Geoff and Pennie Harris

Subject: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: GUEST,Ronald
Date: 03 Oct 13 - 02:52 AM

I have got an lp called Mapoles to mistletoe which features among others Geoff and Pennie Harris, does anyone know if they made any other records?

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: The Doctor
Date: 03 Oct 13 - 04:08 AM

The person most likely to know is Martyn Wyndham-Read, who was responsible for Maypoles to Mistletoe, and you can contact him through his website http://www.martynwyndhamread.com/

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: The Sandman
Date: 03 Oct 13 - 04:15 PM

goef harris featured on other recordings, colin cater or howard jones[mudcat member]are likely to know, they were all residents together at chelmsford folk club.nic and julia jones are other possibilites who may know, i am sure GEOFF recorded as a session guitarist for other people.

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: The Sandman
Date: 03 Oct 13 - 04:29 PM

John Kirkpatrick & Sue Harris: Shreds and Patches (Topic 12TS355)         

Shreds and Patches
John Kirkpatrick & Sue Harris

Topic Records 12TS355 (LP, UK, 1977)
Guimbarda GS-11.087 (LP, Spain, 1980)
Topic Records TSDL355 (digital download, UK, March 2010)
        John Kirkpatrick & Sue Harris: Shreds and Patches (Guimbarda GS-11.087)

Recorded by John Gill at Riverside Studios, London, April and July 1977;
Produced by Tony Engle and John Kirkpatrick;
Notes by John Kirkpatrick and Sue Harris;
Design by Tony Engle;
Photography by Bob Naylor
Musicians

John Kirkpatrick, Anglo concertina, bass concertina, melodeon, button accordion, vocals;
Sue Harris, hammered dulcimer, oboe, piano, vocals;
Penny Harris, second hammered dulcimer [3, 8];
Tufty Swift, 4-stop one-row melodeon [3, 12];
Derek Pearce, banjo, bass drum, percussion;
Geoff Harris, guitar

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: GUEST,Howard Jones
Date: 03 Oct 13 - 06:38 PM

In the late 1960s/early 70s Geoff and Pennie were the organisers of Brentwood Folk Club at the Castle, where I first started playing. Pennie was the first hammered dulcimer player I saw. Geoff had been in the Halliard but left when they turned pro and was replaced by Nic Jones.

I'm not aware of them appearing together on any other albums besides the ones GSS has already mentioned, but Pennie contributed dulcimer and vocals to Heather and Royston Woods' album 'No Relation'. Geoff appeared on Suzie Adams and Helen Watson's album 'Songbird'. They don't seem to have made an album in their own right, which is a pity as they were very good.

Last time I saw Geoff, which was a good many years ago, he was living in Dorset and still performing. I have no idea what became of Pennie.

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: GUEST,Ronald
Date: 04 Oct 13 - 02:42 AM

Thanks for the answers all.

I rather liked their songs on the Maypoles to mistletoe album and am, like Howard, surprised they did not made any records in their own right as in the 1970's al lot of folk albums were released. I think the only time I saw a picture of them was in the 1972 Folk directory.

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: treewind
Date: 04 Oct 13 - 03:50 AM

I remember them running the Chelmsford Folk Club about 1975/76 when I lived there. I last saw Geoff a couple of years ago at a Chelmsford Morris anniversary party, still singing then.

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: Nigel Paterson
Date: 04 Oct 13 - 04:46 AM

If you visit nicjones.net, you'll be able to contact Julia Jones. If anyone can help with info about Geoff Harris, she can. Word of warning, Julia is inundated with orders for 'Penguin Eggs', following the recent documentary, so a response might not be immediately forthcoming. I last saw Geoff at Nic's 60th birthday party...he's barely changed a bit since we last sang together at Chelmsford Folk Club, back in the glorious 60s!
                                  Nigel Paterson (Mandolin, The Halliard)

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Oct 13 - 05:09 AM

Thanks Nigel.

I made a mistake, the picture in the Folk directory was not them but Stefan and Liz Sobell.

