Saturday 13 August 2011

The Raghu Dixit Project Oran Mor Glasgow 4th August 2011

--> This vibrant colourful band had bare feet, warm hearts and large smiles. Their purpose was to have us all smiling and dancing!   The Raghu Dixit Project brought colour and Indian dance to the Oran Mor Glasgow with strong musicianship and Dixit's striking vocals. I had heard Rahu Dixit's band first on the Jools Holland BBC tv show last year when he sang No man will ever love you like I do, and Raghu's voice could melt a thousand hearts...  They hadn't managed over for Celtic Connections in January due to visa problems and Rahu said that they were happy to have made Glasgow this time. 

They carried the audience with them and it was all great fun.  The band were all accomplished musicians both guitar and violin players added strong energetic playing to the mix. 

Their set included songs from their album -  I'm in Mombai waiting for a miracle,  No man will ever love you like I do, Mysore se aayi, Hey Bhagwan, and Gudugudiya.  Their songs covered themes that were true to the heart such as - we all have a second chance in life and how well all have more strength than we realise and that we should lead our lives in a simple way. 
Raghu said what a big deal playing Jools Holland had been yet he felt the song his manager requested him to sing did not so well represent the breadth of his music.   He said how well their album had been selling on iTunes ever since.  They have brought in modern western musical influences to their playing of their traditional Indian songs. While their sound is mostly upbeat with energetic dancing rhythms which work great at the gigs to get everyone bouncing along, I often feel that it is the haunting slower melodies that linger in the mind the longest afterwards.   
I wondered as the venue was not packed out that the tickets price was more than the usual price for a relatively unknown band at this venue.  Raghu spoke of the hopes that we might one day all dance the same dance, well we certainly did tonight!      
They were well supported by Adam Stearns, a young Glasgow artist I recommend checking out. 
The Raghu Dixit Project was founded by Raghu Dixit is an open house for musicians and artistes from different genres to come together, collaborate and create a dynamic sound and expression. He is from Mysore India and he is the front man for his band The Raghu Dixit Project.  His music is an amalgamation of Indian ethnic music and various world music influences.  Dixit is also a Microbiologist and a proficient Indian classical dancer . He performed on the Jools Holland show in 2010.

1. Hey Bhagwan
2. Gudugudiya Sedi Nodo
3. No Man Will Ever Love You, Like I Do
4. Lokada Kalaji
5. Kodagana Koli Nungitha
6. Well I'm In Mumbai, Waiting for A Miracle
7. Khidki
8. Har Saans Mein
9. Mysore Se Aayi

Mercury Prize List 2011

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I'm very keen on King Creoste's atmospheric album 'Diamond Mine' and on James Blake's electronic dubstep and piano debut album 'James Blake.' I've seen several of the nominees live the past year - Blake, Metronomy, Everything Everything, and King Creoste from Fife Scotland. The Mercury Prize looks for forward thinking creativity, originality and uniqueness - basically an artist who offers something new. Adele is the big seller this year, however her song 'Somone Like You' really reminds me of a song Rod Stewart sang a few years back, while she has strong soul voice. 

Adele and Tinie Tempah are among the nominees for this year's Barclaycard Mercury Prize. Alongside 2001 winner PJ Harvey and Elbow - who won the prize in 2008.  Plus Katy B, Metronomy, King Creosote and Jon Hopkins, Anna Calvi, Ghostpoet, James Blake, Everything Everything and Gwilym Simcock.   

Simon Frith, chair of judges said with regard to the list of nominees that it, "highlights the remarkable possibilities of what can be achieved with music - the grand gesture and telling detail, albums that are dramatic, ambitious and artful, emotional and affectionate, funny and profound".... "Much of the music here evokes a sense of place and time, providing a wonderful snapshot of Britain's varied musical life."  The Mercury winner will be announced 6th September 2011.

King Creoste Bat's in The Attic




Saturday 6 August 2011

Thursday 21 July 2011

*Paul Simon Clyde Auditorium Glasgow 24th June 2011

Slip Sliding Away .....
Simon gave us an unforgettable evening filled with his heavenly tunes and powerful lyrics. He performed songs from his new album 'So Beautiful So What' as well as songs from his extensive back catalogue.  

There was no support and Simon played for around a full 2 hours.  I was glad that I had arrived on time as the announcer said that Simon would be on in five minutes! 

Simon's set included the songs: The Boy in the Bubble, Dialling home, Sliding Away, So Beautiful So What, Hearts and Bone, Mystery Train, Blind, Only Living Boy in New York, Diamonds on the Souls of her Feet, Questions for the Angels, Sounds of Silence, Born at Last, Here Comes the Sun (George Harrison cover), Crazy Love.  And for his encore 'Still Crazy After All These Years.' 

The two standout moments for me were firstly the opening number ' The Boy in the Bubble' with his full band on top form, and secondly simply Simon and his guitar in the spotlight as he sang 'Sound of Silence'.  Perfect really. While Simon is now seventy his voice sounded wonderful and his band expressed high musicianship as they backed his songs.  On a few songs he was minus guitar when he enjoyed to play and beat time with his arms and hands!  Unusually the set veered from upbeat songs to quieter songs and then upbeat songs again. 

His music displays African gospel, Cajun and Folk influences. His lyrics feel many things - ambiguous and sometimes unsettling; life-affirming, cautious yet hopeful; light and joyful; as well as poignant and introspective.  Simon's lyrics address the deeper concerns of life while there is always a joyousness around them. 

It is not so often we can see an 'icon' perform in the flesh and you could feel the love from the audience. At the finale Simon shook hands with those at the front.
My 'Paul Simon Songbook' was always one of my favourites to play and sing. Many of us remember the song 'Sound of Silence' playing over the opening credits for the film the 'Graduate' film with Dustin Hoffman. After seeing Simon live I now admit to preferring his songs sung by him alone rather than the slightly overdone vocal duets of the 60s by Simon and Garfunkle.

A lovely concert that brought smiles to faces. What a wonderful job to bring joy to peoples hearts....

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