Live
Way to Blue - The Songs of Nick Drake: Barbican 22/01/10
Way to Blue: The Songs of Nick Drake The Barbican 22/01/10
I'd been looking forward to this gig as soon as I heard it had been announced. For those of you who are unaware of who exactly Nick Drake was, let me fill you in .....
Donovan may have invented Jazz Folk but Nick Drake was its chief exponent. His all too short span (but critically acclaimed 3 albums) are all we have left to remember him by as he died tragically at just 26. An age that for many would be far too young to develop such a prodigious talent. It's ironic too, that his music has now become achingly hip with advertisers as he couldn't even get arrested when he first ventured out!!
The Barbican hosted the event and they presented a beautiful setting complete with a glorious silver fruit tree backdrop taking centre stage which caught the eye magnificently. The omens were good and the gods were with us for what turned out to be a stupendous evening.
Kicking off proceedings,the house band, complete with 7 piece string ensemble launched jauntily into an instrumental version of 'One of These Things Firs'. London based jazz pianist Zoe Rahmen, resplendent in red evening dress, tinkled the ivories sweetly and the legendary Danny Thompson, who, incidentally was on many of Drake's original recordings added his superb musicianship and "earthquake" inspired double bass playing to devastating effect.
Green Gartside sauntered on, now looking like a hip harvard law professor completely unrecognisable from his former iconic 80's persona. I'm sure you all remember Scritti Pollitti don't you! Cast your memory back kids, pretty boy Gartside was every inch the high profile pop star back in the day but not part of the long forgotten vacuous rubbish that filled that decade, no sir, Green had the reggaetastic funk at his fingertips (and the blessing of Miles Davis!) plus a highly individual writing and singing style.
The group's most successful album, 1985's 'Cupid and Pysche' spawned three UK Top 20 hits with 'Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)', 'Absolute', and 'The Word Girl', as well as a US Top 20 hit with 'Perfect Way' .
2010, however sees a changed man free from the perceived artifice of pop and yes the distinctive larynx is still there! Suiting his chosen composition 'Fruit Tree' perfecfly (a truly sad song, which seems to be predicting Drake's own future, as in, when he is gone, folk will only then understand what he was about and who he was!) There's more to come from this man as he's back with rough trade and raring to go.
Newcomer and recently signed to Decca Kirsty Almeida added some spice to the show, wearing a bowler hat and looking like a victorian match seller from "my fair lady!" Her dancing (Stevie Nicks style) and super cool vocals lent panache to the tribute and she is definately one to watch out for in the future, kooky, jazzy and fun!
On the bill too the "next big thing" Krystle Warren (already exalted in this mag), she too, looking like an extra from 'Oliver' broke the ice with a joke and proceeded to show exactly why she's been daubed the next Nina Simone. Performing 'Hanging on a Star' Ms Warren went out with all impact and the song proved to be the perfect vehicle for her wide ranging vocals, from sepulchral chest register to soulful moaning falsetto, tension mounted graphically as her presence became known, in short she made the tune her own and won over some new fans on the way. (You can catch her doing some intimate nights at Soho theatre 24th -27th of feb)
However excellent Green and Krystle were it was down to Lisa Hannigan to steal their thunder. The raven headed irish beauty stunned the reverential Drake fans with a mesmeric, modal masterstroke, transforming the song and demonstrating the poignant "confession of depression" that is so central to the piece, a lyric that showed that all barriers are down. 'Black Eyed Dog' hit us right between the eyes, from which I haven't fully recovered.
Hosted by the urbane Joe Boyd (legendary 60's producer), the evening was complete and a fitting testament to England's grand daddy of Jazz folk, a tortured soul but a rare genius that still resonates today. Nick Drake's extraordinary songs live on!
Words Emrys Baird
