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PLAYING OUT LOUD!
ARTICLES
GIG OF THE MONTH
Rory Block - Forest Arts Centre, New Milton - Friday
November 9.
 Lovers
of Delta blues have a chance to see one of America’s top female exponents of the
style at Forest Arts Centre, New Milton on Friday, November 9. Rory Block has
been on the road since the age of 15 in the 1960s playing the music she loves.
Aurora "Rory" Block has staked her claim to be one of America's top acoustic
blues women, an interpreter of the great Delta blues singers, a slide guitarist
par excellence, and also a talented songwriter on her own account. Born and
raised in Manhattan by a family that had bohemian leanings, she spent her
formative years hanging out with musicians like Peter Rowan, John Sebastian, and
Geoff Muldaur, who hung out in her father's sandal shop, before picking up the
guitar at the age of ten. Her record debut came two years later, backing her
father on “The Elektra String Band Project,” a concept album. She met guitarist
Stefan Grossman, who, like her, was in love with the blues. The pair would often
travel to the Bronx to visit Reverend Gary Davis, thenone of the greatest living
bluesmen.
At the tender age of 15 Block left home, hitting the road in true '60s fashion
and travelling through the South, where she learned her blues trade at the feet
of Skip James and Mississippi John Hurt, her greatest influence, before ending
up in Berkeley. It was there that she developed her slide technique (she uses a
socket wrench as her slide), but she didn't record until 1975, when she released
“I'm in Love” (a compilation of earlier material, “The Early Tapes 1975-1976,”
appeared later). After two records for Chrysalis, she recorded the instructional
“How to Play Blues Guitar” for Grossman's Kicking Mule label, and later moved to
then-fledgling Rounder, with whom she enjoyed an ongoing relationship. She
toured constantly, often playing as many as 250 dates in a year, which kept her
away from her family - she'd married and begun having children in the early '70s
- but developed her reputation as a strong, vibrant live performer, and one of
the best players of old-style country blues in America.
In 1987 the best of Rory's Rounder cuts were compiled on “Best Blues &
Originals,” which featured her interpretations of blues classics and some of her
own material. Two of the tracks, released as singles in Belgium and Holland,
became gold record hits. In addition to her regular albums, Block made a series
of instructional records and videos, as well as a children's record, “Color Me
Wild.” Although she had been performing for a long time, the plaudits didn't
really begin until 1992, when she won a NAIRD Award for “Ain't I a Woman,” a
feat repeated in 1994 and 1997. In 1996 she began winning W.C. Handy Awards,
first for Best Traditional Album ( “When a Woman Gets the Blues”), and in 1997
and 1998 for Best Traditional Blues Female Artist. In 1997 she was elected to
the CAMA Hall of Fame, and in 1999 she received yet another Handy Award, for
Best Acoustic Blues Album (“Confessions of a Blues Singer”).
Rory continued to tour, although not as heavily as in earlier times, and she's
often accompanied by her grown son Jordan Block, who also plays on her albums.
She remained busy in the early part of the 2000s, releasing six albums,
including a live recording. 2005's “From the Dust” drew rave reviews, as did
2006's “The Lady and Mr. Johnson,” an album that saw her taking on select songs
of her musical hero, idol, and biggest influence, Robert Johnson.
SILVERSTEIN, WEDGEWOOD ROOMS,
PORTSMOUTH – WED NOV 21.
 Canadian
band Silverstein who visit the Wedgewood Rooms later this month, take their name
from the late Shel Silverstein, children’s story author and composer of some of
the greatest hits in the Dr Hook back catalogue including “Sylvia’s Mother.”
But Silverstein’s sound is vastly different to the soft rock/country disco sound
of 70s favourites Hook. The band from Burlington, Ontario was formed in 2000 in
what they sarcastically called "an attempt to tear down the boundaries between
hardcore, emo and punk." While they do incorporate some elements of these genres
in some of their songs, they are generally considered to be harder alternative
rock with hardcore elements. They are often placed in the controversial "emocore"
genre, which is disputed by purists who claim emo in its true form ceased to
exist many years ago. Silverstein's self description however, keeps them from
bearing such a label.
Some fans of Silverstein refer to the group as emo or post-hardcore, yet these
labels are inaccurate. The band's determination to "break down the boundaries"
between the said genres prevents them from being so easily categorized. In 2005
the band performed on the Never Sleep Again tour with bands such as Aiden,
Hawthorne Heights and Bayside. Their song "Smashed to Pieces" was popularized by
American Idol contestant Ryan Hart on the January 31, 2006 programme. Last year
they were on 2006 Vans Warped Tour on the Hurley Stage and the Never Shave again
tour with Aiden, It Dies Today and other bands alternating off and on the tour.
This tour was their first major North American headlining tour.
The band have made so far released four albums: 'When Broken Is Easily Fixed'
’18 Candles: The Early Years,’ 'Discovering The Waterfront' and their latest,
‘Arrivals And Departures.’ Their UK tour is to be followed by a tour of
Australia early in 2008.
