rewind to the 100 club

Last night I went to The Hundred Club; it's at 100 Oxford Street, just in case you don't know. It hasn't changed a bit, ever....alright, there was a small change, in that there used to be a Chinese takeaway at one end of the room. The serving hatch is still there, but serves pizzas and other types of food now.

Anyway, the reason I went, was that Phil was playing there. Yes, Phil played the 100 club. It was brilliant, and I haven't seen Phil play like that for ages. He's been getting together with Swill; Swill of The Men They Couldn't Hang fame. It's been a good pairing; so far, they played a charity to at The Hive bar in Brentford, the bar formerly known as The Stripes, then they played in our extension, and then, a corker of a gig at The Hundred Club. It was weird going there after so many years, I went in the late 80's I think, to see George Melly, but before that, I regularly bunked off school in the afternoons to go and listen to jazz in the afternoons.

Once I went with Katy Hacker, and as we were were going downstairs, a man stopped us and asked us what we thought of Acker Bilk, and Katy (who knew a lot about clarinettists, her dad being Alan Hacker), stated 'oh he's alright, but I prefer Benny Goodman'. We looked around the staircase, and there were photos everywhere of the man we were talking to, Acker Bilk.
Anyway we used to sit down there, smoking and listening to Jazz in the afternoon, thinking we were really cool, and of course we were!

Back to last night, the first to play was Robb Johnson; how excellent he is. What intelligent lyrics and clever, enjoyable music. A treat, but of course I was really there to see Phil play with Swill. They were so good. It was exciting to watch Phil play like that again...before he went on he had said to a young man we sat near that he played 'now and again'. When Phil joined Swill and played a couple of tunes, he really shone. It was an equal pairing. Different to other music Phil is doing where he is very much part of other people's creative control, which is also also enjoyable and exciting to watch, but last night was special. He was getting riotous applause of his own. I was so proud and excited. They were thrilling to watch together, was like they'd played together for years.

Then it was Chumbawumba. Well, I remember them as a sort of political dance music troupe. I think I even had one of their albums, or a tape once, maybe still have ina box somewhere. Anyway last night wasn't what I'd expected at all. They were very musical, folky, acoustic and still proudly political. It was a stirring performance. There were traditional English songs, some with new words, some with original words. There were songs about current hot issues, but it was never 'worthy' in an annoying way, rather, inspiring and proud to be at a gig where issues are kept live, and all to beutiful music. They should play at Whitby Folk Week, in fact all three acts should! What an even more amazing folk week that would be.

