Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town

Subject: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: DonMeixner
Date: 23 Jan 01 - 07:25 AM

Tell about Jez Lowe and the music. I've never had "The Lowe Down" so to speak.

Don

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: alison
Date: 23 Jan 01 - 07:34 AM

he's great.. well worth seeing.....

he's from Durham (??) in England so the Geordie accent takes a bit of getting used to.. but he explains things well.. and his lyrics are very clever and often hilarious.... others will make you cry......

don't miss him if you get the chance to see him....

has lots of stripey T-shirts too......

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: alison
Date: 23 Jan 01 - 07:36 AM

here's his web site... it says there are reviews and sound files.... might give you a better idea.....

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: Jock Morris
Date: 23 Jan 01 - 07:38 AM

I'll echo Alison's sentiments, don't miss Jez Lowe. Brilliant performer, writes wonderful songs.

Scott

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 23 Jan 01 - 07:45 AM

Only time I heard Jez Lowe was in the Llandudno Folk Club (my time, pre the time I mentioned in the "smoking thread") - playing with Jake Walton on Hurdy Gurdy...

and its no never in the live-long day....

... he is good!

Jon

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: alison
Date: 23 Jan 01 - 07:49 AM

plenty of sound clips in the CD section of that site......

great songs

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: AndyG
Date: 23 Jan 01 - 07:55 AM

One of my favourite club performers, Jez writes stunning materiel from his own idiosycratic and very regional veiwpoint.
Check out his songs Bait Up & The Crake in the Morning. His best album IMO is Tenterhooks on which the above two songs feature.

Don't miss the chance to see and hear him perform. As alison says you may have some trouble with his accent (when he's talking) but I've never been disappointed in the many times I've seen him either alone or with the band.

Personally I prefer his solo performances but that's because I like his humour and there's more of that when he's on his own.

AndyG

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: alison
Date: 23 Jan 01 - 07:58 AM

I love "bait up" and another favourite which they don't have at that site is "the last of the widows"..... both gorgeous songs.....

have we convinced you to go yet????

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: GUEST,John Hill
Date: 23 Jan 01 - 08:13 AM

Don't miss him.. !! Nice fella too. A lot of songs have tunes good enough to stand on their own.. really catchy stuff. Great chorus songs... Old Bones ... Durham Jail and lots of others. Very thoughtful lyrics. He usually explains the backbound of the song too which is nice. Any praise you read on this thread is well justified.

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 23 Jan 01 - 08:17 AM

There was a complete song from one of his CD's at folkcircle.com on Sunday. I don't have Realplayer right now so not sure if it's still playing.

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 Jan 01 - 08:51 AM

I agree with everything said previously - plus he managed to put in an excellent performace at our festival a couple of years ago despite the rain p!"£ing though the roof onto the electrics!

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: Mi-ul
Date: 23 Jan 01 - 08:59 AM

He has a new cd out now recorded at one of my local folk clubs (Davy Lamp, Washington UK). Don't miss him

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: Doctor John
Date: 23 Jan 01 - 02:47 PM

He is one of those rare people who is a talented singer, excellent musician, gifted composer and funny to boot. We were extremely lucky to have both Jez Lowe and Jake Walton play at our wedding, it was an evening never to be forgotten and we hold them both dear to our hearts. If you can get to see them, do please go, you won't regret a moment of it. His accent is actually very mild and he does translate the difficult bits, but he can 'put it on' when necessary! A canny lad! Doctor John and Gilly

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: Naemanson
Date: 23 Jan 01 - 03:02 PM

Don! Go see Jez! Do not pass go, do not collect $200.00 but do collect a ticket for the concert.

He was at the Chocolate Church with his band, the Bad Pennies, earlier this month. I went. I have seen him several times but the band really adds to the performance. His songs are great and the overall performance will knock your socks off.

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: GUEST,Captain Swing
Date: 23 Jan 01 - 03:26 PM

IMO he's Britain's best songwriter.

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 23 Jan 01 - 05:19 PM

One of my absolute favourites! Voice like velvet and a REALLY nice bloke to boot. Tells a good tale too so his performances are always good entertainment. Definitely NOT one to miss. Oh and he is GORGEOUS as well!

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: GUEST,bflat
Date: 23 Jan 01 - 05:23 PM

Very nice sound. Seems like a likeable fella.

Ellen

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: Linda Kelly
Date: 23 Jan 01 - 05:30 PM

Fantastic performer and wonderful songs some funny some amazingly poignant (Dover Delaware, Bergen, Last of the Widows) DO NOT MISS THIS MAN -also say hello to my mate Kate who is touring with the bad pennies on violin.

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: Mooh
Date: 24 Jan 01 - 08:58 AM

He actually played my little outpost here a while back, and I was unable to attend. All who did said it was a great show (solo). I did get a cd though, from a generous friend, and it is very good. Mooh.

