December 2000

by Paul Castle

Contents:

UK News
London Gigs
Best of the Rest of the UK

Yet again, some very good gigs in prospect this month, with
North American visitors including Lucy Kaplansky, Tom
Pacheco, bluesmen Eric Bibb and Guy Davis, and alt.
bluegrass outfit The Cousin Lovers all touring over here.

But perhaps the most interesting gig this month is the return
of acoustic guitar legend Davey Graham to one of his old
sixties haunts, the small cellar of The Troubadour coffee
house in the Old Brompton Road (Fri 15th).

Alive and well and living in North London, Davey has just
celebrated his 60th birthday and, happily, live appearances
seem to be coming increasingly less rare. Last year's
re-release on CD (Topic Records) of his seminal 1964 first
album, 'Folk Blues and Beyond' and a compilation album,
'Fire in the Soul', with 25 tracks selected from 4 of his
sixties albums and including his classic instrumental,'Angi',
have doubtless helped create a resurgence of interest in his
career, which had suffered from a long period of illness.
According to his website, American magazine Fingerstyle
Guitar are planning a major feature/interview in a forthcoming
issue and Kay Thompson, who publishes his 'Midnight Man'
fanzine, says that at his last gig in Bromley back in September
this year "He was in good form and responded to a number
of requests - 'Grooveyard', 'Nobody Knows You When
You're Down & Out', 'God Bless the Child' and even 'Angi'!
He also played a couple of Irish tunes,'Blackbird' and 'Ask
My Father' and sang several numbers which I have not heard
him do in public before - 'Yellow Man', 'City & Suburban
Blues' and a Peggy Lee number called 'Black Coffee'."
(Kay Thompson also runs a mail order service for all Davey's
available recordings).

Kate Rusby - Britain's newest nightingale

The highlight of last month's London gigs, for me, was the
appearance of young English singer Kate Rusby as part of
Tim O'Brien & The Crossing's UK tour, singing high
lonesome harmonies with Tim and guitarist Darrell Scott and
stepping up to sing several songs from her own 'Sleepless'
album. Kate has just completed her first US tour along with
John McCusker. I noticed that the Boston Globe, which
despite claiming that she "may be the next big thing in British
pop" also went on to say that "Like the best songwriters of
her generation, Rusby brings a new definition of ''authentic''
to folk music."

Kate Rusby, Tim O'Brien and bassist Danny Thompson - Queen Elizabeth Hall, London (Nov 7th 2000)

All my best wishes for Christmas and the New Year from
across the pond.

Paul pdcmusic@freeuk.com

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