Dear all,

I know many of you have enjoyed the ramblings of an old sessioneer over the years, but the time has come to lay it to rest. I can’t really report on the seamier side of sessions because too many people read this and think they recognise themselves!

Added to this is the new EU cookie law which will be effective from 26th May 2012. All websites will have to allow users to opt in to cookies being presented by a site. This is because most users a) don’t know what cookies are b) don’t know how to control them through their browser and c) get scammed by unscrupulous sites which set dodgy cookies.

No more caveat emptor (or its web equivalent). Check the Information Commissioners Office website http://www.ico.gov.uk/ for details. You’ll also see their opt-in message at the top of each page.

For little sites like mine, Google Adsense keeps the site running (just) with a small amount of revenue from ads to pay the hosting costs. Many sites also use Google Analytics to see where people come from to the site and to check which pages are popular and which are less so. Both of these set harmless cookies but will fall foul of the law. Although no one is absolutely certain.

The essence of the law is:

“Cookies or similar devices must not be used unless the subscriber or user of the relevant terminal equipment:

(a) is provided with clear and comprehensive information about the purposes of the storage of, or access to, that information; and

(b) has given his or her consent.”

 

As a consequence, it is going to be more onerous to maintain small sites and I suspect users are going to get royally pissed off with being asked on every page if its OK to use cookies!

I shall attempt to make banjolin.co.uk compliant but the future of folkipedia.org is uncertain. I wonder if hosting outside the EU is a possibility?

Anyway thank you all and Happy Sessioneering!

A Merry Syncretic, Northern Hemisphere winter time greeting to you all.

Obviously this means nothing if you are living in the tropics which I think includes Ruislip, or the poles which errr doesn’t. It only works if you’ve got seasons and possibly only in the Old World. Or what is referred to as the Old World. The rest existed of course ( or did it? ) but some arrogant Old Worldians went and discovered it bit by bit. I’m sure the indigenous populations had their own festivals, religions etc and were quite happy without Christianity thank you very much. So Christmas in the Caribbean is a bizarre affair.

Talking of bizarre affairs, let us come on to the sessions. Thanks to Radio 4 for the format of this link.

Well the regular Wednesday Irish session has survived another year and is still at the same place. It is gratifying that it started in the George (Stone Street) and is back in the George (Molash) who are the most welcoming and friendly people to have ever taken us in. It doesn’t matter if the pub is empty or full of diners, we still get to play and despite our best efforts, we don’t normally manage to empty it completely. It’s also nice when visitors turn up or when our ‘irregulars’ drop by. We’ve acquired a very good piper this year who drops in when he’s in town (thanks Johnny) and Ford is a regular again with his irrepressible tunes, poetry and good humour.

The spin-offs are worthy of mention because the Unicorn at Bekesbourne continues to be a delight. The pub, Martin, the session – everything seems right. The last one was a bit of a treat, having Chris Taylor, Pete May and Adrian who rarely now play at Irish Sessions.

The Irish at the Chimney Boy is not so good. Not so well attended, not so nice a space but it does give some sessioneers a chance who can’t get to the others.

Talking of the Chimney Boy, the Thursday night session is still going strong with the same faces. I’ve heard some fantastic songs from Gavin (You can’t be a Pirate being a favourite and anything by Flanders and Swan), Helen (can sing anything as far as I’m concerned) and Ernie (although mixing up Barnsley and Bradford is unforgivable :-)). As far as the session goes, it’s great when Pip and Jo get in there and treat us to Northumbrian tunes.

The shining star in the session firmament (although no everbody’s cup of tea) is the Thursday session at the Canterbury Tales. Maybe it should be Tales of the unexpected.

Let me explain. There is a core of 3 – a band called Triskele who are well known to you all. There are other regulars too including a left-handed 5-string banjo player and a multi-instrumentalist, Johnny on the pipes when he’s in town and yours truly. The pub is often heaving with students and the atmosphere is buzzing. The music is often outstandingly good and so much fun but the conditions are cramped, it gets quite hot and you have to protect your instruments (both from damage and occasional use by others). There are no Tunes Police so anything goes although Celtic / East European fusion probably best describes it. Last Thursday we were treated to a pair of Belgians, one with a double bass and the other sang, played ukulele and clog danced at the same time. Without a safety net. Very impressive!. We’ve also had a stunningly good classical violin player. I mean seriously good. Brendan Power has had some tunes with us and if I’ve missed some I’m sorry. Anyway, the good bits far outweigh the bad bits and I hope it continues for as long as possible!

I just came across this conversation on Facebook. It’s slightly edited (to remove LOLs etc) and anonymize it slightly, but does this sound at all familiar?