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: GUEST,Guest, Cottingham, Yorkshire
Date: 27 Jan 01 - 06:14 PM

Don't miss it! Find Kate (fantastic fiddler, singer/songwriter herself) and give her a big Hello from all her Cottingham fans

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From:
Date: 28 Jan 01 - 12:26 AM

I've heard a number of his songs, and they are terrific.

Would LOVE to see him in person.

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: Amergin
Date: 28 Jan 01 - 12:49 AM

I just checked out that site....it says he'll be coming to Portland, Oregon on the 11th of February....might just give him a go....

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: GUEST,John Hill
Date: 02 Feb 01 - 05:05 AM

I notice that one of Jez Lowe's songs "I'll never get home" is in the DT without any mention of him writing it....naughty .... Did whoever posted it think it was traditional?

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: English Jon
Date: 02 Feb 01 - 05:18 AM

Good songwriter, nice bloke. You'll enjoy it.

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: Naemanson
Date: 02 Feb 01 - 06:40 AM

Ickle! Your friend Kate is a marvelous addition to the Bad Pennies. Lovely girl and nice fiddle work. But...

Could you take her aside and give her some pointers on personal appearance on stage. There was absolutely nothing wrong with what she wore except that she looked like she had just stepped out of an office cubicle to play the violin. She had an air of, "As soon as I finish playing this fiddle I'll type up that letter for Mr. ___." Not exactly "folk" if you know what I mean.

I hope she isn't a Mudcat, and if she is I hope she sees this as it is intended, constructive criticism.

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: Long Firm Freddie (at work)
Date: 02 Feb 01 - 07:25 AM

He's not to be missed. When I saw him a few years ago, he'd just published a song book and sold shed-loads of them in the interval.

In the second half he had to break off mid-song having been ever-so-slightly put off by the front three rows of the audience following the words in their nice new books!

He made us put them away (but he was very nice about it!)

LFF

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: GUEST,Frank of Toledo
Date: 02 Feb 01 - 11:24 AM

For those who live in central Oregon or the coast, Jez Lowe will be playing for the Toledo Folk Music Club, Friday,February 9th at 8pm at the Trinity United Methodist Churchin Toledo Oregon. We are located on US Hiway 20, 50 mileswest of Corvallis, and just 7 miles east of Newport, Oregon. Call Nancy or I for tickets and more info at 1-541-336-5743.

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: nutty
Date: 02 Feb 01 - 03:08 PM

John Hill - I'LL NEVER GET HOME - is not credited to Jez because it was based on a Northumbrian Folk song

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: GUEST,Jean
Date: 02 Feb 01 - 03:33 PM

It never occurred to me that I need to dress "folkie" when I sing, and I do sometimes sing wearing the clothes I've been to work in. Is there a "folkie uniform"

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: Amergin
Date: 02 Feb 01 - 04:02 PM

Guest, Jean, yes there is in fact a folkie uniform...it is called clothing....

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: GUEST,John Hill
Date: 03 Feb 01 - 07:04 AM

Nutty.. ref: "I'll never get home"..if you have Jez's first song book you will read the following.
"I used to think this song as traditional, but as the vast bulk of it, including the tune is my own. I would now admit to it being original. It is based on a short Northumbrian verse called My Eppie"
If Pete St. John can claim ownership of The Fields of Athenry just by changing 3 or 4 of the words of a traditional (1888) song I'm sure that this one where both the tune and 90% of the lyrics are by Jez should be credited to him.

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: nutty
Date: 03 Feb 01 - 09:58 AM

Joe Hill - this debate requires a thread of its own and there are those ( M Carthy perhaps ) who would maintain that if a traditional song or tune are adapted then the result cannot be claimed to be original
It was for this reason that Peter Bellamy did not claim copyright on the Kipling Songs

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: Naemanson
Date: 03 Feb 01 - 10:33 AM

I din't mean to be making foolish comments on clothing on stage. And my remark was not intended to be in any way a criticism of the evening's performance which was great.

But there are certain outfits that don't seem to fit with the music. I remember one woman in a folk band wearing skin tight pants with wide red and white stripes. Of course, it didn't detract from her preformance or the music but the strange outfit was distracting.

My first impression of one of my closest friends was that she was a punk or goth straight from the city. She walked into a song circle one night wearing black jeans, a black shirt, and a black leather jacket. Her hair was long and black. The jacket was fringed and covered with silver studs and buttons and featured a set of handcuffs. She sat down and when her turn came up belted out Maid Of Amsterdam in perfect chantyman style.

Clothes do not a folkie make. But...

Certain styles of clothing are a distraction to the audience. Ickle's friend Kate, dressed as she was, distracted me from the overall presentation of the band.

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: Amergin
Date: 03 Feb 01 - 06:45 PM

Well, I liked what I heard in those soundclips....so I got me a ticket last night...

