Andrew London Trio coming to Otane to play quirky songs

Andrew London Trio: James Tait-Jamieson, Kirsten London and Andrew London.

Let's Talk About Me, I Hugged My Mate, Middle Aged Man in Lycra - The titles say it all. Andrew London's quirky and whimsical songs reflect mainstream culture with gentle irreverence, and playfully lampoon many of society's obsessions and taboos. Themes run the gamut from rugby fans, driving habits, youth culture and weddings to male insecurities, technophobia, household appliances, pretentious socialites, and various other issues of concern to the average middle-aged, middle-class Antipodean baby boomer.

Delivery is wrapped in an easy-going and accessible 1940s-era "hot club swing" package, with occasional sallies into folk, blues and jazz; and the trio's spontaneous banter trans-forms the show into more of an interactive cabaret experience for both performers and audience.

Recent reviewers of London's lyrical skills have made comparisons to John Clarke (who confessed to being a fan), Tim Minchin, Flanders and Swann, Tom Lehrer... even Noel Coward, and after a recent appearance live on NZ's National Radio, one commentator re-marked "The Andrew London Trio are Flight of the Conchords for rest homes!"

According to Downbeat USA, his 2004 album Toasted "lured listeners in with eccentric edges and devilishly clever wordplay". A decade later the same publication reported that his 2013 album Ladies a Plate "reaches high levels of poise and affability while imparting witty lyrics that would draw quiet laughs of agreement from Mose Allison and Dave Frishberg".

His songs have been included in a national year 13 English syllabus, feature films (includ-ing the recent award-winning biopic No Ordinary Sheila) and European CD compilations. His trio has headlined music festivals in Australia, New Zealand and Norfolk Island, and is the only Kiwi act in recent times to have performed in Saudi Arabia, where such activity is officially illegal.

In 2019 the Andrew London Trio released their seventh album and a live DVD, compiled from a concert at the Wellington Bluegrass Society in June of that year. The Covid-19 lockdown provided some valuable songwriting time, resulting in The Covid Suite - a handful of songs inspired by events both domestic and international occurring during that time.

London handles guitar and most vocal duties, with woodwind exponent James Tait-Jamieson contributing saxophones, flute, Irish whistle, melodica, some cutlery and a vocal crooning style honed in the Buble/Connick/Sinatra school. The bass chair is occupied by Kirsten London, who also contributes occasional standards lifted from the Doris Day and Nancy Sinatra songbooks.

The Andrew London Trio will be performing on Saturday, September 12 at a House Concert@ Rumpy, 212 Argyll Rd Otane, phone 021 550 287 for bookings... $20 waged $10 unwaged.