Mario's report from FCB # 144 on 3rd March 2024

 Flirting with spring or preparing for spring flirting - the Folk Club in March allows for many options

Flirting is the theme of the March FCB - but what is flirting? Almost everyone can do it, but not everyone knows how to assess it correctly - hence a scientific digression (I'm quoting the sources so that I'm not stripped of the title of deputy club chronicler at some point - although? Would be less work, so followers: you are cordially invited to disempower me and get writing yourselves :-)

A flirt [flœːɐ̯t] (German Liebelei)[1] is an approach between people with erotic connotations. It is a non-binding contact. (Source:https://de.wikipeedia.org/wiki/Flirt) (take another look at this)

Flirting brings people closer together - sometimes only fleetingly and for a brief moment, but sometimes longer and more intensely. Flirting can take many different forms - for example looks, gestures, a short conversation or a bunch of compliments. (Source: https://www.liebesleben.de/fuer-alle/sexualitaet/flirten/).

In contrast to courtship, flirting is usually a quiet affair, but John Harrison, our FCB MC (Master of ceremony), kept up the tradition and called the audience to silence with a loud voice and the phrase "Laaaadiiieees and Gentlemeeeeeen........" and also immediately opened the round thematically correct with the poem "Flirt between H and W", which tells about the change in meaning of words when a lonely H connects with a W (hence = therefore; whence = from where). The full poem can be read below here on the blog. Next, John told a musical story - accompanied by Christoph Thiebes on the harmonica - about his two friends from his youth. Geoffrey (the song is called "Song for Geoffrey") only had "platonic relationships" with women and his friend tried to explain in a song why this was the case - the song was very much misunderstood by Methodists in a folk club performance in the north of England, which is why John Harrison was "banned" there. Well, I liked it - the song.
As a musical finale, John performed the song "Beeswing" for the audience. A song that has been interpreted by a myriad of musicians, it tells of the perennial theme of a love that is deep and thorough at the beginning and then turns into perceived boredom. A partner breaks away (in this case the woman) and conquers the world anew - with everything that goes with it.

As always, the Folk Club Bonn thrives on its diversity, which is why there can be no boredom here. The musical style quickly changed with the performance of the group  

    Hans im Groove. Robert Fontani, Silke Zenzen, Michael Berhausen and the eponymous Hans Firessem performed a multi-instrumental and multi-musical set, delighting the audience with songs that were partly rock, partly soft and partly cabaret. Everyone probably knows "Motorcycle Mama" - but Hans im Groove's interpretation is unique. Alternating between male and female voices, all the vocal possibilities were exploited, from melodious to rocking and screaming - but always with reliable intonation. Silke now sang the song "Litte Wing" about the different ideas of a pair of lovers about conquering the world (funny, wasn't that similar with Beeswing?). And again it was the woman who wanted to break out of the monotony and soared into her dreams on wings and met imaginary fairies, goblins and other dream creatures. This was followed by a song about the group's namesake Hans, who really lets off steam there as "The Sauna Boy from LSE" before returning home to his mother's care - good if the pocket money is enough :-). A really funny song that sets the mood. Hopefully the group will grace the Folk Club again soon.

Not for the first time, but always a pleasure to see, the thoroughbred musician Winfried Bode with 59 years on stage came to the same place. As you would expect from a professional, he naturally had music to match the theme. With the Joe Dassin song "Champs Élysées", he not only hit the theme, but also gripped the audience, resulting in a large folk club choir - after all, there were around 90 people in attendance. Winfried now showed that he is not only an excellent interpreter of other songs and an animator, but can also be a dreamy composer and lyricist. With "Ernte 2006", he performed a calm, mood-painting song from his own pen. But then the party started again (for once without a strike, as it was the public transport again). Who doesn't know "Pretty Woman" and who can't sing along to it? The only downer: Julia wasn't there:-).

