Bampton Free Folk Festival 2009, North Devon sessions rock with an English, Irish, Breton traditional music flavour

It's Monday and the sun is shining through the window of my writing room as I reflect happily on one of the best weekends I have ever spent at the Bampton Free Folk Festival 2009 ("After the Fair") in North Devon.

I arrived on Friday lunchtime just before twelve o'clock and there were already musicians waiting at the White Horse which is usually a good bet for a mainly traditional English folk music based instrumental session with the added flavour of bombardes and songs from the festival's Irish and Breton friends.

Amazingly, the Friday session at the White Horse carried on for at least 12 hours, through to closing time which was well after I had already returned to my camper van in the car park to sleep.

It is hard to believe that there are so many tunes available to be played but the playing and singing standard was, as always, extremely high providing a huge store of folk music knowledge to choose from and the tunes and songs just kept flowing.

The Breton contingent arrived early evening and were welcomed with the usual riotous applause so they immediately gave a virtuoso performance of Bretonese songs and tunes despite their long journey reminding everybody why they are so popular.

Then on Saturday, starting at 12 o'clock midday, we did it all again, which was another twelve hours mainly playing and some singing. Wonderful!

Sunday was a short day and the session wound down just before tea time after another four hours of tunes and songs and then, with a total of more than twenty-eight hours playing mainly traditional English tunes under my belt, I decided to take my flute and soprano saxophone and head for home.

Highlights of the weekend, apart from the excellent Bretonese performances, included welcoming members of Exmoor Border Morris to the Saturday and Sunday sessions (including, of course, Delilah, the dog). The 'barfing song' (or is the right word 'chunder'?) performed by the esteemed Squire to Exmoor Border Morris Nigel (photo above, left, under the antlers) which was appreciated by all and the energetic and accomplished stepdancing in front of the open fire by, among others, session hosts Martyn Babb and Dartmoor Pixies Jason Rice.

Of course, there is a lot more to the Bampton Folk Festival than the events at the White Horse and I heard that the Bridge Hotel, Blackberries and the Quarryman's Rest were also busy with lots of singers and floor performers having a great time. The Variety Concert I heard was well attended and the workshops popular.



As always, I warmly extend my thanks for a great weekend to the intrepid Clare Penney and her hardworking supporters who have done a great job of making the Bampton Folk Festival 2009 such a wonderful event over the years.

Without doubt, I shall wear my Bampton Folk Festival badge with pride on my folkies hat ... until I buy another one next year with another ten pounds donation to go towards the administrative costs of this excellent free festival.

Bye for now

Rob

Rob Hopcott - online writer (retired) and folk musician

Were you there? What are your memories? I'd love to hear in the comments below :-)

Plymouth Inn good Saturday session at Baring Gould Festival 2009, Okehampton, Devon

On the spur of the moment, I decided to pop down to the Baring Gould Festival 2009 in Okehampton, Devon and join the other musicians at the lunchtime session in the Plymouth Inn hosted by Malcolm Woods and had a great time.

I arrived early and the friendly pub lady pointed out the area where the session was to take place but added that there was a Morris dancing display before the session started in front of the pub. Bearing in mind I have recently joined the Exmoor Border Morris side as a band member, I couldn't miss this opportunity to broaden my knowledge of 'sticking', 'hanky waving' and such like things.

The Cogs and Wheels Ladies Morris put on a fine display but I nipped off early to make sure I got a good seat for the session and found our host for the session had set up residence and lots of musicians were already arriving.

Amazingly, the session went on for seven hours under the gentle and friendly guidance of Malcolm Woods and his assorted helpers. It was a splendid example of what a good session should be. Malcolm was always ready to step in with another great traditional English tune when others had run out of steam but otherwise let the musicians get on with it. Ideal! There were even a few Irish traditional tunes and songs to provide a bit of variety.

I left at around seven pm just about when the hard-working Malcolm (photo right in the black T-shirt) was heading off for a bite to eat. I suspect he was likely to be back later to steer the continuing session through the rest of the evening but, unfortunately, I had to drive eighty miles to get home.

