Songwriter's Cafe - The Reunion

In the autumn of 1996, a musical Bournville family named the Murphys launched a regular live music session in Birmingham City Centre which was known as the Songwriter's Cafe. The aim of the Cafe was to encourage the art of songwriting by establishing a regular dedicated high profile perfomance platform for local songwriters.
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At the time this was a rare opportunity, especially for young musicians without the experience of public gigging. The audiences at the sessions were generally mellow and receptive to new talent, allowing many local songwriters to gain confidence delivering to a live audience where the beer was flowing and established, accomplished, even famous musicians were dotted around the audience.
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Songwriter's Cafe had been the brainchild of Belfast born Paul (picture below left) and Honora Murphy and it's development went back many years to the days of Paul's Common Base Music Workshop at the BCA, Jenkins Street in Small Heath in the early 1980s. Paul had set up Common Base in partnership with other Brum based musicians such as Dave Lacey, Mike O'Neill and Tom Martin who was at that time leading a Handsworth reggae group called The Nomads.
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A decade later Paul and Tom would collaborate again with a weekly roots club at Rowheath Pavilions. Regulars included both local and national musicians, including Sam Cornwell, Pete Hartley, Steve Gibbons, Rod Demick, Herbie Armstrong, Bert Jansch and Davy Arthur, to name but a few. When the Songwriter's Cafe emerged from these earlier foundations in 1996, the emphasis would be much more on local talent although the big names continued to support the initiative such as Simon Fowler (pictured left at Friday's reunion) from Ocean Colour Scene and local Brummie rock 'n' roll working class hero Steve Gibbons (he's got Chuck in his car / Brown Boots to a Funeral!!)
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The Songwriter's Cafe was also very much a family run project, with Paul's wife Honora and their 5 children taking a very active role in booking acts, marketing the gigs, booking and organising venues and even performing. As if having one guitar strumming rebel rouser from Ulster wasn't enough, another leading organiser of the SWC events was Belfast born Cecil Patton. Cecil would regularly host the SWC afternoons alongside Paul Murphy and when the two of them got going on the same stage, punters were assured of a finale to bring the roof down.
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Over the next three years the free Sunday afternoon sessions attracted hundreds of singers, songwriters and musicians. New talents were launched, established song writers made guest appearances. Showcase gigs travelled to other cities. A magazine and website promoted new writers to publishers and A&R.
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In 1998 SWC, tired of bartering with publicans and breweries, moved into an old bank in Digbeth to establish the SongBank - digital writing suites, PR and Marketing, First Step Publishing, Record Label, shop, regular performances and webcasts. But the premature death of co-founder Honora Murphy knocked the heart out of the enterprise and the project was abandoned.
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For one night only the Songwriter's Cafe returned to Birmingham city centre on Friday night with a reunion gig of some of the region's finest songwriters at The Studio. Friday night's reunion gig did not disappoint as a running list of fine songwriters took their turn in delivering a four hour feast of sublime talent and musical originality. The line up included Craig Hamilton (Friends Of The Stars), Gary O'Dea, Fola, Paul Murphy, Micky Greaney, Leo Alterelli, Daniel Rachel, Simon Fowler and Abi Budgen.
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With a line up like this it is difficult to pick highlights of the evening. But for starters former SWC regulars were delighted to see the appearance of local guitarist Darren Cole, aka Dazzle Cool, with his support band for the night - John Benbow (2nd guitar) and Alf on bass. As another artist observed, Darren was the regular opening act at virtually every Cafe session in the 90s, but was much more than the warm-up man - "once the other acts had heard Darren's guitar playing, we knew that the bar had been set and most of us sat there thinking how do we follow that?" And in SWC tradition, Darren delivered not one but two wonderful sets on Friday night (just to keep everyone else on their toes ...or should that be fingers?)

