Mario's report from Folk Club No 136 on 2 June 2023
The landscape of emotions
It took me a long time to write the report this time. I have often sat down and wanted to start - but how? What was so special about the last Folk Club that robbed me of my imagination, so to speak, or gave me too much of it, so that I couldn't just press the keys and type out a narrative report peppered with a bit of humour as usual. What was it that, after a moment's reflection, led me to the conclusion that perhaps the flowers needed to be watered first, or the melody tried out on the forest zither, or a piece of cake eaten? Well, I think it was the fascination of the diversity of the expression of feelings and their colourings. And suddenly I had it! A journey (whether by bike, car or train) from north to south shows us constantly changing landscapes, shows us the colourfulness but also monotony of the flat landscape alternating with the changing flora of hills or even the barren, but no less fascinating environment of the mountains - and that was exactly it : Landscape/ Landschaften was the theme of the evening, and this was musically coloured in such a way that different feelings could be accommodated in one and the same landscape. Whether it was "Amazing Grace" in the arrangement by Stefan Mönkemeyer, which in connection with the story told that an old woman who suffered badly in Germany during the Nazi era thanked him for his music with the words "It doesn't matter where you come from, but what you do", gave both shame about the past, consternation about similar misdemeanours in other countries and the feeling that humanity still exists, or the Cajun music of Johannes Epremian showed that it is not the perfection of a sterile environment that is important, but the expression of the music that fits the environment (he told the story that in a recording studio with a tin roof, a very special atmosphere of the recording was created by the rain drumming on that very roof - the landscapes were so diverse that the journey from north to south became an exciting trip. But there was more. The original of German (real) folk music Tom Kannmacher additionally transformed the landscape into historical dimensions, so that not only geographically different areas could be viewed, but the same area was accompanied in its temporal development.
But enough with metaphors and
philosophical reflections and back to sober reporting.
Who
would not be surprised if a report of a folk club evening did not
begin with the words "Laaaadies and Gentlemeen.......".However, this time this
battle cry from FCB Master John Harrison did not come
abruptly, but was already announced by the gong of a singing bowl.John then opened the
musical landscape round with "Gypsum Sack", a song from his
own pen, with which he describes a time when he filled gypsum-plaster
sacks. He then recited a poem. "Dubh" describes a green
landscape in the Staffordshire and Derbyshire border area along the
river Dove. "Lost My Driving Wheel", as the next piece, is
a country blues which, with the title, actually describes the
beginning of the story - as the plot tells how the goal was achieved
afterwards anyway. Not for the first time the story of John's "St.
James Infirmary Blues" came on stage at the Folk Club.
A completely different landscape was
presented by the Villwock Brothers.
A cheerful landscape of bluegrass, which sweetens the free time after
work in rural regions in the USA. Although not all of the songs
performed were pure bluegrass songs, the Villwock Brothers remained
true to their style even in the interpretation of Irish songs, for
example. In the line-up with fiddle, banjo, mandolin and double bass
and of course guitar, they played "Blackberry Blossom" as
the first song, a tune (i.e. instrumental piece) which can be found
in bluegrass as well as in old-time and Irish tunes. "Oh, My
Sweet Carolina" by Bryan Adams followed and showed that
bluegrass only really melts hearts when the instrumentality is
accompanied by polyphonic singing - or do the instruments accompany
the singing? In any case, it became Celtic (not to say Irish) once
again. With "Galway Girl", the five musicians interpreted
the very well-known song in their very own way and did it so
excellently that the audience did not let them go without an encore.
This encore showed how different landscapes can be, even if they are
passed through in a carrier medium (here bluegrass). "Don't
Think Twice" the well known piece by Bob Dylan provided a worthy
encore and was also surely the ticket for hopefully many more
performances by the group at the Folk Club.
John
Hay, the well-known and much loved musician
from Bonn, came on stage with Annette. He didn't sing a duet, though,
because - for those who don't know or don't know any more - an
Annette is a performance of just one piece at the Folk Club. And this
time the Annette was called "Your Song" by Elton
John.
Your Song is no spring chicken either, but now it was
getting really old. Tom
Kannmacher, the
veteran of German folk music, not only brought a new achievement on
stage in the form of a bass lute, but also old songs as usual. With
"War einst ein reicher Schlächtersmann" he described what
happens when the father tries to impose his will on the daughter and
will not allow her to marry her love. A recurring motif in old songs,
which gives ample room for emotion and ridicule. With the
"Feyerabendlied", a song advertised as a philosophical
song, which, as the title already says, describes the longing for
peace and rest - but also the finiteness of life - Tom continued to
show his skills. The short performance concluded with "Bettellied",
as always leaving the audience wanting more - and even though Tom is
a veteran, we hope to welcome him to the Folk Club many more
times.
The first featured artist of the evening was Johannes
Epremian (without John this time). Johannes plays traditional Cajun
music, whereby this is a constantly changing landscape in itself.
Cajun is less to be found in the Louisiana metropolis of New Orleans,
but is strongly represented in the rural regions. "Invented"
by mainly French-speaking immigrants and coloured with all kinds of
influences from Louisiana's inhabitants, Cajun music describes the
everyday worries, solutions and also joys of immigrant life. Johannes
opened the round with "Adieu Rosa", a typical dance song at
Louisiana parties of the past (such parties were celebrated with
families, who were often the last to know about the party when it had
already started :-) ). Johannes describes the fiddle music as
monotonous, but - whether it's because of the melody or his virtuoso
playing - the music simply carries you away. And last but not least,
the powerful voice through which Johannes also convincingly brings in
the atmosphere of the Southern celebration. Another dance piece was
then the turn of the Two Step "Amedé Two Step". This song
breaks out of the monotony and invites you to dance - an instrumental
piece that makes you want to join in (clapping, stomping). Again, the
driving rhythm is in the foreground. Johannes ended his first part
with "Lumière pâle", i.e. the pale light. With the
background knowledge that this was music from rural dances, does it
actually need any further explanation? All right, for those who don't
have enough imagination. As the parents in the next room refill their
punch, the pale light on the dance floor is exploited to get closer.
