Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Gwyneth Moreland and David Hayes at Little River Inn December 28, 2013

David and GwynethDavid Hayes on bass and Gwyneth Moreland on guitar and vocals.David and GwynethDavid and GwynethGwynethDavid
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GwynethGwynethDavid and GwynethGwynethGwynethDavid's bass
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Gwyneth Moreland and David Hayes at Little River Inn December 28, 2013, a set on Flickr. (Click on the thumbnails for larger versions.)
Local talents singer/songwriter Gwyneth Moreland and bassist David Hayes played a great concert to a packed house at Little River Inn's Abalone Room last Saturday, December 28th.

David has played with a wide range of musicians over the years, including Van Morrison, The Rowan Brothers, Jesse Colin Young, and many more. His playing has a jazz influenced fluidity that can be the foundation of the music or come front and center to carry the ball home. It was a perfect compliment to Gwyneth's performance.

Gwyneth was a real revelation. As one audience member remarked, she "owned the stage", playing heart-felt versions of her compositions from a number of CDs she has released over the years, and displaying an easy rapport will her audience.  Her guitar playing (on a guitar made for her by her brother, Morgan Daniel and fellow member of bluegrass group Foxglove) was understated but precise, never showboating but instead serving the emotions of the songs.

The songs themselves were beautiful, bringing an aura of folk and country to originals and delivering traditional songs with earnest and genuine authenticity. Both with chestnuts such as "I'm So Lonesome I Could Die" and "Jack-A-Row" and originals such as "Pine Box Sailor" and "Screaming at Trains", she held the Abalone Room listeners under her spell. Her voice is perfectly suited to this body of work, and while comparisons have been made to the likes of Gillian Welch and Iris Dement,  her style is her own, and she grabbed the audience from the first sweet notes.

This duo is a real treasure, and if you get the chance to see them they are well worth your time and effort. Their recordings, available through their web sites, are also recommended, giving you a glimpse of their wonderful talent.

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