At: Hullabaloo, 41 Westgate, Shipley, BD18 3QX

Est: 1956

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Topic Newsletter Archive

TOPIC FOLK CLUB, BRADFORD

At the Bradford Irish Club, Rebecca Street, BD1 2RX                    an accessible venue

Newsletter No. 115 - November 2011

Welcome to the November 2011 edition of the Topic newsletter and what a month it will be at the club and elsewhere in Bradford!

After what is sure to be a great performance from Christi Andropolis and Matt Price on 27 October we kick off November with a visit from superb Scandinavian band Faerd, Dørge, Becker & Hjetland (now known as Kryss). They visit the Topic on their way to Musicport in Bridlington so come and join us to give them a very warm welcome to the UK.

Following a singers night on 10 Nov we have a change of artist, on 17 Nov. Bob Fox has had to pull out of the club gig as he has had the fantastic opportunity to appear in War Horse in the West End. I am sure newsletter readers will join me in wishing Bob the best of luck in what must be a highlight of an already illustrious career. We are delighted, though, to be able to have arranged for Bob's close musical colleague, Benny Graham, to take his place. Benny, like Bob, is a great interpreter of North Eastern song and I am certainly very much looking forward to seeing him again.

On 24 November we have invited Martin Carthy to get the Raise Your Banners Festival off to a flying start. After Dave Swarbrick's solo performance at the club earlier this year it seemed only natural that we ask Martin to join us for what will no doubt be one of our busiest nights this year. I'd strongly recommend that you get your tickets in advance for this concert - either at the club any Thursday or from Topic Folk Club c/o 9 Kingsley Drive, Birkenshaw, Bradford, BD11 2ND (nearer the time check for availability on 01274 877556).

Other events happening this month include the annual Raise Your Banners Songs for Peace commemoration at the War Memorial on 13th November at 1pm followed by more songs at the Irish Club from 2pm. See attached flyer for more details. Also from the 25th October to 13th November the Luna Matik Northern Music, Art and Food Festival takes place with over 60 venues working together to create a vibrant demonstration of the cultural (and edible!) riches in North and West Yorkshire. More details from the festival website here http://www.lunamatik.co.uk/about-us.

Finally, don't forget to get your tickets for the Raise Your Banners Festival of Political Song which features a great line up of folk and jazz as well as choirs, workshops and much more. RYB Festival web site here http://www.raiseyourbanners.org/

Hope to see you at the club and any of the other listed events soon!

Oct 27
Christi Andropolis and Matt Price - Entry £6 (£5 members)
Hailing from New York State, Christi Andropolis <http://www.myspace.com/christiandropolis> ’ musical influences circle from the Southern States of the US to the UK, exploring connections between roots music on both sides of the Atlantic. Her performance ranges from delta-style blues to Appalachian ballads, and includes her own original, earthy songs - effortlessly blending the traditional with the contemporary, and firmly establishing the breadth and diversity of her talent. Her powerful and expressive vocals, and raw, energetic fiddle playing make for a creative and dynamic combination.

Matt Price <http://www.myspace.com/mattguitarprice> has performed with a number of bands and artists including Mother's Ruin, Dogan Mehmet, and Stream of Sound. He is a superb folk/blues guitarist, and a lovely singer as well!

Anyone who saw Christi perform at the Topic as one third of the band Rubus will be aware that this will be a night of great music and song.

"...draws her influences far and wide and isn’t afraid to display them, peppering variations on the tradition with her own bold songwriting, a voice of unusual strength and some determinedly original arrangements... soulful, bluesy and a lot else besides..." - Colin Irwin, fRoots
"...a hypnotic mix of old-age American tradition and invention, go-ahead new music..." - Mick Tems, Taplas
'"Fantastic - the highlight of the festival" - Wimborne Folk Festival

Part of the Luna Matic Festival 2011 http://www.lunamatik.co.uk/bradford

Nov 03
Faerd, Dørge, Becker & Hjetland - Entry: £6 (£5 members)
We are delighted to welcome Scandinavian band Faerd Dørge, Becker & Hjetland <http://www.faerd.com/> (now collectively known as Kryss) to the Topic as they make their way to the Musicport festival in Bridlington this weekend.

