I met Kim at Tunstall Village Hall, and he handed me his CD, I always like to hear fellow songwriter's material, and so I played the CD in the car on my roadtrip to South Wales.

This album has 13 songs, and each one has been written with feeling.

The CD started off with the fantastic “Castaway” which has a Lindisfarne feel about it. A nice sing along, which could easily become his catch phrase of a song.

“All Through the Night” has a more Folk-Rock feel about it. and following songs include stories about love and heartbreak. 

The wonderful lyrics of “Lovers, Dreamers and Fools” “Wondering how my lover came to wear stranger’s face” hits hard to those who have felt that feeling. “Crosslanes” tells a story about Flanders, and the gentle drone of the concertina and harmonies add a fullness to the song. 

The album ends with “The Town Wait”, all about Christmas, a lovely Folky feel the song.

In all, a nice mixed bag, and I look forward to hearing Kim’s next album. A great mixture of musical storytelling from this talented singer/songwriter.

Kim frequents Folk/Open Mike nights in North Yorkshire and County Durham from time to time, and worth seeing in action.

Tally Ho! for an excellent, no frills CD by this well known North East twosome, which forms a fine collection of songs. This album is well researched and a pleasure to listen to.

 Firstly a pat on the back for including a hunting song, rarely heard in folk clubs these days, (no need to totally expunge our heritage). Their rendering of ‘Last Valentines Day’ is the first track on the CD, (perhaps a thumbs up to p.c.?).Good for them. 

The lads give the song a nod to the influential Swan arcade, but is covered very well by themselves. I have always loved it, and it brought back great memories of folks in the 1970s.

 What are folk songs anyway but a reminder of the past?

Secondly, the recording makes it seem as though the lads were simply singing in front of a Folk Club audience or during a singer-round, which makes it so enjoyable. There are plenty of choruses to join in with as well. Lovely to listen to songs that are unadorned with fancy instrumentation.

 Both men have a long pedigree in folk music, being the regulars at Gosforth Folk Club where Alan was the organiser, so they have a knowledge of different types of folk songs as is exemplified here. 

 I really enjoyed the ‘White Hare of Howden’ and also ‘London's Ordinary’, with roots in the 17th century. Their version of ‘A Brisk Lad’ (apparently a Dorset song) raises it from a dirge to a state of life as being a matter of fact.

 Thirdly they've been bold enough to include songs one would not normally expect from a couple of such lusty singers. One thinks that ‘Loving Hannah’ ought to be sung gently and softly, since it is a song of lost love, but they certainly do it Justice and make it work. It is almost as though they are waiting for the audience to come in on the refrain.

 There are 15 songs in this compilation, and several that I have not heard before including ‘Old Billy Blue’ and ‘When Geordie and I Was Young’, the latter, a nod to their surroundings, along with ‘The Collier's Rant’. But my favourite is ‘Blue Tar Road”, echoing the hard life of traveling people. In short, there is plenty of choice here for everyone, but it will really appeal to those who love to join in chorus's and refrains. Recorded and mixed by the lovely Steve Cunningham in Newcastle, I would certainly recommend it.

This is a home recorded CD by Harrogate based guitarist Tom Richardson.

Although home produced, it is recorded and presented to a professional standard. Some of the tracks are completely solo, and have a few extra guitar and/or light percussion added. Tom plays all the instruments himself.

It is an eclectic collection, there are traditional tunes mixed with pieces by Northumbrian pipers Billy Pigg and Jack Armstrong, 19th century Scottish fiddler James Scott Skinner, and the blind 17th century Celtic harpist Turlough O’Carollan. Alongside these are interpretations of ‘American Songbook Standards’, a couple of Django Reinhardt numbers, and a paean to the 60s folk/blues movement, with a Bobby Timmins/Davy Graham medley.

There are 14 tracks on the album common, and all are enjoyable and played well. For me, the outstanding performances are of Billy Pigg’s ‘Gypsy Lullaby’, Skinner's ‘Herr Roloff’s Farewell’, Reinhardt's ‘Nuages’ and O’Carollan’s ‘Planxty Hewlet’.

