NICKI CHAMBLY
Hotel Utah
August 15, 2007
 
There was a fun and friendly vibe in the atmosphere as Nicki Chambly and her guitar player Deren Ney casually took the stage at the Hotel Utah. With a gentle "one two three four" the set lifted off and we headed down an old California back road lined with beautifully simple pop folk music.

Nicki Chambly fuels her blues-based folk songs with a fire lit by the great West Coast folk rockers of the 60s and 70s. This music — call  it California Soul, alt-country, or freak folk — has a retro feel; but in a city full of tight Levi’s and snap button western shirts, it’s clear that Nicki Chambly is dealing with more than just nostalgia for an unremembered age. Her songs are simple: three, maybe four chords with some well placed embellishments and great use of capos, slides, and accompaniment to keep the sound lively and dynamically fresh throughout the 8- or 9-song set.

She started with a few originals, including a beautiful tune called "Midnight Sky" and a fun blues number called "Tight Women," which Nicki dedicated with a wink to a few certain gals in the crowd. There was a lightness to her mood that helped to add dynamics to the material, which could be quite tender. One of my favorite songs, "California Love," written by Deren Ney, provided an especially tender moment not only between Nicki and the crowd but also between Deren and Nicki, who interact with each other almost like they were brother and sister.

Nicki's voice is informed by great folk singers like Joni Mitchell and Emmylou Harris. She also mixes in a sassy swagger that really came out during her cover of an old blues song she picked off of Bonnie Rait called "Don't Advertise Yr Man." Nicki put down the acoustic guitar and really worked the microphone and the room by digging into those turnarounds with a deep-seated snarl and a snicker. With Deren playing a nasty slide guitar and additional piano accompaniment from Jackie Greene, the song smoldered and they totally leveled the crowd.

They played a few other original songs, including another by Deren, whose tremendous guitar playing throughout the set really kept the energy up. His fretwork owes a lot to the Cosmic American scene, where bands like the Grateful Dead, the Byrds, and the Flying Burrito Brothers swirled bluegrass, blues, country, jazz and rock together to create a new classic American sound.

Nicki Chambly and Deren Ney showed they have the roots and the foundation, personally and musically, for a strong career. They are a great addition to the local scene. Check them out fer sure!

[Jeff Bissell]

[STREAM] Nicki Chambly: Various Tracks