Will I go back to the Plymouth Inn session at Baring Gould Festival 2009, Okehampton, Devon in 2010? You bet I will and perhaps Malcolm Woods will be there doing another great job of running a mainly traditional English folk tunes session again.

Bye for now

Rob

Rob Hopcott

Superb traditional English folk music session at Bell Inn, Ash, Martock, Somerset

With a strong desire to revisit old haunts, I spent yesterday evening at the folk music session in the Bell Inn at Ash near Martock, Somerset which replaced the Wheatsheaf in South Petherton and now hosts a fortnightly traditional English folk music session on Wednesday evenings starting around 8.30pm led by Martin Hughes. It was one of the most enjoyable evenings I have spent for months.

I have to confess that Martin is one of my favourite folk music session organisers. He is very welcoming to newcomers and is an outstanding folk musician himself, always willing to leap in and start a tune when others are flagging. He also has a particular skill (and perhaps tenacity) for collecting around him an extremely wide range of talented musicians who also enjoy his sessions.

Highlights of the evening included sonorous cello playing by Matt, a virtuoso display of Appalachian dancing and humorous songs by Tony.

Would I recommend this traditional English folk music session at the Bell Inn, Ash, Martock? You bet I would and I am looking forward to checking out their other local session which takes place on alternate weeks.

Bye for now

Rob

Rob Hopcott - folk music festivals and sessions
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Sun, sand, sea and sociability at Swanage Folk Festival 2009 in Dorset

When I was invited by Exmoor Border Morris to join them at the Swanage Folk Festival 2009, I was flattered but not prepared for the fantastic Dorset weekend of sun, sand, sea and especially sociability that I found.

Joining Exmoor Border Morris at the camp site on Friday evening felt like a warm blanket of friendship being placed around my shoulders and, as I struggled to remember the names of all the people to whom I was introduced and their positions within the Morris side, I was impressed by the friendly laid back organisation that enabled such a large group of people to co-exist together and cheerfully enjoy celebrating English dance traditions and traditional English music in the sunshine.

Saturday morning, bright and early, we left the camp site and headed for Swanage in shared cars to meet other members of Exmoor Border Morris at our first dance venue and there were yet more friendly people for me to get to know. I also discovered the amazing sociability that wearing tatters (the official name of the raggedy costumes Morris sides wear) and flowers introduces into the public situation.

Quite simply, wearing tatters, blacking one's face and putting flowers in one's hat seems to be an open invitation for the general public to smile and chat at every turn. Wonderful! I had so many pleasant conversations with strangers from all sorts of backgrounds all over Swanage during the weekend.

Nevertheless, the experience was not without some pain. Blacking one's face means that noses can't be blown and eyes can't be rubbed, however much they itch, and the feeling of black paint being put up one's nose (to prevent a piggy face) is not an experience I would recommend, however gently it is applied.

Thanks, however, go to ace Morris melodeon musician Anne (pictured above to the right with maestro piano accordion player Martin Hughes) for ministering to my face-painting needs in such a sensitive and understanding way and for helping me, as a new band member, to get the tunes right. I have been playing traditional English folk tunes for many years and know most of the tunes Morris teams play but they change tunes to fit the different dances, altering the A and B parts accordingly, so I was definitely in need of the help I received.

Thanks also to Rosemary, the band leader, who energetically banged on her big drum and generally kept the band in order with carefully directed glances and a kind smile.

I have to mention also, whilst on the subject of pain, that the Morris side procession was incredibly strenuous and seemed to go on for ever. Those who have played a soprano saxophone will know that it takes lots of puff and lips of steel. By the time we had promenaded along the sea front constantly playing Nelly the Elephant for what seemed like at least half-an-hour my lips were on fire and, according to the people around me, my face was glowing puce under the black paint.

However, and back to the subject of sociability, the experience of passing under the arches of sticks and ribbons at the end of the course, provided by other Morris sides, was an experience I will always remember and which would have brought a tear to this old man's eye if I had not already become so dehydrated with the effort of blowing my sax and processing so far along the sea front.

