By Jean Brandon

CALICO JACK IS a bluegrass-based band formed years ago by Ken Scott (banjo/vocals) and Ken is usually referred to as Calico Jack! The first Calico Jack Music Festival started in 1995 with a Pig Roast for Calico Jack's followers and friends, really just to have a big party. Ken explained "We charged just £5 to cover the cost of the pig etc., but had money left over so decided to give it to Charity." It seems that 'the bash' was enjoyed by everyone, so by popular demand they decided to hold a bigger event, "With more bands to play for free if we could get them!" said Ken.

"We decided to make it a mixed-genre Music Festival to cater for all tastes, so now on the Friday night we have line dancing and some Bluegrass. Saturday afternoon and evening Concerts are a mixture of comedy, Irish, Folk, Bluegrass and Dance." But we found that the Sunday music is now all Bluegrass starting with workshops in the morning and a Concert in the afternoon.

Ken 'Calico Jack' Scott

We were in time to enjoy an impromptu session at Dave Frets' stall with Chris Morton, Chris Wilson, the Shankmans' guitarist Matt (who was playing great bluegrass banjo!) and their mandolinist Geoff also.

The afternoon concert, MC'd by Stuart Williams, opened in fine style with Bakers Fabulous Boys. They were followed by young band from the Cheshire area Dulaman, comprising James Dewdney (guitar/vocals), David Pickering (mandolin/vocals), Elinor Cross (bass/vocals) and Anna Kelly (fiddle/vocals). They played and sang quite a variety of material, some trad treated unconventionally (Coolies Reel was quite beautiful slowed down to a walk with fiddle harmonies!) all with verve and energy. In my opinion theycould be going places: one to watch out for.

Rainy City Bluegrass Band were in great form, opening with Foggy Mountain Breakdown then a selection of their favourite numbers including Foggy Mountain Top, Using My Bible For A Road Map, Amelia Erhardt, Banks of the Ohio (nice banjo from Tom Degney on this one) and a super hammed-up version of Duelling Banjos going straight into In The Blue Ridge Mountains Of Virginia with Bluebonnet Lane for an encore. Vintage Rainy City, great stuff!!

Dana, Lauren, Michael Alden, Jeff, Matt
Photo Copyright © 2000 NWBN

Duo Steve Reed (guitar/vocals) and Fiona Cameron (fiddle/vocals) were next with old-tyme tunes and vocal duets, followed by the highlight of the afternoon. The Shankman Twins (Dana, banjo/vocals; and Lauren, fiddle/vocals) were accompanied by younger brother Michael Aldeman (acoustic bass/vocals), Matt Boswell (guitar/vocals) and Jeff Midkiff (mandolin/vocals). This was my first encounter, so I was knocked out by the musicianship and great vocals. Dana also made a very professional job of fronting the band, her warm personality and obvious good humour communicating itself to the audience. The Bluegrass was sung and played with heart and feeling, the harmonies obviously benefiting from the family connection.

Photo Copyright © 2000 NWBN

Michael Alden, just sixteen years old, provided great lead vocals on Sally Gardens and the Hank Williams classic I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry. They finished this first set with The Man Who Never Returned and a version of The Wreck Of the Old 97' . Twenty-one-year-old guitarist Matt Boswell was dynamite and played some blistering breaks, as did the mandolin player Jeff Middkiff (who, at 32, must have been feeling positively ancient!).

The concert continued with a great set by Chris Moreton, plugged in and cut-away - guitar, that is! - opening with Under The Double Eagle. There was a great atmosphere in the marquee, a very receptive crowd, Chris remarked that it had been the same the whole weekend. His programme included Angeline The Baker, Whiskey Before Breakfast and Bill Monroe's Workin' On A Buildin' . Then an Irish Medley on the Mandolin and a parody on The Sheikh Of Araby - The Sheep Of Aberdare... with The Devil Went Down To Georgia as an encore. The audience loved it!

Next a rare appearance (well, rare these days) of Tom Travis with Bakers Fabulous Boys backing him. His numbers included Some Old Day, White House Blues and Stepping Stones - a short but superb set and Tom was in great voice. He bowed out and left Bakers Fabulous Boys to finish the set on their own in their usual vibrant, energetic style with Muleskinner Blues as an encore, which brought the house down!

To finish the afternoon The Shankmans performed another superb set. Lots of animations - some ladies danced to Clinch Mountain Backstep then Matt broke a string and replaced it then and there on stage with hardly a hiccup! He followed that with I Ain't Broke But I'm Badly Bent. A little girl got up and did an Irish Step Dance during The Belle Of Belfast City. They finished with Long Journey Home in high gear then Dolly Parton's Apple Jack and Sally Anne (both audience requests) as a double encore.

Judging by the comments from various people I spoke to the weekend had obviously been a great success. For me Sunday had certainly been a great day, despite the weather, with the bands all playing their socks off for good causes: Christies (Cancer) Hospital Fund and Save The Children. Ken is holding his 7th Charity Music Festival on 22 - 24 June 2001, so make a note in your diaries now, folks! Derek and I will certainly try for the whole weekend...

Jean Brandon, Chester.

21st Sept 2000