Jacques Stotzem at Antiquarius

Jacques Stotzem is seemingly something of a perfectionist when it comes to sound and acoustics – yet before his show at Bonns Antiquarius Bookshop in Bonner Talweg he points to a switch next to the stage which controls his small amplifier and requests that the listeners nearby turn it up or down according to taste.

Stotzen is a man of contradictions.  An excellent acoustic flamenco/fingerstyle guitarist yet he focusses his considerable abilities on electric rock compositions from the likes of  Jimi Hendrix and Rory Gallagher.  Even in his compositions there is contradiction  He recounts how a beautiful tune about Belgium  moved one of his listeners to tell Jacques later You made me want to visit Belgium. With a twinkle in his eye and a wry smile, Stotzem admitted to feeling very guilty and embarrassed about inspiring such affection about Belgium Because there is really nothing there!

There is no doubting Stotzem’s enthusiasm though, it is something that oozes from him.This is rather different he says as he takes to the stage below a bright chandelier and surveys the antique books on the shelves surrounding him on all sides. There are some eighty people here this evening, which doesnt seem like many, but then there are also several thousand books in attendance. Im told that maybe 120 people could fit in here but I can only assume that is dependant on a good week of selling books because I cant see where the other 40 or so other people would fit in other than on the top shelves.

Somehow I manage to squeeze into a place near the tiny stage though and am glad I am so close. Only from here can I truly see and hear how remarkable this musician is. His right thumb and two fingers all have picks on them which are used not just for the strings but also for acoustic effects. When he finishes Neil Young’s ‘After The Goldrush’ I find myself straining to see if there is some sort of switch where his guitar neck attaches to the body that would explain the extra sustain he summoned up. But of course there is no such cheat  it is down to vibrating the guitars soundbox to coax out every last drop of sustain. Fellow guitarist Larry Coryell once remarked that Jacques Uses the guitar, which he knows very, very well It was a quote that I didnt understand until that moment, but now I can see how insightful it actually is.

Several compositions played were from the latest CD ‘Catch The Spirit’ which is currently at number four in the Belgien Charts Outselling Helmut Lotti as Jacques, once more with that mischievous glint in his eye, is proud to announce.  A popstar who doesn’t sing? Another contradiction?  A smiling Jacques assures us that he doesn’t attempt to sing on his CD for good reason!  A delicious new serving of pop/rock classics make up the new work, but once again there is that curious dichotomy Have you ever played Hendrix ‘Voodo Child’ on an electric guitar?” I ask him during the break. Why should I want to, I am an acoustic musician is his surprised reply. Yet when he plays it (and later ‘Purple Haze’ too) I see a number of male audience members with elbows crooked on imaginary Stratocasters. The Jimi Hendrix Foundation, a very discerning organization, have apparently given their blessings to the new versions and rightly so. Much as I love Rory Gallagher his music doesnt quite seem to have the complexity to make Stotzems versions of Moonchild and Follow so memorable as the Hendrix interpretations are.  Highlights also were Radiohead’s ‘No Surprises’ and particularly the dreamy ‘Simple Pleasures’ which would seem to be an apt description of Jacques Stotzem’s seemingly easy stage manner – until you pick up your own guitar at home and discover how extraordinarily talented the man is at making the complicated seem easy.

A word of praise too for Volker Schliwa, owner of Antiquarius for his initiative in creating an interesting ‘Kulturprogram’ in amongst the bookshelves that has now finished it’s fifth year.  I recommend keeping an eye out for the next programme and booking early.

Antiquarius Bookshop

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