Reviews
Artist:Danielle Gasparro & Chris Simmons
Venue:Bournemouth Folk Club
Town:Bournemouth
Date:20/07/08
Website:http://www.bournemouthfolkclub.com/
It would be my last Bournemouth Folk Club gig for a while. A combination of the club’s commitments and mine would make this my last visit ‘til the other side of August, but what a way to go.
The evening would end with a double header consisting of Chris Simmons and Danielle Gasparro. Chris and Danielle met on a Chris Difford songwriting workshop and had subsequently toured the Eastern Seaboard together. The Bournemouth folk club gig was the first of the reciprocal UK leg. Chris playing host this time with Danielle being the native New Yorker.
Both artists had cds to plug, Chris returning with an EP, Danielle with a full blown album, still to be officially released at time of writing, check out the releases section for more detail.
Club regulars, Bob Burke and Aimie Newsome Stone had opened up the evening with a couple of short sets, Aimie once again appearing with her dad, Andy Stone, providing guitar accompaniment. It says something of the strength of the Bournemouth/Poole scene at the moment that Bob and Aimie can be floor spots when both have got the talent to play more extended sets and have done in the past.
Playing the bridging set tonight were Tinderbox, this time playing in trio formation with Bob Burke joining them to provide additional guitar and backing vocals. It’s one of the things that I like about Tinderbox and their songs, they can take the abuse, they sound right performing as a duo, trio and full band.
Monique points out that before every gig, Dan carefully crafts the set list, prints it out and makes sure everyone has a copy, then between half and three quarters of the way through the set, she tares it up and goes her own way. It brings out a wry smile from a guitarist that knows when he’s beaten.
The band launched a new song, x, at a previous gig the night before and were up most of the night and into the early morning demoing the number and making it available on Myspace. It’s an interesting departure for the band. Until now most of their material has been based around mood and emotion, the new number sees them moving into new territory, covering social commentary and injustice.
It’s a direction that suits them well and one they could easily explore in more detail. Whilst the first attempt was a little black and white, there were phases during the song that shows this is an area ripe for exploitation.
I always like to hear a band trying out something new, I hope it’s something they continue to pursue, a second songstream is always a strength and should help reach out to a wider audience.
It’s the first time I’ve seen Tinderbox since the launch of their “Golden” album and it’s good to see them constantly evolving, mixing new songs in with old favourites.
Bournemouth Folk Club was the first leg of the reciprocal tour. Danielle had brought over copies of her new officially unreleased cd and we were amongst the first to get the opportunity to hear tracks from it.
When Chris Simmons has played here before, he’s been accompanied by a second vocalist/guitarist, Adam Mellor and this evening is no exception. It’s unfair, but two male singer guitarists, doing slightly uptempo, harmony driven material will inevitably draw comparisons with Simon & Garfunkle, such was the influence of that duo. It’s a good yardstick to work against, with Chris and Adam scoring highly.
Chris Simmons is a fine songwrtiter as well as deliverer of songs. While the set is delivered under Chris' name, I think he's at his best when he's got someone else to spark off of. His songs with Danielle later seemed to add weight to this theory. That said he can cut the mustard as a single focal point, it just feel it loses something.
Part way through the set Adam takes his hat off, half the audience can't believe just how much hair he's managed to tuck underneath it, and a few jealous shouts ring out. It's a got bit of froth between artists and audience and it goes down well.
It's a relatively short set, but an entertaining one. I'm sure they'll be back at sometime in the future, Chris know's how to put a set together and how to deliver.
Danielle Gasparro, is a New Yorker, there's no hiding it. It's a city with it's own attitude and Danielle is infused with it. It gives her a different relationship with the audience and I was wondering how the genteel south coast, predominently English folk would react? The simple answer, it didn't matter.
The pre-first song ramble sort of emphasises the cultural difference, but as soon as the singing started, Gasparro expressed herself just fine. She's got a powerful voice and perfect control over it. It hits the back of the room like a jackhammer, full of strength and energy, but with such percision.
At first there's a couple of issues with the keyboard, it's a borrowed instrument and Danielle hasn't had as much rehearsal time with it as she'd like. By half way through the set, she's shown it whose boss and by the time Chris Simmons returns to help her close her set, she's got it in a sweet spot.
There are few artists that make the same vocal impact as Gasparro. There's a cliche about some artsists being able to sing a telephone directory and makeit sound interesting, she falls into that select band. That those vocals get to be used around well thought out and constructed songs is a real bonus.
I really liked her collaborations with Chris Simmons, they work well together as a duo. His guitarwork, hugely sympathetic, to her at times almost jazzy vocal.
It may be a while before I'm back here, but as a bill goes, what a great send off.