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March 10, 2020March 10, 2020

Led Zep’s Robert Plant to headline Pock’s best Platform Festival with Saving Grace

Robert Plant and Suzi Dian, fronting Saving Grace, the Platform Festival’s prize capture

ROBERT Plant will headline this summer’s Platform Festival as the crescendo of Pocklington Arts Centre’s 20^th anniversary celebrations.

The former Led Zeppelin frontman and lyricist, now 71, will lead Saving Grace, his folk-blues collaboration with fellow vocalist Suzi Dian, at Pocklington’s Old Station on July 10.

Tea time…then Omid Djalili plays the Platform Festival

“Hopefully we’ve pulled something rather special out of the bag for our 20^th anniversary!” says delighted director Janet Farmer. “Bringing Robert Plant to Pocklington is a major coup for us.”

Shed Seven’s Rick Witter and Paul Banks, folk-rock icon Richard Thompson, comedian Omid Djalili, The BBC Big Band and country-pop twin sisters Ward Thomas are among the other acts signed up for the fifth Platform Festival, running from July 9 to 15.

Richard Thompson: closing show at Platform Festival on July 15

“The Platform Festival programme reflects this very special year for us,” says Janet. “Robert Plant is a legendary name in the music scene and it’s so exciting that he and the other highly accomplished musicians in Saving Grace will be joining us for such a significant event.

“There’s no doubt Robert and Saving Grace are the biggest band we’ve ever booked for Platform. Curating a line-up of artists that we personally love every year is always a source of much pride for our team and we strongly believe this year’s line-up is both the best and most star-studded music bill we’ve ever put together.”

“There’s no doubt Robert Plant and Saving Grace are the biggest band we’ve ever booked for Platform,” says festival director Janet Farmer

Plant and Dian are joined in his blues and folk-inspired acoustic co-operative by Oli Jefferson on percussion, Tony Kelsey on mandolin, baritone and acoustic guitars, and Matt Worley on banjo, acoustic and baritone guitars and cuatro. Their support act will be delta blues singer, songwriter and bottleneck slide guitarist Catfish Keith.

The 2020 Platform Festival comprises four stand-alone shows plus a day-long event on three stages. First up, British-Iranian comedian Omid Djalili will perform on July 9, followed by Saving Grace’s July 10 concert. The 18-piece BBC Big Band will play on July 14, conducted by Barry Forgie, with Jeff Hooper on vocals; guitarist, singer, songwriter and Fairport Convention founding member Richard Thompson will close the festival on July 15.

*Saturday headliners: Shed Seven’s Paul Banks and Rick Witter*

The festival’s Saturday bill, on July 11, will be headlined by Rick Witter and Paul Banks’s Shed Seven Acoustic show, wherein the York Britpop alumni’s frontman and lead guitarist will perform such Sheds anthems as Going For Gold, Chasing Rainbows, She Left Me On Friday and Getting Better, complemented by cherry-pickings from 2017’s Instant Pleasures, their first studio album in 16 years.

Shed Seven launched Instant Pleasures with a special show at Pocklington Arts Centre in November that year, by the way.

Country-pop twin sisters Ward Thomas: Platform Festival return

Joining the Sheds in the July 11 line-up will be bagpipe band TheRed Hot Chilli Pipers, with their ground-breaking fusion of traditional Scottish music and rock and pop anthems. “Think men in kilts, bagpipes with attitude, drums with a Scottish accent and a show that carries its own health warning,” says Janet.

Ward Thomas will follow up their April 30 gig at Leeds City Varieties and arena tour supporting James Blunt with a return to the Platform Festival, where Hampshire twins Catherine and Lizzy Ward Thomas previously appeared in 2017.

Acoustic folk singer Lucy Spraggan, once of The X Factor, will make her Platform debut a year later than first planned; festival favourites The Grand Old Uke Of York will be back with their upbeat rock, pop, ska and anything in-between ukulele covers, and New York Brass Band will play the Platform Saturday for the first time, fresh from pumping up the party atmosphere with their smokin’ New Orleans Mardi Gras jazz at Pocklington Arts Centre’s 20^th anniversary party night on March 6.

