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Topic: Spellbound...thanx to Ian Parker

Its always great when you go to a gig with zero expectation and knowledge of the artist and yet come away a fan.

So it was with Ian Parker’s gig at the Downtown Blues Club in Hamburg last night.

According to Ian this tour is primarily an acoustic set and an opportunity to reinterpret existing songs and “road test” some new ones. Being unfamiliar with his music it didn’t matter to me as the evening would be a new experience any way.

And what an experience it was. A set from Ian Parker is a truly musical and magical journey. The music has its roots in Blues, but some of the reinterpretations had a foot in country and folk as well.

Let me say straight out I don’t think I will witness a finer display of vocal talent in this or any other year. Some sing from the heart but rarely do you see someone so breathtakingly sing from the very soul. Sometimes at a gig you may get a single ‘hear a pin drop moment’, but I have rarely heard it achieved 7 or 8 times. That is the spell he seems able to weave, in that you hang on his delivery, so intense if the emotion evoked.

His patter between songs is softly downbeat and self-deprecating but witty too. But when he sings the listener is taken to another completely different place. Witness Willie Dixon’s “Soul of a Man”. Parker is from Birmingham England, but on this evidence I would have bet money it was the one in Alabama.

There were too many highlights to list as he delved into older material and new songs, although standouts were the aforementioned “Soul of a Man”, “The Fire”, “Your Love is my Home” and the simply amazing “Don’t hold Back”. A few more covers which included a more traditional Willie Dixons “Motherless Children” and a spellbinding version of “Hallelujah”.

The question maybe you are thinking is “What’s the guitar playing like?” Frankly, he is sublime. It is the perfect counterpoint to the vocal. The naked emotion and honesty of the singing can be more than matched on guitar. Given this was mainly an acoustic show I can only imagine what he achieves fully amped. To that end I bought his official bootleg CD to get some idea. Yesterday though a clutch of acoustic Fenders, Takemines and Epiphones were used to startling effect

People, if you are fans already you know what I am talking about. If not, take your open mind and go see an artist perform magic. This is a performer who puts the songs front and centre and then delivers them with utter conviction.

I’m already looking forward to seeing him again…soon

No Hits, No Hype.......................Classic Rock Jan 2012
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Re: Spellbound...thanx to Ian Parker

Mike - I've seen Ian weave his spell on many occassions now, and I cant take anythinng away from your comments.
You really must get to see the full "electric" band perform though - Ian wrenches so much emotion out of his solo's while pourig out his soul through his lyrics.

As you say - Ian really excells as a performer - he can at times be truly spellbinding. He is also an incredible songwriter, and although as you say he draws from other musical genres his lyrics come from the "troubled soul" that is the real meaning of the Blues. All very emotional stuff - he jokes about it as being "suicide music", and it's really hard to convey to someone who hasn't seen him live what a powerful performance they will witness.

Here's a big admission coming from me.........

At a gig a couple of years back I found myself with tears running down my face as Ian belted out the solo to "By your Side", a really sad powerfull slow bluesy song about a troubled relationship. The mesmerising solo just took the song to another level emotionally - and it hit me like a sledgehammer.
"By your Side" doesn't feature on the Official Bootleg, but it is on his earlier live album "Whilst the Wind" which I would say is even better - give it a try!

Not even Joe has made a connection like that with my soul.

(A shiver just went down my spine - I'm listening to it on i-tunes as I type this.)

Ian

Please be in no doubt that this is the REAL ME! Beware imposters........................

3 Reply by mbcl (edited by mbcl 2009-04-09 14:41:48)

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Re: Spellbound...thanx to Ian Parker

Wow, both your reviews have given me shivers, just checked and he is on at a small local venue (The Marrs Bar in Worcester) in June, tickets on way. Does anyone know if he is from the midlands, I vaguely knew an Ian Parker years ago who used to play guitar..

Martin
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Re: Spellbound...thanx to Ian Parker

I've seen Ian a perform a couple times. First with the Blues Caravan Tour (along with Aynsley Lister and Erja Lyytinen) in '06 and then in '07 he did an acoustic set, both at the Bayfront Blues Festival in Duluth, MN. He also joined Roxanne Potvin onstage in '07 as well. Bought his CD "Where I Belong" from him last time we saw him. Definitely a very passionate performer. Excellent singer and guitar player and a pretty good songwriter. Nice guy, too!

