Market Day in Had-Draa

I experienced some Gnawa music in Essaouria, Morocco, before Christmas. A style that clearly falls into the category of World music, but perhaps should better be described as ‘whirled music’, given the staggering acrobatics performed by one of the percussionists at the evening concert I attended. It was in a small restaurant, and the rather comical attempt to get what we ordered, not to mention our mint tea, inspired me to write a song in a World Music style.  You can listen to it by clicking on the player at the bottom of this post . It’s called “The Tea Song” and the lyrics are below:

The Tea Song

Sitting on the cushions in a distant dark medina
Where the cutlery could be cleaner
And I order the Tagine, a dish that’s famous around these parts

And ‘when in Rome’ appeals to me
So ordering some sweet mint tea
We sit and watch musicians three
Play Gwana music from their hearts

And the whirling and the twirling
and the cymbals and the band
try to obfuscate the problem that lies readily at hand

Namely not a drop of tea appears
No chicken, cous cous, so the tears
of desperation flow unbidden all across the land

Where’s me tea?

You’ll get your tea

Where’s me tea?

You’ll get your tea

There’s a tiny little hatchway in the old medina wall
Where precious little food comes through
if anything at all
And the soup I ordered vanished
Like a mirage in the sand
And the couscous without spices is unenviably bland

Where’s me tea?  etc

Sitting and receiving of the bill as we are leaving
Makes for interesting reading
And I’m having trouble breathing as creative accounting starts

The dishes three, we thought were free
A substitute for soup you see
Were never complimentary
But cues for our sinking hearts

And that sweet moroccan delicacy
Tea thats made from mint
May well never now be served by some be-veiled and slothful bint

She’s too busy doin nowt to put the kettle on the boil
And I’ll never get to try it while I’m on this mortal coil

Where’s me tea? etc

Lyrics and Music © 2012 Kev Moore

Miki and Kev pretend to know what they are doing

When you enter the square of Jemaa el fna in Marrakesh, you can see why it’s classed as one of the wonders of the modern world. It is a huge open space, and upon arriving you are assaulted by tour guides, snake charmers, trinket sellers, the works. You are also assaulted by musicians, as you can see in this pic!  I had a lot of fun jamming with them, but trying to avoid paying everyone of them individually was less fun!

Kev digs in (again)

At night, a host of outdoor restaurants magically appear, and we took advantage, eating delicious Moroccan cuisine under the stars, washed down with mint tea.

You know when you've been Tango'd

Surrounding the square were a myriad of Orange juice stalls, where you could by a glass of freshly-squeezed juice for about 20p. Amazing!

Kev Moore

Every year, on the Northwest African Atlantic coast, in a cool little Moroccan town called Essaouira, the Gnaoua World Music Festival is held. It creates a fabulous melting pot of fusion for musicians from all cultures, to mix with the mystical gnaoua, or gnawa, musicians of Morocco.

Gnawa music is a mixture of sub-Saharan African,Berber, and Sufi religious songs and rhythms. It combines music and amazing acrobatic dancing. The music is both a prayer and a celebration of life. Though many of the influences that formed this music can be traced to sub-Saharan Africa, and specifically, the Western Sahel, its practice is concentrated in North Africa, mainly South-western Algeria and of course, Morocco.

The music is almost trance-like, with very repetitive lyrics, and some songs can last up to several hours.  It largely emphasises the tonic and the fifth, and the pitch play, and especially the flattening, around the third and fifth, is clearly the language of the blues.

Central to this fascinating music are the two main instruments. The Qraqab, which are large metal castanet-like percussion instruments, usually played furiously when the dancing and twirling begins, and The Hajhuj, which is a three string instrument, a direct ancestor of the Banjo.

They are harder to play than they look, requiring a sort of ‘claw’ posture from the hand to pluck and bounce off the animal skin soundbox.

We spent a few days in Essaouira, sadly not at festival time, but I met a young guy who made Hajhuj’s, and very beautiful they were too. Luggage restrictions made it impossible to take one home, but when we go over with the Motorhome or car next year, you can be sure one will be heading for my studio!