Festival newcomer Twinnie, alias York-born Twinnie-Lee Moore, 32-year-old star of West End musicals, The Voice contestant, model, film actress and Hollyoaks soap queen, is now a Nashville-hearted singer-songwriter. After wowing the C2C country gathering at London’s O2, Platform will be her Yorkshire homecoming.

*Twinnie: country roads lead York-born singer-songwriter to Pocklington on July 11*

Heading Pockwards too that Saturday will be husband-and-wife duo Truckstop Honeymoon, hollering their blasts of bluegrass, punk rock and soul to a five-string banjo and doghouse bass, and Buffalo Skinners, returning to the festival for the first time in four years with their Sixties’ folk and modern-day Americana.

York blues singer-songwriter Jess Gardham and Plumhall are on the bill too, and as ever the third Saturday stage will be spotlighting the region’s emerging talent, curated by the tireless, peerless Charlie Daykin and Access Creative College.

Tickets are on sale at pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk, platformfestival.com and seetickets.com or on 01759 301547.

March 10, 2020March 11, 2020

Alison and Robert Gammon to perform Dementia Friendly Tea Concert at St Chad’s

HUSBAND and wife Robert and Alison Gammon will perform the next Dementia Friendly Tea Concert at St Chad’s Church, Campleshon Road, York, on March 19.

The afternoon entertainment will take the usual format of a 45-minute programme of classical music at 2.30pm, followed by tea, coffee and homemade cakes.

Alison, on clarinet, and Robert, on piano, will play Camille Saint-Saens’ Clarinet Sonata alongside Niels Gade’s Fantasy Pieces.

“Gade was a 19th century Danish composer who taught Edvard Grieg and was a friend of both Felix Mendelsohnn and Robert Schumann,” says Alison. “In fact, the Fantasy Pieces are rather like Schumann at times. Robert will play some Debussy and Chabrier for solo piano too.”

Looking ahead, Alison says: “We’re well advanced with the planning for the rest of the year, with only May’s concert to confirm. I hope to have a list of dates and musicians to hand out at the next concert on April 16 when we’ll be welcoming The Clementhorpe Piano Trio.”

No charge applies for these tea concerts, but donations are always welcome. “Any money left over from heating the church and tuning the piano is sent to the Alzheimer’s Society,” says Alison.

“Everyone is welcome at these relaxed events and the concerts provide an opportunity for people who may not be able to attend a formal classical recital to experience live music.

“Please note, there is a small car park at St Chad’s and some roadside parking nearby, but we recommend that you come early. I shall bring some hand sanitiser for use before eating if anyone is worried about viruses.”

March 9, 2020

Good Times ahoy as Nile Rodgers and Chic head for Scarborough Open Air Theatre

Nile Rodgers & Chic: on their way back to Scarborough Open Air Theatre in August. Picture: Jill Furmanovsky

EVERYBODY dance, Nile Rodgers & Chic are to return to Scarborough Open Air Theatre this summer two years after their debut there.

Looking forward to the August 21 show, Rodgers says: “As most people know, the UK is my home from home. Myself and Chic had a brilliant time when we played Scarborough OAT in 2018 and we cannot wait to come back again this summer. It’s going to be another amazing night, so bring your dancing shoes!”

Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday (March 13) at scarboroughopenairtheatre.com, on 01723 818111 or 01723 383636 or in person from the Scarborough OAT box office, in Burniston Road, or the Discover Yorkshire Coast Tourism Bureau, at Scarborough Town Hall, St Nicholas Street.

Nile Rodgers is a multiple Grammy Award-winning composer, producer, arranger and guitarist with more than 200 production credits to his name. He is constantly traversing new musical terrain and successfully expanding the boundaries of popular music.

