Ana Silvera - A Star in the Making?

I know it might sound ridiculous but last night I heard a British singer-songwriter who might just be too talented to become a star.

In these days of instant fame where five minutes exposure on the X Factor can lead to ridiculous record offers and comments about this or that person being the greatest singer of all time, it is nice to see that there are genuinely talented people around.

One such is Ana Silvera, who thankfully hasn't been subjected to the cult of personality. By that I mean that Ana's success to date has come through genuine talent.... and there was plenty of that on show at a new venue for me in Norwich last night.

I went with my friend Mel P to try out Grapevine at the Bedford which is in the centre of Norwich and what a great evening it was. The music started at just after 8 p.m and ran virtually non stop for well over three hours. The cost for this marathon featuring four artists was a princely £5. What value for money.

First up was London singer-songwriter Gil Karpas who veered on the side of blues and jazz and produced an interesting set with a voice that reminded me of Paul Rogers. Ana Silvera was the headline act but came on second due to a need to get back to London.

I can't speak too highly of this set. It is certainly the best performance I have seen from a woman singer since I was lucky enough to see American legend Judy Collins at Norwich Arts Centre a few years ago. Ana is classically trained and it certainly showed in her songs which seem to be a mix of personal pieces and songs based on mythology and fairy stories. The result was a beautiful mix of melodies and strong literate lyrics with Ana's keyboards augmented by cello and a back-up singer.

If there is any justice in this world Ana should become a big star. She has talent in spades and a voice reminiscent of early Janis Ian. Her songs are poignant and she deserves a bigger audience. Hopefully her coming CD "Aviary" will cement some kind of niche for her. Ana Silvera may be small of stature but her personality and musical ability both have star quality.

The evening continued with local singer-songwriter Matt Watson who produced a very varied set, mixing in his own songs with pieces by the likes of Pearl Jam. The evening concluded with a Liverpudlian singer-songwriter brought in at the last minute. Unfortunately I didn't catch his name, but he was very good.

It was a wonderful evening, almost a throw back to the folk clubs of the early 1970s. Usually the venue hosts music every fourth Wednesday in the month. That means I only have to wait just over a week for a return visit. If that concert proves to be half as good as this one it will be well worth seeing.