Jack L at The Opera House

Saturday 10^th November, 8:00pm

The Opera House, Cork

Tommy Swarbrig presents

Jack L

(supported by Shane O'Fearghail)

Jack…Jack L…Mr Lukeman…excuse me whilst I stare off into the distance…

Where was I? Ah yes! Saturday night in The Opera House with Jack L et al, supported by Shane O’Fearghail of the band Caruso. Well, let’s start at the very beginning. It’s a very good place to start. (Note to self: there’s a song in that.)

The Opera House is packed to the rafters. The audience is aged anything from early-20s to early-retirement and there’s a buzz of general good humour in the air. Roadies wander on and off the stage adjusting things until one of them starts to tune a guitar, playing a few chords up near the front mic to check the sound or other … hang on … that’s not… is that a roadie? …nope, that’s a very nervous solo support act. Seriously nervous, voice-shakingly nervous, he’s holding a guitar riff until the crowd hushes one by one and starts by singing a Beatles song to open. It was like watching a tight-rope walker. Mercifully, he admits to the nerves after a couple of numbers and we all relax, Mr Fearghail included. He’s good. He’s funny. He has a husky voice and his own music. He puts his stamp on The Police’s ‘(Don’t stand so) close to me’ and despite his nerves, can grip and hold the audience. One man and his guitar. On a big, cluttered stage. Not easy. Kudos.

And now to the main act. I’m not going to pretend to know exactly what he sang or in what order, as I was not taking notes in the dark and was too busy enjoying the gig to try. Also, I was pretty close to the stage and far too interested in what was going on there than in trying to hide a notebook about my person. Then you’ve got the fact that I’ve been a huge fan for years, ever since I saw him dance around on stage in the Half Moon Club wrapped in a feather boa back in the days of “Georgie Boy” and “Ode to Ed Wood” and, you have been warned, it’s bias ahoy.

Let’s start with the cello. Not the most usual stage instrument you’ll see out there. And especially not one which is played side-saddle. I’m not sure why that was – is it her normal method of playing or was it simply because she was wearing a short skirt? (Wardrobe is ALWAYS a consideration for the public female cellist.) How and ever, it’s an inspired choice. The pitch and timbre of the cello match the pitch and timbre of Mr L’s voice and they resonate together. And speaking of The Voice, it’s better than ever. That man just throws his head back and this glorious sound soars out. I have no idea whether he’s given up cigarettes and is looking after it and himself more than before or is getting vocal training but he’s looking slimmer and fitter and appears more a master of his craft now than he ever has done in the past. This was best seen when the stage cleared and he came down the steps into the audience with nothing but his teeny, tiny accordion – no mic, no amplification - and sang a song about stardust, which reached to the rafters and held the audience spell bound.

He was in great good humour, chiding people who were coming in late or who had been to the bar, ricocheting banter & heckles back into the crowd and generally appearing to have a thoroughly good time up there. He also appeared to be very, very hot, but that will happen, Mr L, if you go onto a brightly-lit stage wearing a 3-piece suit with buttoned-up waistcoat and then start jumping around.

The set ranged from his earliest recordings (“Amsterdam”) right through to the most recent releases (e.g. “Lost in Limbo” & “Chololate Eyes”), and even a couple which hadn’t been recorded yet. It included the show-stoppingly gentle “Rooftop Lullaby” to the more robust (and still one of my favourites) “Bedsprings”. The newer stuff included lyrics such as “you’ll be tanning yourself in the fires of hell”. You’ve got to admire the man; he brings a level of carnivality (is that even a word?) to what can sometimes be a very serious business indeed.

And as the two-hour set (with encores, plural – you get value for money with this guy – quality AND quantity) progresses, the coat comes off and the crowd is putty in his hands – standing, singing, clapping, dancing, whatever he wants.

Look it…love him or loath him, curse him for singing Jacques Brel numbers (and singing them in English) or revere him for bringing them to a new audience, miss the days of the feather boa and the theatrics or be glad that they appear to be in the past, there is no denying the voice.

Long may it continue.

StetLab / 3XE / Spank

Thursday 8^th November, doors 8:30pm

Upstairs at The Roundy

Cork Music Collective in conjunction with U.C.C. Music Department present

StetLab

3XE

Spank

StetLab is the brain-child of one Han-earl Park, from U.C.C. Music Department and one third of 3XE. Its intention is to be a performance platform for those interested in the high-rise trapeze sans net that is live improvisation. The first performers were the three members of 3XE – Han-earl Park on guitar, Bruce Coates (an established improvisational performer in his own right) on sax (tenor? alto?) and Sarah O’Halloran on ‘stuff’, as she put it, which turned out to be, for the most part, vocalisations. They did a couple of numbers to begin with, which started as sounding very disjointed and as if they were not connecting with eachother but improved with time so that the second number was sounding distinctly modern minimal and had enough inherent structure that it could have been mistaken as having been pre-rehearsed. At this point there was a call for any other musicians present to join. Andrea Bonino (of Hadasha) ventured out with his guitar. Naturally, with an increase in numbers, the sound started to fill out and what was originally rather stark, verging on thin, began to layer up and blend. This was the last we heard of Ms O’Halloran for a while (until 3XE took over again after a break) and this reviewer was not entirely sad, as she was finding the vocal work rather lacking in inventiveness – mainly long held notes. At times, she (Ms O’Halloran) could be seen to be contributing more rhythmically interesting material, which was good, you might say, excecpt that she could not be heard. And this was a disappointment. In fairness, though, her voice could be heard more towards the end and, I must admit, she was producing interesting sounds – animal growls, high yipping and shrieks – I’ll tell you, you cannot give in to feelings of self-consciousness and embarrassment if you want to do this; rather you must jump off that cliff and see what happens on the way down.

Actually, as a side bar, the volume overall was too much, even over-powering. This is a small, intimate venue. I see little reason the be forced to shout a conversation as a result of the volume or feel pinned to the wall (on occasion) by the sheer weight of noise coming at you from the stage. A word to the wise to the sound engineer perhaps?