We managed to hear some real-live Gwana too, as we went for mint tea and couscous in a restaurant in the heart of the Medina, a Gwana trio entertained us with some mesmerising music and dancing. The next Essaouria World music festival is on June 24th 2012.

Kev Moore

Now THATS what I call a roadie......

I just got back from a wonderful trip to Morocco. The sights, sounds and smells of a country  a mere hour away on the plane, so fundamentally different from our own, truly provides one with a culture shock so profound, that it stays with you for most of the trip. You never really get used to it, nor do you want to. It is its difference from the norm, its implied exoticism. that appeals. Our first port of call, literally, was the fishing town of Essaouira. This has long been a favourite stomping ground for musicians, Jimi Hendrix had a house 25k down the coast in Sidi Kaouki, now a haven for windsurfers. I wonder if the wind that whips across the beautiful beach there cries Mary?

Essaouria is to be found at the end of a gleaming new four lane highway that cuts across the desert from Marrakesh, but the predominant mode of transport we encountered was the donkey! We were booked into a Riad in the middle of the Medina, the walled ‘city within a city’ that is a wonderful maze of streets and alleyways with wall to wall shops, cafes and stalls.  We had a great time here, and I’ll write more about that elsewhere, but this site is dedicated to music.

We ate out at a restaurant in the Medina to the sound of local Gwana musicians playing and dancing – quite spectacularly – in a confined space, and whilst it was interesting, and clearly proficient, it didn’t move me beyond the pleasure of seeing traditional music performed in a traditional setting. But one afternoon, walking through the narrow streets, we passed a music stall, and the most amazing groove assaulted our ears. It literally stopped us in our tracks. That was the moment we became fans of Tinariwen.

I asked the guy at the stall who it was, and he produced the album Aman Iman, their third, and it became the constant soundtrack to the rest of our trip. Its fabulous grooves, hypnotic singing and clever weaving of electric guitars in, around and between the traditional instruments.

With further research, I discovered these guys have been around for some years, originating in Mali, and with a fascinating background as Tuareg freedom fighters. These were truly proper rock’n'roll rebels!  Their leader, Ibrahim, has the potential to be a modern day Bob Marley, but that really does him and his compatriots a disservice. They have become a rallying point for the salvation of an entire culture, and I think it is that single achievement that sits them head and shoulders above most ‘social conscience’ bands. It seems that a number of famous musicians now carry a torch for them, Robert Plant and Carlos Santana amongst them, and it’s plain to see why. I’ve never really been a huge fan of World music, but there’s something about Tinariwen that speaks to your soul. Needless to say, I now have all four albums. Check them out, they are truly unique.

Kev Moore

Forty -one years ago, the people of Estonia, a Baltic state then trapped behind the Iron Curtain, witnessed something very strange indeed via Polish television. They saw their first ever long-haired Western pop group in the shape of Christie, at the Sopot festival. And last week, for the first time ever, Christie played two live shows in Estonia – in Tartu, and the capital Tallinn. Over the decades, a host of Estonian bands have covered Jeff Christie’s songs, as evidenced by the reception all of the singles received when we played them, Iron Horse almost on a par with Yellow River.

Jeff finds something suspicious in Simon's goulash as we while away the hours in Munich airport....Fos is amused. (Simon, Soup and Fos have a long history)

Getting there was interesting, involving flights from Alicante for me, bound for Leeds-Bradford, but diverted to Manchester due to fog! -then we all flew from Manchester to Tallinn via Munich (where we had a five hour layover) – and a mere 2 and a half hour layover in Frankfurt on our return. (although we were in danger of having to stay in Germany overnight as we very nearly fell foul of their noise restriction curfew.)

Simon prepares to board the flight to Tallinn

Our promoters in Estonia looked after us splendidly, with the ever-helpful Laurie making sure everything ran smoothly. It was fascinating to visit a new territory as always, and we were actually very lucky with the weather. Mid-November, Estonia is usually  blanketed with snow, but we had clear blue skies for the most part, and cool, thought not bone-chilling temperatures.

