r e e d a l l a B www.acousticroutes.org.nz The Monthly Newsletter of Acoustic Routes M ARCH 2010 presents Her Make Believe Band Performing with acoustic guitar, acoustic bass and two voices, Her Make Believe Band is a captivating duo with harmonies described as an “exquisite treasure”. Songwriter Cy Winstanley was born in Invercargill, and cut his musical teeth in Auckland singing and playing guitar and harmonica. After a passing teenage obsession with guitar rock, he discovered country, blues and jazz, and first met bassist and fellow New Zealander Vanessa McGowan. Following the urge to discover his Liverpudlian roots, Cy moved to London in 2004 and reunited with Vanessa in 2007. Cy convinced Vanessa she could sing, and Her Make Believe Band was born. Her Make Believe Band’s debut album AM Radio was released in the UK in November 2009 and has received great press, such as the following. Reviews for HMBB’s AM Radio “A stunning debut album... Winstanley’s songs are intelligent and original. ” Country Music People Magazine “Beautiful melodies with a fragility that is a joy to behold... a little gem of a release.” Crack Magazine “Their songs are as pretty and romantic as the Southern Cross itself. Sweetened by Cy’s mellifluous delivery and double bass player Vanessa McGowan’s gorgeous harmonies, they sound like love letters between Amy Mann and a slip-sliding Paul Simon.” thecryptsessions.com “A breath of fresh air on the acoustic scene... they capture the textures of old-time melodies with a progressive sweetness and tenderness rare in today’s folk scene. With tight harmonies, superb songwriting and musicianship... this remarkable duo is one of the best new acts around..” Richard Leschen, Bunker Hill Folk Review NZ Her Make Believe Band, with support acts Helen Dorothy and Laurie Dameron Sunday 28 March, 7.30 pm The Ruby Lounge, Bond St. $15 / $10 members From the president Hands up if you want to be in the Hi everyone 2010 is galloping off to a rip-roaring start with music galore to everyone’s taste. March heralds the adjustment of Acoustic Routes into the new routine finally, and we are feeling pretty pleased with things so far. The Ruby Lounge (4th Sunday of the month) is brilliant for concerts, as people who went to Emily and Jamie will have already found out. And the Katipo Café (2nd Wednesday of the month) is just great and gives us a lovely warm venue to rattle our tonsils in. Word has it that some people are finding it hard to hear performers well at Katipo though. We may have to use the PA system at the café, which is a shame as it’s a real trade-off with the intimacy of being unplugged. Hang in there though, we’ll try and sort something out that isn’t too onerous. Nik Curry has reluctantly stepped down from his role as Balladeer editor, for a bunch of reasons. We have so much appreciated his hard work and efforts over the last 12 months or so, and his advice on forward thinking — thank you, Nik. Jill Brasell has taken on the role in the meantime. We’re now working towards an electronic version which we hope to launch in July.. Until then, this leaner, more club-focused print version will continue. I was very happy to see that Chris Prowse won the Tui Award this year for his album Trouble on the Waterfront. What’s more, we had the honour of being first to hear it live, last year at Acoustic Routes. Great stuff, Chris, and heartfelt congratulations. We promised that club-like events would not cease with the change in venues, and we’ve kept our word. Please put in your application to perform at the Acoustic Routes Showcase concert in May—details at right. The showcase concerts last year were excellent. See y’all soon -- Mary Acoustic Routes Showcase concert at the Ruby Lounge in May This is an invitation to all club members who want to be considered for a 20-minute slot in a showcase concert at the Ruby Lounge on Sunday 23 May. To apply, just tell us: • your name, or the name of your group and everyone in it • what kind of music you play, and what instruments. We’d also like to know whether you’d rather perform