I remember being introduced to David McAlmont’s extraordinary voice back in the early 90s when I heard a track on the radio called ‘Unworthy’.
This beautiful, hugely powerful song was the title track of an EP released in 1992.
On first listen, I thought it might have been a new track by Cocteau Twins for its jangly, swirling, hypnotising sound stopped me in my tracks. Of course, it couldn’t have been Elizabeth Fraser because you could distinguish the words. And boy, those words were heartbreaking.
Now you tell me
After all the shame you didn’t want to ruin me
You say that each time you see me
Hard to believe
I’ve kissed you, kissing with a liar.
Thieves were the perfect duo in many ways with McAlmont’s soaring voice being the ideal accompaniment to Saul Freeman’s dizzy melodies, which only the early 90s could have given birth to.
A few years later, I saw McAlmont performing a set at Winter Pride, wearing a wedding dress and Doctor Marten boots. I couldn’t have wanted anything else.
Earlier this month I invited David McAlmont to my home to interview him about Billie Holiday at Carnegie Hall – a new show he was putting on at Hideaway: an award-winning live music and comedy venue in Streatham, South London.
Inspired by the legendary 1956 concert at which Billie’s music was accompanied by extracts from her autobiography ‘Lady Sings The Blues’, David McAlmont was to give his unique interpretations of the Lady Day catalogue, while quoting from her extraordinary life story, with a band led by pianist / MD Alex Webb (Cafe Society, Fever, Portrait of Cannonball).
The show, which took place in London on April 20th, included many of the most well-known Holiday songs, ranging from her 1930s work (‘What A Little Moonlight Can Do’, ‘Fine And Mellow’) through her 1940s Torch songs (‘My Man’, ‘I Cover The Waterfront’) to her self-penned classics ‘Don’t Explain’ and ‘Lady Sings The Blues’. McAlmont will perform the show in Glasgow next month and then at St. George’s in Bristol in October.
Hideaway first approached David to do songbook shows for them around seven years ago, an idea that he thought was the fulfilment of a childhood dream.
There was one time when I felt quite militant that I wanted to do a show of men doing Billie Holiday covers. It’s possible that a lot of guys would think that’s a bit ‘too gay’ for them, especially if I get up on stage and sing ‘My Man’, which I am very happy to do.
David McAlmont will perform at Saint Luke’s in Glasgow on June 19
The post David McAlmont: “There was a time when I felt quite militant that I wanted to do a show of men doing Billie Holiday covers” appeared first on philmarriott.net.