St Johns Chapel, Chichester - 12 July 2007

[roger]

Fiona and her four-piece band are to appear in St John's Chapel, Chichester, West Sussex on Thursday 12th July. Details and booking details appear HERE

Roger

[roger]

Ian Tilley has forwarded the following review from the Chichester Observer:

Fiona Pears and her Band, St John’s Chapel.

Amplified percussion, piano and guitar were quietly setting the scene at the latest Festivities event at St. John’s Chapel, suddenly to be joined by their vivacious leader, Fiona Pears, who literally danced her way on, aflame with flashing eyes and animated gestures. Leaping about with joyful abandon and encouraging the audience to participate whenever they felt the need, she eagerly demonstrated the extraordinarily intense range of the acoustically enhanced violin – her three companions now forming a compact, but truly sympathetic, supporting ensemble.

Although the gypsy-styled, bare-foot gyrations were clearly intended to amuse those present, her routine focused mostly on intense personal reminiscence. All the numbers played – many of which she had composed in moments of nostalgia or longing, while travelling around the world – were personally introduced by Fiona herself. Her violin was then brought into play to express the spirit of those tantalizing traveller’s tales, often in the style of her favourite jazz maestros – Stephane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt – with supreme clarity, skill and passion. Percussion, piano and guitar were not always part of the rhythmic sequence; they were often painting that ethereal, wistful, background scenery, in front of which Fiona’s violin was singing so dramatically – the prima donna violinist from New Zealand had just made another spectacular appearance in Chichester!

John Wheatley

Many thanks to Ian for that great review. I only wish I had been there!

Roger

[Stephany]

Pictures of this concert are available on Fiona Pears' website[/url][/u].

Stephany

[grant]

stephany said:

Pictures of this concert are available on Fiona Pears' website

[/url][/u].

Stephany[/quote]

Just looked at the pictures. Now I REALLY wish I had been able to go - Fion's gown looks stunning!

Best wishes
Grant