First, hearty congratulations to Ted and Frances (and all their helpers, Tea Pot Ladies and all) on the outstanding success of the concert they put on at The Dolphin Hotel, Beer, on 29^th March. The function room was absolutely full up, well over a hundred people who gave every impression of enjoying a jolly good evening. A packed programme was shoe-horned in by Peter and included bands Daylight Again & Hickory, a duet from Mitch and friend (sorry, I’ve forgotten her name), Annie just off the plane from Australia, the Bard of Beer Mike Green, the Bard of Seaton Ted Dowse (aka Capn Carp), Ben Stone, Big Tim and ofcourse Frances herself. I understand well over £1000 was raised for the Smile Train charity, well done everybody!

Now to our April session at the Grove on the 16^th, I was surprised on getting there to find the room already pretty full, which while being a good thing begs the question of what do we do if it gets absolutely full up.... oh well, we’ll tackle that when it happens, and that may very well be next month.... more about that at the end of this newsletter.

Now for Hilary’s blow-by blow account of the evening....

Peter welcomed everyone - a good crowd with lots of new faces and opened with Irene Goodnight to get proceedings under way. He explained that when joining in the chorus, Leadbelly wrote "I’ll get you in my dreams" and not "I’ll see you in my dreams" and that is what he would like to hear...  silly boy.

Ted then interjected holding a clutch of very special illuminated homemade certificates. He thanked everyone for their support at the concert in Beer and presented Peter with his certificate for compering the evening. Peter was then able to introduce newcomer Paul with his well travelled, battered guitar who gave us an excellent rendition of Aint Misbehavin.

Frances was then presented with her certificate for all her hard work for the concert and she went on to read two of her poems having explained that she hadn’t had time to write any new ones. Peter took this opportunity to read out a letter from the Teapot Ladies thanking everyone for helping raise over £1,000 for the Smile Train charity.

Annie in full flow

He then welcomed home one of our original supporters of the Grove Night, Annie who, with her husband, had had a couple of months off to go to Australia. But she came home just in time to perform at the concert and so also received her certificate. She sang Midsummers Day on her dulcimer followed by People of the Heavens with her guitar.

Peter then introduced Anita who was nervously going to perform for the first time and so Peter would be supporting her gently in the background. She sang I’ll Tell my Ma when I get Home - well done Anita.

Mitch was then presented with his special certificate and performed a tune he wrote last week which was followed by a Bob Dylan, You are a Painter of a Different Kind. Peter then left us in the capable hands of the Bard of Seaton, Ted, who had failed to make himself a certificate. However, he sang a song written 30 years ago about a Tsunami, Some of Them were Dreams - a very sobering song. He then read a funny poem about bees which was followed by the interval.

Reconvening, a new face, David, appeared not to sing a song or read a poem but to give us a couple of jokes which I can’t remember but were to do with the Old World, Old Wisdoms and the New World. Two more certificates were handed out - to Wendy as Raffle Queen and to Hilary as Doorkeeper. Peter sang Zoom, Zoom, Zoom and then Anita gave it another go with Ally Bally, Sitting on your Mummy’s knee.

Annie sang All that I Had and Deep River Blues and Frances read Burglar, Bunglar and The Mystery of Pens. Rupert, who had crept in with his fiddle, gave us Redhead Boy followed by a tune from China he knew little about.

Peter read The Magna Charter, Mitch was joined by Rupert to sing Down on Maggie’s Farm. Ted came on again and then everyone joined in together with a medley of songs finishing with Roses are Red. Peter thanked all for coming, reminding us that May 21st would be our first anniversary so we had better make it special.

Rupert & Mitch perform around a slumbering Capn Carp

Ted, now awake, performs with Mitch

So that was April, and it just needs mentioning that there are two of Ted’s illuminated scrolls to be delivered to Chris of Hickory and Big Tim, both of whom were absent (hope they got a note from their mothers) but that can wait until next time.

Now to May 21^st, which is our FIRST ANNIVERSARY...... Having promised something special I have to say I think we’ve got it in the shape of a highly talented young singer songwriter, KTB, and you''ll find full details, biog and pic on her own page. I’ll be preparing a big splash for the local papers and I think that this is going to stretch the capacity of our little room in the Grove to bursting point and we may have to have a Plan B. I’ll email all of you on the mailing list in about a week to confirm all the details, and put any updates here on the website..