Sean and Pom's Wedding

well, as I was saying...we were off to Sean and Pom's wedding; I was very excited, Phil was excited and nervous, as he hadn't seen any of the people who would be there, apart from Sean for 10/15 years. The only person I had met was Sean, who came over to our wedding in 1999. Phil knows Sean, as they were in a band called Doctor Millar (Sean) and the Cute Hoors, about 15 yrs or so ago; Phil came to meet Sean through Mark Huggett who was the drummer in Phil's band in Norwich, Red Harvest. Mark shared a flat with Sean...will do anoter post all about Phil's music stuff later....
Anyway, we got the plane from Heathrow; the journey to the airport was so easy, we went by tube and bus to the airport, practically door to door, for six pounds. A very good start. Going through the airport easy, as we had checked in on line, another thing I had never tried before. Disaster struck when the hem of my lovely, new (and not cheap) linen trousers from Jigsaw came down..very annoying as I had to make the journey with my trousers tucked into my socks to stop me tripping over.
Flight easy, too and before we knew it we were in a taxi driving through Dublin; fantastic, we drove down O'Connell Street, which I thought was great; a huge wide street with amazing buildings, including the post office and a couple of grand department store...hoped we'd have time to explore over the weekend!
We got to the hotel, one that Sean and Pom had suggested, the Harcourt Hotel; the people there were so helpful, definetely the most helpful of the three different hotels we stayed at- the receptionist found me a needle and thread straight away, they even had a variety of colours of thread. The minute we got to our room, the phone rang, wow it was Sean!!! He was so excited we had come, he spoke to Phil and then me; so pleased as well that Phil had brought his violin and his voice! A good night's sleep although mattress was too soft and in the morning I woke up with excrutiating pains in my hip, again, the staff were brilliant, they got me a doctor, who came and gave me a powerful jab-felt very rock star having a doctor come to my hotel room to inject me with drugs....
Then....off to the wedding; more lovely streets to admire on the way to the registry office. The wedding was lovely, Pom was beautiful, in a short, beautifully cut white dress, with daisies on- she had daisies in her hair, too. One of Sean's brothers sang, lots of chatting afterwards, and then we got a lift to the reception out in Bray. Bray was lovely and the reception was at the Esplanade hotel right opposite the sea- we had a really special afternoon and evening; a delicious meal sitting in groups of six- we sat with Robert who had been the Cute Hoors manager back in the day and now runs a project called Blastbeat which is a really positive enterprise involving young people in managing and promoting their own bands. Two otthers we got chatting to were Shane and Colette...very lovely they were too.
Out of the corner of my ear I could here people on nearby tables saying 'Phil's here, Phil's here' to each other...after the dinner it was so exciting, so many people so pleased to see Phil and that he'd brought the fiddle too. It was a massive reunion for all on this special day and I was so excited to be there. Loads of people were on a list to play a song or two, Phil played with most of them, and sang a bit, and towards the end of the night, well, before the disco, Jake got up and sang his interpretation of Whiskey in the Jar vaguely based on the Metallica version with Phil and other musicians backing him. I talked to so many lovely women, Sean's sisters and friendss' partners while Phil was doing his music, and really can't wait to take up the many invitations to visit/stay with people when we visit Ireland again.
Excellent breakfast the next morning and a relaxed chat with Sean; we got the Dart back to Dublin, and had loads of time to explore on the Sturday- a very interesting open top bus ride to the Guiness brewery/museum, powerful views, then a walk around some of Phil's old haunts later in the evening, having many chances to admire the bridges at intervals across the Liffey.
Sadly the next day, we had to return to London- it was one of the most refreshing breaks I've ever had; refreshing and exciting all in one. I can't wait to go again.

two left feet

Yesterday I psyched myself up to go to my streetdance class after not going for a few weeks due to the dodgy hip; it's not what you might think, although who am I to assume. I do not spin on my head.
It's a lovely class with women of all ages, shapes and sizes, in fact sometimes a man or two as well- sometimes John, who works in the shop, sometimes Ken, whose shop it is, and sometimes one of the women's partners.
I started to go to this class, and the tapdancing class because I'd been looking for some jazz trainers for my son, and Ealing Dance Centre in Pitshanger Lane was the nearest place. now that the dance shop in Northfields had shut..what a happy day that was! Son tried on some of the jazz trainers, so did Phil and me- fantastic- made me feel lighter than air, a feat in itself-; I needed to go to a dance class asap. wonderful John, the huge (I mean tall!) hilarious Liverpudlian who works there told me about Nika's dance class on a Wednesday night - some excercise and a dance routine, just over an hour a week. Brilliant- I'd done a bit of dance in my early 20s and helped to run a disco dancing group at the Mayflower Family Centre, Canning Town when I lived there in 79/80. Enthusiasm is everything really, as I definitely had, and still have two left feet. I've been going since Feb '06 and there's been no real improvement, although I now now what certain terms mean which makes life easier, eg behind side front, and step ball change! It is such fun though, a real camaradierie between the people that go and Nika the teacher. I missed it so much when I wasn't able to go, as much for the friendship as the exilharation of the excercise and music. As for the music, who knows what we dance to week to week, I have never heard of most of it, or wouldn't choose to listen to it, although some of it I have downloaded onto i-tunes since I've danced to them, in the hope that I can remember the dances between classes. It's either a fast tune, or a slow tune! Another thing I like about it is the surprise value of telling people, what I did last night, yes, I was at my streetdance class dancing to 50 cent has good comedy value with the teenagers I work with!
Ealing Dance Centre is a wonderful place and so is Pishanger Lane; although I've lived just half an hour's bus ride from it for about 15 years now, I'd never been there; it is so village like and a great community, there always seems to be a community festival or event going on. Lovely restaurants and cafes too... there is also the Brentham Estate which I think was set up by an idealist early in the last century and probably as it's own website (will find out). The shop has everything, and the people that work there are so knowledgeable and helpful. At the moment there is a window display called 'Holy Communion' with lots of frilly white dresses for those making their first communion soon. They also have fancy dress costumes and a wide range of dance clothes and shoes. If they haven't got something they will get it- and you get a discount if you're a member of the local theatre group, Questors. What more could you ask. My son was horrified at the idea of me doing streetdancing, he was embarrassed - he said I should do something more suited to my age, like tapdancing - I agreed to do this if he came as well, which he did for a short while. WIll write about the tap after Friday - that's a whole story in itself...

