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

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Topic Newsletter Archive

TOPIC FOLK CLUB, BRADFORD

At Glyde House, Glydegate, Bradford BD5 0BQ

Newsletter No 181- July 2017 

Hello all,

Cruising into summer proper now (we hope) 2017 Glyde House continues to bring great acoustic music to Bradford every Thursday night..

6th July: Roger Sutcliffe.
This is Roger’s 54th year of playing at the Topic: there is very little we can say about him that his army of admirers don’t already know. But for any newcomers to the world of acoustic music Roger stands on his own as ragtime picker extraordinaire,  blues supremo, and singer of songs of those genres. There are invariably a number of guitarists in his audience who have learned their craft first hand from Roger, so whether you pick, play or just listen, get down early for another packed night.

13th July: Harp and a Monkey.
The harp ‘n’ banjo driven electro-folk-storytelling of Martin Purdy (vocals, glockenspiel, accordion, harmonica and keyboards), Simon Jones (harp, guitar, viola) and Andy Smith (banjo, melodica, guitar and programming) is imbued with a deep Lancashire sensibility that shines through in their beautifully crafted and sometimes spooky vignettes of northern life, love and remembrance.

Formed in 2008, Harp and a Monkey have been building up a loyal following via the old fashioned practice of relentless gigging and modern practice of social network sites.

Regulars on the northern festival circuit, in the past 18 months they have expanded their live outreach across the country.  The band are particularly proud of the fact that they have gained a strong reputation for building an excellent rapport with their live audiences and the fact that they have never played anywhere and not been invited back. Such is the strength of their reputation as a quality live act, they have twice been asked to perform at the Homegrown festival; the annual international showcase of the best of English folk music.

The band’s self-titled debut album received critical acclaim on its release in late 2011 and they collected excellent reviews for their contribution to the 2012 Weirdlore compilation which highlighted Britain’s most promising practitioners of alternative folk. Their second album, All Life Is Here, was released in April 2014 and again received outstanding reviews.

The band’s third album, War Stories, was released in July, 2016, as part of their ongoing project (part-sponsored by Arts Council England and The Western Front Association) to mark the centenary of the First World War. The band have been  performing new material and re-worked traditional songs (which strive to challenge stereotypes of the conflict) in unusual venues related to the war on British shores. The album has received outstanding reviews, with the likes of The Observer describing it as “bold and brilliant”. Support from BBC Radio 2 has been substantive, including sessions and interviews with Clare Balding (Good Morning Sunday) and Mark Radcliffe (The Folk Show).

“undoubtedly one of the most vital and charismatic things happening in English folk music right now – fRoots magazine.

"One band that you cannot accuse of ploughing the same old furrow – incredibly talented.”- Folk 

20th July:  Jon Harvison.
Local singer/songwriter/guitarist Jon has been entertaining on the West Yorkshire music scene for as long as he or anyone else can remember, though a search of the records shows that he first played at the Topic in 1977. So, 40 years on, 5 commendable CDs to his credit, and this is Jon’s declared last gig.

With his strong voice, thoughtful self-written songs, carefully chosen mixture of contemporary and traditional material, and dextrous guitar playing (he has been a guitar teacher for many years), Jon’s performance will be sorely missed on the local acoustic music circuit. Come down and bid him a grand Topic farewell!

One of contemporary folk music’s finest exponents – Folk On Tap

27th July: Gloria Jeffries.
Gloria Jeffries is a performer unlike any other - a phenomenal guitarist, flute player and singer who has taken a challenging leap into fairly uncharted seas. There have been plenty of transgender artists in music before, but not many on the folk scene. The folk world has proved welcoming.

 Gloria released a CD in 2011 Living For Me which was quietly well-received, and under another guise has produced about 20 albums previously, including setting of poems by John Clare and a CD of instrumental acoustic guitar music.

Gloria is booked regularly at Otley Folk Festival and appears at various local folk clubs. She appeared last year for the first time at Headingley Literature Festival, and played in Pete Morton's band for his Chaucer experience at Festival On The Edge.

Gloria's persona is not simply a means to shake people up, but an exploration of creativity. But her repertoire still includes a large amount of traditional folk music, as well as original material.

Support tonight from Jan Porter and her Ensemble – not exactly sure which one: Jan is an extremely talented musician with many different facets surrounded by a seemingly endless array of other talented musicians with many genres in their repertoire.

OTHER STUFF

We receive details of far too many events and festivals, particularly for the summer months, to include on our newsletter but I'll mention a few here briefly: if anyone one would like more details you can email me and I'll send you the information you require. If you come to the club check out the display of leaflets, fliers which tell you some of what;s going on around the country at this busy time.

USUAL STUFF

For performers who may be thinking of approaching the club for a booking, please note that the bookings organiser is Rahel Guzelian, email address : rahel@guzelian.com

If you would like to become a member of the Topic Folk Club, it costs just £5.00 per year, running from 1st January. Being a member entitles you to the lower ticket prices shown in this newsletter, as well as the chance to become more involved in the workings of the club if you would like to.

If you’re visiting the club for the first time, be sure to come and say hello, and if anyone has any suggestions for the club, for example if you would like us to try to book a particular artist, we’d like to hear them.

The Topic runs on Thursdays at Glyde House, Glydegate, Little Horton Lane, BD5 0BQ 8.30pm start. (Singers & Musicians nights normally start at 8.15pm). Like all the clubs in the area, our aim is to provide good quality live entertainment to suit all tastes of those interested in folk music, and we thank you for your continued support.

Floor singers are always welcome, especially in the first half, though may be limited when we have a booked support act - please check. Please try to get there by 8.15 pm if you’d like a slot – it helps the MC to plan the evening.

To find the Topic on Facebook search for "Topic Fc".

Tony Charnock, Topic Newsletter Editor 

Topic Folk Club