Four epic weekends of tunes - from international sensations to indie darlings and hometown heroes. We’ve got everything from folk and rock to blues and jazz, with a sprinkle of classical magic added to the mix. Buy tickets in store or give us a call on 01298 71017.
doors 7.00pm acts 7.30pm
'100 Not Out' with Ashley Hutchings, featuring Becky Mills: the story, in Ashley’s own words, with musical illustrations, celebrating his 100 albums, and his unrivalled and indispensable contribution to the development of British Music. Ashley Hutchings MBE is an English bassist, songwriter, arranger, band leader, writer, record producer, poet, folk song researcher and collector, and was a founding member of three noteworthy English folk-rock bands: Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span and the Albion Band, plus many collaborations and solo projects. He has overseen numerous other projects, including live theatre, and has collaborated on film and television productions.
“Ashley Hutchings is the single most important figure in English folk rock. His group, Fairport Convention, recorded some of the best versions of my unreleased songs. Listen to the bass playing on Percy’s Song to hear how great he is.” - Bob Dylan
"Becky Mills is a master storyteller. Shot through with wisdom, her bewitching songs imagine the mysterious lives of others with enormous sympathy."
Soulful, heavy, groovy blues rockers! Imagine Janis Joplin fronting Free, Helen Turner possessing the power of J.J., but employing the vocal subtlety that she occasionally neglected. With guitarist Iain Black utilising a similar economic, but cutting edge, blues style of playing to Free guitarist Paul Kossoff. Regular performers at UK rock and blues festival main stages (HRH Blues, HRH ABC, Upton Blues, Buck Moon Blues and Alfold Rock & Blues). Vocalist Helen Turner is a 2023 UK Blues Federation best vocalist nominee and "the real deal" according to Classic Rock magazine. With guitarist Iain Black, they've had one of Classic Rock: The Blues Magazine's albums of the year. Bassist Marek Funk performs with major international artists at the largest venues in the UK. Drummer Steve Weaver is a much in-demand musician and a dynamic live presence.
“I first saw them a couple of years ago at the Upton-upon-Severn Blues Festival, and in Helen Turner and Iain Black they possess possibly the best current vocalist/guitarist ‘frontline’ pairing on the British blues/rock circuit. If you have a taste for gritty ‘blues drenched’ female vocals and electric blues wailing guitar then the intuitive interplay between them is the recipe for you”
Sam Jones is a British singer-songwriter, guitarist, recording artist & producer. Often working as a multi-instrumentalist, recording many tracks over several decades. A cross-section of which make up his live solo set. He is known for his slide guitar playing, use of Yamaha instruments & crooner vocal style. He has worked as a featured artiste in films such as Tim Burton’s ‘Sweeney Todd‘ & the Ian Dury biopic ‘Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll‘.
“A raw and honest musician and songwriter. Versed in Punk and Rock ‘n’ Roll, but very much multi-faceted. A very special performance of original material and covers.”
Thomas 'Spats' Langham is a guitarist, banjo player and vocalist whose specialism is the music of the 1920s/30s/40s. His influences include Ukelele Ike, early jazz guitarist Eddie Lang and banjoist/bandleader Harry Reser. His performance will illustrate the history of 1920s/30s/40s Jazz and Blues guitar and banjo, utilising his own technically flawless instrumental accompaniments, and his equally impressive vocal contributions, including an occasional nod to the ‘Great American Songbook’, enhanced by his inter-song chat, interspersing the historical detail with a host of stories (many humorous) about the musicians and vocalists concerned, including Bing Crosby and Al Bowlly. Thomas is coming ‘home’ to entertain you in Buxton, his birthplace, where his father, Mike Langham, was a prolific local author.
“If your favourite musical period is the Jazz Age of the Twenties and Thirties, and in particular a love of the guitar and banjo stylists, and dance band vocalists from that era, then Tom Langham is your man. With his versatile skills as a musician, vocalist and raconteur, he is the favourite ‘go to’ rhythm and frontman for most of the big band and swing orchestras who recreate the music of the ‘golden age’ of jazz in Britain, on the Continent, and often all corners of the world."