Kind words too also eased the pain from lead Morris dancer Barrie (photo right with Jane and Sue) who said that my soprano saxophone playing worked well, cutting through the general hubbub of the procession and significantly helping them to dance in time.

So on to the Saturday evening. Some Morris dancers headed out for a meal. others to a concert but most of the members of the band headed for the Red Lion pub where I enjoyed one of the best sessions I have been to recently.

The marquee that had been set up in the courtyard at the back really worked well and attracted a lot of excellent musicians who contributed a steady flow of traditional English folk tunes throughout the evening at a speed most musicians present could enjoy playing.

Sunday morning was sunny again and the first stop of the day was St Mary's Church in Swanage where Exmoor Border Morris joined with good friends Foxs Morris, OBJ Border Morris and lots of other folkies in a special Folk Service which was very welcoming and friendly.

As a devout atheist, there were many points in the sermon which I would have liked to debate but, bearing in mind their hospitality, my sore saxophone lips stayed uncharacteristically silent except when I joined in playing my instrument with the other Morris band musicians to support the excellent combined dance sides in their dance performances.

Then on again, with hardly time to catch breath, we were off to play and dance in the sun at the Red Lion and on the promenade until it came time for the mass Morris dance in the sea which proved ideal for cooling one's sore feet.

So came to an end my weekend with the friendly Exmoor Border Morris side. It was a remarkable experience and has left me with many happy memories of sun, sand, sea and sociability.

Would I (featured in the middle to the right) recommend others to join Morris dance sides. I certainly would! Based on my experience to date, I think it could suit anyone who enjoys traditional English music and dance and also enjoys having instant access to a wide variety of new sociable friends and acquaintances.

By for now

Rob

Rob Hopcott - traditional folk and novice Morris musician :-)

Best ever folk music session at Hunters Inn, North Devon with Ian Hudson & Captain Banjo's Street Band members

With juggled firesticks flaming in the night, many folkies at the 4th Sunday of the month folk music session at Dave Orton's friendly and welcoming Hunters Inn voted it the best session ever with Martin Hughes, Ian Hudson and members of Captain Banjo's Street Band playing through an epic evening of tunes and songs.




Romance seemed in the air as Captain Banjo's very own fire stick juggler Tim had found a new friend who proved just as adept at twirling the flaming stick in the darkness of Exmoor's beautiful North Devon Heddon Valley.

Close to Lynmouth, Lynton, Barnstaple, Martinhoe and Trentishoe, the Hunters Inn, North Devon is set in spectacular countryside on the borders of Exmoor. It is hard to imagine a more ideal rural retreat for a country folk music session and the welcoming atmosphere created by proprietor David Orton and wife Deb must make this an ideal destination for South West Coast Path walkers and folkies in search of a unique location and a friendly folk music and song session.


Perhaps I'll see you there :-)


By for now

Rob

Rob Hopcott - folk musician and folk music session devotee

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Pilton Green Man Festival 2009 rocking at the heart of a strong community

I just got back from playing my soprano sax with Captain Banjo's Street Band at the Pilton Green Man Festival 2009. It was a fantastic community experience and got me to thinking about what it takes to make a successful community and how some towns and villages achieve success whilst others always seem to miss the mark.

Pilton, Barnstaple in North Devon perhaps will never be chosen to adorn the cover of a chocolate box, although Pilton Street certainly has its own character and some strong historical architecture.

Certainly, Pilton has none of the prettiness of thatched cottages and gently flowing streams found elsewhere. There are no gentle green pastures or woodland walks - that I have discovered - although Pilton Park is very pleasant.

Yet what Pilton lacks in picaresque qualities, it makes up for in the wonderful characters and personalities that take part in the many cultural and social activities around Pilton Street, most of whom seemed heavily involved in Pilton Festival 2009.

At the heart of successful community activity so often is a good pub. The Reform Inn, Pilton, Barnstaple is old fashioned, traditional and pre-eminently a 'local'. It serves good Barum Beer (produced by Barum Brewery only yards away behind the pub), has its own cricket team and is used, among other things, as a practice venue for Captain Banjo's Street Band every Thursday evening. (However, it doesn't have any folk music sessions at the moment, as far as I know).

