[FM] Greg Greenway at the Muse, Londonderry, NH

[Roberta Schwartz]

Greg Greenway
& the Singers
Saturday, January 13, 2001
The Muse
Londondery, NH
8 p.m.

Greg Greenway took the stage as the solo act for the night in his 
annual pilgrimage to southern New Hampshire's best folk club, the 
Muse in Londonderry.
Accompanied by accomplished Boston area singers Patty Barkas and 
Ginny Fordham, it was a night to be remembered and savored for a long 
time.

For those who have not had the experience of hearing Greg live, he is 
one part talented, sensitive singer/songwriter, another part gospel 
preacher in terms of his dynamic performance, and one part world 
music performer.  He is one of the most exciting performers on the 
acoustic circuit.

He opened the first set by singing one of his best-loved tunes, "Lay 
Down This Weight" with the stirring accompaniment of the Singers.  He 
followed this up with a new song, "The Way of the World," which is 
the first tune of his I've heard with some jazz stylings.  It begins 
with a great bass line and catches you up in its rhythm.  The song is 
about songwriting and the creative process and Greg's journey through 
all of it.

One of the things that's remarkable about Greg's music is the amount 
of sound he can get out of an acoustic guitar.  With three voices 
accompanied by Greg's lone acoustic guitar, it felt and sounded like 
the stage was filled with an orchestra full of instruments.  A 
remarkable feat!

Other highlights of the first set included another new song called 
"Every Little Day the World's Brand New," which touches on one life 
beginning, and another life ending.

And, there is always the one funny tune, and Greg has a great one. 
He calls it "Don't Make Me Sing" in honor of all of the singalongs 
that happen at acoustic shows.  This one takes the voice of a guy in 
the audience who is on his first date and doesn't want his girl to 
know that he can't sing.  A great romp for the  entire audience.

It wouldn't be a Greg Greenway show without the striking, acapella "A 
Crack in the Wall" accompanied by the Singers.  This is definitely 
the gospel flavored revival song that would bring anyone into the 
fold!

The second set was filled with audience requests, and Greg graciously 
filled all of them.  "Without A Prayer" is a song that Greg has not 
performed in years, but did get to perform in Carnegie Hall.  It is a 
tribute to the students at Tianemen Square in China.  "Don't Go" pays 
haunting tribute to the loss of one's father.  "Night Forever 
Falling" is a palette of world music sounds that gets you moving. 
Patty Barkas treated us to her beautiful solo on "The Water is Wide." 
And a new song called "Midnight in Khartoum" was written to sound 
like "a camel walking in the desert," according to Greg.  Simply 
beautiful.

So, it was another very special night at the Muse in Londonderry, 
with an audience filling all of the small candlelit tables, eating 
fine desserts, and enjoying the dynamic performance of Greg Greenway 
and the Singers.  Don't miss them when they come to your town!

Roberta Schwartz
-- 
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Roberta B. Schwartz
rschwartz@oeb.harvard.edu
Staff Writer, Music Matters Review
http://www.mmreview.com
Reviewer and Review editor, FAME
http://www.acousticmusic.com/fame/famehome.htm
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