The Shakespeare Trio

Product details
Audio CD
Number of Discs: 1
Format: CD
Label: AnotherSun Recordings
ASIN: B005QZ6P76

By Peter Kenny "Kenpet" (Brighton) - See all my reviewsThis review is from: Shakespeare's Sonnets Volume 1 (Audio CD)
Being lucky enough to live in Brighton I've had the chance to watch the Shakespeare Trio evolve from its tentative beginning into an assured live act. Interpreting Shakespeare's sonnets via a heady blend of blues, folk, bluegrass and the odd medieval moment, might sound like a strange project. But the result is that The Shakespeare Trio's songs have a genuinely timeless quality. Then there are Shakespeare's words, which people have managed not to tire of for several centuries. The Shakespeare Trio is Richard Gibson, Dipak Chanda and the ghost of The Bard. The intelligent musical interpretations (of the two living members of the group) manage to bring the sonnets alive in a marvellous new way.

Of course this is a dream come true for Shakespeare obsessives, but this is no-dryly academic exercise. The music is melodious and often groovy. To be fair, I'm not impartial: as an early fan listening to this music in various Brighton venues, I was given an early mix of this album by the band. For me it became the soundtrack of my summer. I just checked my itunes: I listened to the entire album around 36 times in two months. So, without intending to, I find I've become a passionate advocate of this CD. It really is excellent.