I am grateful to Steve Shepherd, who has emailed about Chantel Mcgregor, a British singer and guitarist, for this clip. Here she is doing "Stormy Monday" - it's a track I associate with Eva Cassidy. Now, a lot of very musically literate people read this blog so I shall get shot down in flames for this, but I prefer Chantel's to the Eva Cassidy version. Chantel McGregor has a lightness of delivery and a blend of vulnerability and attack that makes me believe the song.
Stormy Monday has been covered lots, and also by early Jethro Tull - Chantel does a version of "A New Day Yesterday" which is really rather good. (Glenn, if you are reading this, tell us what you think!) I really warmed to her though, on hearing "Had to Cry Today" off the Blind Faith album, which is one of my Desert Island Discs (The sound quality is not so good). So, somebody took a punt and emailed me with a bit of promo. Believe me, I know how soul destroying that can be to do the rounds and I am happy to help promote people I like.
6 comments:
That lady is a natural. A total natural. That's the best I can say about any musician.
Speaking of Sibelius, OK, I have as much contempt for the appalling 'Greatest Hits' Classic Fuckwit Morons attitude as the next man.
But ITV used to do a current affairs programme - no, really, honestly, are you asking for a punch up the bracket - it was the usual stuff - lies corruption other people dying to line some cunt's pockets...
This Week I think it was called. My late father was a gentle soul in many respects although his face took on a strange and faintly disturbing - understandable but distrubing - gleam when he told of how many Nazis he had put an end to and how he's done it. He had the citations to prove it too.
Anyway, anyway, the blood used to drain from this courageous (Hi Gordon) man's face when this programme started. The reason?
This:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtIw5AkUEsE
Yes, I think it was called This Week, but I always thought it was the Alla Marcia - except that the Alla Marcia was also used for a TV programme, unless I am very much mistaken. If this is true it surely must hold some sort of record?
Chantel does sound like a natural. It is very difficult to fake a jazz voice - people end up just being breathy, which is not jazz, it is breathing. If anything, it is being slightly understated so that the inherent emotion is allowed to be free-standing.
Anyway, anyway, either I'm a manic depressive or I drink too much coffee. No - false alternative - could be both - my mother made me a manic depressive - were you to give her the wool she'd make you one too. Memo to self- ask doc for stronger pills. The dilithium crystals canna take it captain...
Anyway anyway, I was talking about Charlie Reilly. At the age of 68 Charlie decided that he'd been retired for long enough and it was time he did a degree in history. Now, Charlie kent his tea wuz oot -he carried nitroglycerin in his pocket at a time when it was neither profitable nor popular. He carried a Volvic bottle in his other pocket but it wasnae Volvic that wuz in it.
Charlie came up th Clyde on a banana boat. Many times. He'd bveen in the mercantile marine you see, just like Captain Wilberforce.
Anyway anyway, he was a man who believed in education in between bouts of shoplifting. So he goes to uni at his age and boy does he make an impression. Looks intently at the lecturer at ten to three of a Friday afternoon - look says - how can you stand any more of this - gestures with wrist flick near to mouth to make preferred activity known.
Holds court in the pub every Friday afternoon surrounded by his harem of gorgeous mature lady students who fight him on every word until he has to announce - 'I'M speaking here!'
Anyway anyway, as part of course attends introductory German language class. Introductory German asks 'Heff any off you been to Chermany?'. Charlie holds hand up. 'Aye. British Army of Occupation, 1945'.
Saw Chantel recently at the Rock n Blues weekend in Skegness. She reminds me of Jane Horrocks in 'Little Voice' when she talks. She made us laugh too as she referred to her mum, indecisive about what dress to wear and other things that you'd expect from your little kid sister.
But then she plays ... and oh how she plays. You've heard of the saying 'a band that other bands go to see' ... well Chantel is just that.Many other band members performing at Skegness were there in the crowd. Everything seems so effortless as she makes her axe perform and accompanies it with a voice that has as much class.
Why she has nothing out commercially is beyond me but the same was said of Eva Cassidy. These artists perform the circuits and get little recognition whilst the masses rant and rave about crap like the X-Factor!
She is admired by other artists ... see her here jamming with Joe Bonamassa and note that she didn't rehearse, never played the song before or played with Joe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6dUJPubNdI
We lost Eva at 33 but Chantel is still here and only 22. Go see her, you won't regret it!
Spartan! Good to hear from you. Glad you are a fan of Chantel, but Skeggy! I used to visit Skeggy all the time as a lad. Half a Crown got me a cheap day return from Boston.
Hey WW, yes Skeggy ... and even Butlins! lol. You go where the music is.
This is a fantastic venue, 6 of us share a gold apartment which has all the facilities. It's for 3 nights, 3 venues every afternoon and night all running side by side. Something for everyone. Bands such as Connie Lush, Slack Alice, Wishbone Ash, Nazereth, Animals, John Ottaway, Danny Bryant ... blah blah blah.
Take drink, food ... (no kids) add it all together and what a weekend!
Great mix of people from all facets of life ... and l've never seen any trouble in over 7 years of going.
All for the princely sum of £65! Just can't beat it!
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