Times.
See Bonnie Dobson — the lost lady of folk loved by Robert Plant and Jarvis Cocker
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Thanks Mike- a really touching piece.
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Update on Cambridge Folk Festival, the main Festival drops to 2 days with “limited camping” and then a multi-venue set up across the city/. A comment I saw said that a councillor had said audience between 2,000 and 4,000, that’s third hand (including me) so take it with a pinch of salt.
It’s tough out there at the scale below the mega-festivals.
“A new format which seeks to protect what makes Cambridge Folk Festival special and celebrates the iconic event’s early independent grassroots values, has been announced by Cambridge City Council, organisers of the music festival since it began in 1965.
A multi-venue approach extends the reach of the Festival to the city’s numerous venues and performance spaces, while Cherry Hinton Hall, its spiritual home, remains the essential heart of the Festival with a scaled back, two-day outdoor event including basic camping.
The approach is designed to stage Cambridge Folk Festival in an inclusive and affordable way for attendees, while also being more financially resilient and environmentally sustainable, enabling it to continue in the current, economically challenging festival market.
Either side of the Cherry Hinton Hall weekend celebrations, additional venues across the city will host folk and roots music events throughout the week.”
(If you’re in the Fairporters group on FB and have a feeling of déjà vu I’ve copied my post over.),
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For those who remember the band Trees, acid-folk pioneers with 2 albums I really enjoy, Bandcamp has a double LP or 16-44 download available of Fore & After, described as:
“Vinyl rarities release of original Trees demos and BBC sessions circa 1969/70, plus 2007 remixes of tracks from On The Shore and 2018 live performances of “She Moved Thro’ The Fair” and “Murdoch”.”
I’m not at home, so having ordered the album I’ll give the stream a listen on my phone.
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“Mailí Bhán” - Fair Mary in Irish? Some suggest that the swan girl is a shape-shifter. Odd that Child evidently knew the song, but didn’t recognise it as a ballad.
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I gave it a listen last week but thought it was not especially different to anything I currently have so unfaved it in Qobuz.
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I’ll give it a few more plays before I decide but thought first listen was enjoyable.
I have far too many album favourites that I should unfavourite, I never listen to them. 
Yeah I thought it was enjoyable but I have more than enough enjoyable. Nowadays I want the “stops me in my tracks” stuff. Far too rare and obviously over ambitious on my part but still… Great name though.
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I wonder what songs this may inspire?
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‘Exploring English Folk Music’ Featuring Sam Sweeney, Rob Harbron, Cori Smith, Louis Campbell and Martin Parker.
Created in partnership with the English Folk Dance and Song Society and Wiltshire Music Centre
Supported by Wiltshire Music Connect. Entirely instrumental. Interesting to hear the viola in folk music played by Cori Smith.
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Its that time of year again for Folk East - at its new location in the grounds of Sotterley Hall near Beccles..
Rather taken by this rising musician from Norwich, more Americana, than Folk, but utterly enjoyable
Lucy Grubb playing on The Barn stage.
and..
Christina and Alex back on the Moot Hall stage
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Hardcastle and Scott, ‘Sweet Nightingale’ apparently sung by Cornish miners in Germany. I remember singing this at school though the double meaning of this courting song flew over our heads and none of us had heard a real nightingale in 1960s Smethwick. Who remembers BBC Singing Together?
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Before or after my time as a youth.
I did not hear a nightingale until the mid 90’s: s/he sang in the courtyard of my city centre apartment in Vilnius. What a delight!
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I heard a nightingale at The Hurst, Clun in Shropshire about eight years ago.
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Another duo I used to like were a couple called Graham & Eileen Pratt from Sheffield, She has a lovely voice
Got into them purely by the fact they lived next door to some friends.
They no longer perform but he runs a couple of choirs.
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