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A J Roach and Nuala Kennedy/Dharma Bums

Venue: Grateful Fred's
Town: Formby
Date: 6th February 2013
Website: http://www.nualakennedy.com

Grateful Fred's is gaining an enviable reputation in the North West [and beyond] for its eclectic monthly musical events. Tonight's event will only serve to enhance that reputation.

As is, by now, customary, the evening kicked off with the Grateful Fred's House Band, for whom tonight was something of a watershed, in that it marked the final appearance of one of their stalwart members, Phil Stoker [ melodeon, bass guitar and sound wizard] and the debut of their new member, Karine Woodward [violin and vocals].The band began with a trio of their "Tox Mex" favourites, "Galway Girl", "He'll Have To Go" and "Together Again", featuring, for the final time, Phil's melodeon. Then it was in with new as Karine debuted by singing Suzanne Vega's "Gypsy", which was, I understand, written about a Liverpool lad. Karine's fiddle playing featured in the band's last song, "Will The Circle Be Unbroken". I am sure that Karine will contribute greatly to the "Sound of Grateful Fred" in the future, as Phil did in the past.

Next band on were Southport's The Dharma Bums, consisting of lead guitarist /vocalist Dave Thornley, bassist Maurice Watson and acoustic guitarist Rich Simcock. The DB's play Byrds/Buffalo Springfield/ Neil Young and Crazy Horse -influenced Country Rock in a classic West Coast style [well Southport is on the West Coast!].Both Dave and Rich write the songs, and tonight they performed Dave's "River of Tears" and Rich's "Good Enough" as well as some choice cover versions- Dylan's "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere", a spooky version of Hank Williams's "Ramblin' Man", followed by Waylon Jennings's "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way "[ sung by Maurice with some great country guitar licks by Dave].

And so to the headliners, the duo formed by Brooklyn-based Virginian singer -songwriter A J Roach and Irish singer/flute player Nuala Kennedy, originally from Dundalk, County Louth. A J and Nuala make a great duo. A J is a great storyteller and writer of dry and witty songs in the tradition of troubadours such as John Prine and Townes Van Zandt but with his own individual style. Nuala is possessed of a beautiful voice and bubbly personality, who brings with her the traditional music of Ireland and Scotland. Together they make a great combination.

A J's great mentor was the influential songwriter and teacher of songwriting Jack Hardy, who died in 2011. AJ dedicated his song "The Poet" to Jack on which he was accompanied by Nuala on Casio keyboard [complete with robot sticker]. Then it was Nuala's turn.She performed the traditional Irish murder ballad "The Waves of the Silvery Tide"accompanied by her own shruti box and low whistle, with AJ in the role of the evil sea captain who murders the lovely Mary but who ends up being hanged. The song was beautifully sung by Nuala, whose voice has a certain similarity to that of Nanci Griffith to my ears.

AJ 's great songwriting ability shone through on "Smaller Scale", a tale about his days driving taxis in San Francisco and "Barrio Moon", a romantic love song.

Nuala demonstrated her versatility by singing a haunting Donegal song in Gaelic, the English title of which is "Down By The Sea", with just her shruti box for accompaniment.

Although they are from different backgrounds, the duo performed a song that was common to their respective Appalachian and Irish roots, namely, " The Dreadful Wind and Rain" on which AJ played a banjo on which was inscribed "This banjo kills kittens" [with apologies to Woody Guthrie, no doubt].

One of the most powerful and moving songs of the evening [and there were several] was AJ's "Black Lung" about his grandfather, a miner, who died from lung disease. This song features on the album "Music of Coal :Mining Songs from the Appalachian Coalfields". The mining theme was continued by Nuala's song "Coal Daughter" about children being forced to work in Scottish coal mines as virtual slaves, which had an interesting correlation to AJ's song.

Overall, it was another highly entertaining and engaging night of music at Grateful Fred's.

Peter Cowley