Jez Lowe is back at Irvine Folk Club on Wednesday 13th March and it will be good to hear him again. He is one of the busiest, most popular and respected performers on the folk scene and it’s good that Irvine is included in his current UK Tour. And just in case you read his gig list, the Vineburgh has not changed its name to the Vineyard!
Born and raised in the coal mining community of Easington in County Durham, Jez has been playing since the early 70’s. His vitality and simplicity of style accompanied by a driving guitar and engaging humour are just some of the reasons for the enduring popularity of Jez Lowe. He also plays mandocello and a prize if have you ever seen him not wear a stripey Tshirt on stage!
He is a prolific songwriter and Richard Thomson rates Jez as the best contemporary English songwriter. A number of his songs address the economic distress suffered by the North Country as a result of the decline of the coal industry and the ensuing social repercussions. His songs can be heard in all corners of the world and artists of the calibre of Fairport Convention, Cherish the Ladies, The Dubliners and The Tannahills have all recorded Jez’s material.
As well as doing busy solo tours, Jez also sometimes plays with his band The Bad Pennies and does a number of collaborations with the likes of The Pitmen Poets, The Broonzies, James Keelaghan, Archie Fisher and Steve Tiltson. And, in between all of that, he is in the throes of completing his second novel. If you were listening to Mark Radcliffe on BBC Radio 2 last month, you may have heard Jez singing on the featured Ballads of Child Migration programme. A busy man with bucketloads of energy.
Jez has played in Irvine on a number of occasions sometimes solo and sometimes with his backing band The Bad Pennies. For anyone who has not heard him, go along to the Irvine Club on the 13th March. With Jez Lowe topping the bill, you will not be disappointed.
Irvine Folk Club meets in Vineburgh Community Centre in Quarry Road at 8pm and it’s BYOB plus there’s a good café!