On Friday, September 19, 2014, the Black Walnut Open Stage will welcome the sensational bluegrass group, Rescue Junction to help us celebrate the completion of 20 years of hosting live, acoustic music in Waterloo Region.

For this special event, there will be no Open Stage.  The next Open Stage will be October 17th. 

On Friday, June 21st, Fiddle and Swing: started off the evening with1/2 hour of their lively brand of fiddle, guitar, mandolin and singing. We had our largest total attendance of the year (not a coincidence). Fiddle and Swing are a family ensemble from Downtown Kitchener, drawing musical inspiration from artists as diverse as Stan Rogers, Natalie MacMaster, Duke Ellington and the Grateful Dead. Anna, Greg and Jacob deGroot-Maggetti play in a wide variety of genres, including folk, fiddle, jazz, bluegrass and classical. We have seen Jacob and Greg at the club before. Anna has been on Rotary Exchange in Brazil since July 2012, and returned to Canada just in time for the Black Walnut evening)

On June 21 st the open stage performers were:
Nathan Few, Jim and Ben – NEW – Skura, Dan Hergott, Ryan van Dyk – NEW,
Lynn Kirby, Randy Ouillette, Jakki Annerino, Jack Guest,
After the break: Dan Kearney, Joe Wall – NEW and Joe Morton – NEW, Scott Abrams,
Cam and Pat, Jim Galway, Wayne Cheater

On Saturday July 6th at 7pm is the 13th annual Summer Campfire at Jim’s place:in St Clements, Ont. for more info or directions call Jim at 519-699-4520. Time: Gathering at 7 pm, music usually starts about 8 pm  AND remember no more Black Walnut at the Community Center Until September.  Updates will follow soon.

On Friday May 18th, 2012, the Folk Club was an All Open Stage. It was one of our better turnouts this year and the variety and entertainment was terrific. On a sadder note, a bike that was parked in the Hallway was reported stolen during the evening. There are lots of times when nobody from the club is in the hallway so there is a risk for any property that is left outside in the hallway. I am not aware of any previous incident like that, but it could happen again, so be warned. (more…)

Sometimes we have such a good time we don’t notice when one or two people are really messing things up for numerous other people. That is when people complain, and that is what they should do. Last month we had a couple of songs that were had offensive language and or subject matter. We arent going to identify them here. The other thing is that one performer used twice as much time as most people to do two songs. It was way more than 10 minutes.

Here is an important addition to our “Updates” for the Open Stage performers:

8.We will probably not let you know how much time you have left after you finish your first song, unless you ask. If you have less than 3 minutes left you probably should not start another song. To help you out with this, understand that if your songs are each more than 4 minutes long, you probably won’t have time for more than one song, because it always take at least a minute for you to get on-stage and ready to start your first song.

9. Black Walnut, the Mill Courtland Community Centre are family friendly. Some performers have slipped some offensive language and subjects into their songs and it does get us a bad response from people who need to let us know how offensive that is. They are right to complain. Choose appropriate material, always.

On Friday October18, 2011, The Black Walnut Folk Club was host to twelve open-stage acts plus some rare encores. There were two Black Walnuts first-timers and some guests who don’t make it out to our club very often. Where was everybody else? We may never know.

Next Month we will start off with a feature length set by Scott Abrams. Scott is a native of Niagara Falls, New York and has been entertaining audiences with his eclectic collection of folk music for over 25 years. He has been treating us to his diverse collection of songs and very expressive guitar and vocals for what seems like a couple of years now and we are really looking forward to his set on Friday, December 16, 2011.

On Friday November 18 the performers were:
Jack Guest
Dan Hergott
Scott Abrams
Lynn Kirby
Jakki Annerino
Randy Ouillette
Kevin Kenalty – NEW to the club
Cam & Pat
David Maranta
Wayne Cheater
Jim Galway
Monty – NEW to the club
plus there were some extra songs by Jim & Wayne, Jack and Kevin

The Mill Race Festival of Traditional Folk Music in Cambridge, ON will feature sing-a-rounds at The South Waterloo Naval Veterans Hall. 30 Cambridge Street (@ Thorne Street) on Saturday July 30 and Sunday July 31 from about 1 pm – about 5:30 pm. The Black Walnut Folk Club will host those on Saturday from 1-3pm, hosted by Don Sawchuk and again on Sunday from 3-4:30pm, hosted by Jakki and Wayne. If you wish to lend a hand or sing along just meet us there. If you want to bring an instrument but don’t want to carry it around all day or leave it in your vehicle, you can deposit it for safekeeping at the the Festival instrument lock-up at the Cambridge Centre for the Arts on Thorne Street.  It is a terrific festival and it is free.

For more info on the festival please check out www.millracefolksociety.com and buy a program. Other BWFC regulars will be involved and performing including Terry Golletz/Zubrivka, and Bob MacLean.

Well folkies, the club is off for the summer until September 16, 2011.
BUT: The eleventh Annual Campfire is on Saturday July 9, 2011. For more info, check your email. If you aren’t on our email list you could call Jim or Irena at 519-699-4520 for more info.

This message from Jakki is important to members of our folk music community. GK was an important member of the Black Walnut Folk Club from way back in the early days. Jakki posted this on Facebook:
“I just received the sad news of the passing of my friend, G.K. (Gail Karen Eckert). She was a singer/songwriter, music teacher, writer, mentor and a lovely woman. She will be missed by many. I’m so glad I got to spend a bit of time with her in the last few weeks. For those of you who knew her, she has some videos on youtube about finding your creativity. Sing with the angels, G.K.!!”

From The Record on May 28,: “GK passed away at Freeport hospital, in Kitchener, on Wednesday, May 25, 2011 at the age of 58. Beloved friend and companion of Byron Leis of Waterloo. Loving sister of Gudrum Reichert of Lucknow and Linda Eckert and Arthur Hutchison of the Yukon. Lovingly remembered by her nieces, nephews and cousins. Predeceased by her parents, John and Berta Eckert. Special thanks to the doctors and staff of Grand River Hospital and Freeport Hospital.
To celebrate GK’s life, a memorial reception will be held in the Fireplace Room of the Erb and Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King Street S. Waterloo on Wednesday, June 1, 2011 where friends and family will be receved from 7-8 p.m. and eulogies shared after 8 p.m. Any expressions of sympathy, donations may be made to the Grand River Hospital Regional Cancer Centre by contacting the funeral home at www.erbgood.com or 519-745-8445.”

The Folk Club for the “second homeless” on the May 24 long-weekend was extremely well attended. Thanks to all who turned out for the show and all who helped set-up, run the production take it all down and take it home at the end of the show.

Jakki Annerino’s six song set started with a solo with self accompanied dulcimer of a traditional “Shady Grove” followed by four of her original songs and closing off with a Keb Mo cover.  Her usual band accompanied on acoustic  and electric guitars.  We put up a photo on the “performers’ pictures” page (Thanks Franki).

Next month the plan is to go back to the all open stage format.  We found that even though Jakki’s songs were short and she finished 6 or 7 minutes early, we could not give everybody who signed up time to play two songs.  Some people who arrived before 8 pm found that the open stage was full and did not get to play at all.

The 17 Open Stage performers (Random order) were: Jay Collins, Jay Linden, Dave Maranta, Dan Hergott, Randy Ouillette, Geoff Lewis, Lynn Kirby, Tom Massiah, Jay Moore, Dan Kearney, Terry Golletz, Jack Guest, Ted Shapiro – NEW, Nathan Few, Scott Abrams, Adam Lang (almost 12 years old!) – NEW, Wayne Cheater (With Jim Galway, Terry Golletz & Dave Maranta)