Blues Matters 71

Another year, another issue. The years go by so fast, like the turn of pages in a magazine. So much we’ve done and achieved It’s hard to remember where we’ve been! There are so many places still to go and music to hear. Butlins has been and gone once again. What a great time there was to be had in Jaks yet again. Thanks go to all the staff and the entertainment team, including: Helen, Kim, Marcello, James, Mathew and of course the big man himself, Mike. The feedback has been amazing and a lot of new talent has emerged again. It’s good to hear that many have already booked up for next year, specifically to attend Jaks.

What a shame about HMV. There were quite a few conversations about them at Skegness, with people saying they shopped there, though not many used their online store at all – due to prices and lack of Blues product (on the shelves or online). Many believed that they had abandoned the general record buying public in favour of the gaming/DVD market and so were not so sad. HMV was an iconic brand and will be remembered by many when we talk about early records we bought and time spent browsing in ‘the old days’.

A great step forward for the technology-minded. A branded app for Blues Matters! is now available across iTunes for iPhone and iPad (soon available for Android). Check it out now, wherever you are. The App is free to download and there are free sample pages.

Now we’ll let you get on with your new issue and enjoy this treasure trove of Blues brought to you by the dedicated team at Blues Matters!

P.S. The cover photo credit for Robin Trower on BM70 is Vicky Cowell. Our apologies for missing this out.

We ARe sPARtACus!

Don’t forget your feedback to: editor@bluesmatters.com

As we go to press it is with deep regret that we hear of the passing of the great Alvin Lee, due to complications during routine surgery. An obituary appears on page eight from his old friend, The Bishop

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Happpenin’

cOnTEnTs

Keeping you up to date with all the news from the world of the Blues.

kiTcHaT

Dave ward dives in to the world of music equipment, with his own unique slant. 17 blue blooD

New Blues talent. Featuring The Deluxe, katie bradley, and many more. 26

blueS Top 10

innes Sibun talks about the music that influenced his career. 114

reD lick Top 20

Red Lick Records presents their best selling blues albums for February.

rMr blueS Top 50

Where only the music matters. The Roots Music Report independent airplay chart.

48 eDDie ‘blue’ leSTer

Ex Jimi Hendrix member kicking up a storm with his heaven-sent gift. 52 robin Trower

62

anDy FraSer

Part two: Pete Sargeant digs deeper into the ex-Free bassist’s world.

Jo HarMan

Twelve amazing months on, with an even more thrilling ride to follow.

Devon allMan

Without the Brotherhood he’s distinctly different and carries the weight of being the son of the father rather well.

robben ForD

Bringing It Back Home. Robben returns to his blues roots.

Talking Blues: Part two. Robin continues his blues journey.

erik STeckel

He started at the age of 12 and is about to take the world by storm.

68 aleX ZayaS

Spanish Blues Alex talks about America, the future and more.

70 MaTT Taylor

The man with the motive. Suited, booted and ready to hit the road.

74 albany Down

Red hot blues from South of the City. One of the classiest new blues bands around.

78 porTer

Essex Blues player gary porter talks to BM! about why he can’t keep still.

82 SHawn JoneS

88

Shawn Chorus. Why Mr Jones is making a name for himself with his fourth album.

wayne procTor

Award winning drummer and master producer talks to Steve Yourglivch.

REVIEWs

99 albuMS

118

Including: alvin lee, Delta wires, robin Trower, erja lyytinen and many more!

SHowTiMe!

Festival highlights from Chelmsford and Skegness, plus gigs from across the UK.

hAppEnIn’

all tHe blues tHat’s FIt tO PrINt – FrOm arOuND tHe

WILKO sAys GOODByE

Wilko Johnson, former guitarist with 1970s Canvey Island blues legends Dr Feelgood, has been diagnosed with terminal cancer of the pancreas. His manager wrote on the musician’s Facebook page that the 65-year-old had chosen not to receive any chemotherapy, but was ‘in good spirits’. Despite the diagnosis, Johnson plans to finish a new CD and carry out a short tour of France. There are also plans for a series of farewell gigs in the UK. Manager Robert Hoy said: ‘He is not yet suffering any physical effects and can expect to enjoy at least another few months of reasonable health and activity.’ “Wilko wishes to offer his sincere thanks for all the support he has had over his long career,” he added. ‘From those who have worked with him to, above all, those devoted fans and admirers who have attended his live gigs, bought his recordings and generally made his life such an extraordinarily full and eventful experience.’ Although he was not a household name, Johnson was considered one of the most influential guitarists for his

signature choppy guitar playing style - thought to have been one of the major influences for British punk rock.

After leaving Dr Feelgood in 1977, Johnson joined Ian Dury’s Blockheads and formed his own group, The Wilko Johnson Band. Johnson appeared in the 2009 documentary film Oil City Confidential, where he recalled his memories with Dr Feelgood. It sparked a revival of interest in the guitarist and a box set of all four Dr Feelgood albums Johnson wrote and played on, was released last year, as well as an autobiography. Johnson has also had a recurring role in US fantasy series Game of Thrones, playing a mute executioner.

JEFF hEALEy LIVE cD

Jeff Healey – As The Years Go Passing By: Live In Germany 1989 – 1995 –2000, The Concerts Will Be Released As A 3 CD-Set And As A Deluxe Edition 3CD + 2DVD.

The Latter Includes An Extensive Booklet With Contributions From The Participating Musicians And Rare Photos.

The three concerts, Ohne Filer Extra (1989), Extraspät in Concert (1995), and Ohne Filter Extra (2000), give an insightful look into the evolution of Jeff Healey; a document of an outstanding guitarist in three distinct phases of his career. The concerts are presented as they were performed, live without the aid of studio intervention. Spanning over eleven, they document different periods of the Jeff Healey Band. ‘With the fifth anniversary of Jeff’s passing coming up on 2nd March 2013, we were looking for a special way to commemorate and help celebrate Jeff’s life and legacy,’ says Jeff’s widow, Cristie Healey.

‘In preparing for this release, it was important to include the participation of as many of the performers involved. Jeff’s friends and colleagues have

bUrnleY blUes TUrns 25

The success of the Burnley Rock & Blues festival has been phenomenal with accolades from across the World. 2013 will be the launch of the 25th festival with an amazing line up and a town full of great entertainment for the whole family.

Mike Sanchez who featured on the very first festival in 1988 is set to transform the main Stage into an emotional 25th anniversary party. International phenomenon Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes fly in for an exclusive appearance. Hokie Joint, David Midgen and the Dirty Words, Rollo Markee and Lucy Zirins fly the flag for the younger generation and true legends The Zombies, Wishbone Ash, Paul Jones and Dave Kelly close another fantastic weekend.

Free Fringe, Free Acoustic Café, Town Centre entertainment, great food, great accommodation and a great welcome is guaranteed!

enthusiastically shared their memories of the concerts which help make this rare live compilation extra special.’

‘The Jeff Healey Estate is very proud to endorse this release. It’s the first collection of archive material to be officially released with the approval of the Healey Family since Jeff left us all too soon. We are privileged to continue the legacy of his immense efforts, incredible talent and sheer love of music, for everyone to enjoy.’

A feature on Jeff is to follow in Blues Matters! issue 72

GLOUcEsTER BLUEs

The 2013 Gloucester Rhythm & Blues Festival At Café Rene, Monday 29th July To Sunday 4th August 2013.

Café René in the heart of Gloucester will again be flying the R&B flag for the 2013 Gloucester Rhythm & Blues Festival. Situated within Greyfriars, Café René is the perfect place for this prestigious summer event in Gloucester, with not only a fabulous indoor venue but with an outdoor stage in a natural amphitheatre, perfect for performances. Now in its eleventh year at Café René, the Gloucester Rhythm & Blues Festival starts its exciting week of musical fulfilment on Monday 29th July with top toe-tapping musicians and bands throughout the week for seven days of great Rhythm and Blues music.

We are proud to announce our weekend line up so far and Saturday 3rd August kicks off with Damon T, Funke And The Two Tone Baby, Gotcha, Land Of Giants, The Infinite Collective and the mighty John Fairhurst to headline this fantastic Saturday feast of music.

Sunday 4th August will be opened by Jake Watson followed by The Lawrence Jones Band, The Worried Men, Innes Sibun, Aynsley Lister and widely recognised as one of the finest Blues singers Connie Lush.

The grand weekend finale not

At The Iridium in NYC on Feb 15th 2013 Kim Simmonds of Savoy Brown was inducted into the New York City Blues Hall of Fame by Michael Packer. Simmonds and his band helped launch the 1967 UK blues boom movement that brought Blues music back to the USA. They performed songs from the Street Corner Talking Album – Wang Dang Doodle, I Can’t Get Next To You, Tell Mama, the Classic Hellbound Train along songs from The latest CD release Voodoo Moon and closed out the night with The Savoy Brown Boogie. Former Savoy Brown Drummer Roger Earl (Foghat), Jeff Simon (George Thorogood) and Jon Paris (Johnny Winter) performed w/Kim along with Pat DeSalvo on bass and Garnet Grimm on drums.

only has superb musical content but more entertainment throughout Saturday and Sunday can be enjoyed with face painting for the children whilst ‘grown ups’ only can experience the Café René ‘Real Ale & Cider Festival’. Supplement your hunger with a pig roast or the famous ‘René BBQ’.

Each year the festival is FREE for all to enjoy. Throughout the week Café René help raise money through various fundraising activities for a well deserving cause to be announced, last year the sum raised was £2310.15 for Macmillan Cancer Support and we are always keen to better our fundraising efforts year on year so please do bring some sheckles for the charity buckets and help us support our chosen charity.

The Café René 2013 Gloucester Rhythm & Blues Festival. Monday 29th July – Sunday 4th August 2013.

Café Rene – Lé Pub &

Restaurant, 31 Southgate Street (opposite Gloucester Tourist Information), Gloucester GL1 1TP. Call 01452 309340 or click on www.caferene.co.uk.

For more information on Gloucester Rhythm & Blues Festival contact Jojo on 07886 691 017

sUnDERLAnD

sOnGWRITER WIns BEsT

BLUEs AWARD

Sunderland Singer-Songwriter Trevor Sewell Has Picked Up The Title Of Best Blues Artist At A Prestigious Music Awards Ceremony In America.

The Millfield-based musician flew to Los Angeles for the ‘Artists In Music Awards’ in February 2013 after submitting his songs online.

Happenin’ nEWs

Trevor, who has been playing professionally for almost 40 years, said: ‘The whole thing was surreal, and when they announced my name it was a bit of a rush. ‘It was a great feeling; especially with the genre I’m attached to as America is the home of the blues.’ Since writing his latest album, Calling Your Name, Trevor has been nominated for eight awards stateside, winning Best Blues Song at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards in 2012. In the same year, he also picked up the award for Best Original Song at the British Blues Awards.

While visiting the US for his latest nomination, Trevor played his first American gig at Kulak’s Woodshed on Hollywood Boulevard, where he was approached by a promoter. Trevor, who is also a senior lecturer at Northumbria University, said: ‘I’ve been talking to the venue and my American promoter about doing some gigs on the West Coast next

time I’m over there in November.’

Closer to home, Trevor hosts a buskers night every Thursday at Burton House in Burnopfield.

Now here is something a little different for you, a Blues songwriting workshop; Here in Polperro, Cornwall Alan and Sonja Crockford have started supporting music/songwriting learning as well as the live gigs in their pub in and, following repeated requests to host a blues songwriting workshop, they have now organized one to be hosted by Kris Dollimore in May 2013 (his cds have been featured in BM mag a few times now).

Polperro is a music mad little village! This year sees the 17th annual Polperro Music Festival which will be taking place for 10 days from the 15th June 2013. It remains one of the last remaining virtually completely free festivals due to the love for the music and determination to keep it free for all for as long as

we can. The workshops are new for the village and for them, but doing very well here. We really wanted to be able to support the learning of music as well. The ages on the workshops range from 17 year olds to 50 plus a lovely mix of ages. The reason we started up a blues version is because we were repeatedly asked to do it... there seem to be a lot of folk really keen to learn blues song writing out there. So we have obliged – the May workshop is our first to run on the Blues genre. The Workshop is run it at cost as a 3 day residential workshop here in Cornwall so would appreciate any help we can get letting blues fans know about this event.

You can read all about it here: www.crumplehorn-inn.co.uk/ crumplehtml/songwriting_ workshop.htm

alVin FinallY Finds FreedoM

As a student in Nottingham in the 1960s I was brought up on the music of The Jaybirds and marveled at the emerging talents of their bandleader Alvin Lee. I followed his career with Ten Years After and the highs of Woodstock and ‘I’d Love To Change The World.’ I preferred his solo albums, his collaborations with George Harrison, his blues songs and his most recent band. Alvin eschewed fame and commercialism, finding ‘freedom’ from both in the latter part of his life with his devoted partner Evi. I saw Alvin regularly in Spain and whenever I visited he would ask me to listen to his latest composition and watch my reactions carefully. ‘Well, your feet are tapping Dave so that is a good sign.’ His home

reflected his immense artistic as well as musical talents, with abstract paintings of exceptional quality kept under wraps rather than adorning the walls. Modesty prevented Alvin speaking about his achievements and he always talked me out of describing him as one of the best guitarists in the world despite the many accolades he received affirming this status during his illustrious career.

During our many interviews he spoke at length about his childhood, his influences, life on the road and how he nearly did not survive the 60s era. It is ironic that Alvin should have died in the tragic circumstances of a routine operation and I can hear a voice from above saying that was not

part of the plan! We should be grateful for his legacy but we always want more. I spoke to him recently and he was looking forward to the Paris gig with Johnny Winter; “I’m coming to get you one more time”, he would joke. I would have been there as one of Alvin’s legion of loyal fans as well as a blues writer on that occasion next month, waiting with baited breath for the opening lines of Rock and Roll Music To The World. We should not take anything for granted but just be grateful for, and celebrate, everything that Alvin Lee brought to this world in terms of his humanity, generosity and the classic and timeless music which will live forever.

THE BISHOP

MARTIN SIMPSON

SUNDAY 8

SEPTEMBER

After 35 years as a professional musician Martin is, right now, better than ever. Widely acknowledged as one of the finest acoustic and slide guitar players in the world, his interpretations of traditional songs are masterpieces of storytelling. His solo shows are intense, eclectic, spellbinding and deeply moving. Martin has been nominated an outstanding 26 times in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards – more than any other performer. Martin Simpson will appear at the London Acoustic Guitar Show

EARLY BIRD DAY TICKETS £15

NORMAL DAY TICKET PRICE £17.50

AFTER MARCH 31, 2013

CLIVE CARROLL

SATURDAY 7

SEPTEMBER

When the music press describes someone as an “Incredible acoustic talent” and “Peerless – no other word for it...” and when people like JeanChristophe Novelli and Madonna are booking that same someone for their private parties then you know that something pretty special is going on. Welcome to the world of UK acoustic guitar phenomenon Clive Carroll... Meet Clive in the masterclass and be astonished by his incomparable acoustic virtuosity.

OTHER ARTISTS: DON ROSS, BROOKE MILLER MIKE DAWES & PETTERI SARIOLA MORE ARTISTS TO BE CONFIRMED

THe norTH aMeriCan gUiTar blUes eVening

It’s Guitar Heaven – a showcase for leading custom guitar makers, established and new to the scene, all put on by the organisation that cares about guitar-building quality – The North American Guitar

We send one of our axe-toting writers down to the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith in West London to see the craftsmanship AND enjoy a three-act special show in celebration of the finest instruments a player could want.

Hard luck and trouble – the bluesman’s lot! and tonight in the form of a horrendous stop-start drive through Putney and Hammersmith against hordes of Fulham football club supporters heading for a major fixture. Imagine a horde of darkly-

dressed soccer-obsessed lemmings in identical scarves and beanie hats at night walking straight into your path every six seconds as you try to drive to your gig. And then park. A nightmare indeed. But worth all the aggravation, because this One Special Occasion. You could hardly meet a warmer bunch of folk than those running The North American Guitar – they are hospitable, helpful and they know their stuff. The organisation exists to promote custom guitar makers and an amazing display of the craftspersons’ work is set out

on the stage of the studio hosting the show. Makers include Patrick Eggle (and he’s there!), Carter Poulsen, Fine Resophonic, Kostal, Scott Walker Electric, Lame Horse, Froggy Bottom and Greenfield. Use a search engine to see just what committed makers can produce. The ones we tried out had style, balance and lovely tones, especially the Dave Crosby chords that your scribe essays on a six-string. Slide merlin Michael Messer of course produced some spellbinding blues’n’beats albums in recent years and in his solo spot shows a driven and fluid guitar style that exactly suits his characterful voice. He really is an expert player with glass or metal slide – in conversation with us before the show he says he knows instinctively which to use on what selections, for the tone be it mellow or sharp and sardonic. His offhand between-song remarks are funny and informative which suits the informal tone of the whole evening, each act is respectfully listened to and savoured by those present, including the acts yet to play.

The spirited male-female duo BabaJack have an infectious groove, deeply soulful vocals (Becky Tate) over guitar (Trevor Stege) and harp plus percussion. Yet they are not preachy or po-faced and the audience warm to them straight away. Including some cuts from their recent ‘Rooster’

MiChael MeSSeR

Verbals aND VIsuals: Pete sARgeAnt

BaBaJaCk

album they serve up traditional blues elements in a lively and soulful way making it impossible to keep your feet still our your head from nodding. Curious to see old wineboxes turned into playable instruments but that’s the resourcefulness of blues craftsfolk. They wanted their new album to be performance related and not an example of layered studio trickery. Given the great slide moments and attack I humbly suggest their next effort be titled Tubular Balls.

Last encountered by this writer outside the Apollo after Ronnie Wood’s Chess Label Night where they had opened he show, the band John Bull & The Bandits closed the show, kicking off with a rumbling and solo’s-peppered Let The Good Times Roll. This is a stew of blues, country, rock’n’roll, R&B and every other kind of roots music and they have a particularly adept bassist plus a raspy sax player, all over guitar dialogue that gets the toes tapping and charges the songs. Plenty of own compositions, already. In the spirit of the night, they invite Michael Messer to contribute electric slide guitar, which he does without grandstanding or showing off. The group seem to enjoy his runs as much as we do. We would recommend this outfit for the songs Sweet Rosie and Gotta Go Home. This electric roots style is best savoured in a live setting so a good call to have them on this bill.

Invited to carefully try the guitars, many audience members do just that. The room is filed with acoustic licks of differing styles

Did MasterChef man Loyd Grossman really come up during the break and contribute to BabaJack’s recording project fund or did they dream it? No, we saw it happen. That kind of night!

I hope they do more events like this, we all felt really connected to the craftspersons’ art and, just as a night’s entertainment, it worked out fine.

Warm thanks to aimee Withrington and more info on WWW.thenortheamericanguitar.com

Win! Hobgoblin goodies galore

To get your hands on 24 x cans of Hobgoblin, a legendary Hobgoblin T-shirt and a pewter tankard, please answer the following question: What colour is the Hobgoblin’s legendary brew?

Email your entries to: editor@bluesmatters.com by Monday the 6th of May 2013, or send them to ‘Beer goodies’, C/O PO Box 18, Bridgend, CF33 6YW

cLApTOn RELEAsEs 21sT ALBUm

On the heels of a sold-out Crossroads Guitar Festival and the announcement of a major world tour, Eric Clapton announced today the release of his 21st studio album and his first album since 2010. The album, Old Sock produced by Eric Clapton, Doyle Bramhall II, Justin Stanley and Simon Climie, features two new original songs Every Little Thing and Gotta Get Over. Old Sock will be released

March 12 on Clapton’s Bushbranch label, distributed through a new collaboration with Surfdog Records in the USA and Canada, and released by Polydor Records in the rest of world.

The new album is a collection of some of Clapton’s favourite songs spanning from his childhood to present day that highlights his vast appreciation and knowledge of music. From Leadbelly to J.J. Cale; Peter Tosh to George Gershwin; Hank Snow to Gary Moore and Taj Mahal, this record is a celebration of so many who have inspired Clapton’s rich musical life. Clapton has always had a remarkable ability to recognize great songs and a gift for knowing how to uniquely interpret them, as he does on Old Sock. The album explores romantic standards of the 30’s, reggae, soul, rock, and includes a stand out playful collaboration with Paul McCartney.

For more information visit www.ericclapton.com

COntInues OVeR...

mUsIc On ThE WEy

Following on from the outstanding success of their first charity concert, Radio Wey’s Martin Clarke and Heather Harrison are proud to announce the line-up for this year’s fundraising event. The Oliver Plunkett Postgraduate Education Centre, St Peter’s Hospital, Chertsey on Saturday 4th May 2013 6pm11pm. Raising money in aid of the Neonatal Unit at St Peter’s Hospital. Tickets £10 in advance from www. thebluessession.co.uk

Katie Bradley - Katie’s versatility and stage persona is full of verve and soul which is infectious to audiences. www.katiebradleyblues.com

Marcus Bonfanti - Blues folk artist and winner of the KT Memorial songwriter award 2012 for his song The Bittersweet, Marcus is an allround entertainer interspersing songs with his own style of storytelling. www.marcusbonfanti.com

Paddy Milner - Recognised as one of the leading blues piano players in the world, but also as a superb original songwriter and distinctive singer, Paddy Milner absorbed blues & boogie like a sponge. Winner of the best keyboard player in the BBA’s 2012. www.paddymilner.com

Dani Wilde Trio - Acoustic, soul and pop artist with a passion for 60s and 70s Motown, Dani Wilde has made a step into mainstream with a fresh and exciting take on retro soul. Dani is supported by accomplished guitarist Stuart Dixon and rising star Will Wilde on harmonica. www.daniwilde.com

Brothers Groove - Brothers Groove have their own feel and sound; a solid and edgy rhythm section lay the foundations for contrasting guitar styles and counter rhythms, which complement one another in a unique way. www.brothersgroove.org

Ron Sayer Jr - After a time

studying the beautiful thing that is music, Ron is back with his band writing original tunes. His music is a combination of blues, funk and rock and strives to create something fresh and uncomplicated for music lovers everywhere. www.ronsayer.co.uk

sEVERn Fm’s DR WART hOOVER’s BLUEs shOW

The listeners voted for their best of the year Blues as follows; Best Live Album: Keith Thompson: Snapshot Of Reality. Best Studio Album: Gwyn Ashton: Radiogram. Blues Sensation: Joe Bonamassa. Best Song: Bex Marshall - The House of Mercy. Best Male Artist: Will Johns. Best Female Artist: Sunday Wilde. Best Band: Never The Bride. Best Female Drummer: Layla Hall. Best Gig: Kingsley Salmon/Robert Plant (Tie) Best Festival: Gloucester Rhythm & Blues Festival.

first gear

last issue you got a taste of our new regular feature ‘Kitchat’, with a classic fender amp review. now we are please d to present the first of our new regular series for your delectation and delight

Hi everyone. My name is Dave Ward. I am a gear freak extraordinaire having played guitar for over half a century as pro, semi pro and keen amateur. So how old does that make me? I hail from South Wales where I paid some dues in the grand old sixties playing with bands of the day in the West Wales area – anyone remember ‘The Vikings’?, ‘Meteorites’, ‘Corncrakers’ (aka Man), ‘Eyes of Blue’, all the fun of The Glen in Llanelli Ritz ballroom and many others.

Now I’m just an old blueser: still buying, selling and repairing too much kit. Wives and/or partners tend not understand the concept of ‘you can’t have too much kit!’. Also playing the occasional gig or festival with our Hammond organ/ guitar duo called ‘Druids on Fluids’ (don’t even ask!)

Great news for Blues Matters! readers is that from now on a new column is, entitled ‘KitChat’, will do exactly as it says on the tin! Talk about kit: what you want to know, what you need to know, how to do it, how to get it, where to get it and all that good stuff.

And we won’t be covering

just guitars: anything that helps make blues music is on offer drums/percussion, amps, keyboards, pedals, effects P.A., you call it! If we don’t know about it, we know a man (or lady!) that does, so your feed back is going to help drive us along.

Another aspect will be to bring you ‘life on the road’ articles with the stars who grace the pages of BM! plus some who are yet to enjoy that glorious exposure and maybe pick a few brains for ‘secrets of the road’, e.g: how to restring your favourite resonator at 3a.m in the local curry house with the help of a table napkin and a pair of chopsticks. These and many other skills for the road-weary newbie will be covered. Maybe you have a tale to tell of unusual skills you have acquired and which may, of course, be suitable for inclusion in a law-abiding family publication!

I look forward to contributing to BM! and hope you enjoy reading ‘KitChat’ as much as I am looking forward to getting down and writing some tasty morsels for your delectation. Write to Dave at KitChat Blues Matters! It matters, OK!

eing a guitar player collector/ swapper/mender – Geek in other words – it feels right to start with the instrument that popularised blues and early rock and roll to the extent we see it today – i.e where it is a little unusual to hear anything popwise played over the airwaves that doesn’t have a guitar figuring in the line up. It was never always thus though, as in the bad old days, going back to the start of the 20th century –popular music of the day was fairly ‘stringless’, save for double bass and/or immediate cousins of the violin family. Early jazz had some level of guitar involvement – but pre electricification (of guitars that is) little was heard of by way of the axe being your lead instrument. Music of the people by the people was delivered by instruments that were inherited, scrounged or self constructed – I guess we are talking Americana and the blues era here where the black population of the deep south, by and large, were too poor to afford the luxury of ‘store bought’ guitars, banjo’s ukelele’s and the like. The ‘diddley bow’ played a big part in the poor black plantation worker’s ability to accompany themselves and the family singing gospel and blues on the front porch. This contraption was basic (VERY basic), being a string – or wire stretched between two nails hammered into the porch wall, I remember our own version of this was the tea chest bass; a portable version of the diddley bow and which

caused much consternation in our skiffle group days when we ( aka The Tarantulas) needed to take it on the Carmarthen to Crosshands service bus to play a gig! Fortunately the gig was on the pavement outside the chip shop next door to the bus stop so humpage was minimal!

Enough of ancient history which may be well documented by many more learned scribes than yours truly as my own first sensory recollection of serious electric guitar was when a man of outstanding talent in all aspects of music making (genius is a much hyperbolised word these days but never more relative than to this guy) made a massive impact in the life of all aspiring guitarists of the day – talking about the one and only Les Paul here folks. If you get a chance look up a documentary TV programme called ‘Chasing Sound’. It is truly a revelation covering Les’ history and shouldn’t be missed by anyone at all interested in our subject; an especially memorable scene is where Les invites two visiting reporters into his house to inspect the first multi track recorder built by the man himself.

Japanese DiCtapHOne

The two guys start looking around the house for something which might look like a Japanese Dictaphone and are more, a lot more! than a little surprised when Les shows them a piece of equipment comparable in size to a double wardrobe! Les was the man who invented multi track recording of the guitar and made some of the greatest recordings ever attributed to the electric guitar. His talents are recognised and preserved for posterity by dint of his name being allied with one of rock and roll’s most universally well known icons the Gibson Les Paul. Too many name checks to be able to include here as famous users of this iconic axe – but not too many of the Rock ‘n Roll glitterati do not have at least one example tucked away at home and

likely several in the flight cases for each live gig! Also not too many of them will still be gigging live at the age of 92 as did Les!

Obviously being a reputable and diverse publication BM is first to recognise the ‘other makes are available concept!’ and a certain Mr Leo Fender was equally if not more timely than Gibson (they always argue who was first!) in delivering a solid body electric version of the guitar to a drooling and gaping mouthed generation of aspiring axemen – yours truly included (OK maybe not quite as far back as 1948 though)

Enough history now and through the magic carpet of the media we can move rapidly to more immediate matters – such as which guitars are most relevant to blues music today. Besides the bonus of not having to drive two nails into your front porch any more (although check with your landlord if you go this route!) the plethora of four, six, seven eight and twelve string beauties is mind boggling to say the least.

“What playing qualities does an axe need?” I hear you shout – and, of course there are many, depending on your needs. Firstly, whatever they may be, the instrument needs to be readily playable. That means a true neck and a string action which doesn’t need hydraulic thumbs and bionic fingers to press down. Fortunately most electric models today –throughout the price scale – tend to be much more manageable in these respects than those available ‘back in the day.’ Also the major change I see today for budding students is the availability of learning resources.

Go to your search engines –enter ‘Blues guitar lesson’ or ‘Guitar teachers’ and prepare to settle down for many vision wearying days of result scanning! What a great position to be in though – the whole learning process must have timescaled down immensely given the vast resource available to all. Of course – you still have to do it – so how did they manage in the bad old days when the blues was born? Mainly from hand me down/word of mouth education

from their peers/older generation players etc. What makes the blues so fascinating in many ways is the fact that there wasn’t too much of a regime when it came to being able to tune a guitar. Concert – or more commonly Standard – tuning was little known back then and many bluesmen – literally made it up as they went along. Most common were the ‘slack key tuning’ positions which were utilised in Hawaiian guitar music – having the guitar laying flat on your lap (hence ‘lap steel’) and using a steel bar or glass bottle neck to provide the chordal positions. This, of course, bred the cult of slide guitar as we know it today. Many of the classic blues recordings utilise the method now called ‘open’ or ‘alternative’ tunings, which enable chords to be sounded without recourse to bending the fretting hand fingers into octopus like formations to provide a pleasant sound in the ‘Standard Tuning’ format. Standard tuning is, however the most utilised format by far today –That means tuning the guitar (Top – thinnest - to Bottom - thickest –strings as follows E,BG,D,A,F), sound familiar? Yes just look at any sheet music notation which represents the notes of the stave lines - EGBDF.

Following the blues trail with this in mind it becomes clear that finger style (normal) guitar playability has differing needs from those of you who fancy a bash at slide guitar. The need to have easily playable string sizes is less crucial; i.e you need to have comparably heavier string gauges and a higher playing action from regular guitar to get a good slide sound.This is because you don’t have to make the string contact the fretboard in slide playing.

