Lewes Guitar Festival - Round-up

Time Out call him ‘spellbinding’, the BBC call him ‘mesmerising’, the Times call him ‘a singular talent.’ The NME say ‘it is only a matter of time before he is enormous’. The Independent, bless them, say ‘he possesses a common name, but a rare talent’. The name is John Smith, he’s a hard-gigging nu-folk singer-songwriter, and he’s playing the Gun Garden slot (1pm) on Wednesday, weather permitting. Smith is renowned for his guitar virtuosity, either playing his instrument in the traditional manner, or laid out on his lap, like a drum. He’s supported the likes of John Martyn and Jools Holland, and pretty soon articles like this will be saying that musicians have supported him, to big them up. He’s from Devon.

The two evening gigs are more classical in tone, and feature an up-and-coming Bosnian-born Australian (Pelham House 5.15) and a world-famous much-covered superstar from Argentina. The first is Milica Ilic, a twenty-something with long black hair whose ‘fiery virtuosity’ according to Classic FM Magazine, is turning her into an ‘international superstar’.  The second is Jorge Cardoso (All Saints 8pm), who already falls into that bracket, the composer of over 350 songs (including the much-played ‘Milonga’). Cardoso will play a set comprising his self-penned classical numbers (which have been recorded by over 100 artists) and his take on the tango and traditional Andean music. The Argentinian, a festival organiser himself, is one of the most well-respected musicians ever to have played in Lewes, a sign of the growing prestige of the Lewes Guitar Festival. AG