Review - Peggy Van Zalm + Epizo Bangoura
@ Harbourside Brasserie 23 Dec 98

It was a quiet Christmas Eve eve under the old coat hanger - so quiet that a legal park at the door was not too much to ask! But inside was another matter entirely: Epizo Bangoura was moving and shaking and giving his version of traditional West African audience-participation rhythms to a responsive and enthusiastic crowd. Such was the cap to a night of musical support as varied as a solo blues set and a folk/jazz/rock/blues/fusion combo. The variety provided by Linda Hansen, Something Urban and Epizo over the preceding 90-or-so minutes continued with the closing set by Peggy Van Zalm and the Red Dirt Band.

The Red Dirt Band are Michael, Svetlana and Danny on double (both bowed and fingered) bass, accordion and percussion/drums, introduced over the course of a song or three. The set built up from a mellow solo-acoustic song or two, broke into a traditional folk, almost Mediterranean version of Woman Child and flowed through some almost-rock folk melodies, to much delight and acclaim. Featuring a guest spot or two by Epizo, Peggy Van Zalm and the Red Dirt Band put on a great show that featured many stand-out tracks, including Infatuation, Most of the Same, the title track from her current EP "Revival", and the preferred single therefrom Wise Woman.

While those that walked early out did so during the mellow mood of the first few songs, probably expecting more of the energy created by the earlier acts. It pays to weather the low-key stuff, guys, to see what's next! Just ask the 'dancing-baby' guy! This was a small affair for the Harbourside, but Peggy & co really enjoy their work, as did this small mid-week pre-Christmas gathering.

PG (Jacky) Gleeson