Tag: Martin Simpson

This autumn, London’s home of folk music welcomes an eclectic programme of traditional and contemporary acts spanning the breadth of folk traditions – from English ballads and Scottish reels to West African harp-lute music and klezmer.

The season will champion artists new to Cecil Sharp House, including Suntou Susso, and Will Pound and Jenn Butterworth, and those performing in its inaugural one-day festival, Black British Folk Takeover.

Across the season there will be crowd favourites such as O’Hooley and Tidow, and Peter Knight and John Spiers among others, plus highly anticipated performances from Granny’s Attic, Nancy Kerr and James Fagan, Firelight Trio, and many more.

Featured alongside these will be regular series including the Feminist Folk Club, and Trad Nights plus legendary social dances, Family Barn Dance, Queer Ceilidh Dance Party, and New Year’s Eve Ceilidh.

Season Highlights

• The first edition of the Black British Folk Takeover (Saturday 4 Oct). Guest curator Angeline Morrison and friends take over the venue with folk sounds, songs, and stories that shine a long overdue light on the African Diaspora’s love for, and ongoing conversations with, British folk. Audiences can expect live performances, storytelling, and panel discussions celebrating African diasporic voices within British folk culture. There’ll be music from Angeline Morrison & Mataio Austin Dean, Germa Adan, Bethany Weimers, Marie Bashiru, Border Widow, Calliope and Cohen Braithwaite‑Kilcoyne, plus live conversation with Zakia Sewell and Emma Kathryn.
• Suntou Susso (Wednesday 1 Oct), Gambian multi-instrumentalist and Griot, keeps the 700-year-old kora tradition alive combining the sounds of West African Mandika culture with Afro jazz and soul.
• After 15 years of performing together, the much-loved Yorkshire folk duo of Belinda O’Hooley and Heidi Tidow (Thursday 30 Oct) embark on their ‘So Long For Now’ tour.
• Lisa Knapp and Gerry Diver (Wednesday 8 Oct) fuse their love for English and Irish folk traditions off the back of their hit new album Hinterland.
• For its sixth event, Feminist Folk Club (Wednesday 24 Sep) welcomes Melissa James and her blend of folk, gospel, jazz, soul and life tales, together with Amy Hollinrake, revered for her English and Appalachian folk mixed with alternative pop music. Another act to be confirmed.
• Giants of English folk, Peter Knight and John Spiers (Thursday 13 Nov) always bring the best of traditional music to any stage they play with their violin and melodeon.
• One of the most enduring acts in British folk, Nancy Kerr and James Fagan celebrate their 30th anniversary in partnership (Saturday 15 Nov) with a night including traditional ballads and fiery Northumbrian fiddle tunes.
• A double headline gig showcasing the exciting future of instrumental folk (Wednesday 5 Nov) with the Grace Smith Trio and Archie Churchill-Moss.
• Crowd favourite Martin Simpson (Thursday 16 Oct), widely regarded as one of the finest acoustic guitarists in the UK, returns to the House.
• This season’s much-loved intimate, unamplified Trad Nights opens with veteran folk singer Frankie Armstrong (Wednesday 17 Sep).
• Our hit dance and music fusion, Bhangra Ceilidh (Saturday 29 Nov) returns after its debut last year.
• We’ve got Christmas wrapped up with Festive Folk at the House; special Christmas shows from Anglo-Scottish duo Janice Burns and Jon Doran (Tuesday 9 Dec) and John Kirkpatrick’s Carolling and Crumpets (Thursday 11 Dec), plus a cheery gig from Winter Wonderband (Wednesday 17 Dec).

Full programme information: https://www.efdss.org/whats-on
Ticket prices vary, starting from £10 (Under 30s) to £25.

Trad Night: Frankie Armstrong Wednesday 17 September, 7.30pm
Queer Ceilidh Dance Party Saturday 20 September, 8pm
Feminist Folk Club Wednesday 24 September, 7.30pm
Suntou Susso Wednesday 1 October, 7.30pm
Black British Folk Takeover Saturday 4 October, 1.25pm
Lisa Knapp and Gerry Diver Wednesday 8 October, 7.30pm
Family Barn Dance Sunday 12 October, 3pm
Martin Simpson Thursday 16 October, 7.30pm
Will Pound and Jenn Butterworth Wednesday 22 October, 7.30pm
Trad Night: Arthur Knevett Wednesday 29 October, 7.30pm
O’Hooley and Tidow Thursday 30 October, 7.30pm
Grace Smith Trio and Archie Churchill-Moss Wednesday 5 November, 7.30pm
Peter Knight and John Spiers Thursday 13 November, 7.30pm
Nancy Kerr and James Fagan Saturday 15 November, 7.30pm
Granny’s Attic Wednesday 19 November, 7.30pm
Family Barn Dance Sunday 23 November, 3pm
Firelight Trio Wednesday 26 November, 7.30pm
Bhangra Ceilidh Saturday 29 November, 7pm
Trad Night: Carolyn Robson and Moira Craig Wednesday 3 December, 7.30pm
Queer Ceilidh Dance Party Saturday 6 December, 8pm
Festive Gathering Sunday 7 December, 7pm
Janice Burns and Jon Doran Tuesday 9 December, 7.30pm
John Kirkpatrick Thursday 11 December, 7.30pm
Winter Wonderband Wednesday 17 December, 7.30pm
New Year’s Eve Ceilidh Wednesday 31 December, 8.30pm