![]() ![]() If not for the reverential atmosphere of the Octagon Chapel (and the immovable rows of pews) the nodding and tapping could well have expanded into something altogether more energetic. Throughout the set, the shift from piano to drums generally heralded a shift to a more upbeat mood and tempo, to which Duni responded with a more animated stage presence – and which created a noticeable outbreak of head nodding and foot tapping among the audience. Thomas moved from piano to drums for the next two songs, “Kur te Pashe,” a traditional Kosovan song, and “Lamma Bada Yatathanna,” a fourteenth-century Arabic song which Duni and Luft learnt when they were staying in Egypt during the second Covid lockdown. Luft’s melodic solo added to the poignancy of the lyrics. Sammy Fain’s “I’ll Be Seeing You” followed “Wayfaring Stranger”: it’s a very different song stylistically but shares the traditional tune’s tale of loss and loneliness. Duni sang with a plaintive, meditative and measured style that did justice to this tale of a weary traveller searching for lost loved ones and heading “over Jordan.” For the next hour, the three musicians drew on songs from the USA, Portugal, Kosovo, Albania and Egypt, before ending with a Broadway classic. “Wayfaring Stranger,” a traditional tune collected in many parts of North America, was that opening song. It wasn’t all about Lost Ships either: only the opening song of the night came from that record. This delightful and beautifully crafted show was very much a trio performance, with vocalist (and sometime mini-keyboard player) Duni and guitarist Luft joined throughout by Thomas, who moved deftly between piano and drums as each song demanded. The Norfolk and Norwich Festival billed this late-night concert in Norwich’s Octagon Chapel as “Lost Ships: Rob Luft and Elina Duni featuring Fred Thomas.” The title suggested an event focussing on music from Luft and Duni’s 2020 ECM album, Lost Ships, and performed by the duo with occasional support from Thomas, who also appears on the album, but festival billings can be deceptive. ![]()
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