PASS IT ON 7 along your weekend walkabout
July 2nd 2023
PASS IT ON
along your Weekend Walkabout 7
Most of us like to share what we love with others and so we invite you to read the stories to be found on our weekend walkabout when you find anything you like, please feel free to Pass It On.
You can tell your friends about four major concerts coming up in the Manchester Music Festival.
However, if your groove is rather more in the jazz camp you can tell friends about Jazz In Reading, or Jenny Bray and her US tour and forthcoming album and you can even Pass It On about Steve Bewick´s Hot Biscuits and what his weekly mix-cloud jazz show contains this week.
If your friends love visual arts you can Pass It On that the Colors Festival is coming to Manchester and that the eclectic and inventive artist, Claudie, is currently exhibiting on Lanzarote. You might also like to Pass It On that the Summer Season of Exhibitions is about to open at Spain´s Adsubian Gallery
You might like to tell like-minded, arts loving friends what to look out for down the sidetracks and detours as we take this weekend walkabout. Be sure to warn them The Kentish Plover Cause Quite a Palaver, even when you are simply Dancing The Night The Night Away. You can Pass It On about the time Americana was known as country and western. The North Sea String Quartet have so much news that they, too, would love you to Pass It On.
CONTENTS
Live Music Previews
at Manchester Music Festival by newsletter
Live Music review
Rochdale Music Society by Graham Marshall
Live Music Jazz Listings
Music That´s Going Places by Rob Adams
Live Jazz
from Jazz In Reading by Jim Wade
Jazz Tour USA.
news from Jenny Bray shared by Norman Warwick
Jazz On Air:
Hot Biscuits by Steve Bewick
Folk Musicians Exchange Scheme
English Folk Exp mail-out
all across the arts
Colors Fest by Steve Cooke
Newsletters
North Sea String Quartet
the Adsubian Art Gallery, Spain
Sidetracks And Detours by Norman Warwick
The Kentish Plovers Causes A Palaver
Dancing The Night Away
When Americana Was Country And Western
Home Is Where the Heart Is for Claudie
| Look for emails like this to stay informed about our future programs. Invite your friends to join us by forwarding this email. Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel. Follow us on Facebook for regular updates and events information. Have any questions or comments? Email us at office@mmfvt.org. Make sure to add us to your address book so you never miss an email. We hope to see you when the curtain rises on Season 49! |
The countdown is on for Manchester Music Festival Season 49! Everything kicks off next week on June 29, 2023, with our Season Opener Mainstage Concert featuring Emerson String Quartet, and continues through the summer concluding with our Orchestral Evening on August 31, 2023, featuring The Knights.
Join us at four Mainstage Chamber Concerts, Thursdays in July at the Arkell Pavilion, SVAC., featuring a roster of festival-favorites, and a number of fresh faces making their festival debuts.
Sunday evenings are for Young Artists Concerts! Witness the next generation of great chamber musicians before they become famous when the students of the MMF Young Artists Program take the Arkell stage.
MAINSTAGE CHAMBER CONCERTS
Thursdays in July • 7:30pm • Arkell Pavilion
Four Thursday evening performances of world-class chamber music featuring a distinguished roster of familiar faces and a number of luminary artists making their Festival debuts.
Tickets: $50/adult; $15/student
MUSIC IN THE GROVE
Free, outdoors, audio-only • Thursday evenings • 7:30pm
Join us in the Grove at SVAC for a casual, open-air listening experience. Patrons can bring a blanket or chair and enjoy an alfresco picnic while enjoying the sounds of beautiful music.
Free to the public.
YOUNG ARTISTS CONCERTS
Sundays • July 9, 16, 23, 30 • 5pm •
Arkell Pavilion
These Sunday evening performances are not to be missed. Featuring the gifted musicians of the Young Artists Program, who spend the summer honing their craft under the tutelage of our guest faculty artists, performing chamber masterworks.
Tickets: $25/adult; $10/student
Young Artists Concert Package: $80/adult (includes all four YA Concerts)
Live Music review by Graham Marshall
ROCHDALE MUSIC SOCIETY
Prince Bishop´s Brass, review by Graham Marshall
24th June 2023, Heywood Civic Centred
Here’s my Review of the excellent concert given by the Prince Bishop’s Brass ensemble in Heywood Civic Centre last Saturday. it was the final concert of the Rochdale Music Society’s 2022-23 series, and the attendance was very good.:
For the last in the Music Society’s 2022-23 Concert Series in Heywood Civic Centre Rochdale Music Society welcomed the five members of the County Palatine Durham’s Prince Bishop’s Brass. They brought with them a range of brass instruments – from the clear sounding top notes of the Soprano Trumpet to the rich bottom notes of the Bass Tuba – and in a varied programme of music from the early Baroque to the twenty-first century, they offered a colourful mixture of sonorities which kept the ears and brains of the large audience alert and satisfied.Beginning with the brilliant a colourful Fanfare written by Paul Dukas for a performance of his ballet, le Peri, in 1912, a suitably festive flourish with which to set the tone for an evening of resounding success, the five players – Chris Lewis and Anthony Thompson (Trumpets), Chris Senior (French Horn), Stuart Gray (Trombone) and Stephen Boyd (Tuba) – quickly established themselves as seriously accomplished performers. Dances from the set of over 300 published in the 17th century by Michael Praetorius, a spaced out Canzona by 16th century Gabrieli and a transcribed Prelude in G for Organ by J. S. Bach followed. The first half of the concert ended with one of the several Brass Quintets written by Viktor Ewald (1860-1935), a Russian engineer, architect and composer whose music is decidedly tuneful, warm hearted, and well worth being included in a concert such as this.
The second half of the concert (left) began with an arrangement of Mozart’s Overture to the Marriage of Figaro. Its alluring musical mischief was finely displayed in virtuoso performances all round, the trumpets being particularly challenged by having to play passages as fast as the upper strings of a symphony orchestra. Then came the five movements of Joseph Horowitz’s Music Hall Suite from 1964. This very good humoured music, which encompasses all the tricks of the mid-20th century trade, again provided the players with opportunities to shine, which they did apparently effortlessly. Next, and in marked contrast, came Fauré’s Pavane, providing a suitable moment of emotional repose before the spectacular deep feeling and tragic feeling of the final work in the concert, Four Episodes from West Side Story (1960) by Leonard Bernstein, which produced the very fine display of Brass Quintet playing indeed.
To the delight of the audience the Prince Bishop’s Brass ensemble added a short Dizzy Gillespie piece as an encore.
The Rochdale Music Society’s next Season will begin with a concert at 7.30pm on Saturday, 23 September in St. Michael’s Parish Church, Bamford given by The CLS TRIO, Michael Shiu (piano), Johanna Leung (Clarinet) and Wai Sing Chang (cello). This will include Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition and Clarinet Trios by Beethoven and Brahms. Further information about the Season and Ticketing matters can be found on the website www.rochdalemusicsociety.org
We’re only a week or so past the longest day but already venues are announcing exciting plans for the autumn.
JAZZ IN JULY
compiled by Rob Adams
Jazz at the Merchants House open their season with a genuine legend, trumpeter Randy Brecker (right) playing the music of his illustrious brother, saxophonist Michael on Sunday, September 17. Randy will be joined by saxophonist Tod Dickow and Charged Particles for two shows in what is a real coup for the Glasgow promoters. Also, Red Door in Linlithgow have a great autumn line-up, including the Irish singer Christine Tobin with guitarist Phil Robson on Friday December 1. This will be a rare opportunity to hear Christine’s distinctive voice and Phil’s always apposite creativity in an intimate space.
Tommy Smith and Peter Johnstone (left)take their superb saxophone and piano conversations to Ambleside on Sunday July 9 and will be part of a prestigious international programme at Buxton Festival the following afternoon. Pete also has something very exciting coming up in October – you can have a sneak preview here and here (more to be announced soon).
As soon as the Buxton concert is finished, Tommy (right) will be on his way to Lichfield, where he plays a solo acoustic concert in Lichfield Cathedral later in the evening (Monday July 10). These solo celebrations of melody have been getting fantastic responses as Tommy uses venues’ natural acoustics to showcase the marvellous quality and variety of his tone and his improvisational mastery.
