We will have two guest acts, Bifocal and Quiet Loner, performing for about 30 minutes each, one before the break and one after, with floor singers beginning each half. The evening is being hosted under the banner of “We Shall Overcome” (WSO), a nationwide collective organising events, mostly music concerts, at a local level to help local causes affected by austerity cuts.

Bifocal are a recently-formed folk duo whose members will be well known to Carrington Triangle regulars. Elaine Chipchase and Phil Harrison are both fine singers and string-pickers whose diverse styles blend beautifully together.

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. Here’s his website: http://www.quietloner.com/about/

Greg Russell plays and sings with a maturity and emotion that belies his 25 years. He plays guitar and bouzouki but it’s his voice that’s been called ‘extraordinary’ and ‘full of character’. He won the 2013 BBC Young Folk Award then the Horizon Award in his regular duo with fiddler Ciaran Algar, but last year he released his debut solo album “Inclined to be Red” which was declared ‘a powerful statement’. He was asked to join the 40th anniversary production of “The Transports” and was musical director of “Shake the Chains” earlier this year gaining a 4 star rating from The Guardian.

FLOSSIE MALAVIALLE makes a long awaited return to the Gladstone on Wednesday 18 July. She came to Stockton from the south of France 15 years ago to teach for a year, but found a folk club. Her profile soared with help from the late Vin Garbutt but it was her singing and playing a wide variety of genres from folk songs to blues standards. She intersperses these with stories in her French-Durham accent and wicked sense of humour. It’s probably her renditions of Edith Piaf and Jacques Brel favourites plus her songs with “va-va voum” that draw audiences who wouldn’t normally attend folk clubs.
Please would singers or musicians be early so we can start at 8.30. Entry is £5 for members, £8 for non members.

PETE MORTON is our guest on Wednesday 20 June from 8.30pm and first played at the Gladstone in the early years of the club when he’d moved from his native Leicester to live in Forest Fields. He’s a compelling and energetic performer whose songs have been described as an unruly mix of humour, politics, love and social comment. It was his song “Another Train” that really made his name, and since then he’s produced a new CD on average every 3 years. “When we sing together” has become a folk club standard, as it epitomises the participatory ethos of any good Club. Pete sings from the heart and whether “playing his guitar or doing folk rap as if someone’s life depends on it” he always gives us a great night.

Our next guest on Wednesday 16 May is CHRIS CLEVERLEY who might fall into the category of singer- songwriter, but has much more to surprise and delight. A fingerstyle guitarist and banjo player, his style faithfully captures the essence of the folk revival and continues the legacy of Nic Jones and John Renbourn. His unique brand of contemporary folk contrasts the calming pastoral influence of his childhood in the foothills of the Brecon Beacons and Cornwall with the raw and at times unsettling honesty of his lyricism. “With guitar playing ancestry pulsing through his veins, Chris is fast gaining the accolade of being among the most masterful players on the scene”.

Our next guests are THE DOVETAIL TRIO who have been described as “presenting England’s traditional songs with a bold and fresh approach” since first appearing as a trio in 2014. They came together when Matt Quinn from Brighton a melodeon and concertina player met Rosie Hood a fiddler and singer with a particular interest in songs from her native Wiltshire.
They wanted a skilled guitarist to complement the mix so asked Jamie Roberts, who had a good grounding with Kerfuffle and was playing with Katriona Gilmore, to join them. Jamie can flat pick or play in bluegrass mode as well, so whilst Rosie and Matt sing traditional material from several sources, they have a much wider range as we saw when they visited the club in 2015. They have recently been busy with separate projects and compositions and only tour together for a short time each year, so we’re pleased they’ll be back on 18th April.

GRANNY’S ATTIC
Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne (melodeon, concertina and vocals), George Sansome (guitar and vocals) and Lewis Wood (fiddle, mandolin and vocals) play the folk tradition with verve, energy and their own inimitable style. They met at school in 2009 and have since played at clubs and festivals where they have been heralded for their lively performances, as we saw at the Riverside Festival in August.
They are all exceptional musicians and fine singers who play English, Irish and Scots traditional music as well as their own compositions. Cohen has been nominated in this year’s BBC Folk Awards, and you’ll see why on Wednesday 21st March from 8.30pm.

Ruth Notman is from Nottingham and starting from singarounds at Mansfield Folk Club, she became a finalist at the BBC Young Folk Awards in 2007. She formed “Threads” with Bella Hardy, Saul Rose and Hannah Edmonds, then also gained recognition for her song writing appearing at Gate to Southwell in 2008. She made “The Life of Lilly” in 2009 to great acclaim enhanced with great production by Ich Mowatt at Sounding Post Studios in Giltbrook. Then life and training for a career in nursing intervened, but she stepped out to studios in London last August to record a second solo CD which should be ready for us to sample very shortly.

TOM KITCHING and ZOE MULFORD Weds 17th January 2018.
American songwriter, singer and guitar/banjo player Zoe Mulford teams up with English fiddler/mandolinist Tom Kitching for our first guest night of 2018. Tom was invited to the studio to provide backing for Zoe’s album “Small Brown Birds” but as they worked on Zoe’s beautifully crafted songs, Tom added his experience leading Pilgrims’ Way and ceilidh bands until it became clear that they should tour as a duo. Zoe’s song “The President sang Amazing Grace” has now been recorded by Joan Baez. Together they make music infused with energy and wit, both vital and deeply moving and we are really pleased they start the tour with us at the Gladstone on Wednesday 17 January, starting at 8.30 pm.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our members. We have decided to have a break on Wednesday 27 December 2017 so our next singers’ night will be on Wednesday 3 January 2018. We look forward to seeing you then.