5 Reply by hansamike (edited by hansamike 2009-04-09 17:36:06)

  • From: Norddeutschland
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Re: Spellbound...thanx to Ian Parker

Ian, thanks for the tip. Being the anal-completist I am I shall probably be buying his collection post haste lol

My 14 year old daughter was there last night. She's playing guitar herself but is into Incubus and other alt. rock stuff. Nevertheless she had a "Joe" moment with Ian last night. Jaw on the floor kind of thing. We've all been there I imagine, at some time.

Don't think she had ever seen someone really use their voice as an instrument in that way. The emotion, the feeling, the sheer soul of the man for all to see.

Great thing about seeing artists like this in this way is meeting them afterwards. Ian is such a nice guy to talk to and genuinely pleased to have our interest in his music. Sure, from the lyrics he has "lived a bit" as you have to, as Gary Moore recently said, but he articulates it through the music so well.

Impressed is inadequate as a word to decribe it, but we all were, so much.

No Hits, No Hype.......................Classic Rock Jan 2012
  • From: Norddeutschland
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Re: Spellbound...thanx to Ian Parker

mbcl wrote:

Wow, both your reviews have given me shivers, just checked and he is on at a small local venue (The Marrs Bar in Worcester) in June, tickets on way. Does anyone know if he is from the midlands, I vaguely knew an Ian Parker years ago who used to play guitar..

When I spoke to him last night he said Birmingham altho his accent isn't so strong. I think I saw somewhere on his website a mention of Stourbridge, so that could be it.

If you are going to see him, I hope he lives up to our hype, but somehow I think he will. I certainly hope so. I try not to be too effusive about acts I've seen but he really got to me.

No Hits, No Hype.......................Classic Rock Jan 2012
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Re: Spellbound...thanx to Ian Parker

That makes sense, I was brought up in Stourbridge:)

hansamike wrote:
mbcl wrote:

Wow, both your reviews have given me shivers, just checked and he is on at a small local venue (The Marrs Bar in Worcester) in June, tickets on way. Does anyone know if he is from the midlands, I vaguely knew an Ian Parker years ago who used to play guitar..

When I spoke to him last night he said Birmingham altho his accent isn't so strong. I think I saw somewhere on his website a mention of Stourbridge, so that could be it.

If you are going to see him, I hope he lives up to our hype, but somehow I think he will. I certainly hope so. I try not to be too effusive about acts I've seen but he really got to me.

Martin
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Re: Spellbound...thanx to Ian Parker

mbcl wrote:

Wow, both your reviews have given me shivers, just checked and he is on at a small local venue (The Marrs Bar in Worcester) in June, tickets on way. Does anyone know if he is from the midlands, I vaguely knew an Ian Parker years ago who used to play guitar..

Yes Martin - Stourbridge it is.

He always draws a big crowd to the Robin - its like a home match for him.

Ian

Please be in no doubt that this is the REAL ME! Beware imposters........................

9 Reply by Greenose (edited by Greenose 2009-04-10 18:46:35)

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Re: Spellbound...thanx to Ian Parker

Thanks for the superb review Mike, I'm glad you had a great time. As I've mention previously I've not seen Parker before, and some of his studio work is a little hit & miss for me, but if he comes near, I certainly will go and see him now smile

"The recently formed Edinburgh Blues Club has identified an appetite for the personal communication between musicians and audience that the blues long ago perfected." The Herald Newspaper (Scotland)
http://www.edinburgh-blues.uk
  • From: Norddeutschland
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Re: Spellbound...thanx to Ian Parker

Greenose wrote:

Thanks for the superb review Mike, I'm glad you had a great time. As I've mention previously I've not seen Parker before, and some of his studio work is a little hit & miss for me, but if he comes near, I certainly will go and see him now smile

I've finished listening to his Live "Official Bootleg" album, which is a more electric based blues performance. It's like he is another performer! I'm so glad I saw the acoustic show first in a way. A completely different dynamic. The e-guitar show is a real punchy blues based performance with gutsy vocals. I'm even more pleased having heard it. So much more to him. His guitar playing is magnificent. He really does have talent to spare.

No Hits, No Hype.......................Classic Rock Jan 2012

11 Reply by eva

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Re: Spellbound...thanx to Ian Parker

Mike, it looks like we´ve got another "king of review" here ... thanks so much for your great write up! I´ll surely get tickets if Ian plays near Nürnberg sometime ... smile

Can someone recommend an album of Ian that "stands out"? How many are there?

