Author Archives: Marion Smalley

Marc Block with Simon Dumpleton 8.30 pm Wednesday 17 July 2019

Marc shared a guest spot at our club in January 2017 with Tina Taylor. At that time he was making regular solo appearances on the Nottingham folk and roots scene and also fronting a Trio called ‘The Breezes’. He has recently described himself as a “rootsy Radical Faerie singer of original and traditional songs in the folk idiom”. For about 5 years Marc was regular driver and accompanist to Roy Bailey up to Roy’s death last November, but since then has a new collaboration with a “wizard accordionist” called Simon Dumpleton from South Yorkshire. Marc has a lot of new material to perform, since he is close to completing a crowd-funder for his third album, following ‘Brisk & Breezy’ in 2016 and ‘The Hawthorn Spring’ in 2013. Wednesday 17 July should be a brilliant night!

Shackleton Trio 8.30 pm Wednesday 19 June 2019 at Carrington Folk Club

The Shackleton Trio will be our next guests appearing on Wednesday 19 June. They play an exciting blend of folk, Americana and self-penned material. Georgia Shackleton writes and performs “wordy songs about other people”, accompanying herself on the fiddle, influenced by her strong roots on the border of Suffolk and Norfolk. The other members of the trio are Aaren Bennett, a powerful guitar player and mandolin ace and Nic Zuppardi, who brings influences from American and Scandinavian folk traditions. They have toured Belgium and the Netherlands as well as the UK and have appeared at Cambridge Folk Festival main stage, Folk East and Towersey Folk Festival. Their latest trio CD called “Fen, Farm and Deadly Water” has won a lot of bookings in the last year. Come and see this trio on Wednesday 19 June from 8.30 pm.

Chris Elliott and Caitlin Jones 8.30 pm Wednesday 29 May 2019 at Carrington Folk Club

Chris Elliott and Caitlin Jones are additional guests appearing on Wednesday 29 May. We have had them before as half of Bric-a Brac and as a duo they perform a good mix of traditional and original songs and tunes. Chris plays guitar, bouzuki and fiddle whilst Caitlin plays whistle or flute and sings. They both have day jobs as teachers but have found time to produce their first duo CD called “Carry Me Home” which has helped them to a main stage slot at Shrewsbury Folk Festival at the end of August. Come and see this young duo on Wednesday 29 May from 8.30 pm.

Quiet Loner (Matt Hill) 8.30 pm Wednesday 15 May 2019 at Carrington folk club

Quiet Loner, known to the authorities as Matt Hill, is a songwriter, singer, and guitarist originally from Eastwood, now living in the Dark Peak. His most recent album, “The Battle for the Ballot: songs and stories from the fight for the right to vote”, is the result of a year spent as songwriter-in-residence at the People’s History Museum in Manchester. His previous three albums weave deftly between English folk and Americana, and between the political and the personal. He was one of the five founders of We Shall Overcome in 2015 and was so popular when he played at our charity event last October, with songs he’d written about local characters and places that we asked him back. More on http://www.quietloner.com/about/

Bryony Griffith 8.30 pm Wednesday 17 April 2019 at Carrington Folk Club

Bryony Griffith is a fiddle player and singer from Yorkshire with a rich repertoire of English dance tunes and songs. She sang in ‘The Witches of Elswick’ but is best known for her role in the BBC Folk Award winning Demon Barber shows. She has recently been appointed as a senior lecturer on the new Folk Music degree at Leeds College of Music and has also released ‘Hover’ a well-reviewed solo album of traditional fiddle tunes. Mike Harding wrote “She sings beautifully, knows how to kick out a song and does it brilliantly”.

Richard Grainger 8.30 pm Wednesday 20 March 2019 at Carrington Folk Club

Our next guest is RICHARD GRAINGER on Wednesday 18 March
Richard began by being invited to join Teeside Fettlers 36 years ago, but made his first CD 3 years later and has about fifteen to his name. He has been the Artistic Director for Folk on the Moor and other Festivals in Yorkshire over the last 20 years. From his previous guest nights with us in 2009 and 2014 we know him as a fine songwriter who is “keeping the tradition vibrant and alive”, and a guitarist who “has a captivating vocal style.” He has recently toured both Italy and last September in New Zealand to emphasise the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook’s voyage of discovery in HMS Endeavour, built in Whitby.

Higgs Bo’sun 8.30 pmWednesday 20 February 2019

The 4 original members of Higgs Bo’sun were the musical core of Trent Navigation Company Shanty Crew and so met separately to rehearse the music for TNC performances. They decided to form an entity to sing and play the folk music of Britain and America, as most had performed over many years in groups such as Trenchard’s Folly, Bedlam and Earthreel. They are Will Walker (fiddle), Les Wilkinson (melodeon, guitar, tenor banjo, whistles, mandolin), Norman Randall (guitars, mandolin, bouzouki, harmonica) , John Thorne (concertina, melodeon, harmonica) and newest member David Martin (fiddle, bass guitar, mandola and mandolin). These ‘particles’ performed in 2018 at Nottingham Playhouse, City Arts Hockley and the Embankment Pub and look forward to playing for you at the Gladstone.

Steve Tilston 8.30 pm Wednesday 16 January 2019 at Carrington Folk Club

Our next guest on Wednesday 16 January 2019 is STEVE TILSTON.
Steve is one of our most celebrated songsmiths widely recognised in folk and contemporary music. His words, arrangements and subtle quite superb guitar playing could be no one else. It’s now 7 years since we last booked him at the club. We are pleased he’s agreed to come back because it is in the intimate setting that (as Robin Williamson wrote) he is appreciated as “One of the select band of songwriters with the vision to write great songs rooted in the tradition”.
The best examples are ‘Slip Jigs and Reels’, ‘The Naked Highwayman’ and his prophetic song of the financial crash in 2009 called ‘Pretty Penny’. These are included on ‘Distant Days’ his retrospective CD released in July. As Folk Roots reviewer put it, “Steve Tilston is that very rare combination of singer, songwriter and guitarist who actually excels in all departments”.

Sally Ironmonger and Brian Carter 8.30 pm Wednesday 12 December 2018

A surprise visit on a singers’ night led us to decide to book this couple before the year was out.
Sally is a superb songwriter, with a voice that doesn’t back down. Sally can be “Teasing, thought- provoking, foot-tapping, belly-laughing” and more according to her poster. She and Brian are well known in the clubs and festivals of the south-east, and we think you’ll want to know why. Our last guests have given them a ringing endorsement. “A good song needs a killer line. Sally Ironmonger and Brian Carter know how to write a killer line. Personal songs that link into a much bigger picture sung with fine voice and able accompaniment from Brian Carter.“ Dave Winter of Winter Wilson.

Winter Wilson at Carrington Folk Club 8.30 pm Wednesday 21 November 2018


‘Dave Wilson’s songs pull no punches when relating to the sights and sounds of everyday local life and are complimented by Kip’s powerful and emotional voice’ said the Daily Telegraph when reviewing their latest album “Far Off on the Horizon” earlier this year. Full time musicians for six years, it is in live performance that they really excel, with great songs stunning harmonies and fine musicianship. We had to put off their last proposed visit to the club when they got the support slot for Fairport Convention’s last winter tour, but at least they can give us more hilarious tales of life on the road.
Future guest nights are: – Wednesday 12 December Sally Ironmonger,
Wednesday 16 January 2019 Steve Tilston
Wednesday 20 February 2019 Higgs Bo’sun
Wednesday 20 March 2019 Richard Grainger.