Christie land in Estonia

We explored the old town of Tallinn, which was a mixture of Russian and German architecture, and quite beautiful.  Some of the buildings dated back as far as the Fourteenth century, and the architecture alone silently told the story of Estonia’s chequered history as an occupied people.

Tallinn - The Old Town

The beautiful Old Town Hall - built by The Germans

One of the many churches - clearly Russian in origin. Many Estonians wanted this demolished, but politics aside, it is a beautiful building.

On the morning after our arrival, Jeff was interviewed in the lobby of the hotel by Estonian television, such was the interest in all things Christie, and in particular what we are discovering is the increasingly significant landmark televison appearance in 1970.

Jeff waxes lyrical to Estonian TV (apologies for rubbish photo!)

The first show entailed a three hour drive through the heart of the country to Tartu, where we played in the town concert hall to a wonderfully appreciative crowd.

Backstage in Tartu

Live in Tartu

It was a long day, as we had to drive back to our hotel in Tallinn that night. The following night saw us headline at The Rock Cafe in Tallinn – a great gig and a great crowd. There was already talk of us going back in the summer to perhaps play a festival, and we really look forward to that. A great country, and great people.

Fos and Jeff soundchecking at The Rock Cafe in Tallinn

We still had some time on the final day for another wander around Tallinn, and Jeff and I along with another guy introduced to us by Laurie – I believe his name was Andre – apologies if I have it wrong – gave us an interesting insight into the Estonian mindset, culture and history.

View over Tallinn and the port on the Gulf of Finland

We left the hotel around 3pm, fairly civilized compared to our usual touring standards – which often entail us leaving at 3 am!  But it was still a long day ahead, stopping off in Frankfurt for a three hour layover as it turned out, just escaping the noise restriction deadline and being grounded in Germany for the night. But it was certainly worth all the effort, and we hope to return to Estonia in the Summer.

Jeff and Fos kill time in Frankfurt

"It's not Wayne's coffee, it's mine...."

Kev Moore

Me and Jeff Christie on stage in Dresden.

I’ve been all over the place this weekend – starting with a visit to The Bay Radio Studios in Javea on Friday to record an interview for that evening’s Sunset Strip with Noelle, and then leaving Miki’s parents apartment in Benidorm at 4.30 am to catch a flight from Alicante to Benidorm to connect with my flight to Berlin. There, I was driven two and a half hours south to Dresden, where I had time to say hi to a few fellow musicians- Graham Oliver from T Rex, Bill Hurd from The Rubettes, and Eric Faulkner from the Bay City Rollers etc, before grabbing a quick shower and then heading off to the gig, where I was performing with Christie.

Signing my Blue Odyssey CD for Rainer Frank backstage

After the show, I was really feeling ill, the lack of sleep and dehyrdation catching up with me. I went straight to bed, and left the hotel at 3.30am with the guys from Dozy, Beaky Mick and Tich. They were dropped at Berlin Tegel, and I at Berlin Schoenenfeld airport, where I awaited my 8.30am flight to London Gatwick.

Fos, Jeff and Kev

Landing around 10am, I took the train up to Croydon, where BC Sweet guitarist Mike picked me up, and we headed across country to Brean Sands, ready to appear later that night with a number of bands including The Boomtown Rats at the Yesterday Once More 70′s festival.

I managed to grab a couple of hours sleep in the afternoon, and we hit the stage after the Rats at 11.30pm. Amazingly, given my constant state of exhaustion, both the Christie and BC Sweet gigs were great, and I was reminded why I do this job. I just love it.

I flew home from Birmingham the following afternoon, ready to recharge my batteries for the Estonia tour with Christie, which begins next Sunday when I head to the UK for rehearsals.