on the main stage at the Ruby, or the smaller stage in the back corner—just so we get a feel for whether there is a general preference. Email this info to Mike Maguire, secretary@acousticroutes.org.nz, before March 16 please. The committee’s decision about the line-up will be final. We’ll be aiming for a broad spectrum of performers and styles, with opportunity for newer members as well as more experienced ones. Support acts for the March concert at the Ruby Lounge Helen Dorothy “England-born, Wellington-based Dorothy is an acoustic folk artist in an honest sense. She's a singing, guitar playing storyteller ... There are no studio tricks going on here, nor is there wizardry in the arrangements or the mixing. Instead Dorothy's songs are left to speak for themselves—providing tales and observations, thoughts and commentaries. ...The reward from these ‘alone’ kind of albums comes in the sad, thought-provoking and beautiful places they can take you to....” (Shaun Chait, NZ Musician Oct/Nov 2009, reviewing Helen’s CD The Going Away ) Laurie Dameron Laurie Dameron has performed at hundreds of venues in the United States. A broad repertoire in many styles—folk, instrumental, pop, rock, blues, and jazz—allows her to please audiences of any age from children to seniors. With a powerful stage presence she can engage even the most sober audiences. “Dameron’s playing is a nice blend of old school jazz guitar, rock n’ roll double stops and swing blues. Her guitar tone is crisp and smooth, giving her just enough bite for when she does her bluesy jazz thang…” (Lyle Robinson, Jazz Guitar Life Magazine ) Member profile: Murray Kilpatrick Murray Kilpatrick’s involvement with the Wellington Folk Centre goes right back to the very beginning—he was on the steering committee that set up the club 40odd years ago. And apart from two years away from Wellington, he’s been a regular at the Wellington Folk Centre (in its various incarnations) ever since. But his involvement with folk music began even earlier, in the mid 1960s, when he learned a few guitar chords from a friend. “I wanted to play finger-style guitar,” he says. “I used to go to the Kiosk at Kelburn Park and play with my mates.” He soon discovered and frequented the Monde Marie, and played there regularly for about 6 months. He also discovered and frequented the other folk clubs around at the time—Port Nick, Wellington, and Plimmerton—as well as the various folk festivals. “Julie and I helped run ran the singarounds and ran the instrument tuition classes at Holland Street for a number of years in the late 70s, early 80s,” Murray recalls. “I also built an undefeated raft that folk club members won many a race on during the 70s!” While living in Plimmerton, Murray led the “famous Plimmerton Bush Band”—an open, very large band that anyone could join. “We played jigs and reels for bush dances all over the Wellington region for nearly ten years.” It was in order to “control” that band that Murray started learning piano accordion and tenor banjo, adding to his existing skills with guitar and mandolin. The folk club that Murray and Julie run from their Pukerua Bay home is a continuation of the original Plimmerton club. “From Plimmerton it went to Joan Prior’s home in Johnsonville, and then the Pukerua Bay people, John, Tina Callwood, Helen Durey (Aviss) and Frank Beaufort, etc, started it up again there. When Julie and I moved to Pukerua Bay, the club was Club night at the Katipo Cafe Wednesday 10 March, 7.30 Blackboard concert (one item per person or group) followed by an informal jam session or singaround. Council Pay & Display car parks are free from 6, so come early and have a meal at the cafe—upstairs at 76 Willis Street. Koha. needing a new home and so we took it on. It’s been with us ever since—around 15 years.” About 30 years ago Murray began tinkering with building musical instruments, starting with dulcimers. That interest has gained momentum since he’s been semi-retired, and he’s crafted many fine guitars and mandolins. Murray’s “erections” have been an essential part of