Kara J Richards
Contact UK 0044 7582472091
Composer, Producer, Performer.
David Hall South Petherton, August 19th 2016
review by Jo Morrison
Langport musician, Kara J. Richards, thrills the audience with her powerful and evocative set.
Just back from a successful tour of Ireland, professional musician Kara J. Richards describes her style as ‘Cowgirl jazz’ (which is a syncopated country, blues, folk, soul and jazz combination) and herself as ‘a melodic one woman tragi-comedy’. That’s quite a description, and one which befits this beguiling singer-songwriter from Langport. Kara is a distinctive and accomplished artist whose narrative lyrical style is creative, heartfelt and wonderfully clever. As soon as she stepped on to the stage Kara held the audience. Her song, ‘Dayna’ was inspired by an 18 hour bus-ride in South East Asia and presented Kara’s rich vocals for the first time, after which she stated “Lets do politics next” with her second piece entitled ‘Current Affairs’ – with the simple and repetitive chorus, “Lie”.
It’s easier to keep control if everyone’s living in fear.
Kara J. Richards
The last song of Kara’s set was “a hideous murder ballad from the Quantock Hills” and told the story of a woman deemed worthy of murder. Kara J. Richards is an exceptionally skilled wordsmith, musician and performer.
Kara j Richards, At Okehampton Acoustic Club March 2015
Kara has been a musical traveler for over 25 years, spending time in France, Ireland and Spain with bands such as The Easy,
The Joseph Shnider Set and the Bold Marys, More recently she has wooed audiences with The Senile Delinquents and their delicious blend of cowgirl jazz,bluegrass, folk and alt country.
Kara visited Okehampton Acoustic Club in March as our special guest & Solo Artist, with songs from her beautiful album
‘A short study on the nature of love and drink’.
The album title suggests an element of subtle wit at work in Kara’s songwriting, which combines depth of personal observation on the perennial themes of love and life , textured with the mellow melancholy & authenticity of a writer who has spent years honing life experience into the content of their craft, often colouring it with tender sly humour bitter/ sweet in flavour
“ he told her when two souls collide the bruise will last forever.” from Title track.
The arrangements on the Album are beautifully sparse , often reflective in mood and excellently understated ,with Kent Sibley on Trumpet and Joanne Harvey on violin, and sumptous artwork on the cover by Kara herself.
As well as being a fine writer, singer and guitarist Kara is a terrific performer, with an relaxed and engaging stage presence. she took our audience of over 50 people ,along with her as fellow travelers, bringing them into her songs and inviting them to experience the range of stories & emotions they have to offer .
It was a great evening, Soulful intense and mellow by turns.
Thanks Kara for your songs and performance and we hope many more of you acoustic music lovers out there get a chance to hear her on the circuit soon.
5th April 2015
Phil Bird Singer/Songwriter,co-founder Okehampton Acoustic Club
and member of Troubadour’s garden. www.troubadoursgarden.com
formerly a reviewer for Traditional Music Maker magazine
Kara J Richards live and acoustic at Great Bow Wharf Jan 2015
"Kara is a talented singer songwriter who is sure to please audiences wherever she plays. Her lovely singing is tastefully accompanied by her sympathetic guitar playing and she plays a mean fiddle too ! Her songs are pithy, thought provoking and humerous. The audience loved her at her recent performance at the historic Great Bow Wharf building in Somerset
Too good to miss. " Laurie Philips
Kara J Richards – NEW ALBUM - ‘a short study on the nature of love and drink’
The album cleverly showcases Richard’s songwriting and vocal talent with an equal mix of ballads and accomplished musicality.
The smoky songs evoke a lady down on her luck, propping up the bar in the early hours of a downtown European bar. While the up tempo tunes lead you next door to the session; featuring some of the finest musicians coming forward to awe.
No beats here my friends, but a host of rhythms, subtle harmonies and evocative story telling.
The album’s title track ‘a short study of the nature of love and drink’ is my personal favorite, an intimate lullaby, a little journey unto itself. Tasha Child