Sunjay Brayne in Poole free gig

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brayne in Poole free gig
From: GUEST,Sunjay Brayne
Date: 09 May 12 - 09:27 AM

Right! *Rolls up sleeves*
Firstly to Big Al, Brian & Kitty thank you for your kind comments and encouragement. -Although Al "traddy al quaeda"? Come on, I must admit that when I started out (A mere 9 months ago), I didn't much like traditional music, however time has changed me and I have grown musically, and I can now appreciate all forms of music (traditional included). Being at college has helped me greatly with that. A lesson perhaps that many people should learn on here? Respect for music and musical talent is of the most important things to me. Sure it might not be your thing (Traditional, Contemporary, Blues, or otherwise), but I think people need to stop thinking that their opinions are more important than the HOURS of work/practise that artists such as myself do.

Secondly, to Gibsonboy - for you to have the tenacity to say that I "just copy Chris Smither all the time" shows how little you really know. You Sir are the one who needs to get out more, specifically to one of my gigs, and you will see what a load of rubbish you talk! Yes I do a handful of Chris SMITHER (Not Smithers you ignoramus, a common misconception by people who don't know him and don't know his music... I also do a handful of Roger Brooks songs - no doubt if you knew Roger you'd call me a Roger Brooks tribute act? Well...?

"most of his guitar playing has been stolen or copied from Chris Smither"

Again what I load of rubbish, what that really means is "I went on youtube, clicked on the first link I saw, and saw Sunjay doing Love You Like A Man, and never bothered to check out the other 1h 27mins of his set." Most of my playing is "stolen"? Yeah me and every other guitar player in the world! May I remind you of a certain Bob Dylan who for several years when he first started performing, was doing ONLY a mix of old Blues songs & Woodie Guthrie.
Again you obviously haven't researched me, because if you had, you would know that I am currently working on a new CD project which will have mainly my on material on. (With a few covers just to keep you happy!)

Thirdly, Stallion - I'm sorry that my voice "grated" on you. I would like to quash this rumor that I sing in an American accent, a British accent or anything else. - At the Wath Young Performers Competition I was praised by all three judges for singing in my own accent, whilst encompassing an American flavor. May I add that the way i sing is not "put on" or anything like that, and if I do sound American to you then it hardly matters to me, seeing as I am in fact a quarter American.
My paternal grandfather's family were pre-Mayflower Americans FYI.
So if there is a touch of American in there, great! I'm also half Indian. If i sang in an Indian accent would you say the same? I hope not.
Thank you for not "rubbishing" me though, however back-handed compliments are always the worst...

Sunjay

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brayne in Poole free gig
From: matt milton
Date: 09 May 12 - 09:19 AM

I don't think Noel Coward or Ian Dury ever sang BLUES specifically though, did they?!

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brayne in Poole free gig
From: matt milton
Date: 09 May 12 - 09:17 AM

"well there was George Formby - who was singing mainly jazz tunes. Noel Coward. Ian Dury...."

well there you go. Nick Drake's "Family Tree" album features his early home recordings, on which he's singing many blues standards in his own middle-class accent.

I'd personally rather hear that than a put-on American accent.

But it's not such a huge sticking point for me that I can't enjoy, say, JoAnn Kelly's singing on her fantastic first album (which is entirely American-accented).

What I'm saying is, of all the British singers currently singing blues, Sunjay Brayne seems like a very poor target to pick in terms of "singing in an American accent". By and large, he doesn't! The occasional line maybe. Whereas up and down the country, you'll find billions of blues bands who do.

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brayne in Poole free gig
From: matt milton
Date: 09 May 12 - 09:12 AM

the only thing I would say - and this is in no way a criticism of Sunjay Brayne, whose YouTube clips I've just enjoyed listening to, is that I do think it's a shame that the UK folk club circuit does seem to only pay attention to people who plug into it... it's not very good at actually looking around and keeping its ear to the ground.

meaning that both Sunjay Brayne and Blair Dunlop have received a fair amount of "folk club" press recently.