Meanwhile, hope to see you next month,

Cheers

Peter & Hilary

JURASSIC FOLK AT THE GROVE 12 MARCH 2008 - As reported by Hilary - Photos by Jolly

What a good turn-out, it was really excellent to see so many familiar and new faces. Peter welcomed everyone as usual and got things going with Sixteen ...(of which Nuff said)...  before introducing a pair of newcomers from the "far west" Viv Clements and Cliff Jones who began appropriately with Hobo’s Lullaby which Viv sang while Cliff accompanied her on the guitar. This was followed by I was once Like You, We shared a Dream and Buddy can you spare a Dime, and then Viv sang and played on the recorder a Scottish tune to the words of the poem I Must go down to the Sea Again. This was our first performer with a wind instrument, more please.

Then Peter welcomed Stephen who read a couple of very spooky poems about strange goings on in the garden.

Next came a compatriot of Ted’s, namely Ben Stone, who played a couple of his own tunes on the guitar. This was followed with a warm welcome to our regular poetess, Frances. Frances is organising, with her team of helpers, the charity concert in Beer on the 29^th in the Dolphin - there were lots of plugs for this concert throughout the evening asking that everyone and their friends come along for a good cause and an evening out. Her first poem was a very funny one about seagulls - or the uninvited guests nesting on her roof and then another about men (or her husband in particular) who don’t like shopping for clothes.

The not so depressed this week Tim joined this growing band of poets with one he wrote whilst living in New Zealand about a (very attractive) woman and her dog out walking and the inevitable problem of dog poo. But then he carried on in his usual way with his own version of I’ve got a Home in Glory Land.

Only two members of Hickory this week - namely Chris with his voice and his guitar accompanied by Mike with his tea chest bass. They performed Working on a Railroad and Sitting in the Airport Lounge.

Peter did a commercial about the Play next Wednesday, 19^th, in the Mariners Hall in Beer, in which he is playing a part (and one of the reasons for our change of date). Tickets are available from the Post Office in Beer and are £7.50 which includes food. It promises to be a good evening and then he introduced the Bard of Seaton aka Cap’n Carp who responded by saying some refer to him as the Silver Singer, Grey Haired Git, Cool Dude, a Total Twit but he followed that with a version of Raggle Taggle Gyspy, then a very funny poem in the style of Shakespeare and then another song about living in Seaton with the most wonderful view from the Roman site - I am grateful for my Country Home.

The popular interval then followed with Frances doing a lot of arm-twisting about the concert on the 29^th and everybody seemed to be indulging in animated talk, making it very hard for Peter to get things going again.

Mitch (famous person in the photo shown in the local papers) began the second half with Stay with You and Highway 51. Frances followed with a serious and enlightening poem about the problems suffered by those with ME but she counteracted that with her funny There’s a Mouse in the House. Ben came back with another of his own tunes followed by Viv (whose birthday it was) and Cliff with a song about the border troubles between Scotland and England and Starry Night which was very lovely. Big cheerful Tim was getting things off his chest as usual with When love Dies and another from his seemingly endless repertoire of children’s songs. Ted regaled us again with Everybody Knows and then doo dum, doo dum. Mitch did another and Hickory finished off with a collection of musicians joining in for a bit of a jam including National Parks, Manchester Ramble, Mail Man bring me no more Blues and Just Can’t wait to get on the Road Again. This was a brilliant end to the evening - perhaps it should also begin like it ?

So there we are: Next month we're back to the third Wednesday, so make a note of Wednesday 16th April and let us make it better and better every month! 

All the best,

Peter & Hilary

Our good friend, Lizzie, was introduced next with her own version of Maiden Below, getting everyone to sing the chorus and she read her special verses.

Newcomer, Rupert, was invited next to play his fiddle which he did with great gusto and fast rhythm. He was quickly followed by our own Big Tim in one of his downcast moods having had a bit of a bad day. He began with a song he wrote 20 years ago in prison "There must be more to life than this" followed by a song about south west trains and we were all invited to join in the chorus.

Frances began with one of her naughty poems "My Kind of Sin" and another, not naughty, about pens and pencils by the telephone - or not as the case may be.

Mitch, another newcomer to us, although not to the area or to Ted, entertained us with his guitar playing and then Ted came on with an introduction to Mitch and a commercial about the concert he and Frances are organising (More details below). Mitch then sang Cyril Tawney’s Sally Free and Easy followed by a long guitar instrumental, and then Peter gave us the gory ballad of Fair Elindor, in which everyone winds up dead.

It was lovely to see the return of the Hickory orchestra (light) - two guitars and a packing case bass. They performed That’s Alright Mama Strong Winds and Teenage Wedding. To finish off the really quite long first half Ted came up with a politically incorrect song about the solution to the vandal problem - Bring Back the Birch which made us all laugh and then he and Mitch did Hey Mr Tamborine Man - an old favourite we were all able to join in with.