Pete Cooper's bow hold

Went for my first fiddle lesson with Pete Cooper yesterday...It was quite a pilgrimage, a four hour round trip including the lesson! left Phil's work in Richmond at 5, home at 9....slow Silverlink train through Acton, Willesden, Hampstead - change at Gospel Oak, more waiting...dirty uncomfortable trains full of tired, end of the working day people...felt very different to the South West Trains Waterloo to Richmond journey. Depressing...but interesting, too - some great views across industrial wastelands to the city skyline around the Willesden area.
Have never been to Crouch Hill before, felt quite fresh and leafy- we were early for my lesson, so wandered about a bit before we went to Pete's flat, not enough time to have a drink /snack first, even though the Dairy looked really interesting, what a great building, must take the camera next time! still too early for the lesson- walked right up to the top of the hill to look at the view - beautiful, the air felt clean, lots of green; seemed like a hidden bit of London, probably just because I hadn't been there before, in fact I really don't know North London at all.
Went to Pete's flat anyway; it was fine, someone else was just at the end of their lesson- Phil got a chance to have a play with Pete and his student, that was fun- will I ever get good enough to just join in and intuitively harmonise like Phil can? I'm so used to reading music or even as a teenager writing down harmonies I've made up, will be hard to unlearn, although I've been inspired by Pete Cooper's musings on his website about playing by heart, and I'm determined, which I guess is more than half the battle.
Anyway, I was pretty nervous as while Phil has been teaching me, I can behave like a teenager/toddler when I can't do something, also am in my own space, so can stomp of to my room crying "can't do it" slam! yes, outrageous for a grown woman to be so childish...Knew this would not be an option in this arena...really until I began to play Flop Eared Mule, was still a bit anxious, but all was fine...gentle encouragement, useful tips about arm movements and so on, and then we got to the bow hold. That was almost it...I just couldn't do it, my arm and hand felt at once rigid and yet made of putty- I couldn't do what I thought I was supposed to be doing...almost a teenage moment...almost. Luckily Pete has put something on YouTube-Pete Cooper's Bow Hold- when he said it, I thought he said 'Pete Cooper's boho', in relation to his flat being warm and bohemian in a studenty, bookish way! (a scaled down version of our house!)
Reality far more prosaic and extremely useful...he showed me this bow hold clip from YouTube, which was good as it took the attention away from me for a few moments, and then we tried again- almost right, got quite frustrated at myself...then anyway onto the next tune, one I'd been practicing at home - 'O The Britches Full of Stitches' really this part was a perfect illustration of the difference between having a human teacher to show you things as opposed to learning just from a book, even if it is a really good book. We practiced the way of putting stresses on the bow to accent different notes and all too soon, the lesson was over, as a family of mandolin players arrived. The whole hour done without looking at any written music at all. Very good for my brain. Pete has assured me I will be 'Whitby ready' by mid August, which will be a miracle; we'll see.
Home again, wishing Crouch Hill was closer and that I could have a lesson every week- next one 3 weeks away.

