True Stories: Martin Simpson, Exeter Phoenix, Thursday 4th November
By Martin Hodge
It’s spot-on that Martin Simpson’s most recent album is called True Stories as he is a master story teller in song.
His choice of songs at the Phoenix took us through many different worlds yet were still very much allied to his own life.
His song introductions invariably had some resonance to his many varied experiences, particularly his periods of living in this country and the States.
Martin writes songs – and has written some very good ones – but he is also a master at taking other people’s songs and making them his own.
Louisana 1927 is a song I know well from an album produced by New Orleans residents after the city was almost swept away in the devastating hurricanes and floods of 2006. It was written by Randy Newman – the man whose talents include composing beautiful music for the Toy Story films and, as Martin told us with a strong recommendation to see it, Disney’s The Princess and the Frog.
Martin, throughout the concert, was at pains to acknowledge his debt to such artists and then proceeded to sing his own moving and sensitively adapted versions of songs like this one. Whilst Randy Newman had the accompaniment of a full orchestra, Martin mesmerised us with his amazing finger-picking on his beloved guitar.
After singing a stirring Bruce Springsteen song, Martin demonstrated his sharp humour by informing us that “he doesn’t sing any of mine!” His renditions of Sir Patrick Spens and Little Musgrave showed us both his love for such epic ballads and his skill at interpreting them as songs. His accompaniment was in these and all his songs sensitive and exquisite.
Martin has a really loving relationship with the guitar which he plays so well, using finger-picking and slide guitar techniques. He seemed so at home with it that I wonder how he ever manages to put it down. When he does, I have no doubt that he is thinking about arrangements for his songs and tunes. Even his tuning sounded wonderful to me and I wasn’t always clear at what point tuning became playing.
His approach to music is eclectic, encompassing influences ranging from New Orleans jazz to blues to English folk, learning too from Indian ragas and even more exotic sources.
It was clear he had picked up a lot from hearing other musicians and was prepared to listen to what those he really respected had to tell him.
He learnt the tune The Kielder Schottische by listening intently to a recording by the composer Will Atkinson as a teenager and, years later, as he told us, when he played it to the renowned musician Alastair Anderson, he got tips on how his playing might be embellished. Apparently he was left alone for an hour or so and worked out an amazing arrangement that he proceeded to play for us.
The folk process in action and an indication of Martin’s own processes in thought and musical action.
At times the songs were left to speak for themselves as in his own moving award-winning song about his father Never Any Good.
He showed too that he has no fear of tackling songs that may be well known to many in his audience like Bob Dylan’s Mr Tambourine Man and Leon Rosselson’s Palaces of Gold, written after the Aberfan disaster and illustrating that such a tragedy might have been averted if our society was organised differently and, as Martin made clear, still relevant today. In the hands of a skilled musician and story teller in song like Martin, with his highly original and highly skilled guitar work, the songs moved into a new sphere.
The first half of the concert was quiet yet moving, leaving me definitely wanting more. The second half was spellbinding and Martin seemed to really warm to the audience as we too warmed even more to him.
Martin didn’t arrive on stage with a written playlist. I got the impression he had a rough mental list but was very much prepared to play what seemed right at the time. That shows real artistry and sensitivity to the mood of the moment.
At the end of the concert, I for one felt as though I knew Martin better and I went away with his songs and tales running through my head. I look forward, as I think many of the audience at the Phoenix will do so, to seeing our friend Martin Simpson in concert again.