Gig History

1980

Solo gigs.

Duo gigs with Martin Carthy, expanding to make a trio with trumpeter Howard Evans from September onwards.

Some duo gigs with Sue Harris, and the continuing Umps & Dumps, including festival appearances at Lacock & Chippenham, Bracknell, Loughborough, Towersey, and Crewe & Nantwich.

Touring with Richard & Linda Thompson’s Band, including an appearance at The Cambridge Festival, later televised.

TV spot as a member of The Albion Band on “Pebble Mill At One”, and one or two other Albion Band gigs.

First of many solo appearances before a London studio audience on Richard Digance’s live radio show for Capital Radio. Played with Mr Digance on a few songs.

1981

Solo gigs, including a tour of Belgium.

JK makes regular appearances as the “ceremonial musician” for The Victoria Theatre in North Staffordshire over the next few years, contributing to various events connected with the building of the new theatre.

Some gigs with Richard & Linda Thompson’s Band, including a TV appearance (“A Little Night Music”) and a festival appearance in Switzerland as a trio.

Numerous gigs in the trio with Martin Carthy & Howard Evans, including Cropredy Festival, Farnham Folk Day, and Lewes Folk Day.

First experimental appearance of the five-piece version of this band on just a couple of gigs, with Martin Brinsford and Roger Williams.

Umps & Dumps continues, including a festival appearance at Fylde.

Gigs in the duo with Sue Harris, including Stainsby Festival.

1982

Solo gigs, including a tour and a separate trip (to the Tall Ships Festival) in Brittany.

Band member for Richard & Linda Thompson’s last gig together, in Sheffield in July.

Gigs with the trio with Martin Carthy and Howard Evans, including festivals at Luton, Edinburgh, and Lisdoonvarna in Ireland.

The full five-piece band Brass Monkey unleashes itself in its full glory with its full title – Carthy, Kirkpatrick, Evans, Brinsford, & Williams.

Umps & Dumps play a couple of times.

Gigs in the duo with Sue Harris, including festival spots at Crawley, The Wrekin, and Ludlow Folk Day.

First gigs in a duo with Roy Bailey, in a tour of Belgium.

Deputised for Tim Laycock for a week, playing in the pit in The National Theatre’s productions of “The Beggar’s Opera” and “Soldier Schweyk”.

Provided live songs and music to illustrate a programme on stage about the life of John Clare – “Honest John” – at The Victoria Theatre, North Staffs.

1983

Solo gigs.

Gigs with the Richard Thompson Band, including Cropredy festival and a spot on BBC TV’s Pebble Mill At One.

Single concert version of Peter Bellamy’s The Transports at The Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, with JK singing the narrator’s part and leading a special four-piece band playing his new arrangements. Cast of thousands, including Mr Bellamy himself, directed by Mike Bettison.

Gigs with the trio with Martin Carthy and Howard Evans, including festival spots at The Wrekin and Pontardawe, and a month long tour in the USA and Canada.

Brass Monkey clocks up more gigs, including one or two as a four-piece, and a three week tour of the Far East for The British Council – one week each in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka.

A few gigs in the duo with Sue Harris, including festival spots at Holmfirth.

Tour of Holland and Belgium in the duo with Roy Bailey.

Last regular gigs with Umps & Dumps.

1984

Solo gigs, including Whitby Folk Week.

Gigs in the duo with Roy Bailey, including a tour of Belgium and Holland, and the first official English gigs.

First full extensive English tour by Brass Monkey, with Richard Cheetham replacing Roger Williams for the next few years. Festival appearances at Farnham Folk Day, The Purcell Room, and Fylde, and a ten day trip to Canada and the USA, including festivals at Winnipeg and Vancouver.

A couple of folk club gigs in the duo with Martin Carthy, plus a month’s tour as a duo in the USA and Canada.

Specially commissioned one-off concert at The Victoria Theatre, North Staffordshire, playing at least half the material jointly with Alistair Anderson.

JK also provided music and song on stage for two special shows at the theatre – one about architecture (!) and another about the folk song collector Alfred Williams.

A handful of gigs with Sue Harris.

JK is a dance caller for hire, with gigs at Fairlands Ale in Somerset, at Newick in Sussex, at Wimborne Festival, and elsewhere, including a couple of ceilidhs with Flowers and Frolics.

1985

Solo gigs, including some dance calling, with festival appearances at Shrewsbury, Sutton Bonington, Chester, and Whitby, plus two trips to France, including La Boueze Festival, and a trip to Holland.

Eight date tour of small venues in a duo with Richard Thompson.

A few duo gigs with Martin Carthy, including a month’s tour in the USA and Canada. The trio with Martin Carthy & Howard Evans does a short tour in Germany.

