David Kidman - Singer (Song Carrier)
David is a revival singer performing solo and unaccompanied, within what can loosely be termed the folk tradition.
However, unlike many solo singers on the folk circuit, he sings a really broad cross-section of material, his personal philosophy being that a good song is a good song and worth singing – provided that he can do it justice in accordance with the song’s message.
One feature of his broad repertoire is the employment of creative (sometimes thematic) juxtapositions; another is the judicious interspersing of traditional with more modern songs… rousing choruses with gentler, more thoughtful or reflective pieces, while not neglecting fun items and occasional parodies (some of his own devising!).
A distinct advantage of his breadth of repertoire is to be able to offer a greater choice with the potential presentation of a number of different themed sets. One of his specialities is the songs of the late great Yorkshire songwriter Keith Marsden. Another speciality is the Maritime Set, with a wide choice of material for performance at events such as maritime festivals (these embracing a wide range of shanties and forebitters together with songs of related subject-matter and even some maritime verse if required). He also recently developed (for Ilkley Literature Festival) an original programme Yearbook 365:360 (aka Following The Seasons Round), a recital which ranges songs and verse across the year's calendar.
As a result of recent demand (and "before the voice disintegrates with old age and atrophy"!), he has (at long last) recorded and released a full-length CD, Songs Worth The Singing, which contains 18 songs that constitute a representative selection of his regular repertoire. It's available direct from David at gigs or sessions, or by contacting him via the form below, or from the Editor of Folk London magazine (www.folklondon.co.uk/cds). All being well, some tracks will be available for access from the Home Page of this website in due course. Watch that space..!
One track (Beeswing) was played on the 5th February 2017 edition of the Along The Tracks internet radio show hosted by Fatea magazine's editor Neil King (still available on Mixcloud, at https://www.mixcloud.com/AlongTheTracks/along-the-tracks-show-240/. A further track (A Penny For The Ploughboys) was then played on the 26th February edition, which is also still available on Mixcloud at https://www.mixcloud.com/AlongTheTracks/along-the-tracks-show-243/. This track was also subsequently played on James Fagan's Thank Goodness It's Folk! show on Sheffield Live FM on 27th September 2019.
A different track (Mandalay) received airplay on Ange Hardy & Rob Swan's marvellous Folk Findings internet radio show on www.bluesandrootsradio.com on the January 2018 edition (Episode 17) - Mandalay was the final item on the programme, which is available to listen on Mixcloud at https://www.mixcloud.com/FolkFindings/.
Two different reviews of the Songs Worth The Singing CD appeared during 2017 on Fatea magazine's website: first in March, at http://www.fatea-records.co.uk/magazine/reviews/DavidKidman/, and then subsequently, in April, when it was reviewed by Ange Hardy and Rob Swan, at http://www.fatea-records.co.uk/magazine/reviews/DavidKidman2/.
A nice review then appeared in the Summer 2017 issue (#184) of Folk Roundabout magazine, then another even nicer review (by Kevin Loughran) appeared in Tykes' News magazine (Autumn 2017 issue). The Living Tradition magazine carried a review in issue 119 (June/July 2017). Finally, another piece appeared on the website "reviews extra" section of Stirrings magazine issue #171 (however, this is no longer archived there due to the magazine's demise).
David performed four songs live on air when guesting on Tony Haynes' FAB (Folk & Blues) radio show on Tempo FM, Wetherby on 20th June 2018. This broadcast can be heard at https://www.mixcloud.com/tonyhaynes52/fab-folk-and-blues-20th-june-2018/
David has also been developing a separate but complementary repertoire in a performing collaboration with another singer... while also remaining open to suggestions and recommendations!
However, during the current "virtual" climate, David has been exploring the potential of Zoom to perform, in direct "live" collaboration with fellow-singers scattered across the globe, "zouet" conversation-songs or sequential songs.
Here is a testimonial to the power of David's live performances:
In April (2014) I had the very good fortune of having David Kidman come and sing a wonderful set of songs at the 'Roots and Acoustic Gigs at the White Lion’ in Sheffield. These Sunday afternoon concerts have become very popular because of the high standard of the acts, which is always commented on by the audience. When someone suggested I put on an unaccompanied singer for a forty minute spot, though, I admit I initially had some reservations. But I’d seen David performing a half-hour set last year, so I thought, nothing ventured, nothing gained, let’s give it a go. And a gain it most certainly was! For David definitely proved his skill over the longer timespan by putting together a satisfying set that really held the audience’s attention.