Alexander
At session. Theyre playing coming round the mountain in g. Except for the guitarist next to me who is playing his own tune in a. Joyous

Alex  He doesn’t like ‘coming round the mountain’ then!

Alexander  OMFingG a hobgoblin childs percussion pack has emerged.

Alexander  A man looking remarkably like alan titchmarsh is now playing the bongos

Alexander  Going to drink a beer and see if its any more bearable.

That on my list of: ‘things i’ve sold from Hobgoblin that I know will come back to haunt me’ !! (Cajon’s are at the top)

Alexander Nope. Its house of rising sun variations

Alexander Singing i wanna go home. Haha. Its only ironic for me.

Don It’s a jazz session then….

Alexander More alex than don. Ha. Ooo drowsie mag was the closest thing to a tune. Why am i still here

Houston you are obviously in need of counselling for self abuse!!! more booze is my suggestion, it’ll ease the pain :)

Alexander Quite a nice vesion of spancil hill.. . Although its in Bbmin and a cf box is playing along in amin i swear to god

Alexander He was just biding his time. Gone into knick knack paddy whack

Alexander Cock of the north in d and c at same time. No joke

Alexander New low

Katherine  Why haven’t you left? x

Alexander Endurance test

Alex It’s a ‘Folkie get me out of here’ ..

Mark Grass them up then. Where is this torment? Then we can all be sure to avoid it at all costs and in all weathers.

Don Is the south coast bodd-ran squadron there?

Edward God save us from all goat bashers… X-P

Alexander No the goat whackers are not to be seen.

Alexander Bod squad . . Love it

Mark Couple of polskas in b flat. That tends to shut people up, or provides short term amusement.

Mark And NEVER go to the session in Cloughjordan. A piano player listens to the first note of the first tune, and that’s it. All together now “Humpty dumpty”.

Bronco It wasnt that bad for an english session… And u need to project more on the violin… Thats what i tell my students :-P

Fred I didn’t know you could use facebook in hell, Alex?

I can’t believe how long it’s been since the last post so apologies to any ardent sessiondiary fans who have been deprived of their regular fix! I don’t know how being retired actually gives you less time than when I worked but it does.

Anyway, lots has happened in the world of sessions so it’s worth a foray into the weird and wonderful world of the music session as observed by a humble sessioneer.

Firstly then the regular weekly Irish session which has been the topic of very mixed fortunes over the years. Not only is it still alive but it is reasonably well and sitting up, taking solid food and being cheeky to the nurses. This is due in equal measure to the absolute stalwarts who refuse to give in and the itinerants who are always most welcome. Susanna is back for a visit, Johnny has passed by again and we’ve had a variety of musicians drop in for an odd week. Yes, I know most weeks are odd. A disproportionate number of percussionists but that was OK. Honest, it was. They could keep time and everything. Without counting out loud!

One highlight was a visit by Fred the banjo (Freddie Legon) and his wife – a one time banjo player with Humphrey Littleton among others who enjoyed what we did. We discovered after he’d left that he’d put a pot behind the bar for all the musicians to have a drink on him. What a star! Sadly no longer playing because of Parkinson’s but a legend in his time. The audiences have become somewhat more appreciative of late so maybe things are looking up for the diddly-eye music :-)

Nice to see Ford back with us as well although we’ve lost a couple of regulars recently. Well, not lost, more like misplaced. I’m sure they’ll turn up somewhere.

Absolute scandal that the Hops Festival this year was not in any way shape or form either family or folk friendly. Several people have remarked on it. One or two without using expletives which shows great restraint and an education. No sessions organised at all and precious few folk bands. Wheeler Street got 16:00 on Sunday – great slot guys! If it’s like that again next year, I’m not going.

Still we pitched up where there was allegedly some kind of event (at the Bull – how far out can you get?). It turned out to be a sing-around in the garden. From what I heard it was a finger-in-the-ear, have-you-brought-your-copy-of-the-folk-book-of-penguins. All together now “page 97 – all 23 verses as slow as you can” kind of event so we slipped away before being spotted.

Barbs and I went in the bar, blagged a corner and got the landlords blessing to play. I had to leave after an hour and a half but I heard it grew and grew and was still going 5 hours later. Good on yer!

Broadstairs was ….. well, Broadstairs. Good sessions with Paul Lucas as usual and a couple of nice days. One with Keith Kendrick and Sylvia Needham and the other with Chris Taylor. Usual crowd in the Nelson. What more can be said?