Brass Monkey does a few gigs, including Beverley festival.

Duo gigs with Roy Bailey, including a tour in Belgium and Holland.

A small number of gigs with Sue Harris, including Towersey festival.

A one-off radio spot by Umps & Dumps.

JK is Band leader, musical director, and one of the singers in Taffy Thomas’ production of Bob Pegg’s “The Shipbuilder”, an open-air community project staged for a week on the banks of the Firth of Forth in Edinburgh.

Ten day tour of Germany and Austria in a trio with David Thomas – the lead singer with “avant garage” pop group Pere Ubu – on vocals and occasional melodeon, JK on button accordion, and Chris Cutler on drums.

1986

Solo gigs, including Whitby Folk Week, the week-long Shetland Festival, and a month-long tour of New Zealand.

At the opening ceremony of The New Victoria Theatre in North Staffordshire, JK is the first person to step onto the stage.

Brass Monkey do a spring tour, plus a spot at Cropredy festival.

A couple of gigs each in the duos with Martin Carthy and Roy Bailey.

Loads of gigs with The Richard Thompson Band, including a two-month tour of the USA and Canada, and English dates, including Cropredy Festival. RT, Clive Gregson, Christine Collister, Ruari McFarlane, Gerry Conway, and JK.

Also, a week long tour of small venues as a duo with Richard Thompson.

Small number of gigs with Sue Harris, including Festivals at Sidmouth and Sutton Bonington, and a single last ever appearance of Umps & Dumps at Kendal Folk Festival.

1987

Solo gigs, including a festival spot at Glastonbury, and tours in France, and the USA and Canada.

Single festival spot in the trio with David Thomas at Grenoble, France.

Gigs with The Richard Thompson Band, including festivals at Glastonbury, Cambridge, and Cropredy, plus one day in Finland, and a week in Japan.

Secret duo gig at Richard’s sister’s wedding party!

Brass Monkey make a single appearance at Bracknell Festival– their last gig for seven years.

Occasional duo gigs with Roy Bailey, and with Martin Carthy.

Handful of gigs with Sue Harris.

One gig at Nettlebed folk club in a duo with Roger Watson.

The Transports – Taffy Thomas directs a big new version for The Portsmouth Arts Festival in a ten-day run. JK re-arranges his 1983 re-scoring of Peter Bellamy’s folk opera, and appeared leading the band as musical director. A single show was also staged in Hastings.

1988

Solo gigs, including Warwick Folk Festival and the Folk Days at Shrewsbury and Haddenham, and a Central TV appearance for a schools programme called “Mother Earth”.

A few duo gigs with Martin Carthy, including Wimborne festival.

One gig in Kent as a trio with Martin Carthy and Chris Wood.

Handful of gigs with Sue Harris, including festivals at Towersey and Chippenham.

Summer dates with The Richard Thompson Band, including Cropredy Festival, plus an extensive tour of the USA and Canada. RT, Clive Gregson, Christine Collister, Pat Donaldson, & JK. Dave Mattacks started the tour on drums, but injured himself and had to be replaced on most of the gigs by Kenny Aranoff.

A single duo gig with Richard Thompson, in Newcastle.

First outing of a new trio of push-pull accordion players with Riccardo Tesi from Italy and Marc Perrone from France, in a short tour in Italy.

First appearance of the five-piece ceilidh band “The John Kirkpatrick All-Stars”, specially commissioned by Steve Heap, of Mrs Casey Music, for the Butlin’s Folk Week in Bognor Regis. JK calling and leading on button accordion, Martin Carthy on guitar, Sue Harris on dulcimer, with Michael Gregory and Martin Brinsford on drums. Further appearances in Cheltenham, Newtown, and Walthamstow.

1989

Solo gigs, including tours in the USA and Canada, and Holland and Belgium. English appearances include a trip to Guernsey and Jersey, and festivals at Cleethorpes and the Fairfield Halls in Croydon.

For a couple of performances in Belgium, JK joins the team of mostly Flemish singers and musicians who present “Het Zwarte Goud” – an international programme of mining songs masterminded by Dree Peremans of Belgian Radio. JK chips in with some items in English, and plays concertina in the large band.

A few duo gigs with Martin Carthy, including a tour in Italy.

A couple of gigs with Roy Bailey, including Sidmouth festival.

Some gigs with Sue Harris, including festivals at Malden and Redditch, and the week-long European Broadcasting Union Folk Festival in Norway, representing Britain for the BBC.

Gigs with the accordion trio with Riccardo Tesi and Marc Perrone, with tours in Italy, France, and England.

A few ceilidh band appearances with The J K All-Stars, including Sidmouth festival.

A single gig at Nettlebed folk club in a duo with Roger Watson.