FaB Club Review – Len’s go!
It’s
Yeah!
MIKANORA
I’m pleased to see Nora is back after her absence from the last FaB club session - Halloween. She seems to have Mick back to normal – go see the devil in his eyes in the photo from the Halloween session.
All were welcomed by our amiable duo with a special greeting to new faces here today. Mike Parrott was introduced to give a quick announcement about him recording ‘soundbites’ today for his radio shows.
In the interest of keeping to time, Mick and Nora were straight into an Ewan McCall song, ‘Windy Old Weather’. Mick on vocals and guitar, Nora playing her restored family heirloom concertina that has a wonderful sound. All joined along with great gusto! A super start for today’s gathering.
Next to be introduced was:
DEBBIE-ANN
Deb gave an excellent reading of a Rupert Owen poem very appropriate for today – Armistice Day. All sat silently listening to the very descriptive verse. A great reading that really set a mood.
Then followed:
SARA & GORDON
Following in the same theme for remembrance Sunday they performed a song ‘No Man’s Land’. Sara has a wonderful solo voice, which was accompanied in the appropriate manner by Gordon’s gentle guitar work. The audience got the right feel for today and, respectfully, quietly sung along with the chorus.
For their next song, a change of mood. Sara joined Gordon on guitar and they played the cheery, sing along, ‘Wild Rover’. I’ve never heard it sung by a female voice before and it was a vast improvement on the drunken slur I’m used to. Well that’s only if you discount the audience who couldn’t resist joining in, and lots of table banging in the appropriate places too!
John Barden
Mick was up again, as more people arrived and filled in some of the backspaces, and introduced:
JOHN BARDEN
John’s first song was ‘Sam’s Bar`. Very nice guitar work accompanied with a deep mellow voice having a warm feel to it. John missed a verse and apologised about it in mid song whilst still playing guitar. If he hadn’t done most people wouldn’t have noticed. Anyway, how can you have a conversation like that and carry on playing guitar? Clever stuff eh!
John’s second song was called ‘Why` a self penned song from ‘99. The war theme rightly carrying on this Armistice Day.
Mike Chapman
Nora thanked John, welcomed even more people that had arrived and introduced:
MIKE CHAPMAN
Mike’s first piece was a guitar instrumental called ‘Harris Fashion’. It had nice solid changes and I sat watching so intensely that I forgot to write down any comments in my pad. All I can say is he totally captured me and played wonderfully.
Mike’s second song was untitled. He sat back relaxed and effortlessly played another nice solo guitar piece. Really fine work much appreciated by the audience.
Mick thanked Mike and introduced:
MIKE PARROTT
Mike started with a plug for the radio station Link FM 101.4 for which he will be shortly doing four special shows, details to follow. He went on to say that the special FaB club session on 18th December – more info. available from Claudine – will go out live on LinkFM.net.
Mike then got out his guitar and, in his causal competent style, sung his familiar song all about the FaB club with one slight change to it – ‘You can even bring your Dad’ – and today he had!
Mike's dad!
Nora introduced a female and male duo that can be heard playing at the Prince of Wales in
NO WORRIES
After they found the lost chord they sung a John James song ‘Lay me low’ Just two unaccompanied, faultless, harmony vocals with changing volumes which built the song wonderfully.
Next, one with guitar and the other wooden sticks, they sung a Billy Ed Wheeler song ‘
No worries
check the website:click here...
Mick announced that after the next act there would be a 10-minute break. Then introduced a popular favourite to the club:
Dennis gave a brief explanation on how he first mixed up and then brought back down to basics this first song, ‘The Traveller’. It always amazes me how accurate and faultless Dennis is with his guitar playing, it’s too easy to be distracted from this whilst listening to the lyrics he sings. I’m sure he’s a machine with an emotion chip fitted, an excellent musician.
Next he performed ‘Before all the houses came down’ an autobiographical song about growing up in the 50’s and 60’s. Those childhood pranks seemed far too familiar and similar to my own, so I’ll quickly move on.
Dennis Homes
Interval
Plates full of roast potatoes whizzed passed me but somehow I missed them all!!! However, 1664 was a good year and I could now feel Mr Kronenbourgh’s potion starting to nicely kick in.
Jem
Mick promptly got us back for part two as we still had lots to go. He introduced another performer that has become a regular:
JEM
‘Green grow the rushes oh’ was Jems choice for today and he sung it with his good strong voice. His guitar picking accompaniment was excellent, a very good choice for today. Unfortunately due to time constraints Jem only did the one song.
Nora announced that Debbie-Ann and Gordon would compere the next FaB club meeting and that Claudine always welcomes volunteers to compere, or review, our meetings. Next came:
CLAUDINE
She gave a quick plug to the forthcoming Anthony John Clarke session with our Margaret as the support act.