Craig Hamilton, a member of Birmingham based country / folk group Friends of the Stars (http://friendsofthestars.co.uk/) captivated the privileged audience with a short set including an intriguing acoustic interpretation of Duran Duran's Rio in the style of Johnny Cash.
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The name Gary O'Dea (pictured) will be familiar to regular Spaghetti Gazetti readers, Gary was not only co-compere of the night with Mr Murphy but gave us the additional bonus of a superb set of songs and some very accomplished guitar playing. This was my first ever opportunity to meet Gary having posted the info of his gigs and fund raising activities on Spaghetti for several months and the man is a real gent (well it takes one to know one as they say). I also felt pleased I had made the decision to wear my "Gojo Music - People's Republic of Tipton" t-shirt for the evening as the Tipton troubador did not fail to engage the Cafe with his playing with many influences such as John Lee Hooker and the Clash (a folk-ish version of White Man in Hammersmith Palais), proving just why this talented songwriter and performer continues to put Tipton on the world map. The story about Steve Gibbons and the church beams was an added bonus, we'll get Gary to tell that one some time for Spaghetti.

What was a nice touch was when, echoing Paul Murphy's earlier tribute to former SWC stalwart, Cecil Patton who died in 2006, Gary dedicated the final song of his set to this popular son of Belfast who had made his mark on the Brummagem music scene for many years. It was a nice touch for those who remember Cecil's high energy performances at SWC and the smile that was never absent from his Irish eyes. Make sure you visit Gary's Gojo Music site at http://www.gojo-music.co.uk/news.php
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A Songwriter's Cafe reunion would not have been complete without a set from the great Simon Fowler (see my photo top left) of Ocean Colour Scene. Simon was a regular top guest of the Cafe in the 1990s and also supported a special one-off line-up of Cafe favourites a couple of years back at the Roots DeVille Midsummer Festival at the Custard Factory in 2006. For those who have never had the privilege of witnessing an unplugged Fowler performance in such intimate surroundings, take my word for it, it's more than worth a bus journey into Birmingham City Centre on any dark autumn night!
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Simon Fowler's set was as accomplished as ever and included acoustic solo renditions of OCS classics One For The Road and the superb The Circle. It seemed everyone tonight had a little anecdote to tell about absent local musical greats and Simon Folwer had his own story about Kings Heath based producer Bob Lamb (former member of Steve Gibbons Band and producer of early UB40 and OCS), apparently some 6 months into the production relationship with Ocean Colour Scene Bob Lamb came out with a tale of a close encounter with Jimi Hendrix -Simon Fowler remarking "had that been me I would have made sure I told that story within 6 hours of getting to know someone - not leaving it for 6 months!"
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Visit the Ocean Colour Scene website at: http://www.oceancolourscene.com/
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Sticking such a brilliant guest as Simon Fowler half way through your evening would in most circumstances backfire (i.e. "well that was the best bit and for the next two hours we have ...hang on where's the audience just gone?") but there was no let up in the quality of performances.
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Next ...local Celtic/Black Country-rooted duo Fola are Andy Lucas and Kate Barry, delivering a selection of passionate, beautiful and melodic ballads with the sweet vocal of Kate and the driving guitar of Andy, Fola enchant and inspire their audience with foot-tapping musical adeptness. Songs included Apache Smile (dedicated to George Bush), an instrumental (with flute and guitar) Don't Wake Me and Goodnight Soldier. It's definately worth trying to get to hear Fola if they are playing locally. Visit Fola's MySpace website at http://www.myspace.com/folamusic and discover for yourself just how beautiful their sound is.
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The second half of the evening kept the quality going with sets from more of the region's finest songwriters including the stunning guitarist and singer Micky Greaney (pictured left). This will sound like a cliche but Micky's music literally takes the listener to another astral plane, listen to his stuff on his MySpace site and you will appreciate where I'm coming from, then imagine listening to Micky in the intimate surroundings of the Songwriter's Cafe and you might get close to the treat we experienced at around midnight on Friday night. Soulful and insightful, what a voice - check Micky's music out at this link:
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http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=81126487
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Another Songwriter's Cafe 'top maestro' appearing on Friday night was the invigorating Daniel Rachel (pictured right) - strumming, lyrical, rousing, Daniel is a ragged troubadour from the Zimmerman school though with a unique contemporary style. His songs tonight included Hearts and Bones and the track we promoted earlier this year on Spaghetti Gazetti which Daniel released on CD to raise money for a charity which raises awareness of domestic violence... Let it be Mine.
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Check out Daniel Rachel's music at his MySpace site: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=44418686
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The revelations for me on Friday night were two performers I had never heard before, firstly ragtime and country blues guitarist Abie Budgen (with Dan Wilkins on washboard and junk percussion) performing a superb set of ragtime style songs featuring audience participation on kazoo and Abie doing a great nose trumpet! Though I would not for one moment wish to trivialise the originality and musical skill emanating from Abie and Dan, their set typifying the huge range of songwriters who regularly graced the stage at the SWC. It was so refreshing to be taken back to some of the roots and branches of folk and rhythym and blues music through 1920s and 1930s ragtime and country blues with elements of skiffle and even George Formby. Abie and Dan are massive talents, check out Abie's rambling dusty guitar at her MySpace site at www.myspace.com/abiebudgenmusic and also put this date in your diary - Saturday 8th November - learn to play ragtime and country blues with Abie and Dan at artrix theatre, Bromsgrove - places are limited - box office 01527 577330 (http://www.artrix.co.uk/)
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The other major, major, major revelation (have I said "major" yet?) for me on Friday night was hearing the sound of Leo Alterelli for the very first time. As Leo stood off-stage before his set we were treated to the world premier of his new video Cabin Fever - a wonderful work of animation and a great sound which can be checked out right now at this YouTube link - http://video.aol.com/video-detail/cabin-fever/766256673