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: Reinhard
Date: 04 Oct 13 - 07:43 AM

I know of these albums:

Martyn Wyndham-Read, Geoff & Pennie Harris, Arky's Toast: Maypoles to Mistletoe
Trailer Records LER 2092 (LP, UK, 1975)
Trailer Records LERCD 2092 (CD-R, UK, 2002)
w/ Geoff Harris: vocals, guitar
w/ Pennie Harris: vocals

Alistair Anderson: Concertina Workshop
Topic Records / Free Reed 12TFRS501 (LP, UK, 1975)
Free Reed Records FRRR 15 (CD, UK, 2008)
w/ Geoff Harris: guitar

John Kirkpatrick & Sue Harris: Shreds and Patches
Topic Records 12TS355 (LP, UK, 1977)
w/ Geoff Harris: guitar
w/ Penny Harris: second hammered dulcimer

Royston Wood & Heather Wood: No Relation
Transatlantic TRA 342 (LP, UK, 1977)
w/ Pennie Harris: vocals, hammered dulcimer

Sara Grey & Ellie Ellis: A Breath of Fresh Air: Songs&Tunes from North America
Fellside Recordings FE031 (LP, UK, 1982)
w/ Geoff Harris: vocals

Suzie Adams and Helen Watson: Songbird
Dingle's Records DIN 327 (LP, UK, 1983)
w/ Geoff Harris: vocals, guitar

Sara Grey & Ellie Ellis: Making the Air Resound
Fellside Recordings FE039 (LP, UK, 1984)
w/ Geoff Harris: guitar, bass harmonies

The Kipper Family with the New Trunch Coronation Band: The Ever Decreasing Circle
Dambuster Records DAM 012 (LP, UK, 1985)
Dambuster Records DAMCD012 (CD, UK, 2005)
w/ Pennie Harris: hammered dulcimer

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: GUEST,Ronald
Date: 04 Oct 13 - 12:49 PM

Thanks Reinhard

They were asked as session musicians but unfortunately no album of their own.

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: GUEST,Howard Jones
Date: 04 Oct 13 - 02:43 PM

When Geoff and Pennie were performing it was a lot more expensive in real terms to make an album than it is today. You had to be doing a lot of gigging to justify it, otherwise a label probably wouldn't be interested. Geoff had left the Halliard because he didn't want to turn pro. It was probably just too much of a financial risk.

Nowadays with digital recording it is easier both to record and distribute music and everyone's making albums. Back then it was different. There are lots of other fine musicians who were never recorded, at least there are some available of Geoff and Pennie.

I've just remembered another - Geoff is on 'A Right Old Song & Dance', celebrating 40 years of Chelmsford Morris, singing 'Blow the Candles Out'. How could I have overlooked that one?

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: GUEST,raymond greenoaken
Date: 05 Oct 13 - 08:10 AM

I have a cassette recording of them from a mid-70s Folkweave broadcast, doing John Barleycorn, Election Song and Susan's Complaint And Remedy. A class act. They also had, on the evidence here, a charming propensity for bickering on stage.

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: The Sandman
Date: 12 Oct 13 - 02:01 PM

i believe pennie harris was playing a few years ago with ed caines[ticklers jam] in a ceilidh band and some other, i believe she was living in the area east of wickford known as the hanningfields.

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: Mick Tems
Date: 13 Oct 13 - 04:36 AM

I saw Geoff and Pennie at the Valley Folk Club in Pontardawe in the 1970s, where they delivered a beautiful, touching Low Down In The Broom, a song which has remained with me for years.

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: The Sandman
Date: 13 Oct 13 - 07:05 AM

Bickering on stage, correct, however if my memory serves me right, Geoff had a very long fuse, and remained very professional despite much provocation.