The Tales continues to be an enjoyable if rather bizarre session at times. Where else could you hear a elderly transvestite singing parodies of Irish songs, Oops I did it again sung by a male with a 5-string banjo, Greek bouzouki music on a tenor banjo and somewhere a load of Irish tunes played very well.

Well just a reminder that this weekend is Deal festival and apparently I’m leading a session in the Ship from 2 – 5 on Saturday so if you want to pop in for some tunes, I’d be delighted to see you. It’ll be a mixed, whatever-happens session and I’ll probably lead mostly English. Unless a large Irish contingent turns up of course :-)

Right! Off to the George for the regular weekly Irish.

Over half way now – past the solstice and heading for harvest time. Not for a while though.

What’s on my mind this time? Well the perennial problem of getting people to sessions.

I have been to two recently which were very poorly attended. The first one was so poorly attended that we didn’t even try to play any music. The second was a struggle with just three musicians. Not that there wasn’t enjoyment to be had in both – just not quite what I was expecting.

Now why does this happen?

Well to start with, neither of the sessions has critical mass or at least barely makes it which means they are vulnerable to anyone dropping out.

There are certain alliances which means if one drops out for any reason, it usually means another won’t come. So this compounds the decline.

I suppose the question is (and we’ve been here before) – why do some sessions dwindle to critical mass or lower and when is it a good time to put them out of their misery as humanely as possible?

The answer to this mystery may never be known but various people have made comments in the past which may or may not be pertinent:

“young folk won’t want to play with fogies like us”

“You need an audience”

“Irish music just isn’t that popular anymore”

The solution? Well find a good session. I know that sounds like stating the blindingly obvious but as sessions get fewer, the sessioneers tend to congregate in fewer centres with more musicians and better prospects. By definition they are further away.

Or hold inclusive sessions that welcome all types of music and see which flavours come out of the mix. Not suitable for purists but if the choice is playing or not, what’s the alternative?

When is a session not a session?

This is something I’ve been thinking about for some time. I may have been slow to get here but there’s more to a session than just a group of individuals getting together with a common cause. I suppose the fact that there are now some sessions that achieve that mythical life makes me wonder about the others that are at worst, a group of individuals wondering what to play next. The act of forcing a reluctant tune out is palpable.

So what are the key ingredients for a session?

1.Musicians. Obvious I know but I use the term to distinguish players from worriers. 6 bodhran players do not a session make.

2.Musicians with leadership ability. Starting tunes, keeping things going. More than one is useful. If a session isn’t led, it is easier for it to be hijacked*.

3.Enthusiasm. Not much fun if nobody wants to be there.

4. Venue. It is important for space, comfort, amenities and acoustics. A friendly welcome is nice too.

5. Audience. Some say it doesn’t matter, but there is something about an audience that gives more life to a session.

6. Balance. A variety of instruments, styles, tunes, personalities.

7. Common repertoire. The inverse is prima donnas

8.Listening. Good sessioneers listen to each other and try to blend harmoniously.

9.Strength. Not only strength in performance but the strength to refuse requests for Duelling Banjos and the strength to maintain the integrity of the session.

10. Generosity. To other musicians especially. Allowing others to start and following them without taking the tune away. Can be a drawback if tolerance allows *hijacking.

I think that’s everything. Of course there are many things that can go wrong even when these elements conspire to produce a worthy session. *Hijacking is the most common. Usually it is singers that hijack sessions but I have known completely talentless tuneless tootlers do the same thing. Without leadership, (and a sense of identity) it is easy for a session to drift from one genre to another. We aren’t talking ‘guest Appalachian set’  we’re talking about all the musicians who can, changing sides and playing a completely different style of music. That’s a little bit selfish to all those who only play the style they turned up for. Another form of hijacking I suppose.

Anyway, Wednesdays continue as always but sometimes aren’t very sessiony – see the above reasons (2,3,5,6 mainly I suspect). Thursdays (Faversham) are much as before but at a different venue. In a way, the venue is better (not as hot, more space, car park). Pretty much ticks all the boxes but prone to song hijacking. Thursdays (Canterbury) and very lively and the closest to being a true session. A little bit of a problem with 1 & 7 sometimes but nothing that detracts from the overall sense of session.

Sundays at Bekesbourne have a sense of session, Sundays at Faversham less so. Part of this is 4 & 5. It’s amazing the lift that a small audience gives and it’s nice to be welcomed at the venue as well.

Well, here we are at the end of March. Looking forward to April and that massive St George’s Day celebration and Bank Holiday. Wait… no that bit is still fantasy. Somebody got upset that we adopted a Turkish knight. No matter that the others are a tad bogus too. St Patrick was actually Welsh (Maewin). St Andrew was THE St Andrew of Galilee. St David seems authentic though. Does it matter who we adopt then? I thought not. Should we have another Bank Holiday and a day of English celebration? I think so.

