Concert Review: Martin Barre At The Worthington Country Club

   Martin Barre 2 Concert-A Brief History of Jethro Tull

The Worthington 5 Country Club, Massachusetts

June 18, 2023

https://martinbarre.com/martin-barre-tour/

Nestled in the country along Route 143 off Worthington Road in Massachusetts is the beautiful Golf Links, owned by David and Helen Pollard. It was my distinct pleasure to attend the concert being held there with Martin Barre. For a few reasons: I knew the Pollards very well and had worked for them for five years in the early 2000s. And I had not seen them in 14 years! Secondly, I am very familiar with Martin’s guitar playing with Jethro Tull, covering several of the reissues of their group’s studio recordings over the years, seeing them play live with the band, and providing coverage before he departed on his solo career. With that in mind and being able to see some old friends, I had been anticipating this event for months.

 

We had a beautiful clear blue sky with the sun shining to usher in this rock legend; however, as the night rolled on, it got a bit nippy, and Martin was warming his fingers to keep them agile.

Martin Barre is one of the finest guitar players in the world and has been for many decades. Now in his 70s, he has not lost a step in showcasing his six-string virtuosity. I was to realize this fully last night as he made his way through two lengthy sets. His band consists of Dan Crisp (lead vocals/keyboards), Alan Thomson (bass), and Darby Todd on Drums. The lead singer bares a remarkable resemblance to a younger Phil Collins. That is what I recognized in short order. And besides that, after belting out the first number with authority, he did a complete turnaround. He sang like a young Ian Anderson, including all the facial expressions and mannerisms of the Jethro Tull mastermind and leader, writer, singer, and musician.

 

Another surprise may have been Martin being an accomplished flute player. I had known this, but many in attendance were surprised. The crowd expressed their delight as Martin handled his second instrument quite well. Quite honestly, and even though I still enjoy Jethro Tull to this day, Ian has lost his voice due to age and wear and tear, and nobody ever could replace Martin on guitar. It has not been the same since he left the band.

 

This night I relived the good old days with Martin wailing away and rocking the crowd and Dan Crisp doing a splendid job with each song from the Tull catalog. There are so many outstanding Tull albums and much ground to cover. Martin and his band are tight and did a marvelous job recreating all the music. Even Ian Anderson would be impressed.

 

The first Tull album I got was Warchild back in the day when there were record and CD clubs that no longer exists. It still stands as my favorite album. Now there are many different choices if you are a vinyl enthusiast to choose from. Hearing them play “Warchild,” “Back Door Angels,” and “Sea Lion” was a treat for the ears and senses. And of course, there are many of the favorites that the audience recognized immediately, such as “Bouree,” “My God,” “Thick As A Brick,” and many more, including the all-out rocking encore numbers “Locomotive Breath” and “Teacher.” Martin and the band ended the show on fire, cranking out those two prog rock classics. Fitting, it ended with plenty of fireworks from Martin’s guitar.

 

It was another night for me to remember, and an honor to be able to see the show and report on it. Thank you, David and Helen, for the night that will forever be in my consciousness and for giving this old rocker a smile from the inside out.

 

If you like the beauty of nature and outdoor music, visiting the Worthington Golf Club this summer is a must. Look at what is on tap for the rest of the season and get your tickets here: https://worthingtongolfclub.com/music-concerts-and-events.

 

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

June 19, 2023

First Set:

Look Into The Sun

Someday The Sun

Cat’s Squirrel

We Used To Know

Serenade To A Cuckoo

Bouree

Sossity

Bass Solo

Back To The Family

Nothing To Say

My God

(chat) Thick As A Brick

Passion Play

Whistler

Black Satin Dancer

Back Door Angels

(chat) Warchild

Sea Lion

 

Set Two:

Acres Wild

Jack Frost

(chat) Under Wraps Acoustic

Under Wraps Electric

Protect And Survive

Watching Me

Fallen On Hard Times

Too Old To Rock & Roll

Slow Marching Band

(chat)
Locomotive Breath

Teacher.