Before the interval Peter announced that he, and one or two other people, had a problem with the third Wednesday in March (due to thespian duties) so it was put to the vote and decided that next month the night to remember is the second Wednesday, 12 March at the usual time of 8 o-clock.

Peter was joined for the first song in the second half with Chris, Tim and Lizzie and together they performed a novel version of Chastity Belt. Rupert and Mitch did an instrumental together, Maggies Farm. Lizzie got us all participating again with her version of Sweet Molly Malone.

Tim sang I Follow my Heart and Some Say Love in Blind - he was feeling much better by this time. Frances gave us another very funny poem about the preparation she undertook when enrolling to an art class and this was followed by The Village Bus. Peter interluded with Dorset in Beautiful and Hickory was called upon again and did I’ll be your Baby Tonight and Mary Loo. Ted gave us the story of Ruth Palmer of Devizes, Love is a Rose, The Last Waltz, Roses are Red - a lovely song to finish the evening with.

SEE YOU WEDNESDAY 12 MARCH, 8 OCLOCK

Peter welcomed everyone and immediately introduced Lizzie who had requested that she begin the evening with a little poem she had up her sleeve - ‘It is Folk Night ....’ That was most well received, Peter thanked her and began the evening's singing with Big Yellow Taxi followed by I’ll be your baby tonight.

We were a bit short on people this month - both performers and audience - but we did very well on the poetry front. Frances joined us again after a bit of an absence, and gave us a couple of her poems about ghosts - particularly those that inhabit her house in Beer.

Faithful Big Tim followed with an up beat bluesy sort of song "I aint got the blues over you" and a healing song he wrote some time ago "I’ll sing a melody to heal your broken heart"

Then we had the magnificent Bard of Seaton, Ted, who sang a most lovely song called The Painter - it’s a long road behind me, it’s a long road ahead. He then once again, in the personna of Capn Carp, gave us the tale of the Napoli which is really very good and talked about the increasing number of shipwrecks off our coast. To finish he gave us a song about being a hippy once again before telling us that he would like to put on a concert for charity. At this stage he had very little in the way of plans and was asking for suggestions. Venue was the biggest problem as it would need to be large enough but also small enough,free and with a bar! It was felt we could gather together all those who have been to the Grove to perform. Then there is the question of which charity. Frances suggested Smile which is the charity that provides children in third world countries born with a cleft palette with money for an operation. This was felt to be a good one and perhaps the Methodist church might be a possibility as a venue - how about alcohol though ? We all agreed to give it some thought before next month. So any ideas... please get back to us.

Next we welcomed David Mitchell who joined us for the first time and was persuaded to give us a couple of songs - Eyes that shone like diamonds and When you ride into the night, and Peter concluded the first half with the most tender Daisy a Day.

 from left; Big Tim, David, Ted, Frances, Lizzy, Peter     Photo by Jolly

To get things going after the break Peter opened the second half with Bottle of Wine, Lizzie read a poem called The Whole in the Sum of my Parts by Mat Harvey and David accompanied himself with a harmonica and sang See my Light Come Shining and Four Seasons.

Frances gave us a couple more poems about the time when she was a dancing young conservative and went camping ! Tim had set a children’s poem about snow to music and then sang Groovy feeling, slow down, you move so fast, then, Travelling along that Road.

Not to be left out of the poetry feel of the evening, Peter declaimed Battle of Hastings by Marriott Edgar, and asked Ted to finish off. This he did with another lovely love song which is dedicated to his wife of 50 years and then, wearing his medieval jester hat, he asked that we join in with do dum dum and the la la la song, vive la amour.

Peter thanked everyone for coming and exhorted them to make sure and spread the word and bring all friends, enemies, relations and neighbours next month!

And here is an abbreviated report that we sent to the local papers, but ofcourse there is no certainty that they will find space for it...... STOP PRESS!!!  The Mid Week Herald has printed it....

Jurassic Folk kicks off 2008

The first session of 2008 on 16^th January turned out quite a surprise, in that despite the post Christmas lassitude and the recent foul weather, a surprising number of folk turned out to enjoy themselves.

Lizzie demanded first slot as she’d written a poem especially for us (I think) called " It is Folk Night" and then she allowed Peter to get on with his eccentric versions of Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and several other's songs. Frances then established the poetry bias of the evening with several of her self penned witty verses, one about the very ghostly goings on in her house in Beer.