Now it was mostly instrumental again. Bonn Choro were back. It looked a little smaller than last time, but that was only because this time the double bass had given way to an acoustic guitar bass, which didn't tower over the player - but it was still played brilliantly. But step by step, or in this case rhythm by rhythm, because this music is always rhythmically driving. As it was performed instrumentally, it is difficult to tell the story behind it. It has to be heard, and so I recommend listening to the songs "Acariciando" and "Bole-Bole" again at other concerts, on the Internet or from other sound-bearing elements. Of course, the last piece performed, "Feira de Mangaio", should also be mentioned separately, as it is a song with lyrics, performed by Katrin Kayser in an incredibly beautiful voice. The title is almost unpronounceable, but it is a very down-to-earth song about the hustle and bustle of a market - well, one or the other is bound to get a little closer there, and a flirtation develops - without obligation, of course.

Whenever a climax is over, you think it can't get any better. But every time you are surprised when the next climax announces itself. If it's actually the same, it's suddenly so different that you can no longer say whether it's better, even better or whatever. Just a moment ago on the street, Butterfly Moon conquered the stage of the Folk Club. They came as a so-called walk-in. Gareth (Gaz) Price-Baghurst and Ashleigh (Ash) Edwards, a British actor couple, have gone on a tour of Europe to see how their art is received as street music. And it works so well that they were approached in Bonn by a short-haired Monika, who asked them to drop by the Folk Club (Monika, we want to thank you, please get in touch :-) ). They did and celebrated a brilliant success. With good, precise and fitting guitar accompaniment, they presented two voices that proved that a Folk Club stage could be ten times as big and still not need amplification. The unadulterated freshness and deep richness of the vocal statement could not be bettered by amplification. As you can tell, I am once again completely captivated by the performance as I write this - I admit it, I have it easy as I have the recordings of the evening at my disposal. With the songs "Northern Light", "Shine Your Light" and "Intertwine", they certainly didn't just capture my heart. And, even better, they promised to come back.

Now Sam Robb took to the stage. Sam had already given a wonderful concert the night before at Kater 26. Nevertheless, it was not easy for him to prove himself as the main guest of the folk club after these multiple highlights of the evening. But, to say it up front, he succeeded. Yes, he proved that the very concept of the Folk Club - versatility - can be implemented well. Sam is a musician who presents his songs without fuss. With every note you can feel the proximity to a Bob Dylan, without imitating him. With his own style, Sam interprets his own songs and covers others in his own special way. Sam began with the song "I know I Left You" and showed the audience the path he has taken. Strumming guitar with melody and picking interludes, vocals adapted to the style with a manageable vocal range but confident intonation - this is also how he presents himself in his own song "Starting A Revoultion From My Bedroom". He then made his way to the boss. With "The River" by Bruce Springsteen, Sam dared to take on the greats and showed that he is capable of doing just that. Guitar, harmonica and vocals - all wrapped up in the right expression - that's how it should be. Sam came back in the second half of the Folk Club, and I take the liberty of reporting this first. With "Fill Up My Heart" he picked up on the evening's theme of flirtation and described - as the title suggests - the means, thoughts or actions by which a heart is approached in love. On a trip to India, Sam observed many kite flyers in the air on a beautiful, sunny day and without provoking it, a song was born in his mind from this observation. "I Feel Like I Can Reach The Sky" expresses the happiness he felt during this observation. Back to the past, but which also remains relevant in the present and future. Bob Dylan's "Working Man Blues" addresses the issue of the hard-working working class, who nevertheless can never rise to an elevated status through the work of their hands. A little anecdote in passing. Bob Dylan's "Working Man's Blues" addresses the issue of the hard-working working class, who nevertheless can never rise to a higher status through their own hard work. A little anecdote in passing. The song is actually called Workingman's Blues Part II, because Part I was written by Merle Haggard. Bob Dylan obtained permission from him to call his song the same - on the not entirely serious condition that Merle Haggard was allowed to write a song with the title "Blowing In The Wind Part II".

Let's hear it for Sam Robb, who we will certainly see again.