A change of musicians later to include Coates, Bonino, Niwel Tsumbu (drums), Jason Butler (vocals) and Kevin Terry (guitar) produced perhaps the highlight for me from the improv. section of the evening. Seriously – when improvisation gels, it rocks, and this gelled. Jason joined in in the middle with free verse (I think he was making it up as he went, I could be wrong), wandered into ‘Wade in the Water’ for the hell of it and ended on more free verse. Miraculously, all up there were connecting on some plane or other – or perhaps they were latched onto Jason’s vocals, as the music began to match the words. Whatever was going on up there, it was worth every second.

3XE closed the experimental section but I confess I missed this bit as I was outside having a couple of cigarettes. Bad girl.

Spank (aka Eoin O’Sullivan) took to the stage with his cap (Dingle’s finest) and guitar and with Cian O’Mahony on drums. I find it very difficult to describe Spank’s music. I don’t know why this is – he’s a guy with a guitar (and a cap) playing rock. Maybe it’ because of all the influences which swim around your head (mine anyway) when you listen to him – Tom Waits, Howlin’ Wolf, The Doors, Blues – which cloud the issue. Despite the influences though Spank has his own sound, his own style that is Spank, something unusual in one so young (compared to this reviewer at any rate). He has an old, mature sound, one which feels like it was years fermenting.

His set had a definite garage-band sound to start with but this gave way to deep guitar, deep growling vocals, deep lyrics (I am assuming – he mumbles). There is a definite Woodstock feel to this man live – not a bad thing in this air-brushed, uber-waxed age. Or as one lady-punter put it, ‘He’s definitely got balls!’ Hmm, yes, charming. Mind you, when you heard the last number - fast, driving rock – you would find yourself agreeing. Simply superb.

A last note on StetLab. Improvisation is not easy on the ear or the head. There is little to latch onto and little of anything of which your brain can make sense. Quite a lot of the time, it is an unholy cacophony. But for every minute of noise, there are a few seconds of sheer and unadulterated joy and that alone is worth all the furrowed-brow, ‘what now?’ confusion. For those of you interested in spreading your musical wings, the next StetLab is scheduled for December 13^th, same place, same time.

As for Spank? Well, you know, I am a good, convent-reared girl … so let me just raise my hem a few inches…OOH! That’s better.

Friday 26^th October, 8:30pm

The Everyman Theatre

Cork Jazz Festival presents

Avishai Cohen Trio

E.S.T. (Esbjorn Svensson Trio)

It is a testament to both the reputations of E.S.T. and The Everyman that this gig was sold out (or very, very close to). More and more, a gig or show at The Everyman promises to be worth the ticket price and never more so than tonight.

The first half was given over entirely to the Avishai Cohen Trio, a Drum/Bass/Piano group led by Cohen on double bass. Settling in quickly, they opened with the bass on a relatively simple repeated ⁷₄ time signature theme. Joined by the piano, it was immediately apparent that these guys know their onions. You see, the piano was working to a slightly different tempo. This is often seen achieved unintentionally by less virtuousic groups who are not entirely sure of what they’re doing, but to manage it as a deliberate act? This is hellishly difficult. It was one hell of an opening and set the scene for the rest of the first half. Cohen is an exciting man to watch on stage – jumping and gesturing as he plays, attacking the bass in every way possible, you are never sure whether he wanted to slap it or take it to bed. All three musicians (what a drum solo!) were a match on stage (I did hear someone saying that they felt that the piano let the side down but I didn’t notice it).

A roaring, jump-up ovation was the result at half time. And, yes, half time is a more appropriate term than interval here, in what emerged as a contest between double-bass trios. The general feeling among the crowd was ‘How will E.S.T. match that?’

Well, E.S.T. took to the stage in an entirely more sombre setting. Led by Svensson on piano, physcally they were closer on stage, the bass was seated to play (I’ve never seen that before) and on average they are older men than those in the first half. It struck me as an archetypal setting of age versus youth. Youth is all bells and whistles, all excitement and Now! Now! Now! Age is calmer, more sedate, more ‘There’s time. Why rush? Relax and enjoy.’ And such was the case here tonight. There’s no doubting the huge talent on stage in all six musicians. Perhaps the balance of skill rested with E.S.T. due simply to the length of practice and experience. Musically they were neck and neck. And E.S.T. has a huge and justified reputation.

However, for my money, the gig of the night came from the Avishai Cohen Trio. The vibrancy and flamboyancy, the beauty and power of the music, compared with the controlled, studied performance of their seniors, left you feeling excited and alive, like an over-sugared child, wanting more, always more.

Annette Buckley - "The Ever-Changing Colours of the Sea"

Annette Buckley

“The Ever-Changing Colours of the Sea”

Opening with a spare piano/harpsichord intro, like snow falling, “Her winter’s coat” tells a short tale of romance. Not romance in the sense of flowers and valentines, but in the gothic sense, in the sense of “Wuthering Heights”, in the sense of grand themes, futile loss and tragic loves. Following this with “If you follow”, a driving song filled with yearning, the tone for the whole album is set. Bar one.

The style of the songs varies somewhat, touching on Moloko in “So Free”, nodding in the direction of the sound produced by Bulgarian Women’s choirs (remember the Bulmer’s ads?) in ‘Miracle’ and, to the ears of this reviewer, having more than a passing resemblance to Laura Branigan’s “Self-Control” on the track “Into your arms”.

Overall, however, and running throughout the tracks, the feel is that of one who has been wounded deeply and is veering between remembered pain, anger, resignation and yearning for the love once known. ‘Whirlwind’ especially has a poignancy, which can leave you staring into the middle distance (or possibly not – depending on your level of personal cynicism).

It is nigh on impossible to ignore the pain running though this work. In fact, especially after “Grey Love”, you may find yourself wondering just how much and/or often this woman has been through the mill, or alternately, has she overdosed on the works of Byron and Shelley? The lyrics are beautiful though – “Tangled” makes up for being a variation on a theme (“Her Winter’s Coat” - again, according to this reviewer) through the imagery used: “Tangled roses turned and twisted beneath my wings like lovers kissing”.

It closes with an acoustic repeat of “Miracle”, possibly to hammer home the overall feel of the work. A lyric including “The grass is greener on the other side. That’s what all the people say. But when you get there it’s only colder, the black and white of the day. So send me a miracle. Send me a miracle. Why don’t you send me a miracle to save me from this day?” accompanied by wailing female vocals can leave you in no doubt about the intended sense of desperation.

