Category: English pieces (Page 8 of 11)

Chroniquer writes history.

Dr. John has never left New Orleans in the spirit. He bears witness to that with regular accompanists Herman Ernest III (drums), David Barard (bass) and new guitarist Renard Poché. In 14 songs, of which 4 were written with the late legend Doc Pomus, Dr. John once again explores the wayward but flowing rhythms of the town that shaped him.

Supported by different percussionists Ernest III, Barard and Poché roll out the cross-grained grooves tightly but interwoven, while the doctor plays the keys. Trombone player Fred Wesley’s horn section (ex-James Brown) plays fierce riffs on top of them and guests like David ‘Fathead’ Newman and Sonny Landreth take care of inspired solos. Continue reading

Feeling for the groove.

Veteran Clemens van de Ven made his previous CD Ticket To Paradise under his own name, but it was just as much hís music as that of his musicians. Now they are named after the way they sound: a compact band. Ten songs long Van de Ven and his companions again play flowing and at the same time soulful grooves: Harry Hardholt on guitar, Arend Bouwmeester on saxes, bass and percussion and newcomer Sin Banovic on drums.

In that tight line-up they evocate New Orleans in the Rhine delta. Van de Ven’s piano and growling singing are at the centre, but the propelling swing of his three musicians proves that they know how to reduce da fonk to its essence effortlessly. Doing so, they couple refinement to tradition and combine jazz, funk, rhythm ‘n’ blues and dixieland to a rootsy stew. Continue reading

Singer-songwriter Kim Richey is an American veteran that already recorded five solo CD’s. Apart from that, she wrote songs for Trisha Yearwood, James Morrison, Ryan Adams, Shawn Colvin and Mary Chapin Carpenter.

In the eleven songs on her sixth atmosphere is more important than volume in her restrained compositions, perfectly played by her live band. Her lyrics often start with an anecdote, but Richey has the ability to give them a universal validity without much emphasis.

***1/2

www.kimrichey.com

Classic.

In the ten new songs on his second CD American singer-songwriter Joe Iadanza makes a big step forward.

Much more subdued than on his good debut Traveling Salesman Iadanza stays much closer to folk than to roots music this time. The total absence of up-tempo songs in favour of ballads is striking, although in his lyrics Iadanza takes a stance just as categorically as on that first one.

From opener Skin And Bones to closing song American Dream he sings about great themes in the directly appealing way of the classic folk heroes: a soldier gets crushed by the war, a man holding two jobs gets crushed by the economic crisis, a son compares his life to his deceased father’s and a musician on tour longs for his lover at home.

Musically all songs are very restrained: Continue reading

Emotional knock-out.

The John Dear Mowing Club from the Hague is singer/guitarist/graphic artist Melle de Boer’s vehicle, just like when the band was still called Smutfish. On their debut Lawnmower Mind, the ep The Fish That Couldn’t Swim and Through A Slightly Open Door De Boer also determined the tone of voice alone, just like on the untitled debut of the John Dear Mowing Club after that.

That goes even more for Melleville. There De Boer gets minimal company of other musicians only nine times in seventeen songs that he recorded in his workshop.

Thematically they blend seamlessly with earlier work: Continue reading