Thursday 30 June 2011

Cambridge Street-Music

I love live entertainment. I don't care how rough'n'ready it is as long as it's live and it's got life. And when it's an unexpected treat then so much the better. There I am wandering through the city streets when gradually I become aware of the sound of a distant fiddle seeping through the sounds of the crowd. As I walk it becomes louder until I'm standing listening to.....well, if I'm in Cambridge then it could be anything...

An unlikely place for a jig.


Folk duo Pennyless


The music of Africa comes to town...

...dancers too!


The Spanish guitar of Michael Gowland.


Jazz on the corner with
Django's Tiger


An inventive guitar duo.


The eccentric Karmadillo


The blues with nobody listening.
He was actually rather good.

If you can make it to Cambridge tomorrow or Saturday then the 4th Annual Buskers And Street-Performers Festival is taking place with lots more good music to enjoy. (Some of the musicians pictured above may not be at the festival but many, many more will be.)

Take care.

8 comments:

  1. What a great festival! Cambridge is a bit too far for me though sadly

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  2. Great to come across something like this unexpectedly - there are lots of good street musicians around.

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  3. How cool! It's like a mini-FestivALL, the arts festival in Charleston, WV that just finished up. The African group looks fascinating. I would have loved to see the guy on the trapeze with the fiddle!

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  4. John I've left a comment on my Pilgrim's Rest post about 'Wheelbarrow' Patterson if you are interested.

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  5. What an eclectic mix of different music styles - I'd love to be listening to the Jazz on the corner - or maybe the blues guy!

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  6. A tightrope walking violinist! And I thought I'd seen everything.

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  7. Louise: Well, if you're ever in Cambridge there are always likely to be one or two street musicians around, most of them excellent.
    Rowan: Yes, although the festival is well-planned it always has that feeling of spontaneity about it.
    Sue: Lots of African musicians around at the moment in the UK. Read your post about the festivALL, that sounded a great gig.
    Rowan: Thanks again.
    Joe: Plenty of strange things around in Cambridge, the amazing thing was that he was a decent fiddler too.

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  8. I love the steel drums! My body can't be still when I hear them. The same is true of the fiddle. I was in New York city once and it seemed there was music on every corner. We came upon some folks playing the steel drums and the sound was phenomenal. I've loved them ever since.I was 27 then so it was many years ago. :) But I still recall the joy that pulsed through me at their sound. It filled the air.

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