As the co-founder of Chic with Bernard Edwards, Rodgers pioneered a dancefloor language that generated such hits as Le Freak, Good Times and Everybody Dance, while also sparking the advent of hip-hop.

His Chic catalogue and work with David Bowie, Diana Ross, Sister Sledge and Madonna have sold more than 500 million albums and 75 million singles.

“It’s going to be another amazing night, so bring your dancing shoes,” advises Nile Rodgers. Picture: Jill Furmanovsky

His subsequent innovative, trendsetting collaborations with Daft Punk, Avicii, Sigala, Disclosure and Sam Smith continue to place Rodgers, now 67, at the vanguard of contemporary soul, disco mand pop music.

No wonder the American guitarist, singer, songwriter, record producer, arranger and composer has been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, whose chairmanship post he now holds.

What’s more, Rodgers was appointed as the inaugural chief creative advisor for the Abbey Road Studios, home to The Beatles’ iconic recording sessions, in London.

Peter Taylor, of Scarborough OAT concert promoters Cuffe and Taylor, says: “Nile Rodgers & Chic are global superstars and we’re delighted to be bringing them back to Scarborough OAT.

“The show in 2018 was brilliant, Nile and Chic never fail to get an entire arena on their feet dancing. This is going to be one of the highlights of the summer and I would strongly advise people to get their tickets now because you will not want to miss this!”

Keep on running….all the way to Scarborough Open Air Theatre for Supergrass gig on June 20

Scarborough Open Air Theatre’s 2020 line-up

Tuesday, June 9: Lionel Richie

Wednesday, June 17: Westlife

Saturday, June 20: Supergrass

Saturday, June 27: Alfie Boe

Saturday, July 4: Snow Patrol

Friday, July 10: Mixtape, starring Marc Almond, Heaven 17 and Living In A Box featuring Kenny Thomas

Friday, July 17: Keane

Tuesday, July 21: Little Mix

Friday, August 14: McFly

Saturday, August 15: Louis Tomlinson

Friday, August 21: Nile Rodgers & Chic

More dates are to be added. Watch this space.

March 8, 2020March 8, 2020

Lionel Richie says Hello to Macy Gray and Lighthouse Family for York Festival bill

Lionel Richie: headlining York Festival’s Sunday line-up

MACY Gray and Lighthouse Family are big-name new additions to the bill for Lionel Richie’s closing night at this summer’s inaugural York Festival.

Grammy Award winner Gray, from Canton, Ohio, and Newcastle pop-soul duo Tunde Baiyewu and Paul Tucker will perform at the three-day event at York Sports Club, Clifton Park, Shipton Road, on June 21.

This is more good news for festival promoters Cuffe and Taylor after the City of York Council thumbs-up for a licence, albeit with the proviso that the volume must be turned down.

York Festival will run from June 19 to 21, with Camden Town nutty boys Madness headlining on the first night and Irish matured boy band Westlife on the Saturday, before American soul legend Lionel Richie says Hello on the Sunday.

Macy Gray made her breakthrough in 1999 with the single I Try and the seven million-selling debut album On How Life Is, her American R&B and soul song-writing inspired principally by Billie Holiday.

Over the next two decades, Gray released ten studio albums, the latest being 2018’s Ruby, as well as featuring on songs with Dolly Parton and Ariana Grande and appearing in films and on TV shows.

Lighthouse Family singer Baiyewu and keyboardist Tucker released their first single, Lifted, in 1995, en route to selling ten million albums and charting with the singles High and Ocean Drive.

Six-times platinum debut album Ocean Drive was followed by Top Ten albums Postcards From Heaven and Whatever Gets You Through The Day. After an 18-year hiatus, the duo reunited last year to record Blue Sky In Your Head, their fourth studio set.

York Festival director Peter Taylor says: “We’re delighted to add both Macy Gray and Lighthouse Family to our debut line-up. Together with the global icon that is Lionel Richie, this is going to be an amazing and unforgettable night.”

