Starting the weekend with blues, R&B and soul. A "Brothers" night!
A return booking for the respected R&B band.
A blues band led by Louis and Jem Turpin who have recently released a CD recorded at Paul McCartney's studio. Louis Turpin is also known as an accomplished artist and has a retrospective exhibition of his paintings from 1976 - 1996 at the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery (30th March - 28th April).
The Blackman Brothers Band will be playing a mixture of "Soul Classics" and "Motown Melodies", all favourite jukebox hits from the 60s and 70s. The band was formed five years ago by David and Martin Blackman; other members are Martin Luckhurst (guitar), Steve Demitri (drums), Ashley Pepper (keyboards) and Grant Young (bass), musicians that have been playing for many years in a variety of different successful line-ups. Augmenting the band for the festival will be "Bob's Brass", the horn section that formerly played with the popular soul band "Time Machine".
Saturday is "folk reunion day", the annual reunion of the Black Horse Folk Club. In addition to the musicians, there are morris dancers and jugglers. For the younger people, there is a Punch and Judy show and face painting.
The Hastings-based morris side who host the Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green festival.
Another Hastings-based morris side, this time all female.
Regulars for many festivals and dances around the country, this will be the Hastings band's first appearance at the Black Horse for some years. Their previous CD, "Chaos in One", has been very successful; a new CD is currently being recorded.
Three-part harmony from ex-Mariner, Geoff Marchant accompanied by Jan Marchant and Nicky Floyd.
A set of songs and tunes provided by the Irish-style group with their friends from the Stag Band, all of whom can be regularly heard at the Stag Inn in Hastings Old Town.
A very busy duo of folk entertainers, Pete Fyfe and Garry Blakeley (also part of the Tabs - see below). They have been seen at many festivals around the country in the past few years.
Originally formed in 1965, the Mariners became residents at the Black Horse Folk Club for many years. Their album for Music For Pleasure, "The Best of Folk", sold over 50,000 copies resulting in a great deal of radio exposure. They disbanded in 1978 but still get together again most years for the Black Horse folk reunion day.
An infectious mixture of Australian and Cajun material. This four piece is guaranteed to get the feet tapping.
Another ex-resident, now playing solo, returns after her successful appearance last year.
Two finalist of the BBC's Young Tradition Award 1995 have teamed together to create an exciting duo playing English traditional music. Oliver provides the vocals, accompanied by his fiddle and Ben's melodeon. A CD is currently being prepared and may be ready for the festival. Oliver has a solo track on the recently released CD "Evolving Tradition 2 - a fresh new generation of Britfolk performers". This will be one of their many appearances at festivals during this year.
The Tabs started working together in November 1994. Folk musicians Pete Fyfe and Garry Blakeley (aka Band of Two) teamed up with rock musician Roger Flack to combine contemporary styles and rhythms with traditional melodies and their own self-penned songs and tunes. They add electric bass and drums on larger gigs, which during 1995 included the Harlequin Folk Day (Redhill), and the Gosport and Chatham festivals. A successful appearance at the 1995 Black Horse Festival made a return booking this year essential.
Continues the "folk reunion day".
This ex-resident four-piece return again for the reunion. During their life-time, the band has been through a number of line-ups; last year their set had a West Coast American tinge, but this year the bias is likely to be rather more traditional.
Another ex-resident, blues man John Winch provides a mainly solo set this year, although we hear there may be some surprise guests. Since his folk club days, John has lived in Germany and played there extensively, but has now returned to live locally.
More ex-residents! Another reunion of old friends! This band provided much pleasure to many people over the years. Originally featured on "Folk at the Black Horse", the Tinkers went on to make two more albums, "Marrowbones" and "Hot in Alice Springs", both highly collectable these days.
Fairport Convention are the group credited with discovering English Folk Rock. Featuring Simon Nicol, Dave Pegg, Ric Sanders and Maartin Allcock, they are playing one of their rare acoustic concerts. Their programme includes Fairport songs and material from their individual projects plus a few surprises and a lot of humour and bonhomie! A new CD is being released just days before the festival. Over the years, most members of Fairport played in the Folk Club, although this is the first time that a full line-up has appeared at the Black Horse.
Jazz and blues. Punch and Judy show for the younger members of the audience.
Liane Carroll is acknowledged as one of the UK's best new jazz singers and is an excellent piano player. Much in demand as soloist, leader of her own trio, she is also in demand as a session player. As a writer, her compositions are used worldwide via some of the best music libraries. She has played alongside musicians such as Gerry Rafferty, Dave Holsworth, Long John Baldry, Dave Mattacks, and Jerry Donahue. In the past year, she has played two week-long residences at Ronnie Scott's London club. For this date, she is accompanied by a band she is currently touring with, the Peter Kirtley Band; this line-up has recently been playing to much critical acclaim.
