Christchurch Folk Music Club

25 August:Bruce Watson

Bruce Watson is an icon and longtime favourite of the Australian folk scene.
His performances are joyful and thoroughly engaging, with witty lyrics and energetic presentation.
He is a masterful craftsman of songs, be they evocative, heart wrenching, or side-splittingly funny.
Bruce has appeared at almost 200 folk festivals as well as innumerable folk clubs and other venues across Australia, NZ and the UK. He has received a stack of prestigious songwriting awards and had his songs covered by performers of the calibre of Eric Bogle, Joe Dolce, Greg Champion, and a host of other Australian and international performers. He has been a support act for many high profile international performers.

He has produced eight albums of original songs. He has received radio airplay across Australia
and is a favourite on Macca’s Australia All Over He appears on over 20 compilation albums
alongside artists such as Yothu Yindi and Christine Anu.
Eric Bogle has described him as “the best songwriter I have seen in a long time.” Melbourne
folk institution The Boîte calls him “An Australian folk hero!”

Reviews
Bruce has a rare talent.. . the best songwriter I have seen in a long time — Eric Bogle
Bruce Watson is a wordsmith, a teller of tales, a spinner of yarns. He is a contemporary songwriter
with lots of stories he tells with passion and integrity. An Australian folk hero! — The Boîte
Absolutely f…ing brilliant! — Derek Guille, ABC Radio Melbourne
He rocked the festival with a series of hysterically funny & heart wrenching songs — Woodford Folk Festival
He has a terrific rapport with the audience and a great range of songs. — Peter Thomas, Radio 3AW
Bruce Watson belongs in the front rank of folk artists. — Trad&Now magazine
The high class singer/songwriter many of us would like to be but few will be.
— Graham Dodsworth, Folk Alliance Australia
Bruce is up there with the likes of Eric Bogle & Judy Small when it comes to writing and performing.
One of the most entertaining and engaging performers at the Festival.— Illawarra Folk Festival
Bruce Watson is a brilliant Australian singer-songwriter. Bruce really is the complete package.
He performs great serious songs, hilarious funny songs and has a great line in patter.
— Keith Donnolly, British singer-comedian, TV personality
What a lovely album! Another Bruce Watson CD to add to my “play when I need to feel good about
the world” pile — Judy Small
From Bruce’s 2023 UK tour:
He had the audience right there in the palm of his hands — Tamworth Folk Club. I have hosted many events
over the years, including some famous names, and no performer is as consistently entertaining as Bruce. You
could not ask for a better evening of song — St Albans Folk Music. Superb – just superb! I came away
absolutely transfixed. By any standards, Bruce’s performances was special — Woodman Folk ClubSongwriting

Awards
• Declan Affley Memorial Songwriting Award (National Folk Festival)
• Lawson-Paterson Songwriting Award (Port Fairy Folk Festival)(Twice)
• Roddy Reed Memorial Songwriting Award (Maldon Folk Festival)
• Sydney Bush Music Club 50th Anniversary Songwriting Award
• Finalist in several other awards, including Ozmusic Awards (twice),
Australian Songwriters Association Awards (twice), and Darebin Music Feast.
Radio and TV
Bruce’s songs have received airplay on ABC Radio National, and he has been a guest
and performed live on ABC (local, Radio National), commercial and community radio
across Australia, and on national television.
National Library of Australia, and National Film & Sound Archive
Bruce has been interviewed on his music career for the Oral History & Folklore Collection of the
National Library of Australia, and Australia’s National Film & Sound Archive
Albums and songbook
• Year of Wonders (2022)
• Mosaic (2017)
• Balance (2010)
• A Moving Feast (2004)
• Are We There Yet? (Children’s songs)(2004)
• Out My Window (1999)
• Real World: Songs of Life, Love and Laughter (1994)
• Politics, Religion and Sex (1990)
• 101 Songs (songbook) (2006)

Compilation CDs
Songs recorded by Bruce Watson have appeared on more than 20 compilation albums.
For details see: www.brucewatsonmusic.com/bio.html
Songs covered by other artists
Songs written by Bruce, recorded by other artists, appear on the following albums:
• Eric Bogle, Voices in the Wilderness (1990)
• Boola Boola Band, Graffiti Café (1993)
• On the Mark (Virginia, USA) (1996)
• Danny O’Flaherty, From the Heart (New Orleans, USA) (1996)
• Blackwood, At Home (1999)
• Blackwood, Home Soon (2004)
• We Love Music (St Brigid’s School, Fitzroy) (2006)
• Joe Dolce, The Wind Cries Mary (2007)
• Margaret Bradford, Ten Years On (2007)
• CD included in the book Tasmanian Songman Ronnie, Ronnie Summers with Helen Gee,
Magabala Books (2009)
• Turlough, Canyon Moonrise (Ireland) (2011)
• Malcolm J Turnbull, In From the Storm (2017)

Songs published
Songs written by Bruce Watson have appeared in a large number of books on music,
poetry, history, the environment and in educational resources.

