Ma Polaine's Great Decline + Mark Harrison

Doors: 8pm-12am
Entry Price: £5 Advance/£7 Door
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MA POLAINE’S GREAT DECLINE

Taking inspiration from the 1940’s jazz of Billie Holiday, the delta blues of Howlin’ Wolf and the genre sidestepping of Tom Waits, and with some good old-fashioned life experience, Ma Polaine’s Great Decline is a creative collection of songs that move from foot tapping abandon to subtle intensity.

The music has been performed in London’s finest intimate venues, recently sent further via The Home Spun Show podcast, and beyond that on the Great Mini Tour of the South West. The lyrics cover veiled tales of love, the joys & pains of the music world, and are told with melodic invention and an emotive vocal, all backed by gritty blues harp, a horn section from somewhere between Stax and vaudeville, accordion, guitar, piano, double bass and drums.

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MARK HARRISON

Mark Harrison’s highly individual songs have been attracting a lot of attention since he launched himself on the London music scene in 2010. He takes elements of blues and folk, adding his own twist to produce something totally original. His music, with its memorable tunes and strong and compelling rhythms, has been going down very well with audiences of all kinds and ages.

Mark’s songs cover a wide range of non-standard themes, from observations of the way we live today to imaginings of the era of the early blues greats. They all have something to say or a story to tell. They’ll make you move, make you think, make you smile. Mark is an adept rhythmic finger-picker and slide player, with a very distinctive style and sound. He plays a 1934 National resonator guitar and a 12-string guitar.

‘Wonderful rootsy blues’ (Jazz FM)

‘Rich and charming songs …. gasp-inducing virtuosity’ (Classic Rock The Blues)