30-Nov-09 MIND Active

Our fifteenth visit since 2004 to this residential care home in Bedlington - we look forward to visiting and we know the residents look forward to our visits too! There were lots of 'Hello's and much chat before we launched into two thirty-minute slots with only the briefest of intervals for a quick gulp of tea. We sang:

• Love At The Five & Dime (Nanci Griffith)
• Two Old Friends (Chris Simpson)
• Louise (Paul Siebel)
• Back Home To You (Allan Taylor)
• When (jiva)
• Dream On (jiva)
• All Day Every Day (jiva)
• Different Dreams (jiva)
• Some Way Home (jiva)
• Silent Night (Christmas Carol)

And then, all too soon it was time to head home... amid thumbs up and thankyous from the residents and promises from us to return in the new year.

Links
jiva website
jiva MySpace
MINDActive website

29-Nov-09 South Shields Folk Club

It's been ten months since we last visited this club - where does the time go?

It was a blustery, rainy night... but we decided to brave the elements and visit South Shields for one of their rare singers nights... the weather had no doubt kept a few cosy at home, but it was nonetheless a good night. There was the usual mix of unaccompanied traditional and classic songs, flute playing, blues guitar and (of course) the gentle jiva blend, all mixed together with lots of humour and good natured banter.

We were the final act in the first half and also finished the night at the end of the second half. For our first two-song slot we did 'Love At The Five And Dime' (Nanci Griffith) and 'Best Friends' (jiva), both of which went down well with lots of joining in on the choruses. Our closing set was 'Back Home To You' (Allan Taylor) and 'Silent Night' (Christmas Carol) - again there was lots of singing.

A canny night - just the way to banish those rainy day blues!

Links
jiva website
jiva MySpace
South Shields Folk Club

20-Jan-09 Low Row Folk Session

First visit to this club held at the Railway Inn at Low Row, not far from Brampton in Cumbria.

In the early part of the evening most people sang unaccompanied (apart from us!). Later another singer had her guitar and there was also a chap with a bodhran. We were made very welcome and soon settled into the around the room singaround night. The performers all seemed very knowledgeable about the songs they chose, and so there was plenty of introductory chat.

As there was no break and no raffle there was time to go around the room five times - so we did five stints of two songs per go, with appreciative listening and some joining in from those present. We were really pleased with the way everyone got into our final song ('One More Song'), singing heartily. And to cap it all, Maddy Prior was one of the singers that night... and she came across at the end to say that she had enjoyed our stuff.

The club runs once a month, and we'll certainly be back in a few months time.

Links
jiva website
jiva MySpace
Low Row Folk Session

28-Nov-09 jiva at Netherton Folk Club: Guest Night and CD Launch

What a great night! Wow... it was wonderful. We're indebted to club organiser Jack Wilkinson for agreeing we could have our CD launch at his club, one of the friendliest places we play. We put a couple of bottles of Bucks Fizz on each table so everyone could help themselves and join us in the night of celebration.

We arrived at the venue (Netherton Memorial Hall) in good time to get our gear set up and also to have a natter and catch up with Jack.

L to R: 'Missy' Taylor 12-string, 'Rio' Taylor 6-string, Bose L1 system,
CDs and promo packs, 'Chalise' Taylor 12-string, 'Nams' Taylor 6-string

There was a good mix of floor singers including our good friends Jim Wigfield, Mike Jessop, Andy & Cath (Acoustica), some club regulars and a few we hadn't seen before. For our first set we performed:

• Love At The Five & Dime (Nanci Griffith)
• Best Friends (jiva)
• Dream On (jiva)
• Peaceful Easy Feeling (Eagles)
• Galway To Graceland (Richard Thompson)
• No Telling (Linda Thompson)
• Back Again (Allan Taylor)
• Small Town (jiva)

We then led the whole room in singing "Happy birthday" to Jack Wilkinson as a guitar shaped chocolate cake complete with lighted candles was brought into the room much to the surprise and joy of Jack whose 65th birthday was the following day!