This is a dark and brooding album, with Ms Buckley striding above and below it with a voice, which is rich and powerful and perfectly suited to it. It warrants more than one listen. Better yet, try and catch her live.

I almost forgot to mention the one glimmer of sunlight among the emotional murk. Track 3, “Honeysuckle”, is a simply gorgeous, lilting number – just don’t listen to the lyrics too closely: "I come alive when you’re looking sad, I come alive when you’re feeling bad, I come alive with everything I have because you’re my honey love" might not necessarily warm the cockles of your intended’s heart.

A Feast for All the Senses

Thursday 4th October 9pm Upstairs at the Roundy in association with the Cork Music Collective

The air is scented with incense, candles are on every surface, places of chocolate tiffin, strawberries and cream are on every table (as are sods of grass turf, pine cones and leaves), a Buddhist shrine is in one corner, rich & decorative tapestries and hangings are everywhere you look and, my personal favourite, a professional masseur is wandering around asking people if they would like a free head & shoulder massage. This was last nigh, upstairs at the Roundy, if you can believe it.

A Feast for all the Senses. Oh yes indeedy.

The music was provided by Francesca Baines, Alan O’Rourke and Annette Buckley. Francesca opened with a song about a dream she had, as she explained. ‘Tis as well she did as the lyric would have made no sense to me otherwise. Ms Baines sings interesting songs, even if this reviewer found the lyrics a bit convoluted and wordy. At one point, she broke into free verse, which was like a splash of cold water on a hot day – refreshing and welcome, even if you’re not quite sure what has just happened. She does have a lovely quality to her voice but, on a tiny negative, I would prefer to hear the songs sung by someone else in order to really hear them as I found that pitching was a little wavery, especially in the lower register. But that’s just me.

Alan O’Rourke followed shortly after spending the first part of the gig hooded and hidden, just him and his guitar and his friend on drums (never got the name – apologies). This was a sea change from the style, which went before, which was swirling, sweeping music. Mr O’Rourke was more aggressive, took risks with the vocals, played with the audience and seemed to be having a whale of a time up there. Simply put, he rocked. It was about this time that I had a massage so I have no more memories of Mr O’Rourke’s set other than mmmmmm….

Headlining the night was the wonderful Ms Buckley. Having seen her only once before when she joined Green monitor for a brief spell in a gig earlier in the summer, I had really no idea what to expect. Let me tell you, this girl is classy, and she can sing! She commanded that room from behind her piano with a voice … well, she did justice to an a capella cover of Björk’s State of Emergency … say no more. My personal favourite from the whole evening though was a little number, which, was more in the swing vein and called Honeysuckle – sweet, not too sweet, just like the tiffin.

There’s really nothing left to say. I mean; good music, chocolate and a massage from a gorgeous man: what more can a girl ask for on a Thursday night?

www.myspace.com/alanorourke www.annettebuckley.com

Dowdall/Lynch/Malir at the Curtis Auditorium

Cork Orchestral Society, in association with CIT Cork School of Music, presents William Dowdall (flute) John Lynch (viola) Andreja Malir (harp) Thursday 20th September, 8:00pm Curtis Auditorium CIT Cork School of Music What a wonderful combination of instruments! Now, flute and harp, I think, we’re all familiar with, but adding the viola is a stroke of genius. Strong words indeed, I hear you murmur. But this reviewer stands by her words. I will admit a slight bias, being a viola-player myself, but I do find it to have the most beautiful of all the sounds of all the bowed, stringed instruments, with the harp being the most beautiful of all strings of any form. So we’re off to a good start at least. This evening, the gloom of the Curtis Auditorium was not helped by the fact that the lighting has been rigged to support the upper half of the stage with nothing being shone on the lower, which, unfortunately, was where this trio chose to sit. And so we listened to beautiful, romantic music, while having our gaze dragged up to the organ, which was lit up like a ferris-wheel. Opening with Bax’s Elegiac Trio, the harp created a swirling, liquid, ebb and flow setting for a wonderful piece, with the viola and flute creating a sylvan paradise which, if this is a view of death, does not seem quite so bad as it could be, to put it mildly. The concert was annotated by interesting snippets about the pieces delivered by the performers, such as the story of Syrinx, a piece which was originally entitled Pan and then nearly lost for all time after being played nightly for fifteen years as off-stage incidental music by the same musician. Personally, I think the original name suits it better, having much of the capricious nature of the ancient god. Another gem was Clair de Lune, a piece with which most of us would be familiar, but in its original guise as a piano solo. In fact, it might not be going too far to say that we may be over-familiar with it, and do not hear it any more. Listening to Ms Malir, it was like hearing a whole new piece and I could hear myself thinking “Debussy was amazing”. A number of these pieces were originally for other instruments as the repertoire for all three instruments can often be sparse at best. However, do not think that the music was less-than as a result. In fact, upon hearing his Sonatine (originally for piano) as arranged by Carlos Salzedo, Ravel is purported to have said “now, why didn’t I think of that myself?”, which is rather lovely, don’t you think? A. Bax (1883-1953) Elegiac Trio (1916) L. Boulanger (1893-1918) Nocturne (1911) for viola and harp: Assez lent A. Glazunov (1865-1936) Elegy, Op.44 (1893) for viola and harp: Allegretto M. Ravel (1875-1937) arr. Carlos Salzedo Sonatine (1903-05) Modéré; Mouvement de Meneut; Animé C. Saint-Saёns (1835-1921) Fantasie for flute and harp C. Debussy (1862-1918) Clair de Lune from Suite bergamasque, 1890) arr. for solo harp C. Debussy Syrinx (1913) for solo flute C. Debussy Sonata (1915): Pastorale; Interlude; Final http://www.corkorchestralsociety.ie/

Dorothy Murphy - Circleways

Dorothy Murphy

Circleways

8:00pm, 19th September 2007, Triskel Arts Centre

The new seating layout in the Triskel is up to code and lovely but has a distinct disadvantage for those of us who have been inadvertently given the wrong start time, as we now have to walk right up to the stage to access the seating at all, resulting in small apologetic greetings to the performer as you try and scurry to the back row as quickly as possible. Once in the dark of the back of the hall, however, it is a lovely venue to come to as a member of the audience, and has a fine tradition of getting the good, the extraordinary, the weird and the wonderful to play there. I’m not entirely sure which of these we were listening to last night. (By the bye, does anyone else find it interesting, nay weird, that weird is the only word which breaks the ‘i before e, except after c’ rule? Just me then? Okay.)

