Sarah Jane Morris - Le Crazy Coqs, London.

Sarah Jane Morris
Le Crazy Coqs, Zedel Brasserie, London
16/11/21
By Paul Davies

Nobody interprets songs quite like Sarah Jane Morris, be they beautifully transformed covers of the rarely heard and popular standards, or her own exquisitely self-penned and shared compositions. She is unique. This rare blend is exemplified by the two different but simpatico accompanying guitarists in Tim Cansfield and Tony Remy who weave their inimitable six string magic for Sarah to take flight.

Digging as deep into her soul as her baritone voice, Morris sublimely delivered choice cuts from her and Tony Remy’s album of John Martyn songs from a theatre show that previously won an Edinburgh fringe award. Head And Heart, Couldn’t Love You More, Over The Hill, and One World were majestically performed. However, it was the supreme self-assurance of adding an extra verse about the daily deadly plight of refugees/migrants crossing the English Channel to John Lennon’s Imagine which stole the show. The intelligent reworking of this hallowed song cannot be praised highly enough. A version of Janis Joplin’s famed take on Piece Of My Heart, first recorded by Aretha Franklin’s sister Erma, again displayed the mesmeric originality of this three piece’s approach to worldwide standards.

The flame of passion still burns strong within Sarah Jane Morris as she carries the torch for performers who set the stage alight before her and for those that will follow in her exalted footsteps.