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Private Notes
Legendary American soul songwriter Allen Toussaint shares the stage at London's Bush Hall with Manic Street Preachers frontman James Dean Bradfield and the critically hailed ex-Czars frontman John Grant.
Allen Toussaint has written for and been covered by countless artists, from Glen Campbell to The Grateful Dead, Irma Thomas to The Yardbirds. Here, accompanying himself with his elegant New Orleans-style piano playing, he performs classic songs like 'Working In a Coalmine', 'Get Out of My Life, Woman' and for the first time ever, 'It's Raining'.
Mr Toussaint is clearly enthralled by the rich baritone and lovelorn confessional songs of John Grant on the piano opposite. Grant's solo debut 'Queen of Denmark" was Mojo's Album of the Year and this live performance shows why, with songs from the reference-laden 'Sigourney Weaver', to the sublime epic, 'Where Dreams Go to Die' .
Sandwiched between the two baby grands, James Dean Bradfield on guitar more than holds his own. The stripped back acoustic format reveals the unadorned strength of powerhouse band hits like 'If You Tolerate This' and 'Design for Life', as well as suiting gentler (musically, if not lyrically) songs like 'Small Black Flowers That Grow in the Sky'.
An inspiring musical journey of discovery for artists and audience alike.
Perched at the piano like a benign ringmaster in shades and flowing white beard, Leon Russell is the great American songwriter responsible for such mega-classics as the Carpenters' Song for You and This Masquerade and Rita Coolidge's Delta Lady.
Punk and pub rock pioneer Nick Lowe is an affable presence as he croons his fabulous songs - ranging from the hit Cruel to Be Kind to (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding (familiar to many via The Bodyguard film) and the darkly intense The Beast In Me, written for Johnny Cash and used in hit film Hangover 2.
Irish singer-songwriter Paul Brady exudes passion with his fiery voice and energetic finger-picking guitar. Admired by the likes of Bob Dylan and Tina Turner, his songs straddle folk and pop, from the rousing The World Is What You Make It to the tender Smile.
There's a strong camaraderie and sense of mutual respect between Donovan, Buffy Sainte-Marie and Roger Cook as they share the stage in the impressive surroundings of London's Porchester Hall.
Donovan, with his trademark green guitar and quirky musings, gives confident renditions from his rich back catalogue, with classics like Mellow Yellow, Sunshine Superman and Catch the Wind, and the others join him in a singalong of Colours.
Buffy Sainte-Marie is hypnotic, whether performing Until It's Time for You to Go, covered most notably by Elvis, or protest song Universal Soldier, a hit for Donovan, or indeed the original version of monster power ballad Up Where We Belong, which achieved such fame when sung by Jennifer Warnes and Joe Cocker as the theme for the film An Officer and a Gentleman.
Ukulele-wielding Roger Cook is a revelation. Bristol-bred and Nashville-settled, his name may be unfamiliar to much of the British audience, but he co-wrote such monster hits as I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing, Crystal Gayle's Talking In Your Sleep and Gene Pitney's Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart.
A nostalgic treat.
The final concert in this series of the songwriters' show sees Kiwi favourite Neil Finn joined on stage by American legend Janis Ian and alt-country poster boy Ryan Adams.
Finn genially guides proceedings, with songs that sound like old friends pulled from different phases in his career - Crowded House favourites Distant Sun and Don't Dream It's Over are mixed with Split Enz's She Will Have Her Way and Golden Child, a new song written with his wife Sharon about their kids flying the nest.
Janis Ian has been writing songs since she was 12 years old and on this evidence she is still at the top of her game. Her intelligent lyrics, by turns introspective and socially-engaged, are couched in lovely melodies and her guitar playing is a delight, from the jazzy Bright Lights and Promises to her evergreen classic At Seventeen.
Ryan Adams crouches over his distinctive striped guitar and delivers a series of exquisitely mournful songs, from debut solo album Heartbreaker's Oh My Sweet Carolina (helped by gorgeous harmonies from his compadres) to Invisible Riverside from his album Ashes and Fire.
Quickly-rehearsed collaborative moments bring new textures to familiar tunes, and there is banter aplenty between the three artists, resulting in some hugely enjoyable digressions, with surreal spontaneously created 'songs', the whole thing rounded off with an ensemble version of Finn's Weather with You.
