It’s virtually impossible to keep up with Robb Johnson. Today not one but two new CDs landed on the doormat. Already available is Souvenir, recorded live at Crazy Coqs in Soho in celebration of Robb’s 70th birthday. He’s accompanied by three of his Irregulars: Jenny Carr on keys, bassist John Forrester and son Arvin on drums – now the tallest member of the band if the photograph is to be believed.
Paradoxically, Robb begins with an unaccompanied song, ‘A True History Of Couscous’ and if you are familiar with Robb’s oeuvre this won’t come as much of a surprise. The whole album is composed of his “English chanson” material – songs that are linked to episodes in his life and European in their scope. Next up is the wonderful ‘Carnival Song’ with its bizarre chorus and its mittel- European arrangement. ‘My Last Night In Montmartre’ finds us in Paris, of course, with a surprisingly spare accompaniment. It also serves to remind us what a clever guitarist Robb is.
Robb explains that ‘The Beautiful Dark’ takes us eastwards – actually a gazetteer would be a useful adjunct to Souvenir – ‘Tram Number 22’ describes an evening somewhere over there set to the sound of Jenny’s jazz piano. ‘The Big Wheel’ could occur anywhere from Brighton to Vienna but ‘Au Depart’ and ‘Stalingrad’ both position themselves accurately unlike the oldest song in the set – ‘The Night Café’, another masterful arrangement.
We’re back in England for ‘Coincidents On The Circle Line’, a rumination on the minutiae of a brief incident triggered by a pigeon and a dog. John kicks off ‘You & This City’, which I must have heard but can’t actually remember – Robb has written a lot of songs! ‘Old Magicians’ is a tribute to Belgian beer and bar musicians and finally we come to the newest song here; ‘Full Moon Over Aubervilliers’, about a commune near Saint-Denis and if that doesn’t mean anything to you I hope that perhaps I have piqued your interest.
If you know Robb’s work you will just sit back and wallow in these songs and if not this isn’t a bad place to start before you dive into Margaret Thatcher – My Part In Her Downfall.
Dai Jeffries
Artist’s website: https://www.robbjohnson.co.uk/
‘The Night Cafe’ – live in the studio:
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