A BRIEF HISTORY OF MODERN JAZZ GUITAR
Last year I presented a couple of talks, illustrated with musical examples; “A Short History of the Blues” and “Psychedelia and Psychedelic Music”. This year I will be looking at the history of the electric guitar in modern jazz, from the pioneering Charlie Christian in the 1930s to the recordings of John McLaughlin with Miles Davis and his own Mahavishnu Orchestra in the 60s and 70s, via Barney Kessel, Kenny Burrell, Wes Montgomery, Jim Hall, and more.
Over three decades Dan Evans has built a niche career as a world-class exponent on both the mountain dulcimer and acoustic guitar, accompanied by his fine baritone voice. In concert, he presents a repertoire of original compositions, folk songs and airs and the odd classic to round a set off nicely. All are beautifully arranged in Dan’s unique, thoughtful style and presented with considerable classical skill and a little gentle humour. With six CD albums released to critical international acclaim and eighteen international tours undertaken to date, Dan has won the hearts of audiences on both sides of the Atlantic.
“An astonishing variety of tunes and soundscapes – gifted with seemingly limitless imagination - it’s all incredibly pure and all incredibly beautiful."
Judy has long been held in high regard by leading figures in the world of folk music. Her love of song, paired with her ability to sing a repertoire unfettered by strict genre limitation, means she brings a rich variety of storytelling through her music. A fine writer, Judy also includes her own compositions in her performances. Known for her peerless renditions of tender ballads, it has been said she can turn any song into a classic. She has worked and recorded with members of Fairport Convention, The Albion Band, Show of Hands, Mick Ryan, and guitarists Steve Marsh and Jon Scaife. She has worked and collaborated with Ashley Hutchings.
Nigel Corbett - The Accompanying Member
As a violin player with the Sheffield Symphony and Sheffield Philharmonic orchestras from 1974 - 1980, Nigel threw caution to the wind and joined the local Chesterfield Morris team in 1981, from which his love of folk music developed. Nigel also brings his guitar to the party.
As singer songwriter of the Lefty Chris Band enjoying doing original song gigs, Chris realised he missed the cut and thrust of playing covers in the pubs. Being somewhat stubborn, he didn’t want to go out with a set of the expected modern sing along classics. Donovylan came to him as a flash of inspiration, incorporating two of the best singer songwriters he grew up with musically, he decided to go out on his own and play covers that he genuinely cared about. The set is well beyond Donovan and Dylan (Donovylan), as other greats are in there too, including Paul Simon, Neil Young and Van Morrison. In the summer of 2023, he picked up some harmonicas from eBay, bought a hat from a charity shop, recorded some songs in the studio and started gigging as Donovylan.
“Donovylan captures perfectly the essence of the 1960’s solo singer-songwriter, with his authentic guitar, harmonica and vocal combinations.”
Formed in 2021 from the cream of some of the Midlands better known bands, The Psyco Dahlias have a diverse, original, dynamic sound mainly encompassing elements of late 60’s psychedelic blues, rock, soul and country. They have a secret ingredient which makes you forget they’re doing covers. This is the ‘Sound of the Sixties’, the ‘Alternative’ Sixties, the true Psychedelic Sixties, not the ‘Top Twenty’ Sixties.’ Featuring a ‘set list’ including material from the Doors, Buffalo Springfield, Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Pink Floyd, Bob Dylan, Moby Grape, Jimi Hendrix, Small Faces, Yardbirds, and more.
“If you want to transcend time and space and be transported back to the 1960s of Woodstock, The Isle of Wight and San Francisco, then this is the ‘Time Machine’ for you!”
Dave Onions is a Kidderminster based singer songwriter and guitarist who plays original material with an infectious driving style of guitar. Dave spins a solo career as a rootsy singer songwriter with a distinctive percussive guitar style with plenty of nimble bottleneck slide work and deft arrangements. A legend amongst the guitarist community in his native Midlands and beyond.
