Friday's at the end of each month

Ungagged - A new scare in the world of acoustic music

www.longman-records.com

It's half past midnight, time when tired, old muso's like me should be tucked up with wife and cat, but, after turning out to play a spot at Richard Durrant's monthly club in the art deco edifice that is the Shoreham Airport main building, I feel driven to warn you about what I beheld tonight.

Richard Durrant is a very competent classical guitarist, well known and respected in those circles. That should be enough for anyone shouldn't it ?

Unfortunately, Durrant, a cross between (John Sessions and John Williams is not content to excel in one area. Ho no ! He has to be too clever by half on steel string guitar, banjo, mandolin and even does a fair turn bashing the bodhran in his latest musical project, laughingly called 'Ungagged'.

Tom Arnold, plays Hammond, 'chest piano' (accordion to us), and a large drum, with which he boldly summons up the demons of rhythm.

The man in the middle is Vince Martyn, from Deal in Kent. A man who says that his voice is his instrument, but plays fine guitar, great harmonica, wonderful tin whistle, and farts a mean didgeridoo as well.

The repertoire included some almost West Texas sounding originals that would set comfortably in the playlist of Billy Joe Shaver, or Ray Wylie Hubbard, mixed well with good stuff like Paul Brady's 'Crazy Dreams', Van the Man's 'Bright Side of the Road', (two numbers that I would have thought impossible to cover), but this trio, with bare faced audacity, even performed a creditable version of Paul Simon's 'Under African Skies' complete with Tom's wonderful drum, and Vince\'s didgery wotsit.

Richard's guitar styling is always far more subtle than his jokes, - which are in themselves worth the entrance fee - (or at least a pound of rotten tomatoes) and his supporting work tonight was a pleasure to behold.

Vince's baritone is high and clear, and molds well into whatever he chooses to sing, and whilst not the biggest fan of Irish music, his version of 'Donegal' complete with soulful whistle, tugged at my cynical old heart strings.

Tom Arnold's subtle Hammond sound, reminiscent of the days when a Leslie cabinet whirled away behind most good acts, and his tasteful accordion made a delightful contrast to his fine, furious percussion work.

This sort of performance can seriously damage your misery and discontent with the modern music scene.

I heartily recommend that you seek them out as soon as possible and judge for yourself.

Check out www.longman-records.com for details of their forthcoming outrages, or visit Shoreham on 26th November. I might even get a floor-spot then.

Andrew Perry