During the break we chatted at length to people and also sold a few CDs... there was the mandatory raffle (we even won a bottle of wine), and then it was back to the music with a few more floor spots before our second set in which we sang:

• Back Home To You (Allan Taylor)
• When (jiva)
• All Day Every Day (jiva)
• Two Old Friends (Chris Simpson)
• Jimmy's Song (Allan Taylor)
• Different Dreams (jiva)
• Some Way Home (jiva)
• Silent Night (Christmas Carol)

For the encore we did our very own 'One More Song' with Jack stepping up behind the microphone to join us as he includes this song as part of his repertoire... thanks, Jack! A great way to finish a truly memorable night.

Links
jiva website
jiva MySpace
Netherton Folk Club MySpace

26-Nov-09 Allan Taylor at Darlington Folk Club

Allan Taylor, just back after a six week tour of Germany, was on great form this evening at Darlington Folk Club. It was great to catch up with him.

Tom Hughes, club organiser and MC, got the evening underway with his support slot - he got the audience nicely warmed up for the main act.

Allan began with a newish song, as yet unreleased, called 'Endless Highway'. This was written after filming had finished for his soon to be released DVD about his life on the road called...'The Endless Highway'! A great start and it just got better and better as Allan played and sang two great sets mixing old and new songs and telling many tales of his life on the road.

The audience loved him, we loved him... and it was a smashing night. He finished off the night with another unreleased song called 'I'm Going Home' and he had the whole room joining in from the first couple of lines through to the end. A wonderful night!

Links
jiva website
jiva MySpace
Allan Taylor

20-Nov-09 MIND Active

Our fourth visit to this residential care home in Newbiggin. There was a good crowd waiting for us in the lounge and as we got our guitars out and set up we chatted with some of the residents like long lost friends.

A lovely relaxed afternoon and it was great to see them tapping their feet in time to our music. As usual we played two 30-minute spots with a short break for a gargle and tuning of the guitars. We sang:

• Love At The Five & Dime (Nanci Griffith)
• Two Old Friends (Chris Simpson)
• All Day, Every Day (jiva)
• Back Home To You (Allan Taylor)
• When (jiva)

Then

• Dream On (jiva)
• Best Friends (jiva)
• Different Dreams (jiva)
• Some Way Home (jiva)
• One More Song (jiva)

There were lots of thumbs up and thankyous from the residents as we left.

Links
jiva website
jiva MySpace
MINDActive website

17-Nov-09 Marian Bradfield at Cramlington Folk Club

Time again for Marian Bradfield - we had received a call earlier in the day from club organiser Keith asking for our help! Could we put Marian up for the night? Well, of course, we were delighed to help out. Marian and her American agent Mike arrived at our house around 5pm and after some chat and quick dinner it was off to Cramlington in one car.

Usual format for a guest night - two floor spots with 4 songs each before Marian's first set and then after the obligatory raffle in the break on again with 2 songs apiece and then final set from the guest.

Marian was on good form tonight with Mike doing her sound for her so a well earned rest for resident soundman Dave Page. All too soon the night came to an end and after shouts for 'More' Marian duly obliged and we all went home happy after a great night.

A few glasses of wine when we got home, more chat and then off to bed after a very long and good day.

Marian is often referred to as "Ireland's best kept secret"... very appropriate, very apt. She's not yet a household name, but she ought to be - her writing and singing are great... professional, entertaining, heartfelt and warm with that certain Irish twinkle to top it all off. And she's a lovely person too. We look forward to catching up with her again.

Links
jiva website
jiva MySpace
Cramlington Folk Club website
Marian Bradfield website

10-Nov-09 Croxdale Folk Club

Antoher singers night at Croxdale Folk Club. Thanks again to Terry Ferdinand for being the audience. Performers were us, Gary Wingfield, John and another John and his wife and Michael Woods.

