It was always going to be a night of celebration and sweet reverie. Joe Henry had not played in Dublin for quite a few years and there was a palpable expectation among the die-hard admirers of his craft as they gathered in anticipation of the venue doors opening into the intimate surroundings of Whelan’s upstairs room. The absence of chairs was a disappointment to the assembled crowd, most of whom bordered on the ‘mature’ side and would have preferred seated options. However, with a sold out show the promoters clearly wanted to populate the small space with as many upright bodies as possible.
Joe Henry took to the stage with his trusted Gibson guitar and was later joined by his talented son Levon Henry who accompanied him on saxophones and melodica for most of the show. Their interplay throughout was always very creative and there was a synergy present that lifted all the songs chosen. Joe talked about many things between songs, including his recent recovery from prostate cancer, his song writing process, the influence of Cole Porter and the joy of poetry in both Haiku and the Sonnets. Having released album number sixteen in 2022, it was an unexpected bonus to have Joe visit five of his previous releases over the night and not just concentrate on the new material. His song writing is esoteric and evocative, open to interpretation and always deeply moving and powerful in the delivery. Joe has a very strong vocal presence and his guitar playing as always was superbly nuanced and colourful.
He references the sense of magic that exists in various guises and forms, the sense of the absolute in the flow of creativity that visits us all. Letting the songs present themselves is very important to Joe’s process and he uses his unique approach to act upon the muse that stirs within. In his writing and performance he channels what the rest of us acknowledge in occasional moments of heightened awareness. The difference is that Joe acts upon the messages that come dropping slowly into his days of seeking the spark. The emotion of the moment was truly captured tonight in the pin-drop silence which witnessed his songs and the joyous collaboration between father and son as they dovetailed across their delivery. Visiting the new release, ALL THE EYE CAN SEE, he performed Song That I Know, Yearling, Kitchen Door, Karen Dalton and it was the title track that resonated with the lines ‘Here comes the night unfurling, its torn holy flag still burning, at borders that bleed until blurring, all the eye can see.’
Although it may appear that life becomes more complicated as we grow older, and Joe spoke of his “divided country,” it is the essence of his song writing craft to strip everything back to its core in discovery of the true humanity that he seeks. He mused that the only thing that binds us all together as humans is the experience of mortality and grief. Nobody can escape it and it is the recognition of this that is mirrored in what we identify in the music of Joe Henry and in what resonates most. Songs from previous albums include Odetta, Eyes Out For You, After the War, Fact Of Love, Orson Welles/Listen To the Lion, Kindness Of the World, Climb, This Is My Favourite Cage and are played with great mastery and a knowing resonance. It struck me that Joe absorbs life experience like a sponge, his journey soaking up insight and influences into the pure emotion that touches musical peaks to connect with his audience of listeners. There is a deep reservoir to these songs and in his vision to capture special moments of self awareness, a type of magic dust that sprinkles us all. We rarely get to experience the real sense of wonder in the world. Perhaps Joe is plugged into it more often than not. His reputation as a producer is as legendary as the numerous artists that he has worked with and it is his vision to let the artist speak their truth that attracts so many to his door. Here’s hoping that he returns soon to our shores and regales us once again with his talent and his wisdom.
Review and photograph by Paul McGee