News From Topic & The Moral of the Elephant

The Moral of the Elephant nominated for Best Album 2014 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Topic is very proud to announce the nomination of Martin & Eliza Carthy's 'The Moral of the Elephant' for best album in the 2015 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. This is splendid recognition for their first album as a duo; the best album award is decided by public vote, every vote counts and you can cast your vote by visiting the Folk Awards website: cast your vote here    A busy 75th anniversary in 2014 meant that we didn't release quite as many of our back-catalogue albums as digital downloads as we would have liked, but February sees a new selection of eleven superb titles, some of which were never released on CD, so this is the best way to get hold of them if you can't find that elusive vinyl version!   Free digital booklets are available to download direct from our website, and you can buy the music from digital retailers such as Apple's itunes store and Amazon; the new titles are: During 2014 our 75th Anniversary monthly special offers proved to be very popular. Many of you took the opportunity to catch up with albums you were missing from your collection or purchase a gift for a friend. We will be continuing with a series of attractively priced special offers each month throughout 2015. The classic TOPIC CDs chosen for February at the special price of only £5.00 each are: TSCD511  SAM LARNER ~ Now Is The Time For Fishing TSCD518D  JOE HEANEY ~ The Road From Connemara     Those nice chaps at Fledg'ling continue to celebrate 21 years of the label with their own monthly special offers. The CDs they have chosen for February at the special price of only £21.00 for this bundle of 4 classic albums from their catalogue are: FLED 3052  SHIRLEY COLLINS & DAVY GRAHAM  Folk Roots, New Routes FLED 3057  SHIRLEY & DOLLY COLLINS  Snapshots FLED 3074  JESSE FULLER  Move on down the line FLED 3086  SNAKEFARM  my halo at half-light        We really are down to the very last sets of our Topic anniversary button badges at only £3.00 - get them while you can!   Many thanks for continuing to support Topic.

King King Reaching For The Light at Lincoln Drill Hall 20 Feb

Lincoln Drill Hall, Freeschool Lane Lincoln Ln2 1EY

Tickets 01522 873894

The Wonderful World of Orchestre Ruffanti.

The Wonderful World of ORCHESTRE RUFFANTI, touring late April, May, June and selected Summer Festivals Welcome to the world of Orchestre Ruffanti: A The Wonderful World of ORCHESTRE RUFFANTI, touring late April, May, June and selected Summer Festivals Orchestre Ruffanti Welcome to the world of Orchestre Ruffanti: A world where nothing is quite what it seems.. Where long – forgotten, hidden gems of charity shop vinyl are resurrected and re-imagined. Where great musical (and flower) arrangements are rediscovered, and where vintage pop and glam rock hits are given a swinging salsa shakedown or treated to an afro-beat-big-band-bugaloo. Add to this a generous, intoxicating measure of original songs, and the Ruffanti musical cocktail is complete. Be it concert, cabaret or festival, Ruffanti present a colourful, romantic and eclectic show featuring irresistible grooves, delicious harmonies and poignant ballads, all delivered by a ‘hot’ live band made up of twelve superb musicians and vocalists. With the release of their long-awaited debut album ‘Allegro –Vanden Plas’ the essence of Ruffanti has finally been faithfully distilled to disc, spreading their infectious musical message to an ever-expanding audience. Vintage, Latin, Stylish and fun. Ruffanti capture the retro-chic Zeitgeist of the fast growing post-modern music scene. Click here to view VIDEO Orchestre Ruffanti Here's some quotes: 'Over-dressed , preening, cabaret divas' "Rarely have I witnessed such an unashamed and blatant perversion of the so- called ‘World Music’ genre on an English Festival stage. The whole show rode rough-shod and bareback over some of the finest tunes in the popular canon. From my carefully chosen vantage point in the Festival Beer tent, Ruff Aunty (sic) sounded like nothing better than a collection of bongo –bashing clockwork monkeys , crooning Nancy Boys and over-dressed , preening cabaret divas. God only knows what inspires the almost religious devotion so openly displayed by their dedicated legion of (I fear, sadly misguided) fans". - Raymond Trabb, Dyed Roots 'Every Song is Priceless' "As a radio presenter I get inundated with new music. It’s a double edged sword. I’ll often sit listening to some cacophony wondering who in their right mind thought this noise was in anyway listenable. Thankfully I also receive some gems. Allegro Vanden Plas is just such a gem. And then some. Orchestra Ruffanti are a group of 14 musicians as diverse as they are talented. With a host of original songs plus covers ranging from Gloria Jones to The Blockheads to Brigitte Bardot to T-Rex to Edith Piaf, Allegro Vanden Plas is an amazing soundtrack to the summer. And don’t let the word covers put you off. Any band that can stamp their own mark on a cover are always worth a listen. Take opening track Tainted Love. Originally performed by Gloria Jones it is now synonymous with Soft Cell but Ruffanti have reinvented it as a smoky back room latin-jazz classic. In an ideal world the afternoon would be spent in a garden, eating and drinking, with the sun shining, accompanied by Orchestre Ruffanti. Not with a barbecue and a six pack but in the garden of a stately home, eating triangular shaped sandwiches and drinking pimms. The night would end with the group playing in an exclusive back street bar with a 1950s dress code, a liberal attitude to smoking and where dancing is compulsory. I can’t recommend this album highly enough. Every song is priceless though I will say These Moods could be the most beautiful song ever written". - Simon Saynor, SINE FM Click here to view VIDEO Orchestre Ruffanti For copies of the new album, date availability and any queries please contact: GAIL COOKE LAUGHING DOG MUSIC gail@laughingdogmusic.co.uk Click here for LAUGHING DOG MUSIC Click here for ORCHESTRE RUFFANTI

TIPITINA - RED HOT AND ROCKING

TIPITINA - RED HOT AND ROCKING

THE BARRELHOUSE, BLUES & GOSPEL OF NEW ORLEANS AT ITS FINEST – DIRECT FROM PRESTON LANCASHIRE

Tipitina present a captivating mix of New Orleans Boogie, the Blues, Barrelhouse and Gospel fronted by two very outstanding musical talents.

