Jean Brandon

See also The Cover Photos (50k) for performing poses.

WE KNEW THAT WITH this line-up not to expect a Bluegrass evening so we weren't surprised when we didn't get one! What we did get was an evening of superbly played good music.

With guitarist David Grier were Leon Hunt (banjo) and Dominic Harrison (rhythm guitar/lead vocals) - all well known - plus Henry Sears (fiddle/harmony vocals). Lesser-known in Bluegrass circles, Henry was a new experience for the majority and a superb multi-style fiddler. Unusually, all the musicians played seated on a low, makeshift podium, which reduced visibility somewhat. The music was mostly instrumental so it worked ok but I prefer a standing band with some movement. The dress code of the band more than made up for the formal stage set-up; jeans and T-shirts were the order of the day. The stage whisper "Suits?" was heard as they mounted their 'podium'!

They opened with a lively version of Clinch Mountain Backstep, sounding rich and solid with the tune picked on the bass strings. Next David did one of his own tunes (a nice Bluegrassy start with some tasty clean-note picking from Leon) then Dominic and Catfish John. A fiddle tune from Henry Sears had a very Hungarian Gypsy-sounding intro which moved into an Irish-sounding jig which rocked along until the sudden stop ending, at which point David announced the next tune, King Wilkie's Run. King Wilkie was Bill Monroe's horse upon which he made an entrance when playing big concerts, etc. Briefly, the tale went "King Wilkie was being driven to a gig in the horse box. They arrived. opened the box and saw that the bottom had fallen out en route... and there was King Wilkie all a-lather from having to run with the horse box!!" True or not it certainly raised a laugh!

David Grier, Dominic Harrison, Henry Sears & Leon Hunt.
Photo copyright (C) 2000 D.Brandon and NWBN

The set continued with a mixture of tunes plus the odd song from Dominic, including Tim O'Brien's When There's No One Around, notably sensitively sung. An instrumental highlight was a blistering Blackberry Blossom with great bass string work from David. Fantastic!! This had been prompted by someone shouting "Gold Rush" from the back! But you could hear the audience gasp as Henry produced a flute and proceeded to play greengrass (or was it blewgrass?) music with the banjo and flute in harmony; very pretty but as far from Bluegrass as Rainford is from Kentucky!

By now the lack of a bass was very apparent - Dominic normally plays acoustic bass and it was sorely missed.

The second half continued with a mixture of instrumentals interspersed with the insufficiently-frequent song, notables including Romance Is A Slow Dance, a slow tune in mainstream jazz style with some tasty banjo from Leon Hunt, I come From Alabama With A Banjo On My Knee Texas Swing-style and a tune called Eye Of The Hurricane... we were in the 'Eye' for a long time with no sign of the storm abating! David played quite a few of his own compositions (which he called 'songs') but they had no words - a shame as they definitely called out to be sung.

The musicianship throughout was exceptional but if you went to hear Bluegrass music you'd be disappointed. What we did get was great music skillfully and emotionally sung and played. They went out on a fantastic Appalachian Hootenanny tune which meandered Grateful Dead-style. Yeeeehaw!!!! Blistering Banjo from Hunt, Grrreat Guitar from Grier, Rumbustious Rhythm and Soulful Singing from Harrison and Sears Searing Fiddle. An electric evening of acoustic music!! For an encore came Sally Goodin' , which started off Bluegrass style, into swing and finishing tradgrass style. For a second encore David played solo a superb version of Gold Rush, (for the guy who'd been shouting for it all night!!)

Jean Brandon, Chester

Photographer's comment: We try to take a good, serious photo; the band's co-operation helps...

Copyright (C) NWBN 2000. May be used only with  NWBN permission.

28 June 2000