THE 2014/15 season at Market House Music in Castle Cary came to a standing-room-only finale with a visit by Misbehavin’ in the intimate atmosphere of The Shambles.
It’s less than two years since the building was converted to provide a performance and exhibition space, and already it has established its place on the local scene, thanks to Nigel Begley’s music series and to visits organised by TakeArt.
The cabaret closeness of the venue was ideally suited to the music of Misbehavin’, the quartet made up of singer Helen Porter, reeds specialist Karen Wimhurst, guitarist Robin Walter and new bassist James Budden.
Their current spring tour, which ends at Salisbury Arts Centre on 11th April, focuses on time, and the second half is given over to their new compositions on the subject.
The Dorset-based group has a loyal following in the region, and it grows with every performance. This new set is full of inventive delights, and James brings a new dimension to the sound.
As well as a couple of familiar Misbehavin’ numbers, they enchanted their audience with Robin’s new songs The World is Wrong and Counterpoint, Karen’s homage to her amateur horologist father Windup, and Helen’s song First Square on the Board, about the plight of refugees dependent on forms, red tape and bureaucracy as they wait to discover if they will be sent home to the countries they have fled.
The time pieces began with the curious and witty EOT = GHA – GMHA. It’s a formula about time that plays with science, maths and metaphysics. They did a lot of reading for these songs!
The encore is an a cappella musical spin on the many ways we talk about time which had the audience laughing in admiration at the clever word-play and song-writing skills of this ever-more impressive jazz quartet.
There’s much more to Time Piece. Listen for yourself at Salisbury, and keep an eye on the Music at the Market House programme, which starts again in the autumn. It is the perfect place to hear fine music of many genres up close and personal.
GP-W