Opening-night headliners Madness will be joined by Ian Broudie’s Lightning Seeds, Craig Charles, for a Funk and Soul Club DJ set, Leeds indie rockers Apollo Junction and York band Violet Contours.

Westlife’s Saturday line-up features All Saints, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Scouting For Girls and Take That’s Howard Donald for a DJ set.

For more information and tickets, go to york-festival.com.

March 8, 2020

Courtney Marie Andrews to showcase Old Flowers break-up album at Pocklington

Courtney Marie Andrews: Pocklington return in the summer. Picture: Sam Stenson

PHOENIX singer-songwriter Courtney Marie Andrews will showcase her new album at Pocklington Arts Centre on June 17 on her six-date tour.

Old Flowers will be released on June 5 on Loose/Fat Possum Records as her follow-up to 2018’s May Your Kindness Remain.

Created in the ashes of a long-term relationship, Andrews’ ten new songs amount to her most vulnerable writing to date as she chronicles her journey through heartbreak, loneliness and finding herself again.

“Old Flowers is about heartbreak,” says Courtney Marie, 29. “There are a million records and songs about that, but I did not lie when writing these songs. This album is about loving and caring for the person you know you can’t be with.

“It’s about being afraid to be vulnerable after you’ve been hurt. It’s about a woman who is alone, but OK with that, if it means truth. This was my truth this year: my nine-year relationship ended and I’m a woman alone in the world, but happy to know herself.”

Produced by Andrew Sarlo, who has worked with Bon Iver and Big Thief, Old Flowers was recorded at Sound Space Studio and features only three musicians: Andrews, on vocals, acoustic guitar and piano; Twain’s Matthew Davidson, on bass, celeste, mellotron, pedal steel, piano, pump organ, Wurlitzer and background vocals, and Big Thief’s James Krivchenia on drums and percussion.

*“This album is about loving and caring for the person you know you can’t be with,” says Courtney Marie Andrews*

Defining their intentions, Sarlo says: “Before we got to the studio, we agreed to prioritise making this record as cathartic and minimal as possible, focusing on Courtney’s voice and her intention behind the songs.

“Because of this, the record is all about performance. I believe a great recording is the chemistry between everything during basics and the ability to feel something happening, instead of obsessing over the perfect take. Courtney embraced this approach and we ended up with a raw, natural and human record.”

The resulting track listing comprises Burlap String; Guilty; If I Told; Together Or Alone; Carnival Dream; Old Flowers; Break The Spell; It Must Be Someone Else’s Fault; How You Get Hurt and Ships In The Night.

Courtney Marie last played Pocklington in December 2018, at the end of a week when she was felled by a viral infection the morning after her London gig and had to call off her Birmingham, Bristol and Oxford gigs.

Rested and recuperated, she was still nursing a cough, but found the energy for a solo set of songs and stories, introducing Ships In The Night and It Must Be Someone Else’s Fault, two new compositions that would end up on Old Flowers.

This time Courtney Marie will play with a full band in the lead-up to her series of summer festival engagements. Tickets for June 17’s 8pm gig cost £20 on 01759 301547 or at pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk.

March 8, 2020

York Musical Society to perform Faure’s Requiem at York Minster on March 28

SOPRANO Anna Prosser and tenor Robert Anthony Gardiner will sing with York Musical Society for the first time in March 28’s performance of Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem in York Minster.

This luminous work will be complemented by Michael Haydn’s Requiem in C minor. “You might think that having two requiems in one concert isn’t an imaginative programming choice,” says conductor David Pipe.

“Even in rehearsals, though, it’s fascinating to hear how these two works, using much of the same liturgical text but separated by over 100 years, are so very different in style and musical content. This is an unusual opportunity to savour the contrasting responses of two fine composers.”

Fauré’s Requiem, first performed in 1890, uses a shortened version of the funeral mass and is serene, peaceful and full of haunting melodies. Michael Haydn is the lesser-known younger brother of Josef Haydn. “His less frequently performed but exquisite Requiem (1772) is said to have inspired Mozart’s own final work,” says Pipe, York Musical Society’s principal conductorsince April 2012.

