Kylie Price/James Berryman

KYLIE PRICE/JAMES BERRYMAN

Musician Pub 28th April 2024

Another lovely evening at the The Musician Pub with acoustic singer songwriters

First up was JAMES BERRYMAN. James sings his own songswhich appeared to be drawn from life and were rather good... one in particular "Too Old to feel this Young" particularly struck a chord... a feeling i know well. He has a fine clear voice and sang well, though at times i felt tried a bit too hard and displayed a couple of rough edges, though not enough to be in any way off putting.

Overall an enjoyable set to get the evening off to a fine start

Headlning was Kylie Price from New Zealand... and she was superb!

She has a pure and lovely voice and sings well, with character, emotion and assurance. Her songs are real quality, drawing on her own life and experience both at home in New Zealand and in her new and at times challenging life in London.

Kylie is one of the most engaging performers around, instantly building a rapport, engaging the audience in chat about the venue, city and choice of drinks as well as chatting easily about her life and experience giving background and understanding to her excellent songs.

This was a simply lovely performance by a very talented and engaging singer/songwriter.

I loved everything about the performance and recommend everyone to go see her when they can...

Thoroughly beautiful and enjoyable performance

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Pete Morton/Sheila Moseley

PETE MORTON/SHEILA MOSELEY

Musician Pub 25th April 2024

Another wonderful night at the The Musician Pub and a good crowd turned out to enjoy it.

First up was SHEILA MOSELEY. Sheila has a well merited reputation and track record as a singer and performer and delivered an enjoyable set. She has a really nice voice and selected a really good and varied set of songs. One of the songs she delivered acapella and said was originally performed with CND in mind but now has wider significance... a great song but i can't place the tune!! She ended with John Tams magnificent "Rolling Home" an uplifting and and ideal closer, which had the audience singing along.

A very enjoyable set, but not one that inspired or excited me.

Headlining was local lad PETE MORTON. I remember watching Pete regularly in the early '80's at the local folk clubs... and it was clear then that he was a real talent.

Pete has a fabulous strong clear voice that fills the room, yet can also be soft and soothing as required. He writes some really magnificent songs covering a wide range of subjects from the frivolous ("Sock on the Line") through love songs, conservation and green issues, such as his tribute to the natural world and wildlife and political issues. His overall style being a true descendent of Woody and Pete Seeger.

He started off with a song about out rivers, listing far too many to remember, before moving on to a talking blues... the first four songs were taken from the new album, which judging by these performance must be a cracker before moving on to some older pieces, including the superb "Another Train"...

The first half ended with Pete Seeger's "Oh I had a Golden Thread" delivered with typical energy and quality and putting the guitar down and walking off stage and through the audience while still singing... his voice still vibrant and alive without the microphone from the back of the room.

After a short break he was back for another set which was every bit as wonderful as the first... in a week when there is much talk of re-nationalising the railways, it was great, and highly appropriate, that he sang "The Journeyman"... pleading for that very thing.

As ever he ended with the classic "When we all Sing Together"... so true and a perfect closer... He invited Sheila back to the stage to join him during the song, and as ever sang on as he put the guitar down and walked off stage still singing.

Pete is a superb songwriter and performer... his voice is strong powerful and emotive, and can also be gentle and soothing. His performance last night, as always, was laced with powerful messages, hope, optimism, and humour. Pete sings passionately from the heart and sings wonderfully... but he sings with a twinkle in the eye and never far from humour.

As ever, Pete delivered a truly wonderful performance, incredibly enjoyable, passionate and totally uplifting. This guy is as good a performer as you will see on the circuit... superb

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The Often Herd

THE OFTEN HERD

Musician Pub 24th April 2024

Another treat at the The Musician Pub with the return of the superb The Often Herd.

The band are a bluegrass band from Newcastle Upon Tyne who deliver their own terrific brand of bluegrass.

The first set comprised predominantly their own material including songs from their excellent album "Where the Big Lamp Shines", including my personal favourite, "Casablanca" as well as "Rosary Beads" and the instrumental tune "Sycamore Gap" which after the events there last year has become something of a lament.

After the break they kicked of with a lovely delicate piece by mandolin player Evan and followed with some well chosen covers, including "Meet me on the Corner" (Rod Clements/Lindisfarne), "You're Gonna Make Me Lonsome When you Go" (Dylan/Robert Zimmerframe!!) as well as a couple of bluegrass standards, "Roll in my sweet babys arms" (Flatt & Scruggs) and "Make me a Pallet on your Floor"

The band - Rupert (guitar/vocals), Evan (Mandolin/Vocals), Niles (Fiddle/Vocals) and Elliot (Stand-up bass) are all quality musicians who clearly love and respect the music.

They play with real spirit and energy as well as a great sense of joy and fun and there is a great rapport among the band and with the audience... as Rupert said "I'm playing music i love with my mates"... and that shows clearly from the spirit and joy that is so evident in the performance.

The playing throughout is real quality, with each of the musicians having a chance to show their quality with their solos as well as in the ensemble playing. They play as an ensemble, and one of the players takes the lead then switch lead/solo amongst themselves seamlessly.

