Gig Review: Bronwynne Brent - Kitchen Garden, Kings Heath, Birmingham. Tuesday 25th April 2023

 

www.bronwynnebrent.com

Something ignited this gig tonight. It could have been the tequila; it may have been a post-break renewal of an improvised trio; there is also a case for the back-to-playing of two exceptional songs in 'Don't Tell Your Secrets to the Wind' and 'Dark Highway' just before the break. Whatever the spark, Bronwynne Brent ended the evening racing down Highway 61 with nothing to stop her before hitting the Gulf of Mexico. Tonight it was more A435 than HWY61 with the break being the M42, but she started the evening in the capable driving hands of one home-based musician and ended it in two. 

The original plan was for the Bronwynne Brent Trio to re-unite and return to UK venues last played in March 2020 when we all know how that tour ended. Circumstance had trimmed the format down to a duo, but when that sidekick is highly acclaimed Scottish-based Brazilian musician Mario Caribe you sensed safe hands was the order of the day. He brought his beaten up sturdy double bass to keep time, an improvised foot percussion to give some remnant of a trio and a skeletal guitar that appeared once for a Brazilian duet where Portuguese vocals nestled alongside the deepest Mississippi drawl you could wish to find in Birmingham tonight. 

The voice that summons up the spirit of mid-twentieth century radio waves connecting with transistors from Louisiana to Tennessee is really quite something else. The word cinematic was suggested at the break to really nail the association. The foreground would have to be noir or gothic or rural, but definitely southern. There were occasions during the first half where things did get a little fidgety on stage. A few snags, but this is real with no takes. It also highlights the slickness that flowed once a couple of tequilas were downed. There's the likely answer to the question. If the reception on the old AM dial was flickering in and out during the first half, immaculate tuning was immovable once the sweet spot was found. 

Bronwynne Brent brought the voice, the songs, the spirit and the inspiration. Mario Caribe loaned the craft and the guile. The topping was temporally borrowed for the second half when English guitarist Peet Jackson stepped in from the sidelines to play some impressive likely improvised acoustic licks for the remainder of the show. This added dimension altered the dynamics and there was no more beneficial recipient than a now fully flowing Bronwynne Brent. 

The post-break addition was no random intruder. Peet Jackson opened the show with a thirty-minute set of engaging and hugely enjoyable material. This singer-songwriter hailing from Doncaster showed a flair for writing songs with connective sentiment. The guitar playing was nifty as well. He seeks influence from many quarters and we were even treated to an Irish jig to conclude one tune. Perhaps the moment that sunk the deepest was a new effort that reflected his observational skill of turning an idea into a song. 'The Ghost Ship of Myanmar' will stir many a still waters when it emerges as a recorded entity. You could place the music of Peet Jackson in numerous settings. There was even a faint hint of modern country; a genre he excelled at later when the assembled trio turned their hands to 'Mental Revenge', an old Mel Tillis song finding its way into Waylon Jennings repertoire, and now the Bronwynne Brent Trio.We learnt that this was the third show opening for her on the tour and apart from a few tuning prompts when collaborating, it seemed a lifelong association. 

Tonight was one of those extended evenings broken down into three sets with a couple of breaks. It had gone past eleven when things came to a close and a lengthy three hours since the opening chords were strum. Without putting the first two parts into the shade, it was the final third that defined the show and raised the bar ten-fold on what the memory bank conjured up from last seeing Bronwynne Brent in the dying embers of the old world. She actually commented what has changed over the last three years. From a music fan perspective I'm going to say nothing. So much incredible live music is back. Adaptable and fully firing.

Album releases are not the most prolific aspect of Bronwynne Brent's music career. STARDUST in 2014 was her introduction for many observers this side of the Atlantic and its follow up, and still most recent release, UNDERCOVER surfaced to accompany her on the 2020 trip. Most of the setlist came from those two records including the jazz number 'Lost in the Moonlight' and the Chuck Wills cover 'What You Gonna Do When your Baby Leaves You'. Apart from the two tracks mentioned in the opening paragraph, the other one that really resonated this evening was 'Raincoat'.

The longer the gig went on the more candid she became. Her southern lore interior became a shared experience and you felt in the presence of something exotic. An unusual description of Mississippi, but if you know, you know!. It was possible to hook up with the essence and tempo of the show for casual observers of southern music and Bronwynne Brent is an innate purveyor of the 'show don't tell' mantra. 

