CHRIS QUINN | LIVE REVIEW
Sunflower & I, Cardiff Bay, Sun 12 Mar
The warm and twinkly floral studio that doubles as a café/bar is building up quite a reputation as the place du jour, not only for scrumptious food, but to hear delightful music such as classical, opera and jazz as well. On Sunflower & I’s bill by Caffè Vista Music, the same company that brought jazz guitarists extraordinaire Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo here last year, was Shrewsbury’s own Chris Quinn, performing a selection of roots music.
Quinn has been touring worldwide for over a decade, as half of a duo with James Hickman, with Paulus Schafer, as a member of the Robin Nolan Trio and solo. He’s played live and in the studio with more greats like Eamonn Coyne, Arthur Ebeling and the aforementioned Vignola. The guitarist has opened for or shared a bill with Bellowhead, the Jools Holland Orchestra, Katie Melua and Loudon Wainwright III and has taken the stage at venues as varied as B.B. King’s Blues Club, the Cambridge Folk Festival and London’s Royal Albert Hall.
The musician played an acoustic set of bluegrass, blues, folk and gypsy jazz that included favourites and original material – some of it off his latest CD Across The Divide. First on the menu was the traditional bluegrass Appalachian tune Shady Grove. This less violent retelling originates from the 17th century UK border ballad Matty Groves, made famous by Fairport Convention. More skilful renditions followed – Comin’ Down In The Rain, Caledonia (the love song to Scotland by Dougie MacClean) and Andy Irvine’s Irish ode about Woody Guthrie, Never Tire Of The Road, among others.
The singer-songwriter showed his versatility and fine voice especially on the Django Reinhardt-arranged version of the jazz standard All Of Me, Willie Dixon’s growler My Babe (one of a handful of blues numbers done) and From A Distance. He even treated the crowd to the enchanting classical instrumental, Spanish Romance.
Some of the best songs presented were self-penned and added to Quinn’s Celtic and English folk repertoire with particularly accomplished guitar work – the pretty love song When The Day Is Done, country-tinged The World Was Spinning Around and the wonderful Fly Away. In this tune about a young artist he knows, Quinn reminded one of a young Al Stewart and encourages his friend to be bold and grab at her dream. One of this writer’s top selections this year so far. He finished with a singalong of John Watt’s 60s chant of the fisher lass Pittenweem Jo to wind up a very pleasant evening. Quinn will be opening for Andy Fairweather Low next month and will also be back on tour here with Robin Nolan in May.
words RHONDA LEE REALI