongst many others.  But she’s also a very fine songwriter, and interpreter of American traditional songs, prompted particularly by the discovery that her grandfather’s songs were collected by the famous English song collector Cecil Sharp.  Brian began his guitar-playing career with Mary Hopkin, and then spent twenty-six years as lead guitarist with The Strawbs, working all over the globe.  And for fun, he plays locally in a pub band which goes by the name of The Three Must Get Beers!  He is a wonderful acoustic blues/rock guitarist, and a very sensitive accompanist, who can turn his hand to accompanying almost any style of song – including recent involvement in a set of sea shanty CDs!  Together, they gel beautifully – with Cathryn’s distinctive voice and emotional involvement in the songs, and Brian’s sympathetic and effortless playing, one can’t help but love them!  www.craigandwilloughby.com

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Shammick Abroad Concert: Appalachia. A fifth Saturday special concert at the George Hotel, South Molton. With a potent brew of American roots music creating a perfect blend of strings, voices and musical styles, these four guys mix blues, country, jazz, ragtime, bluegrass and their own writing, providing an inspired take on American roots music.  Appalachia’s original arrangements use finely-crafted four-part harmonies, with guitar, slide, dobro, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, harmonica and double bass, delivering a foot-stomping, feel-good sound.  They’ve created a real stir on the Bristol and Somerset acoustic music scene, going down a storm at Priddy Folk Festival and Didmarton Bluegrass festival, resulting in immediate repeat bookings at both. “Guaranteed to put a smile on your face and a rhythm in your feet – do NOT miss these guys!” www.appalachiamusic.co.uk

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Open night:  Just yourselves! (and ourselves)

Concert night: Richard Grainger & Chris Parkinson. This duo is from ‘oop North’, as they say, but none the worse for that.  Richard is a fine singer-songwriter, and has written a number of musical plays, including ‘The Eye of the Wind’ telling the tale of the explorer James Cook, which was produced for radio with narration by David Attenborough.  He comes to Shammick Acoustic with box-player Chris Parkinson, who was last with us on The Magical Christmas Tree Tour with Maggie Boyle and Pete Morton.  Chris has worked with some of the greats of the folk scene, like Martin Carthy and Norma Waterson, Ralph McTell, Mike Harding, Billy Connolly and Martin Simpson, as well as his own group, The House Band.  He is a master of his instrument, playing particularly traditional music, but he is no mean hand at blues, rock ‘n’ roll and even a bit of jazz.  The combination of Richard and Chris will result in a very entertaining evening!  www.richard-grainger.com

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Open night: Just yourselves! (and ourselves) 

Concert night: Benny Graham. This fine singer and musician served his musical apprenticeship in the folksong clubs of North East England, several of which were in the forefront of the British folk revival.  He developed a deep love of the vast musical culture of the area, and his repertoire includes rural songs, Tyneside Music Hall, and the songs that grew from the heavy industries of coal, steel and ship-building.  As well as his work as a solo performer, he is part of the superb a capella trio Pegleg Ferret (don’t ask!), touring in the UK and Europe.  His career path took him into the theatre, working with directors such as Gareth Morgan and Michael Bogdanov, and extending his activities into acting and songwriting.  In more recent times, he has collaborated in the writing and performance of shows on coal-mining, canals, the ‘Pitmen Poets’ of the North East, and a Christmas show, as well as working with children, playing in a ceilidh band and running a community choir!  Phew!  It makes you tired just to read it all!  He also has a terrific sense of humour, and we’re in for a great night!  Benny will also be running an afternoon workshop on the songs of the Pitmen Poets - luminaries like Tommy Armstrong and Joe Wilson. www.bennygraham.com

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Open night: Just yourselves! (and ourselves)

Concert night:Sandy Brechin & Ewan Wilkinson. This duo are venturing South from Scotland to play a mixture of Scottish and English centuries-old songs and tunes, together with contemporary songs from the likes of Richard Thompson and their own compositions.  An emotive singer and an articulate guitarist, Ewan has been hailed as an important new young talent on the folk scene, whilst Sandy is acknowledged as being one of the greatest exponents of the Scottish accordion, proving that it can be a very powerful instrument in the right hands. These two take Scottish folk music to high levels of excitement and entertainment!  A recent review of the duo’s performance said: “Ewan’s beautiful, heartfelt and tight performances, woven seamlessly with Brechin’s lilting accordion, creating a powerhouse of folk.”  Add that to presentation full of humour, how can you resist? Let’s give them a real Devon welcome! www.brechin-all-records.com/sandy-ewan.htm

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Open night: with visiting performer Stuart Michael Burns.  Hailing from Austin, Texas, Stuart is a master of narrative song, dramatic and humorous, with influences ranging from blues and country to calypso and reggae, with earthy vocal and guitar styles. www.reverbnation.com/stuartmichaelburns