For the past seven years, Chesterfield has held monthly jazz jam sessions for all jazz enthusiasts from beginner to professional. The Jazzy Badgers met each other at these jams and gradually built up a rapport as they played together. The band comprises Carole Gilby on saxophones and vocals, Cathy Hamlyn on keyboard and vocals, Alan Brown on guitar, Jon Wynn on bass and Ben Griffiths on percussion. For this special event they are joined by local violinist, Graham Clark. The band will perform their own arrangements over a diverse range of jazz music - from ballads to up tempo, from funky to contemplative, from 1930s to modern.
Trilogy is formed by local Bakewell violist Henri Hill, Bethan Griffiths(Wales) on concert harp and Amy-Jayne Milton (North Yorkshire) on Flute. They met at music college and formed this prize-winning Ensemble, known for its golden rich sound and brilliant programming. Expect classical and jazz gems with folk music, threaded by poetry readings. We explore the legend behindPan's Reed pipes with Debussy; Medieval chants of spring blooming withHildegard von Bingen, down to folk songs you'll know and love well - a trip to the Sally Gardens with Danny Boy perhaps.
The electrifying sound of Bonfire Radicals is intensely creative and irresistibly fun. A danceable feast of vibrant, prog-folk music: original and traditional tunes and songs from the British Isles to the Balkans.
"...serious powerhouse of a performance...foot-stomping and adrenalin-powered…came on like folk music played by ravers." - The Artsdesk ★★★★
The pairing of powerhouse vocalist Annie Duggan with exceptional guitarist Rob Hines is a match made in, well, possibly Clarksdale Mississippi or Nashville Tennessee, or the backwoods of Alabama. Take your pick, but the ‘roots’ of their music undoubtedly originates from the diverse strands of blues, country, folk and jazz that combine in the melting pot of ‘Americana’. To classify their music as one or other of these genres would be to do them a disservice, as their mastery of each and all is palpably plain to witness in their performance. The empathy between Annie and guitarist Rob Hines is all encompassing, and his technique allows him to employ both rhythmic subtlety and impressive interjectory extemporisations in his accompaniments. Imagine the powerful propulsive drive of the country bluesman in tandem with the Scotty Moore ‘Sun Sound’ Elvis era rockabilly ‘licks’; a one man guitar‘ orchestra’ in support of Annies’ interpretations of both their own songs and some blues, folk and soul classics.
Fronted by Sam Timson, the band features lead guitarist Charlie Candlish, with younger sister Josie Candlish holding down the bass. Georgie Bloomfield adds a touch of sophistication with her violin, whilst Alex Walton keeps the rhythm on drums. Drawing inspiration from esteemed acts such as U2, Big Country, Toto, The Beatles, The Police, and Kings of Leon, Red Sky Dawn seeks to honour the musical legacies of the past, whilst infusing their own contemporary twist.
“A classic rock ’n’ roll band in every sense. They get better and better every time they play!”
An unconventional Jazz & Blues band offering a refreshingly eclectic choice of material… original compositions, Latin influences, French café style jazz and vintage well-loved standards from the greats, mixed with more contemporary pieces for extra flavour. Bringing you an exceptional, carefully picked eclectic mix of the very best in jazz and blues. They’ll introduce you to the unique style and personality they are so well known for, outstanding musicianship along with effortless intuitive vocals from Jules M Scott. Jules seduces us with effortlessly impressive vocals, manifestly ready to be compared to the very best in jazz with her intuitive phrasing, timing and improvised expression around a melody – a true natural. Outstanding on piano and distinctive French accordion is Brian Lightowler. Accomplished and seamless versatility from Mike Dale on sax, clarinet and flute. Adrian Sherwood provides the foundation of expertly played rhythmic and percussive elements on electric upright double bass.