Big Tim, our most regular, gave us upbeat bluesy songs, healing songs and more of his seemingly limitless repertoire, and newcomer David, having stumbled in to the room half way through, possibly in error, then regaled us with his take on songs traditional and modern with guitar and harmonica in fine style.

Ted, the Bard of Seaton on whom we rely upon heavily to bring a bit of class to the proceedings, sang a love song about his wife of 50 years, a precedent which is going to put the other songwriters among us under considerable pressure. Fortunately after that he donned his jester's hat and got us to join in with "do dum dum" and the "la la la" song, "vive la amour".

A grand start to the year, we now eagerly look forward to February’s meeting on Wednesday, 20^th, 8pm sharp at the Grove, Seaton, its free as usual and everybody, but everybody, is welcome. More info from 01297 20064 or www.eastdevonfolk.org.

DECEMBER CHRISTMAS PARTY

One of the things affected was my attendance at the December Folk Night & Party at the Grove on Wednesday 19th, which means I wasn't there. However by all accounts there was a very good crowd there and it was all handled sublimely in my absence by Ted Dowse (after a bit of heavy pressure from Hilary, she can be very persuasive). Despite the excellent turnout we were a bit thin on performers so everybody had the opportunity to extend themselves, which I am told they did with relish. So here follows Hilary's verbatim account of the proceedings in her own words..... I have no means of checking the accuracy of her narrative or the song titles ...

"In Peter’s absence (due to not feeling too good in the region of head and stomach) Ted very kindly stepped into the breach, donned his cheery hat and welcomed everybody and got things going with an exhausting chorus song - Sitting in the Old Rocking Chair. He then very quickly asked Annie to keep it going which she did with Country Roads followed by a Seekers spiritual Well, Well, Well (?).

New to us, but an old time acquaintance of Ted’s, Jim gently sang a Red Indian song, Decumseh Valley. ‘Big Tim’ then produced his usual mixture, this time a children’s rock’n’roll train song - all aboard, the whistle blows, hiss, hiss, hiss etc. etc. and a New Zealand song Driving me Crazy.

Allan then gave us a tongue in cheek anti war song about Lloyd George’s Beer which was fun and Ted gave us a very funny poem of Christy Greetings in the style of Chaucer which he followed with another chorus song before the interval Sing While we May and dance dance, dance, dance, dance.

Lots of mince pies donated by Ted, Annie and Hilary were consumed during the interval, along with savoury nibbles and we then gathered ourselves together for the second half and Ted’s rendition of Hey Mr Tamborine Man which is an all time favourite and everyone joined in. He then gave out apologies from Peter for not being around and wishing him well and advertised next month’s Grove Night on 16 January before introducing Jim again who sang another "Western" song followed by Streets of London with which Ted accompanied and we all sang along.

Annie turned Spanish singing a carol Alla Nana Nita and the Cuban song Quantana Mera. Following on in the Christmas spirit Tim turned the hymn Glory to God in the Highest into a folk song and then gave us a touch of classical guitar movement in D.

Ted read us a poem by A.J.Coles and then we were entertained by Captain Carp’s cousin Captain Concorde (alias Allan) dressed in full pilot uniform complete with corks hanging from his cap having just flown into Exeter airport from Australia. He proceeded to sing very appropriately Once a Jolly Swagman and Waltzing Matilda. Ted then sang Where was Mother when the Lights went out ? before inviting Annie back to centre stage to sing some carols - I saw Three Ships which she accompanied with her dulcimer, Sans Day (French) and The Holly Bears the Berry. She took the opportunity of sending thank you’s to Peter for organising the Grove Night for everyone and to say that she and Gerry are off to Australia in the New Year for a couple of months and will see all again at Easter. The carols that followed were Calypso carols See him Lying on a Bed of Straw and Carry me to Bethlehem."

Thanks, Hil, for that masterly dissertation, and I just want to thank her and Ted for ensuring everything went smoothly, or at any rate simulated it. Also may I reinforce the reminder of January's date which is 16th and I hope everybody who can will make it, musicians especially as we are going to be deprived of the glorious contributions of Annie until Easter, but I suppose we can't begrudge her a bit of a break in Australia, and we wish her and Gerry a great trip.

One more thing, I don't know if you are aware of Folk Radio UK, which is an internet radio station playing non stop folk music of a wide variety of genres, and it is something that I have on all day in my office while working on the computer or whatever... it really is brilliant and you hear all sorts of great music that you'll never hear elsewhere. It's free, but donations are a very good idea to help keep it going, and you can find it at www.folkradio.co.uk

Finally thanks to Jolly who has again produced the super pics of December's party which you see on this page.

A Very Happy and Fulfilling New Year to you all...

Peter & Hilary