Robin Nolan Trio, The Edge Arts Centre, Much Wenlock, Shropshire, 21/04/2012.

This event was presented as part of The Edge’s “More Music at…” programme rather than the more well established Jazz strand but there was still much here to enjoy from guitarist Robin Nolan and his trio. Nolan’s style of gypsy jazz is perhaps less obviously “contemporary” than the acts normally found on the “Jazz” programme but he nevertheless brings a modern edge to the music as demonstrated by his latest album “Tainted Love” which includes innovative gypsy jazz arrangements of classic pop songs by Soft Cell, Human League, The Beatles, Police and even A-Ha. The programme is balanced with jazz and gypsy standards from the Django Reinhardt/Hot Club repertoire to complete a sometimes quirky but ultimately convincing album.

Nolan’s visit to The Edge had particular resonance, he’s a son of Much Wenlock, raised in the town and a former pupil of the William Brookes School where The Edge is situated. His parents kept the George & Dragon pub on the High Street for many years and the family still have connections in the area. Robin moved to London to study at The Guildhall School of Music, discovered gypsy jazz at the 1992 Django Reinhardt Festival in Samois Sur Seine, France and eventually ended up in his current base of Amsterdam, his home for the last twenty years. Nolan’s local connections ensured a healthy audience of ninety or so, many of them family and friends. There certainly seemed to be more obviously local people at this event than at other concerts I’ve attended at this venue and the atmosphere was relaxed and convivial throughout. Promoter Alison Vermee pronounced herself delighted with the turnout.

Joining Nolan and his regular double bass partner Arnoud Van den Berg was another local hero, Shrewsbury’s Chris Quinn, here playing rhythm guitar. A talented guitarist, singer and songwriter Quinn is a regular solo performer and also part of an acclaimed duo with fellow guitarist/vocalist James Hickman. Incredibly this was Quinn’s first ever performance with the band but he fitted seamlessly into a role occupied on the “Tainted Love” album by Robin’s younger brother Kevin Nolan.

Quinn’s newness entailed that the trio stuck mainly to the common language of the gypsy jazz canon with only a couple of examples of Nolan’s innovative treatments of pop tunes. Not that this detracted from the quality of an excellent performance which saw Quinn rise to the challenge with considerable aplomb. 

In any event many of the tunes were still sourced from the “Tainted Love ” album including including the hard swinging opener “Swing Gitane”. Nolan quickly established his virtuosity, the metallic edge of his tone making his guitar stand out from the rhythmic promptings of his colleagues. Not that this was a one man show, both “Swing Gitane” and the following “Boulevard Of Broken Dreams” harboured solos from the supremely musical bass of Van den Berg.

Nolan’s version of “Tainted Love” takes its inspiration from the 1981 hit by Soft Cell, who in turn had re-invented Gloria Jones’ 1965 original. Surprisingly the song works very well in its new gypsy jazz context with two guitarists coaxing an impressive range of sounds from their strings.
However it was violinist Dorado Schmidt’s breezy “Bossa Dorada” that saw Nolan’s fastest, most dazzling playing yet.

A lengthy solo guitar introduction presaged a lovely version of the ballad “Nuages”, arguably Django Reinhardt’s best known composition. After this brief pause for breath the trio upped the ante again for the last two numbers of the first set, rip roaring versions of Hot Club favourites “Minor Swing” and “Sweet Georgia Brown”, the latter in an innovative, almost angular arrangement.

The good natured first half was well received by an enthusiastic crowd and Nolan seemed visibly more relaxed in the second set, throwing in humorous quotes, including the “Dad’s Army” theme at one point during “Lulu Swing”, and sometimes introducing elements of rock-a billy/early rock ‘n’ roll. These tendencies were most pronounced on “Wild Rice Blues”, a piece co-written by Nolan and Texan country singer Jimmy Pickles following a festival appearance in Austin. Pickles wrote the core blues with Nolan providing a jazzier bridge section. Ever the showman Nolan encouraged a strong element of audience participation by encouraging the crowd to bellow “Yee Ha!” at strategic junctures of the tune. The audience loved this chance to get involved and the relaxed, informal attitude encouraged by this proliferated for the rest of the set with Nolan exchanging regular banter with members of his home town crowd.

Nolan was famously a friend of the late George Harrison. The former Beatle saw Nolan busking and was impressed, subsequently booking Nolan and his trio to play at his Christmas party at his home at Friar Park, Henley on Thames. Thus began a long association with Nolan regularly playing at events at Friar Park. The guitarist told all this by way introducing his homage to George, a version of The Beatles’ “And I Love Her” which appears on the “Tainted Love” album. Nolan’s interpretation began with a lengthy passage of solo guitar with Nolan bending the strings to produce an almost sitar like tone, a nod to Harrison’s love of Indian music and spirituality. The body of the song is delivered at a languid mid tempo balanced by the bite and virtuosity of Nolan’s improvisations.

The set concluded with the trio’s versions gypsy standards “All Of Me” and “Joseph, Joseph” both sourced once more from “Tainted Love”. Both featured the trio accelerating up and down the gears, Nolan scattering quotes around and Van den Berg and even Quinn enjoying brief forays into the spotlight. This frantic double salvo was greatly appreciated by the audience, several of whom gave the trio a standing ovation. An encore was inevitable and in another piece of showmanship Nolan encouraged Quinn to put down his own guitar and to come and stand behind him to play in the “quatre main” style, four hands, one guitar, with both musicians still in their established lead/rhythm roles. This was possibly the first time Quinn had participated in this but a glance at Nolan’s website suggests that it’s a regular occurrence at his live shows. In any event the Much Wenlock audience loved it and a further ovation ensued.

This had been a triumphant return for Nolan and Wenlock’s “prodigal son” looked delighted with his evening’s work. His blend of virtuoso musicianship and relaxed good humour certainly won the day and delighted what was not necessarily a dyed in the wool jazz audience. In the foyer after the gig Nolan was surrounded by family (his mother and another brother-not Kevin- were there) , friends and well wishers. I left him to it but did have a quick word with Chris Quinn who expressed his satisfaction with how well the evening had gone.

If you’re based in the Shropshire area there are two other opportunities to see the trio again when they play two dates at The Shrewsbury Coffeehouse on the evenings of Thursday 26th and Saturday 28th April. Phone 01743 242610 or 07977 074 216 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) for tickets (£13.00).

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