Neil Cowley - Polly Wright
Another excellent evening at Norwich Arts Centre
Opener Polly Wright is an impressive local singer-songwriter with an assured approach and intriguing repertoire. Accompanying herself with some bold piano playing she brought to mind Leonard Cohen and Molly Drake, and at times sounded uncannily like Black Box Recorder’s Sarah Nixey. Some of her subject matter seems to overlap with that band, and several songs successfully conjured up rich, expressive moods, which stuck in my head long after her set was over.
The melancholy drama of her music stood in contrast to the main act. Neil Cowley’s performance was equally assured, and every bit as emotionally complex, but with a relaxed, genial vibe that complemented the opener excellently. His set, which consisted mainly of evolving keyboard phrases played over complex electronic arrangements, was completely transfixing in its warmth and subtlety.
He appears absolutely sure of his artistic intentions, and possessed of the skills and confidence necessary to realise them. The Arts Centre has seen some mesmerising piano playing over recent years: Lubomyr Melnyk and James Heather were two particular favourites of mine. Neil Cowley is clearly in the same league as those two. It was a privilege to spend the evening in the company of his engaging, thoughtful compositions, and I look forward to exploring his recorded output in more detail, and to attending further performances.
