Black Swan Folk Club new season

THE Black Swan Folk Club's new season in York switches its focus from folk to blues for one night only on Thursday for the return of Scotland's premier one-man blues band, Mike Whellans.

Playing electric and acoustic guitars, harmonica, drum and his trademark mouth percussion, he promises hard-driving, straight-ahead blues, mixing originals with covers from the songbooks of John Lee Hooker, Willie McTell, Jimmy Reed, Willie Dixon and Tampa Red.

"Old hands at the Black Swan still recall Mike's debut there, all of 16 years ago," says club organiser Roland Walls. "That night his high-octane blues and boogie had people out of their chairs and bopping, something almost unheard of in folk clubs!"

The season opened last night with a Scottish act, young folk singer Emily Smith, and after Whellans next week, a third Scotsman keeps matters north of the border on August 26. Singer-songwriter David Francey, born in Scotland but long resident in Canada, will be playing the first date of his first British tour in York. "It's another coup for the Black Swan," says Roland.

"Canada produces great songwriters, such as James Keelaghan or the late Stan Rogers - and here is another eagerly awaited player in the same league. David combines powerful lyrics about real people and places with a great voice and stage presence."

The spotlight returns to English folk music on September 9 with the visit of singer-songwriter Steve Tilston; Irish-born composer and singer Kieran Halpin makes his ninth solo appearance at the Black Swan in 18 years on September 23; and the Anglo-American couple Cathryn Craig and Brian Willoughby perform mostly self-penned material on their return to York on October 7. Craig cut her songwriting teeth in Nashville, where she still lives, while Willoughby is The Strawbs' lead guitarist.

Further guest acts this season will be a cappella harmonisers Cockersdale on September 16; singer and guitarist Bram Taylor, October 14; and singer and five-string banjo player Sara Grey, October 21. Cockersdale's repertoire includes compositions by the late Keith Marsden and Peter Bellamy's settings of Kipling poems; Taylor is equally at home with old folk ballads and modern songs; Grey specialises in North American traditional folk songs.

As ever, the season incorporates open-house evenings when all acoustic performers will be made welcome on September 2, September 30 and October 28.

"At the Black Swan these nights are always varied and offer plenty of high-quality music," says Roland. "The July event saw 16 different acts taking part, ranging from solo singers and poets to three and four-piece bands, with visitors from as far away as New Zealand joining the local regulars."

Each spring and autumn, the club promotes folk concerts at the National Centre for Early Music, in Walmgate, where it can present acts beyond the scope of the normal premises, in the Wolfe Room at the Black Swan Inn, Peasholme Green.

Pentangle legends John Renbourn and Jacqui McShee play the NCEM on October 5; two weeks later, BBC Radio 2's Folk Musician of the Year for 2004, acoustic guitarist Martin Simpson, cherry-picks from his repertoire of English and Celtic folk music and American blues on October 19. More concerts are being lined up for November and December.

Doors open at 8pm for the 8.30pm start each Thursday, and no advance booking is necessary with all tickets being sold on the door at the Black Swan. Tickets for the NCEM concerts can be booked on 01904 658338.

Updated: 09:01 Friday, August 13, 2004