Boards
Michael Chapman, The Horse Loom and Nick Jonah Davis, Cafe Oto, London, 17th Dec!
Hey All,
Been a bit quite on MIE show front since I moved but heres the second I've organised for London and its a bit of a stormer, can't wait for this. Without doubt three of the finest guitarists in the UK at the moment.
Mie Music presents one of the highlights of their year up in Manchester - the legendary british singer songwriter Michael Chapman. He'll be joined by the Horse Loom - his first London show - Nick Jonah Davis who returns to Cafe Oto for a second time.
Saturday 17th Dec at Cafe Oto
Tickets are £8 in adv from http://www.wegottickets.com/event/138404
MICHAEL CHAPMAN
A self-styled old white blues guy from Yorkshire and one of the most under-rated heroes of our time. Chapman's uniquely English melancholic perspective and emotive guitar style first won him the admiration of John Peel and then more recently kindred spirits Jack Rose and No Neck Blues Band. 2011 will see Tompkins Square release 'Word Fail Me Vol 1+2' and a re-issue of his classic 'Fully Qualified Survivor'
The guitar and voice of Michael Chapman first became known on the Cornish Folk Circuit in 1967. Playing a blend of atmospheric and autobiographical material he established a reputation for intensity and innovation. Signed to EMI's Harvest label he recorded a quartet of classic albums. LPs like 'Rainmaker' and 'Wrecked Again' defined the melancholic observer role Michael was to make his own, mixing intricate guitar instrumentals with a full band sound. The influential album 'Fully Qualified Survivor', featuring the guitar of Mick Ronson and Rick (Steeleye Span) Kemp's bass, was John Peel's favourite album of 1970. 'Survivor' featured the Chapman 'hit', "Postcards of Scarborough", a characteristically tenderly sour song recounting the feelings of nostalgia and regret.
A lively and accomplished improviser, Michael gained a reputation for re-working material, both before an audience and on record. Songs were seen as standards, themes to be explored, extended and varied on stage and in the studio. The Don Nix produced 'Savage Amusement' featured versions of the Chapman songs "Shuffleboat River Farewell" and "It Didn't Work Out". Different musicians and a different sound breathed new life into earlier material, showing Michael to be a jazz musician in spirit if not in sound.
THE HORSE LOOM
"Where to start to describe The Horse Loom? The best acoustic guitar player in the country? Maybe. The most unique marriage between British folk music, avant garde guitar playing and punk rock spirit? Certainly. Wonderful? Definitely. Under-rated? You’ll have to ask him about that.
Northumbrian guitarist and singer Steve Malley would doubtless be extremely embarrassed to read any of these things. That says a lot. Steve played guitar in Crane in the early 90s, whose post-Husker Du take on The Byrds-meets-DC hardcore earned them a deserving reputation as one of the UK's finest live bands. He would go on to play in Kodiak, Four Frame and then most notably The Unit Ama. The Unit Ama existed in direct contrast to their (musical) peers from America. Whereas a cold and cool approach was favoured by the bands from across the pond, The Ama dropped any of this façade and opened themselves and their music to possibilities of accident and misfortune creating a live experience that was truly inspiring. I say with total sincerity that they changed a lot of people’s musical outlook forever.
The Horse Loom sees Steve take this approach and apply it to his love of folk music. Combining folk structures and melodies with his incredible guitar playing has made The Horse Loom something truly unique. Getting Steve (a fireman by day) to play gigs these days is next to impossible so don’t miss this rare adventure to Nottingham." - Chris Summerlin
NICK JONAH DAVIS
It's a high-wire act that very few guitarists could pull off.' - Tompkins Square label boss Josh Rosenthal on Nick Jonah Davis, his latest British signing. Nick's evocative, solitary playing draws on the modal tunings and freewheeling spirit of British trailblazers such as Bert Jansch and Nick Drake, as well as pre-war blues and the Takoma tradition.
‘Guitar Recordings Vol. 1’ was released as an eMusic download by Tompkins Square in 2009, and made the Wild Mercury Sound ‘Top 100 Albums of 2009’ list. ‘San Cristobal de las Casas’, a track from this album, featured on the latest instalment of the renowned ‘Imaginational Anthem’ compilation.
Live, Nick has shared bills in the UK and USA with the likes of James Blackshaw, Alasdair Roberts, Jozef van Wissem, Max Ochs, Ellen Mary McGee and Eric Carbonara.
‘Davis has a lovely, bell-like clarity to his playing, which puts him right up there with Tompkins Square’s other 2009 British discovery, Ben Reynolds.’ – Uncut magazine
Nick Jonah Davis’ playing after a short while becomes hypnotic, as you watch his fingers glide over his fret board like some sort of Zen monk who has mastered the art of playing elegant finger-picked guitar. He makes it look effortless as overlapping, twisting and melodic guitar lines spill out over the audience, who sit there in silence desperate to grab hold of every nuance and note of his music. There are times when if you shut your eyes, it sounds like there could be three or four guitarists on stage such is the amazing, rich, textured sounds that Nick conjures up from his guitar. – Left Lion magazine