New Focus Duo, pianist Euan Stevenson and saxophonist Konrad Wiszniewski follow Tommy to Lichfield on Thursday July 13 to present their brilliantly entertaining and informative The Classical Connection. As well as providing an enthralling trip through the interlinked works of Ellington, Satie, Mozart, Miles and more, these concerts illustrate the guys’ fabulous jazz chops, as audiences in Scotland can witness this autumn.
There’s a change from the norm for Playtime (left) as they move from their habitual Thursday slot to Sunday July 16 to feature with brilliant pianist Zoe Rahman at Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival. Zoe’s own music draws on her mixed heritage – English, Irish and Bengali – and added to Playtime’s collectively rich experience in different musical spheres, this will be a fascinating meeting.
Two of our most creative and individual guitarists, Don Paterson and Graeme Stephen (right) unite in a duo concert at Heart of Hawick on Saturday July 22. Don’s recently published memoir, Toy Fights gives an insight into the different influences he’s absorbed – folk, country, jazz and pop – in between the highly amusing tales. And Graeme’s ability to assimilate myriad cultures into a guitar style that’s entirely his own makes hearing this pairing a truly rewarding experience
Norwegian bass master Arild Andersen has been one of the key figures in European jazz for some fifty years, with an extensive catalogue of great recordings, mostly, but not exclusively, for the ECM label. Arild’s concert with his trio at Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival on Saturday July 22 will be the group’s first Scottish gig with drummer Thomas Strønen, replacing the dearly-missed Paolo Vinaccia, alongside Arild’s long-time partner Tommy Smith. Sparks are likely to fly.
Arild Anderen Trio
MUSIC THAT´S GOING PLACES
JAZZ IN JULY DIARY
Edinburgh
Jazz Bar
Fri 13: Nathan Somevi Trio/Peter Johnstone Trio
Sat 15: Enrico Zanisi/Dishwasher
Sun 16: Sue Mackenzie Trio/The Great Hipster Songbook
Mon 17: Ben Shankland Trio/Jazz Bar Big Band
Tue 18: Chun-Wei Kang: New Song/Emong
Wed 19: Kevin Mackenzie Prime Trio/Mona Krogstad Qrt
Thu 20: Ali Watson Qrt/ASQ
Fri 21: ENUJSS/Phil Bancroft Trio/Richard Glassby
Sat 22: Liv Andrea Hauge Trio with Matt Carmichael/Escher
Sun 23: Kristina Fransson with Graeme Stephen Trio/Nabou
Outhouse
Thu 13, 27: Playtime (tbc)
St Brides
Fri 14: Martin Kershaw Qnt/Graham Costello’s STRATA
Sat 15: Brian Kellock & Enrico Tomasso/Stephen Henderson’s Modern Vikings
Sun 16: Laura Macdonald/Daykoda/Playtime feat Zoe Rahman
Mon 17: Dick Lee Bechet Nouveau/Haftor Medbøe & Fabio Giachino/Zoe Rahman Trio with Laura Macdonald and Helena Kay
Wed 19: Mark Hendry Fractus
Thu 20: Rachel Lightbody/Brian Kellock at 60
Fri 21: Classic Jazz Orchestra/Mario Caribe Crusaders Time Machine
Sat 22: Fionna Duncan Tribute/Bebop Conservation Society/Arild Andersen Trio
Sun 23: Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra/Miles Miles Miles
Glasgow
Glad Cafe
Fri 14: Ben Shankland
Sat 15: C.A.L.I.E./Nathan Somevi
Sun 16: Louise Dodds/Ben MacDonald
Tue 25: Dawn Coulshed
St Lukes
Tue 25: Mary Coughlan
Hawick
Heart of Hawick
Sat 22: Don Paterson & Graeme Stephen
St Andrews
St Andrews University Students Union
Thus: Live Jazz (weekly jam session)
London
606 Club
Sat 1: Christian Garrick Bandwith
Sun 2: Liane Carroll
Sat 8: Alex Hitchcock
Sun 9: Georgia Mancio
Sun 16: Jo Harrop
Sat 22: Mornington Lockett with Henry Lowther
Ronnie Scott’s
Sat 2: Jazzmeia Horn
Mon 3: Immanuel Wilkins
Thu 6 – Sat 8: Monty Alexander
Thu 13: Endea Owens
Sat 15: Lakecia Benjamin
Mon 17: Mark Guiliana
Tue 18: Kenny Baron Trio
Wed 26 – Thu 27: Yellowjackets
As always, this list is not intended to be comprehensive
– other gigs are available.
Such as
About Jazz in Reading
Jazz in Reading stages regular events with top-class bands at Reading’s Progress Theatre. See the current programme here
We list jazz events in Reading and the wider area at no charge – simply submit your gig details. We also offer an affordable service to further promote events – such as the one above – by email: details here
Jazz in Reading, using its extensive contacts in the jazz world, is in an excellent position to help you find the right band for your wedding, party or other special occasion.
TONIGHT 2nd JULY
Derek Nash (saxophone)
Backed by the Pangbourne Jazz Club rhythm section:
Terry Hutchins (guitar) | Andy Crowdy (double bass)
Jim Pollard (piano) | Brian Greene (drums)
British Jazz Award-winning Derek Nash, (left) – bandleader, composer, arranger, record producer and engineer – is one of the UK’s busiest jazz musicians.
He is leader of six bands, each with its own unique sound and featuring some of the top jazz musicians in the UK today. Derek has been a full-time member of the Jools Holland Rhythm & Blues Orchestra since 2004 and is also a member of the Ronnie Scott’s Blues Explosion. With these bands, he has enjoyed sharing the stage with many great artists including Tom Jones, Eric Clapton, David Sanborn, Jack Bruce, Amy Winehouse, Michael Buble and Sir Paul McCartney.
He is one of the most in-demand and respected guest instrumentalists for jazz clubs across the UK and has received numerous nominations in the British Jazz Awards. In the jazz-funk world he has performed with David Benoit, Brian Culbertson, Ernie Watts, Mezzoforte, Nelson Rangell and Don and Dave Grusin.
Derek is a prolific composer, regularly penning compositions for his various bands and undertaking commissions. He has also composed for television and radio. As an arranger, and following in the footsteps of his father, Pat Nash (who was an arranger for the BBC Northern Dance Orchestra), Derek has worked for many major artists including Jools Holland, Annie Lennox, David Sanborn, Nile Rogers, Gregory Porter and Chaka Khan.ç
In addition to his own recordings, Derek has also guested with other major artists including Don Grusin, Jack Bruce, Bob Dorough, Rumer and Shakatak.
As a record producer and engineer, Derek received a gold disc for his work with Jamie Cullum for his ‘Pointless Nostalgic’ album and has recorded some of the leading UK jazz artists including Stan Tracey, Bobby Wellins, Georgie Fame, George Melly, Alan Barnes, Geoff Gascoyne and Digby Fairweather
JAZZ LOGO Live Jazz USA tour
JENNY BRAY
talks to Norman Warwick
Excitement is building for Jenny Bray, a musician from Nafferton, ahead of flying out to the USA to start a near two-month tour promoting her soon to be released new album.
Singer-songwriter Jenny Bray, who recently featured in the Wolds Weekly when some of her Yorkshire Wolds Suzuki Piano pupils performed at Highfield House in Driffield, will travel to the States next Tuesday (4th July), where as well as performing songs from One Hare One Owl, she will writing new material alongside some accomplished producers.
Jenny’s inspiration for her new album came from some of the villages in the Yorkshire Wolds and the outstanding beauty of the area conveyed in her songs will be passed on to an American audience.
It’s the first time Jenny, who studied in York, New York, Galway and Cardiff, has visited the USA since COVID restrictions were lifted.
´The US tour is the start of a pretty busy period´, says Jenny.
´It will be followed by several gigs in the UK, and then by putting the final production touches to my fourth album later in the year.
I recorded my first two albums out in the US and I had a fair bit of success with them over there with some memorable performances at New Hope’s iconic John and Peter’s live music venue” said Jenny, who cites Nina Simone as one of her inspirations.
“Tracks from those albums have also been featured on Radio Jazz Mixcloud, BBC Introducing and BBC Radio Humberside, a station which has been really supportive. And I have been featured twice this year in the blog Sidetracks and Detours.