Victoria Lucie is a professional actor and singer based in the Midlands. She has been fortunate to work on both stage and screen, including the West End. When Victoria isn’t treading the boards, she enjoys performing a mixture of laid-back tunes and party numbers. Victoria also enjoys all things vintage and has been a vintage model for many years. With this love of bygone eras Victoria is delighted to be supporting Basin Street with a selection of familiar jazz and swing songs.
Jonathan taught himself the guitar after hearing a record of Andres Segovia playing the music of J S Bach at the age of 12. Later he studied with Carlos Bonell. He was an actor/musician for several years and played guitar to accompany Eartha Kitt on a UK tour of 'Yes' in 1992. He was part of the Ruskin Ensemble for many years, and as a soloist he has performed at festivals in Toronto, Adelaide, Buxton and, for 32 years the Edinburgh Fringe. He works closely with the charity Music in Hospitals and Care and also teaches classical guitar.
'Wonderful... the combination of melody, rhythm and harmony is truly satisfying' - The Scotsman
Now that sufficient time has passed since the great F sharp minor incident of 2012, Steve Marsh and Gary Spolding join together on stage once more, purely for your entertainment. Armed only with the two most important principles of music - start at the same time and try to finish at the same time - the two guitarists will battle through original compositions, along with arrangements of familiar melody cruelly shoe-horned onto the guitar. Having been taken last century, and no longer providing a good visual representation, the accompanying press photo of the duo utilises a concept familiar to all who have dallied with online dating. Sadly, neither has aged as well as the other. On the night, they will be easy to spot though, as the two people looking directly at you will show fear in their eyes and be clutching guitars! Any past experience of dealing with crushing disappointment will serve you well, as will an understanding of the finer art of interpreting irony.
Michael Chapman was one of the most important British guitarist singer songwriters of the Sixties and Seventies, comparable in stature to Davy Graham, Bert Jansch and John Renbourn; his career extending creatively a further four decades until we unfortunately lost him in September 2021. With the co-operation of his widow Andru, we are presenting a tribute to his music and career, featuring three guitarists and a cellist, all of whom either knew Michael, were influenced by his music, or feature his songs in their repertoire.
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Henry Parker has recorded 2 albums: the eco-conscious ‘Silent Spring’ (2019) and ‘Lammas Fair’ (2021), bringing him to the forefront of the progressive folk music world. In 2023 he curated and recorded on behalf of the American label Tompkins Square Records, bringing together a tribute album to Michael Chapman, one of his most important musical influences.
“Channelling the ghosts of Jansch and Renbourn through his fingertips, the fluid playing and emotive singing of Yorkshire-born Henry Parker evokes the spirit of the early-60’s folk revival as it were yesterday.” - RnR Magazine ★★★★★
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Although experienced in many musical genres, his love of finger-picking acoustic guitar and song is always to the fore and is evident in the two studio albums he has produced. Featuring his own songs, the styles are unsurprisingly many and varied, although all have been the result of picking around on an acoustic guitar.
A prolific songwriter, a third album is in production and songs for the fourth are already written. Early influences include Ralph McTell, Michael Chapman and Paul Simon, who all shaped his playing style, which is in evidence whenever he plays guitar.
Katie Spencer’s songwriting, and most notably her guitar playing, stems from a time when the steel-stringed instrument was truly finding its voice. Artists like Joni Mitchell, James Taylor and perhaps most evidently Michael Chapman, flow into her sound, carrying with them the warmth and idealism of the early 70’s folk and songwriter movements. Her widely celebrated new album, The Edge of theLand (#14 Folk Album Charts), follows her debut release, Weather Beaten.
“Katie Spencer sits gracefully in a vocal nook between Sandy Denny, Linda Thompson and, to conjure a name we hear less often these days, Bridget St John.” - Prog Magazine
Sarah Smout’s music has been played on BBC Radio 2 Introducing and Look North programmes. She has appeared at hundreds of festivals across the globe, sold out her recent show at Hay Festival, and toured her solo show ‘Eyjar’, across England. Combining her unique use of live-looped cello soundscapes, ethereal vocals and soulful poetry, Sarah creates a transportive and mesmerising world, leaving audiences captivated and spell-bound.