The band is made up of Eskil Romme (saxophone, accordion & vocals), Jens Ulvsand (bouzouki, guitar & vocals), world jazz musician/composer duo Pierre Dørge & Irene Becker (guitar and keyboard) and Danish/Norwegian singer Julie Hjetland. . Their music is primarily based on Scandinavian material but has wider influences including jazz and rock and music from around Europe and the wider world.

This sure to be an exciting night of boundary and genre crossing music and is a real coup for the Topic. Don't miss their unique performance!

Part of the Luna Matic Festival 2011 http://www.lunamatik.co.uk/bradford

Nov 10
Singers & Musicians - Entry Free

Nov 17
Benny Graham - Entry: £6 (£5 members)
Benny Graham <http://www.bennygraham.com/> served his musical apprenticeship in the folksong clubs of North East England. Clubs like Birtley, run by the Elliott family, and Newcastle Folksong and Ballad (which featured among its regulars the High Level Ranters and Lou Killen) were at the forefront of the British folk revival. There was no better place in the late 60's for a young singer to develop a love of the vast musical culture of the North East which takes in rural songs, Tyneside Music Hall and the music which grew from the heavy industries of coal, steel and ship building.

Having worked as a solo performer for several years Benny then formed a three-part harmony band - Pegleg Ferret <http://www.peglegferret.com/pages/main.htm> -touring both the UK and the continent. An opportunity to join one of Tyneside's premier theatre companies in what is now the Newcastle Playhouse provided a change of direction and enabled Benny to work with company directors Gareth Morgan and Michael Bogdanov. Since then many companies have used Benny as a singer, actor, songwriter and also Stage and Production Manager.

Benny's latest project sees him appearing on stage with Jez Lowe, Bob Fox and Billy Mitchell in the Pitman Poets and we are fortunate to be able to secure a solo performance from Benny at the Topic, where his entertaining presentation, powerful voice and depth of knowledge of the north eastern folk tradition will guarantee an excellent evening.

Featured Support: VoiceMale
Voice Male <http://www.voicemalebradford.co.uk/> are four Bradford men singing harmonious a capella musical messages about the world we live in, with the occasional acoustic guitar.

Nov 24
Martin Carthy - Raise Your Banners Festival Special - Entry: £9 (£8 members)
To get the Raise Your Banners Festival of Political Song off to a great start we are delighted to welcome the inimitable Martin Carthy <http://www.watersoncarthy.com/id22.htm> to the Topic. Martin's appearance also provides a perfect symmetry to our year as we featured his long time partner in music, Dave Swarbrick, back in February.

For more than 40 years Martin Carthy has been one of folk music's greatest innovators, one of its best loved, most enthusiastic and, at times, most quietly controversial of figures. His skill, stage presence and natural charm have won him many admirers, not only from within the folk scene, but also far beyond it. Trailblazing musical partnerships with, amongst others, Steeleye Span, Dave Swarbrick and his award-winning wife (Norma Waterson) and daughter Eliza Carthy have resulted in more than 40 albums, but Martin has only recorded 10 solo albums, of which the much anticipated Waiting for Angels (Topic TSCD527) is the latest.

Martin always prefers to follow an insatiable musical curiosity. Perhaps most significant of all are his settings of traditional songs with guitar, which have influenced a generation of artists, including Bob Dylan and Paul Simon, on both sides of the Atlantic.

In June 1998 he was appointed an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours. He was named 'Folk Singer of the Year' at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2002, and again in 2005 when he also won the award for 'Best Traditional Track' for 'Famous Flower of Serving Men. In the 2007 Folk Awards Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick won 'Best Duo. In 2008 he won the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award 'Best Traditional Track' for Cold Haily Rainy Night alongside Eliza Carthy and Chris Wood as part of The Imagined Village <http://imaginedvillage.com/> project.

Surely as close to a legend as his modesty will allow, we are honoured to host Martin's visit to Bradford and suggest that you get tickets early as we are expecting a very full house. Send a stamped SAE & cheque payable to Topic Folk Club to 9 Kingsley Drive, Birkenshaw, Bradford, BD11 2ND (nearer the time check for availability on 01274 877556).

Nov 25 - 27
Raise Your Banners Festival of Political Song at Kala Sangham and Bradford Cathedral http://www.raiseyourbanners.org/ <http://www.raiseyourbanners.org/>

Dec 1 Singers & Musicians - Entry Free

Best Wishes

Joe Grint