David sings a great variety of material, from Richard Thompson to Chumbawamba, contemporary to traditional, old favourites to lesser known songs, all delivered with energy and verve. There were plenty of choruses to sing along to and poignant, thought provoking and even humorous songs too.
David also has great communication with the audience, a commodity few possess.
He’s back on the list for a future spot at the White Lion, which we’re all looking forward to.
Highly recommended! (Shaun Hutch, organiser of Roots and Acoustic Gigs at the White Lion, Sheffield)
Equally typical of the feedback David regularly gains are the following comments:
"David, with his honest and unpretentious performance, sings from the heart, bringing warmth and tenderness to a song." (Belinda O'Hooley)
"Many thanks ... for your well considered and insightful performance of Summon up the Sun!" (Mike O'Connor)
"As a singer, David has a wide range of material garnered from his extensive knowledge of the field. Where others might attempt to impress with volume or technical ability, David goes one better (not for lack of either of the aforementioned, I might add): he puts plenty of emotion into the performance, and not in a general or haphazard sense either, but with surgical precision helped by a deep study of both lyrics and tune." (George Papavgeris)
"David chooses great songs - sung with clarity and a heartfelt delivery."
(Dave Cowan & Marjorie Paterson, Fyrish)
"David's love and deep understanding for the folk tradition shines through in (his) song choice and fervent vocal style ... (his) talent is getting to the heart of things, that's what makes (him) not only a good singer and interpreter of songs but a good reviewer as well." (Pamela Wyn Shannon)
“Personally I was really impressed by the way he drew the audience into his set, and even those not known for their love of traditional music were captivated.” (Richard Millard, erstwhile Acoustic Rotherham organiser)
David has performed well-received concert sets at a number of folk festivals and special events, as well as key support slots for While & Matthews and The Poozies, while radio appearances to date include BBC’s North Yorkshire Folk and The Durbervilles’ Radio Leeds show, and Drystone FM. He has also contributed to Tony Haynes' FAB Folk & Blues Show (formerly on Vale Radio digital, now on Tempo FM, with back-editions archived on Mixcloud (https://www.mixcloud.com/tonyhaynes52/).
Since 2011 David has also branched out into the field of special themed presentations. Firstly there was From Both Sides, an entertaining yet thought-provoking 90-minute sequence of songs and verse on the theme of conflict, which he performed in collaborative partnership with West Yorkshire poet Jim Saville; this received further performances, in a revised and expanded form, in September and October 2014. Secondly, there was a full evening concert built around the songs of the late great Yorkshire songwriter Keith Marsden, which was commissioned by Morley Folk Club for the 20th anniversary of Keith's death in 2011.
A second collaborative venture in partnership with Jim Saville - Maritime Miscellany, which intersperses songs and verse on maritime themes - was first performed at the Ilkley Literature Festival in October 2013, then given in expanded form at The Commercial, Cleckheaton in January 2014 and at Whitby SeaFest in July 2014.
The third show in the series, Those Coal Town Days (on a mining theme), was premiered at Crookes Folk Club, Sheffield in June 2015, and subsequently performed and well-received, at Ilkley Literature Festival in October 2015. A further successful staging took place in August 2017 at Wath upon Dearne's Raising The Rafters Folk Club.
A tentative "pilot" shorter sequence on the theme of Flight took place at Mirfield Arts Festival in July 2017.
Further song-and-verse sequences built around specific themes (including Work and Industry) are also in preparation.
Indeed, any of the above themed presentations will prove refreshingly different inclusions for the programmes of mixed-media events such as Literature and Arts Festivals as well as being ideal for the folk-festival circuit.
For publicity purposes, the collaboration between David and Jim now goes under the name of "Yorkshire Troubadours"...
In 2018 David also devised and performed two well-received themed solo recitals, mixing song and verse. In Bloom was premiered at Mirfield Arts Festival in July, then Yearbook 365:360 (the changing seasons) was performed at Ilkley Literature Festival fringe.
