News
Visions of Dylan
On July 19th, 20th and 21st 2024 Barb Jungr curated the highly successful Visions Of Dylan Festival at Farnham Maltings.
Original festival text:
In 1964 Bob Dylan released the album The Times They Are A-Changin’, 60 years later Farnham Maltings is delighted to be celebrating and exploring the impact of his work with Visions of Dylan, a three-day festival curated by renowned singer, composer and lyricist Barb Jungr.
Over the weekend of Fri 19 to Sun 21 July, Dylan’s music will be celebrated through film screenings, talks and performances as well as opportunities for the community to participate and share how the legendary musician has impacted on their lives.
The festival begins on the Friday evening with a curated Open Mic Night led by prolific songwriter and Dylan-obsessive Robb Johnson. Musicians, poets and spoken-word artists will have the chance to perform acts inspired by Dylan’s work. The night will also feature performances from some special guests as well as a folk-inspired DJ-Set.
The Saturday opens with a film screening of Dont Look Back, a 1967 documentary directed by D. A. Pennebaker that follows Bob Dylan's 1965 concert tour in England. The film features Dylan’s iconic cue card lyric video scene for Subterranean Homesick Blues. Throughout the Saturday afternoon, there will be a series of talks with artists who have used Dylan’s work as inspiration. This includes Jay Stapley with Dylan & the Guitar, Sarah Gillespie with Dylan & Creativity and folk-inspired author and journalist Patrick Humphries with Dylan & Film.
Saturday evening sees the festival’s director, Barb Jungr, take to the Great Hall stage alongside a live band and a series of musicians from across the musical spectrum in a performance Celebrating Dylan Across the Genres. Barb will be joined by Jazz star Jo Harrop, Folk giant Robb Johnson, Level 42’s legendary Mike Lindup and the wonderful singer-songwriter Hannah Scott as well as special guests Sarah Gillespie and guitarist Jay Stapley.
The festival closes on the Sunday with the Visions of Dylan Community of Choirs Concert which is the culmination of many week’s work by local choirs, supported by Barb, to be ready to perform their favourite Dylan songs. The local choirs taking part in the festival are Shuffletunes, Guildford Vox Community Choir, Voices Together and Triple Harmony Choir.
I am thrilled to work with the Maltings, a venue with a great history of music and arts in Surrey. I’ve worked on Dylan’s material for 24 years and grow to love it more and more. Sharing this love across all genres of music and examining his own vast spread of creativity feels apt at Farnham and also timely. - Barb Jungr, Artist & Festival Director
When Barb first approached me with the idea to curate a festival celebrating Bob Dylan, it immediately felt like something we should try to make happen. Not only because it connects with Farnham Maltings’ history of presenting folk music, but also because it is an opportunity to stop and celebrate the extraordinary impact that Bob Dylan has had on culture and popular music. - Peter Glanville, CEO, Farnham Maltings.
New Reviews
★★★★★ review for Chanson at The Crazy Coqs on 31/3/23
Review by Leon Ferguson at Musical Theatre Review
"Barb Jungr is a warm and generous artist. Her passion for the material goes beyond performance as she shares her soul with the audience, whether it’s Chanson or Dylan or Cohen. Her upcoming evening of songs from the Beatles and Sting promises to be a treat. And more Chanson before too long. Please."
★★★★★ review for Chanson at The Crazy Coqs on 31/3/23
Review by Sonny Waheed at The Reviews Hub
"Barb Jungr’s Chanson is not just a celebration of a music genre, it’s a truly wonderful celebration of the art of lyric-driven songwriting. While she is in the spotlight, the real star of the show is the songwriter and, in this particular case, the translator."
★★★★★ for My Marquee at The Crazy Coqs on 18/11/22
Review by Alan Fitter at London Theatre 1
"The highlight of an exceptional evening was a stunning, visceral version of The Who’s “Substitute” that almost took the paint off the walls"
★★★★★ for The Songs of Bob Dylan at The Crazy Coqs 14/10/22 -
Review by David Guest at The Reviews Hub
"If Bob Dylan's lyrics are words that rip you apart, then Barb Jungr’s reading of them dares you to go further in hearing new things with grasping penetrability. A masterclass in cabaret perfection"
★★★★ for The Songs of Bob Dylan at The Crazy Coqs on 14/10/22 -
Review by Jonathan Evans at The Spy In The Stalls
"Jungr’s show is far from being a gamble – it’s a sure-fire hit."
★★★★ for The Songs of Bob Dylan at The Crazy Coqs 14/10/22 -
Review by Chris Omaweng at London Theatre 1
"An excellent opportunity to discover, or rediscover, some of the extensive back catalogue of one of the best-selling musicians of all time, this was a triumphant and thrilling experience."
★★★★★(★) for The Songs of Leonard Cohen at The Crazy Coqs 2/9/22 -
Review by Aline Waites
"There is no doubt about it. Barb Jungr is the greatest interpreter of the most important musical talents and poets of the last century."
London Living Large - Barb Jungr sings Leonard Cohen ★★★★★ The Crazy Coqs, Brasserie Zédel | September 2, 2022
"Barb Jungr does an extraordinary job of presenting the poet's musical musings, and it is always a joy to hear her interpret these works."