Dorothy Murphy played last night to promote her new album, on which she has been working for the last couple of years. She was accompanied on stage by Claire Fitch on cello, Cormac O’Brien on double bass and trumpet, Phil McMullan on drums and Seán Óg on tenor sax and bass clarinet. Seán Óg was also a major collaborator with Ms Murphy in the creation of the album and the pieces on it.

Once settled in the dark and able to take in the scene, the band, an eclectic group, both in membership and its leaning heavily towards the bass-end of the pitch spectrum, is fronted by Ms Murphy, a bare-foot earth-mother, like a cross between Rachel Allen and Eve Ensler, with an occasional accordion. The accordion for me is always reminiscent of sex and sensuality. Don’t laugh. I’m not talking about the crashing sound produced by the larger versions at some traditional gatherings. This was rather the smaller version used for more agile work. It’s like the difference between the bagpipes and the uilleann pipes. If any of you have listened to Piazzola play tango, you’ll know what I mean. (Incidentally, it's not a bad idea to have some Astor Piazolla stashed away, specifically the Angel suite.) But back to la Murphy. She practices sound vocalisation (I believe it’s called), which explores the range of sounds which the voice is capable of producing without resorting to actual lyric. This is not to say that lyrics were abandoned completely. There were some interesting ones, such as Little Death, written by Seán Óg (taking the little death to mean fear, as opposed to the orgasm, which it also means), which opened with the lines “In the silent yesterday place, crackleglazed spiders weave homes, from the silent places little death creeps”. Rather evocative, no?

This kind of music is definitely an acquired taste and is equally definitely not the mainstream. It is dissonant, atonal, rhythmically obtuse and it can be difficult for the audience to find a handle. It can also have moments of sublime beauty (as in the early parts of Ko'an). I am by no means an expert in this type of music but I felt at times that the vocalisations were fluffed, syllable-wise, and that the free improvisation attempted would have been better as a ‘let’s not and say we did’ moment. The five musicians were gamefully ploughing on through this section but there seemed to be no link between any of them and all that resulted was a series of random sounds and rhythms which bore little connection to what went either before or after or, indeed, at the same time.

This avant garde art often needs more than one listen and for that reason it may be better, for a newcomer, on the CD than live. Ms Murphy’s voice certainly has a beautiful quality, mellifluous, and, should she chat in between the pieces as she did on stage, that could be worth the listen alone.

Fiona Shaw & Carducci Festival Ensemble

Cork Orchestral Society, in conjunction with CIT Cork School of Music & Music Network, presents:

Fiona Shaw & Carducci Festival Ensemble

6:00pm, Curtis Auditorium

Saint-Saëns Carnival of the Animals, with words by Ogden Nash

This early-evening, pre-dinner quickie was part of a group of concerts, the Carducci Quartet Festival, which were organised, I believe, to celebrate the opening of the new and improved CIT Cork School of Music building. This one was designed to please young and old alike, and the audience reflected this with ages ranging from a few months right through to ‘it would be impolite to ask’. Just a few words on the new school. The foyer to the Curtis Auditorium is modern – clean lines, smooth stone and tile and lots of glass and open space. The auditorium is spacious and comfortable – far more so than the old hall – and for some reason painted entirely in matt, dark purple. There is an imposing organ looming behind the stage which, ironically, cuts through the décor to provide some light relief. I think you can guess that I’m less than sure about the colour. It reminds me of the old CSM hall, which was old, varnished wood panels and dark red upholstery, not unlike being inside a home-made womb.

Anyway – the performance! This was the Carducci Quartet plus friends, with Dr Geoffrey Spratt (head of the School of Music) conducting, Fiona Shaw narrating. Overall, it was a pretty rousing performance, with Ms Shaw fairly pinning us to our seats with her opening words, and was very well-received by the almost-full house. The performers also appeared to be enjoying themselves immensely, which was lovely to see and all too rare in the oft rarified atmosphere of the world of classical music.

However, I have to say that, despite the physically vigorous performances and the oomph with which the music came across, it is important to note that this is a set of pieces which fairly perform themselves. Also, a number of them would be familiar to the audience at large, such as Aviary, The swan and Fossils. So, in order for the performers and the performance to stand out from the general mill, something new or extra must be brought by the performers. They must be fearless. While I enjoyed the overall show, I felt throughout that there was a sense of reticence or restraint about the playing, as if they were running to the edge of the cliff but pulling back just before they had to commit. The second violin, Ms Fleming, came closest to breaking this in People with long ears, being unafraid to make a nasty sound on her instrument in order to represent animal braying. The same cannot be said for the first violin, Mr Denton, who seemed to want to get there but still make a nice sound. This is just one example of something, which I felt to be across the board. However, they are a young group and true courage often only comes with experience.

And speaking of Ms Shaw, she was simply superb, as always.

