Who’s Played at The Kalamazoo
Bert Jansch
“I was absolutely obsessed with Bert Jansch. When I first heard that LP, I couldn’t believe it. It was so far ahead of what everyone else was doing. No one in America could touch that.”
Jimmy Page
Jansch’s ground-breaking guitar playing, deeply affecting songwriting and dark, passionate voice have held audiences spellbound since the mid-sixties. Admired by Jimmy Page, Neil Young, Nick Drake and more recently Bernard Butler and Johnny Marr, Bert began performing his mix of folk, blues and jazz on the folk club scene of the early sixties. The Marquee and The 100 Club played host to Bert’s talent. When his first album was released in 1965, it caused a sensation for its innovative guitar technique and powerful songs. Later he formed Pentangle with John Renbourn, Jacqui McShee, Terry Cox and Danny Thompson, returning to his solo career in 1973. Currently working on his 22nd studio album, Bert is still as active, innovative and influential as ever. In February 2001 he was awarded a BBC Radio 2 Lifetime Achievement Award at the Radio 2 Folk Awards.
Martin Carthy
Martin Carthy is regarded as one of the finest singers and interpreters of British traditional music and an innovative and highly influential guitar player. His early adventures with piano and trombone were abandoned in favour of guitar, which he used to smuggle out of the house disguised as a trombone. Working as a stage manager for theatrical companies, he drifted into performing in the late '50s and early '60s. Though skiffle music attracted him, a seminal moment occurred when he heard Sam Larner perform. Martin was drawn towards the traditional music of the British Isles. He joined Redd Sullivan, Marion Gray, and Pete Maynard in a group called the Thameside Four, and sang with them for three years. By the early 60's he was resident at The Troubadour Folk Club in London, where his playing and singing had a significant effect on all sorts of musicians, including Bob Dylan and Paul Simon who, respectively, adapted Lord Franklin and Scarborough Fair for their own records. He made his first solo album Martin Carthy in 1965. He recorded this and his second album with Dave Swarbrick (Swarb). The duo began regular touring of the folk clubs that were springing up throughout Britain. From 1970-72, Martin was a member of Steeleye Span with whom he first played electric guitar. In 1972, he left Steeleye and began recording on his own again. That same year, he married Norma Waterson and became a member of her family's folk-singing group the Watersons, of which he has remained an active member. He also became a member of the Albion Band, the group formed by Ashley Hutchings in the early 1970s, working with them on the album Battle of the Field. Between and during group ventures, Martin maintained a busy solo career, recording such acclaimed albums as Crown of Horn (1976) and Because It's There (1979).
In the early nineties Martin renewed his partnership with Dave Swarbrick, producing two more fine albums: Life and Limb and Skin and Bone. By then Martin was working alongside his wife and daughter, Norma Waterson and Eliza Carthy (both Mercury Music Prize nominees and successful artists in their own right) as Waterson:Carthy. Waterson:Carthy (1994) and Common Tongue were released to showers of superlatives.
In June 1998, Martin was awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for services to English folk music, and he subsequently released the acclaimed Signs Of Life, his first solo release in almost 10 years. He also teamed up with Roger Wilson and Chris Wood to form the folk "supergroup" Wood, Wilson and Carthy. His new solo album Waiting for Angels is now available on Topic Records.
Steve Tilston
A celebrated artist both in Britain and abroad, Steve has toured in the past as guitarist with Ballet Rambert, as a member of Ship of Fools and with John Renbourn.
Martin Stephenson
Martin takes his influences from an eclectic range of musical styles, from Rockabilly, show tunes, through to straight ahead rock and full-tilt Punk. Founder of The Daintees in the early 80's the debut single, "Roll On Summertime" was a hit that announced a considerable new talent. It was one track on the marvellous debut album, "Boat To Bolivia" (1985). “Excellent, rootsy pop songs.” Time Out.
Eleanor McEvoy
A star in Ireland, her song "Only A Woman's Heart" inspired the title for and appeared on, the "A Woman's Heart" anthology album, the best selling album in Irish history which stayed in the Top 10 for over a year. Supported by Marj McDaid, a fine solo singer of traditional Irish tunes.
Clive Gregson
Accomplished singer, musician and record producer, Gregson has toured with Christine Collister, Boo Hewerdine, and Eddi Reader of Fairground Attraction. He has a world-wide reputation as an innovative leader in the world of British folk-rock.
Dick Gaughan
A professional musician and singer since the 1970s. Though Dick focuses on Folk and Celtic music he has played everything from free jazz and rock to country music and has recorded extensively. He plays most stringed instruments but is happiest with an acoustic guitar.
