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Elly Roberts reviews
Folk Blues and Beyond: 
For the uninitiated, David Michael Gordon aka Davy Graham, born in Hinckley Leicestershire (22 November 1940), is credited with inspiring some of the greatest guitarists in the world.
He is credited with sparking the the folk-rock revolution in the 1960s andintroducing a the DADGAD or or D modal tuning (instead of the standard EADGBE)to British gutarists.
Giving dazzling performances at the famous Howff folk club in Edinburgh, hewent on to influence legends such as Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, Martin Carthy,Paul Simon and Led Zeppelins Jimmy Page. Eventually his music would embrace allnations as he dipped into indigenious repertoires, thus promoting world music.
The 66-year-old guitar maestro gave what can be called a rare appearence inthe intiamte setting of Sennheiser Studio Theatre at Liverpool Institute forPerforming Arts on Sunday night. About 70 fans turned up. Looking dapper inpinstriped suit, fancy shirt, short hair and moustache, he sat on the neat butsimple set: stool, mics, and two guitars in their boxes.
After the applause, he said “Thank you very much. Ive never played herebefore. Id like to do some pices in D, a favourite key with guitar players…two pieces by Sans and two by Milan” (Luis Milan a 16 century Spanish musicianfrom Valencia).
From the off, Graham showed intense concentration, almost gurning as hefocused on two pieces by Francisco Bartolome Sanz aka Gaspar Sanz, a Spanish17th century maestro, himself displaying all the hallmarks of his technicalability with some complex and intricate fingerwork. This was followed by whathe thought was an Irish song, Careless Love, a delighful love ballad,which I believe to be from an annonymous American composer.
Delving into tradition Irish music, he gave a masterclass on the famous KittysRambles, a fingers on fire excercise, and two others. Then things seemedto get a bit confusing. A quick glance at his watch, followed by a setlistcheck on the back of his guitar, he announced hed be playing The Blackbird,but instead he went for Ask My Father.
Graham played for some years with the Balkan Orchestra. Even more confusing wewere to get an Armenian piece, but ended up playing a Romanian composition,then the Armenian, followed by a Turkish march, all done with the finesseassociated with Graham. After the Northumbians classic, Flower Mountainon which he sang, he made a sharp exit to warm applause.
As a showcase, this was a disappointing gig, because it lasted barely 35minutes. Considering his reputation, I expected a lot more.
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.