Common examples of the open tunings used by slide players are Open G ( D,B,G,D,B,G – top down) and Open D ( D,A,F#,D,A,D – top down). Robert Johnson – arguably the best slide man of all time regularly played in Open G – amongst other tunings. Some of the tunings used by the classic bluesmen were self

invented and consequently make it pretty difficult to translate some of their work – even some of the twelve string guitars being played in weird tunings making it nigh on impossible to transpose/translate accurately in true fashion. It is common to see slide played on metal bodied guitars – and some wooden bodied acoustic guitars which are built with a mechanical method of amplifying the sound (aluminium cones) incorporated within the body of the instrument. These are commonly known as resonator guitars and were introduced prior to dawn of the electric guitar to enable players in ensembles to stand out volume wise above the sound of the band.

Zeppelin levels

Generic terms such as Dobro and Nationals are often applied to the guitars - both being actually Manufacturer names of these fine instruments. Nowadays they are often electrified in addition to their ‘organically’ improved volume levels –as well you might need it if you were surrounded by Led Zeppelin levels of volume being expelled by you co band members!

Bearing in mind the above facts: it is still possible to play slide on your regular guitar either in standard or open tuning, but compromises are necessary in string gauge and action height, this is why you will often see guitarist having more than one instrument on stage – avoiding both the pain of retuning and/ or the ‘Octopus Finger’ technique requirements of playing slide in standard tuning. Having a second guitar for slide is a good idea in many respects (apart from your bank balance of course!).You can pick up a second hand decent instrument for

very reasonable money these days and by restringing it with heavier gauge strings and raising the action a tad – put yourself in position to give Duane Allman, Derek Trucks or our good friend Mr Michael Messer a run (maybe that should be ‘slide’) for their money. I attach a picture of my own slide machine which was self built from a body and neck kit obtained from USA and second hand pickup and some hardware sourced locally. It is a replica of a 1958 Gibson Les Paul Junior and I based it on a model favoured by Doyle Bramall II and Leslie West – both slide players of no mean repute. It plays really great and cost a fraction of acquiring a vintage 1958 Jnr – if you could find one that is. Pictured alongside is my treasured National Resophonic Delphi model resonator which I also use mainly for slide guitar.

As for examples of blues guitar mastery both slide and regular I would heartily recommend catching up on some of the following players recorded output as benchmark material: Robert Johnson (King of the Delta Blues), anything by Ry Cooder, Lowell George (Little Feat) Duane Allman, Sonny Landreth, Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks and Doyle Bramall 11 on Eric Clapton’s Me and Mr Johnson – I could go on and on and, er I have!

In future ramblings of a KitChat nature I plan to cover French Harp ( or Harmonica to all of us this side of The Pond ) amplification, effects units, keyboard matters ( Hammond lovers alert!) drummer issues (Don’t go there!!), Life On the road experiences, and all other matters of a legal and law abiding nature behoving a nice family publication!! all Blues related of course.

Y’all come back now!

tHe delUXe

VErbAls: tHe deLuXe

christian sharpe (vocals and Guitar) was always surrounded by music. dad was in a band and often brouGht friends bacK after GiGs, instrument cases fillinG the room. aGed 12, christian was bitten, drawinG inspiration from clapton and hendrix records

aving experimented with rock, funk and jazz, Christian has always been drawn back to the blues. ‘It’s very hard to pick up a guitar and not play a blues riff.’ If he were pressed for one hero, it would be Peter Green. ‘I love his simplicity and his economy; he’s unpretentious and he doesn’t just copy the blues, he gives it his own stamp.’

Christian first met Martin McDonald (guitar) years ago when he was in a house band at a funk night. ‘Martin and I have forged a great partnership, it works so well. It’s great to hear two guitarists of a similar stamp play together, respond to each other.’

Martin has played nothing but the blues since he was 13, influenced by Stevie Ray- and Jimmie- Vaughan, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and Nick Curran, to name a few. He featured in Blueskin for many years, followed by Groovejuice, and The Nailhead Hitters. He has toured with New York’s Russell ‘Hitman’ Alexander for a couple of years in the UK. Mr McDonald captures the best Deluxe gigs with his laconic phrase ‘That had some good bits.’

Rod Mackay (bass) took up the instrument aged 16, having played orchestral music from childhood. Heavily influenced by the percussive and relentless grooves of Bernard Edwards, Rod is drawn to the funky blues of Robert Cray and Albert King, and is delighted by the arrangements of James Jamerson and the Funk Brothers. ‘It’s all about that hypnotic, harmonic thump of a string moving air, driving the music. Mingus and Monk really got that too. Best bass note I ever felt was on a 1963 Jim Reeves Christmas album’.

intently to the whole band, the whole sound, riffing with the guitar rhythms. ‘I have a love affair with all aspects of music which I know will continue for the rest of my life.’

Scott Broadhurst (drums) has played from the age of 14 in a wide variety of settings. He’s featured with cabaret artists, in strict tempo dance bands, big bands, jazz bands, and of course, he drives the blues. His influences include Steve Gadd, Rick Marotta, Buddy Rich and Mel Lewis. ‘Mick Fleetwood, Chris Whipper Layton and Per Hanson taught me how a shuffle should be played’. Scott listens

Christian sums up: ‘The Deluxe sound is blues with an edge. More rhythmic emphasis. We give the audience something new to take away, something to get their toes tapping.’ British and American traditions feature, as Peter Green, and the 3 Kings: Albert, BB, and Freddie, all take their place in the mix. But, in the ethos of Henrik Freischlader, there’s a modern delivery. ‘We’ve had incredible feedback from the festivals and gigs we’ve played. We had a fantastic time in Denmark last summer. Now it’s about stepping up to the plate.’

It was during his time as a semi-pro with the Rhythm Doctors in Kent that Christian met Peter Green. ‘I shook his hand and said ‘thank you for your influence.’ He gave me a wink. That was all I needed.’

Blue Blood katie bradley

Katie Bradley

GrowinG up in a musical house with a mother who had played in clubs in london in the early sixties and a father who is natural performer; i was surrounded by music from an early aGe

s a teenager I taught myself how to play the harmonica and, vocally, I listened in awe to every voice that I loved, from Ella to Aretha. I was lucky to have musicians around me who would lend tapes of artists and take me to see greats such as Koko Taylor. It was at Blackheath Halls where I took out a harp (of my handbag!) and jammed with the great Luther Allison. Since then my musical journey has taken me to many cities and bands, 12-piece to gentle acoustic duos, and I’ve sung in Europe and the US. On arrival at Orlando airport my aunt took me for a meal, I heard Blues playing inside. I quickly rushed to get my harps out of my suitcase, and politely asked (as Brits do) if I could join in for a number; five numbers later, and a few dollars more in the tip can, I was the newest member of the band, which happened to be made up of veterans from all sorts of musical dynasties. Music for me is exciting, it has the ability to thrill, engage and it is a universal language, and Blues is the finest example of this. My love of the Blues has given me the opportunity to travel, record and sing with musicians such as Hamish Stewart, and play support for Suzanne Vega.

My aim is to share my blend of Blues; offer and pass on. I feel I’m ready to show what I can do. In 2011 I met an amazing guitarist and composer Dudley Ross through a Blues concert. Dudley’s deep love of the Blues complimented mine, and our focus was to record a Blues album with the best Blues musicians possible; Sam Kelly, Paul Jobson and Joe Sam. A live session followed mixing Chicago classics and two original Blues numbers. The CD was sent to DJs who posed the question ‘Where have you been

hiding?’ The CD has now received airplay in the UK and all over the world with a great response. I was thrilled when my original track I Hear the River was complimented by Blues royalty, Mr Larry ‘Mud’ Morganfield, what a great affirmation. Dudley and I are currently writing an original album for 2013 with some special guests.

Influences: Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Sonny Terry, Jimmy Reed, Willie Dixon, Jo Anne Kelly, Etta James, Christine McVie, Big Mama Thornton

for the latest news on Katie Bradley chec K out www.Katie B radleyB lues.com

MaMa K aZ

m usic saved my life, now its time to G ive bacK that’s what i tell people when they asK me why i sinG the way i do. b einG

mama Ka Z 24/7 is an ama Z inG experience because i never thouG ht i would ever live, never mind have, this public profile

grew up not identifying with anyone musically so always thought I was weird until I discovered Etta James as a teenager. That feeling where a vocal can take you to another place is what set me on the path of a singer and later on I identified with Etta James and her life struggle. As a child I was thrown up at parties to entertain everyone and it just became a habit that my talent was used in all kinds of situations. Painful memories of my childhood though came back to haunt me as an adult and I headed down the road of destruction. I lost everything and when my life hang in the balance I had one last chance to hold on and that was my voice and my songwriting so I embarked on a slow recovery to gain my life back from alcohol, drugs and abuse. I got a cheap guitar and taught myself a few chords just enough to put my journals into words and wrote in secret for years.

Five years ago I finally hit the songwriting scene with my songs and then the blues scene which was quite daunting but like any one in their quest to fulfill a dream I got used to it all quickly. When I was chosen to perform alongside Nanci Griffith I knew people had finally accepted me and that launched me to another level. I then formed my Mama Kaz Band and on Van Morrison’s return home gig to Belfast we were chosen as the first act to open. 2012 brought so many more opportunities that now I have had to leave my band to go solo. This was a shock after we just won best unsigned blues/rock act at the Music Review Unsigned Magazine awards in Dublin in December but I have to follow my heart. Our signing off gig will be for Belfast City Blues Festival on 8th March and a swan song for charity that I have written for Cancer Focus NI will be sent out with a music video to say goodbye to fans before I head back to my solo career.

I launch my new solo EP on 5th April via Belfast Nashville and will be working with some the best musicians in the country aiming for my new sound to incorporate my bluesy voice against the more commercial songs I’ve written but yet still have that rawness that my fans love. I will then head off on an unplugged mini tour to promote the songs. I will also be working on some collaborations with artists around the world and discussions to go stateside in 2014. ‘Keepin The Blues

Alive’ in Northern Ireland is a big thing for me and to contribute I now run my own Mama Kaz Blues Café weekly at a local hotel where I showcase all kids of roots music and bring artists together for a weekly blues hub. Its my hope that using my profile I can bring the passion that I have for the genre to a bigger audience.

2013 is already setting up to be another krazy year as I’ve just signed up with new management and will work between England and Northern Ireland. I believe that because music saved me I now live, eat, breathe it so if the Mama’s Express takes me to more krazy Kaz heights then I’m running with it. I’m used to living the blues, I just gotta sing it now and anyone who knows me knows that I love every minute of my dedication to music, its my best friend, my soul, my being.

for the latest news on mama K a Z, chec K out www.mama K a Z.wordpress.com

V E rb A ls: mama K a Z

3rd – 5th May 2013

Southside

Johnny & the Asbury Jukes

Wishbone Ash

Paul Jones and Dave Kelly

The Zombies

Mike Sanchez Band

David Midgen and the Dirty Words

Hokie Joint

Rollo Markee & the Tailshakers

Lucy Zirins

25TH anniversary

BrOtHerS GrOOV e

b rothers Groove consists of four b irminG ham lads that have Known one another for many years. shaun h ill: Guitar/vocals, n iG el m ellor: Guitar/vocals, deano bass: bass/vocals, darren canny: drums/vocals

e realised that whenever the four of us played together at jam sessions, a certain sound and feel was created so, two years ago, we decided to put a Bluesy groove based band together.

The band name came about because of our brotherlike close friendships. We really do know and understand one another and this extends very much into our playing. When playing live, we know what someone’s eyes, facial expression or body language is saying and we instinctively use this to the full during the performance. A song may have a certain structure, but we will move things around to suit the moment and it is decided in a split second. People have told us that we have a particular sound and we think it is created by this internal band clock that the four of us always refer to. We can feel it flexing and moving between us. The band’s sound is very much based around that internal clock, with a little bit of that Birmingham industrial edge somewhere in the mix.

Brothers Groove saw Robben Ford play Ronnie Scotts, and it was a real moment, especially for Shaun Hill and Nigel Mellor on guitars. They loved the extension of colours on Robben’s chord voicings. This inspired them

to learn a wide spectrum of dominant and minor chords. They found their own favourites to play against and the new chords gave them more scope for melody. They would sit there chopping chords for one another to solo against for hours on end and consequently noticed that Deano’s bass playing became more melodic.

Most of our songs are written around the Blues form. Some of the tunes are real straight down the line, but the majority have a little side step out of the norm, not deliberately just for the sake of it, but more because it is the right way to go at the time with that song. We get most of our ideas for songs by jamming a feel and singing whatever comes out at the time. We then develop the lyrics and shape of the tune, but we try to let it happen in an organic way. Nothing is forced; we know that a song will eventually blossom once the general feel is there. After all, we all have plenty of life experiences to tap in to and therefore plenty to write about. We work hardest at giving a groove a personality.

p lease chec K out our we B site: www.B rothersgroove.org. t o B oo K Brothers g roove please email g raham at management @oli B rown B and.co.u K

he duo gigs regularly around Scotland (primarily Edinburgh & Glasgow) and their distinct sound has been well received both in and outside the thriving underground Scottish blues scene. Originally from Plymouth, Devon, Andy first picked up a guitar in 2005. He moved to Edinburgh with his wife in 2009 and started performing the open-mic circuit. Gavin is from Thankerton, South Lanarkshire, and started playing when someone lent him a guitar and a Rage Against the Machine book at the age of twelve. He also plays for rockin’ blues outfit ‘Missing Cat’, and Andy and Gav met at a ‘Missing Cat’ gig before jamming.

Utilising a minimalistic approach, Andy and Gavin have discovered that playing with just two guitars has encouraged them to be more creative and enabled them to write songs relatively quickly. Their debut album ‘All Night Long’ is now available featuring 13 original Hot Tin Roof songs all incorporating their atmospheric bluesy sound. One of these tracks (Maybe Baby) also features on volume two of the Jock’s Juke Joint compilation trilogy album. Jock’s Juke Joint showcases the best of contemporary Scottish blues artists and since its release both volumes one and two have been broadcast on over thirty UK radio stations, and in other countries including the USA, France, Australia, Canada, Germany and the Netherlands.

Hot Tin Roof is one of six bands selected to represent Scotland at the 2013 New Brunswick Battle of the Blues. Six bands have been chosen from across the UK to compete in five regional heats, with the winner of each of the heats then performing in London. The London winner will appear at the New Brunswick Blues Festival in Canada later this year.

The Hot Tin Roof sound is heavily influenced by the Scottish folk scene of the 1960/70s - such as Hamish Imlach and John Martyn, as well as global greats including Peter Green, John Lee Hooker, The Black Keys, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton.

The band is performing at various festivals this year including Thornhill Music Festival (Dumfriesshire, Scotland) and The Leith Jazz & Blues Festival in Edinburgh. They are busy contacting new venues to set up further gigs as well as writing songs, which they both enjoy, for the new album. Some of the new songs will be included on a free download featuring collaboration with talented saxophonist Hugo Lee, from Australia, available in the spring. A second album is expected to be out later this year.

for news, gigs, cds and downloads please visit: www.hottinroofBlues.co.uK

HOt tiN rOOF

VErbAls: HOt tIn ROOF

hot tin roof is an edinburGh-based blues Guitar duo. andy mcKay-challen (acoustic Guitar and vocals) and Gavin JacK (electric lead Guitar) play stripped bacK atmospheric blues

Space eaGle

one day when i was ten my dad Got pissed and put his seven inch of voodoo chile on at about 130db. i decided then that i was GoinG to play the Guitar. by the time i was 14 – and whenever i wasn’t at school – i was playinG at home all day, every day

spent months learning all the solos on Appetite For Destruction note-for-note. I still love that album –Slash is a phenomenal guitarist.

My tastes were pretty limited back then, but I was always into the more rhythmically interesting stuff: Slayer, Dinosaur Jr, Primus. My first bands were punk and then prog rock, and I reluctantly sang. I got bored and frustrated with the rigid arrangements which that kind of music requires. At university I was in a band which mixed up hip-hop, drum and bass and loungey jazz, which was much more enjoyable. The drummer, bassist and keyboard player kept everything together, and I made strange noises over the top. We were called Rio Tinto Bontempo – my favourite name of any band I’ve been in – and did pretty well till everyone left university and had to get jobs. My guitar got stolen – a ‘72 Les Paul Deluxe, no less – and I sold the rest except for a shitty Eko and for about five years I played only acoustic in tunings I made up – I was listening to Nick Drake mostly. I had kids, did a PhD and

started writing a novel, and never thought I’d start playing properly again.

But all through my 20s I was listening to Robert Johnson, Bukka White, Charley Patton and Blind Willie Johnson, as well as the newer hill country stuff like R. L. Burnside and Junior Kimbrough, which I got into from listening to the North Mississippi Allstars’ first album. Now that is a fine album – the pared-down production, the spontaneity of the playing, the incredible drumming. Then one day I stumbled across a man called Richard Johnston, who plays outside the New Daisy Theatre on Beale Street in Memphis every Saturday night. (It was only a youtube stumble – I’ve never been to Memphis). Anyway, he learnt hill country blues with Junior Kimbrough himself, playing at Kimbrough’s juke joint in Chulahoma, Mississippi before he died and the place burnt down. Johnston plays foot drums and guitar, and he’s got a great blues voice. Anyone who likes the blues should immediately buy his live album, Official Bootleg #1.

I built a foot drum kit out of a bunch of old parts, got a battery powered amp, and started playing around Norwich as Space Eagle (my four-year old son’s choice of name). I was terrible. But I got good, and now I get a good crowd gathering outside Jarrolds, the department store in the city centre. Jarrolds is the best place to play in Norwich for three reasons: one, you are sheltered from the rain by a canopy; two, the sound bounces off the shop window opposite so you can actually hear what you are singing and playing; and three, their shop displays are always changing – when this photo was taken, it was ladies’ pants. And I do love ladies’ pants.

This summer’s going to be exciting – I’m already booked for a couple of festivals, and it’s only going to get busier. The equipment I use is diversifying. My PhD was in part a philosophical study of the importance of making things. Strangely, I have found that this has influenced Space Eagle: I sometimes play a cigar box guitar I built through an amp I built, and keep rhythm with my homemade drum kit. I don’t have a clue how a microphone is built, but I’m willing to give it a go.

to find out more, or to B uy a copy of s pace e agle’s first Blues, a self-produced and individually hand-printed cd, go to www.space-eagle.com

Mat treiBer

as a fanatic of american music, my love for the blues Goes bacK to the early days of my G uitar playinG as a teenaG er. m uddy waters, howlin’ wolf. h ubert sumlin and bo diddley (both of whom i’ve had the pleasure to meet)

hey’re all just part of the recipe that is the music of Mat Treiber. I do play slide guitar in a blues style on my numbers ‘Go All Around the World ’ and ‘Rhapsody in Red,’ although neither of these songs could be called blues songs! Which is why I love the blues, and what it’s given to me as an artist. Although I love Stevie Ray Vaughan as much as the next guy, I am so thrilled to incorporate the blues into what I hope (!) is my own work. This of course is tricky, because blues purists may not be interested in my music! And the pop industry may only ‘hear the blues,’ roll their eyes, and put me down for it. But I don’t care. (How blues is that attitude?) I’m determined to love the blues and use it in my own cake. I hope that you will check out my music (available on iTunes), share and enjoy what I’m doing. Living in New York City and working as an Accessories sales guy at Manny’s Music at nineteen years old, having left my home in Montreal, I got to experience the blues and meet some of my faves. Many nights on the town I

frequented the ‘Chicago Blues’ club on 14th Street and Eighth Avenue. There I managed to introduce myself to many legends, including Chuck Berry’s piano player Johnnie Johnson, as well as Jimmy Vivino.

I currently live in England, and play shows in London every once in awhile with a trio. I’ve played many clubs in New York City, and even more in Los Angeles, which was my home for five years. I’ve recently released some recordings done in Los Angeles, produced by Jeb Lipson, who’s worked extensively with Solomon Burke, Jr., and is a huge fan of my music. We did these recordings that are now available as iTunes downloads and on a CD EP from cdbaby.com, called “The Hollywood Tapes”. This includes one cover song, from my all-time hero, Ike Turner, whom I also had the pleasure to meet, in California. I chose this song for the promo video for the EP.

p lease chec K out youtu B e and itunes and cd BaBy for my music! love to everyB ody, mat trei B er

innes sibun

visu A ls: f RA nk v A n es’

b lues guitarist innEs sibun began playing guitar at the age of 12 after hearing b.b King. as a teenager he played in many bands playing pun K, reggae, rocK, folK and jazz learning from different musicians along the way

is first band the Blues Explosion recorded the album That’s What The Blues Can Do with legendary producer Mike Vernon (Eric Clapton, Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac) in the producers seat. The album gained critical acclaim and was voted best blues album in Ireland that year. The band toured throughout the UK and Europe. In 1993 Innes was asked to join Robert Plant’s band for his Fate of Nations tour. The tour took in America, Europe and South America where they played the Rock in Rio festivals in Sao Paulo and Rio as well as playing in Argentina, Chile, Venezuela and Mexico. During the US dates Innes was able to meet and play with many of his blues heroes like Buddy Guy and James Cotton in Chicago, he also jammed at Antones Blues Club in Austin, Texas with Tommy Shannon, Chris Layton, Chris Duarte and many other legends of the Austin blues scene. His guitar playing can be heard on Robert’s 66 to Timbuktu and Nine Lives albums.

Innes is in the midst of recording a new album with no release date set as yet. Currently the band consists of Jon Buckett on hammond organ and piano, Kevin O’Rourke on drums, Steve Hall on bass guitar and his good self on guitar, vocals and mandolin.

01 Skip JameS Crow Jane

What can you say about Skip James, he played beautiful intricate guitar and sang in that soft high voice but many of his songs were vicious such as Crow Jane where he sings that he’s going to dig his womans grave with a silver spade, chilling. Rap music gets bad press for being violent but the blues was there first.

02 peter Green a Fool no More

There are quite a few different versions of Peter and Fleetwood Mac performing this song and each version is different but just as brilliant, I recently heard a bootleg version from a show in Stockholm where

his guitar solo explodes with emotion, it’s exhausting to listen to. I also love the reissue version where you here several false starts and Mike Vernon in the control room. For my money Peter is the greatest blues guitarist this country has ever produced, I tried to tell him this several years ago when I chatted to him before a gig but he wouldn’t have it.

03 Sean CoStello

Have You no SHaMe

What a tragic loss when Sean Costello died so young, he was the real deal and it hurts to think how many more great records he would have made. For such a young man to have command of the guitar in the way that he did was quite uncanny, listen to him play and you can hear some Charlie Christian here, some Lightnin’ Hopkins there but his own style was fully developed too, add to that his incredible emotive voice and ability to write classic songs - How I wish he that was still here.

04 SnookS

eaGlin

out oF nowHere

Snooks Eaglin was another musical chameleon who could turn his hand to any style of music, he was a New Orleans genius. His version of Out of Nowhere swings like a bastard, his guitar playing took in jazz, blues, gospel, even flamenco. He always hit the perfect notes every time, nothing wasted, every note counted – perfect.

05 Delbert mcClinton

You were never Mine

Delbert is one of my favourite singers and he has immaculate taste in the songs he chooses to sing. There are so many of his songs I could choose but You Were Never Mine gets me every time, he puts so much emotion into this song that you lose yourself in it, as the old cliche goes.

Delbert McClinton could sing the phonebook and still manage to make it sound soulful.

06 otiS ruSh

i Can’t Quit You BaBY

There is nothing more that can be said about Otis Rush that hasn’t been said already. On I Can’t Quit You Baby it sound as if he is losing his mind it’s so intense, the vibe is absolutely electric with emotion it makes my hair stand on end, again with my other choices there are plenty of other songs I could have chosen.

07

rory GallaGher

BarleY and Grape raG

Although Rory is predominantly known for his blistering electric playing his acoustic sets were just as amazing with a wide knowledge of the old masters and the technique to back it up he was mesmerising on his Martin guitar as well as his national. I have a DVD of Rory playing acoustic guitar and I sit there open mouthed trying to figure out what he’s playing.

08

liGhtin’ hopkinS

GlorY Be

This is the REAL blues, the DEEP blues, when I’m really low I always turn to old Lightnin’ to help me out. It sounds like it should be easy to play but it is the hardest thing in the world, it’s feeling and you can’t copy someone elses feeling, I have a ton of Lightin’s albums in my medicine cupboard for emergency’s.

09 roy buChanan

5 StrinG BlueS

Holy cow, where do you start with Roy Buchanan ? He was a real enigma as a man, religious but battling demons. He could literally make the guitar cry, howl, scream, weep. On 5 String Blues so called because he broke a string midway through the song his guitar howls like a wounded animal, when I first heard it as a kid I couldn’t believe that this was a guitar being played. Watching DVD’s of Roy he registers no emotion but inside he’s screaming through his guitar.

10

robert JohnSon

love in vain

The original bluesman, again a real enigma and legend so thank god we have his recorded legacy left behind, it’s so difficult to choose just one song but Love in Vain is such a sad song and you get the feeling that Robert Johnson was the one breaking the hearts so it’s an amazingly vulnerable song and so cleverly written too. His guitar playing was strong and powerful and his voice was eerie, almost other worldly, incredible.

ERIC JOHNSON

V E rb A ls: Pete S AR ge A nt Visu A ls: mA x C RAC e

accomplished guitar ace e ric Johnson is renowned for his varied and atmospheric playing and performances, but now he’s opting to loosen up J ust a little and his latest album features blues-rock contributions from not only Jonny l ang and s onny l andreth, but roots music alumnus steve m iller

The new release is on Mascot / Provogue and is called Up Close – Another Look and even on a first listen displays Johnson’s great playing, a set of interesting and sometimes downright enthralling tunes, with a real blues element that still sounds fresh and clichéfree. Time to call the man in Austin, Texas and discover where he is at, creatively.

BM: Firstly, thanks for your time Eric – I know you are preparing for the tour dates, which include the UK. EJ: Fine, thanks for suggesting the article.

I’ve already reviewed the album and put that into the magazine to get it into the next issue so that should be coming out as you arrive here for the shows. I’ve been listening to the album and the way it plays with the guests you have on there as well as your own playing it makes it very much a treat for rock and blues fans. What was your intention in doing this edition?

You mean doing this second version? The first version to me it has kinda ways of my recording habits which I really want to try and get away from. Cooped up in the studio, playing stuff over and over, too many tracks on everything at times. This second version wasn’t like a complete redo more of an opportunity. I thought well I’m coming over to Europe, let’s just do an experiment. Let’s go back and address a few things that were bugging me which namely were… well, on three or four of the tracks I just played the rhythm guitar straight just to get a performance and then added some of the guitar overdubs. Kinda remix it, a little bit more of an intimate mix than it was. It’s still the record it was, it’s just it was a step to a new approach that I want to do more and more of. Get to

more where you just play in the studio. It was a personal experiment for me – just see what it does, how it all sounds. I was very taken with the fact that with very little performance where you go for recording performance the difference in the vibe means that if I did this from the start it would be a real plus.

You’re talking about the connection of the dynamic with your audience, aren’t you?

Yeah, absolutely Pete. I think it’s hard to think about everything when you are recording. Obviously, you wanna play great, get a good sound, you’ve gotta have a good song for everyone else to play. In recording there’s a lot of things that come into play and I think to be really honest that I’ve been too concerned with all these issues that are important but above and beyond all that, you’ve gotta get a magic thing happening where you have a certain emotional attractiveness I think that some of the recordings I’ve done have not had enough of that purely because I’ve been thinking about everything else. There’s so many aspects to recording that you’ve gotta decide what are the most important and really put those upfront.

The way I look at it is, in my own humble way I do lots of live shows that attempt to connect with the audience and the connection is more important than the technicalities of the music. It’s hard to say that to a very accomplished player like you. But it boils down to moving that audience and maybe it’s sometimes a blend of simpler elements that make that connection.

Yeah absolutely.

Interview eric johnson

Eric, when does a painter stop painting? There must be a point when a painter says I’ve done this picture I’ve got the shapes, the colours, the detail I want. I imagine with a painter it’s the paint about three inches thick!

I had a conversation with your buddy Sonny Landreth and his last album was a series of paintings for your ears, but not overloaded.

Yeah. I think that when you do more you can start losing some of the magic; you pay too high a price. Sure, you can keep going and get all these extra bells and whistles or all these extra tricky things, but the price is too high, you lose something out.

The other corollary is Eric, when sound first became available to filmmakers, all the actors were voluble, they didn’t stop talking! Because they could now use that facility. It was a while before films settled back to people talking at normal speed and not machinegunning the dialogue.

Yeah, that’s a good point. I guess everybody was caught up in the novelty

Sonny was very honoured to be playing on your record, the reflective track at the end. He’s great, one of my favourite players.

I find him a very nice spirited guy. He was truly very honoured to play on the track Your Book wasn’t it? Who’s singing on A Change Has Come To Me?

Yeah, lead vocal is me. Jason, a friend from Nashville is singing background vocals.

I reviewed the record without knowing who was guesting on what I thought that song might have been autobiographical and that few people use flanging as well as Eric does here. There’s that Hendrixy tinge to it, which doesn’t seem to occur till you get to that number. That struck me as very personal, maybe I’m wrong. The record goes through many moods but the most laid-back moment might be the Steve Miller spot there Texas.

I know him, not super well but we’ve done a bunch of tours together. We had already talked about recording something together. He was just in town to do a show and I was doing a show. So we just managed to cut this blues thing live.

He’s from Chicago isn’t he?

