A Session Diary

Whither Sessions? There are sessions happening all around us it seems but some are unfeasibly far away (Sheffield!) or I think Lewes is probably  a tad far especially at this time of year although some hardy souls will travel great distances to sessions and God bless them. The local sessions are really a bit of an oddity and definitely have ‘flavours’ or shades. Much like the protestant church, all believe in ostensibly the same thing but like to do it their way. You can imagine the Methodist sessioneers with fire and brimstone hurling damnation on those who stray from the straight and narrow through to the evangelists sessioneers – the happy clappy brigade who bring cheer to every gathering and are more likely to be accompanied by dogs on string and some avant garde approaches to what we might call music.  I prefer to claim agnosticism.

Just as with the church, there is a definite polarisation to these prayer meetings so that the crossover is not great except at the great synods of Broadstairs or Sidmouth and a little occasional community work in between. Note to self. Must get out more.

There was a definite news embargo from the Shackled Yak (or Well Intent) for a while. From the Hops festival until now really. The press secretary asked for a cloak of secrecy while the Watershed Band caterpillar went into a chrysalis and emerged as ….. the caterpillar Abbey Capers. Without Six String Shelagh from what I gather. Also, I am forbidden to mention in these humble pages when they who must not be named will be away as it apparently might attract burglars. Of course that includes any Thursday night as everyone knows. Doh! I’ve given the game away.

The Bear Cubs go from strength to strength and the Conyer Session (at Teynham) on a Tuesday is well received and attended. There is a bit of a flux with some of the sessioneers and part of that may be the format, although I have to say that those who have started coming recently like Pip and Jo, regard it as a proper session so are not gurt afear’d to dive in with a set of gorgeous tunes when the fancy takes them. Once that happens, others follow suit.

The Festival Band has done couple of Charity Evenings recently which have been good fun. Burmese Orphans at St Margaret at Cliff and Help for Heroes at the QE School. I really enjoy the big band sound with Bass, drum and Lead guitar. Thanks to Larry Klatzko for introducing me to the Mackie SM150 personal monitor / active speaker. Now I can hear myself whatever the mix on the foldback is doing!

What of the Irish sessions? Well, they continue to hang on by their fingertips and refuse to give up. The regular George at Molash (The Startled Stoat) is precariously balanced, depending as it does on people who live some distance away. The Sunday sessions are strange though. By far the nicest of them is the Unicorn at Bekesbourne. Very relaxed but some good music especially when Andy Renshaw and Fred Holden come along which is quite often at the moment. The Phoenix is Ok but hasn’t really got any take off yet and of course the Well Known Spoonerism is as we know due to shut again quite soon so I doubt there will be another session there. They vary by locale and who can make it on a Sunday night so each one is different.

A lot of sessions have happened in recent weeks because of that well known phenomenon, the warp in Folk Space caused by the summer folk festivals. Inevitably there are sessions.

This year did not see the serpent, nor dogs, nor huge numbers of Morris musicians. There were characters of course. Such as the gentleman who slipped into a spot at the table in the Bear recently vacated by a musician on a refill mission. His only weapon was a pair of teaspoons which he insisted on using as drumsticks on the table itself! I asked him very politely if he could modify the intensity of the strike and he promptly upped and left without a word.

There was an Irish session at Bekesbourne which from an unpromising start of 3 became a very enjoyable session of 5. Unusual as well because of the mix of instruments which sounded just fantastic together to wit: one fiddle, one mandola, one mandolin, one whistle and one guitar. Nice sometimes not to have to play something loud to be heard alongside the reed section.

A very full session at the Bear on a regular Thursday was excellent bordering on chaos at times but with over 20 musicians oddly dispersed, it is difficult rein it in.  Some solo performances – very good but not really session fodder. Some quite odd people whose looks were out of place with the melodeons they carried and worried from time to time. Good to see Pip and Jo again though and some excellent tunes as you’d expect. Pip says don’t forget Hobgoblin is now open on Lower Bridge Street in Canterbury. 

Of course the Festival Band was out in full on the Sunday. Setting up as we went and playing initially to 1 man and his dog it soon livened up. I do enjoy playing with a bass and rhythm section. And thanks to Andy for lending me the prototype Oberon Electric Banjo to use. A frightening thought for some of you I know – an electric banjo. An instrument of mass destruction but fun!

This afternoon is a marathon 4 hour session in the Green Berry at Deal as part of the Deal Maritime Folk Festival – another casualty of short sighted councils like Faversham Hops Festival.

And so to session.

I know some of you were expecting instant updates over the weekend so first of all, apologies for not getting the diary updated sooner.

Overall, I enjoyed the weekend very much and took great pleasure in playing some nice tunes with friends.

Despite the stupendous oversight by the organisers of not advertising the sessions properly, we more or less ended up with the right sort of people at the right sort of do. And a few bewildered as well.

The Irish session on Friday night was well attended, and thanks to Andy Renshaw for coming along and showing how a Bodhran should be played. It does make a difference when there is a good rhythm going. You can imagine how our hearts dropped when a djembe player arrived! Fortunately he was one of the better ones and played quietly. Ian the piper ran the session skilfully making sure that nothing outrageous threatened the session. This included a tactful proactive challenge to a person with no visible means of instrumentation sitting amongst us. It turned out that he was a well known song worrier and eventually wondered off to find some more singers. Now at Deal, they *ADVERTISE* and *LAY ON* both *SINGAROUNDS* and *MUSIC SESSIONS*. No more hints. Next time it’s a poke with a specially sharpened banjo or a ferral Morris man down your breeches.

We played some cracking stuff for about 3 hours, didn’t empty the pub and actually got quite a bit of very positive feedback. Yes, there’s a surprise. The atmosphere was good and the pub wasn’t full of rowdies. We did miss the dancer though. Some regulars from Thursday crept in to see what was happening.

Saturday dawned and the Festival Band called. 9:30 for 10 at the Preston Street stage. A glorious setting in front of the bus station and opposite someone who apparently it is easy to upset. The set-up never goes completely smoothly but we were ready to go shortly after 10:00 with noise level meters bristling from windows and the thrum of a burger van generator (plus the griddle exhaust. It didn’t have a catalytic converter but it sure needed one. Or a filter. Or moving to the outskirts of town). Usual big band extravaganza but sadly missing drums this year. Opinion is divided about the full rock drum kit. I love it to bits but I fear that I am in a minority. Good to see Bob Kenwood, Felix – all the old Festival Band gang. I realised that I had come out without any plectrums so I borrowed one off Bob. A little tip for banjo players. Thin plastic plectra don’t make it through an hour’s gig. I used all three points of a Gibson and split each one in no time. I really appreciate my little Dunlop nylon plectra now. Bless them.

And then off for Elevenses at Havershams before the session in the Bear.

And so, avid sessioneers and followers of this strange world – more in a wee while.