Review - Martyn Wyndham-Read & Iris Bishop
26/01/24

A captivating performance by Martyn Wyndham-Read and Iris Bishop at the Everyman Folk Club last night. Martyn’s controlled, smooth and rich voice combined with his undemonstrative and subtle guitar playing was hypnotic. Sensitive accompaniments by Iris, on concertina and piano accordion, were sympathetic and flawless. We were treated to the perfect selection of songs and monologues for Australia Day including many words of bush poet – Henry Lawson – put to music. Burns Night the day before was also acknowledged and, of course, beautiful songs by Graeme Miles. Finishing their second set with Scottish-born Australian, Eric Bogle’s Shelter was the perfect choice - and we were thrilled to have not one but two encores.

We are grateful to all our entertaining floor performers – Peter Everson, Teresa Booth (first time performing at the club), Robin Pooley, Graham Schofield, Claudia Myatt, and Dave Tricker. It was a delight to hear Robin singing the Suffolk version of The Foggy Dew. Many of us remember the Everyman sponsoring Bill Whaley & Dave Fletcher recording a version of this for the first Song Links project initiated by Martyn back in 2003.

Many thanks to our magnificent audience for making the first event of the new year so tremendous. It is such an intense joy to hear you all singing the choruses. See you next time, when we welcome multi award-winning singer and songwriter, Jim Causley, as our guest on Friday 23 February 2024.