Steve Freedman
I've been singing on and off - in the bath, at clubs
and festivals - since the late seventies and perform a wide variety of material.
When I sing, I enjoy myself and I like the audience to do the same and a roomful
of people singing harmonies is …er… music to my ears.
I have a powerful voice and sing shanties, drinking songs and other choruses,
but also other types including ballads, comic songs and love songs. I play
the melodeon and have been known to dance Yorkshire Longsword and Cotswold
Morris with the Southport Swords.
When I'm not singing (and, indeed, sometimes when I am) I teach and I also run a Royal Naval Cadet unit. My association with water goes back many years (and not just singing in the bath) - I have sailed in craft of all sizes from single-handed dinghies to square rigged ships; sea songs and shanties make up a substantial part of my repertoire. I won the inaugural Bromyard Schantieman competition in 1993 (or thereabouts) and performed at the Mersey Shanty Festival in June 2000 2001 and 2002. I am a member of the Shellback Chorus.
I can also run workshops on various aspects of folk song - in particular shanties & sea songs and how they were used and aspects of industrial history. These can be tailored to adults or schoolchildren and can involve audience participation!
To contact me: e-mail to songs@sjfreedman.co.uk
Click to go to the Bothy Folk Club home page