journey through folk music

My earliest memories of folk music are dancing around our sitting room when I was probably about three, to Skip to my Lou, performed by Pete and Peggy Seeger. My mother had an album of theirs, but the only other song I can remember on there was Froggy Went a Courting I wish I could remember some of the others ....as I grew older, and started buying records myself, the very first album I bought was Gather Me by Melanie Safka...I loved that record ( and still have it) In fact the one song on it I don't like so much is Brand New Key, her hit from the early 70s. I heard this album when I was in Greece with my family- my cousins, about 10 years older than me used to play it on their car 8 track cassette player as we drove to and from beaches from Athens for the day...not sure if it's exactly folk music, but what is the definition of that anyway-it had a folky feel to it. My cousins were very fashionable and cool in my eyes, I had to keep this record a bit secret from my dad, who hated pop music- we were, however, allowed to listen to stuff my mum liked and so then I began to buy Simon and Garfunkel records-wonderful, with intense, serious and clever lyrics...and beautiful voices singing lovely tunes. I was about 14 by then, and bought all of their albums...learning to play some of the melodies by ear. I still love Simon and Garfunkel-they sound fresh and relevant even 30 or so years on; I then abandoned folky sounding stuff for a few year while I listened to the Beatles, Stones and Velvets Underground, but then I found a strange way back- my friend Penny at school had an older brother Tom, who had a vast record collection- he was away at Oxford while we were 14-16, and some evenings I'd stay at Penny's and we'd go up to his room in the attic and riffle through the records...lots of 60s and 70s goodies; we tended to listen to the ones with the covers we liked, so there was Wake of the Flood -Grateful Dead, Little Feat, Genesis...we liked Lindisfarne and used to dance around the room to Fog on the Tyne-particularly Penny who used to demonstrate moves she'd learned as a child catwalk model!
A major event for local teenagers who went to St Margaret's church youth group in Putney in the 70s, was the Harvest Barn Dance- wonderful, and so much better than a disco; to do the dances properly, one had to actually touch and hold onto a member of the opposite sex and here was folk music! energetic and frantic at times...beat discos and disco music anyday. Somewhere along the line, maybe when I was about 17, I got friendly with the curate at our church- David Lee- he ran the youth group, and I helped him! He really loved the purer, more traditional folk music, and I can't remember which groups or singers in particular, but I used to go to Putney record library and borrow anything that looked serious! This music really chimed with an earlier (and abiding) love for traditional church music like plainsong, Tallis or Byrd-I found the music haunting somehow-got into my soul. This being Putney, home to the Half Moon pub, I also discovered Pentangle and Fairport Convention....Pentangle became an enduring obsession- and Bert Jansch as a solo artist- saw him again a couple of years ago at the South Bank more powerful if anything as a result of the passed years. Wierdly there was a bit of a co-incidence with him- I had a friend at primary and secondary schools, Charlotte who was born on the same day as me- our mothers had been friends back in the day- she ended up with Bert Jansch, possibly still together, who knows! Their son, who must be about 25 now, played at the South Bank gig...so if together, it's been a long time!
I also really liked American folk music; Bob Dylan, before and after the electrics, and Woody Guthrie
I am so lucky as I've always loved music, I always wanted to have a boyfriend who was in a band, and now I have a whole husband who is a musician-I remember when we were first going out, he thought I was pretending to like folk music to impress him, as he plays the fiddle... he was never as keen on folk music as me, although since Whitby we've both been learning a lot more about it-he's having occasional lessons with Pete Cooper...I'm having a lesson with him tomorrow-I'm really nervous as I'm an almost complete beginner! will post again after I've had the lesson.
Just watched Bruce Springsteen, the Seeger Sessions on DVD, he sums up various things about folk music in a way that makes sense- some of it is to do with it being people's music with none of the edges polished off as in the more anodyne offerings.