Weekly Friday Devon pub folk music session gave a friendly welcome to Jerry Tozer and his musician friends when they met up at the Crown and Sceptre, 2 Petitor Road, St Marychurch, Torquay to join in

I was looking forward to playing some tunes again with Jerry Tozer, home for a week from the North East (as Jerry describes Oxfordshire where he lives at the moment – Sonning Common being NE of Exeter!) for a mini-break, and a few of his musician friends last night (4th November 2011) when we met up at the regular Friday evening pub folk music session at the Crown and Sceptre pub in Torquay, Devon and I wasn't disappointed.

The regular Friday session folk musicians were friendly, even if we did somewhat swamp them with our numbers, the ambiance of the pub was great and the tunes flowed fast and furious.

It is always good to share a few tunes with Jerry Tozer. Jerry seems to know lots of really good musicians, including of course the tutors that help him with his folk music workshops which I hear are becoming increasingly popular amongst amateur folk musicians wanting to improve their skills.

 I certainly wasn't disappointed last night with some first class folk musicians providing a constant flow of English and Scottish jigs, reels, hornpipes and waltzes to encourage me to keep my fingers nimbly running up and down my soprano saxophone with hardly a break throughout the whole evening.

 Becky and Jon who run  several sessions around Exeter were there so we sneaked in a quick rendition of Papirosen to ensure Eastern tunes were given a chance. However, it seems that the pleasures of ragtime haven't yet travelled as far as the Torquay folk scene and, although I quite fancied a quick blast of Pig Ankle Rag, a quick check around indicated I'd be playing it alone so I passed on the opportunity.

The Crown and Sceptre is a busy pub musically. It has regular Jazz sessions and I hear that the Friday evening folk music session has been running for many years. Eddie, who was a friendly chap, said he'd been playing folk music at the Crown and Sceptre for many years, although he refused to describe himself as the host or organiser. 'If I can't turn up, others will make sure it keeps going'. However, somebody described him as a musical 'geru' and he certainly played tunes on his squeezebox beautifully. 'If you are ever back in Torquay, drop in and visit our regular session', he said. I certainly will and I suspect others would receive as friendly a welcome.

 The ambiance of the Crown and Sceptre is worth a mention. It was one of candle-lit tables, old pictures on the walls and chamber pots hanging from the ceiling, I found there was always something to look when there was a lull in the traditional folk music tunes or conversation.

 It was a two hour drive from West Somerset to Torquay but it was worth it. The session rocked with excellent traditional pub folk music tunes (although I understand this is normally a mixed folk music session) and I will be pleased to add this Torquay pub session venue at the Crown and Sceptre to the list of pub music sessions to which I look forward to returning in the future. Thanks should especially be extended to the regular musicians and the friendly welcome they gave to the sudden influx of all of Jerry's friends :-)