THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT
Les Cousins: The Soundtrack of Soho’s Legendary Folk & Blues Club
Three-cd boxset, Strawberry, CRJAM3BOX21
The basement at No 49 Greek Street in Soho, London had once echoed to the sound of the DIY craze of skiffle. When the premises became a French restaurant, there was space to spare that became Les Cousins Club Continental, opening on Sunday 4 October 1964, featuring all-night live music performances of folk and blues.
Here, traditional folk musicians and singers happily rubbed shoulders with contemporary troubadours. Unaccompanied singers such as the Watersons and AL “Bert” Lloyd were among the favourites, while new talents such as Sandy Denny, Nick Drake, John Martyn and Strawbs made their presence felt.
Innovators including the Incredible
String Band, Dr Strangely Strange and the Third Ear Band found an audience for their music, while the likes of Bert Jansch and John Renbourn dazzled with their skilful performances. Old-school blues artists such as Alexis Korner and Long John Baldry interpreted the blues, alongside the amazing young talent of Jo Ann Kelly.
The club was favoured by visiting performers from the US, represented here with Paul Simon’s solo version of I Am a Rock and Tim Hardin’s If I Was a Carpenter.
The stage area was tiny at Les Cousins and was suited to solo artists or small groups. By the time the club closed its doors in April 1972, some of the musicians had formed bands that would not have fitted in there in any shape or form.
The Shamrock Spitfire
Digital/dvd, 101 Films
While Ireland declared itself neutral in World War Two, there were young individuals who chose to fight for Britain and the story of an acknowledged hero is honoured in this feature based on the true-life story of Brendan “Paddy” Finucane.
Finucane was one of the first Irishmen to volunteer with his ambition to fly with the RAF, despite the concerns of his Irish rebel father, doting English mother and young sweetheart. Following some early hesitation that he might not have what it takes to become a successful pilot, Finucane soon becomes as one with his speedy Spitfire, racking up hits on enemy aircraft through skilful flying and battle tactics. No one likes to mention “the luck of the Irish”, but a distinctive Shamrock emblem is painted on the side of his steed as he goes on to distinguish himself in the Battle of Britain.
Shane O’regan is superb in the lead role as our “Boy’s Own” hero, an experienced head on young shoulders who gets on with any task asked of him. Given a squadron of boisterous Australian airmen to knock into shape, Finucane doesn’t go for the stiff upper lip, shouty Raf-style leadership but relishes in becoming one of the boys, earning their respect and sharing the ups and downs of wartime experiences as comrades in arms.
Writer/director brother team Dominic and Ian Higgins have chosen a traditional war story approach while making the most of contemporary film techniques to bring the action sequences alive with a dramatic burst of Gustav Holst’s Mars, The Bringer of War just in case you hadn’t realised what it was all about.