For an artist absolutely drenched in country sentiment and influence, a desire to seek a lot more than the defined rural heritage of her homeland sees a far more expansive horizon explored. Definitely more AMA and Folk Alliance than CMA. Bronwynne Brent brings a sprinkle of her 2014 album title to each show. In the right surroundings and with subtle adjustments she flourishes. At the end of this Kitchen Garden show, the summit of her present extent had been reached. 

Gig Review: Ramblin' Roots Revue - Bucks Student Union, High Wycombe. Friday 14th April to Sunday 16th April 2023

First of all, heads bowed to anyone who attentively watched all 30 sets from Friday teatime to Sunday night. Mind you the endeavour would have been rewarded many times over. The bar here is 28 including a decent sized sample of The Clubhouse All-Stars Beatles tribute that refused to let a long Saturday/Sunday fizzle out. The range of artists hopping on the Ramblin' Roots train was as diverse as ever without compromising the criteria of making music in the quoted moniker of 'Americana, roots, folk and alt-country'. Define those and you're a wise old sage, but stretch your imagination and the quirky arthouse quaintness of Jesca Hoop rubbed shoulders with the unabated indie rock of Big Reference, while on the same bill as honky tonk smashers Jenny Don't and the Spurs and the hard nosed southern rock with a political edge from Lee Bains and the Glory Fires. That's a lot to take in before you scratch the surface.

As always with a festival that succeeds in its mission, familiar names mingle with new faces. The mix of homegrown, continental and transatlantic artists was what you are likely to get before the outdoor festival season kicks in. These small boutique festivals thrive on adaption and collaboration. The sad regretful absence of one third of Sunday headliners Bennett Wilson Poole threw up a challenge that we all knew was going to be met. Bennett Wilson Bennett Kenny swept up two definitive contemporary albums in their inimitable style and shone a light on their class with surely a nod from Tony Poole's sick bed. The knock on effect of this absence saw Michele Stodart hastily assemble an on-site ensemble to fill the gap of Poole's other band Starry Eyed and Laughing. This led to Keiron Marshall and Holly Carter surely being the hardest working musicians in High Wycombe this post-Easter weekend. Reigning AMA UK Instrumentalist of the Year Holly Carter probably edged it with a solo set of singer-songwriter material putting her firmly in the spotlight as well as trademark pedal steel parts for Hannah White and Don Gallardo.

Don Gallardo and band

The warmest welcome from many over the weekend was for the return to the UK of the much loved Don Gallardo and Travis Stock. 40 minutes wasn't long enough especially when UK guitar maestro Jim Maving weaves his magic. It was so good to hear 'Carousel', 'North Dakota Blues' and 'Banks of the Mississippi' on home soil again. 

Stalwart status is what you class Police Dog Hogan and Robert Vincent on the scene that continues to support their music. Both eased effortlessly into the headline slots on Friday and Saturday respectively. You know a good time is in order when Police Dog Hogan hit their stride, and joining in on the vociferous chorusses creates a sense of tight knit community. Robert Vincent continues to blossom as a top billed performer. A crack band is now the given. Not difficult when you enlist the services of CJ Hillman and Matt Owens.

Bennett Wilson (and not) Poole

Ex Noah and the Whale member, but now a resourceful practical advocate of UK Americana music, Matt Owens got a late invite to open the main stage on Saturday. Why waste time when you can get the full guitar pistons firing from midday in a full band containing a surprise but familiar face in Geoff Widdowson on keys, who many know as Free Jazz Geoff from the Champions of the World. 

Matt Owens got one of the three AMA UK slots. The other two went to more conventional emerging artists in the increasingly impressive and engaging St.Catherine's Child and the promise of Lucy Grubb, who will surely develop if she continues to rub shoulders with others in events like this. Past, present and future is a key ingredient to Ramblin' Roots.

Matt Owens

While Don Gallardo led the American charge, we were treated on Saturday to an engrossing performance from Portland Oregon honky tonk maestros Jenny Don't and the Spurs. A striking visual presence and high octave rip roaring country sound radiated from the main stage. A quip from a fan was 'what's better than a fired up Gretsch. Two'. A spot on observation on a band that looked like they'd been barred from the Opry for breaking all the rules.

Americans without a band carved out a festival niche. Jerry Joseph prowls and preaches for good while building on his stark UK introduction a couple of years ago. Kevin Michael Duggan wears the angst of his songs on the exterior rallying fans who will him on. 

Jenny Don't and the Spurs

Brits without a band came in all codes and creed. Midlands favourite Katy Rose Bennett headed like others down the M40 to play a rousing set that synched with the vibes of the Whiskey Saloon. Dean Owens came a little further from Scotland but never misses an opportunity to pitch his wares in whatever format is available and practical. Jesca Hoop was the bravest booking of the weekend. Ramblin' Roots may not be her usual habitat, but an appreciative open minded crowd gave her soft and appealing arty style a courteous listen. I'll go a bit a further and state that by twiddling your antenna and tuning into the zone of a compelling artist refreshes the mind and brings a sense of calm to a bustling environment. Hats off to the organisers for this scoop.

