Folk Group
2011-12:
Roger Butterfield who organises the group says:
"BlueJam Folk is a group of intermediate musicians with a keen interest in playing traditional music. We meet every Wednesday from 7.30pm to 9.30pm in a room at the United Reform Church, Lowther Street, Penrith.
We are developing a repertoire of sets based around Folkworks booklets and other common session tunes. Around eight members attend on a regular basis and several others less frequently.
We are getting more requests to play out at local events and are getting a great response. This group is ideal for musicians with some experience who want to play traditional music, perhaps with the intention of playing in open sessions eventually. Also for people who just want an opportunity to play traditional music with others. Several of our members play by ear but others rely on music. Music and a playlist are available to prospective members."
Session list here (updated Jan 2012)
| Planxty Frances Power (G) | d Gdg>ab | Planxty Irwin (G) | ^d Gfe>fg | ||
| Arran Boat (Em) | e>febc#d | Alloah House (Em) | gf Eedef | ||
| 11. Starry Night for a Ramble (D) | De FeAfG++ | 32. The Seven Stars (D) | DaAf gabA | Old Favourite (G) | B+bab dbaG |
| 77. Redesdale Hornpipe | 3def gdbg | 78. Steamboat Hornpipe | 3def GbgEge | 80. Off to California | 3def gfgb |
| Calum's Road (D) | Da>fA++ | ||||
| Fairy Dance (G) | BbgBbg | Davy Nick Nack (G) | gfgaBB | Hesleyside (G) | ga Bbdagab |
| Cumberland Waltz (D) | aa DF | Furness Waltz (D) | ag F+aD | Cumberland Waltz (D) | aa DF |
| Winster Gallop (G) | gbgb gbD | Jamie Allen (G) | (ga) bgga | Salmon Tails (G) | gede ggab |
| Johnny O'Leary's (D) | d>efa bcD | Kerry (Egan's) Polka (D) | ^faba faba | John Ryan's (D) | DDbcdb |
| Morisco (G) | ga BGG | ||||
| Spootiskerry (G) | de Gdegdeg | Willa Fjord (D) | B AfAdfa | ||
| John Peel Hornpipe | ba GG^G |
New members are always welcome and the group tries hard to cater for a wide range of abilities. Cost is £3.00 per session to cover room hire and the first visit is FREE. For more information contact Roger Butterfield on 01768 865681 or email rogerbutterfield@onetel.com
Blue Acoustic sessions
These have been started up again in 2011 by Ian Faill and happen on Monday evenings in Penrith. See homepage for regular updates.
BlueAcoustic was started by Jilly in 2003 to look at a wide spectrum of folk and acoustic music, mixing traditional instruments with voices, drums, electronics and also crossing genres with arrangements that introduce improvisation, jazz and contemporary styles along with the instruments associated with them.
As BlueJam is constantly asked to perform a wide variety of music for different functions the music of the sessions adapted to fulfil the current need - so for Solfest we would have a band with vocals, horns and samba drums, for Apple Day a saxophone quartet playing medieval music, or whistles and flutes, or acapella arrangements of world music songs.
Our focus remains to encourage musicianship among all our players but especially the young musicians who can increase their skill and understanding by experiencing how different instruments work in various musical environments. (see Bands to join/hire page for all our past and present performing groups)