HEAD ON REVIEWS
JED GRIMES Head On
Blue Guitar Records BGCD022
Fresh from masterminding the illustrious debut of BBC Folk Awards nominees The Hush, Jed Grimes applies the same iconoclastic principles to his own solo album. An accomplished guitarist and producer, this former member of groundbreaking bands Hedgehog Pie and Jack The Lad has tasty vocal talents too. In common with erstwhile Hedgehogs oppo Dave Burland, Grimes' heart is rooted deep in both traditional and contemporary music and Head On fuses songs and tunes with pigeonhole-defying arrangements which offer more at every listen.
While the man himself provides superb genre-crossing acoustic/electric guitar and bouzouki, the core Hush band and guests add luscious layers of instrumentation and choice harmony vocals. Think cool jazz grooves of a James Taylor or John Martyn crack studio band mixed with traditional flavours, world beats and Geordie insouciance and you're getting there.
Album openers don't come any better than the sophisticated, cross-rhythmed Fair And Tender Ladies. Or closers like the sax-fuelled soundscape of Grimes-penned instrumental Across The Water. And in between, the gorgeous swing of A Soldier's Life; an upbeat, percussion-driven Barb'ry Ellen; the somehow unquestionably apt reggae beat of Tally I O The Grinder. Joss Clapp, Ben Murray and Jon Redfern from acclaimed Borders band Tarras feature large on the eastern-flavoured Gaby's Trip To Jarrow segued with a funky Frannie's Jig, and infuse Jug O' This with spiky rhythm, cool harmonica and cheeky bass, while Stewart Hardy's fiddle beautifully underscores the melancholy I Drew My Ship. Major highlight is an electrifying version of Sydney Carter's powerful anti-war lullaby Crow On The Cradle.
Lately - finally - a few young bloods are taking folk music somewhere genuinely new and exhilarating. Freshly outed as the north-east music scene's secret weapon, Jed Grimes carries the same bright torch for the established generation.
Mel McLellan / BBC Radio Two Folk and Acoustic Website

The ex-Hedgehog Pieman and current Hush band member, Jed Grimes has a spectacular musical pedigree. He is not only a wonderful songwriter, but also someone with a charismatic quality that shines right through his music, transcending any arbitrary classifications. It's a rare gift. Although this is supposedly his debut solo album, an astringent collection of traditional songs it most certainly is not. An eclectic bunch of helpers include Neil Harland (bass), Garry Lindsey (saxes), Paul Smith (drums) and Graham Wood (keyboards), whom together with other guests collectively add to an album of many dipping colours and moods.
Jed's guitar is the sensitive and lyrical centrepiece of a lovely warm, 'fat', sometimes dramatic sound that first grabs the attention then draws you right in to the music. All are performed with a vibrancy and aplomb that still owes a lot to a deep understanding of both the traditional and contemporary music genres. I find it almost impossible to single out any tracks, but 'Crow On The Cradle' is surely both inspired and genuinely stunning.
It's a measure of Jed's relaxed yet skilful approach that the album sounds so damn casual, yet it's impact is considerable. On "Head On" there is no feel of compromise. His comfort and maturity stand out a mile; this is immense, inventive and thoughtful. An exemplary release.
Geoff Wall / Folk On Tap #97 - Winter 2003

It’s been a while since I heard an album this striking – perhaps as long ago as Sting’s Ten Summoner’s Tales? Still, it just goes to demonstrate the inventiveness of Jed with his hat on as both producer and guitarist of note. From the opening track ‘Fair And Tender Ladies’ with it’s gently meandering finger picked guitar set-up to the tones of the sleazy sounding sax and double bass you can tell this album is going to be a corker. This is a real musicians album topped by Jed’s not inconsiderable vocal talents which, although not hard in a brittle way proves a highly assured performance. His choice of material is predominantly a repertoire of traditional songs including the wistful ‘I Drew My Ship’ where his fiddle-playing partner Stewart Hardy joins him in a glorious tour de force. Taking liberties with traditional music is always a risky business particularly when playing with a standard such as ‘Barb’ry Ellen’ but when it works it works and with this Country flavoured interpretation it’s pleasing to see someone willing to stick their neck out. This is an album to warm the heart one minute and go for the jugular the next. As a reviewer I’ve noticed a lot of artists including Riverdance style rhythms (there, I told you before – I’m not a musician – but I know what I like) but Jed stamps his own mark with the energetic ‘Gaby And Sveti’s Trip To Jarrow/Frannie’s Jig’. It’s all very Moroccan street market sounding although I’m pretty sure there aren’t a lot of those around Tyneside. Sydney Carter’s ‘Crow On The Cradle’ is given a dusting down with a presentation that gives the effect of sitting in a dimly lit smoke-filled club set in the Sixties. It takes a lot of work to articulate to the listener a sense of ‘being there’ but Jed manages to pull it off with aplomb and it’s great to hear an album that for once avoids the pitfalls of propping itself up on a pile of clichés. Finally, and I know I keep on banging on about him but the photos by Brian Ledgard are superb and, as the saying goes – presentation is everything. A resounding slap on the back to all concerned!
Pete Fyfe / Folking.com

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