The Muse at Brecon and the Mid Wales Rhythm and Blues Club joined forces for this superb gig, showcasing the amazing musical talents of Remi Harris and Tom Moore, very ably supported by Armstrong & O’Donnell, in front of a packed and enthusiastic audience.
This was one of those evenings that made you appreciate how very lucky we are in Brecon to be able to see such talent on our own doorstep, in the warm, friendly and intimate setting of the Muse.
Starting off the evening, a very welcome return visit by Armstrong and O’Donnell set the mood perfectly, Mark O’Donnell’s spellbinding echo-laden guitar work interweaving perfectly with Chris Armstrong’s soulful vocals to create an immersive mellow soundscape with tinges of jazz and blues. Their own word “floaty” describes their sound perfectly.
The guitar and bass work of Remi Harris and Tom Moore was simply spectacular – Remi is an accomplished master of many guitar styles, ranging from prodigious lightning-fast Django-inspired gypsy jazz, via delicate 12-string evocations of Jimmy Page, through to the authentically wistful blues of Peter Green. On the bass, Tom was very much an equal partner with Remi, providing plenty of his own melodic improvisation and rhythmic skill.
Along the way we were treated to some memorable interpretations of Beethoven, the Beatles, and (of course, by special request) AC/DC. The audience quite rightly gave them a standing ovation, and then both acts took the the stage for a final blues jam to round off the evening perfectly.
As ever, many thanks to the Muse and everyone involved in making this excellent gig possible.
Photos by Barry Hill
Review by Jim Kerslake