Yeah, he’s originally from Dallas, Texas but he moved to Chicago and was riding a rally good time in the sixties with a lot of great blues

“I constantly lIsten to stevIe Wonder, a lot of the old stuff”

artists. He’s a real blues music aficionado. He’s always wanted to do more blues stuff. I think he tries to put it in his sets live as it’s his personal love. But then he has to cater to his audience, as well.

I think he gets the balance right. The best shows are when you play for your audience but you also play for yourself. I think we are all allowed to do that in a live setting. The other thing, my son wanted me to ask about the album track that really blows our heads off being Austin, with Jonny Lang singing. This powerful, sweeping sound behind him. Please tell me about this one.

That was just. I’m a huge Stevie Wonder fan, so is Jonny. I constantly listen to Stevie Wonder, a lot of the old stuff, and Jonny sings so well on that track.

Wonder, yes. Innervisions? Talking Book?, with Jeff Beck.

Absolutely. What song was it that he played on?

He made a whole album over at Motown, with James Jamerson et al, but they never released it. Really? I didn’t know that. Oh man have you ever heard it?

The nearest he came to that sound on a release was in the JBG era with Bobby Tench e.g. ‘I Can’t Give Back The Love I Feel for You’ Oh yeah, that album… yeah

Obviously, your friends with all these singers. I found it strange that on one of the tracks you didn’t have a female vocalist with you. It was Arithmetic. Would have been a great duet.

That would have been nice with a female voice. I’ve got a number of songs I would love to have some female vocalists on. But yes that could have been done with a female vocalist.

When you’re playing live here soon what’s your intention in terms of lineup and material, Eric? Well probably just play stuff off all the records and a number of new things. I have some solo acoustic ideas so it’s not all electric guitar.

Acoustic sets work well in the UK because people do like to see that different side of you and hear the more reflective side of what you’re doing. Who’s in your lineup?

Chris Marsh on bass, Wayne Salzmann is playing drums and we’ve been playing a couple of years. I’ve known Chris for a long time and Wayne and I have played together for a while.

This just came into my head and it may be a myth but it is said that you can tell which guitar cord or cable your playing through without looking!

No not really, it’s just the direction of the chord will make a difference. Someone’s misinterpreted that! I’ve always used that George L cable, I think it just sounds good.

Someone slightly exaggerated it somewhere. But that is why we talk to you guys to get the real deal! When you’re playing live do you record your shows? Zappa used to do this.

We have been lately. Like doing a video and digital recording. Sometimes just to review it and listen back.

It’s not a bad thing to do. Frank said everybody plays their best when they know they’re being recorded. They wanna get their chops together. Interesting. I think that’s quite true. Some people do get more inhibited when they’re being recorded. I appreciate it can go both ways.

Mind you, the standard of his musicians. He’s still the guitarist that frightens me the most. He was amazing. I saw Dweezil Zappa play last week. He really gets better all the time. He does a wonderful job with his band, doing his dad’s music.

As did the Brubeck kids, playing dad’s music around the world. You live in Austin don’t you? I do. I was born here then I moved away for a while.

But when you speak you sound more like Iggy Pop than a Texan.

Oh really? I guess it’s just travelling and stuff.

The only trouble with Up Close – Another Look is that I can’t pick a typical track to play to people. If someone asks to hear an Eric Johnson track I struggle to choose just one. There just isn’t a typical track of yours is there?

Yeah you know sometimes I think if you have a more of a focus maybe its better fir your

career because you can have an identity that way. Maybe my biggest identity is just playing guitar. I think the reason I don’t establish myself hat way is because I have too many other things I’m interested in. It’s never been an agenda of mine.

I’ve never set out, it just happens by default because you know Cliffs of Dover came out and all of a sudden it was like that’s what you do. It’s always been my focus to just play music. At the sake of maybe having less career focus I’d prefer just to enjoy playing music.

I think you make better music if you just stay a fan of other artists.

Yeah it keeps that passion alive.

What I like about you is that you’re not just a play fast merchant.

I come over to me speed is a dangerous area because it can get one-dimensional.

Exactly right.

With Jimi Hendrix for example it wasn’t at all one-dimensional. It was about the songs and the lyrics with the extra thing of the guitar playing. It was really.

When I think of Hendrix, the first thing I think of is songs like One Rainy Wish, or May this Be Love or Voodoo Chile, the slowed-down, blusier version.

If I think of Jimi when I have a guitar on, and I did see him play live once, I think of Wind Cries Mary. Yeah! Great. That’s why he’s so timeless. Like Stevie Wonder and the Beatles.

It’s because it’s music. It was definitely the Hendrix records like ‘Axis’ that set me off playing. And really the Cream records, especially Wheels of Fire. That was huge for me, I played it over and over again.

Deserted Cities of the Heart. I’ve told Jack (Bruce) and Pete (Brown) that’s the one for me! Anyway, thanks for this chat. Enjoy your tour, we may be at the London date You’re welcome, thank you very much.

e ric Johnson’s new album up close – another look is released by p rovogue r ecords on m onday a pril 1st. uk tour dates include l ondon o2 s hepherd’s b ush e mpire (a pril 3), h arrogate theatre (a pril 4), e dinburgh Queen’s h all (a pril 5), m anchester r n c m (a pril 6), b irmingham town h all (a pril 7), s alisbury c ity h all (a pril 8). 24 h our b ox o ffice: 0844 478 0898, www.thegigcartel.com. for m ore info on eric go to: www.ericJ ohnson.com

ANDY FRASER

PARt t wO

c ontinuing bm!s lunchtime conversation with master bassist and andy fraser

BM: We saw Paul (Rodgers) again not long ago and in many ways you are in the same place creatively, he is very enthusiastic about making music still and you seem more enthusiastic than ever, with McTrax happening and all – unless you’re acting, of course.. AF: (Laughs) Ha! I wish I could act!

So in a way, whatever gulf there was that evolved between you two. It might be history Yeah, but probably the last chance was this recent thing (2012 Olympics gig – PS)..see, we all agreed between ourselves to do the show…the opening and that went all sideways , that was the first time we’d ever agreed

This was with Simon, who we saw at Ronnie’s Chess show in London and drumming alongside Andy Newmark.

We were rehearsing down at Sensible the week before they came in, so we knew of the show.

Simon (Kirke) peacemaker?

Yes! In Free, me and the two Pauls, we were three very different, distinct and strong characters and probably well and equally matched to keep each other in control. Simon had the ability to see three different perspectives and a way to pull them all together.

Was it Wilson Pickett who covered the song ‘Fire and Water’?

It was sent to us very shortly after he recorded it because in order to cover someone else’s song you always need to get permission from the publishers so we were aware that he was going to do it.

Who wrote Fire and Water?

Paul (Rodgers) started it, and I helped to finish it off.

When I heard his version, I actually thought he

was influenced by Paul. I thought that was weird that at the age he was he had Wilson Pickett sing a song he’d co-written. We loved it!!

Did you meet Wilson?

Not at the time. We were big fans of both Wilson and Otis (Redding). So it was a huge compliment

Apparently, when Wilson heard the song he just said ‘I’m recording this’ and no one argued with him. Fire and Water was very much a breakthrough album for you wasn’t it? That’s the one that’s got MrBig, Remember, Don’tSayYouLoveMe, HeavyLoad and OhIWept. However, I think Free Live’was the next to be released? And that had The Hunter, the Albert King song. The impression I’m getting from talking to you is that Koss would have liked to have done that type of sound as the core of Free.

Yes, you’re right. He found everything other than straight blues quite challenging and you know he was quite surprised by the turn that the band took from his original concept, a Jeff Beck type thing.

So what did it do to his head when he heard MyBrother Jake and it shot to number four?

He was already having a hard time. I mean My Brother Jake was completely out of his field and even the whole band. I mean Paul (Rodgers) was into it, but the band banged it out. Whereas, if we’d given it more thought, I thought it could have actually grown more than it did. When we sort of knocked it out it was like a pub song.

Yeah, it tends to get played on stations where they like the Strawbs PartoftheUnion. There was a Jake wasn’t there?

It was, Pete, based on a close friend of ours and I didn’t use his name I used Jake. But I liked the name Jake. It was Horace Faith.He loved it.

Was he connected with Island?

No, he just used to hang around I would have loved to have got him connected. He was a great guy, good voice, very rudimentary in his music but so is Bob Marley when you get down to it.

The album that most interests me and I don’t know whether you agree was Highway. Highway is almost your White Album of four people going or about to go separate ways. There are some songs on here I really do like. But are you fond of Highway?

I love The Stealer and The Highway Song, Be My Friend I love, too

I can’t get the tempo of OnMyWay– I just can’t work out what the tempo is?

Wow, yeah there are certain songs which I did call on the offbeat and it’s very difficult to get back on. You’ve obviously been stuck on the offbeat from the beginning. Ride On Pony is good. Soon I Will Be Gone I love. Bodie was a bit experimental. It’s adventurous.

‘Bodie’ was a long way from blues wasn’t it?

Yeah. It was basically Paul. You know, going off on a tangent and I liked his adventurous spirit even when it wasn’t totally successful. There are lots of songs on here I really like. I actually The Stealer was written, recorded and mixed in the same night and we were really thrilled out of our minds.

Then Blackwell heard it when Andy Johns woke him up and said ‘you’ve gotta hear this’. He came down and just said ‘that’s the next single’. But I think, having had time to reflect, if we’d been given just a little more time then it could have been a hit and it wasn’t.

You can say that about… I mean I listen to that record and I think that if I was producing I would have put horns on RideonPony.

Well they wouldn’t be out of place. We were gigging and we’d take two weeks off to record an album.

What about other Island artists? Did you ever run into Fairport Convention?

Well, we gigged with all of them. Traffic, Jethro Tull a lot, Spooky Tooth.

The only way to measure is how much someone moves you. They’re not ‘better’ than others. It’s funny that you’d hear in that record a band going separate ways. Because we were

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Interview AnDY FrAser

really pleased with this. We were most in harmony at that time. The fact that we wrote mixed and recorded ‘The Stealer’ in one night shows that we were on the same page.

I think what it is that there’s the feel that the next album is gonna see a further… well not a splintering but like the moving away of the personalities, from each other. I get it and I enjoy it and to me it particularly has the cohesion BUT I didn’t think there would be a real follow-up to Highway. And you were right

What do you recall about Free At Last?

Difficult, very difficult. Kossov was already pretty out of it. I mean you’d go out to like put on a solo and he’d literally fallen asleep over his guitar. Paul Rodgers had all ready decided that we’d done things my way and it didn’t work. Now we were gonna do things his way and I think there were some songs on here that were murdered particularly Guardian of the Universe which I think is an unbelievable song and it’s really a lullaby. I think it needed to be treated with that sort of sympathy. He goes out and hammers it out on the piano and says to Kirke stick on some drums. So sergeant major goes out and gets on some drums put on. It’s like - what are you doing! But there wasn’t enough communication. He was looking at me like I wasn’t there and so for the first time I was like, oh ****!

Your book does go into, for the first time, why Free split up as a band and in a nutshell how’d you put it?

Me and Paul were just going in different directions and it stems from that.

Prematurely, or was it time for it to happen?

Well I mean originally I could see us climbing mountains and reaching horizons like the Beatles did. And we never did. So it was obviously premature but the way things went that’s what happened. There came a point when we had to say this is not happening. We are not loving this like we used to. This is hell. This is torment. We’d go on stage and Kossof five minutes behind and you and me wanna be doing different things. Be honest, this isn’t happening

Simon and Paul, this was a revelation to them that you and Rodgers had come to that conclusion, is that right?

That’s probably true but I didn’t. I would have to make an assumption as I’m not in either one of their heads.

What was Blackwell’s reaction?

He’s always very sad but accepting. He’d never been the type of guy that forced his artists to do anything. He may have given to much credit too his artists and freedom and latitude. He was probably the only one who we all had enough respect for who might of said ‘listen guys why don’t you just take six months off or something’

Which would happen now but he was no Berry Gordy. No right, exactly. Gordy would co up to Marvin Gaye and say what do you mean you’re not going on stage and smack him across the face.

He got on well with the Little Feat guys didn’t he? And the Meters?

Exactly. I was sort of blown away when he said he used to come and see Free. And with him being a great singer and all.

He was one of the first people to get into Devo, covered GirlYouWant. When you wrote with him it must have clicked I mean he was absolutely rooted in blues and soul. When you wrote EveryKindaPeople how did he react?

I’d written it and he’d heard it and wanted to do it.

There’s a War song called WhyCan’tWeBeFriends. We’re all humans together why on earth do we let anyone divide us?

That’s maybe a bit more of a pub song.

It’s very gentle, why is that?

Probably because I am. I guess I was turning mellow and I wrote it just as I moved to the States and I was into no more rain, no more British taxes or English attitudes. Somewhere new. I don’t want to be part of a stock rock band. I want to branch out. Now where ever you go you can find good or bad. But I was sort of in rebellion to, Rodgers ‘idea of being just having a stadium ready rock band. I wanted to have other elements like an RnB or a soul thing. I mean, listening to Marvin Gaye completely opened doors for me.

Yes, InnerCityBluesis as relevant now as it was when it was written. Because governments heap the blame for everything on their poor.

A good song is universal and not stuck in a time. I don’t actually write for other people. I just write songs. They hear them and want to do them.

That very thing was said to me by Albert Hammond. If you want a song by Diane Ross by ten o’clock

tomorrow morning, don’t call me. It ain’t gonna happen. Well if I got together with her over a stretch it might be fruitful. I can’t be a Tin Pan Alley type writer. It’s not really the way I work. I tend to express how I’m feeling. I write all the time. I’ve got shelf loads of songs. Sometimes, I’m quite shocked when I hear old songs I’ve written when I realise - wow that’s a good song. I just didn’t have the ability then to know how to sing it properly or to perform it properly. But, it’s a great song.

When you’re writing songs often it’s the company you’re in. Say you had a song but you weren’t quite sure what to do with it you might find yourself in the studio with somebody good and it might come together.

That’s sort of what happens with Tobi. I mean he comes over and he’s got theses ideas. Some have happened and some have just started but they’re all great ideas and I just work with it.

I wanted to ask you about the era of your life when you realised you had gay tendencies or leanings which led you into a different way of living because you’re a family man, you’ve got two gorgeous daughters and suddenly you’re realising things about yourself that you hadn’t realised before. Did that affect you creatively? Did you look at your lifestyle and realise this has to change?

I got backed up against a wall, because I’d been in self-denial all my life. I mean there was a compartment way in the back of my mind that knew. But I shut the door on it. There was such a stigma from everyone, from everywhere.

There weren’t people coming out then. I remember that era really well. I remember in the late 50s and early 60s there would be radio shows like ‘Round the Horne’ (with camp couple ‘Julie and Sandy’). It was accepted that a lot of people in acting were effeminate but it was kind of like a cissy thing. There wasn’t more to it than that. The emergence of the fact that samesex couples wanted to live together as equal was a shock to most societies and it still is in some. Did you want to explain yourself or be private or what?

Well it took me ten, twenty years to go through that stage. It’s not like ‘I’m gay I’m gonna tell everybody’. It was really like coming to terms with it. Meeting other intelligent gay people lawyers, doctors. Getting past the stigma that had been implanted in my mind. Then coming to terms with it in a public way. Which I didn’t

think I could climb that mountain because I couldn’t see the other side.

What did you fear though? As I understand it your family, your daughters were quite accepting of it.’ Dad feels that way, fair enough.’

Yeah. But that was only after a long time that I had worked on myself coming to terms with it. It was when they were eighteen or nineteen and they’d always seen me through child eyes. Now they were curious to know. They said is that all it was we thought maybe you didn’t love mum anymore? We’ve been close. We work together. It’s the best thing in the world.

Is it anybody’s business though?

Everybody has their own right to the amount of privacy they want. I have come to the place where because I’m gonna be public. I’m gonna let it all hang out! There are no secrets, I’m completely unburdened. And to coin a phrase –I’m free. I’ve been down where no amount of money, fame or amount of doctors or friends could help, I was that far gone. When everything loses its value you have to ask well isn’t there anything left? Is there nothing? That’s where you find God and start reflecting on that whole thing. And then having been lucky enough to come back. Well, everything is a bonus. Feeling normal. You have no idea how wonderful feeling normal is!

JO HARmAN

VErbAls: SteVe YOURgLIVCH VisuAls: ALexIS mARYOn

the old saying is that a week is a long time in politics, well a year can change someone’s whole life in music, that’s for sure. Just ask Jo harman. Jo’s Just had the most fulfilling twelve months of her career and is on the cusp of an even more thrilling ride in the next

Ayear ago BM! (ahead of the game as usual) was the first magazine to run an article about Jo when we published an interview by Christine Moore. The very first line of that piece was, ‘Jo Harman is not a familiar name on the blues scene at the moment but without doubt she will soon be a household name on the circuit.’ Wow, how spot on was that?

Let’s catch up on some of the highlights of Jo’s remarkable year, culminating with the release of Dirt On My Tongue, the debut studio album, which looks certain to push her career ever forward.

presence at the festival. I just met him backstage and found him to be a very friendly, sincere and passionate man, and we enjoyed a long chat about lots of different things. At that stage I had no real sense of what was at stake, it was light and casual and I didn’t realise just how pivotal his interest in me was to become.’

Everyone who has witnessed Jo’s passionate live performances has come away enthused by the sheer range, power and energy displayed in the heartfelt lyrics and emotive playing. This is true whether Jo is performing solo, in a duet, or with a selection of seasoned band members, collectively known as ‘Jo Harman and Company’. It was one of these band performances at the ‘Blues On The Farm’ festival that was to prove pivotal. Despite not being top billing, almost everyone came away from that show calling Jo the best act of the weekend. The presence of first class musicians like Average White Band saxophonist Fred Vigdor, and Joe Cocker guitarist Neil Hubbard, guesting with Jo on stage only confirming the esteem in which she is held. One important person had flown across from Holland especially to see Jo, Ed Leunisse is one of Europe’s very top promoters and he liked what he saw and heard. It wasn’t long before Ed had signed a deal to promote Jo on the continent.

Looking back now, Jo recalls, ‘To be honest I didn’t fully recognise the significance of Ed’s

Ed is not a man to rest on his laurels, before long he had arranged for Jo to perform at some of Holland’s biggest and most prestigious venues, supporting Don McLean, and the Cranberries. An incredible coup for an independent artist still awaiting the release of her debut album. These were shows of just Jo and her musical collaborator Mike Davies. Jo admits to some pre-show nerves but is driven as a performer and knows that to continue to grow and improve she has to push herself through these experiences.

Jo says,‘ Having been used to working within the context of a band unit, it was a bit daunting to say the least. It was literally the first time I’d played piano in public and I had to do it to thousands of people. Looking back on it I suspect Ed, my agent, staked his hard-fought reputation by talking the huge promoters at Live Nation into taking a chance on me. Fortunately those promoters have subsequently put me forward for similarly big things in 2013 so it couldn’t have gone that badly’, she smiled.

Back in the UK another stunning performance at the Frome Blues Festival in October secured another avalanche of superlative laden reviews throughout the blues media. Airplay on independent stations

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Interview jo hArmAn

continued to snowball particularly with the release of Jo’s Worthy Of Love e.p. in November. The 5-tracker was produced in part by awardwinning producer Al Scott, and also included Sweet Man Moses which had been nominated for blues song of the year category in the British Blues Awards 2012.

Jo has found the time to write and record her much anticipated album Dirt On My Tongue. Almost without exception Jo wrote or co-wrote everything, so it’s a very personal statement.

She feels this was the right time, ‘After a few false starts I’ve finally felt ready to do the debut album. I’ve got the songs, I feel more fully developed and certain as an artist and with Mikey (producer/multi-instrumentalist and guitarist in ‘The Company’) I feel I’ve got someone who has been with me from the start and understands it all, and can help me put it all together. I’ve worked at some of the best studios with some of the world’s best producers – with the Grammy’s and awards to prove it – and that’s all great, but it’s important to me that this is a Jo Harman record, and represents who I am, warts and all, rather than someone else’s vision of how I should be or how I should sound. Mike and I just basically hired a cottage and did it. It’s

about as ‘real’ and exposed as it gets, and that’s what I look for in music – sincerity.’

Jo has kindly agreed to talk us through each track revealing at least a little of their inner story and secrets.

IShallNotBeMoved– A gospel-flavoured tune which Mike (Davies) and I wrote some time ago but we re-tweaked it a little, and I’m really pleased with how it’s come out. We’ve gone for quite a stripped-back arrangement with some build and dynamics along the way. Lyrically, it’s about standing one’s ground and, without revealing too much about the event that triggered it, it’s quite a personal song, as indeed is everything on the album, by and large.’

WorthyOfLove – It’s still probably my most favourite song Mike and I have written to date. We wrote the basis of it last summer in about 10 minutes in my mum’s garden in Devon, prior to a gig. Although we recorded it previously and released it on the self-titled EP, with Al Scott’s fine production, this is a totally new recording. Basically, this version is more ‘down home’ and closer to the rootsy, grainy country feel we envisaged when we wrote it. I love the Hammond at the end and it just feels right and natural to me. Lyrically, it’s about self-worth, what it says on the tin really.

ThisIsMyAmnesty – This is probably the most ‘straight ahead’ track on the new record, albeit there is something almost Ry Cooderish about the aural landscape we created, not least with the reverbed piano and slide sounds. It all gets quite epic by the end with string sections and a choir of my voice stacked up about a dozen times. I think it’s quite a direct lyric and, subconsciously, continues the relationship issues theme running like a thread through most of the album. It may be a universal theme but when it happens to you personally, well,obviously you wanna write about it, and there is quite a confessional theme going on throughout the album.

UnderneathTheRiver – a straight ahead stomp which we worked on a bit from our gigging version, such as revised lyrics and a new, very heavy, almost Zep-like, middle section. I encouraged Mike to play out a bit on this rocker and the muddied production sound really gives it all a character and depth, to my ears, at least.

Fragile – the only cover on the record, by New York based James Maddock, who is a wonderful, emotive, writer. James kindly let me twist a few of his beautifully honed words to better fit my experiences. We just stripped this back to

voice and (Mike on) piano, and I think there is a natural added strength in so doing. It’s an emotive song and, although I didn’t write it, something in it really connects with me, and I find myself moved to sing it.

IDon’tLiveHereAnymore – a driving, almost country-esque, tune which talks about that point of actual leaving. It’s one of the newer songs which reflected some life changes I’d been going through personally; we changed the key at the last minute and, knowingly or otherwise, it gives my voice a more brittle feel which better suits the mood of the song perhaps.

ColdHeart– there was no way I wasn’t going to include this on my debut studio album. It’s a big, and important, song to me for any number of reasons. Whether it’s a definitive version I’m not sure but. I’m happy enough.

Heartstring – A reworking of a tune from our Live record, with a totally fresh approach to the guitar lines, and drum patterns in particular; it’s maybe slightly more contemporary in feel. I like both versions – it’s nice to have the choice of which to play out live. It helps keep things fresh.

SweetManMoses – Again, I couldn’t not include this award-nominated song, and we’ve given it a fresh, stripped back feel, based around some truly beautiful Billy Preston-esque playing on Hammond and piano by my long-time keyboard player Stevie Watts. ‘If in doubt, leave it out’ was very much the motto for many of the songs on the record. I love ‘space’ in music, when it’s called for, and this called for it

Better Woman – A tune I wrote with John McKenzie which generally finishes the live set. Mikey plays some great slide on this and I was encouraging him to really play out on this one too. Simple but hooky and I enjoy the somewhat retro feel of it all.

What You Did For Me – I wrote this, again very personal song, very much as a voice and piano song (which is how I do it live) but, given we’d already done that on Fragile, we decided at the last minute to use some atmospheric guitar as the main instrumentation. Obviously a very personal lyric, closing a very personal album.

Already the rest of 2013 looks like carrying on where 2012 left off. Jo will be returning to Europe to play a number of prestigious festivals as well as playing the legendary Paradiso, opening for Johnny Winter in April, and playing a couple of gigs opening for Mick Hucknall to a total of 10,000 people in March. Jo’s UK dates diary is also filling up nicely and the Hebdon Blues Festival have confirmed her as their

“after a feW false starts I’ve fInally felt ready to do the debut album”

headline act on Saturday 25th May.

‘Some really exciting things have happened to me this year and the blues community in particular have been so kind and supportive, I can’t thank them enough. Business matters aside, I’ve just made so many friends, met some truly lovely people, that in itself has been a lifeenriching experience. To play for these people, the club owners and the volunteers who keep the live music going, is an honour. I feel like I’m batting for them when I take the stage, we’re all in this together. I love it all, the big gigs, the intimate gigs, it’s all been a fantastic experience, and whatever the destination, and yes I am ambitious, the journey is proving fantastic. I’ve got an amazing pool of supportive musicians who I love dearly – it’s a very happy ship – and, fair to say, life continues to be great. I’m so happy being able to do what I’m doing, and upwards and onwards from here say I!’

Thanks Jo for finding the time in your busy schedule to talk us through the album and giving us a glimpse of what an outstanding year you’ve had. Long may it continue.

f or the latest news on J o check out www.J oharman.com

DE v ON Allm AN

b etween completing a successful tour with r oyal s outhern b rotherhood and the release of his first solo album turQuoise d evon a llman responded to some Q uestions put to him by bm!

BM: In rock circles the name ‘Allman’ commands a great deal of reverence. Do you feel any added pressure, given your father and uncle?

DA: I do not allow those pressures to enter my sphere of thought and spirit. Music is a personal connection. If you get something from music, if it helps you through hard times, inspires you, uplifts you… then you should, as a musician, do what you can to master your craft and put back into the well that which you have taken, regardless of relation.

What are your first memories in rock?

Norwegian Wood by the Beatles on vinyl. Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick’s 5 neck guitar at Corpus Christi, Texas Memorial Coliseum, my first concert. The seductive sax line of Gerry Rafferty’s Baker Street coming from the speakers of our piece of shit car in the late 70’s. All of those moments kind of reeled me in.

Did your father influence you at all?

I fell in love with music at age 5. Started guitar at age 13 and put together my first band at age 14, all years before even meeting my father. His voice, being so incredibly soulful influences me of course, but so does Stevie Wonder’s voice.

Any other influences?

Curtis Mayfield, Richard Branson, Francis Bacon, Jimi Hendrix, the Stones, Tom Petty, BB

“I’m lIvIng the dream that I never thought I’d ever get a shot at”

King, Buddy Guy, Miles Davis

How did you find the audience reaction to the recent RSB tour?

They went totally ape shit. I think they need bands they can believe in again

Re HoneyTribe, how’d the name come about?

Saw Buddy Guy when I was really young… he could kick you in the teeth and then seduce you sweet and quiet-like. His dynamics became a cornerstone of what I wanted for that band. Sweet like honey fierce like a tribe

I dug out the Torch CD the other day, bearing in mind the 2006 release date, Mr Bonamassa’s on one track, how did that come about?

He’s a buddy from way back and he was in Memphis when I was the stars aligned.Came in, moved every knob on my amp in an opposite direction and killed the track.

You took time out from the band for a while, can you explain that one?

I took off from 2001 to 2005 to be a father to my newborn son, Orion Allman. Rock and Roll is cool, but nothing beats fatherhood. I heard whispers of ‘career suicide.’ I didn’t give a shit. I wanted my son to know who his Dad was. He is one of the most delightful people in my life and once I started touring and making records I had to work 3 times as hard to make up for the time away from my career, but that’s OK. Never been afraid to work hard.

I’m a great admirer of the Vargas Blues Band and notice you guested on a couple of albums, notably on Dance Away the Blues (which I played on my radio

COntInUeS OVeR.

show the other night), a good move for you? That gig landed in my lap and then flowered out real nicely. Javier and I had a lot of fun touring the world on that one. He’s my hermano simpatico. We live, bleed and die for music. Very fond memories

Do you have any views on the current Blues scene, any upcoming artists you are in to?

I like that it’s finally moving into an era where “blues based” is becoming more accepted. These old crusty cats that swear by only 12 bar, traditional blues or strict l, IV, V progressions etc bum me out. I mean I love the traditional stuff, but it’s fun to stretch it out into new dimensions. I really dig Gary Clark Jr. when they don’t over produce him, Samantha Fish is the next Bonnie Raitt / Susan Tedeschi. I really dig the new organic Luther Dickinson record. I think if you sing with soul and grease and power and play licks that sound like your heart is breaking or you’re mountain climbing or your ass in on fire. Then you’re pretty much playing the blues, man.

You had a few jobs before music, anything interesting?

Take your pick! T-shirt screen printing in a sweat shop, record store, steel factory, Burger King, Guitar Center managing the guitar department, insurance salesman, maintenance man, house painter, furniture sales. Pretty much every single one of them totally sucked.

What guitars do you favour?

The Gibson Les Paul. 100% without a doubt. Plus my 1940’s Airline resonator and my vintage ‘78 white Gibson SG.

I’ve been privileged to hear the new Turquoise cd,didn’t have a lot of info with it, could you fill us in on production duties/musicians?

The legendary Mr. Jim Gaines produced it. What an honor to have him become my mentor, producer and adopted uncle. Grammy winning Yonrico Scott hit the drums, Myles Weeks on bass. Special guests include Luther Dickinson, Samantha Fish, Ron Holloway, Bobby Schneck Jr. and Rick Steff from the amazing Memphis based band: Lucero.

How did you come to do a cover ofTom Petty’s Stop Dragging My Heart Around, the duet with Samantha Fish?

Always loved the song and Sam is like a li’l sister to me. We had a blast doing the song and I think

we gave it an earthier, sexier, slower approach.

Being a ‘solo’ album, it seems to me, to be biographical, giving the impression you’re in a good place right now, is that the intention?

Hell yes, life is as sweet as it gets. Blessed, grateful, loved and seeing the world. I’m living the dream that I never thought I’d ever get a shot at.

Going back to RSB, I see you’re touring with dad, does this happen often ie two Allmans back on a stage together?