Beth Neilsen Chapman - The Brook,
Southampton - Wednesday November 7.
 American
singer-songwriter Beth Neilsen Chapman opens her UK tour with a gig at The Brook
in Southampton on Wednesday November 7.
Beth has been writing songs since the age of 11. The middle child of five in an
Air Force family, she moved six times before she reached adolescence. During her
developmental years, Chapman was drawn to the compositional richness of greats
like Hoagy Carmichael, Cole Porter, and George and Ira Gershwin. She memorized
songs from Broadway musicals as well as soaking up the sounds of everything from
Stevie Wonder, Sting and Joni Mitchell to Ella, Paul Simon and The Beatles and
honed her skills as a performer in small clubs throughout Alabama and the South.
Since then Beth has become one of the pre-eminent singer/songwriters of her
generation. Her music shows up regularly not only at the top of the charts, but
on television (ER, Dawson's Creek, Providence, Felicity) and in movie
soundtracks, including "The Prince of Egypt, "Message In A Bottle", "The
Rookie", "Where The Heart Is" and "Practical Magic". Beth's songs have been
covered by a wide selection of artists including Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris,
Neil Diamond, Trisha Yearwood, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Ute Lempter and
many more.
As an artist, Beth has released nine albums, four of which were on Warner
Brother's records including her groundbreaking "Sand & Water" album, written and
recorded following the death of her husband from cancer in 1994. This record is
often used as a tool for healing through grief, and the song "Sand & Water" was
performed by Elton John on his 1997 U.S. tour in place of "Candle In The Wind"
to honor the memory of Princess Diana. As Beth toured during the release of
"Sand & Water" she often taught workshops on creativity and working through
grief. In addition, Beth has also taught songwriting at Berklee College in
Boston as well as in various workshops across the US.
Beth’s latest album, which she will be promoting on her current tour is a double
CD called “Prism” which is a collection of spiritual folk-pop tracks. A project
very close to her heart, “Prism” celebrates mankind, exploring many different
religions.
Last Night’s Fun - Tower Arts Centre,
Winchester - Friday November 30.
 I’ve
been a fan of Last Night’s Fun for about a decade or so now. Indeed the duo of
Chris Sherburn and Denny Bartley who later morphed into a 3-piece, and now
4-piece band, could be said to have opened my eyes to traditional folk music.
The band make an appearance at Winchester’s Tower Arts Centre on Friday November
30.
The lineup for Last Night’s Fun is Yorkshire-man Chris on vocals and concertina,
Irishman Denny from County Limerick on guitar and vocals, Nick Scott on Uilleann
pipes and Ciaran Boyle on bodhran. Like Chris and Nick, Ciaran is orginallly
from Yorkshire and is the son of Irish parents. The latest addition to the band,
Ciaran is a real master of the bodhran holding the All Britain and All Ireland
titles.
But the secret of Last Night's Fun’s popularity on the folk and festival circuit
is not just their breathtaking musical virtuosity. LNF gigs are special because
of the patter and interplay between the musicians, particularly the
self-deprecating humour of Chris and his interplay with Denny. But when they
play LNF perform with a fire, passion and feel for traditional Irish music not
seen since The Bothy Band and Planxty at their peak.
Once seen as a super-group type project, Sherburn, Bartley, Scott and Boyle are
now a permanent collaboration as Last Night’s Fun. They have a unique and
unfathomable ability to make traditional music sound "thoroughly contemporary in
sensibility" according to Living Tradition, and in the words of Folk on Tap: "I
defy anyone to be miserable around them!" The intimate surroundings of the
closure threatened Tower Arts Centre should be an ideal venue for their highly
accessible traditional music.
VINCENT VINCENT & THE VILLAINS -
JOINERS ARMS, SOUTHAMPTON - THURSDAY NOV 15.
 This
bunch of sharp dressers from ‘The Smoke’ return to The Joiners with their own
unique brand of retro-rock.
Vincent Vincent grew up in Hatch End, an area in the London Borough of Harrow,
later moving to East London's Bethnal Green. After leaving Art College, Vincent
decided to start a band after meeting a co-conspirator while working in a London
pub.
In 2003 he formed Vincent Vincent and the Villains and released a limited
edition single on Smoking Gun Records in 2004 called 'On My Own'. With the band
gaining local notoriety they were then talent spotted by Young And Lost Club,
who signed the Villains and put out their second release, 'Blue Boy'. As well as
Neill Kidgell on bass and Alex Cox on drums, the band at this time had two
frontmen, Vincent himself and Charlie Waller, who left shortly after in 2005, to
pursue his ambitions with his childhood band, The Rumble Strips.
