Music Room, Cleckheaton: Grand Opening

23 September - 1 October 2006

The Music Room is proud to celebrate the opening of our new showroom and we look forward to welcoming customers old and new to share nine days of events. There will be workshops, taster sessions (including in the recording studio), instrument clinics and advice on amplification together with showcases and demonstrations and lots of great special offers and bargains. Your friendly Cleckheaton Music Room team will be joined by our festival team, our families and also some of our wonderful customers who have volunteered to help everyone have a brilliant nine days. We have lots of guests visiting and we'll be showcasing some of your favourite instruments such as Martin Guitars, Bridge Violins and Marcus Concertinas. There's also A Concert and a Curry with Spiers and Boden at the famous Aakash Restaurant on Saturday 30 September.

For more information about free taster sessions in the recording studio – Talking Cat Recordings at The Music Room – please contact our studio manager Jon Loomes:

telephone: 01274 879768 / 07799 406731
email: jon@talkingcat.co.uk
website: http://www.talkingcat.co.uk/

Music Room website: http://www.themusicroom-online.co.uk/

Grand Opening information: http://www.themusicroom-online.co.uk/opening/

–Terry Evans at the Music Room

Demon Barbers launch new Roadshow

The Priestley, Bradford
14 September 2006

Now established as one of the top acts on the UK folk/roots scene, The Demon Barbers have gained major recognition for their original and dynamic approach to traditional music. Specially commissioned lighting and sound engineers have been working with the eleven musicians, vocalists and dancers to produce what is set to be the English roots extravaganza of the year. The Demon Barbers will launch the new show on home ground before unleashing it on the wider world in 2007.

The show starts at 8 pm (doors open 7.30) at the Priestley, Bradford, on Thursday 14 September. Tickets are £10 on the door and £8 in advance; advance booking is recommended.

Box office: 01274 820666

For more info, see

http://www.thedemonbarbers.com/
http://www.threescompany.org.uk/
http://www.thepriestley.org.uk/

An evening with Blind Jack and friends

An evening of Yorkshire folk lore, music, songs, dance and drama. Featuring Chris Simpson of Magna Carta, support acts include special guest Bella Hardy (BBC Young Folk Awards finalist) plus the Knaresborough Mummers, Pateley Bridge longsword team and others.
Tuesday 15 August, 7.30 pm, Frazer Theatre, Knaresborough. Tickets £7.00 (concessions £5.00): available from Knaresborough Tourist Information Centre (telephone 01423 866886)
Part of FEVA 2006 (the Knaresborough Festival of Entertainment and Visual Arts) this is a not-for-profit concert staged in support of the "Blind Jack" CD project, a Yorkshire folk song initiative in aid of Henshaws Society for Blind People.
For more info, see http://www.feva.info/

BBC Radio York songwriting competition

The BBC Radio York songwriting competition is now underway and is open to anyone other than full time professional musicians. There are two categories: for 'A Song For Yorkshire' the song must have some Yorkshire theme or context, while in the General category three songs are required but with no restrictions on subject matter. Songs must be original material and the entrant must own the copyright on them. Entries can be submitted on cd or minidisc and must be accompanied by the entry form which can be downloaded from http://www.bbc.co.uk/radioyork/.
The organisers stress that it is the songs which are being judged, not the performances, so a slick sophisticated recording is not essential, nor do songs necessarily have to be sung by their composer.
The closing date is 16 July. First Prize is professional studio time plus guaranteed daytime airplay on Radio York.

Musicians in Residence

The Yorkshire office of Arts Council England operates a scheme called 'Musicians In Residence', designed to help musicians living in the region to get more work at decent rates of pay. Venues and promoters booking 'MIR' artists can apply for subsidy at rates of up to 40%.
For 2007-2008, MIR is trying to increase the number of participating musicians. The scheme is open to professional musicians living in Yorkshire or Humberside who must be established individual performers or groups in Folk, World, Jazz or Classical music. Closing date is 10 July.
Find out more and make applications through http://www.musiciansinresidence.org/, or contact Sarah Derbyshire on 01653 669410.

