METRO (London UK) (October 30, 2001)

GIG - Doug Hoekstra (12 Bar Club, Denmark Place)

Hailing from Nashville but steeped in the progressive arts scene of Chicago where he was born and where he mostly records, Doug Hoekstra (below) is a former member of Bucket Number 6.  Since 1994, he has been crafting highly distinctive solo records, of which his fourth, Around the Margins, is out now, and his fifth, The Past is Never Past, is due sometime next year.  His half-whispered narratives form the centrepiece of his art.country pieces (his voice recalls the furtive vocals of Howe Gelb), around which his backing arrangements provide an unusually intuitive framework.

Hoekstra experiments freely with jazz, gospel, electronica, blues and folk, distilling elements of each into spare, compressed and frequently eerie compositions and using an imaginative breadth of instruments to provide strong visual scope to his semi spoken-word narratives. Graceful clarinet and cornet, creaky old piano and accordion, softly humming electronica, carefly drafted in gospel vocals; all are used economically but atmospherically to enhance his acoustic fretwork.

Hoekstra may not have a huge profile in this country beyond Uncut readers but, within the exploding alt.country genre, he stands out as a voice unafraid to push the boat into sparkling new waters.  he is joined tonight by long-standing colalborator Kat Parsons, who will be performing a set of her own.

(Claire Allfree)

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