Tahora and other festivals over the years. “We attended Tahora for 25 years and I’ve helped build about half the infrastructure up there. I designed and built the Hexaloo (six-person long drop toilet) at home and transported it up there.” Murray’s currently in a quartet that plays an eclectic mix of material. His main musical interest these days is once again the guitar, which he generally plays for his own enjoyment. “I used to very much enjoy jamming, when opportunities presented themselves,” he says. “I haven’t performed a great deal, particularly solo, in the last ten years or so, and I don’t see myself doing a great deal in the future. There are now very few opportunities, unless you’re very good. I’m a has-been that never was! But I’d like to think that over the years I’ve encouraged a lot of others to do things. I do like to see participatory things going on. Encourage new and old people alike. That way the scene continues.” March events Tuesday 2: Welsh Dragon traditional acapella singing Thursday 4: Pukerua Bay Folk Club—Roy McGuinness Sunday 7: Bluegrass Society—Richard Adams & Nigel Gavin Tuesday 9: Mainly Acoustic—Don Burnham / Welsh Dragon trad acapella Wednesday 10: Acoustic Routes, Katipo Cafe Friday 12: Mojo Acoustic / Levin Folk Club—Wild Geese / Ceol Alba / Tuesday 16: Welsh Dragon trad acapella Wednesday 17: Kapiti Live Music Club Friday 19: Wellington Bluegrass Society—Alistair & Catriona Cuthill Tuesday 23: Welsh Dragon trad acapella Thursday 25: Acoustic Welsh Dragon—Ang Kidd farewell party Friday 26: Mojo Acoustic / Ceol Alba / Levin Folk Club Club contacts Acoustic Routes Acoustic Routes (Wellington Folk Centre Incorporated) PO Box 27-191 Marion Square, Wellington, NZ Club nights 2nd Wednesday of the month at the Katipo Cafe, upstairs at 76 Willis Street, 7.30pm: blackboard concert (one song each) followed by informal session.␣ Koha. Bar, coffee and snacks available all evening; full meals until 9. Monthly concerts 4th Sunday of the month at the Ruby Lounge, 14 Bond Street, 7.30 pm: featured performer and support acts. Door charges vary; members’ discounts apply. Bar, coffee, and snacks or full meals available. Acoustic Routes Committee President: Mary Livingston president@acousticroutes.org.nz Correspondence: Mike Maguire secretary@acousticroutes.org.nz Publicity: Kevin Ikin publicity@acousticroutes.org.nz Money matters: Peter Denee treasurer@acousticroutes.org.nz Balladeer: Jill Brasell balladeer@acousticroutes.org.nz Website: www.acousticroutes.org.nz Pukerua Bay Folk Club THE BALLADEER IS PRINTED BY DATASTREAM INSTANT PRINT 3rd Friday of month, 8.30 pm, Petone Service Centre, Richmond Street, Petone. Andrew Bicknell, 477 0069 bluegrass@paradise.net.nz / www.bluegrass.wellington.net.nz Mojo Acoustic 2nd and 4th Friday of month, Mojo Invincible, Willis Street, 7pm. Ruth Birnie 04 905 3838 ruthbirnie@clear.net.nz Acoustic Welsh Dragon Last Thursday of month, Welsh Dragon Bar, Courtenay Place. 7.30pm. Roy McGuinness or Niels Gedge, n.gedge@xtra.co.nz Welsh Dragon Traditional Acapella Singing Every Tuesday, 8pm. Dave Barnes www.myspace.com/davidbarnesnz/ Kapiti Live Music Club 3rd␣ Wednesday of month, blackboard 7.30, guest 8.30. Waterfront Kitchen and Bar, Raumati Beach. Susan ColienReid, enquiry@klmc.org.nz www.klmc.wellington.net.nz. 1st␣ Thursday of month, 8 pm, 9 Donlin Rd, Pukerua Bay. Murray or Julie Kilpatrick, 239 9951 julmur@paradise.net.nz Ceol Alba Scottish Music Club Mainly Acoustic Music Club Levin Folk Club 2nd Tuesday of month, 7.30pm, Mayfair Cafe, 166 Main Street, Upper Hutt. Kevin & Sue Meehan 970 4008 Sunday 28: Acoustic Routes, Ruby Lounge—Her Make Believe Band $15/$10 Tuesday 30: Welsh Dragon trad acapella Wellington Bluegrass Society 2nd and 4th Fridays of month. Lynne Scott, 565 0164 lynne@scott.gen.nz 2nd␣ and 4th Fridays of month, Horowhenua Scottish Society and Pipe Band hall, Bartholomew Rd, 7.30 pm. Anne Campbell annemc@ihug.co.nz alistair’s music 225 Cuba Street PO Box 9527, Wellington 6001, NZ Phone/Fax (04) 803-3223. Cell (021) VIOLIN Alistair & Catriona Cuthill