The final months in the original lineup of The Villains were described as
"stifling, unpleasant and impossible" and inspired the song 'Johnny Two Bands'
which would be the bands first major release, taking the melody from a previous
song 'Making Raindrops'. Vincent Vincent found a new bassist and guitarist in
Will Church and Tom Bailey (who were friends from college, and with whom Vincent
worked in the Ten Bells pub), and the third single - 'I'm Alive' - was released
on Young and Lost Club Records in April 2006. This secured a record deal with
EMI, with 'Johnny Two Bands' being chosen as the debut single. This was
performed on Top of the Pops in October 2006.
The band are currently working on an album which is due to be released on EMI in
February 2008.
ABDELKADER SAADOUN, WEST END CENTRE,
ALDERSHOT, FRIDAY, NOV 16.
 A
taste of Algeria comes to West End centre with internationally famous RAI player
Abdelkader Saadoun later this month.
RAI originates from traditional Algerian music (Chaabi, Kabil, and Chawia & pop)
but also encompasses Jazz, Funk, Rock, Reggae, Fusion, and Blues. Based on
strong rhythms, it is a very dynamic and danceable music that has become the
most popular music in North Africa and the Arab world. Its popularity has
quickly spread to neighbouring countries: Tunisia, Morocco, and Egypt and is now
very popular in the Gulf States. Since France has a large Magrebian population,
RAI music is now part of the French culture.
Abelkader himself comes from Khemis Miliana, just a a few miles away from Wahran,
the birth place of RAI. He started to play RAI music in his home country,
accompanied by an accordion, guitar, kit drum, bass and percussion. An
accomplished singer and musician, he led a band which performed at many venues
and festivals. In 1988 Abdelkader moved to the UK and in 1994 he formed a second
Rai band in London.
His current outfit is made up of nine musicians from different backgrounds using
traditional instruments such as mandole, hadjoudj & North African percussion
combined with European instruments including brass, keyboard, piano and bass
guitar, viola, cello, drums and electric guitars. A charismatic performer, he
has performed at major festivals within the UK, including the Womad main stage,
Trafalgar Square, The National Theatre free stage, the Barbican's Mediterranean
music festival and many outdoor events, theatres, clubs, museums and arts
centres.
RACHEL UNTHANK & THE WINTERSET -
WILTSHIRE MUSIC CENTRE, BRADFORD ON AVON - SATURDAY NOVEMBER 10.
 A
big success at this year’s Larmer Tree Festival, Rachel and her band, an
all-girl Northumbrian quartet, have courted the mainstream without diluting
their folk music, luring fans as disparate as Phil Jupitus, Nic Jones, Joan As
Policewoman, Kate Rusby, Alasdair Roberts and Stuart Maconie. Singing in perky
Geordie style, they charm audiences with the honesty and imagination they bring
to its traditions. Also don’t rule out charming interpretations of songs by the
likes of Antony & The Johnsons, Robert Wyatt and Bonnie Prince Billy.
Their second album, “The Bairns,” is the follow-up to debut album “Cruel Sister”
Mojo Magazine Folk Album of the Year 2005. Launched at Cambridge Folk Festival,
the album is rich with the quality of centuries-old songs and the creative force
of four young musicians at their peak. Rachel Unthank & The Winterset push
themselves and the listener, reaching profound levels of emotional and musical
complexity, chaos and clarity.
The collective background in traditional music of Rachel, Becky, Belinda and
Niopha is the anchor that affords them their sense of adventure. A major factor
in their success has been their relationship with charismatic and virtuosic
pianist Belinda O'Hooley, whose eerily detached accompaniments are at once
abstract and unobtrusive. She leaves Rachel and Becky's singing sounding somehow
unaccompanied and traditional, while creating a reflective, musical
alter-discourse to their songs. Rachel’s younger sister Becky has grown so much
as a singer that she now commands equal lead-vocal time. The line-up is
completed by new member Niopha Keegan on fiddle, who comes from a family of
innovative second generation musicians and singers brought up in the cultural
melting pot of the London Irish scene, including her brother, the renowned
flautist Niall Keegan.
Rachel and friends may be austere and serious on record, but on stage they have
made thousand of friends with their warmth and humour. Their current tour is to
promote the album in the UK, after which Rachel Unthank & The Winterset look
forward to taking their talents further afield.
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Rory Block
Forest Arts Centre, New Milton
Friday November 9
SILVERSTEIN WEDGEWOOD ROOMS, PORTSMOUTH
WED NOV 21
Beth Neilsen Chapman
The Brook, Southampton Wednes November 7
Last Night’s Fun Tower Arts Centre,
Winchester
Friday November 30
VINCENT VINCENT
& THE VILLAINS JOINERS ARMS, SOUTHAMPTON THURSDAY NOV 15
ABDELKADER SAADOUN
WEST END CENTRE, ALDERSHOT, FRIDAY, NOV 16
RACHEL UNTHANK
& THE WINTERSET WILTSHIRE MUSIC CENTRE, BRADFORD ON AVON
SAT NOVEMBER 10 |
Southampton's No 1 recording studio
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