Saint-Saëns Carnival of the Animals

1. Introduction et marche royale du lion / Introduction and royale march of the lion
2. Poules et coqs / Hens and cocks
3. Hémiones / Wild asses
4. Tortues / Tortoises
5. L’eléphant / The elephant
6. Kangourous / Kangaroos
7. Aquarium / Aquarium
8. Personnages à longues oreilles / People with long ears
9. Le coucou au fond des bois / The cuckoo at the bottom of the wood
10. Volière / Aviary
11. Pianistes / Piano players
12. Fossiles / Fossils
13. Le cynge / The swan
14. Final / Finale

Carducci Festival Ensemble

Carducci Quartet:

Matthew Denton, violin Michelle Fleming, violin Eoin Schmidt-Martin, viola Emma Denton, cello

Louisa Dennehy (flute)

Vincent Condon (clarinet)

Stephen Kelly (percussion)

Rory Dempsey (double bass)

Rebecca & Kirsten Čápova (pianos)

Iarla Ó Lionaird at St. Fin Barre's Cathedral

The 28th Beamish Cork Folk Festival Saturday, September 1st, St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral, 8pm Iarla Ó Lionaird & Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral is a fabulous venue. It is at one and the same time vaulted, cloistered, stark, opulent, and it was the perfect setting for tonight’s concert. Alone on the stage, in the darkened church, lit only by a blue light, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh whispered a greeting and opened. It opened softly and, in my mind’s eye, painted images of a lone fiddler calling the workers in from the bog. That sounded much better in my head. Moving from a dance to a haunting and back to a dance, he played two such in his, alas, short set. Can I say something about the venue again? The darkness of the church, the odd blue light, the shadows dancing on the walls as Mr Ó Raghallaigh played only served to enhance the whole experience. The organisers of this festival should be praised for realising that the performance is not just the performer in isolation but, in fact, begins as soon as the audience sets foot inside the door. But back to Mr Ó Raghallaigh. I loved the tone he achieved. As a classically trained musician, I am used to a particular range of timbres from the string section. Therefore it was wonderful to hear a traditional fiddle played with such virtuosity, to really appreciate the beauty of the sound. It’s hard to describe but the words hollow and wood came to mind (not wooden, let’s be clear). If you’re ever heard both a concert flute and an Irish flute played, you’ll know what I’m talking about. It has a haunting quality. The second half opened with a rather diffident Iarla Ó Lionaird approaching the mic and starting to sing. It was like a prayer. Let’s not beat about the bush here. I’ve heard this man sing before and, frankly, he could sing the alphabet and I’d be happy. Listening to his voice is like having really good, freshly brewed coffee. I could go on but we’d miss the gig. He opened solo, then welcomed Graham Henderson to the stage to accompany him on key board (later guitar) and, after that, brought up Niall Mac Coll on guitar. It was a very relaxed performance. It was a very relaxed audience. Despite the grandeur of the setting, it was more like an audience with friends. The second piece in the set, just voice and piano, after some pitching issues, was one which settled into his lower range and was mesmerising, heart-stopping. The set moved from the very traditional opening through diverse styles – a hint of the Smokie Mountains in one, French Arthouse in another, a touch of U2 in another still – with the bulk of it remaining in the folk-field. While I personally was not entirely sure about the choice of keyboard sound/style used to accompany some of the songs, Mr Ó Lionaird has the voice and skill to carry any tune above and beyond. The variety of music on offer tonight and the somewhat unusual choices in arrangement are also testament to an interest in the more experimental form, as shown previously with the Afro-Celt Sound System. It closed, as it opened, with a slow Irish air. Perfect. Now, I won’t pretend to know my jigs from my reels. I was not raised in a home steeped in Irish traditional music. But, to be glib, I know what I like and I liked this. But possibly bring a cushion next time? http://www.corkfolkfestival.com

Apollo at Cyprus Avenue, 22nd August 2007

A quick note on Apollo

at

Cyprus Avenue

Part of 3-band line-up:

Tidal Suns

Apollo

Innuendo

Wednesday 22^nd, 9pm

Before we start, I must preface this with two notes. Firstly, I turned up late and left early and, secondly, this was because I was there to see one band and this was because the drummer is a buddy of mine. Suffice to say, if I did not think they were any good, I wouldn’t be writing this at all. So, now, we all know where we stand!

This was Apollo’s debut. Apollo. It’s always so difficult to name a band. Unless you’re going with the So&so and the Somethings, nearly every name is going to sound a bit ‘huh?’ until you’re well known and well loved. So, Apollo it is then.

Names aside, I liked them. Well, we already established that, didn’t we? The lead singer took at least two songs to get over his nerves, which is understandable for a debut performance. Heck, even seasoned performers routinely throw up before going on-stage. The two guitarists were like Mutt & Jeff, Beavis & Butthead (very entertaining) while the drummer appeared calm as sky blue sea, but that is the point of drummers, isn’t it?

Sound-wise, they’re pretty tight although I would have liked to hear the occasional bit of backing voice a bit better – perhaps that was the balance on the desk, perhaps the boys need to sing up, perhaps that’s exactly as they want it – just my preference. Also, sound-wise, they’re doing something a bit new for these here parts – a very American sound, reminded me of that band Live from a few years back – had a single, I alone – anyone?

My personal favourite is the lead – he has this little hand-dance which got more and more pronounced the more relaxed he became. I’ve never seen it before – wandering into the realm of the hypnotic.

What can I say? They have promise. They are so far steering clear of the routine & hum-drum. And their rendition of Whole lot of Rosie rocked.

By the by, is it Cyprus Avenue or Cypress Avenue? Different signs, different spellings.

Rebecca Collins - At Sea (E.P.)

When I last (and first) saw Rebecca Collins, she was playing support at a mid-week city-centre gig. Just her and her guitar. I confess, I though she could take Nashville. Still do. However, that was before I hear her E.P., At Sea.

Now I can see her playing anywhere.

At Sea is a beautifully presented work, from the graphics and design-work to the production on the tracks and, definitely not least, the music itself. Containing just four tracks, this is something for the collection. (I know, I know, by definition an E.P. will generally not contain more than four but when it ends, you want more.)

It helps that the production, to this reviewer’s ear, is good. It helps that Ms Collins herself was involved directly in the production so that nothing is lost in the translation. It helps that she appears to work with some of the best musicians in the country – certainly, cellists like Kate Ellis aren’t exactly ten’a’penny! But all of this is just icing when you listen to the songs themselves.

Let’s not beat about the bush here. Ms Collins can write. She is a poet. She is a songwright. And she can arrange music. The lyrics are beautiful, the harmonies intelligent. This all sounds rather bland in the reading so I urge you to get your hands on the cd and make up your own mind. This is more moody than mood music with the common denominator running through the four different tracks being her affinity with the minor 7^th. This last tendency lends an ethereal air to the sound which works best on the very evocative Stella Maris.

Ms Collins is following in the tradition of singer/songwriters like Fiona Apple & Suzanne Vega. Her songs have a poignancy & strength – so very feminine, so very good.