“Some of my songs received radio airplay on Radio Times, the national public radio in Philadelphia, with one of the producers describing my music as ‘sultry, clever, sweet and smart’.
“Whilst in America, I played at the Geraldine R. Dodge etry Festival, before coming back to England to write another album.
“Last year, I released a single called ‘Bridlington’ before concentrating on my latest album, One Hare One Owl, which is inspired by the Yorkshire Wolds, particularly Fraisthorpe, Wansford and Langtoft.
“I’m going to the US for around two months and I’ll be playing 19 dates in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Virginia, mostly solo performances but linking up with a New York backing vocal singer Olive Joseph who I’ve worked with many times before and also an Argentinian guitarist Louis Sparre. I will be traveling with 2 road crew. I am appearing as a guest on the popular J.B.Kline show which will be live streamed.
“I usually receive a good response from audiences in the US and now we are out of lockdown, it is really nice to get out there and play.
“I will be working on the final mixes of the album with Nashville producer Justin Johnson, as well as filming a music video.
“It’s a really exciting time for me. Once I return from the US, I’ll be going on tour in the UK as a support act and I’ll also be doing some more work with BBC Radio Humberside and in local jazz clubs.
“The tour in the UK will continue to promote the album and I’m hoping to produce some CDs and vinyl. Look out for my new single ‘Ringing Bells’ to be released on November 1st!, a song I wrote telling a story of ringing in the new year at St Peter’s Langtoft.
“I have already started work on my fourth album, which is called ‘Vocals in Essex’ and I’ll be recording the vocals for it in Essex ahead of the release.”
Sidetracks And Detours will keep you updated on Jenny´s live performances and of course with progress on production of the new album. We also look forward to bringing you an exclusive intervie with her on release of the album.
Meanwhile you can search our easy to negotiate archives of circa 950 articles. If you type her name in our search engine you will several earlier articles about Jenny.
Meanwhile, For more information about Jenny’s music and performances, visit Jenny Bray Music Facebook or Jenny Bray Collective Instagram.
Alternatively, email jennybray01@gmail.com.
Jazz On Air
Steve Bewick presents HOT BISCUITS
This week My Hot Biscuits show features Ross Anderson Music, an emerging bassist, composer and producer based in Melbourne/Naarm. Hi album, Cubism, released last year, is now live on Bandcamp and all major streaming services. CDs are also available on Bandcamp:
I also play tracks from Elly Hoyt. (right) This London based, Australian native is a jazz and contemporary singer, composer and vocal coach. She has appeared at venues and festivals throughout the world notably the Sydney Opera House in Australia, Shanghai World Expo in China and the 55 bar in New York City.
In 2011, Elly won Best Australian Jazz Vocal Album at the Australian Jazz Bell Awards and is the first contemporary vocalist to receive the Marten Bequest Traveling Scholarship in 2015 to study at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, USA. Elly Hoyt has performed for King Charles and Camilla, opened for Kenny Barron and played alongside James Morrison.
Elly is an active educator and has holds a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Voice and Masters of Vocal Pedagogy from the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University (QCGU).
She currently lectures in voice and songwriting at BIMM Institute, London.
I will also draw your attention to The Con Artists, a big band production outfit. After twenty years of performing, the Con Artists are still a strong force on the Australian jazz music scene. And it is not just impressive performance credentials that are a legacy of Hoffman’s inspired work with this group. The band, under Hoffman and more recently Stephen Newcomb, has been a platform for members to go on and forge successful careers as singers, musicans, composers, teachers and academics. This ongoing project continues to this day to provide an environment where students can have their first major public performance, their first musical collaborations, and even their first album recording.
I will also introduce music from Cécile McLorin Salvant, an American jazz vocalist. She was the winner of the first prize in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition in 2010, releasing her first album, Cécile, shortly thereafter
Ian Shaw, will deliver a song of summertime.
I will also play a tribute track from two well – travelled and well connected session musicians who began their collaboration over 20 years ago as students at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Ross Stanley & Chris Allard play a tribute to Michael Brecker.
Michael Leonard Brecker was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. He was awarded 15 Grammy Awards as both performer and composer, received an Honorary Doctorate from Berklee College of Music in 2004, and was inducted into the DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame in 2007.
My show, which also includes a special feature presented by my buddy and researcher Gary Heywood. Everett will finish with the Alex Hitchcock Quartet from an earlier London Jazz Festival.
Hitchcock completed an English degree at Cambridge University before embarking on the Jazz Course at London’s Royal Academy of Music as a post graduate. Here he studied with leading saxophonists Iain Ballamy, Julian Siegel, Martin Speake, James Allsopp and Barak Schmool, plus pianist and course leader Pete Churchill.
Hitchcock graduated in 2016 and has since been making a name for himself in a variety of musical contexts. Among those with whom he has worked are trumpeter Nick Smart, bassists Laurence Cottle, Misha Mullov-Abbado, Joe Downard, Matt Ridley and Liran Donin, trombonist Dennis Rollins, pianist John Donegan and fellow saxophonists Soweto Kinch, Stan Sulzmann, Art Themen and Tom Smith. He is also a member of Resolution 88, the funk quartet led by pianist and composer Tom O’Grady. Internationally he has collaborated with American drummer John Hollenbeck and the Franco/Belgian duo of drummer Andre Charlier and pianist Benoit Sourisse.
Hitchcock is also a talented and versatile large ensemble player whose credits include the Cambridge University Jazz Orchestra, the Royal Academy of Music Big Band, the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, the Laurence Cottle Big Band and the Andy Panayi Big Band. He is also a member of the increasingly lauded Patchwork Jazz Orchestra, a hugely talented collective of young London based jazz musicians, many of them graduates of the Academy. I was fortunate enough to witness an exciting performance by the PJO at the 606 Jazz Club in Chelsea at the 2016 EFG London Jazz Festival. Hitchcock appears on the PJO’s excellent début album “The Adventures of Mr Pottercakes”, released earlier in 2019.
If this looks interesting then pass it on to a friend and tune in anytime
www.mixcloud.com/stevebewick/ 24/07
MUSIC PEI / ENGLISH FOLK EXPO: (logo)
ARTIST EXCHANGE
English Folk Expo and Music PEI (Prince Edward Island, Canada) are delighted to announce a very special artist exchange this Autumn.
We will select one England based singer-songwriter (folk, roots, acoustic genres) to work with a musician from PEI, collaborating on new music.
This will include 3 days of writing and recording in Canada before attending Showcase PEI including a 20 minute delegate showcase.
Then both artists will travel to Manchester, UK for 3 more days of writing and rehearsing before attending English Folk Expo including a delegate showcase as part of the public Manchester Folk Festival.
The following costs are included in this project:
All travel and accommodation to both PEI and Manchester
A per diem for each day of the programme to cover basic hospitality
A £150 fee to cover the public performance at Manchester Folk Festival
One-to-one mentoring support from English Folk Expo
Full showcase listing to delegates in both Showcase PEI and English Folk Expo
A billed public performance at Manchester Folk Festival
The opportunity to record some music in Canada
Artist pass to the accompanying talent development conference in Manchester, Unconvention plus all other artist access benefits
Project dates:
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, CANADA
21-28th September 2023
MANCHESTER, UK
15-22nd October 2023
Applications close at midnight on Thursday 13th July
The succesful artist will be selected by Wednesday 19th July
Apply here:
Our mailing address is:
English Folk Expo
14 Cecil Street
Littleborough,
Lancashire OL15 8LE
United Kingdom
Our telephone:
07929577894
Forward this email to a friend:
https://us2.forward-to-friend.com/forward?u=6b3c748ecdfabd7e597405245&id=7eafd7226f&e=87a9652e50
Sidetracks And Detours continue to be impressed by the innovative and successful work undertaken by English Folk Expo, who have massiv ely changed the public perception of folk music so much ion the past decade. UK musicians are playing a leading and increasingly vital role in the world folk music stgasge and opportunities like the one descroibed above is surely a fantastioc opportunity for aspirant or established musicians and writers.
