As you may know I used to write a weekly blog for the open mic night that I have become part of - and had to stop doing it as the gigs increased and my life outside music got more and more complicated.
.....around the same time that I was forced to stop, Jeff Radford started coming to the Barn - and Jeff, along with half a dozen other new regulars there, has made an ENORMOUS effect on the Barn - the atmosphere, the comaraderie, the smiles on people's faces as people are leaving, have become a constant again, after a very short transitional period, where old regulars left spaces for new regulars to fill....
.....and Jeff is now writing the weekly blog. (subscribe now, all the Barn fans that have subscribed to this one! www.myspace.com/jeffradford) 
So....why has Jeff had such an impact?
The obvious answer would be his enthusiasm and regular blog contribution.
The REAL answer is his musicality and the consistently lovely contributions he makes to the open mic every week.
Jeff has a gorgeous voice, bags of sincerity, a full sound on the acoustic and a great knack for picking excellent songs to play.
- and this week we had the pleasure of Jeff for an hour.
I have already given a general description of what I like about Jeff - but haven't said yet what is special about his choice of songs. It's not that he chooses the songs that get everyone dancing or everyone singing along - although the singing along happens - it's deeper and more important than that. His choices are based on what moves him  - and we are moved with him. His delivery is always like he's zoned out on the performance and he lived it. (and in the case of the song he wrote, that he performed tonight - he did live it).
There was also something different about Jeff's hour tonight. Jeff is a very giving man - seriously generous in a big way - and his hour reflected this by the amount of people he shared the stage with - allowing other people to shine in his hour.
I will try and give justice to the relaxed atmosphere that Jeff set up with his excellent hour of music sharing.
He began with a few beautifully executed songs played solo - including Lifehouse's song "Somewhere in Between" - fantastic song that he does really well....and a song by the band Rise Again called "Swing Life Away" (I love the extended metaphor in the chorus of this song - lots of linked lines - love it).
Then we had the first of the guests - a bagpipe player called Dan - and I think this next bit of his hour shows you the spirit of the Barn and how well Jeff fits in - he basically played acoustic accompaniment to the pipes, with Amazing Grace and Scotland the Brave being the choice tunes picked to duet with - a lovely moment - and an inspired choice.
Nothing Else Matters he usually does instrumentally - and he knows it's a special song to me as it was what Ali walked down the aisle to (hello Ali xx) - so he invited me up to sing the words - we hadn't really agreed on structure or anything so the spontaneity was very clear on occasion, but we both love the song and hopefully that came through....
Next Jeff played Counting Crows "Mr Jones" - a classic song that doesn't get covered much as it's got a thousand words (possibly) - and Jeff does a really strong version - Alan provided note perfect bass next to Jeff's focused "zoned out" rhythm and vocals.
One of the best singers that regularly attend the Barn, Angel, then joined Jeff for Alanis Morrisette's "Hand in my Pocket" - and blew the roof off again.
Then I came up for a couple - Jeff played "When you say Nothing at all" - which I provided harmony for - and Del Amitri's incredible song "Nothing Ever Happens" - a song I fell in love with when it first came out on the Waking Hours album - so was chuffed to sing the high harmony in the chorus.
Then Chantelle joined Jeff for a couple of songs - "Bridge Over Troubled Water" - undeniably classic, done with enormous feeling from both of them - and Damien Rice's "Cannonball" - another classic.
Then Jeff played his song - called "Moving On" - a song filled with unpredictable melodies, beautiful words and buckets of passion when Jeff lives through the song again.
Ending the set with another Lifehouse song "You and Me" and a second Counting Crows song "Walkaways" - more evidence of excellent, and unpredictable choices for songs.
 
