Attention Nick Drake and John Martyn fans (2) - Check out Keith James

Posted by: JWM on 03 December 2006

Sorry to pinch your thread title John (JN)!

But to all ND and JM fans, and indeed ALL those who enjoy acoustic music, please may I recommend KEITH JAMES?

We went to see him for a second time yesterday evening at Cambridge Junction 2 'The Shed'.

He is committed to performing 'The Songs of Nick Drake', which are his interpretation - therefore, like all good covers, not mere imitation.

So it's not a 'close your eyes and you see Nick on the stage' type evening. But another talented musician (or, rather, musicians with Rick Foot d.bass) playing Nick's songs, with a couple of John Martyn's and his own excellent songs thrown in.

But it is just wonderful to be able to experience these songs live (and especially in serendipitous Cambridge).

This is not just a 'tribute' band!!! KJ is a wonderful musician. And it is on the strength of KJ's own songs that I recommend him here.

(Though do go and see a SoND evening if you can!)

James

Posted on: 03 December 2006 by J.N.

Thanks James;

I've had a look at the web-site. Which album(s) do you have/recommend?

John.

Posted on: 03 December 2006 by JWM

The CDs are a bit of an unknown quantity to me, to be fair. At the gig last night, we bought the 'Postcards' sampler which therefore has a bit of everything.

In light of your post, I went on the website, and the mp3 samples sound a bit 'muzak'! (Well, on my computer anyway, which I haven't bought for sound!!). But we're not going to be deterred, having heard the man live.

From what we heard last night and last time, from what I can make out from the web samples, 'The Songs of Nick Drake' will almost certainly be a way in for anyone. The technical tour de force is Cello Song.

KJ's reading of 'Black-eyed Dog' seems to owe a certain something to the Gomez version I mentioned in the 'Covers' thread! Live, he does it leading into 'Three Hours'.

But of his own music, 'Outsides' (2002) contains a more recent reading of 'Rich man, Poor man'; and 'No 1 Paradise Road' (2006) has 'Circles', both songs we enjoyed very much yesterday.

One of these is probably where we'll start.

James

Posted on: 03 December 2006 by ewemon

Use cdbaby for you samples as they give you 2 minutes of music samples for listening.

I heard him years ago and he is just too muzak for me.

Posted on: 03 December 2006 by JWM

quote:
Originally posted by ewemon:
I heard him years ago and he is just too muzak for me.

I think this is why I was steering away from the older stuff CD-wise.

There seems to be a different presentation in the more recent stuff - I'm thinking about the KJ and Rick Foot material really.