Christchurch Folk Music Club

Jed Rowe, with Monique Aiken, 30 Sept 2018

The night opened with the returned to her home city after seven years proving her guitar and singing skills in the Wellington folk scene, was Monique Aiken Monique presented confidently bringing us her own songs eloquently crafted delivered with vocal clarity and ease. A catchy phrase hooked us into her song ‘I fell in love with another man’s smile’, and then the intriguing arrangement of an old classic led us through a very entertaining support act opening set. Jed Rowe was the feature of the night; he brought his Weissenborn guitar, a brand of lap slide guitar manufactured by Hermann Weissenborn in Los Angeles in the 1920s and 1930s. Although this example was made for Jed by the Dandenong Range luthier Tim Hackett. The light touch of the middle finger of the left hand on the slide offered a resonate twang, however with a delicate grace that added to both Jed’s songs and instrumentals. Jed’s instrumentals had the ability to transcend borders as the modal patterns took us to India, Persia then across a broad and expansive desert. Jed was the first to apologise for his vocals, he put his best efforts into giving every last bit that his voice could give and we were not disappointed. The subtlety played stomp box complimented the night, sometimes softly understating the rhythm contrasting at other times with my realising that there was a bass instrument on evident. My sincere applause for Jed’s ability to contrast the instruments with light and shade, timbre and colour, the juxtapositions offered intrigue and upheld our interest throughout the night. The singer-songwriter Jed draws his inspiration from nature, literature, relationships, yearning for the past, the mundane and as a complete contrast, his one and only happy song that he has written. It was an appreciative audience that truly enjoyed the professionalism of the show must go on, and not only did the show go on it shone with talent and brightness of spirit as the songs spoke for themselves with a clarity of brilliance. Jed promised to be back, it was a memorable concert and we look forward to hearing Jed with his full vocal ability, which must be exceptional. by Judi Smitheram, Secretary

More Reviews

All Girl Big Band

1st July 2018 A night where the audience was treated to a fantastic display of exceptional musicianship. One of the attendees asked ‘where else in the world would you have got such top entertainment for $10 or $15? no where, it was an...

The Secret Lives of Ukulele

24 June 2018 Rocking those ukuleles and cigar box guitars – throwing in bass and drums! Presenting with a rainbow mix of colour, all made for a kaleidoscopic extravaganza for the senses. The mood lighting enhanced the night; songs with water...

Eddie Simon – Music Accolades Over Many Years

Eddie Simon expressed his nervousness to me before he performed at the club. On reflection is truly a compliment, as this illustrates his care about the audience, their opinion and that his songs are important to him and his wish to have his...

The Two Jimmies (James Wilkinson and Jimmy Young)

A full-house that spanned the generations, with no seats to be had and a few in the crowd left standing, sums up the preperformance expectations for ‘The Two Jimmies’, James Wilkinson and Jimmy Young.

Trouble In The Kitchen

Club concert - 28 May, by Lorcan Bolster Trouble In The Kitchen are a young, Melbourne based, traditional Irish Music band and a damn fine band they are. Over here in NZ on their first overseas tour they are Ado Barker on fiddle, Ben Stevenson on flute,...

Simon Kerr

Review by Lynette-Diaz - July 20, 2008 New Zealand native, Simon Kerr, has been living in Australia for the past six months. Leaving his New Zealand band the Acoustic Junkies to go it solo in the big Melbourne pond. During his recent Folk Club...

Ruth Wyand – Review

Club concert - 23 April, by Isabella Miller Bell I really look forward to receiving the folk club magazine and reading through to see who's coming to town and who's doing what with whom these days. When I read that Ruth Wyand was to be...

Rural Delivery

Concert at Club Sunday 8 October, Reviewed by Margorie Mitchell With "just a desire to entertain" Rural Delivery succeed from every angle. A comedy night – with incidental music – was an understatement offered from one of the band during the...

Port Fairy Folk Festival – March 9th-12th, 2007

By Lance Risk If it is possible to have too much of a good thing, Port Fairy Folk Festival is just that for a hard core Festival haunting Folkie like me. It is like every New Zealand festival run over the same weekend. Set up six giant tent...

Back Porch Music

Reviewed By Larry Milnes I noticed in a review in the previous Hear Ye that the reviewer closed with the postscript "If you love music don’t flog it off the net" and while I agree with this, a positive by-product of this digital technology is...

« Older Entries

Next Entries »