Whereas I've never seen any mention on Mudcat of other young fingerpickers such as: Michael Rossiter, David Broad, Serious Sam Barrett, Flake Brown, Pepe Belmonte, Jack Day, George Frakes, or Nygel's young Folk Police discoveries Ewan D Rodgers and Jack Blackman. Despite the fact that several of them have been gigging around the UK and recording albums for a good few years now.

Even Jason Steel, who has had a fair few releases now, doesn't seem to ever get mentioned beyond the occasional fRoots review. Don't recall ever having seen a mudcat post concerning him.

There's a whole world of young fingerpickers in the UK right now doing interesting things in a blues/Fahey/Jansch/Basho/Wizz Jones/M John Hurt type of tradition. Sure, they might not play the established traddie folkclub circuit, but they play a lot of gigs nonetheless and, y'know, we do have this thing called the internet... I think too many folkies (in the UK at least) rely too much on that circuit to hear about new musicians, and I think they miss out. That's certainly the impression I get whenever I listen to Mike Harding at least.

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brayne in Poole free gig
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 09 May 12 - 09:11 AM

'The only British singers I can think of off the top of my head who sang/sing in an entirely non-American accent are Ian Anderson and the Boycott Coca Cola Experience. (And maybe the Flying Lizards on their cover of "Money") '

well there was George Formby - who was singing mainly jazz tunes. Noel Coward. Ian Dury....

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brayne in Poole free gig
From: matt milton
Date: 09 May 12 - 08:58 AM

nobody is ever the finished article. that's when you retire.

it also seems bizarre to diss Sunjay Brayne for a "mid atlantic accent", when the clips I've just watched on YouTube reveal someone singing largely in a (rather middle class) english accent, vaguely reminiscent of Nick Drake's.

Yes, some bits of an American accent on some lines, but really... not as much as any number of respected esteemed UK bluesmen and women of yore... eg Duster Bennett, JoAnn Kelly, Dave Kelly, Gordon Smith, Christine Perfect et al.

The only British singers I can think of off the top of my head who sang/sing in an entirely non-American accent are Ian Anderson and the Boycott Coca Cola Experience. (And maybe the Flying Lizards on their cover of "Money")

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brayne in Poole free gig
From: stallion
Date: 09 May 12 - 08:08 AM

There is no hope for you Al, may as well put the tradelle patches away! My favourite band of all time was Free, loved it then love it now. Oh and dunno where the thought that I was a traddie came from, we were rejected by the die hards long ago!

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brayne in Poole free gig
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 09 May 12 - 06:01 AM

As you know Brian - I love and honour the work that guys like you and Carthy do, and the late Tony Rose. Ewan MacColl and many others.

I just think the English folk club phenomenon. artistic movement - call it what you will, contains so many other elements - all sort of valid. If validity is possible to determine.

I always love that conversation the narrator in Cakes and Ale has with Alroy Kear, the society novelist - some unspecified time in the 1920's - 'You can't think how secure Meredith and Pater looked in their reputations forty years ago....'

Who knows what future generations will think of us as artists? One generation sees Renoir as 'cutting edge' hardly respectable - the next sees him as chocolate box stuff.

I have so much respect for you as a musician, Brian. For your hard work and talent and vision.

However you are talking to a man who has been whinged at for nearly forty years for singing in a mid atlantic accent. Sorry if I seem prickly!

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brayne in Poole free gig
From: GUEST,Brian Peters
Date: 09 May 12 - 05:16 AM

Al, I think we cross-posted. Seems to be a bluesman sticking the boot into SB here, and at least two 'traddies' sticking up for him. Bugger 'doctrinaire'.

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brayne in Poole free gig
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 09 May 12 - 05:01 AM

Well yes the Statesboro Blues is very Chris Smithers as well. Yes he's a big influence.

But Roger Brooks, Tom Hoy (of Magna Carta) Steve Tiston, Derek Brimstone, Bert Jannsch ........these are the mainstays of the live act. This isn't your typical mid atlantic lisping twit that you get on Britains got an X Factor.