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: GUEST,Geoff Harris
Date: 01 Jan 14 - 08:27 AM

Hello World, I think all the albums Pennie and/or I were involved in are mentioned above with the exception of one I played on for Derek and Hazel Serjeant, probably sometime in the eighties, The streams of Lovely Nancy? Also to put the record straight, the reasons I left The Halliard were to personal to do with the early death of my father. Yes bickering on stage was a bit of a thing with us, we even had requests for particular arguments. Karl Dallas once wrote of a performance at a Norwich Festival that our badinage ( a new word to us) was reminiscent of George Burns and Gracie Allen. I then took up smoking the cigar Pennie and I did play together fairly recently at our son Toby's wedding, singing the song that has a chorus, 'Get a little table, get a little chair...etc'. I am quite humbled at the above comments, thank you, and I still play and sing in deepest Dorset.

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: r.padgett
Date: 01 Jan 14 - 12:28 PM

Hi Geoff, yes I well remember the Three Cups and Chelmsford Folk club on Sunday night circa 1974 with you and Lumps of Plum Pudding members like Colin Cater and the first time I sang there (Allan Taylor was guest that night)

You came to Barnsley for a festival later at The Northern College I seem to remember

Making a living at folk music was clearly problematic although you were pretty good then and no doubt better even now

All the best

Ray

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: GUEST,Geoff Harris
Date: 13 Jan 14 - 12:07 PM

Thanks Ray...amazing memories people have. Mine is not so good as I feel in order to put the record (literally) straight , I should mention the last albums I was involved in, a bit of an aberration in my musical career I suppose but very enjoyable. When I was in Wales I played in a skiffle and blues band, originally Midnight Special, later Sportin' Life, I played Tea-chest bass, plus guitar and banjo. We produced the eponymous Midnight Special, and Bottle Up and Go as Sportin' Life. There I think that's it, and it has been and continues to be a helluva lot of fun.
Cheers to you all
Geoff

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: cptsnapper
Date: 14 Jan 14 - 04:13 AM

Hello Geoff

Do you remember taking part in a few programmes that Alex Atterrson hosted on Anglia TV? I sang the Gnome Song whilst in full regalia! George Norris

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: GUEST,Pennie Harris
Date: 24 Jan 14 - 01:34 PM

I will never forget those programs or your rendition of the gnome song!!
Rumour has it that all those 'Sounds of Britain' programs were loaded onto the web by Anglia Teleision, but are not publically available, (only for researchers)

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: Nigel Paterson
Date: 25 Jan 14 - 08:06 AM

If it hadn't been for Geoff Harris, I would never have been introduced to folk music.
If it hadn't been for Geoff Harris, I would never have learned to play claw hammer style guitar.
If it hadn't been for Geoff Harris, I would never have visited Chelmsford Folk Club & become a member of The Halliard.
The early days of my career in Music are almost entirely due to Geoff's friendship, influence, musicianship & enormous patience!
      I don't think I've ever thanked you properly, to your face. So a long overdue THANK YOU!
      I think of you often & wonder in what direction my career might have gone, had we never met.
      With affection,
                            Nigel.

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: Howard Jones
Date: 21 Feb 14 - 06:25 AM

Can I echo Nigel's comments? Geoff and Pennie were both very welcoming to me when I first started at The Castle as a very young and inexperienced floor singer and were a big influence on me.

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: GUEST,Reg Lambert
Date: 20 Sep 14 - 06:21 PM

I went to Chelmsford Folk Club back in the grand Old 60s and new Geoff and Pennie Harris but doubt if they remember me! Great memories of Chelmsford Folk Club.

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: GUEST,John Walker
Date: 12 Sep 16 - 01:50 PM

I have a recording made off the radio - it was a programme recorded by the outstanding Kipper Family. One of the guests was a Pennie Harris who sang a delightful song called the Weather in Wapping. It is one of my favourite tunes in my collection. Is this the same Pennie Harris?

Subject: RE: Geoff and Pennie Harris
From: Tony Rees
Date: 10 Mar 24 - 02:38 PM

Hi all, just in case of interest, I uploaded this pic from Norwich Festival 1977 to the Wikimedia Commons image repository, freely available for re-use if desired (just an acknowledgement needed):

John & Sue Kirkpatrick with Geoff & Pennie Harris, Norwich

I am presuming that at least some of the material corresponded to that recorded on John & Sue's 1977 album "Threads and Patches", see discogs entry for that release...

Regards to all - Tony