Concert Appearances
The Songs of Leonard Cohen
Each song stripped back - desolate, naked and sensual
The most enigmatic, mysterious and sub textural songwriter the English speaking world has ever known. Revered and covered by the entire music community; Leonard Cohen’s exact sense of prose, his wry humour and his courage to wrestle with the unspoken, forgiving human frailty with the brush of each line.
His recent spectacular world tour of stadium venues has been successful beyond belief but has not, with regret, exposed the solitary inner strength of the songs in their original form.
With my undying love of the ‘pure song’ it gives me great pleasure to bring this amazing material to Arts Centres and Theatres across the UK and to perform these songs in an intimate and sensitive way.
Also included are Poems by Federico Garcia Lorca and Leonard Cohen that I have set to music.
‘certainly the UK’s most celebrated and evocative interpreter of golden music’ The Guardian
‘Some of the most atmospheric and emotive music you will ever hear’ The Independent
‘Keith James has become a pillar of trust. A sublimely intimate and engaging voice’ Sunday Times
‘a sensitive and pleasingly understated delivery, all the better that the songs might speak for themselves’ Acoustic Magazine
The Music of Nick Drake
together with poems by William Blake, set to Nick Drake’s guitar arrangements
Singer-guitarist Keith James began astounding audiences in 2001 with his stunningly beautiful series of concerts entitled 'The Songs of Nick Drake'. In the last decade Keith has toured the UK and Europe performing over 1,000 concerts dedicated to Drake's music and combining it with the poems of William Blake.
Nick Drake is one of the most revered and loved singer-songwriters. His music is both timeless and priceless. After Drake's tragic death in 1974 (aged 26) his music almost disappeared into obscurity. Now, thanks to a massive resurgence of interest and a worldwide re-evaluation of his genius Nick Drake has become a national treasure.
"His songs shed all the tears of life within their fragile yet perfect lines." Keith James
During Drake's time at Cambridge, he became enchanted with Blake's poetry and his influence runs like a warm stream throughout Nick’s music. As a way of continuing his devotion and evaluation, Keith has set a small but powerful collection of Blake’s poems to Nick’s guitar arrangements, featuring his tunings, fluent technique and instinctual sense of melancholy.
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Upcoming Dates
[L] Lorca
[ND] The Songs of Nick Drake
[PNY] Poet in New York
Wednesday 22nd May 2013
The Man Of Kent, Rochester, Kent - 8:30PM
Box Office - 07772 214 315
THE SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN This is a gig at Kents most unique and valued real Ale - in fact - real everything pub. Heather and crew are all wonderful people. It is impossible to have anything other than a great gig at The Man of Kent.
Friday 24th May 2013
LYDE COURT, Hereford, Herefordshire - 8:30PM
Box Office - 01432 357753
THE SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN Each song stripped back - desolate, naked and sensual The most enigmatic, mysterious and sub textural songwriter the English speaking world has ever known. Revered and covered by the entire music community; Leonard Cohen’s exact sense of prose, his wry humour and his courage to wrestle with the unspoken. Forgiving human frailty with the brush of each line. His recent spectacular world tour of stadium venues has been successful beyond belief but has not, with regret, exposed the solitary inner strength of the songs in their original perfect form. Keith James; with a lifetime reputation of performing in this exact way and an undying love of the pure song gives you a concert of this amazing material in the most intimate and sensitive way imaginable. Also included are Poems by Federico Garcia Lorca and Leonard Cohen that Keith has set to music. THE EVENING BEGINS WITH AN ENGAGING CELLO RECITAL FROM THE FLAMBOYANT SONIA HAMMOND - including Bach and Elgar Cello Suites. Sonia also joins Keith during part of his Leonard Cohen Concert.