But now back to the order of the performances. The second half of the Folk Club was opened by our long-time friend ELPI, also known as Lothar Prünte. Lothar has been on the artist list for several months, but was repeatedly prevented from performing by the little monsters Virus and Baktus. But now he prevailed and delighted us with his interpretations despite a vocal ailment. And, as always, they had it all. He opened his floor spot with "All right Now" and you can imagine that the audience easily compensated for his vocal indisposition. Cleverly done Lothar. "I'm Not In Love" tells the flirting story from a teenager's point of view. I love you, oh no not, or maybe I do :-). Ok, here it turned out that Lothar's normal voice can express himself much better, but I think it's great that Lothar picked himself up and came to the Folk Club. With "I Love You" by the Climax Blues Band, Lothar gave his last performance in the truest sense of the word - after that he was barely able to speak. Partly because this piece is less well-known and so the burden of interpretation was entirely on him. His performance was great and I'm already looking forward to the next time when his voice is back in full force - perhaps with a Tina Tuner imitation again?

The covers continued - this time in four voices. As the name suggests, the 4Tunes (Manfred Weber, Martin Riedel, Jutta Frenken, Ulrike Warendorf) interpret their selected pieces in four-part harmony. Accompanied by guitar, the main features of the songs were performed in solo voice, only to switch to polyphony in the chorus or verse. In this way, the audience was encouraged to sing along to well-known songs. "Lady In Black", who couldn't sing along here? "Smooth Operator", another song that hardly needs any commentary. And finally, "Forever Young", a Dylan song that has been interpreted by so many artists that the 4Tunes can now feel part of an illustrious line-up.

Thomas Monnerjahn and Eric Linfoot temporarily and temporally moved the Hot Club de France from Paris to Dotty's Bar in Dottendorf. Eric looks like he's not had so much fun since he left Yorkshire!

Thomas Monnerjahn - known in the Folk Club for his different styles, from classical music alone to jazz and rag with Werner Krotz-Vogel (the two met in the Folk Club) - came on stage today with a bar acquaintance (which brings us back to the subject of flirting, but as far as I understand it, this acquaintance was not erotically connoted, but musically based - does that count as flirting?) Eric Linfoot is just as enthusiastic a gypsy jazz guitarist as Thomas, and so they joined forces to our delight. With the pieces "Minor Swing", "La Gitane" and "Lulu Swing", both showed off their virtuosity on the instruments. With alternating rhythmic accompaniment to solo parts, some of which were played at breathtaking speed, they delighted not only me, but everyone in the hall. And all this with a human down-to-earthness that is unparalleled among the artists - I have no further words.

                                    Then just let Thomas say it with a smile Mario!  

Smile of the night award goes undoubtably to Thomas Monnerjahn, 

as an original "Piano Man", without mentioning his redoubtable guitar talents!

I don't know what possessed me to go on stage myself after these successive highlights of the evening – I, (Mario Dompke) had categorically refused to do so at the beginning of the evening. But as I was very happy to have met a former fellow musician in Silke again, I wanted to show her briefly where my musical roots stretched. I took up the theme of the evening with an Annette (the name given to the performance of a single song in the Folk Club), namely the song "Augenblick der Liebe" (Moment of Love) from my own pen, and even received polite applause - but as Ashleigh Edwards told me after the concert that she thought the song was beautiful, I would like to believe that it was a little more than politeness after all.

Cheers to Jock Stewart and thanks to all the musicians and the audience

 for making it such a wonderful evening

At the end, as always, homage was paid to the patron saint of the Folk Club "Jock Stewart". And all the evening's musicians took to the stage, with or without their instruments, to join the audience in a cheerful and happy farewell.

Now please read this last sentence - the next Folk Club is on April 5, when we will once again have Simon Wahl as our guest. So coming early is a must, therefore

out of the bedroom (as soon as you've finished your revolution!)

Your Mario

(Photos on this page by kind courtesy of John Hurd of 3SongsBonn!)