Yeah we have done it through the years after Christmas for a week or two. Always good times. I sit in and jam with him and we trade dirty jokes backstage. Good shit!

Any message for BM readers, are you planning coming over to tour the new album?

I will definitely be there to tour. Please spread the word! And find me at devonallmanband.com

My trademark question. what’s your favourite biscuit?

The southern kind with gravy all over it!

f or the latest news on devon allman, check out www. devonallmanband.com

“the neW record Is uprIght bass, drums, b3 organ, myself and guItar”

RObbEN FORD

V E rb A ls: Pete S AR ge A nt Visu A ls: ge OR ge b we LLS

it’s 1981 and like a lot of players i am on a bit of a fusion kick, not least because the radio is playing glassy sounding pop hits all at the same tempo for pasty-faced herberts in primary colours and with sulky faces to mime badly to on ‘top o f the p ops’, on tv

The stereo is my refuge and import albums are killing my monthly budget…but needs must. I walk into my local-to-work music shop and the man in charge (also an indemand drummer) cries “Ah – got a good one for you! Just listen to this bass player! – Oh and the guitar player is classy too’ It’s the debut album from The Yellowjackets The bassist is the fantastic muso (and now good friend) Jim Haslip but the axeman is indeed classy and is a guy called Robben Ford.

Winter 2012 and I am meeting up with Robben at his London hotel to talk mainly about what we might call his ‘looking back’ new album of blues cuts featuring the most splendid musicians and some unusual / obscure song choices. As usual I have been listening to the record and have some questions and points to raise. Ford is an affable and perhaps initially somewhat shy chap. He doesn’t have a guitar with him so I can’t ask about an arcane Em 13th chord shape he sometimes uses, but never mind.

BM: Welcome back to London, Robben.

RF: Thank you, Pete – glad to be here.

You’re here to actually play at a special gig this evening and prepare the way for some live dates we hope you’ll be doing in 2013.

Yeah – I’ll be back over in April, for sure.

What sort of band will you be bringing over, presumably something to reflect what you’re up to on your latest album?

Very much so. The new record is upright bass, drums, B3 organ, myself and guitar of course and on the record there’s also trombone, and we probably won’t have the trombone player along with us, it’ll probably just be a quartet and yes

we’ll be playing predominantly music from the new record

(We speak about The Yellowjackets for a while, as it was the first time I heard Ford play)

Right on! I did basically put that band together, to make my first solo record1979 or thereabouts for Elektra, and we continued to do some playing, in Southern California Jim and the drummer Ricky Lawson were unable to tour the album. I think they were playing with Al Jarreau or somethin’, making a ton of money so Russell Ferrante and I went out and did a tour for about five weeks on the album, and then we did continue to play with the band a little bit, when we could, but my manager had the idea to shop a deal separately for The Yellowjackets, as an instrumental band. Now I was moving towards vocal music already.

It was the height of the fusion era wasn’t it? Return To Forever.

Yep, Weather Report, and so we did, we got a separate deal for the band, they signed to Warner Bros .and we made that first record, it was nice for me because I was just one contributor both Jimmy and Russell wrote.

You weren’t carrying the record but you were very much part of the highlights of it

Yeah, I was a part of it and I enjoyed that.

Well that’s what I recognized. Hey one of my favourite cuts of your own sounds like Albert King crashing an Ojays session!

Money, Money, Money – That one!

Interview robben ForD

There’s a quite different slant on that recordcompared with Havana Moon, say.

Oh Yes – a British slant on it and the whole sound he brought the Freddie King influence in, y’know, Otis Rush style on Homework For The Love of Money was his idea Keep On Running, was too.

Well thanks, now let’s get to the new release, called BringingItBackHome.

Well my label has Robert Cray, Joe Bonamassa, Leslie West, Eric Johnson, they are after Larry Carlton. I signed with them, this is my first record with them and they are a wonderful company, they really have a lot of respect for their artists, treat them right and so I’m pleased.

Well Robben if you’re comfortable, you make better music. OK now Everything I am assuming this is your vocal here.

Oh sure, of course.

The phrasing of it is reminiscent of Lou Rawls, which is a good thing! Such a relaxed vibe, sound like players with nothing to prove.

Now that is a very good way of looking at it, because the basic idea here was to put together a group of guys who can play this music so naturally, there’s no pretext, there’s no agenda, just a bunch of great songs, a set of great musicians and everybody plays these songs as if they wrote them themselves.

Well I listen to this and it’s got echoes of the great Johnny Otis Show touring band, which featured his lad Shuggie Otis doing his own set, and also a band called Stuff with Cornell Dupree, Eric Gale, Richard Tee, so it sounds closer to that a opposed to people trying to prove they’ve got the chops.

And that was intentional; Larry Goldings the organist is just fantastic.

And it doesn’t particularly sound like it’s the guitarist’s album, there’s nobody trying to dominate the sound. That’s true. It’s consistently interesting and almost a little difficult in a away to talk about this record because words like ‘laidback’ and er ‘simple ‘easy’, y’know.

I haven’t used any of these!

No, you haven’t, they’ve come up in myriad interviews over the last several days. I think you did say ‘relaxed’ (got me! PS) I don’t want people to get the wrong idea, now, maybe the best word is ‘effortless’?

Birds Nest Bound has very restrained guitar. It’s intense, man!

But the rhythm section, wow – it’s like John Hammond’s ‘SourcePoint’ set, so surefooted and yes there’s a real grip on the music there, ah now there’s trombone on this next cut ‘Fair Child’, that treading rhythm. Now what inspired that?

Well two of the songs, this being one of them I found on a compilation of rhythm and blues cuts that a friend sent to me. I liked his taste in music and I asked him to send me some songs, y’know? I was looking for material for the record and God bless him, he gave me like a hundred songs on five CD’s. And I listened to all of it and I found this song Fair Child and I didn’t know who it was, I had never heard the song before, it’s from an artist named Willie West who’s from New Orleans and it was written by Allen Toussaint. It turns out there are two songs from Allen Toussaint on the record and one from Earl King who is also a no artist and thus this kind of New Orleans flavor runs through the whole record. Yes, I buy that.The trombone especially brings that to the sonic palate.

But you know, you have to play for a while before you get that good.

Yeah! That’s what you’re hearing; you’re hearing masterful players, for sure.

And at that level, you stop showing off and you work for the song. It’s why my late friend Robert Palmer loved these kind of musicians.

Yes – and the whole environment has to be right, the music, the material, the arrangements have to be right to allow for a person to be able to express themselves in the music and not just play the part.

OhVirginiaI really like. Isn’t it a demo for James Taylor though?

That’s the one original on the record. I wouldn’t think of James Taylor personally, but I’m very proud of that song.

It’s a little bit different from the other selections, a lovely track. I don’t have notes with the promo so I didn’t know you’d written that. SlickCapersBlues again it has that very light airy organ sound,, now of course you spent some years with Jimmy Witherspoon and they seem to have left their mark but you’ve got these faster tempo interludes here.

Little Buddy Doyle. Slick Capers, yeah that’s right, gives the song a bump. What you have to

do, with the blues, y’know is get creative with it, but keep it within the tradition. So I add that little double-time interlude there between verses and solo’s, plus there’s a little instrumental tag right on the end. Where the instruments play this one little riff and that I actually took off of a Son House record.

OnThatMorning, has some very Wes chords there. Yep the melody is played in octaves.

Very stealthy tempo.it actually sounds slightly sinister, obviously stand-up bass. So it sounds like it’s looking to be featured in a detective film. Well I can see what you’re saying there!

As did the second track of the third Jing Chi album you made with Jim and Vinnie C!

This cut Traveller’s Waltz is very pastoral, in feel. Ah now that lyric is from a poem my wife wrote.

Your wife’s a singer isn’t she?

Indeed, Ann Ford, and she wrote this as a reflection on my life on the road. And I liked it a lot and I took it to Michael McDonald as we were writing songs together at that point and he wrote the music to it.

As a coincidence as we just lost him but it does have a slight Terry Callier feel a touch of mysticism Most Likely, the Dylan tune has some ace trombone in there. When did you get into Dylan? I guess when Like A Rolling Stone hit the radio.1966? Or thereabouts.

If asked what Robben Ford is up to I’d most likely play them this track from your album, it seems to extract the essence of what you’re trying to do. Hmm, interesting to hear you say that. I had thought about recording that song for years but once I set the instrumentation for this record I know I wanted to record that song for sure. I do listen to Dylan whenever I am thinking about what I am going to do next, it’s a reference point for me. I like the way Dylan approaches the blues. In some ways he’s the only white person who really did something different with it, he was playing in the tradition pretty much, but lyrically. He just didn’t write that way. His lyrics take you to a different place.

Which guitar? Fabulous solo on this. Thanks! – it’s the Epiphone Riviera that you see on the cover there.

Fool’sParadise a softer Bobby Bland mood. It’s a Charles Brown song, what brought me to this style was playing Mose Allison songs way back, always liked him, a lot. He had that blend of jazz and blues that I dug. I’ll get on a trajectory and I’ll stay on it for while because I am a musician who is mining a particular point in my development, I am trying to grow as an artist, become a better songwriter, a better singer, to refine my presentation. For me, this is the best record I have ever made- that’s how I feel about it, I’m not just saying that. I’ve never made a better record than this one, it’s fresh but I’m playing with some of the best musicians out there. This kind of music can’t be played by just anyone, for me this is a realised record for what I set out to do.

robben ford’s new album bringing it back home is available from mascot/ provogue. for the latest news on robben check out his site: www.robbenford.com

EDDIE ‘blUE’ lEStER

VErbAls: deLbeRt bLACk VisuAls: dennIS tUttLe

eddie blue is the real funky blues deal, originally hailing from texas and now residing over the other side of lake michigan from chicago, in kalamazoo

Texan Eddie ‘Blue’ Lester, vocalist and saxophonist extraordinaire and one time band mate of Jimi Hendrix and Band of Gypsies bass player Billy Cox, will be touring the UK in May with renowned UK band Storm Warning under the title ‘Eddie Blue & The Storms’.

Eddie Blue says “Learning to play saxophone was like a gift from heaven and I have never been able to quit”. He was born and raised in Texas and started playing saxophone and singing at the age of six. Being classically trained he performed all types of music including concert band, orchestral and solo recital. He moved to Oklahoma to attend college but at the age of 20 he left college and joined The Jimmy Church Revue. This band had been playing for about a year on the ‘Chitlins circuit’ around the southern states including Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee. Eddie says “They had a turnover in the band and needed someone who could play Tenor and Baritone saxophone. My friend called me and I was on my way to Nashville. This is where it all really started for me”.

Jimmy Church had previously been in The King Casuals with Billy Cox and Jimmy had asked Billy to put together his new backing band and he brought in his army buddy who also had been in The King Casuals, guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Eddie says “We were good friends and had some great times but Jimi was actually quite a loner, spending most of his time with his guitar. He played the Chitlin circuit as it was regular work and he needed the money. Playing soul and R&B and other styles night after night gave him a good musical grounding. There was something different about him to the rest of the guys and Jimi was not going to be content being a backing musician. You could see he wanted to break out and do his own thing and wow when he broke loose, the world knew it!”

“The band was quite large with male and female vocalists, two saxes/flute players, two trumpet/trombone players, lead and rhythm guitar players, bass player, drummer and keyboard player. Believe it or not we actually had charts, so you had to be able to read music. There was also choreography that had to be learned and performed. You didn’t want to swing when you were supposed to sway! The revue was quite a theatrical production. It was a real blast every night. Most times we would tear down the equipment and head out the same night, heading to another town. On occasion we would be playing for three nights, but one nighters were usually the rule.”

Eddie played so much around the clubs in the south as a young guy that he says many merg into each other. “I have played in clubs with dirt floors, where many times by the time you were done with the show, you had to do a complete cleaning of your horns, your clothes, the equipment as well as yourself. There were so many clubs in small towns, particularly in Tennessee and Kentucky. Some of the clubs down south were very seedy, but some of them were nice. I have played in rough joints as well as posh ones with very nice trappings.”

Hendrix eventually left the The Jimmy Church Revue and the Chitlins circuit, heading north to find his fame and fortune. Eddie left and moved back to Texas, where he joined a touring band called The Nivicos. They played all over the US at many Army and Air Force USO clubs. Their popularity led to an audition at Stax records. Eddie says “You probably know this was the same record label where Issac Hayes, The Isley Brothers, Otis Redding and countless others of R&B fame recorded. Nothing came of it though; I guess it just wasn’t the right time or the right place.” COntInUeS

“there Were so many clubs In small toWns, partIcularly In tennessee and kentucky”

Over the years Eddie Blue has played all over the US from large stages to small bars, from concert bands to rock bands, from funk bands to jazz, blues and R&B bands, playing alongside national acts such as Magic Slim, Carl Weathersby, Tab Benoit, Big Jack Johnson, Deanna Bogart and Tommy Castro with the Legendary Blues Cruise Band.

On arriving in Kalamazoo, Michigan one of the first things he did was to find out where the blues was played in the city. He came across The Funky Basement which he frequented for around 10 years. Eddie soon became a member of the house band and also ran the blues jam session there. Many of the blues guys traveling through the Midwest would stop and play including Michael Burks, Larry Garner, James Armstrong, Harper of Australia, Eddie Shaw and the Wolf Pack, Little Charlie and the Nightcats, Watermelon Slim and many others. Eddie explained “This place was your typical blues bar and due to its popularity drew people for miles. It had ambience, it was a hole in the ground. By that I mean that it was a basement bar with low ceilings and mostly poor ventilation, but the public seemed to love this type of place. You were rubbing elbows at the bar with lawyers and doctors, teachers and professors, the working

man and probably some people that you didn’t want to know what they did or who they were. But it all came together in that bar and it was like home. The blues community gravitated to this bar in order to communicate with each other and share their day. Many bands have been formed through this bar. It was a great place, everyone would just be hanging out together and sharing the love. It was one of my favourite bars, so much so, I wrote a song about it which is still a popular number in my live set.”

For several years Eddie has had his own working band in the US, based in Kalamazoo, called Crossroads. They have been chosen by the local blues society on more than one occasion to represent the area at the annual International Blues Challenge held in Memphis, TN. Their most recent appearance was in 2012 and after being featured on Fox News TV they were a whisker away from the finals.

Eddie Blue toured the UK five years ago with US musicians under the name ‘Eddie Blue & The Ravens.’ They had a great reception everywhere they went including a memorable appearance at The Burnley Blues Festival. Eddie says “Unfortunately it is expensive touring outside the US but by using UK musicians, it makes it more viable. I will be playing with the excellent

EDDIE ONSTAGE WITH WATERMELON SLIM

UK band Storm Warning, so I know the quality will be top notch. Storm Warning bass player Derek White booked our first tour of the UK and came up with the idea to tour together under the name ‘Eddie Blue & The Storms.’ Storm Warning have built a reputation over the last seven years for quality blues, gaining critical acclaim for their three albums and live appearances. Promoter and journalist Pete Feensta says “Strategy, Storm Warning’s most recent album, is every bit as classy and sophisticated as you might expect from a project involving guitarist Bob Moore. For Bob is one of the great underrated players in the UK whose touch, tone and feel put him above many of his contemporaries.” Bob Moore originally comes from more of a funky/jazz background (Robben Ford and Steely Dan are two of his fave raves) so he will be perfect for Eddie Blue’s funky, soulful take on the blues. Drummer Russ Chaney is experienced, having played across Europe with rocking bluesman Mick Clarke. He can play many styles and is probably one of the most exciting drummers around. Piano and organ player Ian Salisbury and bass player Derek White are not only known for the way they gel in Storm Warning but can also really rock it up as they are constantly touring with one of the biggest blues/rock guitarists of the moment, Larry Miller. Lastly and not forgetting Storm Warning’s vocalist Steve Norchi, he will be guest vocalist at some of Eddie Blue & the Storms gigs. Steve will share vocals with Eddie Blue, provide backing vocals, congas and percussion.

daughters was in the audience and it wasn’t long before she was on stage singing. Eddie had soon joined her and was trading sax solos with Ms King’s vocals. He explained he had performed with Claudette King previously on stage.”

The Eddie Blue & the Storms set will feature Eddie Blue Lester’s original songs including The Funky Basement, blues standards like Bright Lights, Big City and some of Storm Warning’s original numbers augmented by Eddie’s sax. For the first time, Eddie will play Jimi Hendrix numbers as a tribute to his onetime band mate and friend. They won’t be the way Hendrix played them, but they will be the way Eddie Blue plays them! Expect funky blues, which will make you want to tap your feet and get up and dance, and the most soulful sounds that will get right to the heart. Eddie says “The feel will be good time and I hope to bring some of that American blues bar feel to the UK. I am looking forward to performing again for all you folks. The music that I play is funky rhythm ‘n’ blues but in some cases quite a different kind of blues and it sometimes defies description. I promise that you will leave my shows having been touched by some or all of the music that you experience. I am personable and touchable and I’ll be seeking to make new and lasting friends, both musically and personally. I want you to be touched by what we bring to you.”

eDDie blUe & the storms Uk toUr 2013

Last year Derek White met up with Eddie in Chicago and they hatched the plan for the tour. “We went round the clubs in Chicago and it wasn’t long before Eddie was up on stage amazing the crowds (you have to be something special to amaze the club goers in Chicago!) I remember we went to B.L.U.E.S around 11pm and there was a mean looking dude on the door in shades. A man of few words. After giving him the entrance money he barred our way into the club and pointed across the street and said something in Chicago slang. I’m glad we had Eddie with us as he was able to explain that the guy was only saying you can get in for free at the blues jam across the street if you say I sent you and come back later as the band won’t be starting until after midnight! Chicago is a wonderful city and everyone we met was really friendly. One night we went to Buddy Guy’s Legends Club and the legendary Jimmy Burns and his band were playing. One of BB King’s

Fri 3rd May Brewhouse Blues Club, Brewhouse Sun 5th May Café-Concert “Le Montmartre “, Brussels, Belgium

Thur 9th May New Crawdaddy Club, Essex Mon 13th May The Norman Knight, Whichford, near Shipston-on-Stour

Wed 15th May Newbury Rock and Blues Club

Fri 17th May Limelight Theatre, Alyesbury

Sat 18th May Old Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead

Tue 28th May 100 Club, London (with King King)

Thur 30th May Farnham Maltings, Surrey

Mon 3rd June Famous Monday Blues, Oxford

There will be more gigs and appearances to be added, so please check out the latest information on Eddie Blue and The Storms at www.rockingtheblues. com and www.stormwarning.co.uk If you run a blues club and would like to book Eddie Blue & The Storms, please contact Derek White, Rocking The Blues on 01296 634991 or email info@rockingtheblues.com

RObIN t RO w ER

tALk I ng bLU e S – PARt twO

c ontinuing p ete s argeant’s conversation with the guitar ace – part o ne concentrated on the roots & branches album. now p ete and r obin move on to talking bandmates, gear and techini Q ue

BM: Can we talk a bit please about your earlier releases, in fact all your albums have got a distinctive touch on the artwork. Now the original ones were by Funky Paul, who’s also a great drummer.

RT: Yeah he IS! That’s true.

Yeah, I saw him a couple of years ago playing with a friend of mine, Saiichi from Japan. He’s a very competent prog rock drummer. I wonder if you are still in touch with him at all?

Occasionally, but not a lot really, because I’m not on a computer.

I think the art was part of the impact of those albums.

Oh yeah, definitely. I knew him from Procol Harum days and I bumped into him when we were recording the first album (Twice Removed From Yesterday) at Barnes and he was living there and when I met him. I told him the album title and I said ‘Have you got anything?’ and I think he may have already had it because he’s painting all the time.

Very complementary to your music. Yeah, definitely. I think from that point on I think when I gave him the title he would create something for me, for the new release.

Can we go back to guitar playing for just a second?

Do you ever play acoustic guitar?

Yeah I do. I’ve written quite a lot of things on acoustic.

But you don’t seem to feature it much on the records. No. I put it on a few things. But as you say not much.

This intrigued me because clearly with your range of moods it could come into the picture a bit more?

I can’t say why. I mean I never think I must not do acoustic – but overall it’s all about the electric, cranking up loudly through an amp.

Yeah but having said that, it’s the subtleties that come in, the overtones that you use that draws you into the music. Do you ever play slide? Yeah, I played slide on one thing I’ve done and that was on the Someday Blues album.

I was quite surprised there wasn’t a slide track on this new ‘roots’ set.

I think probably I have started to think that the slide is a little bit clichéd for blues now. There are some great slide players about, still about in fact. I can’t get near that. There are specialists who are really great at it and… I’m not one of them!

There seems to be, as I perceive it, very little country influence in Robin Trower’s music.

You mean country blues or country and western?

The latter?

I have written some, what I would call country songs which I’ve not felt the need to do myself. I do really like, especially the old time country.

With Bill Kirchen, the Telecaster player. He’s the king of that rockabilly country style. There’s still people who can do it today. There’s still players around but that old style stuff had such a vibe about it. But then I love for my own listening. I mean I listen to music from the Thirties, Forties mostly and Howlin’ Wolf.

Benny Goodman or Woody Herman?

No mostly just pop music. I am really keen on Al Bowlly and early Frank Sinatra. But I’ve got a lot of what were basically hits from the Thirties and I’m really into that stuff.

Could I quickly throw a few names at you of people that you’ve worked with because I’m interested to know how you got on with them and all that sort of thing. Bill Lordan?

Oh Bill! Wonderful drummer, really hot drummer. I mean I got on great with him. He brought a real bit of ‘fizz’ to the group.

Do you think he was part of the reason your reputation built in America?

No, I don’t think so. You see, Bridge of Sighs was already a huge hit and he joined after that

Reg Isadorei?

Well he had such a beautiful mood.

I wonder if many drummers could’ve played on Twice Removed From Yesterday?

No, Reggie was unique, what he had. I mean you could listen to him just sitting there playing a beat on his own and it would have a mood bout it. Yeah, he was unique.

It was like he was a bear. The power was there, but he wasn’t trying to impress you.

I think the main thing about Reggie was his love of music. And that’s what comes through when he played.

Jim Dewar? What a voice!

Oh I said all along, that the reason we were so commercially successful was because of his voice. That voice and his singing was the crossover to popular music you know, rather than being just an underground success.

I don’t think he’s underrated by musicians, Robin. The public maybe and they might not even know who he was because your name was on the records. Yeah that’s right.

Jimmy was an absolute iconic hero to most singers in this field.

No doubt about it. As good as you can get.

Jack Bruce?

I mean, Mr Dynamite! Unbelievable.

COntInUeS OVeR...

The energy he has!

The combination of his voice and bass playing is mind blowing. And to play alongside it is a completely different thing for me because the support is so great coming from him. I didn’t have to work hardly at all (laughs). It’s just amazing.

And yes I understand what you’re saying. The dynamic of a bass player like that is. Like a one man orchestra, really?

You can do your legato, your sustained lines and it’s bubbling along under you.

True, you can take your time a bit more. And Gary as well. (Gary Husband)

He’s not just a drummer, he plays keyboards as well. Yeah, he’s an amazing musician.

Dave Bronze? Now he’s great because he can adapt to everything – Clapton, Eric Bibb or you!

Yeah and Tom Jones. When he was with me he was my rock. I used to rely upon him and he was a great support all round.

I’ve met him a couple of times and he always seemed a real soothing character to me. You don’t think much will go wrong if he’s around. Yeah like I say, he’s a solid guy.

Do you ever get nervous when you play?

No I don’t think so. The energy level sort of comes up, you know. Starts to bubble a little bit before you go on. I like to warm up for at least twenty minutes on the guitar before I go on because I change.

I have new strings every night so to a certain extent you’ve got to break them in with so much bending and what have you, the vibratos. If I’ve warmed up well and I’ve enjoyed it and got into it I’m fine. I can start off up here rather than having to work my way up to it.

One thing I’ve always wondered I actually put one of my guitars down two semi-tones so that I’m D to D, conventional tuning spaces, but D to D. But you do that and you use twelves (guage – PS) Yeah, the idea of coming down to D tuning is so I can use heavier strings to get the tone. It’s all about the tone. Anything lighter than a twelve, you can’t really get the tone out of it. If you haven’t got a good resonance even on the top string, your not gonna get the sound out of it

It did make a difference. I mean, usually I have one guitar on open D for slide. But I do find on D tuning that especially around A, A flat, G that the guitar response is a bit different, triggers my effects differently. What’s the dynamic at work there? I have no idea, but I just know it works. I’ve always worked on the principle that with a Strat, that it’s got to sound good acoustically before it goes into anything. So in other words, the strings have got to ring out and have a nice resonance. All the way up the frets before it even goes into anything. You can’t get it on a ten or an eleven and you’ve got to have quite a high action as well so by tuning down you get slacker. You can still do the bends and what have you. Then I get as much crank out of the amp as I can, rather than use the distortion pedals. So the opposite of what you’re doing. Because my way you’re getting all the burning off the valves.

See, I only like playing through Fender and Orange stuff I don’t like playing through Marshall stuff at all, but you’ve mastered Marshalls. How do you do that?

I mean I know Jimi did but not many other people have.

I think because I’ve always used them I just know my way round them, but since they came out with this ‘vintage modern’ that is the amp to me that makes it all possible.

For what reason?

You can actually get great sustain and everything out of it even without using an effect. So it means I can use minimal overdrive stuff.

OK, so you’re doing your amp settings. Do you have the master fairly low?

No, loud. Do you know the ‘vintage modern’? You get these two pre amps volumes or gain I think they’re called and one is detail and one is body. So you can crank out the sort of amount of drive into the output so I have the master up. On this album I was using fifty watt combos , so I had the master up about two thirds and I have the detail pre amp up about two thirds. I don’t use the body because I use a neck pickup which has already got a lot of body to it. You get a lot low end so you don’t need to add to it.

So you use the neck, not the middle pickup? Neck. On some things I do use the middle pickup, if I’m doing Bridge of Sighs for example that’s done on a middle pickup

You see, like Japanese players they’ll turn the master right down and the volume right up and then they will tweak the master to exactly the level they want. But it gives almost like a stabbing sound. But obviously, that doesn’t suit your sound of playing. I like to really drive the output out of the speakers. I like to really push them

But I find I can only get subtle tones if I have the volume on the amps as low as I can get it and it’s clear. I don’t like having loud amps, I really don’t Everybody’s different, aren’t they? Everyone’s got their own ear and what they want to hear coming out.

I’m surprised you get such a clear personal sound with that kind of set up.

Well, I get a very clear sound out of the guitar to start off with so you get quite a lot of front.

Using the amps then or on the way to the amps? Both. There, I mean it’s a combination.

There’s a sound you’ve got that I can’t do. As much as I try. The Somebody’s Calling flange sound

That was a Fender Blender with an Electric Mistress as far as I can remember. I mean I had a lot of weird pedals in those days. I think that’s what it was.

Rusty Allen? Wonderful player!

Wasn’t he ex Sly and the Family Stone? Yeah, he came in through Bill who recommended him.

He was obviously a funky player, but he did mesh in with your style didn’t he?

Oh yes, he was a great musician.

How did you approach that, as he was a new player in the band?

Well the first thing we did with him was the In City Dreams album. We went into the studio and we had Dewar singing this time and Rusty playing bass. He had an ear for songs

I really like that album because there are little bass runs that Rusty puts in every now and again which are fabulous on Somebody’s Calling’ but not often. It was trance music before it was invented!

Yeah. I do love that number too.

Some of your stuff finishes too soon?

“the reason We Were so commercIally successful Was because of hIs (james deWar’s) voIce”

Too short or fading too early.

Fading early.. I wish some of it was longer..Davey Pattison?

Ah – another great figure a friend of mine from Procol days played me some demo’s they he’d got Davey to sing on..he was local, in San Francisco…though he’s from Scotland. Bill Lordan had heard him and he recommended him to another guitar player er..Gamma

Ronnie Montrose

Yes! So that’s how he came to be in San Francisco. I got hold of Davey and said come and sing on the next album

No offence intended here, Robin – but I could understand you working with say Joe Cocker or Terry Reid, but how was it that you worked with Bryan Ferry?

Well Bryan asked me to come in and play on an album. I didn’t know him then, so I did play on some material he was working on, and we got on very well, eventually I became co-producer for these tracks. I always had thought his singing was special. Must have been months of work, but we had great fun, I have to say.

(We talk for a while about Procol Harum and I mention ‘Whisky Train’ )

Yes, now Whisky Train was a very successful song, that’s probably the one that set me thinking, maybe I can be a writer. Come up with some ideas.

It was a different side of Procol. Yes, it wasn’t like anything they were doing.

Procol were a much more versatile band than they are given credit for.

I think that’s right, that was a great line-up!

for the latest news on robin check out www.trowerpower.com

JOE bONAmASSA

VErbAls: Pete SARgeAnt VisuAls: PAUL beRgen

wood and steel and fatback and funk. ace draw Joe bonamassa discusses his acoustic shows releases and his ghetto funk outing album, plus the lowdown on his pending london shows

Iowe JB one – last time we spoke he was happy to chat about his love for the music of Rory Gallagher which helped me create a fan-theflames piece on the Rory remastered albums, to complement the actual album reviews and which no less than our mutual friend Donal Gallagher seemed to like. THIS time we are going to talk Joe Bonamassa which he does, along with bursts of electric guitar down the phoneline to LA, by way of emphasis ( and which I shall of course be bootlegging to his large fanbase)

BM: Hey thanks Joe – and thanks again for the Rory piece we did.

JB: Oh, my pleasure, Pete – love his music, always will..you know. In THIS country ( Joe’s in Los Angeles – PS) he doesn’t often come up in musical conversations, but you and I know that he SHOULD, such a talented and original guy.