She went on to play one of his songs, firstly bemoaning her finger picking inability. Well I thought it was pretty darn good and it complemented her voice wonderfully. We were all reconciled with the universe – you had to be there!!! Personally though, I wish she would do more songs in her native tongue, she has such a wonderful voice.
She made a couple more announcements about a forthcoming FaB club special and the Leigh on Sea Folk Club and we moved swiftly on.
Mick then introduced the next duo:
STEVE O’KANE and FIONA McBAIN
Their first song was Steve’s ‘Couple of Thieves’ His voice and gentle guitar work suited the song nicely. Fiona joining in with harmonies that really filled the song out to another dimension. Great stuff this, lets have more.
Fiona then left Steve for him to perform solo the title track from their CD due out in the new year ‘Talking to the Moon’ - about the universe and things. A very nice song, that took me there - drinking wine and talking to the moon. Come on we’ve all done it.
Nora then introduced:
TONE DEAF LEOPARD
What’s all this about, is it a joke?
Yes it is, they are, the vanguards of glam folk. First came a driving song, about 4x4’s, having vocals accompanied by guitar, bongos, sticks and huge amounts of laughter from the audience.
How could they top that? Well it was with their second song ‘Road Kill Cafe’. A meaty song that had people laughing, applauding, and joining in. Great fun. How can anyone follow this?
Tone Deaf Leopard
Mick made a quick announcement about Sunday lunches being available in the bar, and then introduced the next act:
LEN
Oooh! That’s me. What on earth was I thinking of putting my name down without Bill’s support, blast his family commitments. Ah well lets give it a go. Not having the confidence of youth or building experience with age I managed to get up and DO a Tim Harding song, ‘If I Were a Carpenter’. The way I did it poor old Tim must have been turning in his grave. In the interest of time we again moved swiftly on.
Nora introduced another popular regular:
MARGARET
She started with a technical difficulty, the music stand broke. After getting it back together she easily got the audience singing along with her to ‘Your Cheating Heart’ whilst playing her banjo ukulele. She has a strong distinctive voice which all can follow easily, some of the audience even harmonising with her. Good sing along music.
Next was ‘Five Foot Two Eye’s of Blue’. Margaret has an easygoing approach to her performance and her enthusiasm and personality shine through. This really gets the audience involved and all singing along.
Just time for Margaret and Claudine to draw the raffle before they introduce another member of the Brentwood George Formby Society, which unfortunately will soon be closing down.
Margaret
Norman
Mick then introduced a big favourite:
ROCKIN’ BOB
Bob had come across an old 78 by, I think he said, Perry Como giving him the idea to do this first song, ‘I’m Confessin’. I must admit, the only version I remember was by Frank Ifield but Bob, singing along to his guitar playing, did a super version in his own distinctive style.
Bob said, as there were lot’s of new faces here today his next song would be one he has done a few times, ‘Rag Time Baby’. I particularly like Bob’s choice of material, it keeps alive some very good, sometimes forgotten, old songs. I think Bob would be perfect to do an acoustic version of the Small Faces ‘Lazy Sunday Afternoon’. Perhaps one for the future Bob?
Rockin' Bob
Nora then introduced another regular here:
MARK REED
Mark explained he had a Chinese meal last evening and today it reminded him of this first song he was going to do. I hope he didn’t eat at the Road Kill Café. Is this it? at long last, Claudine’s much requested Toilet song? Yes - ‘I need a Crap Blues’ Unfortunately during this song Marks guitar developed a technical problem but, the good musician he is, he soldiered on to the end.
With a quick change of guitar Mark then performed his popular song ‘Walking Man’ to much applause.
Mick then introduced our final performer for today:
JO MIGDAL
I first heard Jo play a special at the Romford Folk club and he is a very talented musician. He had a few deliberations on what to play today and started with ‘Was a good year’ A song about
Next he played ‘Black Jack Davey ‘which had a great change at the end. His vocals were top class. A performer to hear.
I hope one day to hear him sing with his wife again (not to be today) as I particularly enjoyed that the last time they were here.
With that, Nora thanked the landlord, for allowing us to over run by 45 minutes, and all those that had contributed today.
On behalf of us all, I would like to thank Nora and Mick for keeping the whole thing flowing so well. It was a difficult task with 18 different acts performing today – is that a record? Thanks also to our barman who served us well. And of course to Claudine for the whole caboodle.
It seems a shame we all wander off at the end. Sometime it’s nice to just sit and talk but there just ain’t time.
Keep it live.
Regards to all, apologies to some. Len