Eva

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Re: Spellbound...thanx to Ian Parker

eva wrote:

Mike, it looks like we´ve got another "king of review" here ... thanks so much for your great write up! I´ll surely get tickets if Ian plays near Nürnberg sometime ... smile

Can someone recommend an album of Ian that "stands out"? How many are there?

Eva

Eva - The live album "Whilst the Wind" is probably a good starting point. It's about four years old now, but I think it captures the feeling of his live performance better than "The Official Bootleg". Plus, it has an outstanding version of Peter Green's "Green Manalishi" - one of my favourite songs from the real Fleetwood Mac.

If youre looking to supplement that with a studio album, his most recent offering, "Where I Belong" is worth a shot too.

Here's a link to his website if youre interested: http://www.ianparkermusic.com/

I've seen him live several times, and I doubt there's anyone else around who puts so much heart and soul into their performance. If you get the chance, don't think twice.

Ian

Please be in no doubt that this is the REAL ME! Beware imposters........................

13 Reply by eva

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Re: Spellbound...thanx to Ian Parker

Thanks Ian, just ordered the live one ... will let you know if I like it. Actually it´s out of question that I will not like it - you guys are always a trustable source when it comes to good music! wink

Eva

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Re: Spellbound...thanx to Ian Parker

Just don't expect rocking blues... that's not what Ian is about!

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Re: Spellbound...thanx to Ian Parker

eva wrote:

Thanks Ian, just ordered the live one ... will let you know if I like it. Actually it´s out of question that I will not like it - you guys are always a trustable source when it comes to good music! wink

Eva

Hey Buddy ..... I know you'll love this guys music (just check out the video below wink )
I'm finding his singing and playing have so much soul and emotion and Ian Parker at the moment is my favourite British artist ahead of Oli & Joanne who's "White Sugar" CD is just brilliant too.... he is very very good indeed .... just purchased 2 cd's and a dvd off Amazon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnmpImVOV6s

Big shout to Duncan for giving me the heads up on Ian Parker and More

.......................... Michael

Joe Bonamassa .......  His Greatest 3 Videos ... IMMHO   After Much Deliberation
3rd ...... Mountain Time / Rockpalast       http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h01xa6NMsJo
2nd ...... Sloe Gin       /  Vienna            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRASS8O8ZnE           
1st ....... Blues Deluxe / The Borderline    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnl3E_KLxYg
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Re: Spellbound...thanx to Ian Parker

Lynnl wrote:

Just don't expect rocking blues... that's not what Ian is about!

Hey Lynn

Not sure how many times I've seen Ian, but it must be close to double figures, and I have to say he really does Rock the Blues for me.

Accepted, there's more to his style than just blues-rock (a little soul, roots, and even occasional gospel style influences).
Ok - so it's not all balls out 12 bar boogie, but there's some good rockin' blues in his live set with the full electric band.

Certainly, if you go and see one of his accoustic gigs that he has been doing recently, you will get a little less rock with your blues, but I see he's back on the road with the full band in the Netherlands next month, then back to an accoustic trio set in the UK in June.

My personal preference is the full band, but he's getting great reviews for the accoustic sets too. It will be interesting to see what the next studio album sounds like - more accoustic songs perhaps?

As I said before, he's a great musician and songwriter, and a passionate performer, the likes of which don't come around too often.
A must see! cool

Ian

Please be in no doubt that this is the REAL ME! Beware imposters........................

17 Reply by Greenose (edited by Greenose 2009-04-14 23:38:12)

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Re: Spellbound...thanx to Ian Parker

michael*lynch wrote:

I'm finding his singing and playing have so much soul and emotion and Ian Parker at the moment is my favourite British artist ahead of Oli & Joanne who's "White Sugar" CD is just brilliant too.... he is very very good indeed .... just purchased 2 cd's and a dvd off Amazon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnmpImVOV6s

Big shout to Duncan for giving me the heads up on Ian Parker and More

.......................... Michael

No problem mate, sometime you do find that there's some great music on your doorstep that you were either unaware of or dimissed too early in the past.  A case in point for me, as I'm seeing the Nimmo Brothers, Scotland's best blues rock band for the first time this Friday, and I can't wait! big_smile

"The recently formed Edinburgh Blues Club has identified an appetite for the personal communication between musicians and audience that the blues long ago perfected." The Herald Newspaper (Scotland)
http://www.edinburgh-blues.uk