Now I want to talk about you and what you’re up to today, please – so for an agenda, well I have been listening to your new acoustic album (An Acoustic Evening at The Vienna Opera House – CD and DVD ) on a private link and made a couple of notes, also the funk album you cut with your mates (We Want Groove) PLUS! we have your upcoming ‘Four Steps To Notoriety’ set of shows in London to discuss, maybe… (Fired up) Well that you couldn’t get any more diverse than that, really! Let’s go with that one.

Now what impresses me about the acoustic show albums is you don’t seem to settle into one groove, it really is all the kinds of music you like and want to play So was that the intention from the outset, Joe? We decided to do this acoustic show and Kevin Shirley put together the band. This actually was instead of my original intention of probably

doing the show entirely on my own with a bunch of guitars, saying a few things about each number and going through the setlist. Now originally, it was going to be a one-off event. But then of course you only get one shot at it! (Laughs). And you can’t redeem yourself! But then North Sea Jazz and some other venues wanted us to appear as well, so this solo one off show was now becoming a set of gigs with a band. That band included Gerry O’Connor on fiddle and also mandolin and banjo, the amazing Mats Wester on the nycklharpa which is a type of keyed fiddle, also Arlan Schierbaum on all sorts of and he’s from L.A. And then of course, the pride of Puerto Rico, Mr Lenny Castro, on percussion.

The word to describe what we were approaching I guess was ‘worldly’ traditional piano, harmonium,accordion and stuff like that.

In my mind, it was at various points sort of what would Ry Cooder do? What would Peter Gabriel do in that situation? Essentially that’s kind of like the feel of what we were going for. Do different things, take chances, re-arrange this or that.

It just sounds like the sort of lineup of players that would score a film. That’s what it sound like to me and I do like that kind of music. I like music that will take me somewhere different. I try to play that myself and I like to listen to it. This number, Palm Trees, what kind of guitar are you using on that?

That was a Martin D41.

It’s got these hard solo lines and the ascending line is slightly kind of sinister. It’s almost like rock flamenco isn’t it?

Yeah it is. A lot of it is ripped right out of

COntInUeS OVeR...

“fusIon Is a dIrty Word In some cIrcles. It’s the same thIng that has happened WIth the blues”

Interview joe bonAmssA

Dimeola’s playbook. Do ya know what I mean?

I saw Return to Forever with him, with Lenny White and Chick and Stanley Clarke, fine players but Jeez I was bored. Endless solo bits. Sometimes with my fusion guys we play bits of Romantic Warrior or The Sorcerer

Oh the tricksy tempo’s fair enough. Sometimes on this album your playing has a touch of the late Michael Hedges.

Oh yeah, I know about him. Really fantastic acoustic player.

And user of tones and effects with the acoustic, especially on ‘Aerial Boundaries’.

Oh yeah – so atmospheric. For that style of reflective music,Tommy Emmanuel is a great player too - for those classic mood pieces. He’s a real innovator. But the first person I think of really is John Martyn in this inventive acoustic guitar material zone.

First folk artist I ever saw! In a dark church crypt in Richmond, Surrey in winter, opening for Patrick Sky. The next track on this set Jelly Roll, I first heard at that very gig, played by Martyn. It is a very strong vocal on your versiont. Do you bring in your mikes? At this point for the acoustic shows, Pete we’re bringing everything in. We bring the PA, mikes, monitors, cables. To me it’s always best to do that, even bringing in our own chairs!.

That’s going a bit far isn’t it?

My production manger and myself were determined to leave nothing to chance because sod’s law says of course that on the day of filming, you won’t be able to find five matching chairs!

There are some fan favourites in the set and one such is Dust Bowl in particular which is a popular track. It’s got very desert feel to it. Where were you when you wrote that?

Well I was in Greece when I wrote it. It was the summer in San Torini. It was one of those songs that sounds like a throwback to the John Ford era film scenery. I did see a fantastic documentary on the dust bowls in America, not that long ago, that probably helped that song come about, to be honest.

(We talk about world influences on guitarists and I mention Frank Zappa’s Hot Rats, where the phrases tumble rapidly out of Frank’s fingers and that Greek influence is very definitely there in the tension and waspish runs, all through a wahwah pedal).

The first time I heard Bouzouki music someone said it sounded like Dimeola but I said no HE sounds like THEM. It’s the other way round, cause if you hear the traditional musicians in Greece the runs are all threaded in there. That influences musicians I other countries.

The other number is Athens to Athens for those that seems to work in this acoustic context. Its got a Bert Jansch feel to it which really works in this set. That was one of the easier one to adapt, really because of the musicians we had in the band. We thought it would be cool to include it, with that instrumentation aboard.

Then again,From the Valley has some eerie slide and that’s a Cooder moment for me.

Oh yeah. Agreed on that.

The Ballad of John Henry that was an album title of yours wasn’t it?

Yeah that was the album that kinda put me on the map several years back. Still a favourite with some fans, when get to meet them.

I can see why you would include that song, with that lineup.

(Laughs) It’s one of the vast cavalcade of hits I’ve had! Nothing but the hits!

I will tell you my favourite on this record and you’ll probably guess it anyway. I absolutely love Dislocated Boy. The reason is. it’s using like a Bill Withers tempo and I think that is really great choice and performance.

Yeah that came out good that song. I like that song. I like Slow Train and I particularly really like Sloe Gin just with the xylophone.

Well Slow Train has that railway tempo which increases in pace which is always a good stage thing to do. Why did you choose to end with Sloe Gin?

Sloe Gin is good it’s the encore that leads into Seagull and it’s a ramped up version. It a great end of the moment for the show.

Now what the **** is a ‘ball peen hammer’? It’s a type of hammer where the head of the hammer is shaped like a ball. Used to drive in like, nails or horseshoes.

We move the conversation on, to talk about We Want Groove by Rock Candy Funk Party and is a jazz-funk outing, nodding to loads of folk who inspired fusion/ jammin’ type players.

Now this is a band that we put together to have groove with eg to playsongs and rhythms in the styles that so influenced us. The band is me, Tal Bergman on drums, Ron deJesus on guitar, Mike Merritt on bass and Renato Neto on keys. Everything we play is to Serve tha Funk. It’s the kinda night music we all like, so that should be reflected in the delivery. Luckily most everyone managed to get into the material contribution and put the tunes together. The big question was – do we want flashy solo’s everywhere? When we thought about it, to make the act work we oughta concentrate on the melodies and get attention that way, in the knowledge that the band has enough appeal and variety to put before audiences and hopefully not just other players. So, can we maybe not have everybody solo on every tune? You could make it the most self-indulgent album ever, you could do that. HOWEVER the great records that Tal and

I and everybody in the band really love are these records like We Want Miles and tracks like Jean Pierre you know – songs. Fusion is a dirty word in some circles. It’s the same thing that has happened with the blues, where blues is not a bad word. But maybe a few too many bands have played Mustang Sally a few too many times! But what we were going for was a tuneful jamming sound maybe a bit like the band called ‘Stuff.’

Oh yeah – Eric Gale and Cornell Dupree. Well with this set of players, we are really where the key references are well known by everybody. You know like Prince and Joe Zawinul, who put fusion bands together and it worked, you know. Especially Ron, wow he’s a great rhythm player and he plays that funk thing so very well.

A crisp sound yeah. It has a touch of Eric Gale. Eric Gale always had a great tone because he usually used an MXR, a cheap phaser or something 70s and similar.

Especially on Grover Washington stuff like Moonstreams. The last track (New York Song) fascinates me, a slow groove that cries out for an Isaac Hayes type commentary.

We kept kinda hearing the voiceover ghost and we were like who should we reach out to? Then, let’s go for the gold, Bill Shatner!! ah but he didn’t want to do it.

I’m much cheaper and deeper. There’s Wes Montgomery style guitar on there. Is that you? Yeah, me. Channelling Wes and maybe a touch of Charlie Christian.

The record has great long steady grooves among some twists and turns. Do you know the Alphonse Mouzon record ‘By All Means’? has Herbie Hancock all,over ot and the guitar is Rit (Lee Ritenour – PS)

I’ll check it out cos Rit is a neighbour of mine here – funnily enough I just got into that Herbie Hancock record Manchild, some very good bits on that one.

(Fans of instrumental funk should waste no time checking this album out – others steer well clear, though. I think it is fine and the players mesh beautifully)

Now I want to ask you about the upcoming four venue London shows starting at the Borderline, Joe so

COntInUeS OVeR...

One of the most talented rock musicians the UK has ever produced, ROBIN TROWER releases an album of unique cover versions of classic blues and R’n’B tracks - including Hound Dog, Little Red Rooster and The Thrill Has Gone.

www.trowerpower.com

www.facebook.com/manhatonrecords2 Out on February 4th

www.manhatonrecords.com

Britain’s Best Blues Bandmulti award winning King King featuring Alan Nimmo release their 2nd album ‘Standing In The Shadows’ on March 25th. 10 tracks of heart wrenching rock, soul & driving blues The New Sound of BLUES for 2013

without giving too much away – what’s in your head for those?

We will be doing a different show each day with a different configuration, that’s the plan. The first night at the Borderline its going to be Anton Fig on drums.

The Letterman TV show band drummer!

Yeah and Anton plays on all the records. John Henry and just about everything else. And Michael Rhodes on the bass.

Wow! He plays with Jill Sobule and Rodney Crowell. The second night which we will do at Shepherds Bush will be horns time. All blues with a horn section.

Well we are going to be at that show, I have tickets. Now Joe, what do I do if someone offers me a price of a Rickenbacker for my JB tickets on the way in?

(Emphatically) Pete, you sell the tickets and you get the guitar!!

And then I can’t review the show!

That doesn’t matter man! Be sensible! (laughs)

Then for the Apollo it will be like a Bonamassa band rock blues gig with that kind of material and some audience favourites. Then finally for the Royal Albert Hall we will do an acoustic first set with band and thenmix it up for the second electric set, do the best of everything. Mostly the near-hits and so that will be two hours or therabouts, it will be split. And hopefully it will all make sense at the end of the run. So right now we’re rehearsing for three weeks to get all the tunes ready because we want to do mostly different songs every night.

That’s a cool idea because some people will be going to more than one show. When you’re over here you’ll hole up in a hotel and work the week out there yes? We are basically gonna be there about four days before and we have purchased every room in this hotel for that week because we have so many people coming in and out. It’s gonna be great but the most work we’ve ever done. It’s a great project. I think people will enjoy it, get along and rock instead of just watching TV with a brandy.

It cries out for a documentary of some kind. Yeah we are recording everything. There’s gonna be a backstory and cameras all through the tour because we’re recording it and will start adding the pieces as the tour goes on.

So how do you get on with Kevin Shirley?

Well, you know he’s become a best friend and we’ve worked together for some eight years. What can you say? How do you quantify the contribution he makes to what I’m doing?

It’s been phenomenal how you’ve built your name up, but it’s been through gigging.

It’s about doing it the hard way but the right way. It’s not like I’ve come off a reality show or I’ve been spotted on ‘Come Dine with Me’. You don’t wanna be known for being on an episode of that!

To be honest with you I appeared on one ‘reality’ show a few years ago called ‘Supergroup’ on VH1 and they just rang me because they knew I was in Vegas and said hey would you mind appearing for a couple of minutes with Ted Nugent? And they want me to act surprised when Ted walks in as I’m playing so I said well that wouldn’t happen because we know each other and we might just agree to play a song or two together. But they wanted me to act like Ted appearing was a real shock. So I said that’s not real life and they said no but this is reality TV! Wel, that’s not ‘real’ to me at all. Never again!

That’s right. How can anyone think that cameras rolling creates anything other than an artifice? I think kids today don’t know the difference between the word ‘famous’ and ‘infamous’ and they don’t really give a **** anyway. They just want to drive up to Starbucks and go right to the front of the queue.

Back to music. I find people tag you forever with what they first see you doing. In my case ‘the harp player or ‘the deep voice singer.’

Yeah, you get typecast and that’s the problem. And it’s more so than anything, it’s people saying now sit neatly in this box. We can describe your life’s musical journey in five sentences or less or five words or less. ‘The Blues guy’ Hmmm, OK. And then you’re not allowed to be anything else! (sighs).

I like those who shift it around like Steve Miller. And I do like these new albums of yours because they are varied and in my view entertaining. Well thanks a lot. I appreciate that. See you in London.

the acoustic releases on p rovogue www.mascotlabelgroup.com; for the fusion album check www.rockcandyfunkparty.com

ERIC S t ECKEl

e ric steckel is a name i’m sure many followers of blues music will be familiar with, but may have lost track of. w ell that’s all about to change

Still only 22 years old Eric began wowing audiences twelve years ago, by 11 he had an internationally released live album and by 12 he had co-written and released a studio album. By his own admission, being touted as the best young guitarist on the planet brought its own problems as well as enormous highs and opportunities. After a period of introspection and re-discovering his blues mojo Eric is back better than ever and re-energised. Sell out concerts and TV appearances in Europe and upcoming UK shows suggest 2013 could be the year Eric reclaims his crown.

BM: Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk to us Eric. You’ve recently released your new album Dismantle The Sun. I have to say I’ve been really enjoying listening to it and I’ve yet to see a less than positive review. You must be pleased at the reaction. Has it been better than you had hoped for?

ES: Well, thank you first of all! And in answer to your question, yes and no. I knew my fan base, as well as the critics/sceptics on the outskirts of my fan base, were ready for me to combine my previous two records into a hybrid Blues-meetsRock album with crisp production, which is what we delivered on Dismantle The Sun. While making the album, the engineer, producer and band all sensed that this would be a hit album because it seemed to strike the balance between power and finesse which, interestingly enough, I’m known for both. With ballads like Last Night and Empty Promises I showcase my piano/

Hammond playing as well as my finesse, while Outlaw and Found Out the Hard Way give the heavy guitar fans their bread and butter. I think the reason this album has really resonated with people and critics alike is because the stories are real. The original songs are very personal to me, and I think that makes the vocal better and the songs better overall, simply because they’re honest and heartfelt as opposed to abstract or social commentary. These stories are all about specific people and events in my own life, so tracking the vocals was an emotional experience; one which I hope is conveyed to the listener.

I suppose a lot of the material on the new album could be described as blues rock, but you’ve avoided some of the clichéd elements that often get recycled. Would you agree that your playing and writing is more deeply blues rooted than rock, albeit high energy? Thanks again. Yeah, I agree. It’s very easy in the Blues/Rock genre to get stuck in these same riffs that we’ve heard for 40 years with different lyrics. On this album I had a hard task. I couldn’t make it prog, jazz, fusion, or metal, but I had to make it not the same old Blues/ Rock riffs everybody does on their albums, and that ain’t easy! But I think if you listen to songs like Mississippi River or Day Drinkin’, you can tell that, while those songs are arguably the most ‘conventional Blues/Rock’ on the record, they have subtle nuances I rarely hear on contemporary Blues records. I like to throw in

Interview eric steckel

“the songWrItIng on mIlestone had a sort of young man’s attItude”

elements of other genres, and also the tones and sonic components of these songs are thicker and richer than most of the contemporary Blues productions that have come out lately. We use equipment on our records that traditional Blues players would never use, such as lots of ‘outboard gear’, and for my guitar I use high-end German amps that are often associated with heavy metal, but give me that perfect searing Bluesy sound I enjoy. So these are just a few factors that make this record slightly different than what we’ve heard this year from many of the Blues artists on the scene!

I liked the Michael Burks cover EmptyPromise. His sudden passing was a great loss. Did you know Michael personally?

I did, yes, but admittedly not very well. We had met several times and he knew who I was and he also knew that I had been covering his song in my live shows. I believe a fan of mine told him at a gig somewhere and he was very happy to hear his work really getting out there. It’s a terrible loss to the Blues world since Michael passed –he was one of my absolute favorite artists of all time, without a doubt. Every time I saw him I was riddled with goosebumps from the sheer passion he exhibited on the stage. Unbelievable. When we recorded Empty Promises on the record, we felt his spirit in the room and we recorded the whole song in only one take which left the engineer and producer completely speechless.

I’m pleased to see that you have been touring Europe, and the UK in particular. Have you chosen to do this to promote the album or have you found you have a big fan base here?

A little of both. I started my fan base in Europe in 2004 when I toured with John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers. John opened me up to the European market and ever since I’ve come over almost every year – most years three or four times within that year even! It’s a beautiful scene over here. Gigs pay well, fans are appreciative, and you’re not playing in front of a television with a football game on. It’s a performance, and people come to see and hear the music in its

purest form, which I really appreciate and it’s why I play so much overseas. The new album is selling better in the US than my previous albums, because it has more pop appeal I believe, but it is also kicking butt in Germany and the UK in record sales. five to 10 times better than my older records, easily.

I enjoyed the Milestone album from a couple of years ago, but this feels like it’s gone up a step or two. Reading the sleeve notes you seem to have a settled band now, has this made a difference to the writing and feel of the album?

Thank you. Yeah, a lot has changed in my life and my career to make this album better than Milestone. The Milestone album was in a period where I really wanted to be in the rock scene at any cost. I just couldn’t get inspired playing Blues progressions/patterns anymore and thought rock was the answer. In hindsight, I was wrong, but that’s how I was thinking at the time. Also, I started playing with a band that came from a heavy metal mindset which sort of persuaded me into more drop-tunings and heavier guitar sounds and before you knew it, it was almost a hard-rock band with a few Blues songs in the set.

The songwriting on Milestone had a sort of young man’s attitude to it. I had started getting really close with this supermodel and started writing songs about/for her and trying to be some sort of rock star, and I was kind of using my status in the Blues world to force an agenda that wasn’t right for me. It’s funny looking back on it, and I still think Milestone is an awesome heavy rock album, but it lacks the finesse that Dismantle really brings to the table and I’m so proud I matured past that phase.

Its quite astonishing to realise, Eric, that although you’re still only 22 it’s over ten years since you released your debut live album as an eleven year old, and that was followed by a studio album just a year later. Looking back, how do you remember being touted as a child guitar prodigy? Was it a good experience or has it brought some downsides? Yeah, the prodigy label was a blessing and a curse. Being labeled a prodigy was a great thing for my career from ages 11 through about 16, then the people who were just into the youngest kid with a guitar around his neck had moved on to the next 3 year old with a guitar. I remember being disillusioned for a bit, wondering if I was doing something wrong. But by the time I released Feels Like Home at age 18, I had

realized that age was no longer important and quality was the only thing that mattered. That album went on to sell very well, and got international airplay for many years, and still does to this day. That record was recorded over many months and with painstaking attention to detail, which really paid off. It’s great being 22 now because that’s all behind me, and people come to see me for technical ability, talent, passion and skill, not age. Thank God, finally!

I looked back at that first studio release, and its amazing how much of the material on that you contributed as a writer at such a young age. Is song writing something you have a natural gift for or have you had to work at it?

It’s funny, I don’t consider myself a good songwriter. ‘Songwriting’ to me has always been 20 to 30 people in some corporate room in Nashville working on the next smash hit trying to figure out how to please investors with product placement. However, I’ve been getting overwhelming response about the quality of the songs on the new record. Last Night has been requested as a radio single in Europe. It’s crazy to think, because I wrote that song in about 10 minutes. But, once again, it’s good because it’s honest and real. The best songs usually are. So I guess I’ve always had a slight knack for songwriting but not the way the pop guys do it. I know my limitations vocally and musically and write songs that showcase my abilities well. I think that’s my strength in songwriting.

You’ve had the opportunity of working with some top names over the last ten years, Gregg Allman, Tommy Castro, Shemekia Copeland and even B.B. King. John Mayall in particular seems to have taken you under his wing. Who have you enjoyed working with and learned the most from?

John Mayall is pretty much a mentor to me, so I’ve probably learned the most from him, but every big star I’ve opened for taught me something indirectly. They never pull me aside and lecture, they just go about their day and do their thing and I watch and observe and take mental notes. My tour with Mayall in Scandinavia was my first big tour on a bus and everything, so I learned the ropes at only 13 years old – unreal when I think about it. Shemekia is a good friend and we always share a laugh when I open for her. Gregg Allman was cool. We met in Tuscany back in ’07 and he

COntInUeS OVeR.

showed me his lucky pair of black jeans he never gigs without.

Can you remember when you first became hooked on the blues and who were your early influences? There are videotapes of me as a baby dancing to Family Style by Jimmy and Stevie which would’ve been the same year it came out – ’90. I loved that record and I grew up on ‘Soul to Soul’ as well as all the Hendrix albums, all the Skynyrd albums and any classic rock and blues you can think of. I never like to answer the question ‘who are your guitar influences?’ because the honest, unabashed answer is, ME! I’m slightly facetious, but I don’t want to sound like anybody else at all. I remember even as a young kid feeling guilty as if I was supposed to idolize one guitarist, but now that I’m older I realize it’s good not to copy the masters. They’re masters because they created a sound that was never there before. That’s the direction I’m aiming for with my playing. It’s an honour that I have followers of my own that look up to my playing and aspire to sound like me – let me tell you, that is a huge honour, one I don’t take lightly, but at the end of the day it’s best for every player to forge their own identity on their instrument. You bought the guitar – now make it yours!

I guess its fair to say that you are generally thought of as a top guitar player but you are also accomplished on the Hammond Organ. When did you start to play that, and any Hammond heroes you aspire to?

Thanks. Yeah the Hammond B3 and its spinning counterpart, the mighty Leslie 122 fascinated me at an early age. Mostly because of the look at that point, but as I grew older, the sound and feel became the main reason for my interest in the instrument. I had piano lessons at around five years old which I hated because we focused on posture, sheet music and sight reading. But when I saw Blues Hammond players they lacked all 3 of those things, so I knew it was the right kind of keyboard for me! And to me a Blues album is not complete without a REAL B3 in it. It’s makes it official and closes the case on the album in my opinion. I’m just glad it’s me who gets to do the organ parts on my albums as well as the piano. I learned by basically transposing everything I knew on guitar over to the keyboard. The same theory and rules apply, just have keys instead of strings to work with. I tend to play like John Lord and get a sound similar to him, but I also really enjoy Jazz B3

“beIng labeled a prodIgy Was a great thIng for my career”

as well, in the style of Jimmy Smith and others. The instrument can do wonders to any style of music. Even my favorite progressive rock band Porcupine Tree use B3s all the time! My only hope is that more people recognize my organ/ piano work and realize it is, in fact, me that is playing on my albums. Many people who buy my albums digitally are unaware of the band lineup and think it’s someone else playing keys – too bad! Time will mend that I’m sure, seeing as Dismantle has opened people up to my keyboard work immensely in only a few short months.

What plans do you have for 2013 Eric, we would love to see more of you in the UK, at some festivals?

Yes, that is definitely the intention. This year I signed with a brand new booking/promotion/ street team agency and we are kicking butt all over the world! Very happy with the switch I made and the new people I have onboard working for me. We have festivals and blues clubs booked in new territories like the Midwest, the UK, and Scandinavia and possibly out West too later this year. We are headlining the 2nd largest music festival in the US this summer called Musikfest. They are giving us 2 nights at two of their most well-attended stages to do our thing. We also confirmed some Dutch festivals for late summer – headlining these as well. Our radio play is up by several spins with a larger reach and we have interest coming in from corners of the world I can’t even pronounce! So, all-in-all, we have a great feeling about the near future and the distant future as things are falling into place with lots of hard work, dedication and time put into this. The greatest thing that we have going for us is that we are putting out major label, big ticket, boutiquequality music for people while being completely independent. The band and myself are approachable, humble and love to interact with our fans while understanding that when the lights come on, it’s time to give them a big-ticket concert that they’ll never forget! That’s what it’s all about, and for me that will never change.

for the latest news on eric steckle check out www.ericsteckel.com/fr_home.cfm

A l E x z AYAS

s o, how does a poor white boy from a working-class suburb in b arcelona end up playing the blues guitar in a ustin, texas, blues guitar city par excellence?

Alex Zayas, born Alvarez (1978): ‘I picked up the guitar at the age of seven, but in my early teens my older brother played a B.B. King video and I fell in love with the blues instantly. I wanted to be able to play that music and I started to actually study black music – and not just the blues, but R&B, funk, jazz. I love people like Etta James or James Brown. When you listen to my previous cd, you’ll hear the influence of T-Bone Walker, Wes Mongemery and Bobby Bland. And I shouldn’t forget Albert Collins, Albert King and Lightnin’ Hopkins. You see, my sound respects black music’.

Alex is a fast learner and plays in his first band at the age of sixteen. He’s 21 when he records his first cd (with The Midnight Rockets) and decides to travel his own route by putting together the band that will establish his name: Alex TNT. As a bandleader, he can choose his musicians and he wants the best only, like St. Louis drummer Julian Vaughn (Johnny Copeland, B.B. King and Albert King) or well-respected bassist of African descent Steve de Swardt. Soon after, he takes a second bold step and writes his own material for the first Alex TNT album.

But one never travels alone in life. Alex is 18 when he attends a concert by Cal-Mex guitarist and ace harmonic player Hook Herrera.

Alex: ‘I took my guitar to the gig and kind of invited myself on stage. I was half his age, you know. This guy is famous in Spain and continental Europe. He played with Alvin Youngblood-Hart, he’s on the first Gov’t Mule album, he’s friends with musicians like Dave Alvin and Warren Hayes. Anyway, Hook asks me to join him on stage and the next thing I know he offers me the job of guitarist for the upcoming tour! I travelled all over Europe and learned an awful lot.’

No, one never travels alone in life. While sharing the stage with bass-player of African descent Steve de Swardt, Alex meets Javier Mas, a well-known composer and producer for Spanish and Catalan artists like Maria del Mar Bonet, but first and foremost a highlyskilled master of string instruments such as the guitar and the lute. Actually, Mr. Mas released an album of Mediterranean-inspired string music on the classical Harmonia Mundi label. Mas believed in Zayas from the onset, supporting him live, encouraging the kid to study and study and study, even taking time off between performances with Leonard Cohen and countless tour-related duties for an impromptu jam at the showcase of Zayas’ new CD.

Alex: ‘Javier was instrumental in my development as an authentic musician. Javier always encouraged me to study and find my own voice. However much I admire James Brown or Albert King, however influential my heroes were, Javier advised me to shake them off, all of them. I did. The making of Guitarshock, nine years after my previous CD, was a metamorphosis, I went through hell shaping and polishing my own voice, my own style. Do those words sound a bit empty? Well, I felt I had to make an effort of honesty towards myself and consequently I took a new artistic identity, Zayas, after my mum’s maiden name. I had Zayas tattooed on my arm. Talking about a new skin...’

f or the latest news on alex zayas check out www.zayasmusic.com

“I took my guItar to the gIg and kInd of InvIted myself on stage”

tHE mOtIvES, FEAtURING mAtt tAYlOR

VErbAls: CLIVe RAwLIngS VisuAls: tHe mOtIVeS

Just before going on stage at dorchester arts centre blues nights in november, matt taylor and the motives, (Jonny dyke, andy graham, roy martin) sat down with bm and answered a few Questions

BM: How/why/when did you pick up your first guitar?

Matt Taylor: My parents were musical, my mum was a singer, my stepdad a guitarist so I was around music growing up. I eventually asked for a guitar at Christmas when I was about nine; I didn’t play it then – after thinking “What do I do with it?” about a year later I got curious and asked for some lessons.

Which leads me nicely on to my next question, what were your influences? Were you always in to Blues?

MT: Well, not at nine, I don’t think. In those days

whatever was around I suppose. I remember liking Queen, some of the first things I learn were twelve bar blues, like Chuck Berry, a big influence from early on, and I was into, like, 50s rock and roll. That was my first influence, and The Beatles – sort of went from there really.

So what’s the journey been like, becoming a musician, and are you getting there?

MT: Personally and as a band, yeah, getting there is probably the best bit although actually being there would be nice.

Roy Martin: Where’s there?

MT: But is “there” where I want to be?

Jonny Dyke: It’s a long journey. Practise your arse off, of course money and success is a fantastic drug that keeps you going.

What does the new album mean to you? Was it easy to balance your voice with the songs? Have you got any favourite tracks?

MT: To me, it’s a fine balance; I don’t want the band to be just about a bloke playing a guitar. For me it’s more about songs really and I suppose the dynamic between me and Jonny, there’s as much keyboard playing on the album as there are guitar solos, you know piano, Hammond organ, that sort of thing. It’s about balancing those things and about trying to put the songs across, write a song that’s not just another blues song.

You and Roy have collaborated with Snowy White’s Blues Project – has anything rubbed off on you?

MT: Um, um, no!

RM: Not from his guitar playing but his persona off stage, he’s got this incredible philosophical way of looking at everything.

He always comes across as very quiet.

RM: But he’s steely and strong

MT: Like a volcano!

RM: Behind the cool exterior, he won’t suffer fools gladly, he’s quick to tell people when things are wrong, but does it in a nice way.

He seems to treat every gig like he’s done this Wall stuff, but he’ll treat this kind of gig (i.e. tonight) the same, play his guitar – he doesn’t distinguish one gig from another. I thought that was really cool. It’s interesting to see his approach for someone who has done it before and more successful than I have, I really like working with him.

Andy, I see you worked with Lee Sankey. Andy Graham: That’s right, a long time ago.

Were you there when Matt Schofield was there?

AG: I did one album with him.

MT: We’ve all been around a bit, not just in the blues scene, we’re basically freelance musicians.

Any stories, with risking libel, you can tell us?

JD: This is the one I always tell. I got a job with Dolly Parton because of my surname – you see the good ladies running the agency were looking for a keyboard player. I was however forbidden to look at her chest, in fact I got a bollocking because her manager though I was looking there but in fact she had the most beautiful feet I’ve ever seen in my life!

We digress! Matt, you produced the new CD and also worked with the ex-England cricketer, Mark Butcher on his CD. How did that come about?