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Accompanied by Tom Robbins, Leo proceeded to prove to the audience just why the Songwriter's Cafe reunion had to happen, dazzling us with a set of strong, powerful musicianship. Leo's voice somewhere between John Martyn and Jamiroquai, fusing Napoli folk with acoustic funk and half a dozen other musical sources blended into the rich acoustic pot for good measure.
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A member of the vibrantly diverse mega band The Destroyers, alongside SWC founder Paul Murphy, I have the strongest conviction we are going to hear a lot more of Leo Alterelli in the coming future. Don't take my word for it, check out Leo's profile on MySpace and also check out The Destroyer's site at these two links:
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http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=62386618
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http://www.thedestroyers.co.uk/

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Having already entertained us earlier in the evening with his recitals of such classics as the tin of Fray Bentos corned beef poem ("God helps those who helps themselves"), the charismatic master-wordsmith, ex-flat mate of Lemmy and former Belfast beatnik, Paul Murphy took to the stage to close the reunion and at 2am in the morning, to sing a group of nostalgic but thoroughly entertained Songwriter's Cafe-ers on our journey home.

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Following a faltering start to his final set, as a justifiably weary Mr Murphy discovered his guitar needed some serious retuning, Micky Greaney and assorted others leapt to Paul's aid with the offers of Micky's guitar and from elsewhere in the audience, a 'bridge' (musician jargon I think - it's some sort of metal device that is clipped to the neck of the artist's axe) and Paul thus delivered a veritable tear-jerking rendition of his finest song, The Glen, written in memory of his wonderful wife and mother of his 5 amazing children, Honora. If emotional charge is a conductor for the spirit world, then Honora's presence filled the room. Nice one Paul, it was worth holding out for that bridge - both physically and metaphysically speaking!

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But Paul's weariness at the start of the final SWC encore was, as usual for the man who seems to have his finger permanently on life's energy pulse, momentary and with the musical support of messrs. Greaney and Rachel burst into the final number, an uplifting version of Van the Man's Gloria before finally and reluctantly it was time to disappear into the night after what was quite truly ...a fantastic evening.

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Thanks to the organisers, with special praise due to Valeria Rispo and to Lawrence Cairns-Smith without whom I don't think it would all have happened, or not so smoothly, and the latter whom I believe was responsible for facilitating the excellent venue at The Studio. When I spoke to Lawrence at the end of the night he was beaming at the fact that Paul Murphy had earlier done an improvised talking blues number about Lawrence's baby son - song composition having it's own very unique currency at the SWC!

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Finally, what can I say, a very special evening which, in the tradition of all events which reunite old friends was initially coloured by a splash of nostalgia, but far from being an echo of something that was once brilliant, this event was as fresh, innovative and new as each SWC session was in the past. The future is unwritten, all power to the hands, minds and voices of the Song Writer's Cafe!

Check out these links for more about Paul Murphy:

http://www.paulmurphymusic.com/

http://www.myspace.com/paulmurphysings

My review is dedicated to Honora Murphy and Cecil Patton - whose souls repose in the music of eternity.