Anna Prosser, a choral scholar and vocal coach at Leeds Cathedral, and Robert Anthony Gardiner, who lives in Leeds, will be joined on solo duty by mezzo-soprano Kate Symonds-Joy and bass Alex Ashworth.

Both have sung previously with York Musical Society, Symonds-Joy performing Verdi’s Requiem in November 2014 and Bach’s St Matthew Passion in March 2018; Ashworth, the title role in Mendelssohn’s Elijah in May 2015 and in Bach’s St Matthew Passion in March 2018.

Both sing with Solomon’s Knot Collective, who performed at last summer’s Ryedale Festival and enjoyed a sold-out performance at last December’s York Early Music Christmas Festival at the National Centre for Early Music, York.

Tickets for this 7.30pm concert are on sale at York Minster box office, on 01904 557256, at yorkminster.org or on the door. Prices are £25/£20 in the nave; £12 in the side aisles; £6, age 13 to 17; under-12s, free, but a ticket is required and they must be accompanied by an adult.

March 7, 2020March 7, 2020

York’s Apollo Festival over the moon on its July return at new venue after four-year gap

The Hoosiers: **Irwin Sparkes, on vocals and guitars**, and **Alan Sharland, on drums, percussion** and vocals

APOLLO Festival is taking off again this summer after a four-year hiatus, promising the biggest and best event to date.

The family-friendly festival will be held on July 3 and 4 at the new home of York RI in Hamilton Drive, with Musicians Against Homelessness at the core.

New for 2020, the Friday Night Chill focus will be on a chilled-out, intimate evening of food, drinks and acoustic music for over-18s only. The line-up includes 1990s’ acoustic tribute act Melting Pot, Leeds band The Dunwells, Dodgy lead singer Nigel Clark and York’s lady soul, Jess Steel.

The Saturday bill will be divided between the Main Stage and the Musicians Against Homelessness (MAH) stage.

Jess Steel: soulful York singer, performing on the Friday night

Stereo MC’s, The Hoosiers and Happy Mondays’ alumni Bez and Rowetta, in their On The 6^th Day God Created Manchester show, will be the leading acts on the bigger stage, backed up by fast-rising York band The Skylights; Gary Stewart’s Graceland tribute to Paul Simon; The Mothers; tribute acts Ultimate Killers; LMX (Little Mix) and Antarctic Monkeys and a DJ set by Danny Glew.

On the MAH stage will be The Perfect Shambles; emerging York bands The Feds and Seratones; Bravado Cartel; Slow Train; Page 45; The Silents; The Madchester Anthems; Y Street Band; Hot Dogz; VLTAGE and The Peacocks.

In past years, Reverend And The Makers, Inspiral Carpets, Cast, Dodgy and, aptly, Space played Apollo Festival. Now, festival director Stuart Kelly says: “Following a break, we feel the time is right for Apollo Festival to return. We pride ourselves on being a family-friendly festival, affordable for everyone and providing a fun environment for everybody to enjoy.

“It’s fantastic to have the likes of Musicians Against Homelessness on board, not only to see the acts they will bring but also in being able to raise awareness to their cause.”

Gary Stewart: paying tribute to Paul Simon in his Graceland set

Stuart continues: “We’re excited to be at our new venue, York RI, and bringing in the additional evening on the Friday is a new experience that we hope, in addition the usual Saturday, people will enjoy too.

“It’s one of the best line-ups we’ve put together and hasn’t been easy but I’m over the moon with the acts playing on both days. I personally can’t wait to see our loyal supporters come back and seeing new faces enjoying themselves too.”

Looking ahead to the July 3 and 4 festival, Stuart says: “One thing for certain is it’s going to be packed full of entertainment with family quizzes and plenty of free kids’ activities.

“As always, being family friendly and affordable is a huge priority within Apollo, therefore our infamous kids’ quarter will be returning with ten-pin bowling; hay-bale climbing frames; face painting; arts and crafts; balloon modelling; magic shows and workshops; storytelling and a children’s disco to name but a few free-of-charge activities. Back too will be the much-loved funfair for additional fees.”