Rock/Blues Review: Jimi Hendrix-Both Sides of the Sky

Release Date: March 9, 2018

Label: Sony Legacy

Website

Although the man has been gone since 1970, the legend of Jimi Hendrix is alive and well and continues to grow exponentially. There was a period of 4 years that this amazing guitar player created some of the most remarkable music. From what I understand, if he wasn’t playing to audiences, he was in the studio with the tapes always rolling. So as one can imagine, he left behind an overabundance of material on the shelf. He made more music in a 4-year period than anyone I am aware of.

This falls right in line with the Hendrix family taking control of his legacy and contributions. When that happened, all of his music was handled properly. Since then, every year we see at least one or two unearthed and remastered albums coming out. It has been a true renaissance for arguably the greatest six-string bender ever. And because of this flow of music over the years, it feels like he never left us. For my musical tastes, that is a beautiful thing. If you like the music of Hendrix I am pretty sure you would agree. I think it goes beyond like at this point for a lot of us.

Both Sides of the Sky is part of trilogy that included Valleys of Neptune (2010) and People, Hell and Angels (2013). So, what is really cool about this release? It is the cast of legendary artists that played with Jimi on these tracks. I had always heard of the different sessions he had at Electric Ladyland Studios (the renowned music church), however I have not heard anything with so many different artists on one recording.  Ten of the tracks are previously unreleased (see all the notations provided on the track list). The sound and engineering on this set is phenomenally crisp and clear. I would expect that goes without saying after all the previous reissued music that set the bar so high.

“$20 Fine” has one of the most recognizable vocalist in rock history, Stephen Stills. “Things I Used to Do” features the master of the white boy blues Johnny Winter. Now that is quite a paring of guitar players. The classic track “Woodstock,” which was originally recorded with Stills on lead vocals (CSN), is in a totally different incarnation with Hendrix laying down the guitar lines. With all the other layers of instruments that were added, it made for a maximum overhaul of the track. I found comfort out right out of the gate knowing Stills is there on vocals, just to remind us who sang it first. With Hendrix’s blues-based rock hammering away, it was a perfect opportunity for the vocalist to step in and complete the changing shades and colors of the track. It worked for me but may not for some purists. It is more meat and potatoes (musically) if you will, and a totally different but interesting take on the song.

“Power of Soul” has always been one of my favorites ever since I heard it back in the 70’s on vinyl courtesy of the Crash Landing album. This extended version is terrific. 

There are some real blues barn burners on this set. The playing is pinpoint, biting and memorable. Hendrix had it down, he owned it. Once you hear “Things I Used to Do” and “Georgia Blues” you will find out exactly what I mean. Lonnie Youngblood does a great job belting out those ‘Georgia Blues,” answering Jimi’s sting like a bee leads. The sax that comes in towards the curtain closing on the number is a nice touch as well. That horn just cries and screeches “do you hear me now?” And trust me, there is no filler anywhere on these tracks. If you enjoy a total blues workout then you will love those two rippers.

Any time I cover anything by Hendrix I feel like I could write a book instead of an overview, but I have to reel it in and let the music fans decide if they have the same feelings and or thoughts about this release. Both Sides of the Sky is a fine addition to the archives and one release any rock or blues fan should get ASAP!

5/5 Stars

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

February 10, 2018

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Review Provided By MuzikMan Reviews

Tracks: 
*Previously unreleased
^ Previously unavailable extended version
+Featuring Stephen Stills
#Featuring Johnny Winter
++Featuring Lonnie Youngblood

01.Mannish Boy *
02. Lover Man *
03. Hear My Train A Comin’ *
04. Stepping Stone *
05. $20 Fine *+
06. Power Of Soul ^
07. Jungle *
08. Things I Used to Do #
09. Georgia Blues ++
10. Sweet Angel *
11. Woodstock *+
12. Send My Love To Linda *
13. Cherokee Mist *