REVIEW: Jools Holland, Borde Hill, Haywards Heath
ANOTHER new talent was given a platform by boogey woogey maestro Jools Holland when Canadian singer-songwriter Meaghan Smith wooed an audience of more than 5,000 at Borde Hill Garden on Saturday night (June 20).
For the second time Jools and his phenomenal Rhythm and Blues Orchestra attracted bumper numbers of picnickers for an outdoor concert that began with Meaghan's gentle, uplifting jazz style and ended with a crescendo of fireworks.
Meaghan's UK debut at Borde Hill included songs from her first EP, whimsically entitled The Cricket's Orchestra, which is being produced as a full-length CD in the first of a four record deal with Warner Brothers Records later this summer.
The 31-year-old, who comes from Nova Scotia on Canada's east coast, has a sweet voice that has been likened to Nora Jones and it is not dissimilar. But Meaghan has something different besides, and her relaxed, self-effacing style and self-scribed songs of love and loss and growing up at home have an innocence that is both refreshing and endearing.
Before going on stage Meaghan told the Middy: "I am someone who is shy about my feelings; a lot of my songs are about things I wish I had said to people but never did so I write them in songs instead."
After Meaghan, Jools and friends were their usual enrapturing mix of jazz, rock 'n roll, soul and plain boogey woogey with almost everyone of the 18-piece orchestra given a turn to demonstrate their individual musical prowess whether vocally or on sax, trombone, organ in the case of his brother Christopher Holland or on drums in the case of the almost flaying arms and legs of Gilson Lavis.
Jools also welcomed his other main guest in the shape of rock 'n roll guitarist and singing legend Dave Edmunds, who was given a huge welcome by a crowd that defied the slight chill and a light shower of rain to enjoy the evening.
Ruby Turner, introduced by Jools as the "queen of queens of boogey woogey", provided the finale with a typically powerful performance of You Are So Beautiful to round off a concert of masterful musicianship.
Carolyn Robertson
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Weather for Lewes
Thursday 24 May 2012
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Temperature: 14 C to 22 C
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