Tuesday 28th May 2013
The Globe at Hay, Hay on Wye, Hereford - 12:30PM
Box Office - 01497 821762
HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN. HAY FESTIVAL. I will be singing 2 of my Poems and perhaps a Lorca Poem as part of the launch of Hay's poetry magazine 'QUIRK'
Friday 31st May 2013
The Globe at Hay, Hay on Wye, Hereford - 12:30PM
Box Office - 01497 821762
HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN. HAY FESTIVAL. I will be singing 2 of my Poems and perhaps a Lorca Poem as part of the launch of Hay's poetry magazine 'QUIRK'
Friday 31st May 2013 [L]
Hay Festival Fringe, Hay on Wye, Powys - 8:00PM
Box Office - 07983 559625
A BRAND NEW CONCERT OF THE POETRY OF GARCIA LORCA, PABLO NERUDA AND LEONARD COHEN SET TO MUSIC. This Concert is performed together with Cellist Sonia Hammond. It is at Hay on Wye Parish Hall and forms part of Hay Fringe.
Saturday 1st June 2013 [ND]
Hay Festival Fringe, Hay on Wye, Powys - 8:00PM
Box Office - 07983 559625
THE MUSIC OF NICK DRAKE. Together with Poems by William Blake set to Nick’s Guitar arrangements Nick Drake is the most revered and loved of all of this country’s Singer/Songwriters. Both timeless and priceless. Songs that shed all the tears of life within their fragile yet perfect lines. After his tragic death in 1974 aged only 26 his music almost disappeared into obscurity. Now, thanks to a massive resurgence of interest and a worldwide re-evaluation of his genius Nick Drake has become a National treasure. A number of years have now passed since Singer/Guitarist Keith James began to paralyse audiences with his stunningly beautiful series of concerts entitled The Songs of Nick Drake. At the beginning of the project in 2001 he was the first artist ever to bring this immaculate and intriguing music to Theatres across the UK in its pure concert form. The end result has now been more than a decade of highly acclaimed tours amounting to over 1000 concerts across the British Isles, Europe and all of Nick’s Schools and Colleges - even Glastonbury Festival. During his time at Cambridge, Nick became particularly enchanted with the Poetry of William Blake 1757 –1827 - Blake’s influence runs like a warm stream throughout Nick’s music. As a way of continuing his devotion and evaluation, Keith has set a small but powerful collection of Blake’s poems to Nick’s guitar arrangements, featuring his tunings, fluent technique and instinctual sense of melancholy. It is at Hay on Wye Parish Hall and forms part of Hay Fringe.
Friday 7th June 2013 [ND]
SMALL WORLD THEATRE, Cardigan, S W Wales - 8:00PM
Box Office - 01239 615952
THE MUSIC OF NICK DRAKE. Together with Poems by William Blake set to Nick’s Guitar arrangements Nick Drake is the most revered and loved of all of this country’s Singer/Songwriters. Both timeless and priceless. Songs that shed all the tears of life within their fragile yet perfect lines. After his tragic death in 1974 aged only 26 his music almost disappeared into obscurity. Now, thanks to a massive resurgence of interest and a worldwide re-evaluation of his genius Nick Drake has become a National treasure. A number of years have now passed since Singer/Guitarist Keith James began to paralyse audiences with his stunningly beautiful series of concerts entitled The Songs of Nick Drake. At the beginning of the project in 2001 he was the first artist ever to bring this immaculate and intriguing music to Theatres across the UK in its pure concert form. The end result has now been more than a decade of highly acclaimed tours amounting to over 1000 concerts across the British Isles, Europe and all of Nick’s Schools and Colleges - even Glastonbury Festival. During his time at Cambridge, Nick became particularly enchanted with the Poetry of William Blake 1757 –1827 - Blake’s influence runs like a warm stream throughout Nick’s music. As a way of continuing his devotion and evaluation, Keith has set a small but powerful collection of Blake’s poems to Nick’s guitar arrangements, featuring his tunings, fluent technique and instinctual sense of melancholy.
Saturday 15th June 2013 [L]
The Globe at Hay, Hay on Wye, Hereford - 8:00PM
Box Office - 01497 821762
A Concert of mostly Lorca and Leonard Cohen material re-arranged and performed with Cellist Sonia Hammond.
Sunday 7th July 2013
BRACKLEY MUSIC FESTIVAL, Bus. Info Bureau, Courtyard Mews, Market Place, Brackley - 3:30PM
Box Office - 07901 854576
An afternoon Concert: A mixture of all the music that I feature in my concert tours.