Kev Moore

Pete Phipps onstage with BC Sweet at Hertals Rocks in Belgium - by Sascha Staginski

The story of BC Sweet is a long one, and is littered with casualties, not least of which was the late Brian Connolly himself. A Glam Rock icon, he was one of the leading poster boys of his generation. His split from The Sweet caused him to form Brian Connolly’s Sweet, which he continued to perform with until he died.  The decision was then taken to continue the band as BC Sweet, performing in tribute to Brian’s memory, and the songs he helped make famous.  I was lucky enough to work with him when touring with Christie and met him several times. Over the years the line-up of BC Sweet has changed, and now no longer contains any members from the band that originally backed Brian. Rather, we perform as a tribute to the music he made. But to label us as a mere tribute act would be doing us a disservice, as the history of its members reveal credentials eminently suited to reproducing the classic canon of Sweet hits with style, and an innate knowledge of the genre. Bands like Christie, Saxon, Bay City Rollers, The Glitterband, Eurythmics, etc, have all appeared on our band members resumés.

Now I’m biased as a bass player – but playing with a great drummer is an absolute necessity for me, so when I joined up with BC SWEET, some 7 or 8 years ago, playing with Pete Phipps was a real bonus. Not only is Pete a great rock drummer, but he happened to play on two of my favourite albums, Mummer and The Big Express – by one of my favourite bands – XTC.  Now, via the magic of youtube, you can see him at work in the studio with the geniuses that are Andy Partridge, Colin Moulding & Dave Gregory, performing ‘Beating of Hearts’ from ‘Mummer’.  I thought I’d share it with you today below.

Don’t forget your sticks on Sunday Pete! 

Kev Moore

Occasionally, my passions collide. Take Music and Football. They collided spectacularly when Nigel Clough took over at Derby County FC, inspiring me to create ( with a few fans’ help) a whole CD of songs dedicated to the Mighty Rams. The Fan Fayre for the Commons People album was hard work, but a labour of love.

But the weekend saw The Rams, via the unquestionable generosity of my partner, French Artist and fellow ‘Ramatic’, Miki, reward me for my efforts. As we prepared to listen to the commentary for the Derby v Portsmouth game on Saturday, I was ‘window shopping’ for a new fretless bass for the studio, studying one in particular with some intensity and incredibly kindly, if a little recklessly, she said: “If we win, I’ll buy you that bass.”

Now, anybody familiar with DCFC will know that listening to, or watching their games is a nervy affair at best – though our fabulous start to the season has tempered the fear somewhat – but to add into the mix the chance of winning or losing an instrument???  aaaaargh!!!!!

Anyway, to Miki’s bemusement and my delight, The Rams demolished Pompey in the first half, and ran out comfortable winners at 3-1.

So, thanks lads, for a great win, and a brand new fretless Wishbass!

THE RAMS ROCK!

The Musos among you can check out more of Steve Wishnevsky’s amazing instruments HERE.

Kev Moore

I wanted to post something today to remember this larger-than-life character, who passed away today aged 84, and who I had the great pleasure to meet and be interviewed by on TV back in the late 1980′s. (I’ll try and dig out the tape and post it on here later) It’s an oft-used phrase, but they really threw away the mould when they made Jimmy. A former Bevin boy, he was one of the pioneers of TV presentation and disc-jockeying, a truly flamboyant television personality. I remember being in the Yorkshire TV studios for the ITV telethon, and watching in awe off -camera as Savile handled the unpredictable twists and turns of  live television, in sharp contrast to Richard Whitely in the next studio who didn’t seem to know his arse from his elbow!

I watched Jimmy take a call on the studio floor….”HRH!” he exclaimed – it was none other than his friend Prince Charles – ringing YTV directly to congratulate the TV region on raising more than any other – a result due in no small part to Jimmy’s charisma. He told us later that he’d rang directly, because the London region was fed up they’d been pipped to the post in the money raised total and wouldn’t put him through!

As i was about to be interviewed by him on the Yorkshire TV sofa, he quickly stuck a bit of tape over the Nike logo on his trademark gold tracksuit. “Why’s that?” I asked. “They’re not paying me” he said.

He could be generous, he could be irascible, but he’ll always be a legend, as it happens, now then.

R.I.P. Jimmy

Kev Moore

Kev Moore