All set for one ‘L’ of a New Year’s Eve

Jack Lukeman headlines a gig at Everyman Cork tomorrow, writes Ed Power

Tue, 30 Dec, 2014 - 00:00

FOR Jack Lukeman, Christmas came extra early this year. The popular troubadour spent much of the summer and autumn applying the final touches to his new collection of seasonal compositions, Northern Lights: Songs for the Winter Solstice. It was, putting it mildly, a surreal experience.

“I played a gig at the Unitarian Church in Dublin last December and, as I often do, recorded the performance. I feel that, if you don’t get the songs down, sometimes they run away from you,” says Lukeman, who found early fame covering the music of Jacques Brel and Kurt Weil under the sobriquet Jack L. “I got around to listening back to it in August — which is strange and yet very familiar, if you are a musician. They say that, in this business, you are always awake when everyone else is asleep.

Northern Lights has just been released and can be downloaded via Lukeman’s website or purchased in physical form at gigs. This, it is safe to say, is not your everyday Christmas collection. Certainly, it is a million years removed from the streamers and tinsel and naffness of Slade, Shakin’ Stevens, et al.

“Some of the stuff I cover goes back to the ’50s,” he explains. “Songs such as ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’ and ‘White Christmas’ are the musical equivalent of Nelson’s Pillar — the foundations for so much else in music. In a way they are jazz songs. Those are the chord structures they use.”

Several of his selections are of even more ancient provenance. Speaking about the material, Lukeman’s passion for the stories behind the songs he covers shines brightly.

“Take something like ‘All Through The Night’, which is sort of a Christmas song from Wales. It was first documented in the 1700s. These beautiful songs are rooted in the folk tradition and remain hugely influential to this day. For instance, ‘Blowin’ In the Wind’ by Dylan borrows its melody from ‘No More Auction Block’, which former black slaves would sing after they had joined the Union army.”

When Lukeman takes to the stage of the Everyman Palace in Cork on New Year’s Eve it will bring the curtain down on a busy 12 months for the Kildare native. In addition to honing ideas for his next collection of original sings — penciled in for recording next year — he performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and toured the UK with Jools Holland.

“Fringe festivals are fun to play,” he says. “They’re a bit like the summer festival circuit in certain ways. The difference is that they aren’t muddy or outdoors. You meet lots of people; it’s a wonderful experience.”

He speaks highly of Holland, and of the opportunities afforded by going on the road with the influential broadcaster and musician. Holland is typically accompanied by a 20-piece orchestra. To perform with so many top-rank musicians is a hugely educational experience, says Lukeman.

“You play these really big houses. It’s fantastic. I opened for him, then I get to come out and join the band for the last tune. It’s a musician’s paradise. All these fantastic players, some of the best you’ll ever see. That was a highlight of my year”

This will be Lukeman’s second consecutive New Year concert at The Everyman. He is relishing his return, describing the 2013 gig as one of the most memorable he has played. Ringing in the new year raises challenges for a performer he says: you have to entertain but also be willing to share the attention a little.

“It’s a gig of three parts really,” he says. “You’ve got a beginning, middle and an end – the middle being when the New Year arrives. It’s great fun and audiences are always up for it. “

A jobbing musician for nearly 20 years, Lukeman tours and records almost non-stop, though the post-Christmas lull may afford a rare opportunity for rest. With another exhausting schedule planned for 2015 and that album to record he will appreciate what time off he can enjoy.

“You have to take a break,” he says. “Otherwise you’d go a bit mad. Recharging your batteries is a vital part of the process. How could you carry on otherwise? January is the best time. Things quieten down. I’m looking forward to it.”