Matt Woosey with John Parker
2nd April 2026 – Marrs Bar, Worcester
It’s been far too long since last seeing Germany-based Matt; an opportunity to see him live with John Parker on his vintage double bass could not be missed. Truth be told, it would have been good to see a better turnout, but those present were true Woosey fans — fans who have stayed with Matt through all the shape-shifting musical styles heard over the years. Suffice to say, Matt live is always seismic, regardless of the music he dips into. Throw in a measure of wry humour and you’re guaranteed a great evening, with the added bonus of John ‘Nizlopi’ Parker. Disappointingly, he didn’t arrive on a JCB.
Matt kicked off with one of his more mature songs, ‘One Of The Three’. It has aged well, with Matt, as ever, on his road-worn Taylor acoustic. A lovely, easy-rolling rhythm draws you in, JP’s bass subtle but essential. We hear of the duo’s tour of house gigs around southern Germany, including a butcher’s — a change from cafés and bars. A breezy ‘Walking The Blues’ fills the air. Matt is a true maestro on acoustic, but he also possesses an incredibly powerful voice, and through all the highs and lows knows exactly how to use it.
A more recent song, ‘Thick and Thin’, brought some humorous comment. JP starts with the bow across those thick strings; the swampy-edged song has Woosey “looking at the full moon, staring into space”. Artemis drifts into my mind — excellent stuff. We were drifting towards a break, but not before the glorious ‘Same Old Blues’. That old Taylor gets a bit of a bashing, Matt’s voice powering out — one of his best from his blue period. Even Picasso had his blue period, so good company then. We adjourned for liquid refreshment after hearing the vibrant ‘Elsie May’.
The beautiful, ethereal ‘Love Is The Strangest Thing’ opens the second set, with a superb long guitar lead before JP adds bass and the rhythm digs deep, searching for the cracks. Pitched high, Woosey’s voice carries the lyrics. It’s a fabulous song — sublime to listen to as Matt’s guitar takes us down a path familiar to us all. If you take just one thing away from the gig, it would have to be this song.
Dedicated to his son, ‘Life Is But A Song’ is referred to as that “butter song” back home in Germany. If you’re a betting man, you’d be on a cert to go for Willie Dixon’s ‘Red Rooster’ in the pecking order — and we were not disappointed. Of course, the close is never really the close; those curtains are reluctant to be pulled, even if we sometimes have to hang on to them with clawing hands. The popular call was for one of Matt’s early — but arguably most enduring — blues, ‘Black Smoke Rising’, featuring a great bass solo from John.
We’ll just have to await his return now after an unmissable evening at the Marrs Bar. Come on Worcester — make sure you’re there next time.
By: Graham Munn