This is someone who has taken seriously the music coming from the English folk clubs and lent his considerable talents to that tradition. Its not the tradition that Martin Carthy recognises as such. Its the one that I gave my life to. The godfather i suppose is Josh White - who took old traddy songs and turned them into something live and sexy.

I can't tell you how upsetting Sunjay finds all this snotty sniping. he's a delicate kid and doesn't enjoy the best of health. I tried to explain to him last time some idiot had a smack at him on Mudcat (he was 17 at the time and some idiot said English folk music is in real trouble if this is the future...).When you're a performer, its open season on you - anyone can say anything. I tried to tell him that if you do this seriously - you need to have the hide of a rhinoceros. Nick Drake is great music, but its not a great career plan. On one occasion had to walk away from Mudcat.

Is it really necessary for the traddies to impose their doctrinaire view of the universe with such a heavy hand?

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brayne in Poole free gig
From: GUEST,Brian Peters
Date: 09 May 12 - 05:00 AM

Astonishing negativity. Of course Sunjay will develop, no one was saying he's the finished article, merely very good. As one of those 'traddies' that Al insists on rubbishing (even though two of us are batting for him on this thread!) I'd probably be better at spotting a Carthy clone than a Smither one, but I do listen to blues and I judged Sunjay Brayne on grounds of musical quality and enjoyability. Since when was Seasick Steve the benchmark for "proper fingerstyle blues guitar", anyway?

As to the accent, every UK blues singer has struggled with this. Would Sunjay be more 'authentic' if he tried to sound like Howlin' Wolf? Give him a chance, chaps.

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brayne in Poole free gig
From: stallion
Date: 09 May 12 - 04:53 AM

praise indeed

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brayne in Poole free gig
From: GUEST,folkiedave
Date: 09 May 12 - 04:33 AM

I rarely post these days.

I was one of the judges. He was outstanding.

On his CD 11 tracks - 3 Chris Smithers; one CS/Steve Tilston; 2 Roger Brooks; 1 Knopfler; 1 Dylan; 1 Tilston; 1 Tom Hoy; 1 Blind Willie Mc Tell.

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brayne in Poole free gig
From: stallion
Date: 09 May 12 - 04:01 AM

Having said all that you should hear us singing "West Indies Blues" in estuary english, it works, just!

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brayne in Poole free gig
From: stallion
Date: 09 May 12 - 03:58 AM

C'mon Al, that was sound advice, I was hardly rubishing him, It is a truism that one has to see a performance and one cannot judge peoples ability on snippets, thats why it's hard to book acts from hearing cd's cos some people take weeks and months, even years producing a cd and others take a few hours and what you hear is not always what you get. The lad has ability on the guitar but I know very little about guitars, I do know that the voice I heard grated on me because my pet hate is that false american , sometimes called, mid atlantic accent, my granddaughters do it all the time and it annoys the hell out of me. Can't comment on his songwriting ability cos I haven't heard enough. What Sunjay has is a developing talent and it will grow with experience and he will find his own way, and yes he is doing the rounds required to establish oneself and earn a reputation which will be a platform for a successful career, and Al you are quite right in flagging this guy up, definitely one to catch up with. Al, take the comment I made in a positive way and encourage the lad to find himself and then watch him shine.

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brayne in Poole free gig
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 08 May 12 - 09:36 PM

'Sunjay gets away with it.......'


words fail me. So typical mudcat. The utter negativity towards a boy scarcely 18 years.....

The real comparison is listening to 2o year old Eric Clapton fumbling his way through his firsttentative grasp of the pentatonic scale in the the Yardbirds albums. And frankly the mature Eric Clapton for the first three acoustic albums would scarcely have raised a flicker of interest - as one acoustic player I know said - take that down the folk club and the reaction would be ....so what!

I've seen Chris Smither. Woody Mann and I've heard Roy Bookbinder.

You have not a CLUE what you are talking about. I watched Sunjay play Seaton FC last week. Paul Downes, who was sitting next to me in the audience, looked at the queues that were surrounding Sunjay in the interval and said - I have never seen anything approaching that....