Peter Kirtley is at present the main soloist in the legendary group, Pentangle; he can also be seen playing in a duo with the incomparable Bert Jansch. In between times he fronts his own band, playing his unique and thought-provoking songs. His musical career is both wide-ranging and varied, having played and recorded with George Harrison, Sonnyboy Williamson, Little Walter, Alan Price and Kevin Coyne. On bass, Steve Lamb has played in a wide variety of bands covering many styles of music from jazz through rock to indie pop. To complete the line-up, Greg Leppard is one of the busiest drummers in London having toured and recorded with Jolicia Anderson (Shamen), Pete Brown (lyricist for Cream) and fusion funk bands Free in E, Wise Up and Tribeca.
Claire Hamill has been making music for most of her life. She left St. Mary's Convent, Middlesbrough at sixteen in 1971 to record with Island Records. Two albums and three singles followed, plus a further two for Ray Davies' Konk label. Since then a number of albums have followed, as well as composing credits. In 1986 she recorded the wonderful album "Voices". She will be appearing with Andrew Warren, her partner in the duo "Summer".
A three-piece blues band featuring the slide-guitar and vocals of Roger Hubbard, joined on bass by Colin Gibson (ex Alan Hull's Radiator), and on drums, Liam Genockey (Steeleye Span, Paul Brady, Gerry Rafferty, etc.). A new CD was released at the beginning of 1996.
Blues from two members of the Blues Band, plus other musicians of note.
Dave Kelly is recognised as one of the top bottleneck guitarists. Professional since 1966, beginning with acoustic and moving to electric, he played and recorded with great US blues artists such as Howling Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Son House and Buddy Guy amongst others. Dave is also known for his film and television soundtracks and jingles. In 1993 he released, to very good notices, his solo album "When The Blues Come To Call" on Hypertension/BMG/Ariola records, promoted by a three week tour of Europe with his new band "The Blues Call" in November `94. Dave has toured successfully as a solo artist around the world and was voted best acoustic blues performer in both 1992 and 1994.
The Blues Call includes the following musicians; Pick Withers (Dire Straits, Bob Dylan), Peter Filleul (Climax Blues Band, the Blues Band), Marcus Cliff (Notting Hillbillies, Eric Clapton, Al Green, Paul Young), Ed Deane (Juice on the Loose, Sting, etc.).
Paul Jones is in constant demand for his television, film, radio and theatre work and is an expert on the blues (he is ranked amongst Britain's most accomplished harmonica players). As a leading figure of the 60's London R&B scene, he wrote for, played with and sang with Alexis Korner, Brian Jones, Jack Bruce et al, and went on to join and score many chart hits with Manfred Mann. Earning acclaim with his solo musical career and theatrical successes (the impres sive list includes: Cats, Beggar's Opera, and Guts and Dolls both at the National Theatre and Kiss Me Kate for the R.S.C.) Paul is also a successful DJ presenting BBC Radio 2's Rhythm & Blues Show as well as a Saturday morning blues program for Jazz FM. He is also a noted songwriter.
World music.
South American drum rhythm band with the addition of the excellent vocals of Jan Ponsford.
A group of English and Ghanaian musicians led by Trevor Watts.
Closing party - rock night.
A three-piece rock band fronted by guitarist Joe Rytlewski (ex-Cracked Mirror) with Martin Richter (ex Rainstation) on bass, and Clive Bick (ex Big Country) on drums. Their latest album is called "Big Fat Mama".
A reunion gig for the blues band fronted by singer/harp player Andy Bannister. Guitarist Ric Mead has played with Roger Waters (Pink Floyd). Bass player is Phil Gill (ex England) and drummer is Andy Knight (Ritz).
This very popular heavy-rock covers band return to end the festival (they opened it
last year). Pete Prescott was formerly singer of Euro band, Sergeant, and also Forcefield with
Ray Fenwick (Ian Gillan's guitarist) and Cozy Powell. He has recently completed a CD ("Mean
Business" - with Paul Sinden, ex Motorhead and Girls School) which has been released in the UK
and Japan. Drummer Mick Burt played with the Cockney Rejects, and keyboard player Jez Gillett
has provided much recorded work for TV and radio. The line-up is completed by Graham
Gillett (bass) and Alan McCleave (guitar).
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