UK Jazz News

Once a Fig (Phoebe Harty, Cori Smith and Rebecka Edlund) at Bridge 5 Mill, Manchester

First night of North-West tour. 22 February 2024

Once a Fig. L-R: Cori Smith, Rebecka Edlund, Phoebe Harty. photo credit Tom Step

Swedish singer Rebecka Edlund sat in the glow of countless fairy lights, flanked by Lancashire cellist Phoebe Harty and Yorkshire violist Cori Smith on either side.

The three of them seemed to read one another’s minds, as they spun trance-like melodies and wove ever changing textures ranging from the most restrained grooves all the way to such rich washes of sound that I was left marvelling at the fact that there were somehow just three of them. The strings blended seamlessly with the voice of Edlund, even as they delved into the deepest realms of experimental extended techniques. The appearance of the ethereal 12-string guitar played by Edlund sparkled like stars above the bowed bed, adding another layer to their angelic presence. It seemed somehow natural that tales from the forest should meet daydreams… in central Manchester.

Harty, Smith and Edlund have undertaken a tour around England with their new project ‘Once a Fig’. After several dates in London throughout the past month, the trio took to the North for a whimsical dive into experimental jazz infused folk. The cello, viola and voice trio draw from their roots in the rustic moors of northern England and the freezing wilderness of Scandinavia. The whole project is delightfully embedded in mystery. Who knew that figs could thrive so far north for example?

The juxtaposition of forest folklore and bright city lights was omnipresent within their set. The recurring line ‘Have you seen? Have you heard? The world is turning green.’ was repeated with a sense of urgent significance. It seemed fitting that their tour should begin in Bridge 5 Mill – a 19th century mill has itself turned green by means of an award winning sustainable refurbishment.

A specific point which stayed with me from the performance was during Smith’s a cappella arrangement of the Emily Brontë poem ‘I’m Happiest When Most Away’. This set a hauntingly beautiful, introspective tone that overcomes me now whenever I read the poem. Instruments aside, the trio’s voices in close harmony channelled Brontë in a powerful portrayal of sisterhood. At the climax of the composition, the room was caught, breathless in a moment ‘through infinite immensity’ before a resounding resolution into the Swedish folk song ‘Lurkas’ which provided a rousing release of cathartic ecstasy.

Once a Fig in the hills above Brinscall. Photo Scott David Jackson

Creating a relationship with an audience is an inherent part of music making, and Once a Fig have such natural chemistry with each other both within the music and after it has ended. They emit a wonderfully calm energy similar to the glow of a warm fire in a room. Short anecdotes add context, drawing a picture in our minds and inviting us to connect with their music, their stories and themselves. I mean it in the kindest possible way: these figs are a funny bunch.

There was a satisfying symmetry to the performance as a whole, brought about by the first and final compositions which seemingly reflected one another. The first number ‘Phoebe’s Tune’ was combined with free lyrical improvisation which guaranteed a new intrigue every night and that evening, Edlund captured the audience with her proposal: ‘Let’s hold onto each other for a little while’. The encore was a slängpolska and as with many of the best experiences, it was unplanned. As Smith and Harty played, Edlund invited the room to hold onto one another once again by beginning to dance. The audience seemed to have taken Edlund’s statement to heart and as one by one they joined in, creating a memorable summary to a special evening. Soon the quiet old Manchester mill was once again filled with a hustle and bustle, though this time it was not the machines but the people who danced, round and round.

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