Genre defining…
The Celtic & Blues nights, Darvel Music Festival, May 3rd & 4th 2013
In light of the success of another Darvel Music Festival it seems strange to recall back in 2011 there was serious talk about that year’s event being the last one.
The problems were primarily down to funding issues which, in turn, were hamstrung by the recession.
But the organisers, promoters and sponsors overcame the hurdles and the twelfth Darvel Music Festival produced a great four day, long weekend of music that featured an interesting mix of artists, including acclaimed singer songwriter and Squeeze man Glenn Tilbrook, who headlined the opening night.
But Darvel tradition dictates there will be always be a themed night or two and this year’s genre specific offerings were an evening of Scottish/ Celtic music and the ever-popular Blues night.
Friday 3rd May: The Celtic night
Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham; Karen Matheson
At Darvel The Karen Matheson Band were The Karen Matheson Trio, featuring Donald Shaw (Matheson’s husband and Capercaillie founder) on keyboards and accordion and James Grant on acoustic guitars and backing vocals.
Love and Money front man and critically acclaimed solo artist James Grant has become an integral part of Karen Matheson’s music, whether writing songs for the Capercaillie singer’s solo albums or performing as part of her live band.
Grant’s ringing, acoustic notes or chord structures are as important to the pieces performed as Donald Shaw’s keyboards or accordion melodies.
Mixing the set with contemporary/ James Grant penned songs such as the charming ‘Little Gun’ and the traditional, including ‘Ae Fond Kiss’ by Robert Burns, Matheson’s voice was both emotive and haunting.
And, on the quieter passages, you could have heard that pin drop.
The set contained many highlights including ‘I Will Not Wear the Willow,’ a beautiful song (and another penned by James Grant) with a dark lyrical twist, while the Puirt à beul (mouth music) tunes featured Karen Matheson singing in the fast and lyrically dextrous Scots Gaelic style.
The aforementioned ‘Ae Fond Kiss’ also doubled as an introduction for Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham, who were invited on stage to accompany the Karen Matheson Band for a five-piece rendition of what is perhaps the Bard’s finest musical moment.
Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham need no introduction in their own country and are well known, and well received, in other areas of the world including parts of Scandinavia, Canada and the US.
But they are not just a beloved Scottish music duo; they are also quite the double act.
The pair (primarily Cunningham) tell as many jokes and stories as they play tunes, with many anecdotes relating to the numbers they perform.
But for all the fun and laughter they are also consummate professionals and superb musicians, enthralling the full-house with a number of self-penned tunes, traditional reels and European waltzes.
The Darvel show was a continuation of the Bain and Cunningham Silver Anniversary tour from 2011, celebrating twenty-five years together, with the pair pulling out a few tunes not played live in years.
One of the most poignant moments of the night was when Phil Cunningham was featured on the melancholic air he wrote for his brother Johnny, who sadly died in 2003.
Johnny Cunningham was a brilliant fiddler, founding member of Scottish folk band Silly Wizard, composer and producer. He is still missed to this day – most noticeably by his brother.
A selection of Swedish waltzes and high-speed reels were peppered throughout a set that also featured ‘Sheena’s Air’ (written for the duo’s biggest fan) and an encore that showcased the two sides of Bain and Cunningham.
The plaintive ‘Sarah’s Song’ featured Aly Bain while the rousing ‘Fairy Dance,’ the final tune of the night, presented an opportunity for Bain and Cunningham to step up to full speed while in perfect melodic harmony – the latter summing up their twenty-five and counting years together.
Saturday 4th May: The Blues night
Giles Robson and the Dirty Aces; King King; the Larry McCray Band
Three bands, three very different shades of Blues.
The heavy rockabilly blues sound of Giles Robson and the Dirty Aces, led by Robson’s exceptional harmonica skills, opened the Blues night in fine style.
Songs such as ‘Magic Tricks’ and ‘Mighty Incinerator’ from the band’s 2011 debut album Crooked Heart of Mine set the harmonica blues tone and Robson’s blues harp 101 (including ‘train on the tracks’ sequence, essential playing for all serious blues harmonica exponents) was a genuine highlight.
And going by the two new songs performed on the night, featuring gritty ZZ Top-like riffs and a more modern blues attack, Giles Robson and the Dirty Aces are going to be a band to watch out for.
By contrast, the smooth and very American modern blues funk of the Larry McCray Band was a polished headline performance, featuring a collection of songs lifted from McCray’s studio albums, the last of which was Larry McCray in 2007 (a new album is hopefully going to emerge in 2013 however).