Web site:   https://www.brucewatsonmusic.com/media.html
Facebook: www.facebook.com/brucewatsonmusic
Showreel:  https://youtu.be/yRa-xpPQQ_Q
Wikipedia:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Watson_(songwriter)
Music:       https://brucewatsonmusic.bandcamp.com

18 August: Adam McGrath

Adam McGrath is a folk singer and yarn spinner stationed wherever he can get a key! Described by RNZ as a “National Treasure” and the Herald as “NZ’s toughest minded songwriter”, Adam is more widely known as lead singer and songwriter with one of NZ’s most loved roots/country bands The Eastern.

He spends 8 months a year on the road between NZ, Australia, Europe and parts beyond. With The Eastern and solo he has shared stages with and opened for Fleetwood Mac, Steve Earle, Old Crow Medicine Show, Paul Kelly, Jimmy Barnes and many, more. His song Hope and Wire was the inspiration behind Gaylene Preston’s TV series of the same name and he is known for his service orientated approach to music in the years since. Described as “maybe part folk singer, part preacher, part boxer, and part rodeo clown he is however all heart”. Raucous, tender, roof and spirit raising a McGrath show goes straight for the spirit level in all of us, looking deep for the good parts and hoping to reach all the thoughtful bits that matter.

11 August Liz Braggins – Solo Show

Elizabeth’s enthusiasm and aptitude for music led to her first music lessons when she was very little but after a few lessons her music teacher suggested she learn the alphabet first. She started learning music again a little later and continued to do so until her mid twenties, teaching herself chords and modern music. As a teenager she learned classical guitar, clarinet and the french horn but the piano and singing have always been her forte.

After completing her degree in music at University of Canterbury, Elizabeth earned a post-graduate degree at Teachers’ College and taught music in a number of high schools including an HOD position at the Christchurch Rudolf Steiner School. She was also a tutor and Programme Leader at the Jazz School (Ara Institute of Canterbury).

‘Liz Braggins’ has been a familiar name on the Christchurch music scene. She has a unique style developed from many years of immersion in the music industry. Her highly original versions of well-known songs are an eclectic mix of genres highlighting her background in most musical styles.

Elizabeth is also known internationally for her piano playing, singing and composition. Her self-titled album which was produced by Nigel Stone and Malcolm McNeill was a showcase of Christchurch and Wellington musicians which went on to become a finalist in the New Zealand Music Awards. Other albums include an album with Graham Wardrop, two albums with Janice Gray an album with her vocal trio group ‘Volare’ and an album with her trio “Braggins, Wardrop and Dunne”. She is currently completing a second solo album that was recorded on the Steinway piano at St Margaret’s College in the Charles Luney Auditorium.

Her recordings feature frequently on National Radio and she has appeared at many live events including the Christchurch International Jazz Festival, the Christchurch Arts Festival, the Waipara Wine and Food Celebration, the Wanganui Arts Festival and Toast Martinborough. Elizabeth has worked alongside some of New Zealand’s greatest musicians such as Nathan Haines, Caitlyn Smith, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, The Nairobi Trio, Ali Harper, The Warratahs, Beaver, Suzanne Lynch, Murray Wood, Tom Rainey, Malcolm McNeill, Stu Buchanan, Hayley Westernra, Don McGlashan, Midge Marsden and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.

Elizabeth (or ‘Liz’ or ‘Lizzie’ or ‘MzLz’ ) now mainly performs nationally and works from home recording, writing and arranging songs. She also teaches piano, vocals, performance and music theory from her studio three afternoons a week.

After the successful concerts at the folk club in the recent past with Suzanne lynch, Graham Wardrop and Mary Dunne, this concert will be a welcome return of Liz on her own singing and playing the songs that she loves to play solo.

https://open.spotify.com/album/14vZEXr3FNfiXBcE1pIIcU?si=IJFX13RrQtOyhmEzSbk82w

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6GQGkhJMg61cWty4mjdpMV?si=OnoU_egXR3esYblVd46W-Q

4 August: Muddy Mama’s Blues Band Live & Bluesy Seasoned with Jazz

You are invited to lose yourself in some wondrous blues and jazz rhythms, the aim is simple: great music, great fun. Join us as the band holds down a smouldering groove behind Judi’s sultry, bluesy voice and passionate stage presence, for this concert designed to showcase talents and the love of song in a sincere spirit of musical expression.

Judi Smitheram – Vocal, Mary Ruston – Piano, Cyril Hector – Saxophone, Tim Wilkinson, Dr Tim – Bass strings, Lynden Jackson – Drums, Susan Grant – Slide Guitar and, Davey Backyard – Harmonica.

A Christchurch band made up of some of the best blues musicians around, and led by the inimitable Judi Smitheram – Mama Judi with her powerful bluesy vocals bringing the magic, with support from the epic keys talent of Mary Ruston, with bass, drums, guitar and harmonica (shout out to Davey Backyard!) in the mix.

‘The Muddy Mama’s are one of the best discoveries Swingtown has made in recent years’
‘They wowed us on the dance floor most recently at last year’s PCX Saturday late night’. Swingtown Rebels 2024