At Sea

• Can’t be tough
• Marseille, Marseille
• I bit a tear
• Stella Maris

www.rebeccacollins.net

João Vasco and Eduardo Jordão at the Crawford

Cork Orchestral Society presents… João Vasco (piano) and Eduardo Jordão (piano) 1:10pm August 16th 2007 Crawford Municipal Art Gallery, Cork There was a teensy mix-up with the programme and the first piece was left off so we were all under the impression that the concert opened with the Military Marche and were all clapping in between movements. This is all a preamble to say that if the notes here seem a bit confused, they are no more so than I was when my programme ended and the concert continued. It did help that I knew a couple of the pieces beforehand but that left me with a whole lot of untangling of the pieces which went before and, frankly, it was beyond me until some light was shed by the COS. I will therefore not be what you might call detailed in my feelings on the interpretation of the individual pieces. Instead this will be more an overall impression. At a piano gig or recital, you generally find yourself either able to see the hands or see the face(s). There are pros and cons to both views. This time I could see their faces and, believe you me, I felt a little bit sorry, throughout the performance, for those who could not. They were entertainment alone. I mean, forget the gorgeously expressed and controlled playing. There was a fabulous rapport between these two young men and there were lovely comedic touches, especially in Satie’s La Belle Excentrique (I’m pretty sure). They were fun to watch and pretty damn near flawless in their performance. I do hope these two come back for a repeat in the not too distant future. Programme: Mozart , W. A. Sonata in D Major K.381 Schubert, F. Military Marche op. 51 no1 & Characteristic March op. 121 no1 Satie, E. Trois Morceaux en Forme de Poire & Parade & La Belle Excentrique Can Can Grande Mondain Benjamin, A. Jamaican Rumba “Zez” Confrey Dizzy Fingers Joplin, S. Stoptime Rag Lamb, J. Champagne Rag Encore - Oh Danny Boy

Pete Courtney (with Rebecca Collins)

Cork Music Collective presents Pete Courtney (Rebecca Collins – support) Upstairs at The Roundy Thursday, 16th August, 9:30pm A quick note on Ms Collins – she is a little gem. A real song crafter and what a voice! Husky and soaring, singing songs of love, loss and temptation, I could see her making a killing in Nashville, making cowboys cry into their beers. And now to Mr Courtney. It is a pity that the gig wasn’t better attended. One, it’s always good to see a large appreciative audience, rather than a smaller one, and, two, because the smaller the audience, the more likely it is to be filled with friends & family. This does not really allow for an accurate gauging of the gig as this kind of crowd is going to be more pre-disposed to showing appreciation for what’s going on on-stage than an other audience. In addition, a small crowd of general well-wishers can result in a gig which is more of a cosy in-joke than anything else. It is to this that I am putting down the 3 minutes during which Mr Courtney stood on stage doing nothing more than tuning a hand-held radio in and out of stations. Maybe this is his thing and I missed the joke. Maybe. Overall, I found the sound to be too dense and layered. There was one moment where he left the stage and, sitting on a bar stool, did a cover of a John Martyn song and it was beautiful. Simple, clear, lovely. Then it was back to the stage and the layering and the noise over which his voice was sometimes hard to hear. I don’t think I got a good view of Mr Courtney – he has a good voice and certainly can play. Why was it then that I could not get the image out of my head of him playing to crowds outside Covent Garden as part of street theatre? The Nashville comment wasn’t a joke, by the way. Seriously! You’re young, pretty, have a good, good voice and can write one hell of a love song – Nashville Ho!

Hadasha live at The Roundy

Cork Music Collective presents: Hadasha 9pm, 26th July, Upstairs at The Roundy Tonight’s CMC Presents gig in the Roundy was Hadasha, playing from John Zorn’s work, Masada. Hadasha are a relatively new group, having played together only once before this. However, that must have been some gig as half the crowd here tonight was made up of audience members from that earlier gig. Two gigs and already they have groupies – not bad! The start was simple enough – a 3-note bass riff under wandering guitar, which changed imperceptibly to be a simple guitar riff under the bass. It took a little time for it to ripple through the crowd that the gig had started but by the time the kaleidoscope of sound, which was the second number, took off, so did the gig and the crowd was hooked. And a liquid sax solo leads into rocking kosher funk. Masada or The Masada Book is a group of over 200 songs, which started as a group written for the soundtrack of the film Thieve’s Quartet. To quote Zorn himself, and to give you some sort of handle on what was being played here tonight, “The idea with Masada is to produce a sort of radical Jewish music, a new Jewish music which is not the traditional one in a different arrangement, but music for the Jews of today.” The result is what this reviewer can only describe as a snake charmer at a Jewish wedding. Work with me here. It’s swirling, hypnotic, throbbing, languid… These are snake charmers with rhythm, with a backbeat you can dance to, albeit a swirling, swaying dance, but you will applaud at the end. Hell, if you’re anything like last night’s crowd, you’ll be a’whoopin’ and a’hollerin’ too. Like any good wedding, this gig starts off sedate and gets noisier and stroppier as it progresses but unlike a good wedding, it retains a structure and coherency. It’s different, I’ll grant them that. It’s also good. Really good. They will be playing the Tiki Lounge and the Jazz Festival in the not too dim and distant future. Check these guys out! Hadasha: Gary Baus (saxaphone) Andrea Bonino (guitar) Matteo Salafrica (bass) Tomas Gall (drums)

