Amazing Songs & Other Delights #56 – The Winter is Here edition by Raquel Pinheiro @ YÊ YÊ Radio, Monday 18th

Amazing Songs & Other Delights #56 – The Winter is Here edition is tomorrow, Monday 18th, 3-4pm (gmt) on YÊ YÊ Radio: https://yeyeradio.com/ (or on the app).I’m a literal Winter Solstice baby a ND this time of the year always feels like home. The 16  songs and instrumentals chosen include the traditional California Dreamin’ and Here Comes the Sun that are usually played on my Winter programmes (and not just) here respectively by Diana Krall and Yusuf (Cat Stevens).

Tracklist:
01 – Ariel Nina’s, Catarina Moura, CÊsar Prata – Bento Airoso
02 – Bill Rivers – If I Knew Real Magic  5, 2019 early audio recording song idea)
03 – Canto Nono – É Hora do Sol Pôr
04 – Diana Krall – California Dreamin’
05 – Felt – The Stagnant Pool (Raquel’s instrumental edit)
06 – Frederico BC – Sol de Inverno (Live)
07 – Led Zeppelin – Winter Sun
08 – Lewis Barfoot – The Snows They Melt The Soonest
09 – Luxury – The Wilderness/The Color of Gold
10 – Madredeus – Solstício
11 – MÃŖo Morta – Sinto Tanto Frio
12 – Monique Danielle – Carol of the Bells
13 – The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Purple Haze
14 – The Stone Roses – I Am the Resurrection
15 – Yo La Tengo – Winter A-Go-Go.
16 – Yusuf (Cat Stevens) – Here Comes the Sun (Acoustic)

(painting: Wassily Kandinsky – Winter Landscape, 1909)

Marty & Olivia Willson-Piper, Hard Rock Cafe, Porto, 30/11/2023.

Š JoÃŖo Castro

words: Paulo Carmona (edited and freely translated by Raquel Pinheiro); photos: JoÃŖo Castro & Marcos Leal

Nothing more, nothingless than a colloquial conversation with music. . I’ve seen concerts with audience participation, but I have never witnessed to such close and afable dialogues between musicians and audience. It was really cute to watch.

Š Mondo Bizarre Magazine/Marcos Leal

From the start Marty didn’t stop telling jokes, stories, situations and events, and interjecting, in perfect symbiosis with the tone of one song after the other. Irish pub talk. Paraphrasing Marty: “The first song is called blah, blah, blah, is from blah, blah, blah album and was recorded at blah, blah, blah. Verbatim what I write you dear readers. Of course laughing and laughter echoed in unison through the room.

Š JoÃŖo Castro

The duo presented itself with electro-acoustic folk guitar, violins, all its musical talent that was enough to the great celebration of their songs Tristesse, She’ll Come Back and Feed Your Mind in growing succession. Helpless You, I Don’t Think So, Almost With You where also sung, always growing to Into My Hands, You Whisper, Water Milkyway and Hopes and Fears.

Š JoÃŖo Castro

The Celtic tone impregnated by the violin on the songs is contagious and Marty’s firgerstyle that goes along with is intense, memorable and extremely well performed. The songs breath among silence, rhythm and rather balanced vocals, between close or further from the microphone, depending of the flow and intensity. Brilliant in all its spendour.

Š JoÃŖo Castro

Of note, the classical component brought by Olivia’s violin to the cheerful duo’s Celt folk inspired songs. There wasn’t an encore per se. Among clapping and request for more songs they didn’t left the stage. They prompty accept a presented with Melody of the Rain, Grind and Spark.Hard Rock Cafe room was already lively and kept being. Everyone was entitled to selfies, conversation and hugs with Marty and Olivia.

Š JoÃŖo Castro

It is always good to feel such warmness from artists that know how to be upon a stage and set all star ways aside. The evening was cold and wet contrasting with what happened at the heart of the city. Pump pump heart.

Š Mondo Bizarre Magazine/Marcos Leal