JUDY COOK - 2ND MARCH
Judy brings a powerful voice,
a great-unaccompanied style and a deep respect for tradition to her performances
of a huge repertoire of (mostly) American songs and ballads. Judy’s
singing is marked by a command of narrative that pulls the audience in to
really understand what the song is about. Her style and presentation are
"a credit to the sources".
Folks come away from a Judy Cook concert with fresh insight into old songs
and the warm feeling of having joined with others in plenty of choruses
and harmonies. They take with them musical memories: the flirtatious charm
of a young maid’s teasing love song, the gripping story of a classic
ballad, the exhilaration of a rousing gospel, the silly delight of an animal
song, and many more.
Judy lifts the spirit and entertains us with programs drawn from her vast
and varied repertoire of traditional songs and ballads from the English
speaking world - American songs from North Carolina’s Outer Banks
to the Southern Appalachian Mountains; from the Ozarks up to New Hampshire,
Maine and eastern Canada; and across the Atlantic to songs from England
and Scotland. These she presents along with her personal memories and research
in a straight-forward unaccompanied style. Judy’s command of narrative
style and deep respect for traditions have earned admiration on both sides
of the Atlantic.
We find ourselves captured by the timelessness of these old songs; delighted
with Judy’s ability to discover the best of them, and her skillful
use of phrasing and understanding to take us inside the songs, sharing the
joys, sorrows, concerns and delights of the unknown poets who wrote them
so many years ago and the real people who have been singing them since.
TOM LEWIS - 23RD MARCH
As winner of the inaugural "Trophée Stan Hugill", French fans dub Tom "The Springsteen of Sea Chanteys". Old Songs Festival (Altamont NY) declares "This man knows the sea ... from the bottom up!", whilst Living Tradition (UK) says "Although I always knew he was good, I was not quite prepared for HOW good." 24 years in the British Royal Navy, "provides him with that vitally authentic stance with which to tackle nautical song" Living Tradition.
Tom's repertoire—from traditional shanties to songs fashioned out of his own seafaring background—recruits his audience for a voyage by turns reflective, dramatic and humorous. Now resident in Canada's Rocky Mountains, Tom was born in Northern Ireland and that Celtic heritage is obvious in his clear, strong voice, evoking quiet sorrow for a fisherman lost to the sea just as honestly as it powers out a shanty "to be heard above the gales."
With songs that have become folk standards; known
and sung wherever great choruses ring out; Tom accompanies himself on button
accordion and ukulele—but it's that powerful vocal style and infectious
humour—that quality of entertaining—which keeps audiences coming
back again ... and again.
SUNTRAP - 9th MARCH
A popular night here - Suntrap have been playing at St Neots
for many years and they have carved quite a reputation for themselves with
songs written by Paul and Sarah performed alongside the occasional traditional
number. Paul, Mary, Debbie and Sarah are excellent musicians and their harmonies
and accompaniments are well executed.