Folk in the south

Follow The Lost Cavalry around venues and it seems you unearth musical delights.

A Valentine’s event last night brought a number of folk acts together to folk about.

Salt Moon

This three piece combine cello, double bass and electric guitar with a female singer.

The style is occasionally reminiscent of Fairport Convention.

The songs tend to the tongue in cheek and melancholy, even when ‘love songs’, the vocal itself unquestionably strong for the style.

The Lost Cavalry

Again they performed well.

The arrangement is creative without being sloppy and the vocal performance really is hard to match.

Some of the songs tone have hints of Kurt Cobain, unusual for a lead singer who often sings beyond the rafters.

Patch and the Giant


These guys were the last to perform and a real treat.

They will be playing in Brighton tonight at ‘The Folk Room’, afraid all the details I have.

You will be treated to layered folk styles, unexpected brass and a haunting melancholy.

I would urge you to check them out in Brighton if you are free.

La Lorona The Myth of the Weeping Woman Brighton

Showing in Brighton Preston Manor for the first time at 7pm tonight is La Llorona a Mexican Ghost story, an ACGB development project that began with a group of artists throwing ideas around in a room.

The production has grown way beyond what was expected with the limited budget as has the size of La Llorona herself and this is due to the time, commitment and energy of all of the artists involved in the process – some of whom were volunteers.

Salvador Dali said that he considered Mexico to be the home of surrealism and in devising and directing this piece as the design team led by Hannah Barker began to create epic mythical beasts, part of Amy Solis's job was to facilitate these ideas and to integrate them into the existing story.

What has emerged is the fusion of the surreal landscape and mythical beasts of the ancient Aztec stories and the modern story of Rosita set in the 1980’s on the boarder towns of Mexico and Texas. 

Mexican history

This myth is said to have been inspired by the Spanish invasion of Mexico. 

In 1519, Cortés' ships reached the Mexican coast at Yucatan. Cortés had set sail with 11 ships and more than 500 men. 

He burned his ships to make retreat impossible. 

Natives were quickly overpowered and surrendered. Cortés set out to rule them. During the march through Mexico, he encountered a group of natives called the Tlaxcalans, who were enemies of the Aztecs. 

They became an important ally for Cortés during his siege of Tenochtitlán, the Aztec capital city. 

A myth in creation

Unbeknownst to Cortés, his arrival coincided with an important Aztec prophecy. 

The Aztec god Quetzalcoatl, whom they credited with the creation of humans, was set to return to Earth. 

Thinking that Cortés could be Quetzalcoatl, Montezuma greeted the party with great honour.

They provided the Spanish with food, supplies and 20 women, including an interpreter known as La Malinche or Doña Marina. La Llorona (The weeping woman) is sometimes identified with La Malinche the Nahua woman who served as Cortés' interpreter and who some say was betrayed by the Spanish conquistadors.

In one folk story of La Malinche, she became Hernán Cortés' mistress and bore him a child. 

Only to be abandoned so that he could marry a Spanish Woman. 

Aztec pride drove La Malinche to acts of vengeance. 

A shrouded message

Did she drown her children and herself as an act of rebellion against the Spanish invasion of her indigenous culture? 

Part of Cortez's master plan has been said to have been to create a biological alliance created of the Conquerers and the conquered. 

The great power of the meaning of these stories, to the culture in which they developed, is a major reason why they survive as long as they do. 

Such is the power of La Llorona the myth of the weeping woman.

Enchanting frivolity

I ventured to Brighton on Sunday, despite the ever rising rail fares.

An invitation to The Seven Stars in Brighton.

Turns out on a Sunday they have live music, perfect really.

A haven from the sea air

There was a beautiful atmosphere, friendly, lively and warm.

The band performed some lively jazzy numbers good for toe tapping and full on whirling.

Indeed, some of the attendees displayed some mighty fine footwork.

Sublime glass ringer

But nothing quite prepared me for Sam Chara.

She innocuously slipped on stage to perform on the mic.

The only word for what followed was phenomenal and I do not say that lightly.

To my imperfect ears her renditions of famous jazz numbers was flawless and rose to scales I had not even heard in the originals.

Hats off woman, it's no surprise that you're trained in Opera and Jazz, in some alternate reality I'm sure you could weave silver with those lungs.