Jo and I are having breakfast with Judi Dench - no, this is not a dream! - and talking about what we've got planned for the day. Our friend, who invited the three of us to stay over with him after my concert the night before, is going to work at his wildlife centre. Jo, once we drive back to Cambridge from the other side of London, is teaching. Judi and I, as it turns out, have the same task on our schedule. Interviews. In Judi's case she will be in residence in a posh hotel while the international media come to her, one at a time, to ask about her latest film. It will be an exhilarating and exhausting all-day affair with lots of fanfare, handlers and, I imagine, champagne. What will yours be like, she asks. I take a minute to reply. Mine will be a little more low-key, I begin. A lone Zoom chat in my office/studio. There will be no fanfare, no handlers and definitely no champagne, though I will undoubtedly make myself a cup of tea. But I can guarantee that the conversation - or the ‘craic’ (pronounced ‘crack’) as the Irish say - will be fabulous. It reminds me of another time that the ‘craic’ was fabulous. I was playing at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, Massachusetts (my former USA hometown) with a Trad Irish band. It was one of those ‘double’ gigs. Little ol' me solo acoustic for the 7pm show and a lovely Trad Irish band for the 10pm show. Though we'd never met before, turns out we knew many of the same people and played lots of the same gigs. What a fine, small world it is, one of them said with a distinctly Father Ted lilt. The pre-show time flew by and before I knew it I was heading to the stage with the band's well-wishes ringing in my ears. I told the audience that those staying for the 2nd show were in for a great time as I'd just met the band and the ‘craic' was great. The minute the words left my mouth I realised 99% of the audience would not know the word ‘craic’ and would, instead hear it as ‘crack’, as in crack cocaine. In the pregnant silence that followed, I knew 99% of the audience were waiting for clarity.
(photo Jo Hurwitz Williams)
BROOKS' ACOUSTIC IS HERE!
Be the first to get a copy of Brooks' Acoustic, a collection of songs (including a Rab Noakes gem that Rab never got the opportunity to record). Set in an all-acoustic singer-songwriter universe with touches of percussion and backing vocals, the recording shines like crystal and the ten tracks beg for a repeat performance after the first listen. Get your CD or DOWNLOAD. You will literally be the first!
(design by Leslie Lee)
BROOKS' ACOUSTIC SOLO TOUR (Part One)
January 2026
17th-18th Guitar Workshop, Maldon, Essex
24th Concert, Newport, South Wales
February 2026
6th Cambridge Folk Club, Cambridge
7th Cafe No. 9, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
8th Old School Hall, Armathwaite, Carlisle, Cumbria
10th Fougou Music, Livermead Cliff Hotel, Torbay, Devon
13th Roots Music Club, Brewery Tap, Doncaster
14th Canopy Theatre, Beccles, Suffolk
19th Concert, Edinburgh Scotland
20th The Book Tree, Pickering, North Yorkshire
22nd Lazy Sonnie Afternoon, Son en Breugel The Netherlands
23rd Midnight Special Blues, The Cabin, Camberley, Surrey
27th Folk At The Fox, Bulmer Tye, Sudbury
(photo Oren B. Helbok)
BLUESDELUXE INTERVIEW
Listen to Brooks' conversation with John Guregian, Blues Music Director at WUML 91.5FM in Lowell, Massachusetts. The two sat down together (virtually) a couple days before Christmas for a chat about beginnings, roots, and blues, both then and now. Listen to/Watch the full unedited conversation on YouTube.
NEWSY NEWS
Fans of Brooks & Aaron Catlow will be pleased to know that their WORKING IN WOOD CD Launch Tour (part one) begins 1st March 2026. Read all the nitty gritty.
(photo by Theo Looijmans)
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