The set is basically bluegrass, but wonderfully varied in terms of tempo and feel, and along with the sense of fun and warmth of the band makes a wonderfully enjoyable performance... no two ways about it... this is a really great band delivering a really great set... terrific evening

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Daria Kulesh & Marina Osman

DARIA KULESH & MARINA OSMAN

Musician Pub 21st April 2024

This was a simply stunning afternoon at The Musician Pub. I know most people will know how much i love Daria Kulesh and Marina Osman. I was really looking forward to this gig and it was absolutely superb.

It was a real joy to see Marina back on stage and to see the two of them working together again.

You don't just get great songs with Daria... she speaks with pride and passion about her family and their experiences in their homeland through the 20th century which gives the the background to her her songs so the listener gets the most from them... and what of this performance...

Daria opened up acapella singing a gentle lullaby in Serbian before bringing Marina onto the stage. The set continued with a range of songs, some in english, others not and included a gorgeous performance of the Irish song "Down by the Salley Gardens". The first set also ended solo as Daria performed a song so new that they hadn't yet been able to perfect it as the duo.

The second half was an emotional roller coaster... starting with a glorious solo piano piece, one of Marina's first compositions... and I hope to hear many more...

After this Daria spoke of the plight of her family and the people of her homelands before delivering two remarkable songs... "Panther" for Laisat Baisarova, and "The Moon and the Pilot" for her great grandparents... this latter song has me reaching for a tissue whenever i hear it... and performed live here these two songs were simply extraordinary and hugely emotional...you simply cannot see and hear these songs and not be totally moved.

From there a change of mood as they played an old Russian folk song that seems to be known worldwide... Daria said that in France and Germany the audiences knew the song and sang it back to them in the local language. In England we all know it as "Those were the Days" and this performance was so full of joy and exuberance you couldn't help but be carried along with it and be overcome with a different emotion!!

Following this was a gorgeous Ukranian lullaby, in Ukranian and an achingly beautiful song about the more love you leave the longer you remain... and finishing with Sandy Denny's "Quiet Joys"... on the anniversary of Sandy's death.

As she demonstrated throughout, Daria has a simply sensational beautiful voice and sings beautifully with such emotion and passion... even when not singing in english you feel a kinship with the songs. Whether singing gently and quietly or letting rip the voice simply fills the room and your consciousness... absolutely thrilling or soothing in turn and absolutely beautiful throughout.

Daria plays guitar or shruti box on a few numbers, but has the absolutely brilliant piano playing of Marina on all but two songs. Marina is far more than an accompanist... she is a magnificent player and and her playing, whether in the gentle or more strident passages is wonderful and in total empathy with Daria and the songs.

The love between these musicians is clear to see as is the rapport with the audience... Some of the songs and stories may have been dark, but the whole afternoon was one of absolute beauty and joy...so uplifting... a perfect way to spend a sunday afternoon.

Huge thanks to Daria and Marina for giving us such a wonderful afternoon...

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Beaux Gris Gris & the Apocolypse

BEAUX GRIS GRIS & THE APOCOLYPSE

Musician Pub 17th April 2024

Wow... last night at the The Musician Pub was one of those special music nights in in the venue in the company of the fabulous California based Beaux Gris Gris & The Apocalypse.

To describe the band as a wonderful rock'n'roll band doesn't tell half the story... their 2-1/4 hour 23 song set (straight through no break...) covers such a range of sounds... they include rock, blues, soul, country, americana and cajun... and maybe a bunch of others as well. I hadnt seen them before, but talking to others in the crowd before the show the theme was you'll love them... they are awesome...and they were so right!!

The band is based around Louisiana born songwriter/singer GRETA VALENTI and English blues rock guitarist ROBIN DAVEY Supported by a group of gifted musician playing bass, drums and keyboard/accordian.

There is a growing sense of huge anticipation as the band take the stage and crash into the opener, "Trouble is coming" and by the time they are into the second pice, "Thrill me" the crowds is raving along in fine style... and so it remains through the full 2-1/4 hours

Greta is the main focus, a superb powerhouse vocalist with energy and charisma to spare singing brilliantly and bouncing around the stage while Robin plays blistering guitar, either driving the rhythm or unleashing superb solos... he was playing so forcefully he managed to loosen some screws on the guitar and had to rip out some solos on 5 strings.. .

Sadly i don't have the names of the other musicians playing last night but they were all superb. the bass and drums pounding, also playing with great taste and skill, despite the drummer nursing a broken hand. The keyboard player added some wonderful keyboard fills and leads, and added glorious levels of texture contributing fully to the rich texture and depth of the band.... he also picked up an accordian as the band delivered a superb cajun piece during the set.

The music flowed perfectly throughout ranging from rock, to soul, to country and cajun ending with a series of full tilt rock'n'roll pieces... the final song bringing the main 2 hour set to a close was "What's my Name" with the crowd yelling out the

"Ooh la la yay Beaux Gris Gris" refrain and continuing the "Whats my name... ooh la la yay beaux gris gris" while the band drew breath and retuned before the hugely deserved trio of encores... the second of which, "Bastards", had the audience yelling the sound advice in the chorus at full voice... "Don't let the Bastards drag you down"... quite right!!

This band is awesome... a rock band unlike any i have heard before, i can think of no comparisons... the are uniquely Beaux Gris Gris and the Apocolype and deliver a powerhouse set ranging through such a wide range of styles and genres... absolutely superb band... superb performance... wonderful evenings entertainment

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