Category Archives: interview

March 17, 2015 · 1:35 pm

Good Tides on Deptford Creek & More Folk in a Tudor House

Thomas McCarthySarah Lloyd & Ian Kennedy

Molly, Ian & Jess Molly & Elizabeth

Folk on the Water on the Minesweeper in Deptford Creek was pretty special. Fantastic singing from the floor & amazing feature spots from Ian Kennedy & Sarah Lloyd, & for Molly Carroll (joined by her friends Jess & Ed).

Here Jess is dancing while Ed plays gourd banjo & Molly plays ukulele.

Thomas was amazing: folk tales & folk singing of the highest order. He is worth seeing if you haven’t yet, do!

 Here is Thomas performing Johnny Barton.

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Coming up on Friday is another Cunning Folk at Sutton House which promises to be an excellent affair. We have the wonderful Laura Smyth & Ted Kemp performing a set of traditional songs.

Here is a chat that Nigel from GentleFolk, the other musical cat on the bill, had with them earlier on this month.

& here is what they sound like.

GentleFolk will be playing a set too.

GentleFolk have been described by the comedian Stewart Lee as “Good” & by the folk band Stick In The Wheel as “a psychedelic folk Steely Dan”.

There will also be stories of food & cunning from the storyteller, Sarah Rundle.

Wonderful!

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Filed under Folk, interview, Minesweeper, Music, Sutton House

March 3, 2015 · 10:29 am

In Conversation With Thomas McCarthy

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In advance of his performance in Deptford on the 14th March, Thomas McCarthy, the amazing Irish Traveller folksinger & tale-teller, popped over to Cunning Folk for a chat.

Over a nice lunch of bangers & mash we talked about Britain’s Celtic heritage, how he likes to record, changing London & Puck Fair

Here is Thomas talking about Puck Fair before the conversation meanders to New Years Day, the River Westborne, then Thomas tells a tale to finish.

After our chat we had a surf on YouTube & Thomas picked a few tracks.

Ralph Stanley

Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Folk On The Water on the 14th promises to be a belter!

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Filed under interview, Minesweeper

February 10, 2015 · 2:05 pm

Talking Folk with Harry Harris

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Harry Harris is a great singer-songwriter from Wales, presently resident in London, who has just released a great album called “Songs About Other People”. Here is a link to a review which came out the other week in the Telegraph. Cunning Folk really like Harry & are delighted that he will be playing the very first Marylebone Folk & Roots Club on the 24th. Here is a nice chat with the man & a song to boot..

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Filed under interview, Marylebone Folk & Roots, Music

January 29, 2015 · 3:02 pm

Talking Folk with Forbes-Moncrieff (in advance of their gig at Sutton House on Feb 20th)

Cunning Folk spent a fine hour on Saturday 24th January in the Refectory of Southwark Cathedral with Cas & Ste, AKA Forbes-Moncrieff in advance of their performance at Sutton House on the 20th February. Fine coffee & tea was drunk and we chatted… Cas was just getting ready for a trip to Canberra where she grew up, so first we established where Canberra was (about 3 hours drive from Sydney) & that Canberra is the capital of Australia (I did not know that.) Cas’s Mum is English & was a singing teacher & taught her folk songs from an early age.

Cas & Ste have been playing & singing folk music for 5 years now & their 2014 album The Green Lady is a real treat. The title track is inspired by the excellent book The Chime Child by Ruth L. Tongue, which Cunning Folk have on the folklore shelf of the library. They recorded the record in Wild Goose studios in Hampshire, a fine experience punctuated with libations of gin & assorted refreshment.

Cas & Ste are currently researching & writing new material with an aim to record late summer. They are looking at bringing in more storytelling into a show arc. We join the conversation as we start talking about storytelling in song & ramble on from there. Please excuse the sound quality; next chat will involve some kind of production value.

(Interview by Nigel Of Bermondsey)

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Filed under Folk, interview, Sutton House