Woody at 100

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

Richard Bull reports

It was Burns Night, but at the Royal Concert Hall it was the bard of the American Dustbowl who was being celebrated.

The opening act couldn鈥檛 have been more fitting: Sarah Lee Guthrie, who鈥檚 Woody鈥檚 granddaughter and Arlo鈥檚 daughter, along with her husband Johnny Irion (plus the stand-up bass of Charlie Rose). They were great company. Their music, like all Guthrie family music, is rooted in kindness, though they鈥檙e less concerned with the now than Sarah Lee鈥檚 antecedents, more inclined to warmly timeless songwriting.

The highlight was the title track of their new CD Bright Examples, with entrancing harmonies of truly Crosby, Still & Nash proportions. Another nice touch came when they were joined by Martha and Mark of the Rafferty family, whom they鈥檇 met at the tribute to Gerry earlier in the week. Come to Celtic Connections and make new friends!

There are apparently 3000 songs without tunes collected in the Woody Guthrie Archives in New York state, overseen by Sarah Lee鈥檚 aunt Nora. The latest project to mine this rich seam is the night鈥檚 main act: Jay Farrar, Anders Parker and Will Johnson.

It was a performance somewhat mismatched with the venue and the audience. A small crowd was mostly hoping for a more familiar version of Woody than they got. Or a more effusively presented one. But what they got was three taciturn indie singer-songwriters ploughing through an hour of previously unheard songs. But (once any discomfort at the incongruity was overcome) what a fine set it was.

There was a preponderance of Woody鈥檚 more deathly lyrics 鈥� observations of lives destroyed by cocaine and home-made alcohol 鈥� but there was politics too (鈥淒emocracy oh democracy, lift up your head鈥�), and touches of Woody鈥檚 more romantic side, songs of 鈥渃areless, reckless love鈥�.

In particular Jay Farrar, the man who essentially invented 鈥渁lt country鈥� two decades ago, was stunning, imbuing the songs with his own unique brand of lonesome, heightened by the harmonies and accompaniment of the other two (plus Mark Spencer on piano and guitars). The songs, all written in Woody鈥檚 demotic style, are fascinating snapshots of the man and his life and times. Amazing to think that he filled notebook after notebook with this stuff.

Jay, Anders and Will painted the songs into life with a limited palette, bleak and earnest, but it produced some beautiful works of art. They left us with Bandages and Scars, a song Jay wrote and recorded with his band Son Volt, with its entirely appropriate refrain, 鈥渢he words of Woody Guthrie ringing in my head鈥�.

New Multitudes is their forthcoming CD of Woody Guthrie songs (also featuring Yim Yames of My Morning Jacket who was unable to take part in this show), but also listen to the current edition of 91福利社 Radio Scotland's Travelling Folk to hear three songs performed live, and coming soon Another Country with Ricky Ross will feature some of the great live versions from this show.

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