Whilst in this pub I have met an enormous number of interesting people.

The landlady plays the violin (shown in the photo with her sister), Captain Banjo (photo of Dave with banjo above) is legendary for his work pulling his street band together from largely inexperienced musicians.

It was the original owner of the Barum Brewery behind the Reform Inn that founded Lord Basil’s Invitation XI cricket team (team shown photo right).


The stilts walker (photo left by the Reform Inn bar), who did such a great job collecting for the North Devon children's hospice, learned his stilts skills reaching up to high places in the building trades.

Nayomie Karen (photo on the right) , who I watched improvise a fantastic dance routine to some of Captain Banjo's tunes on the Sunday after the Pilton Festival is an immensely talented actor and dancer.

Tim, the fire stick juggler (photo below) is a young architect with a great future ahead of him.



Which all brings me to thinking that perhaps it is people not places that make a great community and if I was choosing somewhere to live, perhaps the local pub and not the estate agents is the best place to make a decision and perhaps the Reform Inn, Pilton Street, Barnstaple is not a bad place to start.

What do you think? Are you part of a great community? Were you at Pilton Festival? I'd love to hear your views and opinions, just click on comments below :-)

Bye for now

Rob

Rob Hopcott - who may have found his bohemia!

Traditional English and Cornish folk music sessions at Priddy Folk Festival 2009

The Mendip Hills of Somerset rocked and reeled to the sound of Priddy Folk Festival 2009 last weekend with its reassuringly English blend of village green, Somerset countryside and musical talent.

Of particular note for me was the traditional English session run by Chris Timpson and Anne Gregson. I always enjoy this session. Chris keeps the tunes going nicely with his immense knowledge of English traditional folk tunes at a speed most people can achieve whilst always encouraging others to start a tune if they feel inspired.

After the formal session, I stayed on and played a few more tunes with an awesome pair of lady fiddlers from the Milborne St Andrew area who were seated in front of an old traditional fire at the Queen Victoria pub - most appropriate since their playing was red hot :-)

The rain started falling heavily later on Saturday afternoon and I popped back home to Exmoor to the comfort of a warm bed with more than a passing thought for those sleeping the night under rain lashed canvas.

The next morning bloomed bright and sunny so I returned to Priddy Folk Festival for another day of looking for kindred spirits with whom to play a tune.

Most of the tunes that were played seemed to be Irish with the exception of the Cornish band Dalla who had set up an informal session in a corner of the New Inn garden and were rocking out their intriguing blend of modern traditional Cornish tunes and songs.

To me Dalla's music had a strangely Eastern flavour and I noticed when I visited the Dalla web site that Folk & Roots had described their music as having a 'Dervish' quality. I was left wondering whether Dalla's music was truly a reflection of Cornish music or was Dalla through its success creating a Cornish tradition that was essentially Dalla.

However, one thing was certain, Cornish music and Dalla are definitely worth more exploration and, of course, exploration is one of the greatest joys of musical experience.

Were you there? What are your memories? I'd love to hear your comments below :-)


Bye for now

Rob

Rob Hopcott

English Country Music Weekend 2009 (ECMW 2009) a great success at Ampthill, Beds organised by Taz Tarry and friends from Redborne Morris

Last weekend (19th - 21st June 2009) the Rugby Club and pubs at Ampthill, Bedfordshire rocked to the sounds of some of the best traditional English folk musicians who were gathered for the annual English Country Music Weekend 2009 (ECMW 2009) this year brilliantly organised by Taz Tarry and friends from Redborne Morris.

I always enjoy the English Country Music Weekend which mainly consists of playing one traditional English tune after another with a room full of people who are experts in playing traditional English music. In between playing tunes there is the opportunity to make new friends, catch up with old ones and listen to some very knowledgeable discussion about where traditional English folk music is today and how it might develop tomorrow.

