8/21/2023 0 Comments Ryley walker live reviewThe pair kicked straight into a raga-style boogie, jamming on a simple three chord riff that recalled Tim Hardin’s Morning Dew, Walker’s open-tuned guitar flailing up and down while Thompson’s superb tone and intonation effectively provided a rock band behind him. This was pretty much the equivalent of using analogue electronics and hinted at a direct link to John Martyn, an obvious musical influence, who also wired up his acoustic guitar – and also toured extensively with Danny Thompson as sideman. Walker’s critically acclaimed 2015 album Primrose Green had boasted a fine band of folk, jazz and rock musicians so this duo was something of an unplugged version, albeit with his mighty Guild acoustic guitar wired with an old-school pickup across the sound hole. No such isolation for Ryley Walker, however, and the presence of a few notable local bass players in the audience maybe hinted that his choice of the legendary Danny Thompson as sideman for this UK tour had added greatly to the appeal of the gig. It was well delivered, with crisp guitar playing nicely combining bass and rhythm, though, overall, a bit more variety of rhythm and speed might have added depth to her set. Her narrative songs, complete with Joni-esque vocal swoops and throaty asides, caught the stories of her life, with I Saw You an intricate portrayal of the bitter-sweetness of encountering an ex. If the near-capacity crowd in St George’s impressed singer/songwriter Mary Spender it didn’t show as she delivered a highly self-possessed set with just an electric guitar for onstage company.
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