However, as mentioned above, the outstanding performances are enjoyable. I particularly liked the pairing of Bobby Timmin’s ‘Moanin’ with David Graham's ‘Anji’, the latter, of course, used to be a folk club standard, and has been recorded many times on its own (not least by the composer, but also in 1964 by Bert Jansch, in what is often considered the definitive version) Tom Richardson is an extremely accomplished guitarist. 

This album is well worth a listen and can be obtained direct from Tom. It costs five pounds (which includes postage and packaging), making it extremely good value for the 14 tracks. Recommended!

Contact Tom on 07734-323572  Email tomrichardson017@btinternet.com

Curiosity in a crate is a generous three CD collection of songs, with well over two hours of listening time - a real bargain box of delights, showcasing Tony Wilson's wide ranging musical talents. Having spent twenty years concentrating on his storytelling, he decided to revive his musical career, and these offerings show nothing has been lost in the meantime.

Interestingly, he came up with the idea of revisiting his 1986 cassette recording ‘A Certain Curiosity’, an eclectic mixture of fourteen songs and tunes, 5 Trad and 9  originals, loosely based on the idea of a young man having ‘A Certain Curiosity’ about joining up and going to fight in foreign lands. 

As well as using his own outstanding musical abilities on guitar, banjo and mandola, he enlists the help of two talented musicians, Tom McConville and John Kotra, who provide admirable and sympathetic accompaniment on some of the tracks. 

Songs like ‘Warlands’ and ‘Unguarded Moment’ have catchy choruses, and are mixed with traditional songs like the ‘Banks of Time’ and ‘Wish That The Wars Were All Over‘, and stonkingly good instrumentals like the ‘De Barren Danse’, the lively self-penned ‘Give A Jig A Bad Name’, and the sensitive ‘Anne In The Garden’, in which McConville features. Overall, it's an impressive album well worth a listen.

On a second CD Each Picture Song, Tony Wilson adds some bonus tracks from his extensive back cataloge, 16 tracks in the variety of Styles (all the basic tracks were recorded in one take, with bass Harmony and additional keyboard added after).

Strong rhythmic accompaniments drive many of the songs, such as ‘Nancy Dawson’, which can't fail to get your feet tapping, and Ed Pickford’s union song ‘If They Come For You In The Morning’. Then there are powerful versions of traditional ballads like ‘Lisbon’ and ‘Cruel Love',  and a very atmospheric instrumental called ‘Hope Sprang Eternal’. 

In contrast there are self-penned songs like ‘The Bait Tin’, an amusing tale about a mouse filching his food, and the efforts to thwart him. 

The whole CD offers resident guitar and instrumental compliments, with a vibrancy and freshness which comes from his interpretations of the songs he has loved, internalised, inhabited and then decided to share freshly with the audience's again. In fact, I enjoyed every track.

Curiosity In a Crate is bundled with doodles, pictures, fragments of old notes, and quotations about music, Alongside personal reminiscences and commentaries. It's a triumph of graphic design, and comes wrapped in a Tony Wilson lanard thoughtfully attached to a magnifying glass, so you can read the smaller print on the sleeve. 

The whole package somehow encapsulates all the best of his versatility and talent. and that this collection is like his ‘life in a box’. 

I would write more praise, but I run out of space! Highly recommended.

Rooted finds Martin still at the top of his game. His 21st studio album is a collection of songs that embrace “nature and travel, mental health, real life stories, loss, politics and history”, while encompassing musical idioms from blues and old-time Americana to traditional English. This recording is a mighty and unforgettable experience. Martin’s world-class playing is supplemented by offerings from Nancy Kerr, Andy Cutting, Liz Hanks, John Smith, Dom Flemons, Alan Barnes, Ben Nicholls, Tom A. Wright, Chris While and Julie Matthews. 

But let’s not forget that Martin’s an ace songwriter too, as Rooted’s original compositions prove. Outstanding among these is Kingfisher, where the poetic beauty of Martin’s portrait of the bird is accompanied by appropriately iridescent guitar magic weaving around the Fair Flower Of Northumberland melody. Fool Me Once and Trouble Brought Me Here bring authentic home-grown country-blues (the latter perhaps a little reminiscent melodically of Never Any Good), while true-life characters form the basis of both Henry Gray and Ken Small.

