In the Furrows of Common Place

Drawing on the poetry of John Clare, Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris' The Lost Words and South Yorkshire writer Barry Hines, Sheffield-born guitarist and singer Ghedi, now based in Moss Valley – celebrated in his largely instrumental 2018 set, A Hymn for an Ancient Land – pulls a socio-political focus for his third album, on which his vocals feature large. With atmospheric support from a three-piece band, the opening ‘Common Thread’ is drawn from local stories that speak a larger truth about encroaching corporatisation and the privatisation of land – a process that began during the poet John Clare's time, and his poem, ‘Lamentations of Round Oak Waters’, is a gem of this new set. ‘Beneath the Willow’, inspired by a phrase from Barry Hines' notebooks – ‘This flimsy house is falling down with us inside' – is another highlight, along with the instrumental that follows, while the closing ‘Son David’, from Jeannie Robertson's repertoire, is an epic performance, with Ghedi's dramatic, distinctive vocals unleashed. While they may be an acquired taste for some, appreciation of his playing just requires taste. Gehdi ploughs his own distinctive furrow – not commonplace at all.