Josephine Oniyama

Josephine Oniyama @ The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, 20th March 2007."Experiencing Josephine Oniyama’s stage presence, it wouldn’t be surprising to find yourself wondering, have I heard that name, ‘Oniyama’, before? Immediately, there’s a sense of something vaguely familiar. Of course, for anyone in touch with Manchester’s music scene, this is warranted; she’s performed at the majority of the city’s venues, and frequently takes the prime spot at many of the city’s alternative music nights, making her one of the vital ingredients in the current rise of quality artists, events and home-grown record labels. But for others who may be experiencing a sense of familiarity, it’s perhaps the recognition of talent; Oniyama’s elegance and the sophistication of her voice giving the impression of a musical inheritance along a whole line of divas. Though such inheritance can’t be traced, whatever it is, there’s definitely something in her blood. And it’s certainly not artificial; there’s only water in the glass she leaves at her feet - next to a scrunched set list, clearly written last minute on a scrap of paper."It doesn’t take long to realise that she’s a natural performer. However, forgetting to turn on her amplifier, and joking about it - half to herself - she’s seemingly taking a laid back approach to her set. Despite this, she knows exactly what she’s doing, and playing the Bridgewater Hall is no ordinary gig. It can be a tough (but rewarding) one for a support slot with, on this occasion, an eager Tinariwen crowd all in early, seated and sober, and the immaculate acoustics of the hall demanding an acute silence which bears down upon the performer. "But easing into the graceful vocals of ‘I Think It Was Love’, there’s an assurance in her vocal style which immediately relaxes the audience-artist barrier. It carries a wealth of feeling on its gentle vibrato, and this is a voice well beyond expectation for a 23 year old. Its maturity could conjure images of years spent on the road. But Josephine Oniyama’s road is just unfolding, and tonight the audience are witnessing her at an interesting junction. With writing for her second album well underway, and having (from her early beginnings - performing whilst still at school), clearly reached a point of experience, stability and maturity within her song writing, Oniyama’s talent is ready to flee the musical nest of Manchester. “Why did I call you here?” she sings, “I think it was love”. Well if music be the food of love… It’s a wonderful time to catch her live set. "Accompanying her for the opening song is new addition to the band, Paula Wilson, who effectively widens the musical space with the xylophone and glockenspiel. As the full band communes on stage for the second song, ‘Darker Things’, Wilson’s jazz-classical tinkering affirms the eclectic sound of the group. The chimes and rings emerge fittingly with the organic drum sounds coming from Paddy Steer’s striped down kit. Throughout the set, the simple innovation of Steer’s treatments (such as loosely resting a tambourine on top of the hi-hat cymbal), and his choice of drums, adds crucial dimensions to Oniyama’s individual sound. The subtleties of his rim-shots, maraca use, and other touches are un-strained for, creating the folk warmth which rises from many of the songs. There’s a kind of casual feel to his technique, which compliments Josephine’s loose finger-picking and strumming, allowing her Americana-influenced guitar rhythms to drive the songs. "Steer’s versatility is something Oniyama acknowledges herself, saying that having Paddy onstage is “like having three extra band members”. For ‘The Ramshackle Space Song’ Steer switches to lap steel guitar, digging further perhaps, into the roots of Oniyama’s sound, and complimenting the intriguing feel of the lyrics. Oniyama’s song writing excels within this contemplative, cosmic atmosphere and as the set progresses, the conviction in her strong, lower notes and the fluidity of her top range moves her words convincingly through the search for love, and the suffering of loss."Throughout the performance, there’s a wonderful balance between down to earth musicianship and outstanding skill. The ballad-like grandeur that rises from the sincere but humble foundations of the music, affirms Oniyama’s self-belief and ambition, her originality, as well as the inspirations she has taken on. It’s something like Ella Fitzgerald getting in on a jam up at the stone circle in Glastonbury Festival. "Oniyama really makes this approach her own with the mix of playful mischief and potential tragedy in ‘Ritual To The Grave’. Furthermore, new song ‘The Bench’, shows the band relaxed in their cohesion, with Josephine’s vocals stretching freely through her falsetto and swooping back towards Helen Walker’s solid bass lines. Starting off the final song, ‘Closer’, Walker’s distinct, grungy bass riff rumbles into the expanse of the auditorium. It reverberates boldly, somehow representative of the band’s own forthcoming expansion, beyond this gig. And as the final chorus resonates through the hall; “Don’t stand next to me if you won’t hold my hand, baby”, it’s clear that Josephine Oniyama is doing her own thing, superbly so, and she knows where she’s going. It’s up to us to accept the invitation." Review by Sean Dagan Wood
..