Another of David's song ventures, a one-off teaming with fellow-singer Tina McKevitt, was all-too-short-lived. They made their stage debut in the duo incarnation, under the name Both Sides Now, at 2011's 19th Nature's World Folk Festival (Acklam), with a further outing at the "Acoustic Rotherham 12" showcase at the end of July. Both appearances were really well received, and judged artistically satisfying, with the beginnings of a healthy "occasional" duo repertoire in the offing; but unfortunately, David and Tina had to abandon any former plans to sing together in the future due to Tina's many other commitments.
David continued to explore further collaborations with other singers for performance on an occasional basis. He teamed up with Hartlepool-based singer Kay De'Ath (under the stage name Dead Yak Van) to perform a set of mining songs at 2012's Nature's World Folk Festival and again at the Dorman's Folk Festival in July 2014.
A more recent collaboration with fine Yorkshire-based singer Lynne Edmondson has resulted in a healthy number of shared bookings and some very positive feedback thus far. You can find a gig trailer and live track on Ken Hudson's Roving Folk radio programme on Phoenix FM (available at http://www.phoenixfm.co.uk/podcasts-roving-folk). More shared (and repeat) bookings are in the offing. Fingers crossed...
You can find two commercially-available (solo) performances by David on the 2013 Cold Spring compilation CD set Dark Britannica 3 (subtitled Hail Be You Sovereigns, Lief And Dear): these are of Summon Up The Sun (by Mike O'Connor) and The Green Man (by Cloudstreet's John Thompson). More information at www.coldspring.co.uk.
You can find some November 2012 recordings of David performing songs for Terry Helyar's Songs From The Caravan project, at the website www.songsfromthecaravan.org.
Until fairly recently, it was possible to hear an audio clip of David's singing at the website www.jmucreate.com (on the player on the Acoustic Rotherham tab), but this is now inoperative and the site itself revamped. Other sound clips, formerly available on the original Barnsley Folk & Acoustic MySpace website, have now also been archived and, it is understood, may reappear on the club's revised website at some point in the future.
David is currently examining possibilities for joining one of the music-hosting websites, choice to be made after taking advice from fellow-performers if this is forthcoming. Hopefully this will enable more of his music to be available online.
For a list of upcoming singing engagements please see Appearances page.
David is available for bookings, either for specialist events such as maritime festivals or literary/arts festivals or more general club or folk festival concert sets, or for fundraising events.
Use the contact form below to discuss specific requirements.
However, unlike many solo singers on the folk circuit, he sings a really broad cross-section of material, his personal philosophy being that a good song is a good song and worth singing – provided that he can do it justice in accordance with the song’s message.
One feature of his broad repertoire is the employment of creative (sometimes thematic) juxtapositions; another is the judicious interspersing of traditional with more modern songs… rousing choruses with gentler, more thoughtful or reflective pieces, while not neglecting fun items and occasional parodies (some of his own devising!).
A distinct advantage of his breadth of repertoire is to be able to offer a greater choice with the potential presentation of a number of different themed sets. One of his specialities is the songs of the late great Yorkshire songwriter Keith Marsden. Another speciality is the Maritime Set, with a wide choice of material for performance at events such as maritime festivals (these embracing a wide range of shanties and forebitters together with songs of related subject-matter and even some maritime verse if required). He also recently developed (for Ilkley Literature Festival) an original programme Yearbook 365:360 (aka Following The Seasons Round), a recital which ranges songs and verse across the year's calendar.
As a result of recent demand (and "before the voice disintegrates with old age and atrophy"!), he has (at long last) recorded and released a full-length CD, Songs Worth The Singing, which contains 18 songs that constitute a representative selection of his regular repertoire. It's available direct from David at gigs or sessions, or by contacting him via the form below, or from the Editor of Folk London magazine (www.folklondon.co.uk/cds). All being well, some tracks will be available for access from the Home Page of this website in due course. Watch that space..!
One track (Beeswing) was played on the 5th February 2017 edition of the Along The Tracks internet radio show hosted by Fatea magazine's editor Neil King (still available on Mixcloud, at https://www.mixcloud.com/AlongTheTracks/along-the-tracks-show-240/. A further track (A Penny For The Ploughboys) was then played on the 26th February edition, which is also still available on Mixcloud at https://www.mixcloud.com/AlongTheTracks/along-the-tracks-show-243/. This track was also subsequently played on James Fagan's Thank Goodness It's Folk! show on Sheffield Live FM on 27th September 2019.