What about the sessions? Still going although there is a story to be told. Firstly the Startled Stoat on a Wednesday. Going strong with the regulars and recently, some audience of the old George have rediscovered us. The Sunday spin-offs are still going and the Mythical Beast (Bekesbourne) is the more enjoyable of the two for some reason although the Mythical Beast (Faversham) is a fair do. At the last one, there was much hilarity at the mishearing of the tune name ‘William Durette’s Clog’ leading to the postulation of a Tourette’s Jig – with words, an Alzheimer’s Reel (no one remembers how it all goes) and an OCD Waltz – which never ends. Ho hum. The things the sessioneers dream up.

Meanwhile at the Melodeon Worriers Arms, a sudden change of venue was announced. Despite the pub staying open until July before a refurb. closure and the previous tenants not returning, the session has moved to the same place as the Folk Club except in the front bar. Now I’ve never set foot in there – just heard lots of scary stories. Is this a wise move? I must summon courage and don the bright armour of Sessiondom and sally forth this week. I hear it went well with some luminaries including somebody I now know is known affectionately as ‘Mad Edith’. Never knew that before. Before the move, there was a hiatus so the session nearly didn’t happen. However some enterprising rounding up by one of the regulars produced a stunningly good session all the better for being unexpected.

I was promised elsewhere (where the Wife of Bath would have gone possibly) so I had to miss the inaugural session at the new venue anyway. That is a nice session with some good musicians although there are distractions. One week a rather drunken person took over a guitar and ruined the entire session but luckily quite late on in the proceedings. Still with musicians of high calibre nearly always in attendance, it is an enjoyable evening. You just have to help fill the coffers of Canterbury City Council with parking geld. At least some varied and interesting tunes come up, the landlord likes us and gives us drinks and the pub usually fills up with appreciative listeners. A little cramped at times and a little warm (if wedged between the real fire and the radiator) but a good atmosphere.

Roll on this weeks sessions!

Recent events on the session scene have been interesting. In the Chinese sense. The biggest news has to be the much heralded closure of one of the haunts of traditional musicians. Some would say the spiritual home of traditional music in all of Christendom. Or at least Faversham.

The closure of the Bear has been looming on the horizon for some months, fueling speculation that one of the longest running sessions in this part of the known world would be no more. The speculation about the future purpose of the ancient building has been inventive – ranging from Indian Restaurant to yet another pound shop. Just what we need. Slightly more rational has been the rumour that it would only close for refurbishment and then be back to normal (see below). Whatever normal is.

So when the news came in that the pub would actually close on the 14th February, the last ever Thursday Session was pegged as Thursday 10th and messages of intent and support flew around like a racehorse on chocolate. (theobromine in chocolate being akin to amphetamines for humans)

Considering the number of people who have played in the hallowed halls (cramped bar) and shared amazing (and it must be said not-so-amazing) music with the tolerant locals, the sense of anticipation of gathering as many of them as possible in one place seemed to suggest a last-ditch mega session to celebrate the past. Not to mention the Hops Festival.

Notwithstanding the personalities, politics and other session related dynamics, the scene was set for a coming together of many musos and sessioneers in a glorious indulgence of fusion music – blues, folk, country, old-time, popular beat combo numbers – you name it.

It seemed like a good idea to arrive earlier than normal to secure enough room to accommodate an instrument with a neck and indeed the back bar of the Bear was already pretty full by 8:30.

The first thing to greet the eager players (and audience who had similarly high expectations) was – “Have you seen the notice outside?”

Have you ever had that ‘Oh O’ feeling? Well, the hand written notice, high up in the window told the following story.

Is the Bear Closing? – No
Is the Bear Closing for Refurbishment? – No
When will the Bear Close? – Don’t Know

(again, dear reader – see below)

Yes, I read it several times, as did many others in a kind of stunned disbelief. On re-entering the pub, there were distinct mutterings along the lines (kindly) of ‘so the Bear ISN’T closing then’ to (unkindly) ‘This megasession is under false pretences’. To be fair, I think we were all under the impression that the close date was firm (it was even in the local paper) and that the last session was called legitimately. The barman said that the brewery had asked that the pub stay open ‘for a while longer’ at the 11th hour.

This did not put the assembled multitudes in the best humour and added to the sense of ill ease created by overcrowding and intense heat generated by the aforesaid multitudes. Nevertheless, lots of music was played and some songs sung. The brilliant guests were brilliant as you’d expect except that it was far too noisy.

