Shop Update

We have just updated our online shop to include downloads from Nancy Kerr and James Fagan, Megson and Rainbow Chasers and added Megson and Rainbow Chasers to the available CDs. You can also order Megson's new CD which is due to be released on Monday.

Cajun and Copy Date

The Thames Festival the weekend before last had an excellent set of Cajun and Zydeco bands although the rather cracked flagstones were hard on the feet when it came to dancing. It is a bit of a culture shock dancing in that sort of environment when you are accustomed to a room full of people who expect to dance. Not only are the non-dancers not making eye contact, which is to be expected, but the experienced dancers are not looking around for partners in the usual way. A good day though, and I suppose I should thank Boris for spending his constituents' money on my free day out.

There are a couple of good Cajun gigs coming up next week with Ray Abshire from Louisiana at Cajun Barn on the 2nd and Petit et la Gross at Cecil Sharp House on the 3rd.

The copy date for our winter edition will be October 21, so we not only want your listings but also positive statements of when clubs will be closed over the holiday period and of course any extra sessions or morris tours taking place.

Some people still aren't grasping the fact that the magazine is edited by a team and send copy and listings to the wrong people. With John leaving us at the end of the year all our email contact forms have been brought together on a single page. No excuses now as there are explicitly labelled links for advertising, editorial copy, stop press and subscriptions.

Cecil Sharp House

There has been quite an impressive effort made to repaint The House over the Summer break together with new plumbing. Somebody seems to have taken the fact that the building is grade 2 listed to heart however and the leak under the gents urinals appears to have been carefully restored.

With two events running last Friday it was surprising to see how popular the Scottish ceilidhs had become with a massive audience which seemed to be largely under 30. Judging by the numbers who spent as much time in the bar as they did in the hall I get the impression that a good proportion of people were there because it was "the place to go" rather than any special interest. As the ceilidh club now seems to be running weekly it will be interesting to see how many people turn up for it on the third Friday when Knees Up Cecil Sharp displaces it to the Thursday night. Even more interesting will be to see how many can tell the difference!

On Line Bookshop

We have added some new items to our on-line bookshop with some new tune books and a new section on Klezmer. There is a big selection there now ranging from biographies of the great collectors to songs, tunes and folklore.

Local Boys Make Good

The new CD featuring the combination of local band Mawkin and Devon based singer Jim Causley is about to be released. You can order your copy through our on-line shop.

We have also updated our shop for the latest releases from Nancy Kerr and James Fagan, Tony Hall and Jim Moray.

Don't forget that our Amazon commissions are what pays for this web site so you can help us by making all your Amazon purchases through our links.

Folk Prom

Last Sunday saw the Proms' folk day with a mixed concert of folk performers and orchestral arrangements and the evening a straight folk concert. I wasn't overly impressed when I listened live on Radio 3 but when I watched the TV recording on iplayer it was striking how visual it all was. Its a pity that the cameramen didn't seem to know what was going on and at times they made the whole thing appear very messy. I was surprised that there were separate announcers at the RAH for radio and TV but at least with the radio Verity Sharp knew her subject, but then I have seen her do a floor spot at a folk club.

The evening audience looked a bit sparse for a venue of the RAH's size, I think maybe the Cadogan Hall would have been a better location as they already use it for the Proms chamber concerts. I am not convinced about a special "folk day" which just seems to keep the music in its ghetto. I would much rather see the Vaughan Williams arrangements on the last night topped and tailed with more mainstream folk performances. Maybe even somebody from one of the Bampton sides dancing Princess Royal (dream on!)

Back to the magazine, the next edition has gone to the printers so it isn't physically possible to put anything else in. As usual email us with any late changes and additions and they will go on our web site.

Copy Date

Don't forget, the copy date for our September issue is 21 July. Please use the link on the home page for submitting advertising copy.