“Deeply lovely” - Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio 2
“Simply beautiful” - BBC Introducing
The Brackish are a 4-piece experimental band from Bristol, UK. First formed in 2012, the band have released five albums and are finalising their sixth. The Brackish sound is characterised by its use of dynamics, long-form composition and improvisation. Face melting heaviness gives way to gentle, spacious soundscapes within a single composition. Kraut-like grooves, polyrhythms, violent melodic statements and psychedelic, freeform improvisation are present in equal measure. Always expressed with a strong emphasis on melody and narrative, aiming to take the listener on journeys of much needed escapism.
“Bringing to mind the instrumental areas of “Tweez” era Slint in their guitar tonalities, they also tap the eternal build and release genius of Dave Pajo’s iconic group Ariel M. But they also go into some heavily unpredictable territory with breathtaking verve, guts and temerity. Going from deep harmonic abstraction, to driving, algebraic, Beefheartian romps to joyous, triumphant crescendos”
Timothy Hoad is a live-loop artist/singer-songwriter based near the Peak District in the UK, who has been writing songs since he first picked up the guitar over 20 years ago. Over the years and inspired by a variety of artists such as Enya, Surfaces, Clannad, Chris Cornell and Jerry Cantrell, Timothy has honed his craft using themes of dreams and nature to create songs with a sense of escapism to somewhere otherworldly and fantasy-like. Timothy is constantly recording, producing and releasing new music independently, ever expanding a growing catalogue of his unique sound.
“Such a mellow sound from Timothy” - Andrew Marston, BBC Introducing
“A breath of fresh air, harmonies uplifting and giving you a reason to smile; a must-listen” - Eric Furze, Stafford FM
Joe Tatton is a pianist, organist, singer & songwriter who emerged from the diverse Leeds music scene around 2001 – he’s been a core member of soul/funk quartet The New Mastersounds for over 16 years. Joe has recorded over a dozen albums and many singles and featured on the worldwide hit single “Put Your Records On” by Corinne Bailey Rae. Joe has always maintained a trio under his own name and for the first time teams up with Spanish jazz guitarist, Lucas De Mulder on a new Hammond Organ project. Lucas De Mulder has a fantastic new album, ‘Feel The Spirit' recorded and released by Eddie Roberts of The New Master sounds. He has worked with many other artists and is a highly demanded Madrid based jazz guitarist. Their new album, Galáctico, is due to be released in July, with one of the tracks already featured as Future sounds of 2024 on the 6 MUSIC / Radio 2 Craig Charles Funk and Soul show. Expect sounds and influences such as Grant Green, Boogaloo Joe Jones, Jimmy Smith, Big John Patton, Lonnie Smith and The Meters - classic hammond-organ soul-jazz and funk!
“A Monster…. huge talent” - Craig Charles Funk & Soul show R6
Hailing from Derbyshire and formed some ten years ago, Hitiro comprises Alan Brown (guitar), Simon Hall (bass) and Martin Ball (drums). Playing instrumental music drawn from a diverse pool of influences, ranging from Weather Report, Brand X, to Levin, Bruford and Belew.
"The Progressive Aspect" - online mag for both of their studio albums, their representation of original British guitar-based Jazz - Rock is most impressive.
FROM HEADSTOCKS TO WOODSTOCK
Following their standout performance at the Woodstock Festival in August 1969 and the subsequent movie in 1970, Ric Lee’s band, Ten Years After became huge on the world stage. Ric’s journey took him from the coal mining town of Mansfield in Nottinghamshire to performing alongside some of the greats and in some of the biggest venues of the music scene including The Newport Jazz Festival with Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, Frank Zappa, Miles Davis and James Brown and the 1970’s Isle Of Wight Festival alongside The Doors and The Who. The evening will be a retrospective presentation, telling Ric’s story of life on the road with 10 Years After, with archive film, slides and Q and A.