Gregory Walker - COS & CMC Presents

OK – this is a bit of a cheat. I’m covering two gigs in one piece here. Yes, yes, I know, I have no professional scruples. Of course, that would only be of relevance if I were being paid and, even then, it may be viewed as highly efficient – who knows?!? Anyway – onwards! This week’s gig(s) is(are) – I’m confusing myself here. Cork Orchestral Society presents… Gregory Walker: The Jazzical Violin (Thursday 2nd August 1:10pm) and Cork Music Collective session with Gregory Walker (Thursday 2nd August 9:30pm) – so good she saw him twice, yeah? Firstly, the lunchtime gig.I’m delighted to note that this series of gigs is gathering popularity and this one was nearly a full house. The demographic is also shifting so there is no excuse for not checking them out. You might learn something. Even if it’s just more to add to the list of what you don’t like. (I’m all for the 'why not? what’s the worst that could happen?' school of thought.) Gregory Walker is a tall, gangly, Hasidic-looking gentleman (and I mean that sincerely). Incidentally, I just looked up Hasidic and it comes from a word originally meaning ‘lovingkindness’ – it suits him rather well. I think you can guess by now that I was rather taken with Mr Walker. This tall, smiley man followed his wife and accompanist (Lori Walker) out onto the stage and just started into one of his own compositions, Blues, an unaccompanied number which built from a simple beginning to a full bluesy end. The Jazzical Violin, he explained, is a project started to explore music, specifically for violin and piano, written by classically-trained composers who admired and emulated the world of Jazz. Composers like George Gershwin, Miles Davis (where Mrs Walker got to shine – lovely sound and light hand on the keys) and Maurice Ravel were included. I’m not going to say much about this particular gig for one simple reason – I loved it. He is a man totally at home with his instrument. (Stop giggling down the back.) Seriously – if you want to be free in what you’re doing, then you’ve got to know what you’re doing and how to do it. Three chords and the truth is all very well but what if you want to sing a different song? In anything – singing, recording, playing – the more au fait you are with your particular medium, the better and more versatile the product. Mr Walker is an excellent proponent of this. He played fearlessly. Just one other note on this gig – Igor Frolov. Not a name, or nationality (Russian), you would normally associate with jazz but Frolov’s Piece in Blues Style was my personal highlight. It just goes to show. Now the evening performance. I was not the only member of the lunchtime audience drawn across town for his second outing. There were a number of the COS crowd sitting among the regulars in the Roundy for the gig. Well, it was less of a gig and more of a trial by fire. Invited along for a jam session by a CMC member who is also a COS member (it’s a small city), this was not a scheduled gig for him but more something to do in the evening. Brave man. The set-up was that he opened the gig (on someone else’s 5-string electric violin, having left his elsewhere – does his courage know no bounds?) solo and then willing members of the Collective would join him on stage and see what happened. What can I say? Well, looking back over my notes, scribbled comments include ‘f***ing bizarre’, ‘sounds like a sub-marine conference of hippos’ and ‘more of that, please’. Depending on who or what combination of musicians were up there, the music was free-form experimental (Han – guitar) to more coherent, traditional-sounding results (Andrea Bonino – guitar, Dave – upright bass, Lucas – drum, Derek – electric bass). When there was a gel, the place rocked. When there wasn’t (which, in fairness, was rare), the audience were riveted to see what would happen next. The only downside for me were two ladies who arrived upstairs in the last 10-15 minutes of the session and, seemingly failing to notice that a) there was a gig on and b) everyone else in the room was listening closely to what was happening on stage, proceeded to have a rather vocal conversation which was, for me, audible no matter where I stood. Why? How did they not notice? It is not a big place. Also, everyone was looking in one direction and, this is important, not talking (!). Very annoying. The highlight, for me, was when, just before they took a break, the trumpet player from Poles Apart joined him with others and there was a superb one-up-man-ship between the fiddle and the horn. According to Mr Walker, he has never participated in anything like that before and found the concept rather nerve-wracking but was now intending on ‘inflicting’ it on his ‘victims’ back home. Tee hee! Gregory Walker is concertmaster of the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, has collaborated with people such as Yo Yo Ma, Itshak Perlman and James Galway and is a pioneer of experimental styles, such as his rap symphony ‘Dream N. the Hood’. Lunchtime Programme Walker, G.T.S. Blues Gershwin, G. Prelude No. 2 & It ain’t necessarily so Ravel, M. Sonata, “Blues” Frolov, I. Piece in Blues Style Davis, M. So What? Bonfa, L. A day in the life of a fool Jobim, A.C. The Girl from Ipanema Walker, G. Fantasy on Óró sé do bheatha bhaile Evening Line-up Poles Apart – various members – drums, percussion, trumpet, electric bass Han – guitar Andrea Bonino (Hadasha) – guitar Niwel Tsumbu (Sumu, Clear Sky Ensemble) – guitar Dave – upright bass Chris Percival – guitar (For those contributing whose name I did not get fully, I apologise.)

Cork Orchestral Society Presents...Pavlos Kanellakis

Cork Orchestral Society presents Pavlos Kanellakis (Greece) Guitarist Lunchtime recital, 19th July, 2007 Crawford Municipal Art Gallery, Cork. Sitting in the middle of the stage with nothing but an instrument cloth, a foot rest and a guitar, Kanellakis makes passes through the air, stretching muscles, centring himself, centring us, before starting the concert with music by one of his countrymen, the lovely Love Theme & Variation IV from Excursion by Mamangakis. There is more than a nod to traditional Greek music in this piece, which was an inspired choice as an opener for this lunchtime concert. Following on to the Bach, Kanellakis changes moods to the more formal, and older, music. This is a demanding piece for both performer and audience. Bach can be hypnotic, and not necessarily for the right reasons, and requires skilled interpretation. We were in safe hands. Kanellakis stretched and pulled the music, wrapping it around himself like a cloak, resulting in applause breaking through even before he arrived at the very zippy allegro. Possibly a little too zippy, but that is something for the performer to judge at the moment of performance and reflect on afterwards. Moving on to Grigoreas' On the wind, it appeared to this reviewer that, although a skilled performer of the early works, he is far more in tune and at home with the modern composer. He seems physically more relaxed and lends the pieces a bravado and panache which was not evident in the Early music. Invocation et danse was another wonderful choice, really showing off his lyrical and technical ability. The piece itself is beautifully poised between a prayer and a spell (occasionally bringing to mind scenes from Macbeth). The final piece reviewed (the Fuoko is not reviewed here as the concert ran over and the reviewer ran off), Elegy, a piece dedicated to Kanellakis by the composer, is a sea change in mood from the concert up to this point, being altogether darker in mood, almost black. However, again, Kanellakis brings a lyricism to even the most dissonant of chords, beauty to the musical aggression. Considering the standard and quality of the overall performance, it is a pity that the time-keeping wasn't up to scratch as I would have loved to hear the whole rather than the part. That being said, the C.O.S. is to be congratulated on what promises to be a wonderful series of summer concerts. And for future reference: Pavlos Kanellakis - remember the name. Programme: Love Theme & Variation IV from Excursion - N. Mamangakis Prelude, Fugue & Allegro (Prelude pour la luth o cembal) - J.S. Bach On the wind - C. Grigoreas Invocation et Danse - J. Rodrigo Elegy (dedicated to Pavlos Kanellakis) - G. Kontogiorgos Fuoko from Libra sonatine - R. Dyens

