C.W. Stoneking manifests from a mythical Americana past and plays Blues like he’s stepped out of a time worm hole.
This is Blues played with a myriad of styles and rewoven into a distinct and different cloth. He stands next to legendary names like Texas Alexander, Papa Charlie Jackson, Henry Thomas, Blind Lemon Jefferson, without sounding derivative at all.
But it is recognisable Blues, nonetheless.
I first saw him earlier this year at the Auckland Folk Festival, where he was introduced as a singular and hard to classify solo artist. It was clear then that he builds up his own mythology and creates himself, like Bob Dylan.
He appears on stage dressed in white, hair slicked back and shiny with brylcreem, completed with a bow tie. He resembles the young Scotty Moore who played guitar with Elvis in 1954.
Christopher William Stoneking was born in Katherine, Northen Territories of Australia and was raised in the interior of the country. Within a 500-kilometre radius of Alice Springs, which may give us some idea of the environment which produced this singular character.
In the one interview done on Radio New Zealand prior to the Folk Festival late last year, he remains opaque and cagey in opening to his past and his influences. Presents the persona of a wandering itinerant street performer who works in the oral broadsheet tradition. A storyteller, raconteur, a jiving streetwise poet.
Start with some piercing single note strikes from his guitar, before the rhythm settles into a rollicking Blues road song How Long. Papa Charlie Jackson is name-dropped.
Goin’ The Country is a conversation where CW does both voices. Similar in structure to a Jimmie Rogers/ Carter Family combined rap from 1932. Tall tales and some trash talk and comedy in the tradition of Mark Twain.
A haunting Country Blues guitar intro follows and a bragging song, she’s got the hottest lover. The first time we hear the spirit of Robert Johnson for the evening.
Dodo Blues he introduces as a Talking Blues. It is a great pastiche of vaudeville and the classic Twenties style of the great female artists like Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey.
This is off his first album King Hokum (2005), which was the first of all original material. Prior to this, there were two covers albums, a self-titled debut and C.W. Stoneking and the Blue Tits, both from 1999.
I Heard the March Of The Drums from the Jungle Blues album, has drums and horns feature on the recorded version. On stage tonight he plays heavily percussive riffs and somehow sounds like a full band.
Then he takes time to outline how to make a love spell. New Orleans voodoo style. But it’s designed to capture by sickness. Love me or die. What follows is a fraught and disturbed racket, which casts a spell of its own.
Mama Got the Blues. The voice is a baritone rumble with a remarkable degree of flexibility and expression. He can do blue yodels and falsetto moans with deceptive ease. He may not have the octave range of Captain Beefheart Don Van Vliet, but he has a heavier presence than Tom Waits vocally.
CW has contributed to a Jack White solo album, and White considers him the perfect expressive Blues voice.
Goin’ Back South is softened by Hawaiian guitar twang and a Southern Country ambience.
The Zombie is closest to rock’n’roll in spirit. Pure Screaming Jay Hawkins theatrics.
The one cover for the night is Jimmie Rogers Jailhouse Blues. Sits well with all the original material.
Talkin’ Lion Blues and Jungle Lullaby close out the show. Reminiscent of Cowboy music, old style Western vaudeville and sweetened by some gorgeous melodies.
C.W. Stoneking casts the spells and recreates an old-timey atmosphere and keeps us enthralled for the evening.
View a full gallery of photos from the show. All photos by Den.
Rev. Orange Peel
Greta_O’Leary opened the show. Here’s a gallery of her performance. All photos by Den.
