Short Reviews [Tiger Moth Tales - 2020 - "A Visit to Zoetermeer"]

Tiger Moth Tales in the studio is normally the incredible Peter Jones (Camel, Francis Dunnery), but the multi-instrumentalist in the world just does not have enough hands to play everything at the same time, so in concert it becomes a full band with Peter (vocals, keyboards and guitar) being joined by Andy Wilson (guitar), Mick Wilson (bass, melodica, vocoder, backing vocals) and Paul Comerie (drums). Recorded live at the Borderij in Zoetermeer on January 26th 2019, this set has been released as a CD + DVD, but I cannot comment on the latter as I only have the audio. The set is taken mostly from the two most recent albums, but he does go all the way back to the debut to play “A Visit To Chigwick”. I must confess the opening bars brings back so many memories, as it will to every pom of a certain age, as we grew up watching the trilogy of ‘Camberwick Green’, ‘Trumpton’ and ‘Chigley’. In many ways I think this is one of the reasons I love Tiger Moth Tales so much, not because Peter sings about series I remember watching as a child, although thinking about it I was at junior school when I first read ‘Wind in the Willow’ (“Toad of Toad Hall”), as well as reading Aesop’s Fables (“The Boy Who Cried Wolf”), but because he brings back memories of times gone by yet also brings them right up to date. He sings about my childhood yet combines it with the music of Steve Hackett and middle period Genesis, the music I fell in love with back in my teens. Now I am closer to 60 than 50 yet listening to Peter’s music is like journeying in a time machine. The album is more than 70 minutes long, but still feels way too short, as I would love to have heard so much more. Peter is obviously really enjoying himself onstage and having a load of fun, as is everyone else. He has a very disarming manner, and just the way he speaks is like stepping back to the Seventies. This is a great introduction to anyone who has yet to come across any of Peter’s material, and if you are a fan of classic Steve Hackett combined with stories sung in a disarming manner by one of the most interesting guys around then this needs to be on your list.