A small continental contingent gathered in High Wycombe to soak up the atmosphere of a well organised and friendly event. To demonstrate the small world, the name Ole Kirkeng didn't resonate until it was pointed out he played bass in Courtney Marie Andrews band last month. My defence is the baseball cap. Further back I found out he opened for Molly Tuttle in the Kitchen Garden a few years ago. Thank god somebody reviewed that gig! 

Lee Bains and the Glory Fires

Sometimes you hear comments worthy of a mention. After faintly leaning towards the Handsome Family to describe Louis Brennan, a John Grant association seemed a better fit. Either way a casual drop-in eased into a riveting set that caught the ear at the time and later settled in the memory bank. 

The danger of being exposed to so much music is you tend to overlook what came first. To correct this travesty it was an absolute delight to finally hear the Siren Soul Orchestra back Pete Gow. The songs from his Leo album had the perfect accompaniment, and when you have that magic in your midst why not toss in 'Be My Baby' to induce a singalong and a tear. Emotional music is always going to be in the air when Hannah White hits the stage. In a throwback to her fabulous post-lockdown gig in Birmingham, she once again pulled the right strings, though this time in full band complement. It's been a whirlwind two years for this South London-based artist and 'Car Crash' quietened a Friday night packed Whiskey Saloon. 

Hannah White

Everybody has their own personal highlight of a festival event. It could quite easily be one of the artists not mentioned here. All seen owned the space afforded with craft and sincerity. The two sets missed were also raved about by others who took them in. However you have to be grateful for what was put in front of your eyes and ears. The Ramblin' Roots Revue had its embryonic rise halted, but now is striding forward as a familiar feature at the back end of the Easter holidays. It gets so many things right from slickness to value-for-money. Most of all the organisers know good music, they connect with right minded people and stamp a mark on a scene boosted by loyal advocates and discerning minds. 

Gig Review: Old Spot - Kitchen Garden, Kings Heath, Birmingham. Tuesday 11th April 2023

 

www.oldspotmusic.com

If you only absorbed a fraction of what Joe Danks and Rowan Piggott offered in this evening's gig then returning home many times richer was a surefire conclusion. Blending openly expressive talent and bundles of enthusiasm, the duo known as Old Spot brought a sprinkling of old time Appalachia to a Birmingham suburb brightening up a damp spring night. The bare bricked walls and lowish wooden ceiling of the Kitchen Garden was the perfect setting for these two musicians to hone their craft. Without the giveaway accents you could be mistaken for listening to two Virginia natives. However it is the North Midlands/South Yorkshire border line adding the geographical stance rather than the Tennessee-North Carolina state line. Two years since a pair of experienced folk musicians discovered a common bond, things are in the midst of gathering pace. The debut album came out on April 7th and a fortnight's worth of launch dates offers the music a close up and personal feel. Frequenting the festival edges is a compromised focus for the summer, but once word gets around bookings right across the scene will have to be fought off.

Scenes for Old Spot can be fluid. The perfect fit is the bespoke old time festival circuit of which the pair shared their experiences of Aberystwyth to the Birmingham audience tonight. The wider folk scene will also embrace this iconic acoustic sound that offers much insight on how music from the British Isles mixed with an array of other sources to inform the old time trademark Appalachian sound. There is also room in Americana circles especially those who respect the roots of modern music. Last but not least in an alternative universe country in a traditional way could embrace what these two guys have to offer.

Joe Danks gained acclaim in 2021 with his SEASPEAK album almost entirely entrenched in the British folk tradition. Flash forward a couple of years and now banjos are his main tools of the trade. The plural is significant as this show flittered between a custom made gourd banjo sourced straight from the States and the more popular 5-string banjo that you regularly see on the stage. His natural playing appeals to both stringed titans, although the straight forward guitar appeared a couple of times including a source deviation in covering the Townes Van Zandt song 'None But the Rain'. Mind you, the version supplemented by fiddle conjured up an old time feel.

Rowan Piggott is a widely respected fiddle player on the UK and European circuit. Joining fiddle in his instrumental armoury is viola. Not your usual old time tool, but this re-interpretation worked. This is a musician brought up in the traditional sounds from west coast Ireland, who is also a keen advocate and practitioner of Swedish fiddle music. Throw in a couple of albums from his association with folk trio Wilderness Yet, plus multiple other industry activities and you have a very experienced and rounded folk musician.