COLORS FESTIVAL: 2023 MANCHESTER
Manchester’s Most Colourful Street-Art Experience
previewed by Steve Cooke (right)
Get ready for the ultimate escape! Colors Festival (left) is making its way to the UK in Manchester, delivering a lively encounter with street art, paintings, and photography carefully curated by 30+ talented artists from across the globe. Immerse yourself in a world exploding with vibrant colors, excitement, and pure joy, stepping outside of the boundaries of your everyday life. Don’t miss out on this unforgettable, family-friendly experience of the year.
Tickets are selling fast for this hit experience from Paris with over 100,000 visitors and a 4.8/5 rating! However, there remains availability for June, July and August but you might need to snap up tickets quickly
At the Colors Festival you will be able to
Embark on a sensory and unique interactive journey through the world of art with a multitude of exhibitions, installations, and interactive displays at your fingertips
Marvel at the stunning display of XXL colourful works spread across 800m² of exhibition space
Enjoy a family-friendly experience that’s fun for adults and children alike
Discover a curated selection of over 30 established and emerging artists from all corners of the world
Immerse yourself in a completely renovated and unique space, specially designed to enhance your art experience
photo colours To summarise, you can Immerse yourself in a captivating world of vibrant colors and boundless imagination at Colors Festival, where art takes you on a journey beyond your everyday life. With 30+ street artists from around the globe, this extraordinary event unveils a universe of paintings, photography, and illustrations that will ignite your senses.
Engage with interactive installations and encounter art in awe-inspiring ways. Having enchanted over 100,000 street art enthusiasts in Paris, Colors Festival is now arriving in the UK to offer you and your loved ones an immersive and unforgettable experience. Get your tickets now for Colors Festival in Manchester and embark on a transformative artistic adventure!
Press Review
Manchester Evening News ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: “…visitors will feel like they are stepping into different worlds as they enter different parts of the exhibition” “The UV room is a must see”
from NORTH SEA STRING QUARTET
We hope this newsletter finds you in high spirits and with a melody in your heart. As you scroll down, get ready for some exciting collaborations and other news!
3, 2, 1… Roller!
On May 13th, NSSQ organized a special concert at the Batavierhuis where we recorded a few pieces from our new repertoire. The energy in the room was truly electrifying and we had a great time playing. We want to thank the audience for being part of this, and express our gratitude to our friend Felipe Pipi, who skilfully captured this memorable evening in high-quality multicam video. Hereby we share the first tune with you, ‘Roller’, which was composed by our very own George Dumitriu:
Sanem Kalfa
On June 29th, we will have the pleasure of performing together with Turkish singer Sanem Kalfa (right) as part of North Sea Round Town, a fringe festival in Rotterdam. Together we will present a diverse collection of songs, encompassing Turkish, Spanish, Italian and Brazilian compositions, weaving Sanem Kalfa’s touching vocal style with the unique sound of our string quartet.
Radar Festival in Varna
We are invited to play in Bulgaria for the first time! The Radar Festival takes place from the 3rd to the 6th of August in the beautiful city of Varna. We are invited to perform on August 4th as well as to give a masterclass, followed by another concert, at Ethno Fusion Fest in Veliko Tarnovo on the 6th of August.
NSSQ at Concertgebouw Amsterdam
We are honored to be invited to perform in the prestigious Concertgebouw Amsterdam as part of the Basement Sessions concert series. We’ll perform two concerts with music from our upcoming album. We can’t wait to see you in the audience!
North Sea Jazz meets NSSQ
We are thrilled to bring two exciting collaborations to the renowned North Sea Jazz Festival. On July 7th, we’ll join forces again with our friends from Trio Da Kali to perform music from their “Ladilikan” project. You can catch us at the “Madeira” stage at 15.30h. (If you can’t make it, another chance to hear us play together is the next day at the Brosella Festival in Brussels at 16:45h.)
Furthermore, we are delighted to announce that we’ll be collaborating with the incredibly talented Samora Pinderhughes, known for his soul-stirring compositions and dynamic performances. This concert will take place on July 9th at the “Missouri” stage at 15:30h. Here’s a taste of his music: Samora Pinderhughes: Tiny Desk (Home) Concer
| Music, dance and marshmallows in the forest During May’s Pentecost weekend, our quartet members Thomas and Pablo, along with jazz violinist Jasper Le Clercq and double bassist & singer Benjamin van de Boer, led the 2nd edition of the Academy of Improvising Strings Junior. Around 30 teenagers came to the beautiful forest of Austerlitz to learn and discover music that does not fit into the classical mold They explored improvisation in various ways, experimented with different playing styles, and delved into diverse timing and rhythmic figures that require a bodily connection to play. Additionally, they explored alternative repertoire, such as Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” and Bruno Mars’s groovy “Uptown Funk” among others. These activities were accompanied by dance workshops, sports, hiking in the woods, jam sessions around the campfire… and plenty of marshmallows! It was a delightful weekend that we eagerly anticipate repeating next year. |
The North Sea String Quartet,
Yanna, George, Pablo & Thomas
| THE ADSUBIAN GALLERY, SPAIN Adsubian PosterVisual Art Anyone visiting Spain should check out adsubiangallery.com before setting off on their holiday. They would surely feel the gallery is well worth a visit if they are in the area.and if they were to call in they would most likely meet Aldo Nonis y Louise Hurlow who have become great newsletter pals of Sidetracks And Detours. Aldo and Louise enthuse in a heartfelt and knowledgeable manner about their showcase arts events at this gallery which opened in 2016 and now showcases and sells the works of artists from Spain, France, U.K, Germany, United States. All these artists have a strong connection with Adsubia, the beautiful village in which The Adsubian Gallery is housed The Adsubuian Gallery is committed to taking part in the traditional and contemporary cultural actions led by Adsubia-Forna. Our pen pals have just dropped us a line to share with our readers. The first of The Adsubian Gallery summer exhibitions starts on Saturday the 15th of July 2023. photo Come and meet the artist Jorge Martínez from 18.00pm, to learn more about his passion for art. Please see the attached poster. Refreshments will be served. We look forward to welcoming you. JORGE MARTÍNEZ Born in Carlet (Valencia), from an early age he showed a great capacity for drawing and plastic arts leading him to study drawing and color techniques with the renowned painter carletí Joan Barés with which he develops various styles. In 2004, he became part of the artistic team of the “Odeon Decorados” Workshops, where he works as a sculptor and painter of backdrops for opera, ballet, theater, musicals etc ..Throughout these years he has been experimenting with various pictorial styles and techniques” poster |
THE ADSUBIAN GALLERY rest of summer 2023
We have a packed summer programme of exhibitions for everyone to enjoy.
We are delighted to have such an array of talented artists exhibiting their works, here at the Adsubian Gallery.
Please find your copy of the summer programme 2023 attached.
There will be an inauguration for each exhibition, when you will have the opportunity to meet the artists and enjoy a cool refreshment.
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SIDETRACKS AND DETOURS:
Kentish Plovers Cause A Palava
by Norman Warwick
photo fire Since coming to live here on Lanzarote in 2015 we have many times celebrated with a magical night on The eve of San Juan, This is a traditional festival in Lanzarote, and an opportunity is taken by many to write out their wish list. Others build huge bonfires and otherfs even jump into the waves on the shore-line.
The night of San Juan is actually such an important celebration for the island, that until a few years ago, there was no work on that day. In fact, in the sixties, the people of Lanzarote tried to finish their work in the fields to be able to enjoy the night with their family and friends. That has changed slightly as the island has since become far more tourist-led over the last five or six decades and tourists and visitors are welcomed to the festival events and restaurant owners, and service staff all work to ensure our visitors enjoy as good a time as the indigent celebrators.
There are several traditional activities associated with the Festival of San Juan that are celebrated every year in the municipalities of the island. There is, for instance, the ritualistic burning of a doll called Facundo , which has been carried out by a resident of Punta Mujeres since 1964.
In addition, several young people from Haría dress up as “Devils” (right) , a tradition that has been going on for 20 years and in which, in its early years, they mysteriously appeared onenight to surprise the public at the moment the bonfires were lit. With self-designed and self-made clothing together they wear masks that have the peculiarity of being able to break the mould after its completion.
Another of the customs that takes place during San Juan is the roast of pineapples directly in the heat and flame of the bonfires.
For the early hours of Friday 23rd June, the eve of the day of San Juan, several municipalities on the island will carry out activities to host the festivity. In the case of Haría, a rural town where the festival is vibrantly celebrated, at 9:00 p.m. there was a concert in its square, in which the group La Raíz a la Tierra performed . They finished before the crack of dawn with the burning by fire by Facundo, Fire Dance and fireworks in the solar next to the square, which culminated with the festival of Los Conejeros and Banda Nueva.
In Playa Honda the festivity was enjoyed diverse activities, with several musical events taking place including, at 8:00 p.m. a workshop on Latin rhythms.
Other concerts will be delivered by acts including the group Treintaytantos at 9:00 p.m. , there will also be a tribute to Manny Manuel and even Dj Ángel Pérez, at 10:30 p.m.
However, events planned in Playa Honda for the night of San Juan, were ´suspended. ´The City Council of San Bartolomé, announced that technical reports issued by the agencies including The Ministry of Ecological Transition, Fight Against Climate Change and Territorial Planning Of The Government Of The Canary Islands, Nature Protection Service (Seprona) and Cabildo de Lanzarote “force the cancellation of the acts” due to the possible affections that the proposed bonfires might cause a colony of birds and its reproduction process.
The Kentish Plover is an endangered species of bird classified as vulnerable with a breeding area on the coast of Playa Honda, so the aforementioned documents, the environmental authorities persuaded the City Council to delimit or limit the access of people to that place.
The City Council of San Bartolomé stated their regret at the cancellation of festive events on such an important date and the inconvenience it may cause to the residents of the municipality. However, it respected the conclusions of the experts in the field of biodiversity and remain on the side of the defense of the environment, sustainability and a rich biodiversity that make Lanzarote a world reference in nature protection
The planned events, including the bonfire or the concert, with the consequent massive presence of people, could “endanger”, according to reports, the habitat of this threatened species, which is cited as “vulnerable” in the Canarian Catalogue of Protected Species and in the Spanish Catalogue of Threatened Species
.The Kentish Plover is a small shorebird weighing around 40 g as an adult. Both male and female birds have black bills and dark legs, however adults have dimorphic plumage. During the breeding season, males have a black horizontal head bar, two incomplete dark breast-bands on each side of their breast, black ear coverts and a rufous nape and crown (although there is some variation between breeding populations), whereas the females are paler in these areas, without the dark markings In the early breeding season, it is easy to distinguish between males and females since the ornaments are very pronounced, but as the breeding season progresses, the differences between the two sexes decrease. Moreover, males have longer tarsi and longer flank feathers than females. Longer flank feathers are thought to be an advantage for incubation and brood care, as the quality of feathers is associated with heat insulation. There are multiple significant predictors of plumage ornamentation in Kentish plovers. Firstly, the interaction between the advancement of the breeding season and rainfall seem to affect ornamentation. Male ornaments become more elaborated over the course of a breeding season in regions with high rainfall, whereas in regions with low rainfall, male ornaments become lighter. Secondly, the interaction between the breeding system and the sex can predict the degree of plumage ornamentation. In polygamous populations, the sexual ornaments are more pronounced, generating a stronger sexual dimorphism than in monogamous populations. The difference is especially witnessed in males, whereby the ornaments are darker and smaller in polygamous populations compared to monogamous populations, where males have lighter and larger ornaments. ornaments
DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY at Festival San Juan
with Norman Warwick
Although we had not intended to visit the Playa Honda event, its cancellation actually affected our plans to attend The Arrecife event as usual. We´re suckers for bonfires and fireworks and beach parties, but the Arrecife San Juan celebrations are always very busy, with enforced road closures and thousands of people on the Reducto. We felt an overspill from Playa Honda might add a massive extra time to our journeys and therefore decided instead to enjoy the free concerts being staged in our home town of Playa Blanca, only a mile away from home.
We drove down and parked up quite early, and decided to eat at La Rustica, only twenty yards across the road from where the concert was to be held, In fact, from our table, we were able to watch (and hear) the bands going through their sound checks. La Rustica is an easy going family restaurant with a varied snack and tapas style menu.
However, I have found on a few occasions in my eight years on Lanzarote that there can be many slips between menu and lips. Tonight I ordered, in English, two tapas items of fried cheese and jam, and spicy potatoes and I did notice the waiter offer me a puzzled look. A couple of minutes later he returned to check that I wanted chips and ham with my spicy potatoes. It sounded like he had said fried cheeses and jam so I nodded and smiled broadly at the waiter and confirmed my order.
The plate of ham and chips was enormous, and the dish of spicy potatoes was piled even higher. I realised I had been complicit in this mis-serve and so said nothing and tucked in but had to concede and eventually leave to one side, for perhaps the first time in my seventy odd years, potato dishes uneaten ! Good job I did, though, or I wouldn´t have been able to face the delicious marangue for dessert ! Dee had some sort of Veggie Pasta and a couple of glasses of wine and I had two beers. We were well fed and well served and the damage was only 30 euros.
As we paid the bill we could see the crowds building up across the road in the square, and we walked over to find a place to sit on the low wall that surrounds this beautiful arena in front of the delightful little church, Nuestra Del Carmen, that is such a focal point when seen from the town centre.
After only a couple of opening numbers, the first band, Inerxia, had drawn scores of ´loyal friends and front row dancers´ to the foot of the stage. We didn´t know much (anything at all really) about this band but their charisma saw them reaching out to the audience as they sang what were obviously radio-friendly songs. There was occasionally some blazing guitar work that complemented rather than interfered with the music and great bass and percussion work, too. They even finished their act with a couple of bluesy rockers including an impassioned Gloria, and Bon Jovi´s Living On A Prayer. They even previewed this finish with a segment from The Final Countdown, by Frankie, who went to Hollywood if you remember. So, although they delivered excellently on the pop music front the band have told us they are always inventing new ideas and are looking to implement more rock music into their act on the right occasions.
They seemed to us like a young band with a bright future and the following act was equally impressive. Sin Cobertura, with a powerful female lead vocalist immediately put me in mind of the T¨Pau of the China In Your Hand era. There was a drama and an element of performance art about their act that enhanced rather than detracted from the music. Although some of the songs seemed slightly fragmented or episodic the hundreds of dancers in the square kept on dancing.
Let´s talk about those dancers, then. From grandparent to young married couples, flirting teenagers and tiny disco-tots, they were all there ! Young mums were swaying to the music with babes in arms, whilst toddlers were leading dads and mums in a merry dance around the throngs of thirty somethings and the best dancer on the concrete floor was a lady of grandmother-age who was throwing some serious shapes. There were resident families and tourist couples (and maybe even some Kentish Plovers had flown down here too). There was no need for stewarding or policing, and whatever security there was, remained undercover. Apart from us, every generation we could see appeared to know the words to every song and lip-synced them as they danced. There were only smiles exchanged between us all, and the only way we could tell this wasn´t Glastonbury was because there were no mud-baths.
Was it fun?
It was great fun !
Did it rock?
It rocked and then some !
Should you have been here?
If you could, you should have !
Elton remembers when rock was young
but Norman Warwick remembers when
AMERICANA WAS COUNTRY AND WESTERN
Country And Western ditched the second half of its married name in some sort of musical divorce, and for a little while was knonw as only ´country´. But as if feeling insecure having lost the second half of its name, country went in search of new first names. And so was born New Country, which became Alt country and is now, having taken other sidetracks and detours along the way, called Americana,
According to an article in Paste on line this week, Alt-country is such a hard genre to define that the wonderful music magazine devoted to it, initially proclaimed itself the “alternative-country (whatever that is) bi-monthly.”
Now, in 2023, however, they select the best ever alt-country albums list, based on the criteria of the albums being with significant country elements operating outside of the mainstream country music industry. As Paste update this list that they first created in 2016, they continue to thread the needle between indie folk and straight-up country with Big Thief and Angel Olson framing one edge and Kasey Musgraves and The Highwomen framing the other. There are a lot of albums they and we love that fit somewhere just outside of that.
The alt-country movement had plenty of pre-cursors in the folk-rock of Gram Parsons and the renegade country of Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. But 1985 was really a watershed moment for the genre with Green on Red, Jason & The Scorchers and Mekons all exploring traditional country through the lens of punk rock. The ’90s kicked off with the first album from Uncle Tupelo, No Depression (released 33 years ago today), which became synonymous with “alt-country” thanks to the magazine of the same name. And the genre shows no signs of letting up, with last year’s album of the year and this year’s album of the year so far both making this list.
The appropriately titled Identity Crisis is by far the most eclectic record Shelby Lynne (right) has ever made. It moves from the jazzy pop of opener “Telephone” straight into the boogie-woogie gospel of “10 Rocks.” There’s also the noisy scrawl of “Gotta Be Better,” the electric blues of “Evil Man” and the shimmering acoustic pop of “One With the Sun.” Lynn also taps into her country roots with the folky “Baby” and the Owen Bradley-esque Nashvegas sound of “Lonesome”—a remarkable song featuring the slip-note piano of Little Feat’s Billy Payne. —Stuart Munro
Bear Creek Studios is a turn-of-the-century wood-plank barn sitting on 10-acre horse farm outside Seattle. For Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth and Tim Hanseroth, along with cellist Josh Neumann and drummer Allison Miller, it was the perfect place to hole up for a month and record Carlile’s fourth studio album, Bear Creek. Since the studio was about an hour and a half drive from their homes—and 20 minutes from any kind of shop—they spent many nights sleeping in the “country-ass loft” above the recording space. During the sessions, Carlile banned computers from the studio and iPhones from the control room. She wanted people connecting, talking to each other, picking up guitars and jamming. The result is possibly their rootsiest album to date, especially on the first couple of tracks. “Hard Way Home” is driven by a country shuffle, and “Raise Hell” opens with strumming on a lone banjo. But it’s the album’s best song, “That Wasn’t Me,” that just might stretch Carlile the farthest. Without dipping into specific theological territory, it’s undeniably rooted in gospel music. It’s hard to pick a favorite Brandi Carlile album. But Bear Creek is my favorite “alt-country” Brandi Carlile album. —Josh Jackson
Raised at the junction of Big Joe Turner, ‘50s rock and tavern country (slightly sleeker, ice clinking division), Dave Alvin (left) left the Blasters on two bald tires with the hammer down. “Romeo’s Escape” thrashed and churned, Stratocaster stinging and drums hard-pounding down as Alvin’s oaken crag of a voice shook with fury. The lean, but unrepentant Hank Williams’ homage “Long White Cadillac,” all wristy downstroke, fulk-throttled moan and high hat slam, would eventually hit #1 for Dwight Yoakam, as the driving grind of accusation and betrayal “New Tattoo” would become a low end stripper with brio anthem with its lacerating guitar and swollen bass. Somewhere between Steinbeck and Bukowski, Alvin mined have-nots’ seediness without making them cheap: “Jubilee Train” worked jackhammer-rhythmed salvation, “Border Radio” was Mexican-tinged Haggard and “Fourth of July” swept yearning across an evaporated love trying to find a spark. —Holly Gleason
Following his Rodney Crowell/John Leventhal-produced Planet of Love–which yielded cuts for George Strait, Lee Ann Womack, Patty Loveless, Mandy Barnett and George Jones, the North Carolina-born Lauderdale seemed more in control of his progressive California-forged traditional country. With songs that were existential (“When The Devil Starts Crying,” “Three Way Conversation” “Run Like You”), Lauderdale—like Gram Parsons before him—created a Cosmic American hybrid that blurred bluegrass, Haggard, Jones, Lefty Frizzell and Ray Price with ethereal metaphors for a new kind of classicism. Producer Dusty Wakeman drew on Lauderdale’s scrappy Palomino Club band—Buddy Miller on guitars and vocals, Dr John Ciambotti on bass, Donald Lindley on drums, Greg Leisz on dobro, electric and steel guitar, Gurf Morlix on 6-string bass, mandolin, electric/acoustic/12-string/steel guitars, Skip Edwards on organ and Tammy Rodgers on mandolin and vocals—to return Truth to the lean sound Lauderdale’d developed playing South California’s post-cowpunk outposts. That the band members would become Americana forces in their own right speaks to the scene around the man who coined the phrase, “Now that’s Americana!” —Holly Gleason
Always ambitious, Americana/traditional folk artist Rhiannon Giddens (right) uses Freedom Highway, her second solo album, for a contemporary end: tracing the roots of the #BlackLivesMatter movement from plantation property to today. Joined by two protest songs (Richard Farina’s “Birmingham Sunday” and Pops Staples’ title track) and one old blues cut (Mississippi John Hurt’s 1928 murder ballad “The Angels Laid Him Away”), the Carolina Chocolate Drop weaves a song cycle from slavery’s pain and abuse, the jolt and reality that drove the Civil Rights movement and our current epidemic of young black men shot by police. Whether she shuck’n’shimmies through the flirty trombone-laced “Hey Bebe,” the bowed cello and moan lullaby “Baby Boy” or the staccato romance denied “Love We Almost Had” (featuring fellow roots journeyer Bhi Bhiman), the emotions of desire and elation run strong. Giddens’ earthy, opera-trained soprano maintains not just dignity, but savors the world around her. It culminates with a roiling boil on “Freedom Highway,” a low impact James Brown revel. Brass pumping, hands clapping, blasts of Wurlitzer and a needlenose electric guitar buzzing, Giddens’ and Bhiman’s voices rise up in triumph, the shackles of abuse cast aside. They’re joyously resolved, “marching that freedom highway, and aren’t gonna turn around.” —Holly Gleason
With her Grammy-adorned breakout solo LP, Ingénue, k.d. lang transformed from a country traditionalist to an impressionistic pop crooner, draping her dazzling mezzo-soprano over samba rhythms (“Miss Chatelaine”), oceanic cabaret-jazz (“Save Me”) and breezy orchestrations from collaborator Ben Mink (“The Mind of Love”). No longer chasing the ghost of Patsy Cline, she pursued unique stylistic combinations—imbuing her formative “torch and twang” with a tapestry of colors: accordion, viola, marimba, the tropical-flavored pedal-steel of session master Greg Leisz. The album is best remembered, and summarized, by the lonesome yearning of hit single “Constant Craving.” “Always someone marches brave / Here beneath my skin,” Lang sings. Two decades later, she’s still marching bravely—still shifting her sound with each song cycle. But Ingénue remains her signature statement. —Ryan Reed
For some reason I missed out on a lot of work by Victoria Williams (left) but I have always loved her song, Why, Look At That Moon. I loved it so much, in fact, that I also loved its reincarnation brought about by The Waterboys. Victoria´s biggest moment in the sun came through 1993’s Sweet Relief album, where her songs were covered by Lou Reed, Pearl Jam, Soul Asylum and The Jayhawks to help raise money for health costs after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. One of those songs, “Crazy Mary,” would appear the next year on Loose, her third and best full-length. On it, she also sings a duet with her future husband, The Jayhawks’ Mark Olson, “When We Sing Together.” There’s a tenderness and fragility to these tracks that fits perfectly with her idiosyncratic lyrics, filled with an emotional depth, whether she’s singing about her dog, her grandfather, her crazy childhood neighbor or her soon-to-be husband—or just letting you know You R Loved. —Josh Jackson
If her work with Po’ Girl and Birds of Chicago suggested that Allison Russell makes music worth hearing, her solo debut cinches it. With melodies that linger, Outside Child is the work of an old soul: It’s an assured and subtle collection of songs that draws on folk, country and gospel. Russell can be enigmatic and metaphorical, as on “Nightflyer,” or direct and almost painfully straightforward when she worries about “All of the women / Who disappear” on “All of the Women.” Russell’s voice is warm, and while her vocals never lack for feeling, she sings with a restraint that draws listeners in closer to catch the nuance in her lyrics and delivery. —Eric R. Danton
The combination of Woody Guthrie’s calls for social justice, Billy Bragg’s snarling vocals and Wilco’s rootsy rock complement each on this tribute to the folk legend. The British singer/songwriter and the American band had access to thousands of sets of complete lyrics that the troubadour had written between 1939-1967, thanks to Guthrie’s daughter, Nora. And on Mermaid Avenue, they seamlessly infuse Woody’s words with modern music, a seemingly insurmountable feat that ended up earning them a Grammy nod and led to a follow-up album.—Hilary Saunders
More convincingly than anyone in the two decades, Gillian Welch and her partner David Rawlings (right) dipped their ladle into the pot of old-timey American music. On the reflective Time (the Revelator), as their striking vocals wrap tautly around each other, a hushed epic unfolds. The spirited “Red Clay Halo”—a gorgeously simple rumination on poverty, sin and redemption—captures the essence of the duo’s timeless songs: “And it’s under my nails and it’s under my collar / And it shows on my Sunday clothes / Though I do my best with the soap and the water / but the damned old dirt won’t go.” Welch and Rawlings can’t seem to get the dirt out of their music, either. And thank goodness for that. —Kate Kiefer
There’s a long tradition of African-Americans playing old-time music, from blues legends Blind Blake, the Reverend Gary Davis and Josh White to artists such as the Mississippi Mud Steppers and Howard “Louie Bluie” Armstrong, whose early ragtime outfit, the Tennessee Chocolate Drops, has provided a lasting influence—and this modern-day act with its name. The Carolina Chocolate Drops formed in 2005 at the Black Banjo Gathering in Boone, N.C., and since then the young trio has been determined to prove that “black folk were a huge part of the stringband tradition.” What they’ve also done is dust off a musical form seen today as either a novelty or the exclusive provenance of ethnomusicologists. To paraphrase Rakim’s immortal words, these Drops ain’t no joke: Their enthusiasm for the tradition is obvious even as the trio spans from traditional arrangements (the rollicking fiddle rave-ups “Trouble in Your Mind” and “Cindy Gal”) to self-penned works (the particularly terrific “Kissin’ and Cussin’”) and stringband makeovers of modern-day works (a hip-hop influenced cover of Blu Cantrell’s “Hit ’em Up Style (Oops!)” and Tom Waits’ “Trampled Rose”). Several generations removed from the origins of their chosen idiom, the Carolina Chocolate Drops are nonetheless the genuine article. —Corey DuBrowa
The fourth album from 28-eight-year-old Justin Townes Earle (left) —son of the legendary Steve, namesake of the legendary Van Zandt—blows through its half-hour runtime, and new listeners will be unsurprised to hear that Earle is influenced by both The Replacements (he covered “Can’t Hardly Wait” on 2009’s Midnight at the Movies) and Bruce Springsteen (and covered “Atlantic City” for The A.V. Club). The self-deprecating smirk of the former and the everyman spirit of the latter have imbued Earle’s songwriting since his earliest recordings, but here they see their finest representation to date—sans pretension and with a pile of hooks to boot. If he can keep his demons at bay, we’ll one day see his his three names cozied up against those of Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, George Jones and the other denizens of country music’s pantheon. —Austin L. Ray
In 2004, 69-year-old Loretta Lynn released her 37th solo studio album. It could have been a sad affair, the desperate yawp of a legendary Nashville madam teetering into an aged cliché of herself, but with the help of rock ‘n’ roll upstart Jack White, Lynn made the greatest record of her career. Like a bunch of rowdy grandkids, White and a crew of friends (most of whom would converge a year later as The Raconteurs) lent a sly, gritty feel to Lynn’s 13 mostly-autobiographical tracks—Van Lear Rose was her 70th release overall, but it was only the second time she’d written or co-written all of her songs. Her seasoned, tremulous voice paired perfectly with White’s electric guitar warble, pulling off mournful country crooners and all-out rock numbers with equal grit and spunk. She hasn’t released anything since, but it almost doesn’t matter. —Rachael Maddux
When Uncle Tupelo went into the studio to record their third album, the No Depression movement was only just beginning to gel, as more and more musicians realized they could approach country music with a DIY punk attitude. Surprisingly, the trio ditched their electric guitars for this album of mostly acoustic numbers, but lost none of the urgency and grit. Comprised of originals and covers of traditional tunes that would have been doubly obscure in the pre-iTunes era, March 16-20, 1992 opens up new possibilities of American folk music in general and alt-country in particular, and 24 years later, Uncle Tupelo’s explicitly leftist, pro-union, anti-corporate stance lends the album extra weight and relevance. —Stephen M. Deusner
In the same way Liam Neeson used to function in the film world as gravitas-for-hire, the guest list for Neko Case’s fourth proper studio outing reads like a receipt from the tumbleweed-skiffle department of a Tucson-area Rent-A-Cred; gracing this project are locals Howe Gelb, and Calexico, plus out-of-towners Kelly Hogan, Dexter Romweber and Garth Hudson, to name a few. Case (right) , of course, still approximates a Northwestern Patsy Cline with a graduate degree, and while the stories she tells are mournful, her delivery remains buoyant. If an old spiritual (“John Saw That Number”) didn’t reveal her hand, you couldn’t be blamed for thinking Case was working to establish a new kind of magical-realist gospel, or Optimism Gothic. She delivers a country-noir set that draws on mythic folk archetypes, providing strange details and raising intriguing questions with each listen. —William Bowers
Gillian Welch and her musical partner may have hailed from Los Angeles and Rhode Island, respectively, but they arrived on the alt-country scene in 1996 as if they’d just melted out of Depression-era Appalachian Mountain ice. The tales of moonshiners and brothel girls matched the old-timey twang of Welch didn’t seem forced in the least. Every subsequent album has contained alt-country gems, but it’s nearly impossible to surpass this perfect debut. —Josh Jackson
HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS FOR CLAUDIE
she tells Norman Warwick
As regular readers know, Dee and I would follow sidetracks and detours to the end of the earth in pursuit of the arts we love. Nevertheless as our artist friend; Claudie, reminded us when we visited her one-day exhibition at her house in Orzola
Last week,having actually been unable to attend two of the last four exhibitions. we rushed into a list of excuses about Sunday being the day we skype our son and his family in South Korea, and how for half the year Sunday is also full of football matches and the Strictly results, and we live in the south of the island and she is in the North,,,,,,, she interrupted, because of course she had only been teasing. Instead she welcomed us warmly as always and introduced us to some of the other visitors including the ubiquitous Victor who als has a few items on display as usual.
Claudie was born in Hamburg on April 18th, a Sunday, in 1966. Given that three months later England defeated her country of birth in the Football World Cup Final at Wembley by 4-2 (Hurst 3 and Peters 1 and Bobby Moore wIping his palms ready to shake hands with the white-gloved Queen)) she has nevertheless remained the fair of face described as a Sunday´s child in the well known poem.
I say this because Claudie loves the fact she was born on a Sunday, but because she was only aware of, rather than familiar withthe poem she was unsure of who she should resemble.
So, for Claudie´s benefit, here is the poem in a common modern version:
Monday’s child is fair of face,
Tuesday’s child is full of grace.
Wednesday’s child is full of woe,
Thursday’s child has far to go.
Friday’s child is loving and giving,
Saturday’s child works hard for a living.
And the child born on the Sabbath day
Is bonny and blithe, good and gay.
This rhyme was first recorded in A. E. Bray’s Traditions of Devonshire in 1838 and was collected by James Orchard Halliwell in the mid-19th century. The tradition of fortune telling by days of birth is much older. Thomas Nashe recalled stories told to children in Suffolk in the 1570s which included “what luck eurie [every] one should have by the day of the weeke he was borne on”.
There was considerable variation and debate about the exact attributes of each day and even over the days. Halliwell had ‘Christmas Day’ instead of the Sabbath. Unlike modern versions in which “Wednesday’s child is full of woe”, an early incarnation of this rhyme appeared in a multi-part fictional story in a chapter appearing in Harper’s Weekly on September 17, 1887, in which “Friday’s child is full of woe”, perhaps reflecting traditional superstitions associated with bad luck on Friday – as many Christians associated Friday with the Crucifixion. The fates of Thursday’s and Saturday’s children were also exchanged and Sunday’s child is “happy and wise” instead of “blithe and good”.
Blondie described a very different Sunday Girl on their hit single of 1978, of course, but the Claudie we know is far more akin with ´the child born on the Sabbath Day´described in the poem..
Her great artistic talent emerged in her early youth and today painting, design and photography remain her passions. All these and more were os show in her art studio today.
In those early years, the internationally renowned portrait photographer, Jochen Blume, (perhaps best known for his Ï´m A Berliner´capture of President John F Kennedy) was Claudie´s mentor and inspiration. In fact, shortly after graduating wioth a diploma Claudie moved to the burgeoning city of Berlin in 1991.