Not that Larry McCray and his band are all about funkified soul-blues as exemplified by ‘Don’t Need No Woman’ – they can play old-school blues as well as many and McCray’s time touring in the early 90’s with then label-mate Albert Collins was clearly an influence and a measure of the big man’s six-string talents.
McCray also pulled out some great solos and notes on the slower, blues-ballad material such as ‘Never Hurt So Bad.’
But as regards blues performances on the six-string, one man stole the show and one band delivered the finest rock and blues set the Darvel Festival has yet witnessed.
King King, featuring Alan Nimmo, won 2012 British Blues Awards for best band and best album (the 2011 debut Take My Hand); their second album, Standing in the Shadows, is even better; stronger in songwriting terms and oozing musical confidence and maturity.
And Alan Nimmo, along with brother Stevie, has for some eighteen years and five studio albums been part of the Nimmo Brothers – a band that is no stranger to blues festivals, successful shows and solid reviews.
On the night Alan Nimmo (resplendent in kilt) and King King – Lindsay Coulson (bass), Bennett Holland (keys) and Wayne Proctor (drums) – put on an inspired performance, winning over another full-house crowd well before set’s end.
The band’s feisty blues rock, set up by Standing in the Shadows opener ‘More Than I Can Take’ is vibrant, fresh and perfectly complemented by the slower material such as the excellent power-blues ballad ‘A Long History of Love.’
Like the Nimmo Brothers, King King like to throw a cover or two into their album and performance mix and Frankie Miller’s ‘Jealousy’ was a true highlight, only to be outdone by another cover.
‘Old Love’ by Eric Clapton is a feature of old Slowhand’s Journeyman album but such is the feel, emotion and delivery of King King’s extended interpretation it takes on a new lease of life.
'Old Love' was also the catalyst in winning over an entire festival crowd, many of whom were not overly familiar with King King.
On the guitar solo Alan Nimmo slowly but surely brought the tempo – and the guitar volume – down from PA to amplification to monitor to only the sound coming directly off his guitar.
It was extraordinary to see a typical Saturday night blues crowd, many at the back with a beer in hand and chatting to a friend, slowly but surely all stop, turn their attention to the stage and listen, captivated to the point where you could actually hear Nimmo’s plectrum on the strings.
There are many great British blues rock bands currently recording and performing but King King are the best of them and continue to go from strength to strength.
As does, I’m pleased to report, the Darvel Music Festival.
Ross Muir
May 2013
The Celtic & Blues nights, Darvel Music Festival, May 3rd & 4th 2013
In light of the success of another Darvel Music Festival it seems strange to recall back in 2011 there was serious talk about that year’s event being the last one.
The problems were primarily down to funding issues which, in turn, were hamstrung by the recession.
But the organisers, promoters and sponsors overcame the hurdles and the twelfth Darvel Music Festival produced a great four day, long weekend of music that featured an interesting mix of artists, including acclaimed singer songwriter and Squeeze man Glenn Tilbrook, who headlined the opening night.
But Darvel tradition dictates there will be always be a themed night or two and this year’s genre specific offerings were an evening of Scottish/ Celtic music and the ever-popular Blues night.
Friday 3rd May: The Celtic night
Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham; Karen Matheson
At Darvel The Karen Matheson Band were The Karen Matheson Trio, featuring Donald Shaw (Matheson’s husband and Capercaillie founder) on keyboards and accordion and James Grant on acoustic guitars and backing vocals.
Love and Money front man and critically acclaimed solo artist James Grant has become an integral part of Karen Matheson’s music, whether writing songs for the Capercaillie singer’s solo albums or performing as part of her live band.
Grant’s ringing, acoustic notes or chord structures are as important to the pieces performed as Donald Shaw’s keyboards or accordion melodies.
Mixing the set with contemporary/ James Grant penned songs such as the charming ‘Little Gun’ and the traditional, including ‘Ae Fond Kiss’ by Robert Burns, Matheson’s voice was both emotive and haunting.
And, on the quieter passages, you could have heard that pin drop.
The set contained many highlights including ‘I Will Not Wear the Willow,’ a beautiful song (and another penned by James Grant) with a dark lyrical twist, while the Puirt à beul (mouth music) tunes featured Karen Matheson singing in the fast and lyrically dextrous Scots Gaelic style.
The aforementioned ‘Ae Fond Kiss’ also doubled as an introduction for Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham, who were invited on stage to accompany the Karen Matheson Band for a five-piece rendition of what is perhaps the Bard’s finest musical moment.
Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham need no introduction in their own country and are well known, and well received, in other areas of the world including parts of Scandinavia, Canada and the US.
But they are not just a beloved Scottish music duo; they are also quite the double act.
