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PJ Wright

Venue: BACCAPipes Folk Club
Town: Keighley
Date: 18th May
Website: http://www.hedgeofsound.com/

Folk clubs. They're such old hat, aren't they? Full of blokes in chunky sweaters quaffing from pewter tankards, straining the ale through luxuriant beards. Or so the 'popular press' would have you believe, but the reality is rather different. Yes, the age is higher than some venues, but as Peej said, from his 63 year old mouth, 'There is nobody in this room that looks as old as my granny did at 45.', because you have to be over 50 to remember the first Beatles single, Chuck Berry charted nearly 60 years ago, this is a generation raised on rock and roll. Anyway, enough already, we're here to talk about PJ Wright, an ace guitarist who spent years backing Steve Gibbons, who finally charted the week before punk happened, as PJ points out. He still plays with Steve in The Dylan Project as well as solo work, duo's with, among others, Dave Pegg of the Fairports, and, of course, he spanks the plank with the truly wonderful Little Jonny England.

But, here he is tonight, solo and seated, following a minor leg injury, and playing a lovely small bodied Martin acoustic and opening with Richard Thompsons 'Keep Your Distance' , a neat version that pushes it more blueswards than the young Mr Ts original. The playing is fluid and inventive and effortlessly pulls in all that PJ has in his head..

the rock and roll riffs blend into Morris tune runs, and that is all to the good. I mean, very much so. Pete Scrowthers songs feature throughout the evening, and hoorah to that, they are sublime crafted works and PJ presents them to their best. Elsewhere PJs own English language songs blend with eye watering instrumental works and lovely easy banter and the odd curved ball. In degrees of separation Peej is a spit from Bobby Dylan by virtue of them both having been backing musicians for one Robert Veeline, better known as Bobby Vee, and so we get that 50s hit cranked up, and, this being the Bacca Pipes, he gets perfect harmonies from the backing vocalists, aka the audience of largely performers in their own right.

So there you go, forget the histrionics of some talent lite X Factor finalist, forget the royalty pleasing dancing dog, forget the originality free flavour of the month indie band, and the girly with the girly voice thinking its so cool to sing a slowed down Abba track with an acoustic guitar and a 7 year olds voice, PJ Wright is the real deal.

He's paid his dues, now we pay him back with love and admiration.

Tim Moon
http://www.timmoon.co.uk/
Photocredit:Neil King, not taken at gig