Cork Orchestral Society Presents...Slovak Festival Ensemble

Cork Orchestral Society presents Slovak Festival Ensemble 1:10pm, 26th July, Crawford Gallery, Cork OK – let’s get the negative stuff out of the way first. Wrists, boys, wrists. Namely, your right wrists. Specifically, loosen them! There was a lot of elbow-work going on and, occasionally, the left hand appeared to be running ahead of the right. I suppose I should explain things at this point. This lunchtime, the COS presented the Slovak Festival Ensemble (also does weddings, we were told) with a programme of crowd-pleasers, such as Pachelbel’s Canon in D and Stauss’ Blue Danube Waltz. The ensemble consists of the conductor/founder/soloist, Vladimir Jablokov, on violin, his sister on piano, his brother on second violin (I didn’t catch their names, apologies), Steve on viola and Aron on double bass. We’ll get back to the wrists later. Aside from Vladimir’s chitchat, with which even this reviewer can put up in small doses, the music came hard and fast, not a phrase you normally associate with a lunchtime classical concert, I’ll bet. Moving from a slightly jazzed-up version of Pachelbel’s Canon (first time I’ve ever heard slap bass being used in this piece) to Mozart’s Divertimento no. 1 and onto de Sarasate’s Gypsy Airs, we heard the full range on offer from this quintet today. Let me say this – when they play gently and softly, when they let their instruments sing and the music sound, these are a great bunch to listen to. However, the leaning here, more and more, was faster & louder equals more impressive. Now, considering the smattering of a standing ovation received at the end, I may well be alone with my opinion but, seeing as I’m the one writing this, let’s push on. The musicians themselves were a little stiff to begin with, which could be put down to nerves. By the time we reached the Gypsy Airs (their speciality, according to Vladimir – I feel we’re on first name terms now after all the chat), they were loosened up – almost. The wrists, the wrists! My kingdom for a waggledly wrist! Their left hands (finger hands) are loose and versatile, easily commanding the most difficult of passages. Their right hands, however, lagged behind – literally so in some instances. This is down to a lack of flexibility in the wrists – it is very, very difficult to play semi-/demi-/hemi-quavers with speed and/or lightness when you are trying to use your whole arm. Even just using the arm from the elbow can be awkward and clunky. It can sound heavy and, to this reviewer, is stiff and laboured to look at. The Bach was a welcome rest from the (occasionally frenetic) intensity of the gypsy music. Around this time, I was hoping to hear more from Jablokov the younger, as he seemed to have promise and several times looked like he was about to break out. He did. With Czardas. Let me say that I love Czardas – it’s one of my favourites of all the popular violin pieces. I don’t think it deserved a jazz overhaul (for one section) or Hollywood treatment (for another). Nor did it require being taken at such a speed for it to be exciting. The concert ended with three Strauss numbers – two from the son and one from the father. The polka was played with verve and brio, just what was needed. The Radetsky got the crowd clapping along. But the Blue Danube was in full and roaring flood. This is a group of talented and promising musicians, budding performers, who are currently making a living as jobbing musicians (hence the weddings, get their contact details from the COS), playing crowd-pleasers to beat the band. It is my suspicion (and I could be wrong) that they are bored senseless with the music, hence the constant additions of variations, trills and ornamentation, and the harder, faster, louder style of playing. (Although having a double bass in place of a cello is interesting and surprisingly versatile.) They can do this music standing on their heads and it pays the bills. I think they can do more. The ability is there, the interest in music in there. The question is, will they expand into more challenging music? Will they attempt the really difficult stuff, like playing something simple so beautifully and simply that it brings tears to the eyes? Or will they keep churning out more of the same? Programme Pachelbel, J. Canon in D Mozart, W.A. Divertimento no.1 (Allegro, Andante, Presto) De Sarasate, P. Gypsy Airs Bach, J.S. Air Monti, V. Czardas Strauss, J. Tratch-Tratsch Polka Strauss, J. Blue Danube Strauss, J. Radetzky March

Cork Music Collective Presents...Green Monitor

Upstairs at The Roundy Cork Music Collective presents Green Monitor Thursday, 12th July, 9:30pm If Hogwarts had a music department, Green Monitor would be the result. Need I say any more? OK then ……… they are a tightly-meshed trio who are, to my eyes, one of the more pragmatic bands I have seen of late. Apparently unaware of the presence of an audience, they move through their set almost as if they are in their rehearsal room, unrushed, unfussed. Their first track had a definite hint of Air about it but don’t let this fool you. Their style is varied and their sound is tight, highly rehearsed and very professional, while at the same time managing to give the impression that they are experimenting on the hoof. The influences evident are diverse, both in style and geography, and samples include random sounds, vocals and instrumental riffs (and even, it is rumoured, an Elmo toy). It says a lot that, while they successfully headlined on Saturday night at the Electric Picnic last year, they were mesmeric in the relatively cloistered confines of Upstairs at the Roundy. Bringing in the vocalist, Annette Buckley, later in the evening, the sound changed to a more conventionally structured format and took more of a back seat, allowing Ms Buckley’s rich, strong vocals to be the focal point. Especially good was the second number, which was entirely ad-lib. If I have one criticism, it is that occasionally a track would not so much end as stop, leaving the audience wondering what was happening. However, this is a minor quibble. While their influences are, to say the least, eclectic (trance, dance, funk, reggae, far east), the end result is a sound which is at one and the same time both universal and unique. These are three musicians playing at the top of their game. Long may they continue. Green Monitor Aron Bennett – Guitars/Flute/Keyboards Loz Fitzgibbon – Bass/Harmonium/Vintage FX/Keyboards Clive Gash – Drums/World Percussion http://www.corkmusiccollective.com