MT: I met him through a gig I was doing – he

Music on the Wey

Saturday 4th May 2013

* Katie Bradley *

* Marcus Bonfanti *

* Paddy Milner *

* Dani Wilde Trio *

* Brothers Groove *

* Ron Sayer jr *

All seats £10

Tickets available from www thebluessession co uk Raffle and refreshments

Doors open 5:00pm - Performance 6:00pm On site parking

was a guest and we got chatting. We had a lot in common musically and stuff we are into. He came back again, we exchanged numbers, he started asking us to play with him at gigs and it developed from there really. The gig we were doing was one of those where lots of guests come up and sing, mainly covers, but he had his own material which he wanted to put on CD so I helped him.

Now he’s helping you out by contributing a couple of assists on your new album.

MT: Yeah, he co-wrote two. I’d already written the backing tracks, was struggling with lyrics so sent him the tracks and said “Do what you want.” He came back with lyrics and it was great.

Brilliant, so, any tips for aspiring musicians out there?

MT/JD::Play all the time, practise, there is no short cut to fame. Play all the time. Play with as many different musicians as you can. Listen to whatever you can, all kinds of music, don’t stick just with blues.

What support did you get around your local area in your growing-up period, musically that is?

MT: Like most people I started playing in pubs and bars, in that area (South East London) at that time there was quite a healthy scene which extended. I found the more you do, the further afield you go. I used to play as a duo, started taking it seriously at about seventeen. You could do quite well just doing little gigs then as a band start taking it more seriously as a band in your twenties.

What about in Liverpool?

RM: There was loads going on. I got my first gig when I was fourteen, played in all sorts of social clubs, working men’s clubs at the weekend and I was in a band that did its own original stuff.

How did you two meet up?

RM: We met up working for the biggest selling world-wide French artiste, Patricia Kass. Jonny played keys, I was also in the band, Matt came on a couple of tours, spent a lot of time on the road in buses, planes and hotels and became very friendly over a period of time.

MT: It’s a bit of a double edged sword. Being in that situation sometimes you get dismissed as being a session musician.

What’s the inspiration for your song-writing?

“lIke most people I started playIng In pubs and bars”

MT: All sorts really. Listening to lots of stuff is really important. Just because you write within one genre of music doesn’t mean you can’t be influenced by other things. I like people like Paul Simon, because the economy of his lyrics is incredible really, telling a little story in three verses is really difficult. Being a Beatles fan is another form of inspiration. What I like about our band is we’re quite eclectic, not just a straight ahead blues band because there are so many of those bands around. It’s not that I don’t like that music but you don’t want to do it if theirs is so much of it about. What’s happened in the past, Jonny and I have done albums under my name, The Matt Taylor Band and we have to be careful we don’t go too far. There’s a fine line between what I consider to be acceptable. As broad as the genre is, you have to be careful. The danger with being too reverential is if you don’t try and do something new. With this Motives album I feel a little bit lucky, it’s the sort of album we should have done after Radio City Blues, reason being it’s like doing Please Please Me’ to The White Album in one. This album feels a lot like Radio City.

Do you find the album easily transfers from a CD player to the stage?

MT: Yeah, this is the big thing between this album and what we have done before in that in the studio it’ quite easy to get carried away with the technology. I like producing so consequently this album was much more consciously considered, looking at how we could play it live. That is really important so that what comes out of the speakers is how it was recorded, no overdubs, orchestra or backing singers.

So you’re pleased with the album?

MT: It’s like an opening statement. Here we are, this is what we sound like, and we’re The Motives.

Trademark question, what’s your favourite biscuit. In no particular order – Chocolate Wholemeal, Jaffa Cake, Wagon Wheel.

a slightly longer video of this interview can be found on the m otives website www.the-motives.com

AlbANY DOwN

VErbAls: Pete SARgeAnt VisuAls: dAVId tURnLeY

one of the blues world’s maJor tipster’s had suggested i check them out. three numbers in and i am scooting over to merchandise to buy their album... because they sound so focused and fired and the material is so good

Afine singer and smokin’ band. Albany Down are working on their next album right now. Will it include A Man Like Me, a stunning new song that they played at the show? As Harry Hill would say: ‘Only one way to find out’ to the phone

BM: My good friend Golly suggested that I make sure to catch the Albany Down set at the 100 and I immediately bought the current album of yours which is called South of the City but you also played some additional numbers which presumably will find

their way onto your next release.

Paul Turley: Yes we’re planning a new album for release in March

OK, well you did a fair chunk of the last album but of the new songs in your set, I found one absolutely stunning and that was.

PT::A Man Like Me?

Yeah that was it! now I was really knocked out by that, will that be on your new record?

PT: Yeah that will be on there, for sure

Where are you based?

PT: We’re kind of based around the north of London, with me Staines around the M25 a bit and then Damien our drummer, who’s Bedford Milton Keynes area and our singer (Paul Muir) is from North London. We meet up in Welwyn Garden City

Your main job is guitar in the band, so who would you say personally inspired you to learn guitar and play?

PT: Number one, Jimi Hendrix. My dad got me an album and said you’ve gotta hear this guy and I was hooked from there.

What other players do you like for their style?

PT: Well, Joe Bonamassa is a favourite

He helped me do a feature on Rory Gallagher. How do you write material?

PT: We co-write mostly. There are some exceptions but mostly we’ll come up or a chord progression and jam it out a bit with the guys. And Paul will sit in the corner listening. And we’ll get where we think we’re heading to for the chorus. And then Paul does the bulk of the lyrics. And then we fine tune it.

Watching you, sometimes put in mind of the early Who there’s a tinge of their attack in some of your songs.

PT: It’s not something we ever really thought about much. I suppose we’ve all got classic rock blues influences that I guess will come out in what we do.

I think maybe the title cut South of the City says a lot about your band’s musical approach. Do you have a favourite song on your last album?

PT: Yes, the title track is probably my favourite, the slide guitar one.

But, it is I Wanna Know that’s really growing on me now.

PT: Oh yeah, that’s our singer’s favourite track. Our bassist (Billy Dedman) came up with that riff.

It’s a lovely song and it has a really kind of drive to it, like the best original mod music. I think your singer has a huge range of voices to draw on doesn’t he?

PT: Yeah.

Are you still co-writing for your new album or doing other people’s material?

PT: No, the new album’s all original. Twelve tracks and it’s called ‘Not Over Yet’ which is one of the tracks on his album.

(We now manage a word or two with Damien Campbell the band’s drummer)

You have to be pretty busy with Albany down don’t you? You can’t go to sleep during the set

DC: No, no no. Definitely not!.

Have you got a favourite drummer?

DC: I’ve got a couple in mind. Obviously, one is John Bonham and Taylor Hawkins from the Foo Fighters.

I think you should check them out. Every now and again there’s a jazz touch in what your playing, which you may or may not be aware of.

DC: Not really. It’s not something I’m particularly keen on. I’m open to suggestions to listen to that kind of stuff. If it sounds good to me I’ll listen to it.

Do you take an interest in the pop charts?

promote this record?

DC: Yeah definitely. After the release definitely. Looking forward to getting it out there for people to hear it.

DC: If it’s a good song I would. But other than that I’m quite open to suggestions.

Have you got a favourite kit you use for live work?

DC: Well at the minute I’m using Yamaha custom Absolute.

What cymbals?

DC: Ziljdian.

You haven’t got a giant showy kit have you?

DC: It’s all about what you can do with the basics not how big a drum kit is.

Are you a Keith Moon fan?

DC: Yeah he was pretty good in that era. It was innovative wasn’t it?

You’re using organic elements which we know and love but your songs are lifting you out of the obvious. What’s your favourite track on the new record that you’re making?

DC: On the new one it’s a bit of a toss up between two for me at the moment. But maybe ‘Not Over Yet’ which is the title track and I suppose ‘A Man Like Me’.

Hopefully, you’ll be doing a lot of live dates to

(Back to Paul, the guitarist) I was wondering what radio station you might like to pick up on you if you got the chance?

PT: We’ve had a couple of tracks played on Paul Jones Radio 2 show.

He’s never adverse to a new outfit if they’ve got some kind of punch to them. One striking thing I liked about the last album was the graphics (A.R. Taylor is credited – PS)

PT: He’s an artist from Wales. He painted the logo of the cover on the album on a wall. He did a really good job, we thought. He’s doing the art for the next one as well.

Can I quickly ask you about the closing song Without You’

PT: Well I’d written the chord progression, it had a mellow feel so the strong voice gives it that flavour.

A bit Robin Trower-ish?

PT: Yeah, kind of. Shaped up that way in rehearsals once we had the lyric.

since talking to albany down they have been announced as openers for the chantel mcgregor tour 2013. more details are avilable on www.albanydown.com

PORtER

VErbAls: Pete SARgeAnt VisuAls: FUtURePROOF the can’t keep still album by gary porter and cohorts is as upbeat an r&b album as any act is making these days, soulful and happy!

It’s hard not to tap your feet and nod along as the tunes spill out of the speakers. Not that you’d want to try, so how does he and his sharp-edged band create this snappy set of songs? time to call the man himself and find out. It’s a freezing snowbound Saturday morning and the only time this week thus far that Gary and your scribe have been able to sit down for a moment and talk music.

BM: It’s Bluesman’s Weather, isn’t it, Gary? I don’t know what it’s like where you are…

GP: It certainly is (Gary’s over in Essex – PS). The whole sky seems to have dropped right on top of us. am stuck in here, but I am writing today, so it’s OK, I’m quite pleased for this really, Pete. I’m writing on the new album, so I did need to detach myself for a couple of days to crack on with it all.

Makes me think of the first Grateful Dead album – ‘out in the cold wind and snow...’

Yeah I think we’ve escaped the worst of it up til now but here it is now and very heavy.

But you can’t write blues songs when you’re cheerful, so… ‘Rule No three’, probably. Can you just briefly run me through current live lineup, please?

Sure. I’ll start with the drummer Phil Mount, been drumming with me since The Sensational Alex Harvey band days, then a wonderful upright bass man, Michael Harding, then Dave Melling and he has been with me the longest, quite a while now, on the keyboards, plus he doubles up on saxophone which is very handy, me on guitar and vocal and then what we like to call The Twins – being Dave Barlow on tenor sax and Clive Dimmock playing baritone. And they can play soprano sax and other instruments, so we adapt to the arrangements when we play live.

Now this gives you this grainy, punchy sound that is a key element of your group approach..I was wondering whether there might be a particular band in history that you really liked? Bobby Bland maybe? You tell me I think we take inspiration from a number of different bands, in fact..I do like a lot of the groups that James Hunter likes, funnily enough..

He’s almost like the Brian Setzer of that style of R&B I think.

Oh yeah! – absolutely. And he’s another artist I really do like. I recall seeing him, might have been in Japan? There was a big bands type show which included his, terrific performance,

end of the day it does come down to budget. There’s nothing better than having orchestral arrangements on your songs, Pete..it’s like everything, it comes down to cost and budget You try to get the best sound and emulate the best of all from what you have. The horns are like the knights on the chess board, for me.. that’s what they are, they’re very sharp…it cuts through the music and as you say gives that grainy edge.

I did reference when reviewing the last album that you put out Georgie Fame because I had that swing about it. But a kind of a British swing, it’s hard to define Yes, when we rehearsed the tracks we hired a big barn which is done up as a studio and went through the songs for some weeks before recording them..I remember just sitting with Dave Melling and meself going over and over certain rhythms and bars, just trying to lock it in before we brought the other players in to embellish it.

Because at the time it was quite unusual for us to play with that kind of bluebeat, so it was a little bit foreign to us – at the time – but there again it something we wanted to persevere with and as it’s one of a trilogy of albums we just had to put ourselves away from everything and work on locking it in, y’know? Every band would strive to get their own identity into the music they are creating, their own little style which only evolves the more you play, the more you do it. You then hope that your albums will sound then like there’s a connection between them.

I know what you’re saying there, exactly right because I have been spending time reviewing the Rory Gallagher remasters and he does on each album put things on that weren’t on the previous one. Roger McGuinn of The Byrds says that a group’s albums should be like magazine editions.

Oh yeah – absolutely! It’s not fair to the readers or in this case, listeners. We try to work hardon the engineering and to get variety. An album has say twelve songs but a live show maybe 22?

Let’s pick up on something here, if we’re talking about making the records distinctive, an important element for Porter has to be the lyrics you’re settling on so who comes up with your group’s?

Well, I write the lyrics on the album there was a song that Dave and I collaborated on being Don’t Wanna Work No More and that came

about where Dave had this hook for the brass, he arranges the brass with myself. So I developed the words around that hook, really. I generally write the melodies and lyrics but there was another one that came along that we called Riff Raff. That one I suggested we leave as an instrumental. It’s one that gets in your head and you’ll be whistling that on your way out of the gig or something.

I picture you playing quite a big-bodied guitar, for this style of music.

I use Gretsch. I favour the sound from a Gretsch. You have the Bigsby – that sound’s become quite synonymous with our songs and the album.

You’re avoiding this Strat&Hat thing, aren’t you?

Yes,I am. The Gretsch sound good for us and it does the job for me.

I don’t think The Travelling Wilburys would disagree with you. They had five of the ****ers! Yes, I’ve had Strats and Teles but the Gretsch does blend very nicely with our other instruments, y’see I wanted to strip my sound back to the basics, to how it would have been.. we have that saxophone sound, the upright bass for the classic R&B sound, the guitar has to work with those elements and when you have pizzicato strings, Hammond organ, it all seems to blend in quite nicely.

It sound very organic, although some parts are electric. no-one’s trying to make it sound trendy.

Exactly – I am really pleased that you’ve picked up on that. When the lineup of the band was different, shall we say, years ago it was very much a guitar-oriented. I used to play twelvestring. I’ve written two albums before (Straight Line and Blink Of An Eye) I had a Taylor 12 and it was very jangly.

I love all that. I have Rickenbackers. Fantastic guitars! But what led me into getting back to roots music was that every guitar solo on what we were doing would have a different sound came out as a mixed bag of songs with no thread of identity. Great for a collection of songs but not really what I was striving for. I wanted to let the true sound of the instruments through.

When you play live, what sort of places do you favour? OK, we like the large festivals. It’s a been a bit frustrating last six months because we have necessarily been doing a lot of promotion..with

“I’ve had strats and teles but the gretsch does blend nIcely”

new management..and with PR and radio spots and all we haven’t had as much time to just get on stage and play, something’s had to give, but it can all open up this year..there’s some nice clubs up and down this country.

The Crawdaddy?

Yes that’s still going there, aren’t that many venues in Essex, to be fair. We play the Club Riga twice a year, that’s local to us. There’s one in Great Barnfield near Stansted called ‘The High Barn’. Saw Charlie Watts there not long ago.

With Ben?

Yes – Ben Waters, very good.

Something about your sound – I wonder whether you should play Paris?

That would be a delight! We have had quite a degree of success over in Spain, a pal of ours called John picked up the album and it happened from that, radio play on several stations. I did an interview for Germany too, last week, we hope to be in a new festival in Brentwood where they have approached us to appear. Have to finish the new album by March.

Got an album title?

No I haven’t as yet. With us the title is one of the last things to be chosen, for some reason

You can’t help but smile when you hear your stuff, but it’s not throwaway as you can sense the craftsmanship in the arrangements, the playing. I do like serious musicians having fun. Exactly! The beauty of it is the sound of the bluebeat stuff and the punch of the R&B we just try to get that feel across to the audience.

Well if you’re past the point of proving you can play you can pour all efforts into making the songs come to life. That’s absolutely what we try to do and we don’t to just show off, I don’t think we need to do that, just entertain, and do our best. We want to really make them feel part of the band of the show.

f or the latest news on porter check out www.garyportermusic.com

SHAwN JONES

VErbAls: Pete SARgeAnt VisuAls: AmAndA PeACOCk a new roots album arrives, so bm listes and then gets on the line to the states, to talk about the music and background of shawn Jones who’s struggle makes you stronger shows a songwriter making his mark and attaining a style that blends all manner of influences

Hearing this new HighDrive Records release prompts a few questions, who better to ask but the artist himself. Armed with a cup of Clipper tea, I call California at the agreed time.

BM: Hi Shawn. Tell me where you are and what time of day it is. We have to mess with our clocks over here.

SJ: Right now I’m in Fornia, California which is about an hour and a half south of where I live in Ventura. It is a beautiful sunny day as usual. It’s two in the afternoon.

started making CDs there was this producer I worked with that taught me a lot of things about studio; no matter what you put in, the speakers will tell you what’s coming back out! Either its right or it isn’t and my co- writer I worked with Jeff Silbar who wrote hits for Jonny Lang and so forth and he also said there’s always all these different options and possibilities. Or there’s nothing. So I think what I’m really trying to say is when you’re writing a song or when your recording something, performing or whatever, you are trying to find that thing and nail ‘that thing’. You can sling everything and the kitchen sink into your tune.

Rub it in why don’t you! We’ve had a cloudy day in the London suburbs. Now our mutual friend DC has flown your flag in my face and provided your new album so I offered to give you a call. So thank you for this. I’ve been playing the record. Blues Matters! is quite a wide-ranging publication, it doesn’t just stick to the 12 bar straight John Mayall blues it goes all of pretty much roots and Americana and R’n’B as we used to know it. Having heard your record I’m itching to play it to people who like John Hiatt and Delbert McClinton. Oh my gosh! Are you kidding! I’m a huge fan of both of those guys and I’ve done shows with John. The thing about both those artists is that they both have groovy music but its songs first for those guys. There are good licks flying around and great performances but it’s all about the songs.

You are obviously a deft player and I understand you’ve got quite a collection of guitars but you seem to make the song come to life rather than throw everything you’ve got into each number. Is that a fair comment?

Well, I would say it is. In fact, when I first

Well obviously, much as I enjoy deft players like Walter Trout, I’m always orienting towards songs because I can enjoy songs over and over again. With a few exceptions, I don’t usually play records for the playing as much as the quality of the songs. The exception I make is Frank Zappa who still scares the **** out of me as a player. I mean how can you ever get near what that guy did. Let’s run through the tracks because I have been listening to this closely. It’s got a very confident sound and when the first track starts ‘life is for the living’, there’s echoes of Rod Stewart’s Maggie May, with the chord change and then it goes into this lovely relaxed tune with a Hammond and the lyric seems very philosophical. That seems to be one of your hallmarks? I write songs from personal experience more than anything that would be contrived. More from a common place that people can relate to or a situation or a story. For instance, on that particular song, so many of us have gone to see a friend or someone that we’ve loved and you

THE DUKE ROBILLARD BAND

INDEPENDENTLY BLUE WITH

SPECIAL GUEST MONSTER MIKE WELCH

Undoubtedly one of Duke’s finest blues albums, this set owes much to the musicians present on these sides (Bruce Bears, Brad Hallen and Mark Teixeira), all of whom have developed a common language with Duke over the years. Monster Mike Welch also brings a crucial touch to Independently Blue, appearing on all tracks (some of which he also signed). Such high levels of musicianship and sound quality are sure to put all electric blues lovers in a trance!

GUY DAVIS UK TOUR ON MARCH

23rd Shipley Caroline Social Club

25th Norwich Norwich Arts Centre

27th Chichester The Chichester Inn

28th London Green Note

29th Emsworth The Deck

30th Exmouth The Blackmore Theatre

31st Bournemouth Centre Stage

GUY DAVIS

FEATURING FABRIZIO POGGI JUBA DANCE

Guy Davis is one of today ’s most prominent Blues artists He’s a guitarist and banjo player, songwriter and actor. He has been nominated for nine ‘Handy Awards’ over the years, and has dedicated himself to reviving the traditions of acoustic blues His new album (with special guests Blind Boys Of Alabama & Lea Gilmore) is magic...!

think how unfortunate that person might be in their circumstances. All they could do was work, and just the pursuit of work and never took the time to take a moment and just appreciate the here and now.

I’m absolutely in synch with that. There are times in this record when you’ve got the raspy but tuneful voice and there are times when I’m put in mind of Levon Helm, who perhaps had a similar outlook, I don’t know.

Do you know Deana Carter, the country singer? I play guitar for her and she grew up with Levon Helm being ‘Uncle Levon’! Her father was Greg Carter Jnr who was one of my godfathers and his best friend was Levon Helm. So, he actually put out an album a few years back that had ‘The Weight’ on it and I play guitar on her version of the song.

I didn’t know this, sorry. It just cam through the tone of the record.

I was a huge The Band/Levon Helm fan because I just like the backside of the beat where he puts the groove and the sound of his voice and just the storytelling coming from a real common place not trying to be to lofty or heady about it. Something that people can relate to. I like writing songs people can identify with.

Let’s talk here about ‘Struggle Makes you Stronger’ which is definitely in that category. It’s got a nice acoustic slide mix and maybe a dobro. Yeah it’s a 1932 National.

It’s got a lovely splayed middle eight with biting guitar inserts. It sounds like a song for our times. Again, it’s more than a song saying ‘hey baby let’s dance’. It’s actually reflective of where life can take you isn’t it?

The next track’s called She Don’t Know – about her own Mojo, that’s the bluesiest track on there with the curling guitar runs. Who’s the female response vocalist on this?

There are a couple of female vocalists on there.

Is it Brenda Harp on there?

Yeah she is and Margaret Abrahams but the more wilder response stuff is a girl called Josie Aiello in fact, she’s fine part of the chemistry of putting together the musicians on this record. The previous record I put out featured Bekka Bramlett. The song’s about this hot woman who doesn’t realize her own attractiveness. I encouraged her to go for it, on the session.

Gives a kind of Merry Clayton vibe, to my ears. That Stones era where they got the best out of several female vocalists. The next track is Day Without Rain and that seemed very much to me John Hiatt territory. But again, it’s pretty poetic and I believe that Jeff Carter is co- writer on that one too.

Deana Carter’s brother, Jeff Carter who is my best friend but he’s also one of my writing buddies. He and I wrote that song before his father passed away. Fred Carter is one of the most recorded guitarists in country music of all time. I’m such a fan of his. That was the first song that Jeff Carter and I wrote together and when we played it to Fred he said ‘that’s a hit boys, keep going, keep writing. It’s that song when I realised it had a kind of timeless message. Especially in today’s day and age when we have so much we have to endure with the recession and everything else.

Well that’s universal. That’s just as much in Europe as the States. Therefore, it means the music can travel.

He’ll start something and I’ll finish it off or vice versa. We trade lines and all that. We are on the same plain as each other. We write a lot of songs about how worse things were. We’re coming from a place of – in essence -wouldn’t it be great, if things were better. I just wanted to have songs that weren’t so much down in the doldrums as inspiring or reaching for a time of hope.

This is thing. It sounded to me like The Band had left one funeral and were heading to the next. But this set of yours has got a much more upbeat overall tone to it. Running Water is steady rolling country rock with the juiced solos. Again you do this great splayed chord sound. When I play those sort of chords I play diagonally, across the strings over about four or five inches. How do you get the splayed sound on your playing?

On the guitar, it’s a linear instrument and you can find the same things in different spots on the neck. I’m not an overly educated

musician. But maybe I know my way around the wires pretty well.

Great musicians have the skill to accompany others. Not just always be upfront. A great musician can make someone else sound very good. That’s helped me more than anything I think. Being a guitarist for other people. It’s a different guise for me. I have to put on a different suit as it were, where I get to be more of a guitarist and step away from being the front guy. I love tone textures and hearing swells and accents.

You’re kind of framing a picture aren’t you? The picture is the singing and I’m going to frame this best I can. I mean you don’t get a beautiful subtle painting and put a lime green neon frame on it do you? Exactly! It’s great to make someone else shine. A lot of times it’s what you don’t play that makes the musical moment

Sweet Victoria has a lovely Dylanesque sort of melody. I wonder if there is someone that you don’t quite realize has influenced your singing and phrasing? And that is Steve Winwood of Traffic. Wow! I have had people mention that to me before. I never really thought about it. Maybe our voice boxes have similar construction.

The other thing is you do pick the right keys to sing in. you do a song and it’s obvious you’ve worked around it and chosen exactly the right key. That’s something that comes across to another player. There’s a thing that David Z the producer.

Track ten Yours to Lose and it does sound as though you have a Telecaster in there playing with a twelve string.

Now that interests me I’ll tell you why; I saw the Byrds with Clarence White and Roger McGuinn and they had exactly that. It’s an interesting tonal mix. Well they both have jingle jangle quality to them. They have a twang and a shimmer and combine well together.

“beIng a guItarIst for other people. It’s a dIfferent guIse for me”

Oh Dr Byrds era.

That’s when I learnt the magic of the twelve… playing with him against his basslines.

Can I ask you about Learn to be Strong because again it has a little bit of a Traffic-y side to it but as far as I’m aware, you are nodding to George Harrison?

Well I say that’s my tribute to George and he’s one of the most underrated guitarists ever in regard to his soulful melodic playing. His melodic slide work, his singing, his writing.

The thing is, his slide sound is actually quite dead, its not slick or ‘right’, its behind the note isn’t it? Like he’s catching up with himself on the slide.

It’s the toppy sound – and they sound quite celestial when they weave. That twelve string and Telecaster has indeedbeen used on some of my favourite records.

Do you know Chestnut Mare by the Byrds? That’s a classic track with those guitars. Yeah. Now about twenty years ago I was in a band with a guy called John Yorke.

That’s very true I think.

It’s a dreamy sound isn’t it?

Yes, dreamy and also kind of sorrowful. His slide work is timeless. I can listen to itanytime, anywhere, Pete

It’s almost like a viola to me.

Absolutely.

Not many people have ever talked to me about this –but a lot of his guitar lines you could play on the viola and it would be perfect. ‘My Sweet Lord’ has got this very sleepy, dreamy element.

That’s a great example actually. I remember sitting in my mum’s car listening to that on the radio. Must have been dozens of times, that song.

(We next trade names of famous left handed guitar players as Jones is a leftie : he knows all the ones I do including Elliot Easton of the Cars but I get him on Al of EWF)

What are you doing live to promote this record?

I’m gonna come over around May time… Hopefully play for Paul Jones and Bob Harris, do some shows.

Come and have dinner with us when you’re over. I would really like to do that, thank you.

for the latest news on shawn Jones check out www.shawnJonesmusic.com

wAYNE PROCtOR

a ward winning drummer and master producer w ayne p roctor talks to bm!

caught up with Wayne at Norwich Waterfront on the last leg of Oli Brown’s tour. Not only was Wayne playing behind the drum kit tonight, but the show was being recorded for a live CD and DVD which he was producing. All this fitted in between time in the studio working with King King.

BM: Hello Wayne, thank you for spending the time to enable our readers to catch up with you. You were voted best UK drummer by the BM! Team for 2012, and only just failed to retain your British Blues Award for 2011 coming a close second to Stephen Cutmore. All of that suggests a pretty good couple of year’s work. To a professional musician like yourself how much importance do you attach to these sort of accolades?

WP: Hey, thanks for getting me along for the interview, it’s much appreciated. Yeah the last few years have been very cool thanks. Working with Oli Brown and King King has certainly kept me in the blues world’s line of sight.

I have always tried to keep myself busy though, right from becoming a professional musician nearly 15 years ago. I can’t deny that working with Oli and King King has certainly helped get me seen more. They are great artists to work with and have won plenty of awards themselves, so being associated with them has definitely helped.

It is always nice to receive some recognition for the work you do. I am very thankful for all the opportunities and any accolades that come my way, be it someone after a gig paying a compliment or being recognized in an awards ceremony. I just do my best to knuckle down, work hard, and make some music, if the people like what I do then that really is great, and I am very grateful.

You’ve provided the drumming on what I consider two of 2012’s outstanding albums, Here I Am by Oli Brown and TheLastOfTheAnalogues by Wilson T. King. Is it difficult to fit into the different styles and mindsets when working with such very independent artists? Thanks. Both albums were a lot of fun to work on but very different beasts. I just try to keep an open mind and open ears to what an artist is wanting to achieve. If you just listen to what is going on within the music then your instincts take over. With Wilson he had a very specific thing he wanted me to go for, so that helped. I had to think Bonham meets Mitch Mitchell with a slice of Radiohead thrown in. I have known Wilson for my whole adult life; he is my biggest critic and biggest fan all at once, so I trust him when he tells me I’m playing it safe or being boring.

I’ve recently been recording with Aynsley Lister for his forthcoming album, my relationship with Aynsley is very similar, the trust is there to go out on a limb and try stuff rather than just go for your first idea. On both the albums you have mentioned we searched and tried things, abandoning a lot of ideas. When crafting parts, if something doesn’t present itself straight away, it needs more work and needs sculpting. I think that’s how the albums, the playing and the mindset end up being different because we are never just coasting, never on autopilot. I am striving to create the thing that best represents the music and the artist’s vision. I guess the mindset is just to prepare yourself to try new things; you might surprise yourself. Don’t be stuck in your ways, that way you really do honour the music. Oli’s album was written and produced

COntInUeS OVeR...

Interview wAYne proctor

in the same way. We tried things, abandoned lots of ideas, tried again and kept going till we heard something that we got excited about when it came blasting out of the speakers.

The list of people you’ve recorded or toured with reads like a who’s who of the blues. Apart from Oli and Wilson there’s Aynsley Lister, Jon Amor, Ian Parker, Scott McKeon, Davey Bros., Sherman Robertson, Nine Below Zero, King King and the Nimmo Brothers. What have been the highlights so far? Goodness me, tough question! Personally I always find working on long term projects very satisfying. You get to know the artist you work for and get to serve their music the best way you can, really get inside what they want to achieve. When you see your hard work start to pay off with better shows, bigger audiences and the work you are all putting in together as a team is helping it grow, that is always cool. My first professional tour with Aynsley will always be very important to me and a definite highlight of my career as it was the first time touring in Europe. We were very young and all very naïve and we had to club together and be a gang and play some great music.