So after Jeff's really moving, melodic, collaborative hour, the open mic began.
Paisley Pie made a glorious return to The Barn after a big gap - and after an initial short set before Jeff came on - with a new song they wrote half an hour before the night began - and their classic "Friendship" - Brad and Jim are a good team and it was good to see them on stage together again.
Al and Rory - the mavericks of the Barn - did another cracking set with a special request from me for them to reprise "The Humans are Dead" from the Flight of the Conchords - and a song called "I Live in Kenneth Clarke's Beard" - which was as moving, emotional and upsetting as the title suggests.
Ron was next - returning to the stage after a short burst before Jeff played his hour - and I think last week's nerves have completely disappeared - all of the songs he played tonight were smoothly performed and played with confidence. He played, with both sets, "In The Ghetto", "Angels", "Roll Over Beethoven", "Spirit in the Sky", Any Dream Will Do" and "Back in the USSR" - already the night is giving us such a range of songs....something that is often the case at the Barn.
Ron stayed on to back Angel for a HUGE vocal performance of Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely" - with a massive last note that was the perfect finish for a cracking vocal spot - Angel's vocals are interesting because there's a vulnerability amongst the huge power and range in her voice - and it adds an endearing "moorish" quality. Angel followed this with another big rendering of the classic "What I Am" - a massively underrated song in my book.
A newbie called Michael took to the stage now - again assisted by the ever willing Ron - a man who has only just discovered the club but is obviously enjoying it! - they sang "Devil Woman" - not the Cliff song - a more interesting song than that.....
Raffle was next.
This time, Lorry was about, but the "crew" were slightly different - Rory and Al had disappeared into a small vortex of time - so it was left for Angel, Jeff and myself to fill the gap....Jeff played thumping bass, Angel sang soul versions of the numbers Nick said  - and I played tambourine. lol
Lorry stayed on for his rock n roll spot - and after he played Jack the Ripper, he told the Barn what he told me at the Barley Mow on Sunday....THAT HE WENT ON BRITAIN'S GOT TALENT!!!! - so we will see Lorry doing his thing on ITV - this is beautiful - I can't wait - not happy about them buzzing him off.....but Lorry's got balls for going on there, and massive kudos from me for going for it. Rock this Town ended his set lovely.
Dan, the bagpipe man, followed Lorry - and his version of Highland Cathedral had one of our lost lovely regulars all goosebumpy as it reminded her of some serious family stuff - so thanks for that Dan, powerful stuff.
Troubadour followed this - and made their first ever appearance ANYWHERE! - this is pretty special, for the Barn to give first voice to a band - and I can see good things happening for this flute/guitar/voice combo.....nice one.     
Then I went on.
I started with a song that was shouted out by Joe and Jim on the left of me - Pete Townsend's "I'm One" - as featured in Quadrophenia - love doing that song - and Jim joined me for joint vocals.
Then I sang a song i'll be singing tomorrow in Brighton with Rich - that I don't play a lot - although i've played it since 1991 - Steve Earle's "Billy Austin" - I don't play it a lot because it's such a quiet intimate song you need the right setting....and it's a song I care about a lot.....
Alan's arrival on stage heralded the next phase of jamming - started by Jeff in his hour - Alan began with Drift Away - a song we had sang a 4 part harmony on the previous week - so we reprised it - and loved every minute of it.
He followed that with a beautifully sensitive version of "Georgia on my mind".
Danny provided a short interruption to the jamming with a shot at a song that reeks of emotion and angst - Chris Isaak's incredible "Wicked Game" (can you see how much I like that song?) - and Radiohead's "There There" - be nice to see Danny back again....nice one Danny...
Andy Matheson, the man with an album out soon that we should all buy, came to the stage next - and started with something from that said album - "Driving in the wrong direction" - a lovely song that showecases Andy's sense of melody and lyrical flow.
Then he asked me up to join him for The Band's "The Weight" - and Nick and Alan joined us with harmonies for the chorus. Loved doing that - but then I guess I always love doing that song.....Alan played some perfect soloing in between the verses too - glad he decided to plug the electric in - again, more of the spontaniety of the night....
Nick came up next - and played a song by Hazel O'Connor from Breaking Glass (Calls the Tune). This is an excellent song and I look forward to hearing Nick doing this one more often - he finished with a Jilted John song that had me laughing - excellent choice Nick.
Charlie and Leo concluded the open mic spots for the night.
- theyve been coming every week now for a little while and tonight was their best set yet. The song about the Council Tax was really strong, and the solo Mike played in it was absolutely brilliant - seriously brilliant solo. The second track was an instrumental - and again, had me completely enthralled. Just brilliant - better when they're like this than so tanked up they can't focus too much....lol....really great playing tonight guys - thanks loads.
 
So then, as it wasn't midnight yet - most of the people left in the room played a big jam to finish.
- All Along the Watchtower and Freedom - with some serious bonding and musical hugging going on.....
 
Thanks Jeff for a brilliant hour.......see you next time!!!!!!
 
Gareth