It thinned out early and I spotted some latecomers who turned round and left as they couldn’t get near the main arena. Others left when they realised that it wasn’t the last session.

A disappointing anticlimax, but nobody’s fault except possibly the brewery. It was still a fairly joyous if bewildered session and everyone was in the same bewildered state. So that was good then.

I actually contacted the brewery to get a definitive answer on the future of the pub and here is their reply dated today:

Thank you for your email concerning the future of the Bear, and I am
aware that there have been many rumours circulating regarding the pubs
future.

I would advise you that the Bear will be closing for refurbishment at
some point in the near future, but the timing is as yet unknown as the
plans have not been finalised.  I hope that the pub will be able to
advise you once the dates have been confirmed and I apologise for not
being able to give you a more definitive answer at this time.

I can confirm the Bear will re-open once the refurbishment has taken
place.

Regards

Greg Wallis
Tenanted Operations Manager

So, straight from the horse’s mouth. It will close for refurb in the near future and then re-open.

So apparently there will be another session at the Bear this week. I doubt that there will be another last session at the Bear though!

Happy New Year everyone. Not the real new year of course but that’s what we do anyway.

Interestingly, the two current favourite sessions are in pubs which are mythological beasts. How strange is that? So its the Chimera and the Griffin then for the odd Sunday bashes.

Sitting in the snug of the Startled Stoat last week, we were alarmed by the Tune Police who said ‘Hello, hello, hello. What have we ‘ere then? Call that a slip jig?’

Well of course we started to discuss the fineries of the rhythms and tempos and really just our whole existence and the meaning of life. Sorry. Back now. Well we did think about tunes and their rhythms and as you’d expect there are two ways of looking at it (Thank you Adrian).

One view says that the influence of popular country dance throughout the ages by virtue of being eclectic and gathering tunes from classical, Music Hall, Court, ‘Folk’ and of course shamelessly stealing foreign tunes and then playing them purely as melodies for a dance with whatever timing was needed (sometimes regardless of the clue in the name of the tune) has resulted in players who to put it politely, play outside the boundaries. So it’s OK to play slow reels, fast airs, horn-reels etc. and to mix occasionally Scottish, Shetland and Irish reels and maybe even further exotica.

The other view is a puritan view which as you’d expect is a much stricter regime. Reels must be reels and single, double and slip jigs must be clearly differentiated (and all tunes must come from Ireland of course).

As usual, most folk are in the middle and don’t get too uncomfortable with either camp as long as they don’t get too serious about the purity.

Please note that no sessioneers were knowingly disrespected in this posting. :-)

I don’t really understand the other session – the one at the Shackled Yak. I have been there as the only tune leader and while there is an element of pleasure (the teacher in me) of getting a session through to completion, it is not wholly a satisfactory affair as far as enjoying the playing is concerned. It can be brilliant when guests come and play something to follow out of the rut or when a particular set just gels anyway. I know everyone is keen and enthusiastic but I need to encourage more life in the tunes and that lovely lumpy quality.

Ah well, ’tis the Mythological Beast in Faversham tomorrow for an Irish Session. And so begins another week. Wonder if they’ll ask for the Heathery Hurricane again?

I hope everyone has survived the Northern Hemisphere’s syncretic winter festival. I don’t know what the Southern Hemisphere does but as so much of our tradition relies on the days getting shorter up to the Solstice and then longer again afterwards, many of them won’t make sense if you live near the equator.

The fortunate timing of the Christmas holidays means that the regular Wednesday and Thursday sessions aren’t affected so there is relief for all the sessioneers from the forced proximity of family for extended periods of time.

It is good to see the traditions being upheld, particularly in Faversham where Christmas wouldn’t be the same without the Nativity scene above the shoe shop which includes a polar bear. This year brought a new tradition to the town centre. Above the bank, the lit up message has a few problems with its lights and position, so that when viewed from some angles, it wishes everyone ‘Season’s Cretins’. I wish I weren’t cynical.

I hope everybody got to see ‘Strictly Clog Dancing’ culminating in a flash clog dance in Newcastle at the Grey’s Monument (yes, Earl Grey, for it is he. The monument is for the Reform Act, not the tea). The Newcastle Kingsmen featured a Rapper Dance and the sharp eyed might have spotted Pip and Jo.

Now, will the new year bring us new sessions? Will it invigorate those that exist? We shall have to wait and see but there is definitely a ground swell for a really good pure English Session (yes, we can debate pure and English for a long time).

Hope to see some or all of you at the Startled Stoat and Well Intent for some tunes.