Concert night: Jim Causley. The tag-line on the website is “Devon Incarnate”, and certainly Jim’s repertoire is deeply rooted in his native Devon (Whimple, near Exeter, to be precise), but it also indicates a certain sense of mischief which runs throughout his performances.  Last time he came to Shammick Acoustic, he was with friend and fellow performer Jackie Oates; this time the audience can enjoy a whole evening of this gifted singer and musician. He has twice been nominated for the BBC’s Folk Awards, has recorded three solo albums, and no less than eight with the likes of Devil’s Interval, Waterson-Carthy and Mawkin, as well as making guest appearances on eight others.  He still he finds time to involve himself in local events with the Dartmoor Pixie Band, talks for local WIs, Jan Stewer nights, and his own village wassail tradition on Twelfth Night.  He has become renowned for his warm, rich singing voice, his gift for interpreting songs, and his wry and cheeky stage presence.  From ballads to broadsides, and stories to tunes on the accordion, all are presented with a relaxed air that would charm a heart of stone. www.jimcausley.co.uk

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CLOSED: for Combe Martin Carnival

Concert night: Dave Gibb. Hailing from the highest village in Scotland - Wanlockhead - Dave is a superb guitarist with a style that is as distinctive as it is effective. He is a master interpreter of both traditional and contemporary songs, and a songwriting ability that produces everything from the sublime to the ridiculous. The not-too-serious songs reflect his somewhat cynical view of the world and its inhabitants.  As a result, his song subjects range from the highland clearances to the neutering of his cat, and from the death of John the Baptist to what life must have been like as a chamber pot emptier living on the banks of the Yangtze river.  Which means that we haven’t a clue what we might be listening to – but it’ll certainly be fun to finding out! www.davegibb.co.uk

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Open night: with visiting performer Philip Cockerham.  A singer, performer and songwriter based in West Yorkshire, Philip is beginning to venture south with his own and traditional songs accompanied by guitar or “one of his other more unusual instruments”.  Unusual or not, we’re also promised chorus songs.  Suits us! www.philipcockerham.com

Concert night: Dave Webber & Anni Fentiman. Dave is no stranger to North Devon, having lived at Instow without a beard for several years, but it was after leaving the area, having absorbed the rich diet of traditional music that existed here, that he started writing songs, and teamed up with Anni and other friends to form the late lamented quartet Beggar’s Velvet.  When the group split, Dave and Anni began a very successful career as a harmony duo, with a repertoire of traditional material, and contemporary songs in the traditional idiom, working extensively in the UK, the USA, and Northern Europe.  Now with five highly acclaimed CDs to their credit, they are in constant demand in folk clubs, and festivals, as well as in collaboration with others in stage shows like ‘The Widow’s Uniform’ and ‘The Transports’.  Audiences have been moved to tears with their beautiful singing – and to aching wrecks in response to Dave’s quick wit!  www.oldandnewtradition.com/daveandanni

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Open night: Just yourselves! (and ourselves)

Concert night: Wendy Arrowsmith. Two years ago, it was fortunate that Wendy was on holiday in the area when one of our concert acts cancelled at the last moment due to a bereavement – and there was Wendy willing and able to fill in!  She did a wonderful job, and delighted everyone with her very beautiful voice, her bubbly personality and her sense of humour. Originally from Glasgow, but now living in England, she performs a mixture of British traditional songs including a generous helping of Scottish material, plus songs, some of them award-winning, of her own making.  She generally accompanies herself on guitar, but whistles, bodhran, mandolin and accordion have also been know to put in an appearance, and there are rumours of fiddle and concertina as well…  She more than deserves a return visit www.wendyarrowsmith.com

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Open night: Just yourselves! (and ourselves)

Concert night: Broom Bezzums. It’s rare that anyone is booked at Shammick Acoustic without any of the powers that be having heard them live, but in this case an exception was made. The duo is now based in Germany (which is why we've not seen them live). Both sing, both are multi-instrumentalists - fiddle, guitars, mandola, Northumbrian pipes and bass drum. Andrew Cadie and Mark Bloomer seem to strike a keen balance between authentic traditional music and the creative freedom of the current songwriter/Nu-folk wave. Their credentials are certainly impressive, with Andrew having been taught fiddle and pipes by Kathryn Tickell, and Mark having perfected his guitar skills over years of regular session whilst living in Ireland. They are attracting an ever-wider audience, and their talents caught the attention of Show of Hands who have asked them to undertake support on two of their tours. Their publicity material says, “Broom Bezzums is a unique, powerful live acoustic duo [with a] striking stage presence.”  We shall see, but there seem to be few doubts. www.broombezzums.com

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Open night: Just yourselves! (and ourselves) - what will the season bring?

In anticipation of the season, Tom and Barbara will be running a workshop during the day on The Other Carols. Join us in exploring some of the less well-known carols and Wassail songs in the Shammick carol book, the winning carols that were written for Combe Martin in 2009, 19th century carols that took to the streets and the pubs, and other Christmas delights.

Concert night: Christmas Special with The Village Quire. Imagine a  Christmas long before the telly: in every village, people would have celebrated the festive season with music and song. The Village Quire bring you the Christmas of country people with songs that our forebears would have heard. The group hail from mid-Wales and sing thrilling, unaccompanied music in four-part harmony. In the pub on a Saturday night or in the church gallery on a Sunday morning – the songs might have been different, but the spirit was the same; the Welsh call it hwyl – heart and soul.  Energetic, no-nonsense stuff that is great fun to sing and listen to, and just the right way to take us into the Christmas festivities. www.villagequire.org.uk

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