A different track (Mandalay) received airplay on Ange Hardy & Rob Swan's marvellous Folk Findings internet radio show on www.bluesandrootsradio.com on the January 2018 edition (Episode 17) - Mandalay was the final item on the programme, which is available to listen on Mixcloud at https://www.mixcloud.com/FolkFindings/.
Two different reviews of the Songs Worth The Singing CD appeared during 2017 on Fatea magazine's website: first in March, at http://www.fatea-records.co.uk/magazine/reviews/DavidKidman/, and then subsequently, in April, when it was reviewed by Ange Hardy and Rob Swan, at http://www.fatea-records.co.uk/magazine/reviews/DavidKidman2/.
A nice review then appeared in the Summer 2017 issue (#184) of Folk Roundabout magazine, then another even nicer review (by Kevin Loughran) appeared in Tykes' News magazine (Autumn 2017 issue). The Living Tradition magazine carried a review in issue 119 (June/July 2017). Finally, another piece appeared on the website "reviews extra" section of Stirrings magazine issue #171 (however, this is no longer archived there due to the magazine's demise).
David performed four songs live on air when guesting on Tony Haynes' FAB (Folk & Blues) radio show on Tempo FM, Wetherby on 20th June 2018. This broadcast can be heard at https://www.mixcloud.com/tonyhaynes52/fab-folk-and-blues-20th-june-2018/
David has also been developing a separate but complementary repertoire in a performing collaboration with another singer... while also remaining open to suggestions and recommendations!
However, during the current "virtual" climate, David has been exploring the potential of Zoom to perform, in direct "live" collaboration with fellow-singers scattered across the globe, "zouet" conversation-songs or sequential songs.
Here is a testimonial to the power of David's live performances:
In April (2014) I had the very good fortune of having David Kidman come and sing a wonderful set of songs at the 'Roots and Acoustic Gigs at the White Lion’ in Sheffield. These Sunday afternoon concerts have become very popular because of the high standard of the acts, which is always commented on by the audience. When someone suggested I put on an unaccompanied singer for a forty minute spot, though, I admit I initially had some reservations. But I’d seen David performing a half-hour set last year, so I thought, nothing ventured, nothing gained, let’s give it a go. And a gain it most certainly was! For David definitely proved his skill over the longer timespan by putting together a satisfying set that really held the audience’s attention.
David sings a great variety of material, from Richard Thompson to Chumbawamba, contemporary to traditional, old favourites to lesser known songs, all delivered with energy and verve. There were plenty of choruses to sing along to and poignant, thought provoking and even humorous songs too.
David also has great communication with the audience, a commodity few possess.
He’s back on the list for a future spot at the White Lion, which we’re all looking forward to.
Highly recommended! (Shaun Hutch, organiser of Roots and Acoustic Gigs at the White Lion, Sheffield)
Equally typical of the feedback David regularly gains are the following comments:
"David, with his honest and unpretentious performance, sings from the heart, bringing warmth and tenderness to a song." (Belinda O'Hooley)
"Many thanks ... for your well considered and insightful performance of Summon up the Sun!" (Mike O'Connor)
"As a singer, David has a wide range of material garnered from his extensive knowledge of the field. Where others might attempt to impress with volume or technical ability, David goes one better (not for lack of either of the aforementioned, I might add): he puts plenty of emotion into the performance, and not in a general or haphazard sense either, but with surgical precision helped by a deep study of both lyrics and tune." (George Papavgeris)
"David chooses great songs - sung with clarity and a heartfelt delivery."
(Dave Cowan & Marjorie Paterson, Fyrish)
"David's love and deep understanding for the folk tradition shines through in (his) song choice and fervent vocal style ... (his) talent is getting to the heart of things, that's what makes (him) not only a good singer and interpreter of songs but a good reviewer as well." (Pamela Wyn Shannon)
“Personally I was really impressed by the way he drew the audience into his set, and even those not known for their love of traditional music were captivated.” (Richard Millard, erstwhile Acoustic Rotherham organiser)
David has performed well-received concert sets at a number of folk festivals and special events, as well as key support slots for While & Matthews and The Poozies, while radio appearances to date include BBC’s North Yorkshire Folk and The Durbervilles’ Radio Leeds show, and Drystone FM. He has also contributed to Tony Haynes' FAB Folk & Blues Show (formerly on Vale Radio digital, now on Tempo FM, with back-editions archived on Mixcloud (https://www.mixcloud.com/tonyhaynes52/).
