Bermuda Folk Club still going strong
Thirty-seven years ago a group of like-minded folk music enthusiasts got together at someone’s home and decided to form a club whose members were a mix of Bermudians and non-Bermudians, from diverse backgrounds and professions, and all of them amateur.
Today, president Val Sherwood is proud to say that, not only is the Bermuda Folk Club alive and well, but also the mix of members remains unchanged.
“That’s the beautiful thing about music — its diversity, all sorts of physical sounds, and all sorts of ethnic groups,” she says proudly.
Admittedly, the Club has, from time to time, had some ups and downs in terms of a permanent home and membership size, but it has never been in danger of going under. And yes, some of the original members are still involved.
Many former members who have left the Island continue to retain an interest in the Club, and those who revisit usually find their way on stage again during a Club meeting.
From the early days of performing in people’s homes, the Club went on find more “permanent” sanctuary in various locations. For many years and until recently, it met in the Old Colony Club building, but with demolition on the horizon, it has returned once more to the Spanish Point Boat Club (SPBC).
“We have grown so much that we need a permanent home, and we also have our own sound equipment, so we are very pleased that the SPBC has welcomed us back,” a clearly delighted Ms Sherwood says. “We are close to town; the outdoor venue is amazing, the stage area is just wonderful, and the acoustics are particularly good.”
The Club meets on the first Saturday of each month at 8 p.m., and one person is appointed to organise each month’s entertainment, a system which gives designated performers time to rehearse, and thus ensure a quality event.
A typical evening will include between eight and ten performances with ten-minute sets, and usually ending around 11 to 11.30 p.m. Ms Sherwood likens the intimate atmosphere of the meetings to a coffee house — which is why she is encouraging more people to come out and join the fun.
“Our audience really does listen, and is fully supportive of new performers, so we want to encourage anybody who has been singing in the shower and has a guitar at home to come out and join us. There are a lot of people who play guitars, and we want to see them down at the Club,” she urged.
In fact, it is also a “helping” club, in that members are willing to teach the less experienced new chords, harmonies and sounds.
“It is a collaboration which helps people to improve,” Ms Sherwood says.
But the Folk Club is not just about monthly get-togethers. Over the years it has held workshops and hosted concerts featuring well-known international entertainers, more of which are planned for the future. There is also a song-writing circle begun by Mr. Richard Bassett.
“At different times we have focussed on performing, guitar work and song-writing,” Ms Sherwood says. “There are so many different aspects to song-writing.”
Each November, the Club holds a ‘Paul Gibbons Memorial Night’ in memory of a former member, the proceeds of which fund a $1,000 scholarship for a young performer to attend the Bermuda School of Music.
A nice feature of the Bermuda Folk Club is the amount of original music which is performed; another is the variety of instruments which are played — including electric guitar, Spanish and classical guitar, drums, mandolin, flute, keyboards, accordian, brass instruments and even the didgeridoo. The genre of music played is also very varied.
Faculty from the major music schools are among the diverse membership, and the long line of Bermudians performing on stage includes Tony Brannon, Jeannie Flath, Chris Broadhurst, Taylor Rankin, Last Rights and Wendell (Shine) Hayward. Pub entertainers Kevin Dolan, Rod McKenzie, Neil Lewis and Davey Armstrong .
Visiting, international artists have included Valdy, Tom Paxton, the late Stan Rogers, Ralph McTell, Lynn Miles and Fairport Convention, to name but a few. On the cards for future visits are Lisa Cameron, Valdy and Rod MacKenzie.
Ms Sherwood first attended the Folk Club as a teenager accompanying an older sister.
“It was a safe place to be, and I always took a taxi home by 10 p.m.,” she recalls. “I had a guitar from age ten, and have been writing songs since then, so the Club has always been my place to come and perform. With mikes and a sound system you are developing your ears to hear good sound.”
In fact, the president spent her 16th birthday at the Folk Club, and for her 21st birthday she wrote the song, ‘My Easy’, which became a popular request item. Today, her songs cover a wide range of topics, including social comment, religion and drug addiction.
Recently, because she was among the protesters involved in the proposed new hospital siting and the ‘Southlands’ development, Ms Sherwood wrote a song called ‘Open Spaces’.
Asked why the Club was so special to her, the singer-songwriter, who has also recorded a CD of her music under her former name, Val Wallace, responds: “It’s the music you hear — wonderful, original songs; the magic of some of the performers — and especially the overseas ones you get to hear. It takes you away from everything else in the world, and it focuses on emotions. It is a quiet, listening place where you feel genuinely appreciated by the audience.”
While Michael Cacy is a relative newcomer to the Folk Club, he too shares Ms Sherwood’s affection for its aims and activities. A professional musician/songwriter who had his own band in the US, the Bermuda resident is regarded as a “seasoned performer” in Club terms, and as such welcomes the opportunity to share a stage again.
“The Folk Club provides me with a forum to get out and play my own music,” he says. “Sometimes I play original songs, some of which are about Bermuda, and others are stuff I played back in the States. The nice thing about the Club is that I don’t have to be afraid of playing my own music. What makes the nights fun is live music and a whole package of performers, some of whom are amateurs and others are professionals.”
Mr. Cacy describes his style as “versatile”, and says it includes “blues, folk, country, and some which doesn’t fit in any of these genre”.
Upbeat about the future of the Folk Club, its president says that, in addition to the new venue, it is being steered by a new committee, and has a whole new look.
“There is a lot more excitement about the Club, and a new surge going on.”
[bul]The next meeting is on May 5 at 8 p.m. (Nautical theme preferred, otherwise flexible). Admission on regular nights is $5 for members, $8 for non-members, and drinks are reasonably priced. For further information
Bermuda Folk Club still going strong after all these years