Particularly rewarding last weekend was seeing so many young musicians who played their violins, melodeons and other instruments with such verve and energy and who brilliantly led the Saturday evening session at the Rugby Club. (Photo above).

Traditionally, the ECM Weekend is hosted at a different venue each year and there was some discussion about where it should take place next year. I believe that the organisers are open to suggestions. However, many people seemed more than pleased with the efforts of Taz Tarry and friends from Redborne Morris so currently it looks as if we are all likely to return to the Rugby Club at Ampthill, Bedfordshire again next year.

Personally, I always feel saddened when I return home after an ECM Weekend because it will be another year before I will be able to play along with such wonderful English Country musicians therefore, wherever it is located next year, it is an event I will certainly look forward to.

Bye for now

Rob

Rob Hopcott - sometime English Country Musician

Captain Banjo's Streetband successfully rocks Barnstaple Town Centre

Yesterday, Captain Banjo's Street Band exceeded all expectations for a new and largely inexperienced band and rocked Barnstaple town centre to its core. Enthusiastic onlookers were seen dancing in the streets and collections for the North Devon children's hospice exceeded all expectations with the band returning to its base in Pilton with collecting boxes packed full of small change adding up to an amazing £350.

OK, I must admit that I am a bit biased because I was part of the band but there is no doubt in my mind from the smiling faces that greeted the motley group of performers that invaded Barnstaple Town Centre hugely appreciated the outlandish fancy dress of the performers, their cheerful smiles and the pulsating beat of their music.

Perhaps Captain Banjo's Streetband could even show the way for a new community led street culture that might cheer up recession hit high streets in Britain and bring back the crowds to our town centres.

Not bad for about 30 enthusiastic musicians, many relatively inexperienced, and one banjo player with a vision.

Rapidly moving from strength to strength, Captain Banjo's Streetband is to have its own web site or blog to tell the public what's on with their many already scheduled future appearances and more about the people involved in their amazing evolution. To find out more, checkout my previous article on Captain Banjo's Street Band or watch this space :-)

Bye for now

Rob - online author and enthusiastic sax performer in Captain Banjo's Street Band

Captain Banjo's Streetband entertainment to rock Barnstaple Town Centre 23rd May 2009

Recently I have been spending less time in traditional folk music sessions and have instead been playing my saxophone with an exciting new community entertainment street band based in Pilton, Barnstaple who are playing their first gig on Saturday.

Captain Banjo's Streetband leaps into dynamic (and very loud) action on Saturday 23rd May lunchtime in Barnstaple Town Centre. If you are around the Barnstaple or North Devon area and are wondering what's on or are looking for entertainment or something to do, why not pop along and check us out. We are the one's making lots of noise playing folky / rocky tunes wearing fancy dress with big friendly smiles on our faces.

In addition to the banjo of it's charismatic band leader Dave, Captain Banjos Streetband has a lots of bongo drums, a couple of squeeze boxes, a saxophone (moi!), a whistle, an Australian Aboriginal didjeridu, lots of guitars and things that make sound when you squeeze or rattle them. The noise generated is huge and the energy is even bigger so it is guaranteed to make you smile even on your glummest day.

In the tradition of so many good community enterprises, Captain Banjo's Streetband meets to practice its cheerful art in the skittle alley (see photo) of the local pub at the Reform Inn, Pilton, Barnstaple which also boasts its own Barum brewery and serves up pints of excellent Barum Original and several other Barum beers.

If you do get to come along to Barnstaple in North Devon's town centre on 23rd May 2009, be sure to bring along a few pennies for the collection box for the North Devon children's hospice which is the good cause that the band supports.

With over thirty instrumentalists already, Captain Banjo's Streetband is probably not looking for additional performers just for the moment but, if you are a musician, why not check out your local community streetband. They are lots of fun, very noisy and their entertainment is guaranteed to raise a smile and often raise money in support of worthy local causes. What could be more worthwhile?

See Captain Banjo's Streetband rocks Barnstaple for how we got on!

By for now

Rob

Rob Hopcott - Online author and newly converted streetband musician