An array of street food, drink, craft beer and cider will be on offer, and festival-goers will be permitted to bring in their own picnic food and unopened soft drinks and water (no alcohol and no glass).

Stuart is delighted Musicians Against Homelessness (MAH) will be running the second stage. “We could not be happier to be working with this amazing organisation,” he says.

MAH was founded by music PR Emma Rule with the patronage of music industry guru Alan McGee, the Creation Records founder who famously signed Oasis. The project provides opportunities for up-and-coming talent while raising funds for the UK homelessness charity Crisis, and since 2016 MAH has hosted hundreds of gigs and curated numerous festival stages, featuring thousands of artists.

Emma says: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be partnering up with Apollo Festival this year and to host the MAH stage. Thanks to the festival and artists that support us, we will continue to raise funds to help those living on the streets, while ensuring that people visiting the festival enjoy a fantastic programme of music.”

The Dunwells: Leeds band playing a York festival

Maverick businessman Alan McGee believes the MAH campaign also gives new bands a platform, in the way that Rock Against Racism did in the 1970s.

McGee, who now manages The Jesus & Mary Chain , Black Grape, Happy Mondays and Cast, says: “Music brings us together regardless of politics or social standing. It’s a great leveller and a vital tool for change.”

Stuart concludes: “York businesses will be given the opportunity to get involved and play a major role in York’s premium family festival, giving exclusivity to these businesses to showcase their company and also give their employees VIP experiences they never forget.”

Friday night tickets cost £5; Saturday general admission is £15; youth, six to 17, £5; under-fives free, at apollo-festival.co.uk. On the day, Saturday’s prices are £20; youth £5; under-fives free.

March 7, 2020March 7, 2020

Diversity to connect with York Barbican next April in new Ashley Banjo show

Diversity: ready to connect on their 2021 tour

DANCE troupe Diversity will play York Barbican on April 25 2021 on their Connected tour.

Last year marked ten years since Diversity won the third series of Britain’s Got Talent, an anniversary celebrated on the sold-out 48-date Born Ready tour.

At those shows, Diversity promised to continue into a second decade and, true to their word, founder and choreographer Ashley Banjo has created Connected, a show that centres around the world of social media, the internet and the digital era we now live in, but, more importantly, how this connects us all.

Banjo says: “Every year that goes by, and every time we get to create a new touring show, I cannot believe we are still lucky enough to get to do this.

“But even after all this time, we are still growing, and this new decade and new chapter for Diversity is sure to be something even more special than the last. I truly do believe that we are all connected in more ways than one and I cannot wait to bring this to life on stage.”

Banjo has returned to the judging panel for his third series of ITV’s Dancing On Ice, whose final on Sunday will feature fellow Diversity member Perri Kiely competing for the winner’s trophy.

He also has hosted, choreographed and starred in the BAFTA-nominated The Real Full Monty from 2017 to 2019 and the International Emmy Award, Broadcast Award and Royal Television Society Award-winning The Real Full Monty: Ladies Night in 2018-2019. His Channel 4 show, Flirty Dancing, completed it second series last December.

Diversity’s nine tours have sold more than 600,000 tickets. Tickets for next spring’s Connected show at York Barbican are on sale on 0203 356 5441, at yorkbarbican.co.uk or in person from the Barbican box office.

Running from March 19 to May 29 2021, the Connected tour also will visit Harrogate Convention Centre on March 20; Victoria Theatre, Halifax, March 21; Hull Bonus Arena, April 3, and Sheffield City Hall, April 4. Box office: Harrogate, 01423 502116 or harrogatetheatre.co.uk; Hull, 0844 858 5025 or bonusarenahull.com; Halifax, 01422 351158 or victoriatheatre.co.uk; Sheffield, 0114 278 9789 or sheffieldcityhall.co.uk.