Entirely complementary to these songs is Martin’s choice of cover versions. Pick of these are a haunting rendering of Shel Silverstein’s ballad-style Hills Of Shiloh, and Robb Johnson’s More Than Enough - the latter in direct homage to Martin’s late father-in-law Roy Bailey, who first brought the song to wider attention. Most notable among his arrangements of  traditional items are a pair gleaned from the singing of Hedy West: performed back to back here, we find animated accounts of Queen Jane (Child #52) and Joe Bowers (a ballad from the California Gold Rush era). Wistful autumnal string-based backdrops are a nice touch on several tracks, including Who’s Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Foot? Two songs come from the repertoire of Martin’s early inspiration, erstwhile guitar shop owner Paul Empson: Kimble was taken from Jackson C. Frank’s LP, while Ragtime Millionaire provides the foundation for Martin’s fun contemporary rewrite Neo. There is a companion bonus disc, Seeded - a collection of seven instrumentals. So, another must-purchase set from Maestro Martin.

Renowned folk musician Jez Lowe scored a tremendous hit when he appeared in October at Ceddesfeld Hall, the magnificent home to Sedgefield Community Association. Already very popular as a regular at Sedgefield Folk Festival, this time his writing skills were to the fore as, hot on the heels of his US tour, he launched his second novel The Corly Croons at Sedgefield Book Ends (a literary and arts festival which has grown dramatically since its relatively small beginnings in 2017). Organisers Sarah Guest and Norma Neal were delighted when he agreed to come along, and Jez entertained the very appreciative audience with his inimitable style of singing and playing, and his irrepressible banter.

Based (as was his first venture The Dillen Doll ) in 19th century Newcastle and on the folk music of the North East, Jez’s eagerly anticipated second novel weaves an intriguing tale around a Southern stranger who uncovers mystery and tragedy on Tyneside. The music and poetry of the Tyne Bards fill the streets, taverns and music halls. Described by fRoots magazine as “a master of the art of storytelling”, Jez skilfully transfers his deep love of the region and its music to create a wealth of characters and situations which grab and hold the reader’s attention. 

Earlier in the year I spotted an event advertised in that wonderful magazine Folk Roundabout (now they’ll have to include my review!). It was a performance in March of Jimmy’s Fiddle at the Gosforth Civic Hall. Of course, being a Gateshead lad, I had to go to find out more about James (Jimmy) Hill - one of the town’s favourite sons.

The cast comprised Tom McConville & Stuart Hardy (fiddles) Alan Fitzsimmons & Jim Mageean (singers), with clog dancing from champion dancer Natalie Reid. What a brilliant night! Every cast member was on top form - or so I thought (see later)! Fiddling, singing and dancing were all of the highest calibre, as was the humour - and the camaraderie among the performers was really heart-warming. I hadn’t expected to be educated as well! (Spoiler alert: who knew that Italian violin maestro Niccolò Paganini played two gigs in Newcastle?)

When we found out that the show was to be presented again at this year’s Whitby Folk Festival, I told anyone that wanted to hear (and no doubt some that didn’t!) that they’d kick themselves if they didn’t go to see it. It was a packed house at ‘The Met’ (Metropole), which made for a great atmosphere. Although visibility (especially of the dancer’s feet) was not as good as in Gosforth, the performances were - incredibly - even better than previously. I came out singing Tom McConville’s song Jimmy, Jimmy all the way back to our B&B.

The next day we came across Jim Mageean heading for the Spa Theatre. I don’t normally gush, but I had to tell him that all of our party agreed that the show had been the highlight of our week - though I could have said “of our year”. He gave us a beaming smile and said “Why, that’s really made my day!”

To hear more of ‘Jimmy’s’ music, look out for the book and accompanying CD called The Lads Love Beer, and look out for more performances of Jimmy’s Fiddle (checking in the Folk Roundabout, of course!).