Gary set things rolling with everyone getting two songs. For our first two we played, at the request of the first John, 'Love At The Five & Dime' (Nanci Griffiths) followed by the title track of our new CD 'Best Friends'. Next time round we did 'Jimmy's Song' (Allan Taylor) and our own 'All Day, Every Day'. We finished the night with 'Back Home To You' (Allan Taylor) and 'One More Song' (jiva).

In between songs there was plenty of time for chit chat and raffle (no we didn't win) and it was a relaxed evening.

We'll be back at Croxdale on the 1st December when we are the main act - hope to see you there.
 

Links
jiva website
jiva MySpace
Croxdale Folk Club MySpace

09-Nov-09 Hugh and Katy Moffatt in Castleford

We picked up a thread from Maggie Gee on Facebook (thank you Maggie) that Hugh and Katy Moffatt (brother and sister) singer songwriters from the USA were to be in Castleford and we just had to make the trip down there. It was a 2 hour and a bit drive but worth every mile.

We had first come across Hugh Moffatt when we were at a songwriting workshop in Germany in 2006 with Allan Taylor. One of the attendees (Arno from Germany) sang the song 'Jack and Lucy' especially for us - he was reminded of it by our story... and we just loved it! And yes, they did do the song on Monday night and it was wonderful.

It was a superb night all round. Katy did a set with Hugh coming on for the last two songs, then Hugh did his set with Katy coming on for the last two songs and then they did a set together as well. So it was 11:30pm by the time we left for the long drive home but we were happy.

Links
jiva website
jiva MySpace

08-Nov-09 Marian Bradfield at Guisborough Folk Club

Back again after only a week but this time to see their guest, Irish singer songwriter, Marian Bradfield. We had first seen her at Cramlington Folk Club last year and vowed we would be sure to try and and see her every time she was nearby - she was great. We bumped into her outside and she was surprised and delighted to see us there and we had a good 'chin wag'.

The night began with some floor spots, we were on after the MC and did 'Two Old Friends' (Chris Simpson) and our own 'Best Friends' (the title track from our new CD). After a few more floor spots it was time for the guest's first set. No PA, just her and her guitar... lovely... and she even recounted the audience the story of our wedding at Taylor Guitars and dedicated a song just to us!

Then there was the break and the obligatory raffle, a few more floor spots and then Marian's second spot.

Too soon the evening was over, it was a grand night and very much worth the trip. And the good news is she's on at Cramlington on the 17th so we'll get to see her again soon.


Links
jiva website
jiva MySpace
Guisborough Folk Club website

06-Nov-09 jiva CD 'Best Friends' Now Available

We're pleased to announce that our CD 'Best Friends' is now available! You can see the track list, listen to extracts, link to lyrics and background info, and even buy it from our website at www.jiva.co.uk/cd.htm - and naturally we'll carry a few with us when we're out performing.

The 'official' launch will be our guest night at Netherton Folk Club on Saturday November 28th at Netherton Memorial Hall. Normal folk club admission charges apply, and there is no bar, so bring your own refreshments... but there'll be a complimentary glass on us for everyone. We'd love to see you there!

www.northumberlandlife.org/netherton-folk-club

Happy listening!

Links

jiva website
jiva MySpace

01-Nov-09 Guisborough Folk Club

It's been well over a year since we last made the 120 miles round trip to Guisborough Folk Club, but as soon as we walked in we were treated like long lost friends...

It was a good night with some enthusiastic performances and audience participation. We got two 2-song spots in which we played 'Back Home To You' (Allan Taylor) and 'Different Dreams' (jiva) in the first half followed by 'Some Way Home' (jiva) and 'One More Song' (jiva) for the second spot.

We mustn't leave it so long before we go back again - in fact, we'll be back next week to see Marian Bradfield... and possibly do a floor spot if time permits.

Links
jiva website
jiva MySpace
Guisborough Folk Club website