LAZYBIRD presents:
James Blackshaw www.myspace.com/jamesblackshaw
Jozef van Wissem www.myspace.com/vanwissem
Cian Nugent www.myspace.com/ciannugent
Boom Boom Room
Sat March 29th, 8.30pm
€12
JAMES BLACKSHAW
When UK-native James Blackshaw plays his 12-string guitar, something
spiritual takes place. Performing and recording since 2003, his name is
frequently mentioned alongside the likes of Jack Rose, Steffen
Basho-Junghans, Sir Richard Bishop and Glenn Jones as one of the most
foremost modern pioneers of solo acoustic guitar music. Now at the age
of 25, Blackshaw, an untrained musician born and still residing in the
suburban environs of Greater London, draws as much inspiration from
early religious music, South-Asian folk music and composers such as
Arvo Part, Simeon Ten Holt, Steve Reich and Charlemagne Palestine as he
does from John Fahey, Robbie Basho and the early Takoma Records roster,
constantly breaking boundaries in what could be conceived as a somewhat
limited medium. In his part improvised and part written songs,
Blackshaw makes expert use of Eastern and Western scales, chord changes
reminiscent of European classical music and incredibly intricate
fingerpicking patterns to make a sound that is both challengingly
minimalistic, yet warm and approachable to anybody who might hear it,
with a rare sensitivity that conveys both immense beauty, hope and
sadness.
Blackshaw has been featured in a range of magazines across the world
including The Seattle Weekly, The Washington Post, Italy's Blow Up
magazine and most recently in a one page article in the October 2006
issue of The Wire. His last album, "O True Believers" (Important
Records/Bo'Weavil Recordings) also received enthusiastic reviews in
Pitchfork, Fakejazz, Uncut, The Wire, Signal To Noise, The Observer
(one of the UK's most highly-regarded national newspapers) and many
other printed and online magazines.
Cian Nugent is an exploratory guitarist from Dublin Ireland whose
playing is rooted in pre-war blues, Appalachian string bands and the
Takoma tradition.
Fahey is referenced quite a bit on this recording, but Cian is no mere
Fahey copyist. He uses the style as a starting point for his
compositions and creates something highly personal within these
limitations.
His take on the traditional Wagoners lad is refreshing and surprising
in its abstraction and obvious love for the Buell Kazee version.
JOZEF VAN WISSEM
Composer-lute player Jozef Van Wissem is renowned for his unusual
approach of the Renaissance lute. He cuts and pastes classical pieces,
reverses melodies, adds electronics and processed field recordings The
unusual wedlock of composition and improvisation creates an unheard
amalgam of contemporary folk and late Renaissance music Van Wissem
probably plays the most unlikely instruments in the world of
contemporary improvised music:the Renaissance and Baroque lute and has
accomplished the strange feat of bridging the idiom of seventeenth century lute literature and twenty-first century free improv of the silent type. Although he uses subtle electronic sound manipulation, he has largely stayed faithful to the particular
timbre, resonance and playing technique of the lute. Van Wissem first came to be noticed a few years ago because of his radical conceptual approach to Renaissance lute music: he deconstructed existing compositions, for instance by playing them backwards. He also composed his own pieces for lute, using palindromes and mirrored structures. His music therefore does not have a traditional linear progression, nor leads to a climax, it rather stays on the same level of intensity. His music is quiet and not so much demands concentrated listening, as it will bring the listener in a state of concentrated listening – an aspect that makes Van Wissem a natural ally of the current post-reductionist improvising musicians. He also runs the Incunabulum label, and performs regularly around the world in duo with guitar-wizard of Captain Beefheart-fame, Gary Lucas. He also
works with M.B. / Maurizio Bianchi, James Blackshaw, Chris Forsyth, Tetuzi Akiyama and Elliot Sharp. Wire Magazine called his latest solo lute cd " Stations of the Cross " a small masterpiece.
www.jozefvanwissem.com
CIAN NUGENT
Cian Nugent is an exploratory guitarist from Dublin Ireland whose
playing is rooted in pre-war blues, Appalachian string bands and the
Takoma tradition.
Fahey is referenced quite a bit on this recording, but Cian is no mere
Fahey copyist. He uses the style as a starting point for his
compositions and creates something highly personal within these
limitations.