Dave Brady dies

We're sorry to report that Dave Brady, the mighty Yorkshire singer best known for his work with Swan Arcade, died suddenly on 29 May. He was 62. A memorial piece by Jim & Georgina Boyes appears in edition 51 of South Riding Folk Arts Network News;  it is also transcribed at Memories of Dave Brady. There is also a discussion thread at the Mudcat Café with further links: Obit: Dave Brady.

Ethno England

There are some remaining places available for Ethno England 2006. Ethno England enables young people aged 16 - 25 from the UK and around the world to share and celebrate cultural and music traditions. The international residential music camp will take place 1 - 9 July 2006 at The Regen Centre near Selby in Yorkshire. Participants are expected from England, Ghana, Tanzania, Tunisia and Sweden among others. The young musicians will spend a week sharing their cultural and music traditions with one another under the guidance of artistic leaders Jo Freya, Jaswinder Singh, Tim Van Eyken (all from England) and Shelton Sholla (Zimbabwe).

Details: http://www.ethnoengland.co.uk/

Grants for Young Musicians

Instrumentalists under 18 are invited to apply to the Musicians Benevolent Fund for the 2006 Young Talent Awards. Grants of up to £1000 are available towards the cost of buying an instrument, music lessons or travel expenses. The closing date for applications is Friday 16 June 2006.

Details and application form from: http://www.mbf.org.uk/

Shoddy Doggie, Dewsbury

Due to alterations at the Station Hotel on Crackenedge Lane, the Shoddy Doggie folk club is returning, as of 1 April 2006, to its former home at the Old Shoulder of Mutton at Batley Carr for the current season. The pub is situated on the Halifax Road (A638) between Dewsbury Town Centre and the District Hospital.

Website: http://shoddydoggie.co.uk/

YFA directory entry

Flash Company Morris, Otley

Flash Company Morris from Otley, West Yorkshire are looking for new dancers to join the side. They dance Border, Molly, Appalachian and Clog to 'modern' music - think Blues, Jazz and Rock 'n' Roll. They also play a few traditional tunes, and have exploding cod-pieces (really). Practice venues alternate, so please call before you travel, or for more info.

Telephone: Snozz: 01943 461684
Email: bagman@flashco.net
Website: http://www.flashco.net/

York Young Fiddlers

Calling all young fiddlers ages 8-18 years!
Join us for fantastic traditional style fiddle music, taught in the traditional aural style by qualified experienced teachers and performers.
Have fun, meet other fiddlers your age, learn great tunes and join in the sound!
Minimum Requirement: able to play in keys of D, G and A. Maximum requirement: the sky's the limit!

York Young Fiddlers
c/o York Steiner School
Danesmead, Fulford Cross
Fulford YO10 4PB
Telephone: 07906 331613
Email: info@yorkyoungfiddlers.org.uk
Website: http://www.yorkyoungfiddlers.org.uk/

Young Fiddlers Weekend: June 10 - 11 at York Steiner School.
Info and booking form: http://www.yorkyoungfiddlers.org.uk/nextevent.htm

19 March 2006  

BBC Radio York increases folk coverage

Matt Youdale, Managing Editor of BBC Radio York, tells us that Michael Brothwell's Wednesday evening North Yorkshire Folk is to be extended as of early April 2006, and will run from 7 to 9 pm. It will continue to be available online, both live and through the BBC's "Listen Again" feature. With folk music coverage constantly under threat (BBC GMR seems to be on the verge of cancelling its Sounds of Folk programme) this is welcome news, and we congratulate Matt on an imaginative and encouraging decision.

Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/northyorkshire/local_radio/

YFA directory entry

13 March 2006  

Kate Rusby: Best Live Act

Congratulations to Barnsley songstress and YFA patron Kate Rusby, who received the award for Best Live Act in this year's BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards earlier this month.

BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2006

Kate's website

February 2006  

Castle museum, York: musicians wanted

The famous Kirkgate street display in York’s Castle Museum reopens this spring after a major revamp, and they would like to put on some traditional music in the street during the York Live weekend at the end of May. They are looking for either solo performers or a small band - specific instruments mentioned are fiddle, hurdy-gurdy and accordion. A small fee would be payable. If anyone out there is interested, contact Kirsty Halliday at City of York Council.

Email: kirsty.halliday@york.gov.uk

Castle museum website: http://www.yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk/