May has been filled with some great live performances in Shropshire, including from Folk legends the John Jones Trio at Ludlow and Steeleye Span in Shrewsbury. In case you missed these, here are the highlights from two of the Severn Folk team.
Graham Barre reviews The John Jones Trio’s performance at Ludlow Assembly Rooms on 5th May…
John Jones Trio © Shaun Owen
If you didn’t grow up with folk music in your bones, you needed two things, someone to drag you if not kicking and screaming, then slightly reluctantly to a gig and a band to remove the blinkers. For me that was Oysterband and for the final decade of touring, not a year had gone by when I haven’t seen them at least once. Last year’s final UK gig at Shrewsbury Folk Festival was both special and emotional for band and audience alike.
I was keen to see what would come out of the new set up and hoping it wasn’t just a reincarnation of some ‘3 oysters’ sets I have seen in the past. The trio of John Jones, Ray Cooper and Al Scott was definitely going to give it a slightly different sound.
Much of the concert consisted of the Oysterband catalogue however, apart from a couple of classics including one of my personal favourites ‘Over the water’ the playlist contained some lesser-known tunes, along with some of John Jones own tracks. With John Jones you know what you are going to get and from ‘Diamonds on the water’’ to Newlyn town’, he delivered.
Both Ray and Al got to sing some of their own music which was also refreshing. When Ray left Oysterband in 2013 to pursue a solo career I stuck the blinkers back on and got solidly behind the band. Getting to hear some of Rays music exposed how remiss I was, but it has also given me the opportunity to put that right by seeking out more of his work. One of the highlights of the gig was experiencing the versatility of Ray. From thumb piano to grand piano and many instruments in between.
John Jones Trio © Shaun Owen
Ray ‘Chopper’ Cooper at the Piano © Shaun Owen
The encore was particularly special as the trio left the stage, stood in amongst the audience and brilliantly knocked out ‘Newlyn Town’ totally acoustic.
Definitely a good night out and looking forward to some collaborations in the future.
Ron Kill gives us his review of Steeleye Span’s performance at Shrewsbury Abbey…
In the beautiful setting of our Abbey the current line up of Steeleye Span put on a brilliant and varied show. Every member of this band is an exceptional musician but together they blend so well, not least in the lovely 5 part vocal harmonies which featured in many of the songs (e.g. “Little Sir Hugh”).
Folk Legend Maddy Prior MBE © Ron Kill
That said, founding member Maddy Prior still sings solo superbly and led us through old favourites and new material from their latest album “Conflict”. So of course we had “Gaudete” and they encored with “All Around My Hat”, but amongst those we had a beautiful, extended version of Tam Lin with many musical changes as the story developed. Athena Octavia, their electric violinist was spellbinding at times and produced some wonderful sounds and solos, as on “Over The Hills and Far Away”.
Other highlights for me were a version of Elvis Costello’s “Shipbuilding” and a Peter Knight song “Let Her Go Down” (that’s a boat!) which also featured splendid vocals from all including Maddy.
Steeleye Span performing at Shrewsbury Abbey © Ron Kill
