It may be cold outside, but the Laurel Canyon spirit is certainly warming the citizens of north London tonight as Jonathan Wilson and his band take to the stage at the Islington Assembly Hall in support of his new album, Fanfare.
Playing to a sold out audience, what unfolds is an evening of sensational music and musicianship.
Support duties are filled by the band’s own rhythm guitarist, Omar Velasco, a daunting task that he takes in his stride. A clearly talented songwriter in his own right, Velasco captivates those assembled with his own delicate and soothing brand of folk rock, before adopting the Spanish tongue for his finale. The performance is suitably understated, and provides the perfect foundation for what is to follow.
Finally, the moment has arrived as Jonathan Wilson and his band, consisting of Velasco, Richard Gowen (drums), Dan Horne (bass) and Jason Borger (piano, organ) take position. Stick-thin, resolute and shrouded in incense smoke, Wilson’s presence is palpable, capturing the audience with strange yet subtle mysticism. The material is mostly split between 2011’s Gentle Spirit and his latest offering, with old and new blending seamlessly. The opening three are from the latter, the wonderfully elegant ‘Lovestrong’ and ‘Fazon’ bookending ‘Illumination’, a winding, guitar-driven jam with more than a passing resemblance to Neil Young’s ‘Danger Bird’. The psychedelic meanderings of ‘Desert Raven’ and ‘Dear Friend’ follow, and the pairing prove to be a real highlight of the show, demonstrating the band’s prowess. Few groups currently on the circuit can boast such an immense display of talent and intuition. Gowen keeps a tight rein on the beat at all times, whilst subtly adding his own decoration through skilful use of cymbals, and combined with Horne’s tremendous bass groove forms a more than capable rhythm section. Velasco, in both harmony vocals and guitar playing, is the perfect sparring partner for Wilson, and Borger adds a real authentic touch with his classic Hammond and Mellotron sound. Wilson himself is in as fine voice as ever and his mastery of his craft, demonstrated through his extensive yet controlled use of pedals and solos, is sonically astounding.
The band continues to shift between earlier and later material, with the likes of ‘Love To Love’, ‘New Mexico’, ‘Desert Trip’ and ‘Moses Pain’ beautifully complimenting ‘Natural Rhapsody’ , ’Magic Everywhere’ and ‘Ballad Of The Pines’. Another memorable instance is the reimagining of ‘Can We Really Party Today?’, with the solo acoustic verses now adapted with a far more muscular, country tone. Whilst the group do spectacularly well to master the complex nature of the songs whilst still maintaining their free-flowing feel, there are times where Wilson’s more delicate vocal performances become muddied by his accompaniment, although once one in caught up in the music this seems nothing but trivial. There’s even time for a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Angel’ before the initial set concludes with a spectacular rendition of ‘Valley Of The Silver Moon’, perfectly showcasing the individual and collective talents of all those present. After a brief pause, Wilson takes us back to “where it all began” with an encore of ‘Gentle Spirit’ followed by a storming version of ‘Trials Of Jonathan’, originally by Happy and Artie Traum and recorded by Wilson himself for Record Store Day 2012. All in all, the performance is spellbinding and gloriously crafted, yet still manages to uphold a sense of modesty as the frontman portrays a real sense of appreciation for his audience.
It was announced earlier in the show that Jonathan Wilson and his band would be returning to the UK sometime in June 2014, and it comes with high recommendation that you seek them out, as such beautifully constructed music performed by such fantastic showmen is something that must be witnessed to be truly appreciated.
Jonathan Wilson – Dear Friend on MUZU.TV.
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