March 7, 2020

The Very Grimm Brothers to spin gold from straw at Poppleton All Saints Hall

The Very Grimm Brothers: invitation to Grimm Castle aka Poppleton All Saints Hall

THE only thing that cheers up Adrian Mealing and John Denton, alias The Very Grimm Brothers, is you.

These purveyors of comedy, silliness, wistful poetry, fairy tales, songs and everyday anecdotes invite you to Grimm Castle and its enchanted forest, masquerading for one night only as Poppleton All Saints Hall, Upper Poppleton, York, on April 3 at 7.30pm.

“It’s a very chatty, tangential gig,” promises Grimm John, a Malvern Poetry Slam Champ, who sings à cappella with Men In General, A Fistful Of Spookies and The Spooky Men’s Chorale, joined by Denton from John Denton’s Midnight Band.

“You should expect encounters with direct action, clumsy departures, the poetry of platforms, Seville marmalade, undimmed love, Severn Trent Water and the spinning of gold from straw,” say The Very Grimm Brothers.

The duo have appeared alongside the Peatbog Faeries, Attila The Stockbroker, John Hegley, Elvis McGonagall, Johnny Fluffypunk and Roger McGough and performed at Poetry On Loan, Bang Said The Gun, Stratford upon Avon Litfest, Wolds Words, Mouthpiece Poets, Mouth & Music, Speakeasy and the Blue Suede Sporran Club.

“Think of The Very Grimm Brothers as the love children that Victor Meldrew and Pam Ayres never had,” trumpeted the Church Stretton Arts Festival, ahead of their gig there.

Who can resist such a combination?! Tickets cost £12.50 at poppletonlive.co.uk/events.

March 6, 2020March 6, 2020

Bronwynne Brent evokes Hazlewood, Nancy Sinatra and Morricone in Selby

Bronwynne Brent: “Creating songs that feel like you can live in them”

AMERICANA singer-songwriter Bronwynne Brent travels all the way from the Mississippi Delta to the howling winter winds of Yorkshire to play Selby Town Hall tonight (March 6).

“I absolutely love Bronwynne’s darkly brooding voice,” says Selby Town Council arts officer Chris Jones. “She creates songs that feel like you can live in them, and somehow she manages to sound like Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra rolled into one.”

Tonight’s 8pm show will be Brent’s Selby debut, performing with her trio. “Born and raised in the Mississippi Delta, she has the kind of stop-in-your-tracks voice that sounds like Southern sunshine,” says Chris.

“There’s a hint of Delta blues behind the ache in her songs, a glimpse of honky-tonk twang, an echo of riverboat can-cans, a whiff of Ennio Morricone and an atmosphere that conjures up of the darker side of country song-writing.”

Harking back to the glory days of Lee Hazlewood and Gram Parsons, Brent’s writing taps into the murky undercurrent of country that starts with old Appalachian murder ballads and continues through to today’s crop of psychedelic country songwriters. “Like a juke-joint Nancy Sinatra, Bronwynne unites all the best elements of Southern American roots music and ties these many different influences into a sound that’s both comforting and refreshing,” says Chris.

Brent has released two albums, 2011’s Deep Black Water and 2014’s Stardust, the second produced by Seattle’s Johnny Sangster with a “spaghetti northwestern” feel to it.

Playing with Calexico drummer John Convertino and Fiona Apple’s bassist, Keith Lowe, on Stardust, she sang songs with a heavy weight on their shoulders: her stories populated by battered women, defeated lovers, devilish characters, highway ghosts and lonesome wanderers.

Looking forward to tonight, Chris concludes: “Bronwynne Brent is incredible: one of the very finest contemporary voices you’re likely to hear. Her songs are so rich and brooding. They’re astonishingly well-crafted with a compelling dark underbelly mixing country, folk and glorious speakeasy jazz sounds. This show will be an absolute treat.”

Tickets cost £14 on 01757 708449 or at selbytownhall.co.uk or £16 on the door from 7.30pm.