Friday 17th February 2023
Photos & video by Keith Belcher, words by Keith Belcher & Mike Latham, review by Tony Charnock in Tyke’s Stirrings
Friday 17th February 2023, The Live Room, Caroline Street Social Club, Saltaire. Jocelyn Pettit & Ellen Gira accompanied by Miguel Girão. I knew we were in for a treat after the sound check which was utterly delightful and a pleasure to my tired old ears. The actual show was even better.. I’m going to unashamedly steal the text (see below) to a post by [Mike Latham] about Friday’s act.
“Another great debut at The Live Room in Saltaire. Two consummate musicians, Jocelyn Pettit from BC in Canada and Ellen Gira from near DC in the US held the audience spellbound on their first appearance at the venue.”
Jocelyn Pettit & Ellen Gira Review
Jocelyn Pettit & Ellen Gira with Miguel Girão at The Live Room,~ Saltaire 17th
February 2023
It was almost on a whim that I ventured out to the Live Room to see this, to me,
totally unknown act. Almost, but not quite: whomever Ron and Hilary are putting on
at this comfortable and welcoming venue, you can be confident that it will be top
quality. They have an unerring eye for talent in their globe-trotting quest for new acts
to bring to our part of the world, along with, of course, bigger and more well-known
names in the music world.
To say that these excellent musicians merely met that expectation would be a massive
understatement and do them a great injustice. Here were three performers who ticked
just about every box you can think of, providing a packed and appreciative audience
with an evening of sublime music-making, as Jocelyn on violin and Ellen on cello,
with Miguel’s deliberately understated and always sympathetic guitar
accompaniment, regaled us with melodies from many different lands, their
instruments sometimes blending sweetly, sometimes playing off each other. There
was a palpable bond between Jocelyn and Ellen as they scarcely took their eyes off
each other while they were playing: clearly enjoying what they were doing, an aspect
of their performance that easily transmitted itself to the audience.
So varied was the set that it’s hard to pick out any favourites. Tunes ranged from
traditional Irish, Scottish and Scandinavian, American Old Time, a medley from
Canada, while Jocelyn sang as sweet a version of Dougie MacLean’s “Ready for the
Storm” as you could hope for, and a wistful rendering together of “Across the
Western Ocean” with their delightful harmonies was another standout. They also
included their own material, including the title track of their CD “All It Brings”.
Jocelyn’s step dancing on stage was the luxury icing on an exceedingly nice cake.
This was indeed an international trio : Jocelyn is from Canada, Ellen from the U.S.
and Miguel from Portugal. Ellen and Miguel are currently based in Glasgow.
Jocelyn and Ellen are both constantly pursuing many other avenues separately in the
music world: this collaboration is only one of their many. Too many to even begin to
mention here: check out their websites:
http://www.jocelynandellen.com/; https://www.jocelynpettit.com/;
https://ellengira.com/
If this made in heaven duo ever come onto your radar, stop whatever you’re doing
and go to see them. They gave us a magical evening: you too will be spellbound.
Tony Charnock, Tykes Stirrings