Julie Felix
Although a native of the USA, Julie has been dubbed Britain's First Lady of Folk. She appeared on 60s show 'The Frost Report' and was given her own TV series on which Leonard Cohen, Dusty Springfield, Donovan, and Jimmy Page guested. Her passionately-held political and humanitarian views chimed with the "peace and love" ethos of the 60s and are still obvious in her music.
Guy Tortora
Crouch End’s own US Blues Man, Guy has a string of CDs to his name and is a talented and sensitive performer.
John Kirkpatrick
John Kirkpatrick began to play the melodeon, button accordion, and anglo concertina in the 50’s. One of the most prolific figures on the English folk scene. he has an enviable reputation as an instrumental virtuoso and session musician. He has been a member of many bands including The Richard Thompson Band and Steeleye Span. As songwriter, composer, choreographer, and musical director, he has contributed to over sixty plays in the theatre and on radio. His music can be heard on over 200 different commercial recordings.
Link: www.johnkirkpatrick.co.uk
Christine Collister
Collister’s career was springboarded when she sang the theme to the BBC series, 'The Life and Loves of A She Devil' in the mid 1980s. She. She sang with The Richard Thompson Band and featured on albums by Loudon Wainwright and Bert Jansch. She also had a seven year partnership with Clive Gregson.
Her solo albums, 'The Dark Gift of Time' and 'Blue Aconite' began to establish Christine as an artist of stature and substance and she enjoyed two solo tours and a gig at The Albert Hall. She has presented Mike Harding's BBC Radio 2 Folk Show. Her latest album Into The Light presents an inspiring musical journey from an important artist.
John Renbourn & Jacqui McShee
Jacqui McShee's career began in the mid-1960s as a co-founder of Pentangle John Renbourn and Bert Jansch. Jacqui's beautiful crystal-clear vocals set the standard for female British folk and folk-rock singers. Pentangle was one of the earliest exponents of the British folk-rock movement and continues to attract a wide audience to this day. "McShee's …. used to sound so fragile you feared she'd break - now she has an earthiness in her voice that gives her performance much more passion."
Whether as a soloist, in duet with Bert Jansch, Robin Williamson or Dorris Henderson, or as a member of The Pentangle, John Renbourn has never paid heed to musical pigeonholing. A true musical innovator, Renbourn has always experimented with eclectic musical sources. A virtuoso guitarist, John’s music is worth traveling many miles to hear.
Martin Stephenson
Martin takes his influences from an eclectic range of musical styles, from Rockabilly, show tunes, through to straight ahead rock and full-tilt Punk. Founder of The Daintees in the early 80's the debut single, "Roll On Summertime" was a hit that announced a considerable new talent. It was one track on the marvellous debut album, "Boat To Bolivia" (1985). “Excellent, rootsy pop songs.” Time Out.
Boo Hewerdine
Boo formed cult band "The Bible" in 1985 before chosing a solo career. "Ignorance", Boo's first album was the forerunner of several self penned material with "Anon" released in 2002, gaining a 4 star review from "Q" magazine and "Mojo". One of his most enduring collaborative links has been with Eddi Reader for whom he wrote "patience of Angels" and was credited with an Ivor Novello nomination.
Boo produced Eddi's album "Eddi Reader Sings the Songs of Robbie Burns" in 2003.
Boo's quiet outward personality is the perfect front for a man who can deliver tender heart-wrenching beautiful lyrics and as well as foot tapping up beat arrangements that will have your audiences crying out for more.
Michael Roach
Singing the Blues is what this man does best. From Chicago, Michael has been a frequent visitor to the Klub over the past few years and has an appreciative local audience for his authentic and witty Blues renditions. A Gentleman and a consummate entertainer.
Michael Chapman
This self-styled “old white blues guy” from Yorkshire is one of the most under-rated heroes of our time. First known on the Cornish Folk Circuit in the 1960s, he established a reputation for intensity and innovation. The album 'Fully Qualified Survivor', featuring the guitar of Mick Ronson and Rick (Steeleye Span) Kemp's bass, was John Peel's favourite album of 1970. Through the succeeding decades he has changed his instrumentation and styles to include elements of rock, pop and jazz whilst remaining true to his roots and influences. An elder statesman growing more acid, rather than mellower with age.
Steve Phillips
When Steve Phillips first heard the legendary blues men such as Robert Johnson, Blind Blake, Big Bill Broonzy and Lonnie Johnson, he embarked on a long, self-tutored course in the intricate art of Country Blues and Folk guitar playing. One of the rare British artists to feature in the Guinness Who's Who of Blues by Colin Larkin, Steve Phillips is described as ''an obvious talent''. He was one of the key members of the late 1980s band the Notting Hill Billies, along with freind and long time musical associate Mark Knopfler.
Acclaimed as “Europe's finest acoustic Blues guitarist,” (Blueprint blues magazine).
“A consummate guitarist” Blues In Britain (May 2005)