Singer and guitarist Debbie Jones has a stunning and soulful voice that featured on several tracks of EMIs ‘Greatest Gospel Album – Ever’ and is guaranteed to raise the hairs on the back of your neck.

Justin Randall is an extraordinary piano professor continuing the great New Orleans tradition of Jelly Roll Morton, Professor Longhair, James Booker, Fats Domino and Dr. John.

The band visited New Orleans in 2013. The impression they left is reflected in this piece from The New Orleans Times Picayune [Louisiana’s eldest publication – since 1837]: bit.ly/1902vZ1
"Wholly admirable album, the youthful energy, sincerity and obvious affection for the New Orleans style is captivating - a sure-fire club and Festival attraction" JAZZ JOURNAL
"To capture the spirit of New Orleans so fully, is a spectacular achievement" THE GUARDIAN

YouTube Link
For further information contact Tim jennings at
Big Bear Music, admin@bigbearmusic.com

Band From County Hell @ Spanky Van Dykes 17 March

Celebrate  St. Patrick's Day

with Band From County Hell

@ Spanky Van Dykes, Nottingham

www.bfch.co.uk

www.spankyvandykes.com

The Fyreflies Upcoming Gigs

The Fyreflies Gig List

31/01 The Black Swan, Lincoln: 8.30 01526 342481
07/02 Birchwood Social Club, Lincoln: 8.30 01522 873697
12/02 The Prince Rupert, Newark: 8.30 www.kneadpubs.co.uk/our-pubs/the-prince-rupert
14/02 Queens Head, Newark: 8.30 01636 702327
21/02 Red Lion, Ruskington, 8.30 www.redlionruskington.co.uk
22/02 The Strugglers: 4-7pm 01522 535023
28/02 Queens Head, Newark: 8.30 01636 702327
08/03 The Strugglers: 4-7 01522 535023
17/03 The Navigation, Newark (St Patrick's Day): 8.30 www.trentnavigation.com
26/03 The Prince Rupert, Newark: 8.30 www.kneadpubs.co.uk/our-pubs/the-prince-ruper t
05/04 The Ship, Boston 8.30 01205 358156
10/04 The Galway, Retford: 9.30 https://www.facebook.com/GalwayArmsRetford
11/04 The Gatehouse, Lincoln: 8.30 1522 532964
12/04 The Strugglers, Lincoln: 4-701522 535023
26/04 The Navigation, Newark: 8.30 www.trentnavigation.com

Check out the Fyreflies at...

https://www.facebook.com/FyrefliesUK

Look Out It's The Broom Busters!!!

Look out it’s
THE BROOMBUSTERS
The greatest Rock’n’Roll, Blues & Ska Party on this – and probably any other – planet

Born in the heart of Big City Birmingham, fronted by the wild, wacky – and not a little scary – Charlie Wolfman Sylvester, this five piece combo generates enough power onstage to blast off into space, which can happen on a not irregular basis.

Wolfman is the band’s secret weapon, and it’s not surprising that the man has a background - and what a background.

Remember the exuberant and colourful JALN Band that seemed to inhabit – alongside Kool & The Gang and Chaka Khan - the Top of the Pops Studio throughout the 70s and 80s with a seemingly endless run of disco soul hits? Managed by pop guru Pete Waterman the band toured the world for some 25 years and clocked up hit after hit. And that’s where The Wolfman came from, the star of The JALN Band. Then The Wolfman decided to return to his roots – and The Broombusters were born.
Extravagant, entertaining, infectious enthusiasm and danceability in spades – that’s The Broombusters.

Coming at you.
Don’t duck, just dance.
For more information please contact
Big Bear Music, Po Box 944, Birmingham, B16 8UT Tel: 0121 454 7020 - admin@bigbearmusic.com

Wildwood Music Festival August 2015

LIVE ARTS IN BRIGG; The Wilsons, supported by Dave Vermond

   LIVE ARTS IN BRIGG – concert with The Wilsons, supported by Dave Vermond

It might seem unlikely that a group who have sung on both Broadway and at the Albert Hall could be performing in Brigg, but that’s what’s happening in a concert at The Angel, BRIGG in March.

The group in question is The Wilsons, a group of five brothers from the north-east who opened in Sting’s musical, ‘The Last Ship’, on Broadway last summer. Before their two special performances with Sting at The Sage in Gateshead at the end of April you can see them in Brigg first!

The brothers each have unique and very powerful voices which have gained them a huge following wherever they go. Singing either individually or in close harmony, they perform both traditional and more modern material – along with a large helping of humour – making every concert a truly memorable one. One of the brothers, Chris, has close links with the area, having lived in Winterton for a time some years ago, when he was a popular local singer.

Their support at the concert is also familiar to local audiences. Singer, songwriter and guitarist Dave Vermond was a great favourite when he sang regularly in the area a few years ago. His witty songs, great voice and brilliant musicianship will perfectly complement The Wilson’s powerful performance – it promises to be a terrific concert, so don’t miss it!

The concert is at the Angel Suite, Brigg on Sat March 7th  at 7.30pm. Tickets are available from Brigg Tourist Information Centre £12 (£14 on the door). Tickets may also be reserved on 

01652 678771 or 01652 653217.

Martin Simpson @ The Greystones, Sheffield, UK Feb 5.