Review: Ryedale Live! Amotherby parish hall (From Gazette & Herald)

Review: Ryedale Live! Amotherby parish hall

10:40am Thursday 22nd January 2009

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IN these dark, uncertain days it comes as a welcome relief to experience a local institution that refutes the received wisdom of utter despair and goes from strength to strength.

The Ryedale Live! music phenomenon is just such an institution.

This show – the fourth in the series – was a triumph of talent and rare quality, an eclectic mix of performers sufficient to gladden the heart of the dourest pessimist.

Superbly compered by Marcia, whose delicious Brazilian timbre lent the event a distinctly international flavour, first on stage was John Watton a singer/songwriter from Scarborough. John’s excellent bluesy/jazzy guitar technique was complemented perfectly by his strong, sometimes gravelly voice in a couple of songs.

Next on were The Chanterelles – Em Whitfield Brooks and the mysterious B. Truly, by any criteria – local, national, or international – one of the most interesting vocal units around, Em and B sang a fascinating selection of original material. Their musical palette ranged from stark, precision acappella, through thrumming Deep Blue, with guitar and minimalist violin a la Philip Glass, via Crazy, with its tango heart and added bass to a stunning finale Short Time Living, Long Time Dead, oozing a rock ‘n’ roll soul and breathtaking vocal gymnastics.

Leeds-based singer/songwriter/guitarist Simon Wiffen followed, accompanied by guitarist Mark Parrini. Simon’s acutely personal songs were set against a wide open guitar texture of open tuning and modal riffs. His vocal style was strong with a sometimes world-weary crack at its edge that added a periphery of pathos to the material.

After the interval, John Watton opened up the second half with more fine guitar dexterity and a gutteral, swampy blues. Next on was Amrit Sond. Kenyan-born of Indian extract, the award-winning guitarist had an easy stage presence that did little to prepare us for the intensity of his performance. Amrit used his main instrument – a Lowden six string with a Fishman pick-up and internal mike – as a percussion device as well as a generator of sweet soundscapes and intricate melodic structure.

Headlining the event was the Scarborough-based female harmony group Raven. Ever tuneful, their original material and new arrangements of medieval and contemporary pieces lay before us a tapestry of life, earth, ocean and cosmos. Rob Davis and the Ryedale Live! team pulled off another great night’s entertainment – here’s to the next one.

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