Since 2011 David has also branched out into the field of special themed presentations. Firstly there was From Both Sides, an entertaining yet thought-provoking 90-minute sequence of songs and verse on the theme of conflict, which he performed in collaborative partnership with West Yorkshire poet Jim Saville; this received further performances, in a revised and expanded form, in September and October 2014. Secondly, there was a full evening concert built around the songs of the late great Yorkshire songwriter Keith Marsden, which was commissioned by Morley Folk Club for the 20th anniversary of Keith's death in 2011.
A second collaborative venture in partnership with Jim Saville - Maritime Miscellany, which intersperses songs and verse on maritime themes - was first performed at the Ilkley Literature Festival in October 2013, then given in expanded form at The Commercial, Cleckheaton in January 2014 and at Whitby SeaFest in July 2014.
The third show in the series, Those Coal Town Days (on a mining theme), was premiered at Crookes Folk Club, Sheffield in June 2015, and subsequently performed and well-received, at Ilkley Literature Festival in October 2015. A further successful staging took place in August 2017 at Wath upon Dearne's Raising The Rafters Folk Club.
A tentative "pilot" shorter sequence on the theme of Flight took place at Mirfield Arts Festival in July 2017.
Further song-and-verse sequences built around specific themes (including Work and Industry) are also in preparation.
Indeed, any of the above themed presentations will prove refreshingly different inclusions for the programmes of mixed-media events such as Literature and Arts Festivals as well as being ideal for the folk-festival circuit.
For publicity purposes, the collaboration between David and Jim now goes under the name of "Yorkshire Troubadours"...
In 2018 David also devised and performed two well-received themed solo recitals, mixing song and verse. In Bloom was premiered at Mirfield Arts Festival in July, then Yearbook 365:360 (the changing seasons) was performed at Ilkley Literature Festival fringe.
Another of David's song ventures, a one-off teaming with fellow-singer Tina McKevitt, was all-too-short-lived. They made their stage debut in the duo incarnation, under the name Both Sides Now, at 2011's 19th Nature's World Folk Festival (Acklam), with a further outing at the "Acoustic Rotherham 12" showcase at the end of July. Both appearances were really well received, and judged artistically satisfying, with the beginnings of a healthy "occasional" duo repertoire in the offing; but unfortunately, David and Tina had to abandon any former plans to sing together in the future due to Tina's many other commitments.
David continued to explore further collaborations with other singers for performance on an occasional basis. He teamed up with Hartlepool-based singer Kay De'Ath (under the stage name Dead Yak Van) to perform a set of mining songs at 2012's Nature's World Folk Festival and again at the Dorman's Folk Festival in July 2014.
A more recent collaboration with fine Yorkshire-based singer Lynne Edmondson has resulted in a healthy number of shared bookings and some very positive feedback thus far. You can find a gig trailer and live track on Ken Hudson's Roving Folk radio programme on Phoenix FM (available at http://www.phoenixfm.co.uk/podcasts-roving-folk). More shared (and repeat) bookings are in the offing. Fingers crossed...
You can find two commercially-available (solo) performances by David on the 2013 Cold Spring compilation CD set Dark Britannica 3 (subtitled Hail Be You Sovereigns, Lief And Dear): these are of Summon Up The Sun (by Mike O'Connor) and The Green Man (by Cloudstreet's John Thompson). More information at www.coldspring.co.uk.
You can find some November 2012 recordings of David performing songs for Terry Helyar's Songs From The Caravan project, at the website www.songsfromthecaravan.org.
Until fairly recently, it was possible to hear an audio clip of David's singing at the website www.jmucreate.com (on the player on the Acoustic Rotherham tab), but this is now inoperative and the site itself revamped. Other sound clips, formerly available on the original Barnsley Folk & Acoustic MySpace website, have now also been archived and, it is understood, may reappear on the club's revised website at some point in the future.
David is currently examining possibilities for joining one of the music-hosting websites, choice to be made after taking advice from fellow-performers if this is forthcoming. Hopefully this will enable more of his music to be available online.
For a list of upcoming singing engagements please see Appearances page.
David is available for bookings, either for specialist events such as maritime festivals or literary/arts festivals or more general club or folk festival concert sets, or for fundraising events.
Use the contact form below to discuss specific requirements.
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