Isaac Guillory
- Two gigs down south (Sussex)
http://www.advice-net.com/guillory
Monday 29/11/99 The Greys, Brighton.
by Andrew Richard Perry
It's a cold rainy Monday night, and a long drive, but it's Isaac Guillory.
In the tiny "Greys" pub in Brighton, there is small stage, electronics with blinking lights and a mike stand with a huge condenser mike.
Somewhere behind the mike stand is the equally thin form of Isaac, rigorously checking his sound.
Slung from the six foot frame is a '68 Martin D.35S with two leads.
Isaac Guillory is tall, dark, and handsome. A five day growth adds to the brooding image which starts at his deep-set hooded eyes, and continues down the lean frame to his boots. Ladies, my wife included smile secret thoughts whenever this singer-songwriter performs.
The crowd is gathering, and the remarkably jovial landlord - Mike Lance is circulating, taking fivers and distributing limited edition tickets for the gig.
We arrived early to secure seats by the bar, and are temporarily disappointed when a tall group gather in front of us, but when, at 9p.m. Isaac's first set starts, in the true spirit of the Greys the tall ones sink down to the floor to ensure our view.
This is the guitarist who plays Rheinhardt's "Nuages" as a warm up number !
By the third number, he's even managed to get an English audience to tap on the offbeat !
Never has Isaac's repertoire been easily categorised without using the cliché - eclectic, but nothing is cliched in his performance. Old blues, "Days of '49", "Morning Glory" (Tim Buckley) his strong soulful baritone, and skilled mike technique wins over any not already captivated by his charisma and his "deal at the cross-roads" guitar ability keenly shown in the instrumental "Dear John" dedicated to onetime playing partner John Renbourn.
Mike Lance our happy host, finds time between pouring pints, to raise and lower lights at appropriate times to accentuate the mood so skilfully weaved by the man on stage.
He also ensures that overall sound levels are appropriate - loud enough to permit all to hear comfortably, and low enough to sell beer and to hear the irritating squeak of a noisy stool. Ah well, it is essentially an acoustic gig.
During the break I ask Isaac for the Michael Marra song "Take Me Out Drinking" which has been featured in my repertoire in the past. "Sure". Always the gentleman, he starts the second set with it.
Another wide selection follows - "Baltimore Oriole" (Hoagy C), "Slow Down" (Isaac's own smooth sensual song, a stunning version of "The Bells of Rhymney" complete with short history lesson and the audience singing a "chorale" under Isaac's lead, "God On Our Side" (controlled passion), "Whiter Shade of Pale" with reluctant credit to "Mancunian punks" and due deference to Bach), A Josh White song and story, and after the normal false ending and stamps and yells for an encore , a final instrumental - "Stardust" .
Wednesday 1.12.99. The Willows, Arundel
Cold and rainy again. The old thatched cricket club between Chichester and Arundel, has car park attendants in anticipation of a large crowd to see Isaac Guillory tonight.
Isaac Guillory is an American gent., son of a Navy family, born in Cuba, grown in various Naval postings, who visited the UK in the '70s after finding fame and success in bubblegum band "Cryin' Shames". He was "discovered" by Al Stewart who gave him his encore at Cambridge Folk Festival, and supported his entry into the British folk scene. He might have wandered back to the US at some point but I believe there was a lady . . .
When I arrive, Isaac is working on his sound again. the complex electronics are dedicated to reproducing the sound that you would experience by putting your ear close to the soundhole of a vintage Brazilian rosewood Martin.
Isaac and I continue our Monday night conversation about guitars and compare instruments until interrupted by Daf, the m.c. for the night politely reminding us that there is a gig to be played.
I am honoured to be allowed to do a short set before his first half, singing John Prine's "Everybody", Mick Hanly's homage to the floor spot folk singer "Words and The Bottle" and my version of David Olney's "Jerusalem Tomorrow", with Isaac and the crowd joining in on the turnaround refrains.
Now the moment all are waiting for, the long tall figure ambles up to his mike, greets us and warms up his fingers with his impossibly soulful warm up number from his "Slow Down" album.
He's right into it and so are the audience. A similar playlist to the Monday night follows including some knockout instrumentals from his "Easy" album, some which I couldn't identify, but a Bossa based rhythm takes me back to the '70s and the Brazilian guitarist who used to play hypnotic numbers in our lounge, and dated one of my female Swedish flat-mates and nearly dated mine.
Another impeccable gig from Isaac, with an unusual (for the Willows) triple encore demand.
"Take this Hammo' - an evocative blues, "Close Your Eyes" - James Taylor, and "The End Of The Line". (?).
During that hateful time after gigs - packing up, Isaac chats good naturedly to me, giving me source material for this review, and fulfilling Jane's dreams when she gets a goodnight kiss.
As I drive home one thing bothers me. How is it that I can see an artist of this calibre in small intimate venues when his talent would be more appropriate fronting 3000 seat venues?
Somehow, I feel that this is exactly how the polite American with Cuban connections living in Newcastle -on -Tyne wants it.

I urge you to see Isaac next time he visits your area. Check his website for tour info and, being the kinda guy he is, lots more really useful information.

Andrew Richard Perry