Since then frequent long visits to places like the UK and New York have influenced her artistiuc expression. Her current canon reveals this wide artistic spectrum.
Claudie first met Lanzarote on her travels in 2007, and it was an encounter with consequences. The island became a great inspiration for her works. Fire, lava, the sea and its tides,…from that first meeting she has continued to create abstgract acrylic paintings, employing sand and ash and her collection of ´tidal woods´´ (found items along the shorelines). In these works nature merges with photographic perfection.
This is a marriage that reinforces the character of both the island and its artistic partner and at the same time creates something new. and Claudie reminds us that ´coarsen´ of the motif is intentional.
Each piece is a unique artwork, and that is what makes stroll around the exhibition such a delight.
The great joy of this kind of open door exhibition is that we the spectators and, invariably, purchasers can speak to the artists about the art works she has created. Claudie often speaks of her strong affinity with her creations, and how she often finds herself hoping that ´they will find a good home.´
These conversations take on a light bohemian air when set against the smooth jazz background music easing out of the blue tooth. That lovely, laid-back, slap bass run that lends such a counterpoint to Peggy Lee´s frenzied Fever sends Claudie and I drifting off the topic of visual art into the realms of audio art. I recommend her to listen out for Karla Harris and the Joe Alterneck Trio album of Moon To Gold, especially for their wonderful re-imagining of Blue Moon. As ever, for me, when the subject is music the list of musicians we named seemed to grow existentially to incorporate the likes of Melody Gardo and Madeleine Peyroux .
We first met Claudie a couple of years ago when she was exhibiting in the beautiful (but non-traditional) gallery space) that is La Ermita on Marina Rubicon. On that occasion she filled even that huge arena with hundreds of pieces of different art forms, in an exhibition that ran for a week. The logistics of that evnt must have been pretty complex and sometimes those kinjd of venues can be prohibitively expensive for short term rents by artists..
I love Claudie´s art work but more than anything I love her creation of an artistic life-style. When I tell her this she laughs that she does feel like she is currently living in a Gallery. It seems that this might continue until later in the summer as she is aware that not everybody can squeeze in a visit on any specific Sunday and she says that this exhibition in her home will remain in place for a while. She says that anyone interested in paying a visit can make an appointment wthout obligation by contacting her at 641 79 22 29 or at www.calla-artwork.de
Take that opportunity,…. you won´t be disappointed.
In fact, whenever we visit, we usually leave with so many purchases that I usually end up wishing I had a bigger car. We left today, though, with items that were small, but perfectly formed. We had bought them a birthday present for our thirteen year old grand-daughter who lives with her mum and dad in South Korea and already seems to be a woman of style and panache. So these items (right) will wing tier way across the world to her, not only because they represent the kind of art she likes, but also because they are small and light enough to be posted for an affordable stamp !.
As we drove home my wife Dee was waxing lyrical about Claudie;
´She is full of fun and is always smiling and when she does her eyes sparkle. She creates art in all shapes and sizes using inventive ideas for various projects. She creates fridge magnets (re-invented) and makes art out of driftwood and she frames unique artistic cork-noticeboards and big, beautiful paintings that would grace any gallery. And we always have such an easy time when we go there !¨
As I said earlier, though, I always worry we might need a bigger car to carry our purchases from Claudie´s lovely Orzola home-studio back down south to our house in Playa Blanca, but today we actually focussed on smaller items as we were purchasing gifts for our family in South Korea and postage costs from here can be very high.
So our granddaughter will be receiving art works that are small,…but perfectly formed.
o
Meanwhile, here in the office we striving to collect all the musical names that fall out in conversation in the coursed of so many of our articles. We have so often hear direct recommendations from great writers like Guy Clark about then emerging songsmiths like Buddy Mundlock, At other time we simply hear musicians mention track sn and other players that may have inspired them. It makes for some fascinating connections and makes some strange bed fellows.
So far we have already created several playlists that we hope might become available early next year. The titles for
January Blues
February Made Me Shiver
March xxx
April, Come She Will
May, She will Stay
May This Month Never End
June, She´ll Change Her Tune
and we are currently compiling July, She Will Fly
As an example of what we trying to achieve see the eclectic playlist created from today´s issue of Pass It On. We will advise of availability as soonthese items come to fruition.
Sidetracks & Detours
recommend
disc 1
PASS IT ON PLAYLISTS
volume 7
July 2023
Track Artist Album
* Emerson String Quartet
Waltz For My Grandfather Derek Nash Joy Riding
* Art Thenem
Sarrabanda Jenny Bray Jenny Bray
Aint Got No.. Nina Simone Ninma
* Treintaytantos
* Inerxia
The Final Countdown Europe Greatesdt Hits
Living On A Prayer Bon Jovi Living On A …
Gloria
Radio macande Sin Cobertura Sin Cobertura
China In My Hand T´Pau Bridge of Spies
I Will Stat Shelby Lynne Identity Crisis
Keep Your Heart Young Brandi Carlile Bear Creek
Border Radio Dave Alvin California
In My Hour Of Darkness Gram Parsons Reprise
Run Like You Jim Lauderdale Close To You
Brothers Of The Highway George Strait Troubadour
All The Trouble Lee Ann Womack The Lonely,
For Heaven´s Sake Mandy Barnett All The Stars Above
Bartender´s Blues George Jones Biggest Hits
Sing me back Hone Merle haggard Best Of
Watermelon Time Lefty Frizzell Essential
Invitation To The Blues Ray Price Essential
Constant Craving kd lang recollection
side two
Love Sick Blues Patsy Cline classics
When We Sing Together Victoria Williams Loose
Crazy Mary Pearl Jam Sweet Relief
Tarbelly & Featherfoot Lou Reed Sweet relief
Lights The Jayhawks Sweet Relief
Summer Of Drugs Soul Asylum Sweet Relief
All Of The Women Allison Russell Outside Child
Way Over Yonder Billy Bragg & Wilco Mermaid Avenue
Red Clay Halo Gillian Welch Time The Revelator
John B Sail Blind Blake Bahamian
I Belong To The Band Rev. Gary Davis Harlem Singers
Free & Equal Blues Josh White The Elektra years
Railroad Blues Howard Armstrong Louis Blueie
Snowden´s Jig Caroline Cocolate Drops Genuine Negro Jig
Be Grateful Blu Cantrelll From LA to lo
Trampled Rose Tom Waits Real Gone
Kids In the Street Justin Townes Eearle Kids In The Street
Blue Ridge Mountains Townes Van Zandt High. Low, In Between
Run It The Replacement Complete Studio
Letter To You Bruce Springsteen Letter To You
side three
That Lucky Old Sun Johnny Cash American 3
Jambalaya Hank Williams Honky Tonkin.
Taking mMe back Jack White Fear Of The Dawn
There For You The Rembrandts Greatest Hits
Watch Me fall Uncle Tepello Anthology
John Saw That Number Neko Case Fox Confessor
Amizigh NSSQ Electric Amizigh
Lay All You Love On Me Senem Kalfa First Takes
Kanimba Trio De Kal, Kronos Q Ladiliken
Uptown Funk Ronson / Mars Uptown Special
If The Stars Were Mine Melody Gardot My One & Only Thrill
Lonesome When You Go ;Madeliene Peyroux Careless Love
Next week we make our second stop on our journey through the A-Z of Sidetracks and Detours to learn about Birmingham and Steve Cooke looks at another major festival coming up and offer you more news from Jazz In Reading and and ask you to Pass It On, as well as our Sunday plate of Hot Biscuits from Steve Bewick and we will ask to Pass It On, too. Prior to that, though, we will deliver our Monday to Friday daily posts on Sidetracks And Detours, that will include part nine of our series, Knofler Kronikle, this week looking at Emmylou Harris and Hard bargain, and we will meet up again wth those Friends who first introduced us to Hootie And The Blowfish. We will take a look at some hugely successful song-writing partnerships and visit the (Round) Tower of song, We will beck in time on Friday to continue building ourselves a bigger bookshelf to accommodate a book we picked up at the Last Chance Texaco.
So, see you tomorrow, but meanwhile thanks for reading.
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