Across the two sets this evening, the duo radiated endless passion, knowledge and easy on the ear skill. The material on the surface is a neat mix of songs, sung individually and harmony, alongside a blend of tunes from both an old time interpretative and originally composed source. Familiar names banded about included Molly Tuttle and Bruce Molsky, both leading lights practising this timeless art form in the US. From the past they dipped into the work of Mississippi John Hurt with a cover of 'Louis Collins'. A couple of familiar old time songs found their way into the setlist in 'Darling Cora' and 'Cindy'. The latter has so many versions with the one by Old Spot nestling proudly on its own merits. 

A notable song that closed the first set was 'Green Grows the Laurel'. A traditional Irish piece brought to the table by Rowan with its presence on the US-Mexican battlefields giving further insight including a link to the term 'gringo'. A short vocal number, and its reprise version, opened and closed the set titled 'Old Spot'. The perfect introductory and parting piece. Just prior to the end, the duo shared their 'Radio 2 hit' 'Jeff Sturgeon'. Grab the plays wherever you can. 

The independent status of Old Spot enables you to head to their Bandcamp page and support the new album in a multitude of ways. Ideally, the best route is via one of their shows and you feel there will be plenty in the future, even after the current run ends. 

Making old time Appalachian music accessible should be the mission of Old Spot. They may be just doing what they love and are good at, but from the other side the way they present the music is all-reaching and wholly inclusive. Joe Danks and Rowan Piggott transcend the current project as musicians but there is something special in the air when combining the fiddle and banjo. Old Spot have arrived and look set to seal their place in a fluid scene. All was laid to bare in the Kitchen Garden.

Album Review: Carter Sampson - Gold

 

www.cartersampson.net

Carter Sampson's 2016 masterpiece WILDER SIDE offered up a freedom to roam, safe in the knowledge that a hall of fame destiny was intact. Not an artist to dwell on acclaim, its 2018 successor kept the upward trajectory on track. All roads from Oklahoma were still sprinkled with the golden style of dust. The five year gap in full length releases between LUCKY and GOLD has been replicated right across a littered music landscape. Only the resolute survive, although faith was unmoved that Carter Sampson would re-surface with all the country-Americana credentials shining as bright as the title. If it's a fans prerogative to wallow in the past, an artist will certainly want to keep things moving forward. Across the ten tracks this new album bubbles with creative juices and cements a legacy.

The title track kicks things off with a whining country twang sinking straight into recognisable vocals meeting instant approval. We are now in 'embracing Carter Sampson territory' with the team behind her sculpting a soundscape to savour awash with strings and steel. Ok it's primarily Kyle Reid with minor help, but he's a mighty one. Following 'Gold' we enter the moodier waters housing second track 'Home', A song written on tour in the Netherlands and pontificating about a definition of home. The lyrics catch the essence of a travelling musician in a short three-minute muse. The opening trio concludes with a title sounding straight from a Nashville writing booth, but 'Drunk Text' is no contrived effort and heralds incisive and heartfelt writing. 

Any release on the Horton Records label is going to deviate from the formulaic pile. Carter Sampson meets this in 'Black Blizzard' with the instrumental melange twisting and upwardly spiralling. Yet wherever this album goes, the thread back to the roots never frays. The halfway mark is celebrated by the countrified 'Yippie Yi Yo' providing the perfect vehicle for the achingly sincere vocals to hone their cords in a midst of fiddle and steel. 

We learn from the background information that the first half was pre-pandemic recorded, while the second had lockdown constraints and relied on innovative virtual interaction. The challenge is to detect the shift, or not.

'Can't Stop Me Now' gently rolls into the second half, keeps things tight and compact, while earning the mantel of being the album's second single. The first unsurprisingly being 'Gold'. Things get a touch more earthy and roots-infused in 'Fingers to the Bone', you can even feel a hint of the blues. Obviously anything under the Americana umbrella is going to soak up influence from across the spectrum. An acoustic accompaniment on 'Today is Mine' is conducive for a pedestrian ballad to prosper. This track provides balance and is key to a strong album resonating. 

Like so many optimum albums, the running length falls just a fraction shy of the forty-minute mark. We sail towards the conclusion with one of the album's more diverse offerings in 'Pray and Scream'. A song instantly drawing you into the lyrics. A skill that Carter Sampson has perfected in the past. As usual an evocative sound adds to the suspense. A very apt song title brings the curtain down. 'There's Always Next Year' may imply this one hasn't been great, but gladly the story sentiment may need not truly reflect real life. 2024 may be a great year for Carter Sampson, but with more certainty 2023 is set up to be a super one.

