Jess Morgan @ the Maddermarket
One of the country's finest young folk singers.
It is the last day of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival, and after 12 volunteer shifts, a further two at Norwich Arts Centre, and having seen no less than 33 separate events over the last 17 days, I should by rights be heading home now, a broken man. But instead, I am off to the Maddermarket Theatre for this evening's essential homecoming gig from Norfolk's Jess Morgan.
Jess has been touring as a trio with José McGill and Noel Dashwood (both from The Vagaband), and the tour ends tonight in Norwich in an acoustic Shackleton Session, so named after the Norwich firm of banjo manufacturers who sponsor this series of unplugged Maddermarket evenings.
Support, appropriately enough, comes tonight in the form of renowned local banjo player Howard Burton, together with former Addison's Uncle mandolinist Nic Zuppardi. It is a wonderfully balanced combination, with Burton's solid banjo and bluegrass vocals skilfully enhanced by the fluency of Zuppardi's mandolin playing.
Jess Morgan includes several new songs in this evening's headline set, ahead of the new album in October, including In Your Life, the lovely new single Natalie, and the slightly darker Red Rubies. These are neatly slipped in amongst old favourites like Modern World, Freckles In The Sun and Cavalier, each given a wonderful new lease of life with the sweet enhancement of Noel Dashwood's dobro, delicately restrained electric bass (yes, I know I said unplugged) from José McGill and, together, some wonderful vocal harmonies.
Another new song, In Brooklyn, has yet to be given a trio arrangement, and so is performed solo. There are a couple of covers - Emmylou Harris' Black Hawk, and Steve Earle's Goodbye, and it is the beautiful Annie of Greyfriars that ends the evening with suitably local flavour, and its moving narrative and classic Great Yarmouth references. The generous applause is indeed well deserved.
Jess Morgan is one of the country's finest young folk singers, with a sprightly voice that is instantly recognisable. Her songs, and the stories told within, always cast a captivating spell. This performance, with McGill and Dashwood providing an exquisite and expansive new dimension to her sound, served as the perfect tonic for any post Norfolk and Norwich Festival blues, as well as pointing towards Jess' continuing and deserved success.