The shock of the parents' return is mitigated by the fact that they
have to get used to the pale light again, giving them enough time to
part demurely.
Let your chronicler jump
into the second half and simply describe Johannes' performance as a
whole. After Johannes had already performed a Two Step, he now came
to a One Step - was it exhaustion or simply programme - I think
rather the second, because Johannes is a lively, all-engaging
musician whom I have never noticed exhaustion. With "Happy One
Step" Johannes gave us another little dance song. How emotional
Cajun music is was shown in the song "Les barres de la prison"
(The bars of the prison). With this song, a painting is drawn in
which a mother, incarcerated in hopelessness, takes her own child's
illness into the care of the only higher power she knows - God. That
blues and Cajun do not always have to be different musical styles was
demonstrated by the next song. "Blues du saoulard" is a
blues that does not begin with sorrow in the morning, but on the
contrary, tells of a happy love of many years. A very old couple
asked about the recipe of their long marriage answers: We have the
same hobby, we both drink:-). Johannes did not leave without an
encore either and gave us the tragic story "Travailler c'est
trop dur", a tale about how work is much too hard to do, but
without work there is no life and so we simply work again - French
logic. 
Back to the first half. A special treat of fingerpicking is Stefan Mönkemeyer - many still remember him from his first visit to the Folk Club 5 years ago. And many also knew that Stefan is a musician of quiet tones, which is why it was very quiet in the hall, as everyone didn't want to miss a single note of his performance. And, to say it in advance, it was worth it!!! As the second featured artist of the evening, he started with the song "The Sky Is The Limit" - a title that says it all. Only the sky shows you limits and who has ever reached them in life? And even if Stefan reports in his announcement that moments in which he believes that everything is possible are rather rare - we are happy that there was this moment to give this great song its foundation. The following piece "Love" was introduced with a True Story. After his last concert at the Folk Club Bonn, Stefan, following a biological necessity, stopped at a motorway service station on his way home and paid his toilet fee of (at that time) 70 cents. What he was offered shortly afterwards by a pair of lovers hiding in the next cubicle was certainly worth the price of an upmarket radio play. Stefan was able to slip away unobtrusively, continue his journey and let this wonderful piece emerge.
Not from his own pen, but
beautifully arranged, was his last piece of the first half. "Keep
It Simple" is not only a musical delight, but also describes the
concept of the Folk Club to the point. No amplification, an attentive
audience and beautiful music (which, however, is not always simple
:-) ). Stefan came back in the second half, of course. And that with
"A New Hope". This was not (only) for the Folk Club
audience, but describes a situation Stefan felt sitting in front of
the TV in 2008, when Barack Obama was inaugurated as the first
Coloured President. It continued with a "Blues" -
instrumental, of course, and again Stefan showed what ten fingers can
do. Yes, here again a landscape was described with sounds, which
figuratively appeared in the heads of the audience. The Villwock
Brothers had described the Galway Girl, but now another Irish girl
came to the fore in a completely different style, but still Irish.
The "Star Of The County Down", sufficiently known to almost
everyone present, also instrumentally shook her brown hair enticingly
and, as described in the lyrics, gave rise to many dreams. It is
always fascinating how music can tell stories without language/text.
And when these are then introduced by a True Story, such stories
become even more vivid. As already described in the introduction to
this report, Stefan had the experience at a concert that an old woman
simply wanted to take him in her arms and hug him after the concert
out of gratitude for his music. A woman who suffered terribly under
the Nazi regime and yet now has the opinion that "it's not where
you come from, but what you do" - my and hopefully everyone's
respect for this attitude. With "Amazing Grace", Stefan has
thanked the audience for this experience in every concert since then.
When a musician is enthusiastic about the music of a group and then
has the ability to interpret the music of this group in his own
style, the result is usually a great work of art. This is also the
case with Stefan Mönkemeyer's "Beatles Potpourris" - a
homage to one of the most influential pop groups in recent world
history. Even if played quietly, it was - as already written -
listened to attentively. And that the audience listened very
attentively was also shown by the vehement "demand" for an
encore, which Stefan gladly fulfilled with his interpretation of the
piece "Oh When The Saints Go Marching On".
But let's
jump to the beginning of the second Folk Club half. Frauke,
a loyal Folk Club visitor, always wanted to - and this time she did.
Quickly got out the ukulele and encouraged the audience to join in.
With the songs "This Land Is Your Land" and "Cotton
Fields" she brought the character of the Folk Clubs to the
point.
Dare and let everyone join
in. Next to professional and "perfect" musicians, this is
the refreshing aspect of folk music.
After the Featured Artist
have already been described above also in their performances of the
second half, it only remains for me to mention that it was of course
not too late to pay homage to the patron saint of the Folk Club.
Jock Stewart with Johannes and Stefan Mönkemeyer and also, not for the first time, Thomas Monnerjahn, tickling the ivories on Jock Stewart at the end of a most wonderful evening.
Out of the
bedroom and into Dotty's
Mario
Translated
with DeepL ammended by John Harrison
These photos courtesy of Uta Schäfer
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