Glastonbury with Amor was amazing, in fact we had a great year with Amor that year, Glastonbury, Montreaux Jazz Festival, and a tour with Buddy Guy, it really felt like we were on a roll. My seven years with Ian Parker was very musically satisfying – to work with an artist whose attention to emotional detail on his lyrics and for me to feel so connected to them on stage – was definitely something I cherished and appreciated.

Working with the Davey Brothers was pretty incredible, Jess and Rob Davey are bona-fide creative geniuses and you can’t help but be inspired when you are around them. I have really adopted a way of working from seeing the way Jess works. Nothing is beyond him, if he thinks it, he figures out how to achieve it, pretty inspiring. These last few years with Oli have been fantastic too. It was great to be back on the road properly after a few years of dedicating myself to being a full time producer.

Two years later, it’s crazy to think what we have fitted in and the tours we have done, as well as seeing such a positive reaction to Oli’s album Here I Am.

On your website you say that you studied intensely with Toni Cannelli and Francis Seriau of Drummers Alliance and Drumtech respectively. Can you tell us a little about the background to that and about Toni and Francis?

Well I was originally self-taught but felt the best way forward was to have drum lessons, so studied with Toni first for something like three years. He opened my world up to many new drummers, all of a sudden there were so many ways you could approach playing the drums, it wasn’t just meat and potatoes anymore. I would leave my lessons with tapes that Toni had made up with all these drummers on. The drummers on these tapes doing stuff on a drum kit that I could only imagine, and I am not meaning technical flashy stuff here, just amazing feel, sound and groove on the instrument, just great ideas. After those three years with Toni I decided to study at Drum Tech in Acton, London. Francis Seriau was the director of the Tech schools and became my teacher. Francis took what Toni had taught me and showed me how to do it all with much more ease and control. It was quite a long frustrating journey on those lessons. Francis was working with me on bettering my hand technique; I learnt the subtlety of how to follow the bounce of the stick. I am sure I looked at him a bit like he was a mad man a few

times, eventually though it all made sense. For 6 months I felt like I couldn’t play as I incorporated all these new ways of playing on the drum kit. I had only been with Aynsley a few months at this point. I may have dropped a stick or two during that period playing with him, ha!

What advice would you offer to any young aspiring drummers out there hoping to make the grade? Take lessons, play as often as possible and with as many musicians as possible and keep an open mind. There will always be something to learn, and you can always learn something from unexpected sources, non-drummers, non-musicians, music you’re not that into. Try and find a plus point, find that thing that gives you a way in, you will get something out of it. I promise you will be a better musician and human being for it. And put the work in, it does make a difference.

In recent years you have become involved in quite a lot of production work. In fact as well as playing on Here I Am you were the producer too. How did you first get interested in that side of things and become involved? I just naturally gravitated towards production. When I was a teenager I was always trying to work out which song would be the single on an album, I always liked albums that were sonically more pleasing and interesting. Good sounds from all the musicians, great arrangements, great lyrics and melodies. Also, drums were my second instrument, I started guitar when I was eight years old and played very seriously for nearly 10 years. So I feel I never just heard songs from just a drummer’s perspective, I was hearing the whole puzzle and how it could fit together. I produced my first album nearly 10 years ago now, that was Sean Webster’s If Only, we had seven days to record, mix and master 10 songs. Crazy schedule really, but we had a lot of fun and I learnt so much from it. I read a lot of books on sound engineering, picked up tips from producers and studios I was working with. I peered over the shoulder of the studio engineer and watched what they would do, what mic, mic position and pre amp they would choose, and how that would work on different instruments. And listened to as much music as I could. When I start a new production project I like to sound out an artist and find out their influences, and get versed in what they are listening to and referencing, break down the structures, instrumentation, type of mix. Like anything, you dip your toe in and see how it goes, if it goes well

“I feel I never just heard songs from just a drummer’s perspectIve”

you try again and you keep going. If it gets well received, new doors open and the next project will present itself. My career these days is pretty much split 50/50 Drummer/Producer.

Indeed as we speak you are providing the production skills to record Oli’s latest tour for a live CD to be released in 2013. It must be challenge to produce a live album. Is this a first for you Wayne?

Yeah, we have been recording a bunch of shows off this latest tour of the UK to put together for a live album. A live album is really about being the best documentarian you can be, not at all like a studio album where you craft and sculpt. Live albums need me to capture the sounds and feel of the band and do my best to immerse the listener in the sensation of feeling they are at the gig. You just have to cover the bases really, Drums, Bass Guitar, Rhythm and Lead Guitars, Keys, Vocals, Audience, And then present that excitement. I produced Ian Parker’s Official Bootleg live album a few years ago. Ian’s band at the time really were top notch musicians, it was Steve Amadeo on Bass who now works with Aynsley Lister and Morg Morgan on keys. Those guys made it really easy to press record on those gigs and know we would get something that would be cool for an album. We recorded four nights but used stuff from 2 nights. The last night of the four was at Ian’s hometown gig The Robin 2 in Wolverhampton and the audience were fantastically rowdy, they just spurred us on. We got eight songs from that night and played stuff on that gig that was totally made up on the spot and improvised, stuff we had never played before. I should have mentioned that in my ‘highlights of my career’ actually; I can remember the buzz we had when we got off stage, and to have that captured on CD is wonderful.

this in-depth interview will continue in issue 72, don’t miss it! w ayne has J ust completed co-production and drumming duties on upcoming releases by both k ing k ing and aynsley l ister and is producing/ drumming on a live o li b rown cd and dvd, due for a s eptember release

Blues Under the Radar

LITTLE JOE WASHINGTON

LITTLE JOE WASHINGTON

Yep, hijacked... by a distinctive-looking bearded, dreadlocked Afro-American leaping onstage playing high energy impossible riffs and blues, playing with his teeth, behind his back and other show stopping feats before passing a hat around and disappearing back into the night astride a childs bicycle. That was Little Joe Washington.

Or in the mid-2000’s you might have been having lunch on a Thursday in the Zydeco Diner and been entertained by a lone, slightly dishevelled figure playing a five stringed guitar and singing without a mic. That too would have been Little Joe. What you and certainly most of the patrons probably wouldn’t have known was that you were witnessing one of the best ever and most respected blues guitarists ever to emerge from the Houston music scene. Considering that list would include Albert Collins, Lightin’ Hopkins, Johnny Copeland, Johnny ’Guitar’ Watson and Joe Hughes that is no small complement.

Joe is a truly remarkable man, his life story is a rollercoaster of highs and lows but perhaps most remarkable of all is that having recovered from serious illness he is now perhaps on the verge of a career highpoint. He was born in Houston on March 1st 1939 and named by his mother Earline, Marion Washington. He never knew his father and from an early age was brought up by his Aunt Willie and Uncle John. It was John who got the young Marion interested in music, he was a musician himself, mostly violin and saxophone, and he sent his young

nephew to piano lessons. Still a young child he would call into clubs like Shadys Playhouse after school and get to play with some of the locals, on trumpet to start with and then moving onto drums. Those local guys looked out for young Marion and as his drumming improved he began gigging with the likes of Earl Gilliam, Albert Collins and for a time even Amos Milburn. Soon however, the young drummer, still only 14, decided he wanted to play upfront so made the decision to learn guitar. Aided by a beginners manual and by watching others like Gatemouth Brown and local hero Joe Hughes it soon became apparent that he was a naturally gifted guitarist. Indeed it was because of Marions uncanny knack of being able to replicate some of Joe Hughes sensational playing that the nickname ‘Little Joe’ came about and has stuck ever since.

fuLfILLING cArEErS

By the early to mid-1950’s Little Joe had become one of the top performers in the local scene. Those who remember those days mostly concur that Joe was the master musician although others went on to become better known and have more fulfilling careers. Little Joes dear friend Joe Hughes was once quoted in the Houston Press talking about him thus: “By him being so intelligent and so wise about music, it made him do something with the guitar that nobody else even attempted. He plays it like a

If you travelled to Houston as a blues tour I st tH roug H out tH e ‘90’s and v I s Ited one of tH e many blues bars or clubs I n tH e famous tHI rd Ward area to see one of tH e top notc H local bands, you m I g Ht just H ave WItnessed tH e g I g be I ng HIjacked contInueS oveR...

LITTLE JOE WASHINGTON

there were some who recognised Joes talent and supported him

horn, he plays it like a piano. He’s one of a kind.’’ It wasn’t long before Little Joe was touring further afield, initially with Roscoe Gordon and later with Gatemouth Brown. For a time he settled in El Paso and later the border town Juarez, always a star attraction in town. By 1961, with the support of the Champs (No.1 in 1958 with the single Tequila), Joe recorded his first single, The Hard Way. Another recording session took place in 1963 with Johnny Otis after Joe came first on Johnnys TV talent show. Rumour has it that Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson played drums on those. At this stage Joes was moving around between Los Angeles, Juarez and other West Coast venues, always in demand but leading a more and more hedonistic life style which began to take its toll, especially the booze. At some point during the 1970’s Joe returned to Houston. This wasn’t a great time

for bluesmen, the gigs got fewer and like many others Joe took on other jobs between playing. He spent time planting landscaping besides new motorways, labouring on building sites, working in a warehouse and painting and decorating. For a time he was on disability following an accident at work involving a four by four piece of stage falling on his head. Often Joes work commitments meant he was unable to take on gigs or meant cancellations. Joes life had begun its downward spiral.

By the early 1990’s Joe was back in the childhood home he was brought up in by Uncle John and Aunt Willie. Unfortunately it was now little more than a squat, an abandoned dilapidated shell, a hole on the roof, no locks, electricity, gas or water. The surrounding ground strewn with the abandoned bikes that were Joes favoured mode of transport. Joe was sleeping on an old mattress. It was during this period that Joe would hijack venues with his over the top showmanship, pass around the hat and quickly move on to the next. Luckily there were still some who recognised Joes real

contInueS oveR...

LITTLE JOE WASHINGTON Blues Under

Billy giBBons was a regular visitor to the hospital and always there

talent and supported him as best they could. He started to get a regular spot at the Blue Iguana club supported both musically and in more practical ways by a newer generation of musicians especially Chris Henrich and Jay Hooks. Slowly a new younger audience and the local music press began to take notice. Perhaps with hindsight a blessing in disguise happened in 1997 when Little Joe returned home one night to find his childhood home burned to the ground. He spent the next period of his life living in an abandoned broken down car on a parking lot.

However Joes friendship with Chris Henrich paid dividends in two important ways. The pair were often booked to perform together by artistic photographer Paul Davis at the openings of exhibitions, and at one of these Joe caught the attention of Z.Z.Top’s Billy Gibbons. Billy loved and appreciated what Joe could do on guitar, and has championed the cause ever since. Also Chris was instrumental in getting Joe not only a regular performing spot at the newly opened Continental Club but also some living quarters upstairs. A residency in every sense. Around this time, following a tip from Reg Burns, of Houstons Cultural Arts Council, Dialtone Records boss Eddie Stout discovered Little Joe. Eddie was so impressed that he organised some of the top session players to support Joe in recording his comeback album, Houston Guitar Blues. The album received critical acclaim and showcased some of the real talent of Little Joe Washington.

A prOducTIvE pErIOd

Unfortunately life soon dealt Joe another cruel blow. The Continentals owner could no longer spare the space for Joe to reside there, and he became homeless again. Between bouts of homelessness Joe would sometimes stay with old friends like JT Tyson or Mary Bennett. Even throughout these tough times, thanks to his supporters like Eddie Stout and Reg Burns offers of gigs, festivals and occasional overseas concerts were forthcoming. Indeed Joe regularly played in Japan where he has quite a following.

In 2005, with Joe not getting any younger he finally accepted the offer of a rented apartment. Although this marked the start of a productive period for Joe recording and performing wise, his health began to suffer too. Further albums were recorded, Earthwise Blue with backing by Guy Schwartz & The New Jack Hippies and Blues Reality. Eddie Stout also put out the terrific ‘Texas Fire Line’ album on Dialtone, perhaps the best available recorded work by Joe in 2009. The downside though was that between 2008 and 2010 Joe had at least two serious illnesses leading to long stays in hospital. He had very serious liver and kidney disease that put him into intensive care in 2008 and that many of his friends didn’t expect him to recover from, but as ever Joe defied the odds. He underwent major surgery again in 2010 following complications with an obstructed bowel condition. Considering Joes extreme life style and his frail stature it is no surprise that once again the worst was expected. Billy Gibbons was a regular visitor to the hospital and always there for support. Joe is one tough guy though, and has seemingly made a full recovery. Indeed career wise things are looking decidedly upbeat. 2009 saw Joe wooing a huge Japanese audience at the Fuji Rock Festival, sharing the bill with Courtney Pine and White Stripes. He was the star attraction for the Continental Clubs 10th anniversary bash just a week after being discharged from hospital, and won the 2009 Houston Press Musician of the Year Award.

Joe and his band are now holding down a prestigious residency at the Boondocks Club and recently supported the legendary Dick Dale. Chris Hendrich and Jay Hooks still continue to back him twenty years after first being beguiled by his playing. Its some compliment that two of Houstons top guitar slingers are happy to play bass for Joe. Happily the latest news I hear from Houston is that with the support of Eddie Stout plans are taking shape to bring Little Joe to Europe this year for some shows. At 74 years old there might not be too many chances left to see the last surviving member of legendary Third Ward Houston guitar dynasty so if you can go and see him.

I’d like to acknowledge and thank Reg Burns, Chris Hendrich and Eddie Stout for their help in putting this article together. f or tH e latest ne W s on l Ittle joe W as HI ngton c H eck out WWW.l Ittlejoe W as HI ngton.com

MOCKINGBIRD HILL

one horSe toWn Independent

Mockingbird Hill is the exciting new studio project led by award winning UK songwriter Andy Littlewood we are told in the press release. One Horse Town certainly does verify that comment. Here we have an album of variety and subtleness that stands repeated plays.

There’s nothing that gets in your face here, rather the music and diverse vocals and instrumentation draw you in to listen to the tones and textures and the lyrics. There’s some good old style slide and harp, the lovely Malaya gives a good account of her vocal prowess.

The style range covers delta to country Blues, some jazz tints through to some drivin’ rock with soaring guitar parts.

The opening Train a Comin’ has a repetitive guitar that reminded me of the theme tune to TV hit series Justified and it hits a groove and does not let up. It is something that could have gotten on your nerves but is handled in such a way that you just want it to go on and on, this got me off to a damn good start and the album is a joyous and enjoyable ear feast. Blue River has a neat, lazy feel and resonator with riding harp and vocal duet it sounds like that works very well. Cry features horns and searing guitar intro then Malaya hits the mic for impassioned verbals. Moving on to a touch of Boogie on Perfect Stranger you’ve already got a taste for this albums’ variety.

Very enjoyable indeed and this writer knows that One Horse Town is certainly not a ‘one trick pony’ Frank leiGh

ROBBEN FORD

BrinGinG it

Back home

Prologue

The eighth solo album from one of the premier electric guitarists today, who has played with some of the greats of modern music as diverse as Joni Mitchell, Jimmy Witherspoon, Miles Davis, George Harrison, Phil Lesh, Bonnie Raitt, Claus Ogerman, Michael McDonald, Bob Dylan, John Mayall, Greg Allman and John Scofield. Robben Ford's impeccable soloing techniques, liquid phrasing and tone are displayed here anew as he brings his smooth and tasty guitar to yet another CD. With no band details available, you’ll have to wait to see who he’s playing with this time, but the sounds are relaxed, impeccable and sensuously seductive. But it won’t please everybody, there’s no ego on display, just faultless professional skill; no shredding.

Tracks include Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky – smooth blues-funk with horns, organ and jazz guitar; Birds Nest Bound – a deceptively classic blues format leads into some crisp, spare playing all round, with Robben’s guitar soloing liquidly throughout; Fair Child – strong, hard-paced blues on the eternal theme with some nice jamming. Oh, Virginia – lilting blues-ballad full of nostalgia and sweet longing; Slick Capers – traditional blues with a big-band feel; On That Morning – atmospheric, moody track with swirling organ grooving over a solid rhythm section; ravellers Waltz – bluesy confessional ballad with angst in every note, each one clear as a bell; You Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine – classic ascerbic Dylan song of parting with a new treatment; 9. Trick Bag – a variation on the same theme of breakup made

sweet with some pure blues improv; 10. Fool’s Paradise – quiet Hammond backing to Robben’s understated, even world-weary, voice creates an expectant intro to some fine blues breaks. A worthy track to end a cool album.

peter SimmonS

MARTIN HARLEY

moJo Fix

60 / 20 records

OK straight off I want to say that I liked this album. I liked the fact that you never could say exactly what was coming next. Not only did the style change often but also within each song there were frequent changes in time signatures and interesting combinations of instruments. So obviously this is not a straight-ahead Blues album as for sure there are many influences being brought to bear here. Jazz, Jump Jive, Folk and Americana all underpinned by strong Blues certainly enriches all ten tracks.

This was my first exposure to Martin whether billed as a solo artist with one previous album or within a band structure with four albums under their belt. All songs are written by Martin or co-writes with his production team with the recording split over five different studios. The sound, especially on the vocals, has a wonderful earthy quality redolent of the best of Texas Panhandle. Excellent slide guitar and with a fine rhythm section solidly driving the whole thing along very nicely you have all that is needed. Tunes of girls, outlaws, jailbirds etc. are all grist to Martin’s mill. As with all albums, particular songs stand out for listeners but I was drawn to Treading Water with its atmospheric cello.

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Wrecking Ball might have come straight out of a Parisian club or a Juke Joint. For some reason Tightrope transports you towards sunny Caribbean shores with the sound of ukuleles wafting on the air. It was clever to sequence a track like Rum Shack immediately afterwards. My favourite though is the title track that just sets the stall out for Martin from the beginning with the pretty much unique sound that all artists strive for. Martin has that in abundance.

Graeme Scott

BART WALKER

Waitin G on Dayli G ht ruff records

Nashville based Bart, vocals / lead guitar and his band Dave Smith; bass, Steve Potts; drums and Rick Steff; keyboards recorded this highly creditable album at Jim Gaines studio in Stantonville. Once in the studio they soon began to create a vibrant mixture of sound that displayed references and influences from such bands as; ZZ Top, The Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynrd. Not so much an unadulterated southern fried guitar boogie that goes on and on forever but, subtle interacting, weaving and almost dancing guitar rolls and riffs. Their emotion filled use of keyboards, racing and hanging guitar runs; building climaxes and anti-climaxes are all entwined around Bart’s penetrating Van Morrison like vocals. Barts’ recent two thousand and twelve ‘Gibson Guitar Award’ was also matched by his band taking second place in the band category of the International Blues Challenge; these awards can only but enhance their musical standing.

One of the stand out numbers featured on the album with its urgent guitar rich upbeat shuffling is It’s All Good while the almost grungy ‘Black Clouds,’ contains a mournful fuzz laden vocal delivery. Whipping Post, is a dream-like low ringing guitar and mournful organ slow burner that is in for the long haul, with the guitar climbing and moaning alongside the drudging organ while Bart’s pleading vocal cries over the top. J.B Huttos’ Hipshake, is a real footslidin,’ rockin’ groover with its rich

RICKY SKAGGS AND KENTUCKY THUNDER

m u S ic to my ear S skaggs Family

'Bluegrass' may be a reference to the music’s Kentucky origins, but singer / mandolinist / various other stringed instruments player Ricky Skaggs puts the blues in there. He tends to try to preserve 'the old tunes' whilst making modern music – this album includes a credit to 'Blair Masters –keyboard programmer' for three tracks, and Ricky has also worked with Jack White in the past. Bluegrass has been called the purest of American folk styles, but the opening Blue Night is from Kirk McGee of old-timey duo The McGee Brothers, who learned some of their techniques from African-American musicians, and this track is certainly strongly blues inflected. Others are more conventionally bluegrass, with 'the high, lonesome sound' well in evidence – wailing fiddles, plucking banjos, and strongly southern-accented vocals. This kind of music had a huge influence on country, rockabilly, and the folk revival, and here you will find echoes of the likes of Woody Guthrie Loving You Too Well and a tribute to guitar ace and Ricky’s friend the late Doc Watson. Fans of folk music and Americana should waste no time – check this out now! norman DarWen

slicing slide within. The muscular wading guitar of Bart can be heard to great effect on the no holds barred Took it Like A Man, all heads down with kicking and grumbling, low level growling fuzz guitar, splendid. The grinding, wailing and moaning future looks good for Bart and his boys.

Brian harman

CHUCK LEAVELL

Back to the Woo DS Crosscut records

Keyboard player Leavell is mostly known as a sideman with The Allman Brothers, Black Crowes, Eric Clapton and The rolling Stones etc. On this album he pays homage to the unique, pioneering piano players who crafted the blues piano styles we are familiar with today. Opener No Special Rider is an interpretation of a Little Brother Montgomery song featuring boogie-woogie and a touch of New Orleans. Leroy Carr's Evening Train has a lovely laid-back groove with rolling piano and superb acoustic guitar from band mate Keith Richards. Memphis Slim’s Wish Me Well is a classic shuffle featuring electric guitar from guest John Mayer. This album has clearly been a labour of love for Leavell and

his piano playing is crisp with his soulful vocals hitting just the right note. Title track Back To The Woods is from the little known pianist Charlie Spand and features an old fashioned arrangement with tuba and guitar from Danny Barnes. Barrelhouse Buck McFarland's rocking I Got To Go features guest vocalist Col. Bruce Hampton and features lively fiddle from David Blackmon. Keith Richards and John Mayer trade licks on Otis Spann's hard-driving Boots And Shoes. Leroy Carr's Mean Mistreater is a classic slow blues featuring smooth sax from Randall Bramblett and earthy, heartfelt vocals from Candi Staton. Nothing is known of Leona Manning who cut a handful of sides in 1929/30 but her song The Blues Is All Wrong features strong vocals from Miss Staton and rousing boogie piano from Leavell. This fine album closes with a solo rendering of Little Brother Montgomery’s classic slow-burner Vicksburg Blues. Leavell has produced a superb tribute to the early blues artists with this varied and excellent album.

Dave Drury

ALVIN LEE & MYLON LEFEVRE

o n the r oaD to Free D om repertoire

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This is a welcome re-release of the late Alvin Lee’s first album released in his own name, following the breaking up of Ten Years After. This album took Alvin away from his Blues/Rock roots and into a pastoral rock area that while in contrast to his previous output it still allowed him to demonstrate his fluent guitar dexterity on both electric and acoustic guitar. The majority of vocals are handled by American gospel singer Mylon LeFevre, who additionally adds some acoustic guitar, the pairing of the two musicians is an unlikely combination but works well and it is surprising that it did not warrant at least another album from the pair. Sadly that will never happen. This album has some high profile guest players including; George Harrison, Steve Winwood and Ron Wood although this was very underplayed at the time presumably to focus attention on the two leads, this CD release includes one bonus track which is the single version of the George Harrison track So Sad (no love of his own), the final original album track Rockin Til The Sun Goes Down is in contrast to the majority of the album, in that this is a ‘Kick ass’ type rocker that is probably the closest Alvin got to TYA. This sits like a small oasis away from all Alvin’s other material and deserves its re-release at a time when Alvin’s final album was titled Still On The Road To Freedom. Clearly the original album meant a lot to him as he replicated the title and cover art work.

aDrian Blacklee

AARON NEVILLE

my true Story blue Note

Aaron, who is now in his early seventies, has embarked upon a musical journey into his past, recording twelve favourite numbers of his youth. Don Was and Keith Richards share the production duties to ensure that the ‘feel’ of the musical arrangements are as authentic as possible. Keith Richards also, plays guitar; other personnel involved in the project are; Bobby Jay; Eugene Pitts; Joel Katz;

Earl Smith; David Johnson and Dickie Harmon who together provide backing vocals, with George Receli; drums, Tony Scherr; bass, Greg Leisz; guitar, Benmont Tench; Keyboards and Lenny Pickett on saxophone. The numbers here cover a twelve year period between nineteen fifty-two and nineteen sixty-four, a time when the luscious soaring and diving vocals of Doo-Wop were still in fashion. Aarons’ still passionately beautifully gossamer light lilting vocals contain the power to bring to life the stirrings of emotion that these numbers first evoked, numbers such as; The Jive Fives and My True Story, which incidentally, was written by Eugene Pitts in nineteen sixty-one; a man who can be heard on the backing vocals, on this number Aarons deeply affecting falsetto still moves one today. The Drifters’ Ruby, Ruby along with Thurston Harris’s brightly hand-clapping led Little Bitty One and Hank Ballard’s Work with Me Annie, are a little more up-tempo but no less engaging to the ear. Although you might say that Aarons’ version of the Crystals Be My Baby, lacks the verve and punch of the original I find that he introduces a noticeable level of pleading intimacy not realised before. As you would expect Aaron excels on slow burners like Little Anthony’s Tears On My Pillow and Jessie Belvin’s Goodnight My Love. Overall it can be safely stated that this is an excursion into the past that is truly rewarding and satisfying.

Brian harman

AL HUGHES

Dancin G i n the m ine FielD Vaudioville records

I have absolutely no idea if the enigmatic John Fahey ever visited the Fife town of Markinch but the opening instrumental cut to this interesting new album from Fife’s premier Blues troubadour indicates that Al has some insight to that effect. I like it when you are expecting one thing and an artist takes you by surprise by coming at you from a different approach altogether. Such is the case here with the nice soft picking on track Back To The

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DEVON ALLMAN

turquoi S e ruf records

Turquoise is definitely Devon Allman’s solo project, with a distinctly different sound and style to his band Royal Southern Brotherhood – so open your ears listen with no prejudgement and let everyone of the classy eleven tracks tell their story. All have real meaning to Devon and are on the album for a reason and not just as time fillers. The production is class as you would expect from Jim Gaines, letting the songs shine through. Strong backing features from Yonrico Scott on drums and Myles Weeks on bass and some rather special guest appearances, including Luther Dickinson – with his own distinctive guitar sound. Throughout the album it is Devon’s voice and guitar skills that shine through, but for me the album is about the song and his melodic voice. Picking out highlights is almost impossible as every time you listen a different track is fixed in your mind. Key Lime Pie, makes you smile with its homage to Devon’s favourite dessert, Stop Dragging My Heart Around, sees the perfect blending of Devon’s voice with Samantha Fish as a new, slower, bluesier approach to this Tom Petty tune delights the listener. A little bit of country cannot be ignored as found on When I Left Home, then there’s the beautiful Latino feel of There’s No Time, betraying Devon’s Southern Texas influences.

This is without doubt a polished début solo album that has a confidence about itself that comes through Devon focussing on what is important to him demonstrating this young man has the voice and sound of authentic talent of his own.

liz aiken

Albums reviews

Blues sees us on more familiar territory and yet are we? Well no as Al has added more instrument layers, for example bass, second guitars and it evens veers into Jazz at one point as he builds the song around what is delivered into our living room thanks to newscasts. His plaintive vocals on the various stories to be heard here are clear and well forward in the mix. I especially liked the megaphone effect on Whores & Comic Singers. The title track has a simple vocal laid over an acoustic guitar and is quite bleak in feel. There’s a quartet of songs in the middle of the album that are quite simply top notch. Nothing But The Blues, Hurts Me Too (Elmore James or Tampa Red take your pick), My One And Only Friend and Giving The Blues A Try are beautifully structured and played and so well sequenced. The only other cover follows immediately after those four and is a really strong version of John Martyn’s 7 Black Roses. The song may only be one verse of four lines long but Al’s slide and finger picking are outstanding. High Strung is smokey Jazz club and Can’t Complain close out this collection in a fine way.

Graeme Scott

BUDDY GUY

live at le G en DS

rCa silvertone

Albums are often packaged as a concept, a greatest hits collection, or a souvenir of a live show. Rarely does one come along that is a celebration of an artist. Buddy Guy at Legends is just that. Hot on the heels of his autobiography, (titled When I left Home, My Story) and his recent selection to receive this year’s Kennedy Centre’s honours alongside Led Zeppelin, this CD features the last Guy live recordings from his now defunct Legends Blues Club in Chicago, captured some time in 2010. It features a number of live favourites including his supercharged funked- out take on Willie Dixon’s track I Just Wanna Make Love To You segueing into Bobby Rush’s Chicken Head. He does announce to the audience that 'I want to f*** up all the songs tonight so you just sit there and listen ‘cos I might sing

anything'. He and his hot band then proceed to destroy the house with blazing renditions of Mannish Boy, the gospel soul plea for peace, Skin Deep, his signature Damn Right I’ve Got the Blues. There follows a couple of medleys, track seven, Boom Boom/Strange Brew and Voodoo Chile/Sunshine of Your Love proof if needed that Guy is the link between electric blues and had rock. In addition to the live recordings, there are three previously unreleased studio recordings taken from the Living Proof sessions. Polka Dot Love, a reference to the spotted Strat, Coming For You and a deep Blues classic from Muddy Waters, Country Boy. Live at Legends caps off a fine celebration off the true American pleasure that is Buddy Guy. clive raWlinGS

ALASCA

actor S & liar S King Forward records 001

If you can imagine a musical integration that pulls together all the musical strands that have been created by the likes of; Yes, Genesis Jethro Tull and Steeleye Span combined with all the abundant aims and infectious fervour of youth, then you may well be able to comprehend the musical juxtapositions that are presented

ROSIE FLORES

to you here. This quartet originally from Volendam, in the Netherlands consists of; Frank Bond; vocals, guitars and bass, Ferdinand Jonk; acoustic guitars, banjo and vocals, William Bond; keyboards and vocals, Louis Van Sinderen; drums and percussion.

The eleven numbers that they have constructed together here, are a livelily set of eleven shimmering, simmering pieces that include within the broad landscape of their imagination the fragmented sounds and images of up-tempo jigs and reels that would have been (I imagine) enacted in medieval halls of the past or even maybe, the present? Within the evocatively woven musical tapestry that surrounds you, there is, in close proximity sweet and ever enticingly low chants and very close, almost west coast, cropped harmonies.

