John Shand Posts

April 1, 2013 / Concert Reviews - Archive

Clarendon Guesthouse, March 30, 2013 Why can’t more singers just be themselves? Why must they create glitzy show-biz personas and seek to – God save us – “interpret” a song? Mary Coughlan just sings them. She does it with such simplicity, humility and honesty that there is no veneer; just…

March 31, 2013 / Album Reviews - Archive

Concert In Athens (ECM) One of my speakers self-destructed recently, causing much gnashing of teeth. But since the replacement pair have been installed I swear no more beautiful sound has passed their membranes than that of Kim Kashkashian’s viola on this album. It has a velvety luxuriance such as the…

March 28, 2013 / Concert Reviews - Archive

Camelot Lounge, March 24  The very absence of one of the Bridge Project’s members just further emphasised the need for such a venture. Umit Ceyhan is a Turkish refugee resident in France with his wife and daughter. It appears he was denied an Australian visa for fear he would become…