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Feb 01 - 07:50 PM

http://www.jezlowe.com/ is his Web site's URL. looks like he'll be in Oregon and California most of the next two weeks, but his concerts in my area are on nights when I'm booked. Darn.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: GUEST,Ickle Dorritt
Date: 04 Feb 01 - 08:13 AM

Naemanson -i wouldn't dream of telling Kate how to dress -she is a fantastic musician, singer songwriter as well as a theatre director and is currently in Australia researching a musical play that she is writing to add to her collection of other plays she has already written. I'm surprised she has the time to get dressed let alone in high fashion -since I can't remember bob dylan ever tarting himself up for any of his stage performances I don't think it should necessarily be a priority for any other performer. (off to sing a Nellies this afternoon white knickers brown suede boots black jumper and skirt -hope you approve!!!)

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: Learchild
Date: 04 Feb 01 - 10:47 AM

Hi, I'll contribute my praise to this thread. Jez is brilliant. He manages to capture northern humour and history in his lyrics and tunes but he never plays just to the 'local' element at his gigs - though I think we may have the edge on the rest of you with 'Hadaway gan on'. I prefer him on his own - I don't think the current line up in the Bad Pennies adds anything to his performance.

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: GUEST,John Hill
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 01:19 PM

Nutty... from what I can see "My Eppie" was not a song as it did not have a tune. It was a very short verse of poetry and mearly gave the idea for the song. So this is not an adaptation of a traditional song. Jez now admits that it was original and that he wrote it.. surely that is the end of it.... Peter Bellamy did not change Kiplings work ...he just gave them tunes, probably borrowing traditional ones anyway.

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 09 Oct 04 - 10:14 AM

Very few of Jez songs have been posted - how about the much vaunted 'Last of the Widows'?

Regards, John

Subject: Lyr Add: THE LAST OF THE WIDOWS (Jez Lowe)
From: Sooz
Date: 09 Oct 04 - 10:42 AM

THE LAST OF THE WIDOWS
Jez Lowe

The last of the widows of the Duck Bill seam
Is lying tonight with her young man again
They're clinging fast together soothing sighs and pain
And coaxing back the love their loss survived

The last of the widows of the Duck Bills flare
Is brushing back dust from his strong black hair
And he's stretched on her bosom with his love laid fair
And making up for time fate stole away

Parting words were never spoken last kisses never broken
She never even watched him walk away
Now the last of the widows of the Duck Bills seam
Reached out and took his hand again today

The last of the widows of the Duck Bills fire
Stood bleak and bewildered as the count climbed higher
Then she wept for the world across a newsroom wire
When she heard his name called out across the crowd

But when the world had turned to leave eighty women turned to grieve
And cursed their compensation through their tears
Now the last of the widows of the Duck Bills seam
Can close her eyes and wipe away the years

The last of the widows of the Duck Bills flame
Is free of the lonely nights of bitterness and blame
And there's some who'll remember as they speak her name
The reason why she lived so long alone

And in the fields above the dangers of Gresford, Trimdon Grange
Haswell, Hartley Beam and Markham Main
The last of the widows of the Duck Bills seam
Is walking with her miner lad again

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: Sooz
Date: 09 Oct 04 - 10:45 AM

PS Jez is coming to this town next week!
Gainsborough Folk Festival

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: GUEST,Mickey Mouse in Devon
Date: 10 Oct 04 - 05:52 AM

Booked for both concerts on Sunday aft and looking forward to seeing Jez Lowe again and of course Cara......with the CD!!!!!!
Best wishes.

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 10 Oct 04 - 09:00 AM

The tune to 'The Last of the Widows' is in Sing Out - I'll do some titivating and post it to Joe. Thanks Sooz.

Regards, John

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: John Routledge
Date: 10 Oct 04 - 05:31 PM

The explosion which produced the backdrop to Jez's "The Last of the Widows" happened in Easington, County Durham in 1952.

Following the end of the 1939-1945 War and the formation of the National Coal Board everyone hoped that such explosions were a thing of the past. The deaths therefore produced even greater shock and anger than in earlier times in addition to individuals' loss which Jez so poignantly chronicles.

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: GUEST,skipy
Date: 10 Oct 04 - 05:53 PM

be there, the man is a gentleman and a genious,.

Regards Skipy

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: VIN
Date: 11 Oct 04 - 08:12 AM

And if you're in the north of england on the 24th October you can see Jez & the Bad Pennies at the Open Door Folk Club extravaganza 7, Star Inn, Failsworth with other great guests as the following web-site will show.

www.opendoorfolkclub.co.uk

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 12 Oct 04 - 03:49 AM

If you're going to be anywhere near Gainsborough this weekend...book to see Jez in concert at the Gainsborough Festival...see Gainsborough Festival thread. Best wishes.

Subject: RE: Help: Jez Lowe is coming to town
From: GUEST,Banjoke
Date: 12 Oct 04 - 01:26 PM

He is also coming to Bedford 'UK' in early December.