And so, we were delighted to have been asked by Kevin to do an opening 30-minute support slot for the guest night of Jez Lowe. The event was a sell out and the room was full and cosy - it was lovely to see among the audience our friends from Netherton Folk Club and good friend Mike Jessop.
For our set we played:
- Love At The Five And Dime (Nanci Griffith)
- Two Old Friends (Chris Simpson)
- Best Friends (jiva)
- Some Way Home (jiva)
- When (jiva)
- Different Dreams (jiva)
Andy on the desk ensured that we had a good, well balanced sound - hats off to you for a job well done! It was wonderful to hear the audience gently joining in with our songs - many people hearing them for the first time.
Mike is a prolific reviewer of live music events and he has kindly given permission for us to reproduce below his write-up of the night...
Review of Rothbury Roots – Jez Lowe and jiva , 21st May 2009:
Rothbury Roots remains my favourite musical venue ever and tonight was another wonderful musical occasion to boot… made all the better by the lovely friendly company, tonight with Jack from Netherton and local Mary Bathgate - who having sat next to me raised the wondrous Whitley Bay FC win at Wembley and the exposure emerging of our immoral governance! I was in heaven! But to the music – what a fabulous night, sold out as ever, with musical chairs again to squeeze the last folk in and absolutely wonderful sound and superb musicians.
Jimmy and Val from Blyth, better known as jiva, provided tonight’s support with 6 songs, 4 of which were self written, all excellently delivered on beautiful Taylor 6 and 12-string guitars, with brilliant harmonies in which you could hear a pin drop. ‘Two Old Friends’ especially was magnificent – lots of lovely descending bass lines and some wizzo dextrous displays from Jimmy in their newest song, ‘When’. They made such an impression in their 30-minute slot - inciting some chorus singing on their own lovely song, ‘Best Friends’, and also ‘Different Dreams’, inspired by a former colleague of Val. The question in many locals’ voices at half time was another ‘When?’ – when can they have them back?
The main man, Jez Lowe, is a big name on the NE circuit though this was my first sighting of his stuff and I was well impressed, playing two halves each of 50 minutes. He started with fine humour, a confident bold performer playing tunes based around socialist politics, northern mining life and love songs which went down incredibly well. He has a strong expressive vocal delivery, willing every chorus along and technically he showed some beautiful fingerwork on three instruments, mainly guitar based, but also mandolin, bouzouki and harmonica combinations. In his trademark striped shirt he often laughs at himself and some of life’s situations with witty observation – and when it came to him once losing his lines, he was helped out in ‘London Danny’ by several who seemed to know every single word.
Highlights in his first set were ‘Black Diamonds’, the more recent ‘Bare Knuckle’ (an unaccompanied dig at our bankers’ values), ‘The Ballad of Tasker Jack’ and, on his Australian mandolin, his closer ‘Vikings’. Many songs of his were, in fact, familiar from other covers at Folk Clubs, a testament to his writing… he seems to write clever words and thoughts accompanied with fine local humour and quips – his aside to West Hartlepool and that one about the Longframlington social climbers were superb, side splitting stuff. Jez’s second bout was over too soon but was much appreciated – highlights were his sincere thanks to the mass singers in closing ‘Taking On Men’, the hammers and pulls in ‘Tenterhooks’, whilst ‘Big Meeting’ was phenomenal – and his encore to loud demands for more, ‘Hadaway Gan On’, apparently composed while lost in an early Australian tour – what a brilliant wordsmith, a true poet of the people.
Rothbury Roots remains the finest of venues in great hands – well done to Kevin and crew for putting this stuff on and for the locals who give it so much appreciation and support.
Mike Jessop: May 2009
Links
jiva website
jiva MySpace
Rothbury Roots
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