Live Reviews | 2011

Giant Sand, Celtic Connections, ABC2, Glasgow, Saturday January 15, 2011

Written by Mike Ritchie, Photo by Paul Kerr | 02 February 2011

Not until this truly fine Celtic Connections’ gig was over did I realise that it was the first time Giant Sand had appeared in the city as a band, though Howe Gelb has visited previously. A historic visit may be stretching it, but this was a night to remember nonetheless with Gelb showing us his abundant talents as a writer and musician.

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C.W.Stoneking and his Primitive Horns Orchestra, The Garage, London, Wednesday 26th January 2011

Written by Jonathan Aird | 02 February 2011

 

So here I am standing in a sold out Garage anticipating a night of hot New Orleans hokum jazz, down country blues and calypso and I am not surrounded by jazz heads.  No, no, quite the opposite - this looks like a rock crowd, but with a heavy peppering of what I can only (rather patronisingly perhaps) refer to as "the kids".  It takes an exceptional performer to make Dixieland jazz cool.  Stoneking is that exceptional performer,  with a voice that ranges from blues holler to jazz stomp to sweet crooning.

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