GOLD brings the music of Carter Sampson back into full focus. It confirms that the pivotal release from 2016 was one of the wisest tie ins from the decade. The Queen of Oklahoma (if it's true why not milk it, she says!) was thriving well before the pivotal moment and continues long after. Her return to touring is most welcome. Europe - UK - Birmingham - Kitchen Garden. The treasure from the dust bowl (OK, Tulsa is likely a cosmopolitan city) expands her music far and wide. The closer it gets; the better it gets.

Gig Review: Kirsten Adamson - Kitchen Garden, Kings Heath Monday 3rd April 2023

 

www.kirstenadamson.com

What defines a breakout year? A poignant question when an artist is far from fresh out of the blocks and constantly seeking a conducive channel to pursue. Assembling the profile of Kirsten Adamson's career to date is a piecemeal affair, although the pitfall of 20-22 applied the brakes of any designed quest. A self-titled solo album in 2015 seems a distant episode than current manoeuvres A 2020 duo project with Dave Burn titled The Marriage flickered briefly sending signals of the present direction, though likely derailed before fruition. 2023 is starting to shape up as a potential answer to the starting question with the nuts and bolts tightening a gifted raw package. The first piece is a ear catching new album bringing together loose strands and beginning to frame an innate style. The live presence is rolling away from an insular core and heading down receptive avenues not necessarily swayed by association. Building on what Kirsten Adamson showed tonight in Birmingham will quickly reap rewards. Eventually the initial question will become redundant as a substantive artist will evolve on a sure footing.

How does a musician operate in the shadow of a famous parent? Eventually you have to cast off that shadow, but that may be easier said than done. Kirsten Adamson candidly embraced the music of her late father, Stuart, during lockdown and shared countless Big Country songs to a keen digital audience. You get the impression of this unlocking a new approach and a sense of co-habitation threading through how she portrays her music. The most prominent signal is sent through 'My Father's Songs', the track opening LANDING PLACE, the album that started landing on doormats in February. 

The family connection bookended this evening's twin-set performance at the Kitchen Garden with the appropriately titled 2001 song 'Birmingham' kicking things off and the totemic 'In a Big Country' wrapping things up. In between the focus was almost entirely on Kirsten Adamson's status as a recording and performing musician finding its feet in ripening pastures. There was also an up close and personal display of controlled Telecaster, and one-off mandolin, from lead guitar accomplice Jon Mackenzie. Tasty licks were promised and duly served. 

The transmission from 2015's indie rock effort to 2023's dip into the world of Americana can be pinpointed to Kirsten Adamson finding her country chord and channelling it from an embedded part of growing up to one flourishing in her output. We got a snippet from the 2020 single 'Let Me Live' that sends you down a Dolly Parton rabbit hole before realising the real thing has surfaced north of the border.  We had numerous other examples of cracking the country code from covering Nanci Griffith's 'I Wish it Would Rain' to original efforts that along with Mackenzie's Opry-esque playing cornered and absorbed the Nashville sound. 

Weaving in and out of the clear influence is the unmistakable softly sweet Celtic brogue that cements her origin. The line 'from Fife to Tennessee' lifted out of 'My Father's Song' suggests the link in a nutshell. 

Another hint to the current direction of Kirsten Adamson is the link up with Dean Owens to produce her new album. His influence was clearly displayed in the co-write 'Coals and Ashes' sung tonight. Having one of the UK's most prominent and hugely respected country/Americana exponents in tow is shrewd and enabling. Other key parts of the new record shared tonight to a packed Kitchen Garden (Yes, there were Big Country t-shirts on display) included the delightful album opener 'No Other Mother', the intriguing 'Stars On the South Coast' and the melodic 'Without Warning, complete with vocal warm ups. 

It's not unusual for artists to test future songs out even in the midst of a new record barely drying. 'The Heart' was trialled this evening with the expected affirmative response. A case of watch this space. We also learned of a quick return to Birmingham with a slot secured on the Kitchen Garden stage at the Moseley Folk Festival in September. A repeat of this healthy turnout should tempt a venue re-booking at an opportune moment. 

Although the evening ended on the rousing high of a respectful singalong to a stripped bare anthem, conclusively the space was owned by Kirsten Adamson riding proudly in what may be inscribed as a breakout year for reaching new audiences seduced by her take on a wide reaching style. This was an artist in control, comfortable and embracing a call. There may even be a story to tell one day of how two significant careers aligned. 

Review of Landing Place