Jackson Browne - 17/11/2014

This was my third Jackson Browne gig in the space of about five years or so having missed out on seeing him during most of his long career. Each has been quite different and whilst he is well into his sixties he is still creating new music and touring with a purpose and with a band and a sound that varies from tour to tour. More importantly he is a A-list songwriter and delivers a superb musical gig. I was particularly impressed with the quality of the three guitarists and the way that they melded together; Jackson on rhythm, Greg Leisz on Pedal Steel and Lap Steel guitars and Val Macullum on lead. However it is the quality of the songwriting that ensures that the gigs are special and he did as usual a selction from his huge back catalogue as well the majority of the tracks on the new album. The gig started with the excellent 'The Barricades of Heaven', stirring and purposeful and after that track from the 90s and one from the 70's he played a couple of tracks of the new album before a version of the classic 'These Days'. By this time he had added a couple of backing singers to the six-piece band and the band sound was very sweet indeed. Maybe if I am being picky Jackson's voice has lost a little range and emotion over the decades but that song resonates strongly despite having been written fifty years ago by Jackson. A few more from the back catalogue followed including the excellent 'Shaky Town' and the impeccable 'Fountain of Sorrow'. All the while Greg and Val added beautiful guitar with Jackson either on guitar or piano. After an interval there followed some tracks from the new album and for me the two outstanding new songs were 'The Birds of St Marks' and 'Standing in the Breach'. JB told us that the former had been written decades ago (47 years actually according to Wikipedia)but he had only just recorded and issued it after Greg Leisz had provided the missing ingredient. It definitely had the feel of an early JB song. JB finished the gig with a run of four classic songs, 'The Pretender' , 'Running on Empty', 'Taking it Easy' and 'The Lady of the Well'. That is some finish. I particularly loved the last track - my highlight of the evening. I wouldn't have brought it to mind in a list of top ten Jackson Browne tracks before the gig but it ranks with the best. It has the sweep of the big picture and the details that bring the picture to life. Come back soon JB.

Tim Richard's Hextet - 9/11/2014

I go and see Tim play whenever he is close by so the full six-piece playing in Bristol was a nice surprise when I found out about the gig the day before. It's hard to believe that you can hear such expert musicians who play so well together in the room above a pub. They deserve a wider audience. The tunes were mostly familiar and included particular favourites of mine such as 'Shapeshifting' and the other Shamanism suite pieces as well as 'Discovery' and an encore of 'Ticket to Tomorrow'. There were also some interesting pieces I don't think I had heard before such as 'Ease Up' by Dominic Howles the bassist and 'Sorebaeltsbroedn' by Ralph Wyld the vibes player, both of which added variety to the more traditional setlist. Each musician was a master of his own instrument with Ed Jones on sax and Dick Pearce on trumpet outstanding as usual as the frontmen for the band. Next time Tim is around here I'll be back for more.

Seckou Keita & Catrin Finch 15/10/14

This was a reprise of a gig seen in the Brough Theatre in Abergavenny in May. That tour was obviously successful and more dates were added in October including this one at St Georges in Bristol. It was a like last time an exuberant and deeply moving musical experience, the more so because I was now more familiar with the tunes which had received a lot of air time with me in between the gigs. There's not much to add to my last report - the swirling rhythms; the waterfall of melody; the call and response between the two musicians - all of it impeccable and enjoyable. 'Les Bras de Mer' stood out for me this time but it was all superb. Can't wait for the next edition.