The pair (primarily Cunningham) tell as many jokes and stories as they play tunes, with many anecdotes relating to the numbers they perform.
But for all the fun and laughter they are also consummate professionals and superb musicians, enthralling the full-house with a number of self-penned tunes, traditional reels and European waltzes.
The Darvel show was a continuation of the Bain and Cunningham Silver Anniversary tour from 2011, celebrating twenty-five years together, with the pair pulling out a few tunes not played live in years.
One of the most poignant moments of the night was when Phil Cunningham was featured on the melancholic air he wrote for his brother Johnny, who sadly died in 2003.
Johnny Cunningham was a brilliant fiddler, founding member of Scottish folk band Silly Wizard, composer and producer. He is still missed to this day – most noticeably by his brother.
A selection of Swedish waltzes and high-speed reels were peppered throughout a set that also featured ‘Sheena’s Air’ (written for the duo’s biggest fan) and an encore that showcased the two sides of Bain and Cunningham.
The plaintive ‘Sarah’s Song’ featured Aly Bain while the rousing ‘Fairy Dance,’ the final tune of the night, presented an opportunity for Bain and Cunningham to step up to full speed while in perfect melodic harmony – the latter summing up their twenty-five and counting years together.
Saturday 4th May: The Blues night
Giles Robson and the Dirty Aces; King King; the Larry McCray Band
Three bands, three very different shades of Blues.
The heavy rockabilly blues sound of Giles Robson and the Dirty Aces, led by Robson’s exceptional harmonica skills, opened the Blues night in fine style.
Songs such as ‘Magic Tricks’ and ‘Mighty Incinerator’ from the band’s 2011 debut album Crooked Heart of Mine set the harmonica blues tone and Robson’s blues harp 101 (including ‘train on the tracks’ sequence, essential playing for all serious blues harmonica exponents) was a genuine highlight.
And going by the two new songs performed on the night, featuring gritty ZZ Top-like riffs and a more modern blues attack, Giles Robson and the Dirty Aces are going to be a band to watch out for.
By contrast, the smooth and very American modern blues funk of the Larry McCray Band was a polished headline performance, featuring a collection of songs lifted from McCray’s studio albums, the last of which was Larry McCray in 2007 (a new album is hopefully going to emerge in 2013 however).
Not that Larry McCray and his band are all about funkified soul-blues as exemplified by ‘Don’t Need No Woman’ – they can play old-school blues as well as many and McCray’s time touring in the early 90’s with then label-mate Albert Collins was clearly an influence and a measure of the big man’s six-string talents.
McCray also pulled out some great solos and notes on the slower, blues-ballad material such as ‘Never Hurt So Bad.’
But as regards blues performances on the six-string, one man stole the show and one band delivered the finest rock and blues set the Darvel Festival has yet witnessed.
King King, featuring Alan Nimmo, won 2012 British Blues Awards for best band and best album (the 2011 debut Take My Hand); their second album, Standing in the Shadows, is even better; stronger in songwriting terms and oozing musical confidence and maturity.
And Alan Nimmo, along with brother Stevie, has for some eighteen years and five studio albums been part of the Nimmo Brothers – a band that is no stranger to blues festivals, successful shows and solid reviews.
On the night Alan Nimmo (resplendent in kilt) and King King – Lindsay Coulson (bass), Bennett Holland (keys) and Wayne Proctor (drums) – put on an inspired performance, winning over another full-house crowd well before set’s end.
The band’s feisty blues rock, set up by Standing in the Shadows opener ‘More Than I Can Take’ is vibrant, fresh and perfectly complemented by the slower material such as the excellent power-blues ballad ‘A Long History of Love.’
Like the Nimmo Brothers, King King like to throw a cover or two into their album and performance mix and Frankie Miller’s ‘Jealousy’ was a true highlight, only to be outdone by another cover.
‘Old Love’ by Eric Clapton is a feature of old Slowhand’s Journeyman album but such is the feel, emotion and delivery of King King’s extended interpretation it takes on a new lease of life.
'Old Love' was also the catalyst in winning over an entire festival crowd, many of whom were not overly familiar with King King.
On the guitar solo Alan Nimmo slowly but surely brought the tempo – and the guitar volume – down from PA to amplification to monitor to only the sound coming directly off his guitar.
It was extraordinary to see a typical Saturday night blues crowd, many at the back with a beer in hand and chatting to a friend, slowly but surely all stop, turn their attention to the stage and listen, captivated to the point where you could actually hear Nimmo’s plectrum on the strings.
There are many great British blues rock bands currently recording and performing but King King are the best of them and continue to go from strength to strength.
As does, I’m pleased to report, the Darvel Music Festival.
Ross Muir
May 2013
