Month: December 2014

DAVE ANDERSON BIG BAND in Concert Mure Church

On Friday 16th January, a 16- piece Big Band will be playing in concert at The Mure Church in Irvine’s West Road and it’s for everyone who enjoys the Big Band sound.
The Mure will be playing host to The Dave Anderson Big Band and the evening starts at 7.30pm. The concert is organised by the Church’s Entertainments Committee and is one of a series of such events run not to raise funds but simply to bring people together.
Dave Anderson Big Band members come from all over Ayrshire. A couple of the band are professional musicians but the majority are semi-professional or enthusiastic amateurs! The Band comprises five saxophones, four trumpets, four trombones, piano, bass and drums. The vocalist on the 16th January will be John Griffin.
The Band was established some 14 years ago by Dave Anderson and their repertoire includes Count Basie, Glen Miller and Duke Ellington plus some more contemporary arrangements for big bands. The Band plays for concerts and dances including for the last several years, a Strictly Sunday dance event at the annual Live@Troon festival.
Tickets to hear The Dave Anderson Big Band are priced £6 and they are available from Joyce Hodge on 551047 or you can pay at the door. The ticket includes Tea & Shortbread.
If you like Big Band music or maybe learning a brass instrument or simply just like live music, be in the audience on Friday 16th January at The Mure Church to hear The Dave Anderson Big Band.

Mike Vass & Innes Watson
New year, new calendar of artists at Irvine Folk Club and first up on Wednesday 7th January is Mike Vass & Innes Watson. Mike has played the Irvine Club before with his twin sister Ali and so it will be good to welcome him back.
From Nairn, Mike is an accomplished and highly regarded musician and composer. He plays fiddle, tenor guitar and mandolin and began learning the fiddle at school. From there he was taught by renowned fiddler Ian Hardie of Jock Tamson’s Bairns. That probably explains why Mike has two Mod Gold Medals to his name and was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland.
For 10 years, Mike and twin Ali played as a duo. Now they both feature as members of the international ensemble Fiddle Rendezvous which includes the fabulous Bruce Molsky and Gerry O’Connor. In addition to that, Mike plays gigs as part of Blazin Fiddles and Malinky and also alongside Fiona Hunter. Sometimes he plays solo and on occasion with guitarist Innes Watson who will be at the Irvine Club. Mike also does workshops up and down the country.
In May 2014, Mike replicated a voyage off the West Coast of Scotland undertaken by Neil Gunn in 1937. Mike came up with the idea whilst recovering in hospital from a life-threatening condition and decided to follow Gunn’s route with the aim of finding inspiration for his own composing. He was joined on his voyage by various guest musicians including Innes Watson. The resulting album ‘In the wake of Neil Gunn’ has met with deserved acclaim.
Wednesday 7th January in Vineburgh Community Centre in Quarry Road is where to hear Mike Vass & Innes Watson. The club starts at 8pm and it’s still BYOB – but don’t forget the excellent café.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and good health in 2015. The club starts again on 7th January with Mike Vass and Innes Watson.
Memberships are due – at £15 for the year January to December it’s a bargain.

Irvine Folk Club will close its 2014 diary on Wednesday 10th December with another excellent evening. With Mick West & Muldoon’s Picnic as special guests a really first class night’s entertainment is guaranteed.
Mick West is widely regarded as one of the finest interpreters of traditional song. His rich, warm and expressive singing is out of the top drawer. Mick has been around Folk Clubs and Festivals for a number of years and his musical talent eventually took him to the National Centre for Excellence in Traditional Music in Plockton where he tutored adults and young people.
In 2011 whilst listening to and being very impressed by a debut performance of a cappella group Muldoon’s Picnic, Mick thought of a project called A Scots Chorus. Like all the best ideas it’s simple. Mick believed that a folksong with a good chorus would unlock the self-belief of non-singers in their ability to sing.
Muldoon’s Picnic – ask them at the Irvine Club for an explanation of the derivation of their name – and Mick started exploring the different harmonic possibilities of the most interesting and representative songs they could find. This culminated in the production of a limited edition CD and accompanying booklet of lyrics and arrangements called A Scots Chorus. At Celtic Connections in 2013, A Scots Chorus played to a sell-out audience.
The kind of tunes you might hear at Irvine include Time Wears Awa’, Aye Waukin O, Mary Mack , The Broom o’ the Cowdenknowes – all well-known and easy to pick up melodies. People like joining in, whether it’s singing along with tribute bands, nursery rhymes, Mama Mia or The Sound of Music – singing has so many benefits.
Therefore, for the final Irvine Folk Club Night of 2014, be at Vineburgh Community Centre in Quarry Road on Wednesday 10th December at 8pm to hear Mick West & Muldoon’s Picnic. It’s BYOB.
And finally, Irvine Folk Club starts back on Wednesday 7th January with Mike Vass as guest.