Joan Armatrading: Live At The Asylum Chapel - 2021


A sort of companion piece to the Consequences album is this lovely little nugget of a live album. I say "live" in that it is Joan and her tight band - bass, drums, keyboards and occasional saxophone - playing live in an old South London chapel but in front of no audience. 

The recording has omitted Joan's sparse between song chat as well, and so good is the musicianship that it sounds like a studio production. Joan plays all the guitars, by the way. The track listing is intended to span her career, and does so - it is certainly not a "greatest hits live" release and for that I am glad, the variety and comparative obscurity of much of the material has allowed me to enjoy it far more than if it were comprised totally of over-familiar stuff. 

There are several tracks from the Consequences album on here and the seventy year-old Joan plays and sings with the vitality and enthusiasms of someone half her age. It is a delight from beginning to end. 

A quick shout out too for bassist Jennifer Maidman, who delivers a warm, melodious sound throughout.

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