A programme for the Frittenden Festival
Mar 19th, 2010 by admin
Click on the image to download the programme – see you tomorrow!
Flyers and details for the Frittenden Festival
Feb 24th, 2010 by admin
Finally we have the handbill for the Frittenden Festival – sing, dance and play, and a poster for the Saturday night barn dance and ceilidh.
Click on the images to receive the pdf files and read all about it! Pass them on, if you can…
Frittenden Festival, 20th March 2010
Jan 1st, 2010 by admin
The Frittenden Festival is a village-based event focusing on the traditional singing, dancing, music and drama of South-Eastern England.
There will be stepdancing workshops in the morning starting at 10.30am, followed by singing, playing and step-dancing sessions at lunchtime, events including a concert during the afternoon, and a songs and tunes session and a dance will run concurrently during the evening from about 8pm.
Two very special guests are the superb singer from Derbyshire Jack Crawford and Vic Ellis, from Brighton, an outstanding one-man band of today who was inspired to take up his astonishing instruments by a legendary one man band from the past, Albert Farmer of Lingfield in Sussex. We’re also delighted to have David Campbell, an excellent singer who lived in Kent for many years.
Other artists lined up include local star singer and anglo concertina player Andy Turner, Nigel Hobbins (read about him here), celebrated singer and MC Peter Collins, and Rattlebag, harmony singers from Hastings, who bring a fine collection of humorous songs from a woman’s perspective.
On the stepdancing front we have the wonderful visiting group The East Anglian Step dancers with Flying Feet Percy West. They’ll be dancing in and out of the pub, and in the concert.
Fiddler Taz Tarry is coming down from Hertfordshire to play for stepping and lead the tunes, and Travelling Folk, led by Terry and Stephanie King, will be on hand to host a session in the bar at lunchtime.
Variously leading the singing, playing and stepping during the day will be the organisers, singer and stepdancer Rosie Davis, and stepdancer Kerry Fletcher (who will be ably supported by fiddler Tim Brooks) and singers and musicians Julie and Gavin Atkin.
The whole event will be topped off in the evening with a celebration ceilidh and barn dance in the village’s Memorial Hall with music from local festival stars Florida and caller Chris Pitt.
Music and singing sessions will again take place at Frittenden’s splendid Bell & Jorrocks pub – those who came last year and found it a bit crowded will be pleased to know that it now has yet another room that we will be able to use.
For information, contact the chairman Gavin Atkin at gmatkin@gmail.com
2010 festival – Vic Ellis one man band
Dec 26th, 2009 by admin
Click on the photos to see bigger images and get a better idea of what this is about!
Vic Ellis has been developing his wonderful one man band act for over 30 years, and simultaneously plays up to 20 instruments including, melodeon, whistles, drum and tommy talker.
Vic has played at a large variety of events and venues in Britain and abroad, including the South of England and Kent County shows, Aintree Grand National, opening ceremonies at Bolton Wanderers’ Ground, and the Guinness Book of Records Museum in Taiwan, a TV advertisement in Japan, and a feature film in Hungary – so we’re very lucky to have him here in Frittenden.
The idea of becoming a one man band first attracted Vic when he heard Ken Stubbs’ recordings of an earlier one man band, Albert Farmer of Lingfield, and later developed his repertoire and methods through association with traditional singers and musicians, notably in the Yorkshire and County Durham areas.
Vic’s repertoire is varied but loosely based on traditional songs, dance tunes and Music Hall.
2010 festival – Rosie Davis, singer, stepdancer and festival organiser
Mar 17th, 2009 by admin
Rosie Davis was born in Woolton near Liverpool, and has been singing and dancing from the age of three years. She became interested in folk music in her teens and developed an interest in Old Time Music and Bluegrass, playing and singing at home with her two older brothers.
Rosie has been instrumental in the development of freestyle Appalachian step-dancing in the UK from the early 1980s, performing and giving workshops at many high profile festivals here and in Europe. As a respected musician, as well as an entertainer, her love and understanding of traditional music underpins the way she teaches and dances.
Most recently she has been developing her interests in Southern English step dancing and European social dance, and singing for dancing.
Rosie plays with string band Old Faded Glory in East Sussex as well as performing solo at folk clubs, with Dave Arthur and Pete Cooper in Dance-tales, with Sisters Unlimited and Jig Jaw. She has been a member of several celebrated Bluegrass bands and plays autoharp, banjo, bass and feet – not all at the same time and is much demand as a dance caller. Rosie’s instruction book and music for dancing, Karaoke Cloggin’, is available on CD.
We’re also delighted to have her as one of the organisers of the Frittenden Festival – Sing, dance and play.
2010 festival – Terry King, singer and master of ceremonies
Mar 9th, 2009 by admin
Terry King is a stalwart of the local folk scene – it would be significantly poorer without his commited involvement. He tells me he’s been continuously involved on the Kent folk scene for over a quarter of a century, beginning with singing at the famous Elsie’s Club venue at Cowden Pound, near Edenbridge, where he and his singing wife Stephanie now live.
Terry has kindly volunteered to host a session in the bar of the Bell & Jorrocks between 12 and 2pm at the Frittenden Festival, and it’s difficult to imagine anyone better qualified: he’s been running the regular 2nd Tuesday of the month song and music sessions at Elsie’s since he took over from the legendary Den Giddens some years ago, and is also regular MC for the Travelling Folk sessions.
Perhaps influenced by Den, Terry tends to choose choose either comic songs or something with a strong chorus, and can often be heard singing together with Stephanie. He also plays concertina.