What makes Sunjay unique is that he is following a tradition. Not 'the tradtion - but a tradtion. The coffee bar cowboys - so despised by 'the traddies'. His style is defined not only by Chris Smither - but derek Brimstone, Gerry Lockran, Roger Brooks, Grossman (and with him comes all the major American black blues artists), Jack Hudson and I suppose myself.

Anyway are any of the people on your list doing free gigs in pubs or working at the bottom of the bill in festivals?

Getting away with it...you have no idea what it takes to become a Sunjay Brayne.

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brayne in Poole free gig
From: GUEST,Gibsonboy
Date: 08 May 12 - 05:47 PM

Absolutely spot on Stallion, and if you wanted to be really critical most of his guitar playing has been stolen or copied from Chris Smithers. The vast majority of Traddies have probably never heard Chris Smithers, which is why Sunjay gets away with it. So Traddies check out the following if you want proper fingerstyle blues guitar; Kirk Lorange, Bob Brozman, Seasick Steve, Woody Mann, Roy Bookbinder, Kent Duchane, not to mention an acoustic Eric Clapton.

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brain in Poole free gig
From: stallion
Date: 08 May 12 - 12:22 PM

There is an argument that one cannot sing bluesy songs without an american accent, or an Irish song without an Irish accent, good on the guitar but he needs to find his own voice

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brain in Poole free gig
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 07 May 12 - 03:52 PM

Congratulation Sunjay!

Kitty

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brain in Poole free gig
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 06 May 12 - 06:54 PM

Sunjay just phoned. He's won the Wath Festival Young Performer of the year. He's walking on air. The cup presented by John Tams.

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brain in Poole free gig
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 06 May 12 - 06:11 PM

little bugger blew me offstage the other night at Seaton.....not that I resent it! (ho hum!)

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brain in Poole free gig
From: GUEST,Brian Peters
Date: 06 May 12 - 02:55 PM

'Guest' was me.

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brain in Poole free gig
From: GUEST
Date: 06 May 12 - 02:17 PM

Hear hear, Al. I saw Sunjay perform last night (followed him onstage, as it happens, although not directly) and, speaking as paid-up Traddy Al-Qaida, I thought he was bloody good!

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brain in Poole free gig
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 02 May 12 - 07:59 AM

Have you seen Sunjay lately. Several of the people on your list would have trouble following him on stage right now.

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brain in Poole free gig
From: GUEST,Gibsonboy
Date: 01 May 12 - 12:35 PM

Big Al, I'm not saying he isn't any good, I'm merely saying in the overall scheme of things he has a very very long way to go. He needs a style of his own, just copying Chris Smithers all the time, puts him in danger of being classed as a tribute act. Heres a few more names to think about, Chris Proctor, Brooks Williams, Stephen Grossman, and if you want to talk world class Tommy Emmanual.

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brain in Poole free gig
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 01 May 12 - 08:53 AM

Last month at Bristol - Chris Smithers specially invited Sunjay to be his support act. For a laugh Sunjay played three Chris Smithers numbers for his sound check. Chris's roadie went to get Chris, saying - you've got to hear this.....this kid does your stuff better than you.

I'm not saying at only just eighteen Sunjay is as good as Chris Smithers. But he's pretty damn good. Also he's clued up - he had a gig near Hemel - so he went to visit the now retired Derek Brimstone. He went and played for Derek.

Its not what some people would accept as tradition - but theres something of that nature going on

Subject: RE: Sunjay Brain in Poole free gig
From: GUEST,Gibsonboy
Date: 01 May 12 - 08:42 AM

Big Al, you need to get out more, try Chris Smithers, Leo Kottke, not to mention Tim O'Brien, Steve Hicks, and many many more.

Subject: Sunjay Brain in Poole free gig
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 30 Apr 12 - 06:25 PM

Sunjay Brain - the teenage senation acoustic folk blues guitarist playing stuff the old guys can only dream about playing at the portsmoth Hoy, Poole Quay tomorrow May 1st.(deprived and cheated of the greatest folk musician living title, only by the shady machinations of the traddie branch of al quaeda!)

Come and see the legend! before the world awakes to it!