Usually just me. I play all the instruments on the CD. Live it's normally just me and a guitar....
I also play in a band called ,'The Blue Tarpaulins,' covering everything from soft rock to hard bluegrass..... The band comprises Maria Jaffray, (Double bass and vocals) Terry Page, (Banjo, guitar and vocals) Lindsey Smith, (Guitar, mandolin and vocals) Dave Pinder (Guitar and vocals) and Steve Spearing. (Guitar, banjo, violin and vocals.)..... Steve and I are also available as a duo playing whatever anyone wants us to.
Influences
Bob Dylan, Incredible String Band, Phil Beer, Ry Cooder, JJ Cale, Grateful Dead, John Renbourn, Joni Mitchell, Bert Jansch, Mark Knopler, Tom Waits, Al Stewart, Leon Rosselson, Bob Pegg, Jake Thackray, Jeremy Taylor.
Sounds Like
An early purchaser of the CD said 'It reminds me of a cross between Ry Cooder, Paul Simon and, perhaps, John Martyn ( in a mellow mood.)' I've a feeling none of them would be flattered. The songs include, what I believe to be, the only song in English that mentions Yak cheese, as well as one describing a woman running a guest house in the biggest caldera in the world. Filipinas deluded into thinking that west is best, a trip to Brazil that did not deliver the stereotypes, African women staring in amazement at rich white women slumming on the back of overland trucks and a teenage female member of the vietcong also provide subject matter. More recent songs include a desciption of two visits to Burma, entailing nearly getting shot by a ten year old guerilla up a tree, a tale of a restaurant critic getting consumed by some annoyed cooks, and an overheard conversation in a Reading supermarket. Difficult to describe, you really have to listen. Live, the introductions are as much a part of the performance as the songs themselves.
Patrick Wass is a singer songwriter and guitar teacher who has spent a lot of time in the developing world. Many of his songs reflect his experiences whilst travelling. The four songs here are from the recent:- CD 'Disconcerting Ways' ---
PAT PONG GIRL...
A girl leaves an opium producing (and smoking) village in the north of Thailand to earn money in Bangkok. She sends the money home but it is used by the men of her family to buy motorbikes. She ends up as a heroin addict in the red light district of Pat Pong. ---
BUS BABY...
A Bus in Ecuador. The girl on the seat in front of me gave birth as we travelled along the coastal desert, The bus didn’t stop. An old lady said we should name the baby after the bus company. I persuaded someone else not to cut the umbilical cord with a rusty penknife. ---
ALUMINIUM ARM...
A recurring dream I had in Istanbul. ---
NO STAR HOTEL...
Accommodation in an African country that shall remain nameless in case I want to go back there. I was told that my plane was kidnapped in, what was then, Zaire. The hotel they put me in doubled as a house of ill repute. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Some of the VENUES where Patrick Wass has appeared over the last 18 or so months:-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Acoustic Ballroom, Wallingford------
Acoustic Club, Marlow------
Anchor Folk Club, Byfleet------
The Barn, Nettlebed------
Bell and Bottle, Shinfield------
Bird in Hand, Sonning Common------
Bracknell Folk Club------
Bull, Stanford Dingley-----
Catweazle Club, Oxford------
Catweazle, Headington-------
Cricketer's Arms, Littleworth, Oxford-------
Fox Inn, Highworth----
Global Cafe, Reading------
Golden Pot, Shalden------
Goring Unplugged------
Green Man Folk Club, North Warnborough------
Hall of Sound, Pangbourne-------
Henley Folk Club-----
Iguana, Reading------
Lamb, Hartley Wintney------
Loose Roots, Bracknell------
Maidenhead Folk Club, Knowle Hill------
Mellow Mondays, Windsor-----
Nettlebed Folk Club-----
Newbury Unplugged-----
Oxford Folk Club-----
The Platform, Windsor------
Plough, Long Wittenham-----
Poppys Folk and Acoustic Club,Yateley-----
Prince Albert,Frieth-----
Raven, Hook-----
Red Lion, Mortimer-----
Red Lion, Upper Basildon-----
Retreat, Reading-----
Rising Sun Arts Centre, Reading------
Rising Sun, Stockcross-----
Staines Folk and Blues Club----
Three Horse Shoes, Henley-----
White Lion, Wherwell-----
Windmill, Ewshott----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The CD 'Disconcerting Ways' is available from me or from www.mapstop.co.uk (an excellent company supplying maps and books about travel.)
Patrick Wass has also written a couple of recently published, books: "How Long and How Tall," a novel mainly set in Northern India and "Athlete's Foot on my Hands and a Bear's Bottom on my Feet," a collection of travel experiences.
Go to http://stores.lulu.com/patrickwass for more information. The books can also be purchased from me or from www.mapstop.co.uk In the USA they can also be obtained from amazon.com
It was good to catch up with you and the rest of the troup on Sunday. I shall be down there again in 3 weeks time and try to make it a little more regular lol!
Haven't had an opportunity to thank you for coming to the gig. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself - thank you so much. I also want to wish you both a very very happy new year and look forward to playing more at the 3 horseshoes in the new year.
Hi Patrick, Nice selection of songs, and I see the muse now extends to literature as well. Just as long as you don't write your memoires on the 'Achilles Heel' days!
Big Untidy Night Out with Robb Johnson & The Irregulars Damian A Passmore & The Loveable Fraudsters Patrick Wass Paula Curtis Darrell Mitchell & The Occasional Orchestra Crystal Hawes
The Rising Sun Arts Institute, Silver Street, Reading.
Stopping by to wish you a fab weekend. If I can't make it this Sunday, please say hi to the gals and guys and I'll see them all as soon as I can. Meanwhile keep me updated of when the Blue Tarpaulins are gigging.
Hope you are well. I'm slowly recovering from my op - ouch, stiches are tightening lol. I will get down the pub for a jam - I will!!!! Got George this weekend so won't see you this sunday.
Hi Patrick Thanks for your support, please get as many people as possible to log there support on the contacts page of www.savewindsorartscentre.org Best wishes Graham
