Charity Concert in aid of the Motor Neurone Disease Association curated, and in memory of Roland Walls, the very lovely booker of The Black Swan Folk Club in York for over forty years.
Martin Carthy
Wizz Jones
The Crescent
Tuesday 24th September, 7.30pm
Tickets are £20 in advance (more on the door) and are available from Earworm Records, the venue in person or online via See Tickets.

Two legendary names on the British folk and acoustic music scene share this very special evening in tribute to Roland Walls, who has been the lead organiser of York’s award winning Black Swan Folk Club for over 30 years, promoting many hundreds of shows in that time. Roland is now seriously ill with motor neurone disease and has been receiving considerable practical and financial support from the Motor Neurone Disease Association. His many friends in the folk world have rallied round to offer their assistance and tonight’s fundraiser for the MNDA is the latest in a series of charity events. Martin and Wizz are both artists that Roland has booked many times over his long career.

Martin Carthy

For more than 50 years Martin Carthy has been one of folk music’s greatest innovators, one of its best loved, most enthusiastic and, at times, most quietly controversial of figures. His skill, stage presence and natural charm have won him many admirers, not only across the folk scene, but also far beyond it. He has been involved in trailblazing musical partnerships with, amongst others, Steeleye Span, Dave Swarbrick and his wife Norma Waterson and daughter Eliza Carthy. Whether in the folk clubs (which he continues to champion) or on the concert stage, there are few roles that he hasn’t played.

Martin is a ground-breaking acoustic-guitarist and an authoritative interpreter of newly composed material, but most significant of all are his settings of traditional songs, which have influenced generations of artists, from Bob Dylan and Paul Simon onwards, on both sides of the Atlantic.

`Arguably the greatest English folk song performer, writer, collector and editor of them all’ Q Magazine

‘Carthy is a master of the ballad of substance, songs that tell stories, whether they are traditional, his own or from contemporary writers.’ The Telegraph

Wizz Jones

Wizz Jones began his musical career at the age of 17 leading a Country and Skiffle band in his home town of Croydon, having been inspired to take up the acoustic guitar after hearing such luminaries as Big Bill Broonzy, Rambling Jack Elliot and Muddy Waters at London club The Roundhouse. After learning further guitar licks from Long John Baldry and Davy Graham whilst playing in the coffee bars of Soho, Wizz followed the time honoured trail and went busking across Europe with sundry other musicians (including at one point budding young blues singer Rod Stewart) before returning to Britain with a unique acoustic guitar style, an eclectic repertoire and a ‘right hand worthy of Broonzy’!

In spite of being mentioned as an important early influence in turn by such as Eric Clapton, John Renbourn, Keith Richards and Ralph McTell, Wizz has never made the big time himself, retaining a certain “musician’s musician” reputation and playing at intimate smaller venues up and down the country, including a dozen times at the Black Swan. He turned 80 this year and is officially semi-retired, but did not hesitate to offer his services for this special event.

Charity Concert in aid of the Motor Neurone Disease Association
Martin Carthy
Wizz Jones
The Crescent
Tuesday 24th September, 7.30pm
Tickets are £20 in advance (more on the door) and are available from Earworm Records, the venue in person or online via See Tickets.