he did headline Sunday night Lat. It was dark/ nightime, and he was fantastic. As a long time fan who'd never seen him live I was prepared to be disappointed, instead he was on top form (no kit drummer was a good choice I thought), and held the crowd in the palm of his (not his Grandma's) hand
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Boatmanbird - Many thanks for this information. I really regret not being there this year. Had a terrific time in 08 and 09 and the atmosphere can be electric late on the main stage as it often was in Caversham. If you have a set list or know of a link to one, even better. Lat.Comment
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Sorry don't remember set list. But there are at least 3 clips up on YouTube. Start here:
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Lat,
GSH at WOMAD
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Ah yes, thanks. That's great. He certainly engaged there. The audience was completely with him. I've just discovered this link and I'm not sure quite what it is but a quick scan suggests that it's well worth exploring. Hope it's allowed on the site and that it works:
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Sorry about the picture sizes - two are too darned big.
Will get there eventually !Comment
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....and thanks PS. He looks full of character there. I like the ones I would expect to be grumpy to do the grumpy thing - Van the Man springs to mind oddly. I'd have loved to have seen the exceptional Nina Simone on one of her nights: "I'm walking on and off the stage with a big bunch of flowers. Just fifteen minutes and that's all you get". But GSH, that's exactly how he should look, and he looked like he was enjoying it. I'm not just getting Barrance's jumper for Christmas. I'm asking Santa for that cap.Comment
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....Just been looking at that link. It's good stuff and all of those vulture references? The man is so cool he is a cat. I'm sure that there are hundreds of voices that have knocked me out but when I hear his I find it hard at the time to think of anyone better. Not in the sense of smooth and yet soulful. The two generally contradict.
Lots of thoughts and a bit disordered. Langston Hughes. Significant early reading for Gil and he turned up as a reference on "The Crown". Gary Byrd - a pop-ish rap hit but notable for being early in that genre - well, earlyish - and years later Gil becomes a hip-hop reference for his early work. Makes sense. And I wonder what the Jazzers think? I should have thought that he would appeal to them or some.
It's funny how the memory works. I've just read there were 200,000 for the Anti-Apartheid Concert in 1986. It didn't feel like that to me. I swear that I was very near to the stage, there was no pushing, and that most people were sitting down. Was anyone else there with good recall?Last edited by Guest; 12-12-10, 10:43.Comment
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Great set there Lat - and I loved the Me and the Devil vid -
But on another of your passions, I bought Shining Brother Shining Sister today as a chrissie prez for one of my pals - I thought he'd enjoy it - he loves Alex harvey and Jackie has a bit of the sensational one about him. I made the mistake of sticking it on in the car, 'cos I've only heard it out of the computer - he'll be lucky to get it.
Anyway just a couple of thoughts on him - I still can't believe that I never heard of him in all this time and nor do lots of friends who know more than me on the music front - he comes from just over the Tay. I can only think it's cos he's his own guy and he's pretty impossible to pinhole - when he's good he's great. On the neg side I don't really like what I would call his Neville Brothers voice, usually double tracked - doesn't do it for me.
But I was delighted to hear him do 'Faces' - absolutely my favourite Rilke poem - such a surprise - I saw Rilke's name on the cover and then found myself with this growing recognition of what he was doing. Really enjoyed the album - better go wrap it up...... via the PC (so Christmassy, doncha just think?)
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Hi John - Great to hear from you. That Robert Johnson "Devil" really can't be beaten can it? I'm pleased that Gil has tried it though and provided it with new context. I just can't stop listening to the cd now. I'm sure that he could be saying anything and with that voice and timing it would sound meaningful but it is real poetry. He also has the facial expression of someone who is completely believable.
I'm so pleased that you have taken to Jackie Leven and find it interesting to have your local perspective. He is partially a romany by origin and has never settled in one place for long. Do you think that there are some similarities between Gil and Jackie? I do. It is the openness I think which can often be extraordinarily raw.
I believe JL shared the bill with another Jackie at Sidmouth who I feel is also rather special. A slightly strange clip, this, with a nice song and a lengthy part-interview. Perhaps a little more of the music in due course:
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Indeed I do see a link between them, Lat - I was thinking just that watching the vids this evening - I really enjoyed the GSH tracks especially 'Where did the night go' - so powerful that voice, as you say.
The JO track was great - liked the colour of the viola too. I'm off to read some Rilke - especially 'Faces'.Comment
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John - I don't know much about Rilke but "Faces" is very moving. It is spoken on the cd by David Thomas of Pere Ubu, a critically acclaimed band who were about as challenging as a band could be - I think there is a track on on one of my spotty lists. I didn't know this but there was a further collaboration called Ubudoll:
Jackie's "soul" voice - I like it but I take the point. Each cd has a slightly different emphasis. I'll try to provide some suggestions - the ones leaning more to folk and country. I have a few in mind but will refresh my memory. For now, on poetry, the project with Ian Rankin is noteworthy and I like "Chip Pan Fire" Jackie's own spoken words, often v funny, as "Jackie Balfour". Lat.Last edited by Guest; 16-12-10, 15:10.Comment
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