It’s difficult to believe that, prior to Celtic Connections 2019, James Patrick Gavin’s live performances from his exceptional 2018 album, Chewing The Fat (reviewed here), number just two. At Folk Radio we’ve featured some beautifully assembled video footage from the album’s launch at London’s Union Chapel last February, but until an appearance earlier this month at London’s Green Note, with the band pared down to a trio, fans haven’t been able to enjoy this remarkable music live. Luckily for the Celtic Connections audience, though, James has brought the same set to Glasgow.
After an enthralling, and enlightening, opening set from West-Kerry concertina maestro Cormac Begley (more on that soon), as James and friends took to the Celtic Connections stage at The National Piping Centre on Saturday, a slight air of hesitation in his introductions suggested, perhaps, a little trepidation at bringing his own music to Glasgow for the first time. However, as soon as the celestial opening strings of Mena’s Teapot, the opening track from Chewing The Fat, began to drift from the stage, any hint of disquiet soon evaporated. With double bass player Tim Fairhall and guitarist Adrian Lever adding to the gradual build of energy, Mena’s Teapot steadily evolved into a magnificent maelstrom for a fiery, captivating start.
James Patrick Gavin is a well-established guitar and fiddle player both on the North London session scene and with bands, notably Teyr (see our review of Far from the Tree) and Jez Hellard’s Djukella Orchestra. Steeped in his family’s Irish roots, his many musical projects have always been adventurous, but last year’s release of Chewing The Fat seemed to be a turning point, where James was able to draw on those family influences and histories in a beautiful, uplifting homage to his Irish cultural roots, the family members that still live in Fermanagh, and especially his Granny, Philomena (Mena), whose conversation weaves around the songs on the album.
James was also joined on stage by his father Seamus Gavin, whose rich, expressive voice is a stand-out feature of the album. The exquisite poetry of Tae (‘slips the sandstone across the scythe’) combined with his spine-tingling blues harmonica, evokes the same emotional reaction live as it does on the album. A heart-rending song of loss – ‘to shake his genteel hand, fond farewell tae a gallant man’. London Town is more wistful to open, with a latent power in Seamus’ vocal as James’ fiddle slowly begins to intersperse its plaintive harmonies. As vocal builds the tension there’s a real sense of power emanating from the stage, and I can’t have been the only audience member longing for the excitement of a crowded venue. Granny Mena’s voice is as welcome on stage as it is on the album, especially over the playful fiddle opening of Standing Stone; before the raw excitement of James’ melody in tribute to his Gran’s mountain home gives way to Trip to Topped – easily one of the most captivating fiddle melodies I’ve ever heard.
Fellow Teyr member, accordionist Tommie Black-Roff joined for The Old Keady Dog (having made the trip from Finland for this one appearance), a gentle opening where James’ fiddle just seems to sing clear mountain air and Adrian’s guitar is a babble of water tumbling over rocks. As the set progresses Tommie’s given some space to work his magic, before a magnificent Trip to Cavanacaragh with almost telepathic, fiery, absorbing interplay between James and Tommie.
There was also some new music for the Celtic Connections audience; a confident tune set built around a melody from Basque tradition-bearer Kepa Junkera; and James’ rant against isolationism, The Great Debate, was paired with a lovely, meandering tribute to the late Tommy Peoples.
Uilleann piper Dominic Henderson, also from Teyr, joined to help close the show with Chewing The Fat’s final track – First Born. Setting out with sprightly whistle melody, James soon joined on fiddle for a duet, before Dominic took to his pipes for Magda’s Ironing Board, and the album’s energetic conclusion.
Chewing The Fat is a beautiful, imaginative album that anyone with a love of contemporary folk music should have in their collection; it was a joy to witness that music brought to the stage in such an accomplished manner. There’s one more chance, for now, to catch James Patrick Gavin and friends perform together, at The Phoenix Theatre & Arts Centre in Bordon, Hampshire on 15th February. I hope there will be many more in the future.