Also, the whirling, swirling percussion work brings to mind desolate and windswept barren moorlands; these, together with singularly stark, sharp rock guitar solos enhance a bleak feeling of other worldliness. Further helping to enhance and thicken this imagined collective madrigal soup are eerie murky, sparsely played keyboard passages conjuring possibly dangerous yet, marvelling images in one’s mind. A more familiar and comforting atmosphere is felt through the pleasant, jaunty and lilting melodies that emerge through

aFter the Farm/ o nce m ore With Feelin G Floating World

In case you don’t know, Rosie Flores is a Texan roots artist who has been plying her trade for more years than it’s polite to say. Her debut album charted in the US country charts, but that was as close as she got to mainstream success. This double CD sees two of her three Hightone Records albums from the early nineties getting the reissue treatment, and if you like a mix of country, rockabilly and roots music, you’ll find a lot to enjoy here. After The Farm, and Once More With Feeling from 1992 and 1993, respectively, are two sides of the same coin, with an array of Los Angeles session veterans bringing her songs to life. Flores is a great singer, with a voice you won’t mistake for any other, and if you like at some of her co-writers – Chip Taylor, Jason Ringenberg and Guy Clark among them, you’ll get a very good idea of where she is coming from. Equally adept as a guitarist (and one good enough to be hired by others), she has a rare combination of skills that make songs such as Price You Pay, Oh Heartache, My Blue Angel and Honky Tonk Moon as good as you’re going to get in the world of roots and Americana. Stuart a hamilton

from the background, these numbers contain within them the rolling, jingling and plucking sounds of banjos and mandolins.

Brian harman

CHRISTOPHER REES

Stan D FaSt red eye music

This is the sixth Album from Welshman Rees. It leans very heavily towards Americana, not a bad thing at all. This comes with banjo, harmonica and twangy guitars, all courtesy of Rees, the only assistance coming from drummer Dan Tilbury. You could be forgiven for thinking the recording took place in Texas, far from it, the Welsh valleys was the location. Opener Alright Squires sets the tone perfectly following as it does, the life of fellow Welsh singer Dorothy Squires (remember her?), from the success in the 40’s to her tragic fall from grace in the 70’s. Listening to the likes of I Heard You Call My Name, Sing Out Loud, Raise My Head and Lover Oh Lover, could remind the listener of other Americana acts such as Calexico (with whom Rees has previously worked). There’s a Duane Eddy twang to Tonight we’ll Dance before heading into the blues of Fighting Time. Trumpets abound on Knock On My Door, prior to the emotion of closer The Corner. There is certainly a talent and experience here with a passionate voice to go with the clever lyrics. With stiff competition from the other side of the pond, Rees is dynamic and steadfast enough to carry the whole thing off.

clive raWlinGS

BLUES TRAVELER

Suzie c rackS the Whip` Floating World

I could never quite get to grips with Blues Traveler. Not musically, but the missing L from their name just made me uneasy. I know they’re American, but it didn’t sit right in the record collection. A bit like Soul Asylum, they were big in the nineties, then seemed to vanish off into a

MUDDY WATERS

m u DDy Water S at n eWport 1960 plu S Sin GS Bi G Bill soul Jam

If you don’t already have this material, buy it. OK? No – you want me to write a bit more? Well, this is a reissue of a classic album (with hindsight two classic albums) and a few other items from around the same time added for good measure (and to up the playing time). This is Muddy at the Newport Festival, before there was a real white audience for the blues - and don’t forget, only a couple of years after audiences in Britain had asked Muddy to come back with an acoustic guitar next time as his electric was too loud. Here he has James Cotton and Otis Spann who sings a moving Goodbye Newport Blues (when it appeared the jazz festival would not occur again), guitarist Pat Hare, drummer Willie Smith and bassist Andrew Stephenson. He then proceeds to give a master class in Chicago blues. The Big Bill tribute set finds Muddy still in his familiar style, and truly wonderful vocally, and probably was intended to appeal to the burgeoning folk revival audience. The six bonus tracks are from singles and date from 1956 or 1960. As I said, if you don’t already have this material – buy it!

norman DarWen

world of drug overdoses, motorcycle accidents and hamburger orgies. I must admit to liking the one off Frogwings project that singer John Popper indulged in, but I’d lost track of the main band over the years. But here they are, and this record even got them back in the US charts after an absence of a decade. And time has been kind to them, because even their sound is very dated; it’s retro in a good way. It may be a quarter of a century since they first emerged, but they haven’t let time interfere with the kind of music they want to play. If the loose roots rock / jam band sounds entertained you then, then Recognize My Friend, Nobody Fall In Love With Me and album highlight I Don’t Wanna Go will entertain you now. The latter features a guesting Crystal Bowersox from American Idol on backing vocals, and would be a sure fire radio hit, if this was still 1994.

Stuart a hamilton

ALLEN TOUSSAINT

happy timeS in neW orleanS 1958-1960

soul Jam

Allen Toussaint is a renowned musician who is often sited by major artist like Elton John and Elvis Costello as being a

significant influence on their musical careers, this collection highlights some of his earliest New Orleans recordings, covering the period 1958-1960. While it is his Jazz and R&B keyboard work that most people note him for, he is also an excellent arranger, having provided the horn arrangements on the Band’s seminal album Rock of Ages, this album highlights where it all started, the twenty tracks include instrumentals with funky brass backing provided by amongst others Alvin ‘Red’ Taylor and Nat Perilliat and straight forward Piano driven R&B numbers. Allen is not a noted vocalist although there are three tracks where he does provide some vocal back up to lead vocalist Allen Orange, two of these tracks are for all intense and purpose the same song just with a subtle difference in the song title namely; Beverley Baby and Heavenly Baby. This package comes with an informative sixteen page booklet and is an excellent introduction to the classic songs Allen Toussaint recorded as a young man in his early twenties; these include Java and Po Boy Walk aDrian Blacklee

BLUES BEATEN

r e DS haW Independent

Interviews: with Larry McCray, Roscoe Levee, The Mighty Mojos, Sterling Koch, Dietra Farr, Absolution, Ron Levy, Mark Robinson, Eddie Martin and more. Plus: the best up and coming Blues acts, all the latest Blues news, KitChat, Blues Top 10, CD and live reviews and a few surprises! Print, online and app subscriptions are now available. Visit bluesmatters.com or call us on +44 (0) 1656 745628 for more details.

ALVIN LEE

the Be St oF repertoire

This double CD features thirty tracks covering Alvin’s solo musical output between 1973 to 2004 and serves as a fitting tribute to a great guitarist. During his life Lee recorded a mix of musical styles, mostly Blues/Rock, with Rockabilly and Country rock tracks thrown in for good measure. The split of tracks between the two CD’s is not immediately clear to me, they are certainly not in any sort of chronological order. This is a minor gripe, but it would have been useful to group the tracks this way. From my perspective the second CD offers more variety and is the stronger disc and includes a couple of lengthy tracks in the Lennon/McCartney I Want You and the classic TYA signature track Going Home. For anyone unfamiliar with Alvin Lee’s solo work this is a wonderful opportunity to get a really good feel for the music he released through his solo albums, in doing so highlighting that Alvin was not just an ‘incendiary axe man’ but an excellent all round musician who wrote some excellent songs over the years.The track Bluest Blues (which includes George Harrison on guitar) is one of the best ever Blues songs he ever wrote. – performed and recorded with superb vocals and slide guitar. The thirty tracks here may not all be essential but there are enough gems here to make this a worthy purchase. He'll be much missed.

aDrian Blacklee

Before you do anything else, look at this young man’s entertaining web site (see above). If Seasick Steve finally reaches the age we’re all meant to believe he actually is, and packs it in, here’s a cheerleader for youth who can fill his railroading boots, no problem. At just eight tracks, this is a one-man blues show with the dog’s sphericals. The two live tracks, Alley Cat Blues and All My Life give you a true flavour of Gavin Redshaw’s dedicated ability. He’s also a master, à la Seasick, of the prodigious Diddley Bow, that one-string masterpiece of a cigar box and a chunk of wood.

You wouldn’t believe how good Redshaw can make it sound. Hailing from my neck of the woods, East Yorkshire, for a lad of such seemingly tender years he’s certainly packed in some adventures. Whereas Seasick Steve hoboed on the railroads (so he tells us), check out what Redshaw did – he drove across France all the way to Switzerland on a Ferguson tractor! Look out for Blues Beaten Redshaw – he’s no doubt the next new blues wave ready to break. roy Bainton

B.B. KING

my kin D o F Blue S / kin G o F the Blue S

soul Jam CD

B.B. KING

Sin G in’ the Blue S / m ore B. B. kin G soul Jam CD

If you’re one of today’s younger blues fans or a recent convert, you’ll no doubt keep coming across the name B. B. King, and you may well have seen his performance at Glastonbury a couple of years ago. B.B. keeps on touring because that’s what drives him, but you’ll have seen a very old man, sitting on a stool or a chair, slower these days, with the subdued energy you’d expect and not as many stinging licks on his guitar, Lucille, as you were anticipating. You may even ask – why do all you old folks bang on about him so much? Well, here’s your answer. These two CDs, both re-issues of material recorded between 1953 to 1967 easily demonstrate the force of nature known as Riley King – the Memphis Blues Boy. My Kind of Blues

and King of the Blues offers us 25 tracks of swaggering, powerhouse urban blues originally made for the Crown label. Just imagine – the 1950s tracks would never have surfaced here in Britain, and they were cut about the same time Eric Clapton was just beginning to wear long trousers. This was still hermetically sealed, hidden away ‘race music’ in America back then. Songs such as the mighty I’ve Got a Right to Love my Baby and the equally brilliant Driving Wheel and Hold That Train bristle with energy. B.B.’s voice, always powerful, cuts across the production with primeval force, his guitar licks simmer and thrill, and everything is underpinned by punching, tight brass arrangements.

The second CD is every bit as good, and incorporates not only two albums from the period, but four bonus tracks, Ruby Lee, Jump With You Baby, Lonely and Blue and the ebullient Yes, Indeed! Any aficionado will tell you that the best, must-have King album is Live at The Regal. I’ll not argue with that, but these European-sourced re-issues from Soul Jam are easily its equal, superbly re-mastered and produced, and a fitting tribute to the great man’s work. Unmissable. How lucky we are to have releases like these!

roy Bainton

DAVE THOMAS

Blue eye D Blue S blonde on blonde

Dave Thomas is just one of those guys. An amazing guitar player, a great singer and still unbelievably humble. It’s that humble nature that has meant he hasn’t really got the profile he deserves in the UK blues scene, yet he’s the axe player of choice for many touring US bluesmen. So what is it that so many of these great Americans see that has bypassed much of the UK market? Perhaps his new release Blue Eyed Blues could shed some light on the subject. This is Dave’s first release since his great collaboration with the wonderful Wallace Coleman, a record that showed off his skills in interpreting the old school blues vibe of the harmonica hero, and this

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Albums

record begins in the same vein. It’s an astoundingly subtle piece throughout, there’s a distinct lack of flash (one of Mr Thomas’ hallmarks) and acoustic guitars with simple arrangements dominate. This means that the songs are presented front and centre, there’s no hiding place when it’s just a voice and a guitar, so it’s a good job that the originals stand up well next to the covers (the version of Sitting on Top of the World is superb). That one man and his axe vibe is continued even when the acoustic is augmented by electric guitars and a full band, the extra instrumentation doesn’t dominate or detract from the songs, it just adds a little filigree that keeps things fresh and exciting. One song on the record says it all for the whole album. The final track, I Just Want the Blues, says it all. Dave’s devotion to the music is clear throughout the record, this isn’t Chicago blues, delta blues or any other known sub-genre, it’s Dave’s own blues, a personal thing, and while it draws from the classics it doesn’t ape or emulate them. I can easily see why so many of those touring musicians choose to work with Dave. His emphasis on subtlety and emotion is paramount, and it means that the shows they play

DELTA WIRES

Delta Wire S antholo Gy mud slide

won’t be about Dave, they’ll be about music and that’s what matters. Some folks may decide to call this bland, there are no big solos, no horn sections, no undue melodrama, but it’s the lack of this that makes it such an effective record, and Dave such an in demand player. It’s a man, a tune and his soul, anything else would be wasted. I think you should check this record out, he may have existed somewhat under the radar until now but, if you enjoy this record as much as I have, you’ll be wondering why.

ian mchuGh

EDDIE SHAW & THE 757 ALL STARS

Still r i D in G h i G h stringtown records

For me there is nothing like old school Chicago blues, I may have dalliances with other sub genres of the music, but it’s that tight groove and song focused sound that will always make me smile. That’s why I was so pleased when I received the new release from Eddie Shaw & the 757 Allstars, entitled Still

This is a double celebration of an album, celebrating the Blues and the thirty plus years of recording by the Delta Wires, with an anthology that celebrates their verve and energy demonstrated by the number of live albums produced. This CD makes you smile, feel good and most definitely want to dance and party. This is not a CD if you are in a reflective mood the sound is in your face loud and even a little brash but it is darn good, a real urban blues sound that sets the foot tapping and your musical ear buzzing with delight. Delta Wires bring the West Coast sound to all their arrangements ensuring that covers are distinctive. Ernie Pinata, the founder, song writer, singer and a rousing rootsy blues harpist is the main protagonist. The horn section brings an energy, they give at times a big band/jazzy feel and ensure that this is not a guitar dominated sound. The vocals are sung extremely well but it is the sound the instruments make that stand out in the tracks included in this anthology and shining like a bright star is Ernie’s hot, hot harp playing as shown on tracks such as Take Off Your Pajamas, and Tippin’ Into The Blues. The guitar playing is crisp as shown by Paul Wood, on Why Did You Leave Me and the shuffle provided by Biff Silva on drums is most definitely the solid bedrock of the band. This is definitely a great anthology of firm favourites performed live and loved by fans, this is a feel good, party sound and for me the live tracks win the day, yes the studio tracks are great but the live recordings capture the heart soul and funk of the Delta Wires. liz aiken

Riding High. Eddie may, at first, not be the most familiar name to blues fans, but he has a pedigree that goes back to the prime days of the blues in the windy city, having worked with luminaries of the scene including Magic Sam and Howling Wolf, and being charged by the latter with the vital task of keeping the blues alive, Eddie has a big job to do. The good news is that he does it with real aplomb, delivering what is a treat of a record. Opening with a funky, sax driven, instrumental the record makes a great first impression, and the quality of the music doesn’t drop from that point onwards.

The song choice is centered on cool shuffles, where the tight band shines with their unbreakable sense of groove. It’s definitely a case of groove over flash, individuals shine, but they aren’t showing off, what they do is just enough to show their hand, but with solos that do not outstay their welcome and move the song forward. At the very least you’ll find yourself nodding your head and tapping your feet, but you’re just as likely to get out of your chair and have a boogie. You’ve got blues at its best here, with all the subtle power of the greats, emotional and direct while maintaining a sense of fun and verve, and while it’s not reinventing anything, it’s still fresh and exciting as only the best music can be.

The band is big, and despite Eddie’s being the name that carries the cover, none of them are background musicians, and thanks to a very accomplished recording and high production values none of them have to be. Everything sits in its own slot, allowing the listener to follow the various threads of the music without taxing themselves or losing the thread of the song as a whole. It’s quite a beautiful sounding record and will reward repeated listens with new discoveries every time.

This started out as a band formed as part of a grass roots movement to keep the blues alive and exciting. On the evidence of this recording they have nothing to worry about, they have produced one of the finest records I’ve heard in a long time and truly deserve the title ‘All Stars.’

The Wolf gave the difficult job to the right man! ian mchuGh

DOUG MACLEOD

there’S a time Independent

There’s A Time is an album that you have to listen to. Really listen to, taking your time. This is elegant, beautiful Blues. Played with artistry and feeling, the songs each have a story to them, pleasingly explained in the sleeve notes, and they are full of wit and interest. The musicianship, and use of wonderful steel guitars, is top notch. The Up Song really is pacy and uplifting. The Entitled Few is a mild-mannered, yet scorching attack on bad behaviour by people who feel themselves above the rest of. It is all the richer for its closing reference to Memphis Slim’s Mother Earth. The song also brings the Blues into the modern world, as it must be, talking about the blue cards identifying disabled drivers, Vietnam veterans, and botox. Another must-listen track is Dubb’s Talking Religion Blues. The song represents a conversation between Doug, who voice is up there with some of the best old-time acoustic Bluesmen, and a narrow-minded religious man. It unfolds delightfully, with snatches of real mirth, as when Doug talks about taking the Bible literally. ‘Take the book of Leviticus, don’t you think some of the things in there are a little ridiculous?’ he quips, for example. Now, don’t get carried away with the idea that these songs are all this album has to offer. The only reason the other ten tracks aren’t discussed is that word ‘time’. I just haven’t played them enough to do them justice. No, that would take one of those long leisurely weekends that never comes, a half bottle of good whisky, and a shot glass. Here’s a toast to Doug!

Daryl Weale

ERIC FRENCH & MR HYDE

o lD c ity Blue S Independent

Eric French wrote seven of the eight tracks and produced this album, he describes Old City Blue as unapologetic rock n’ blues set off by an introspective

acoustic streak and the CD does have a quirky feel with melodic interludes in the tracks of simple but perfectly performed guitar playing combined with the haunting backdrop of a Hammond organ as shown on the final track Old City Blues, which refers to Eric French's second home of Boston. The real mystery is who Mr Hyde, not a backing musician is, so it must be Eric's alter ego on this interesting take of modern blues that uses a range of rhythm and blues styles. Baby Where Ya Been gets your feet a tapping with its dance beats and his homage to dirty traditional blues with Poison in Mash Pie. The album lacks a distinctive narrative or rift that would make it stand out in the crowded market of talented modern blues players. Despite using different rhythms and textures there is no stand out track that defines Eric French and friends; that said it is a pleasant and pleasing CD to listen too. liz aiken

RYAN McGARVEY

r e D e Fine D Independent

You probably can’t count the number of times you read that one artist or another is billed ‘the Next Joe Bonamassa’.

Compared to many, Ryan McGarvey’s case is very strong. Having won Guitar Center’s ‘Guitarmaggeddon: Next King Of The Blues’ back in 2006, plus a fistful of awards in his native New Mexico, McGarvey has just recently been awarded Guitar Player’s best new talent award in their 2013 awards. He was also chosen over 4000 bands to perform at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival in Chicago in 2010. Redefined is the long awaited follow up to his 2007 debut Forward In Reverse From the acoustic opening to All The Little Things, McGarvey takes the listener on a journey of stellar blues rock. The album impresses on all levels, with memorable guitar riffs, well developed solos, impressive vocals and strong wholly self-penned material. The catchy refrains and chorus of ‘Never Seem To Learn’ contrast to the melodic

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DAVID PHILLIPS

DecemBer Wine (4 track tapeS) black and tan records

December Wine is a skilful and accomplished album the work of David Phillips a real DIY Musician who is re-inventing a sound that is a beguiling mix of blues, folk and roots music played and sung for the pure enjoyment of the melodies, riffs and harmonies produced. This is a true project of an album conceived and born from the burning drive of David himself as he wrote, recorded, produced and mixed this album. If that was not enough he played all the instruments combining this with his dynamic and passionate vocals. The opening of the CD, a Sailors Intro is a special instrumental with stellar guitar playing with the merest hint of flamenco – pure bliss in this hectic world we live in. Your senses are filled as the music pulls you deeper and deeper into the David Phillips world, the lyrics are strong so that nothing dominates, it is not about the awesomely skilfully guitar playing or the soulful at times hauntingly beautiful vocals it is about the whole. December Wine is not about defining the genre it is about celebrating high quality music.

The low-tech approach David has taken has in many ways let the quality shine through so that at times you have goosebumps, on your goosebumps as the 13 tracks take you on a journey of hope. This is an intimate glorious sound as demonstrated on All is Lost and Ruby whilst, The Man in the Moon Looks Scared has a more upbeat tempo and a virtuoso guitar playing opening, and the title track is a demonstration of finger picking style that dispels any myths that acoustic is boring. This has to be one of the albums of 2013 a real treasure trove of blues/folk quality music. liz aiken

Albums reviews

ballad My Sweet Angel. Naturally McGarvey’s guitar playing comes to the fore regularly, such as on the epic opening introduction to Starry Night, song such as Morning Blue Light and So Close To Heaven both indicate a high level of maturity from the 25 year old. The closing Four Aces also highlights his super dexterity on an acoustic guitar. While Redefined is available via CD Baby, a more tempting prospect is to see him on his first UK tour in May when he tours the length of the country from London to Edinburgh. Forget the Bonamassa tag though; while blending a similar mix of blues, classic and progressive rock, McGarvey clearly has enough distinctiveness to make it under his own name.

Duncan Beattie

ERIC JOHNSON

u p c lo S e – another look

Provogue /mascot Johnson is well renowned for his guitar skills and ability to play in different styles and moods. However this set / re-visit of material has a pronounced blues and roots edge that deserves to widen his appeal beyond those who also play the guitar. In conversation I had with rock guitar maestro Wilko Johnson last week we were talking about famous guitar players and in particular the technique displayers and speed merchants out there at present. In his inimitable way, Wilk sighed and leaned back on his sofa, sighing “Trouble is, Pete – all these flashy players sound exactly the same!” Eric Johnson has more than speed going for him. Of all the admired technical players he is one of the best creators of moods – sometimes good-natured, sometimes yearning, occasionally harsh and now and then incredibly sad. On this album we get a taste of all these. No wonder he is a pal of Sonny Landreth! The promo CD came with excellent notes but not a pointer as to who guests on what. Nonetheless my ears detect the prince of rock nobility Steve Miller singing out

ERIN MCKEOWN

mani

Fe Stra tVP records

Hailing from Fredericksburg, Virginia, Manifestra is the first album in 3 years by singer songwriter and multi-instrumentalist McKeown. As the title indicates, the lyrical content of the album refers to her beliefs, particularly in respect of social justice. These come to the fore in opener The Politician which has a stop-start funky riff and refers to people’s desire for guidance and answers from those in power. The rhythmically dominant The Jailer is another standout track, with lyrics that refer to immigration and border controls. There are a multitude

on the downhome blues workout Texas and then the dry and driving rasp of Johnny Lang vocalising through the dynamic blues rocker Austin as Johnson lays linear bursts of singing axework all over this great number. We have arrived here via the moody and eastern-tinged opener ‘Awaken’ where the listeners could be staring out over a misty Ganges river, to be whisked into the buzzy and key-shifting instrumental Fatdaddy which uses exotic scales and a snakecharmer twist of a melody, all underpinned by nimble electric bass. I’d like to ask Eric whether he had Mahavishnu Orchestra in his head when he wrote and played this – I suspect so and I’ll fish for a chance. Brilliant Room has more linear lines plus an edgy vocal and guitar tones to savor. More than recalling the Satriani’s and Vai’s of the AxeWorld, THIS cut has touch of the slightly unearthly tones used by English guitar man Andy Summers on his criminally overlooked solo album outings. Again one suspects Johnson would be familiar with the same. Gem has a compressed guitar sound and a baroque stately tempo, as if it was meant to accompany a film soundtrack. This is where Johnson’s own distinctive phrasing and pinch harmonics make the music truly his, through and through. A cool listen indeed. We are

of styles to the album and some impressive instrumental performances by a list of backing musicians too long to list. There is a Dixieland jazz style to That’s Just What Happened which starts with slowly with prominent piano before a change in pace to a swinging midsection. A personal favourite is the laid back country tinged Baghdad To The Bayou where McKeown sings with a warmness that is not always absent throughout the album. Not all the songs had the same impact, with the title track’s primarily spoken dialogue not resonating as much with this reviewer. On the whole, this is an interesting release by an artist who not only records compelling music, but has some intelligent observations to make. Having performed a couple of shows in Glasgow and London already this year,

out in the countryside for the trippy guitar weave of On The Way and halfway through the programme it’s a nice detour into Albert Lee/Brad Paisley territory; Arithmetic sounds a tad philosophical, a poem set to pastoral music shot with flashes of six string magic. I would have made this a male-female vocal duet to warm up the overall feel, it’s a touch solemn.

The Sea & The Mountain is another sound painting recalling Landreth’s recent instrumental forays. Understated beauty. Vortexan is an athletic boogie variant but still sounds pure Johnson. Up to now on this record Eric has kept his Hendrix influences at bay but they filter through on the charming lilt of A Change Has Come To Me which may be autobiographical... one thing to mention – few players use flanging quite as well as Eric does here. Neat bridge and a clutch of blissful legato tones drift from speaker to speaker. Maybe no accident that this might have been a Johnny Lang song. So, a well-known technical player that I have never been particular taken by makes an album that connects far better. With me at least. It’s the songs, y’see. Better not dismiss Eric Johnson as a cold techno guy when he can put this set together.

pete SarGeant

she has an established following in the UK, and a forthcoming longer tour is planned for later in the year.

Duncan Beattie

SOLOMON BURKE

keep the maG ic Workin G soul Jam records CD

Here’s what that deep fount of musical knowledge, Peter Guralnick, said about Solomon Burke: 'A combination of Sam Cooke at his mellifluous best and Ray Charles at his deep-down and funkiest, an improbable mix of sincerity, dramatic artifice, bubbling good humour, multi-textured vocal artistry.' Well, I could end this review right there because that description ought to be enough to make you want this CD. However, this collection features Burke’s stupendous cuts from the period 1955-1961 for Atlantic, Apollo and Singular. 27 superb recordings with something for everyone here. You want a Burke blues sound? Listen to Why Do Me That Way, the rapid-fire Leave My Kitten Alone, or the rocking Be-Bop Grandma. In fact there are so many different styles here, from ballads to heartfelt spirituals, yet all indelibly stamped with Burke’s distinctive versatile vocal styling.

This represents a golden age of what we now call ‘soul’ music. This is a real singing talent, rich and rewarding, pouring his soul into every song. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, his fame carried him well into the 21st century, and some may recall Solomon Burke on the BBC’s Later With Jools Holland in 2010. Bob Dylan wrote a song for him, as did Brian Wilson, Tom Waits and Van Morrison. That’s how big he was – musically and, as evidenced on his Jools TV appearance, physically, performing whilst seated in a huge golden throne. And there’s more. He had 21 legitimate children, 90 grandchildren, held a Doctorate in mortuary science(!) and was the Bishop of a 40,000-strong evangelical church founded by his Grandma. All this and music too. This is an epic legacy, well worth having. Romantic, soulful, moving, just like the man himself. roy Bainton

FINN

Bom B the WorlD With kin D ne SS Frontroom Productions

No, this is not the Finn Brothers of Crowded House fame, instead Finn hail from the other shore of the Tasman Sea in Sydney Australia. Described as a rhythm and blues band with a sprinkling of country, they been performing for 13 years and prior to this release have released six albums. Led by singing drummer Jim Finn, the twelve songs feature his insightful and humorous lyrics. Completed by Paul Surany on guitar and George Rigatos on bass plus some guest artists, the 'Sydney All Stars' including Jed Cannon (keys), Davo Fester (percussion), Alan Lancaster (bass) Phil Grove (accordion) and Paul Irving (guitar). Sadly the music was not too my taste with many of the tracks based around three chords. Personally I felt it lacked variety and the overly repetitive choruses were a turn off. The acoustic Eden did represent a change in pace from the rest of the album, as did the introduction of washboard, mandolin and accordion on Building Defences. Maybe another reviewer would have raved about the authenticity of the music, but sadly I was unable to follow up the kindness which was intended the title track.

Duncan Beattie

STIV CANTARELLI & THE SILENT STRANGERS

Black m u S ic / White m u S ic stovepony records

And now it’s time for some Americana from Italy. Although, to give credit where credit is due, Stiv Cantarelli & The Silent Strangers are authentic enough to have released their debut album on MoodFood Records out of Cary, North Carolina, the early home of Ryan Adams’ Whiskeytown. Which means they know what they’re doing, when it comes to modern day Americana sounds. This latest CD comes courtesy of London label, Stovepony and sees Stiv Cantarelli,

Antonio Perugini, Fabrizio Gramellini and the guesting Petrushka Morsink from the Willard Grant Conspiracy carrying on in fine fettle. It carries on from Cantarellis solo record, Innerstate from a couple of years back which saw him mixing up roots music with elements of post punk, all backed by US band Richmond Fontaine. If that sounds like the sort of thing that will float your boat, then come on in because tunes like The Boy’s Draw On The Steamed Window, Cornerstone Blues and Mahogany Jones will get your mojo rising. The rest of you (us) might find it a bit too indie for comfort, and seek our solace in things that stay closer to roots music, where things are a little less thrashy and a little more heartworn.

Stuart a hamilton

GEORGE KILBY JR

Six pack Independent

Kilby Jr is a roots based musician from Alabama who has led a colourful life, including a stay at the home of Pinetop Perkins in Chicago with whom he later recorded several albums. His influences spread wider than the blues as a lifelong fan of the Allman Brothers and Six Pack, described as a collection of six singles, rather than an album, has a country feel. When The People Sing features a prominent fiddle by Tim Carbonne, plus electric and acoustic guitar from Jono Manson, a member of Blues Travellers’ ‘extended family.’ There is a chilled feel to the tracks, none more so than I Love You In Brooklyn while Something I Can’t Find is top draw southern rock. The Cream classic Sunshine Of Your Love gets a radical reworking with banjo and dobro. The blues influence comes across strongest on the closing You’ll Never See The Hand Throw The Stone which sees Kilby Jr on vocals and acoustic guitar accompanied by a haunting harmonica. It may be short, but this release is a great taster of Kilby Jr’s work and well worth checking out as a refreshing change from the blues norm. Duncan Beattie

Albums reviews

MINDY SMITH

m in Dy Smith Giant leap/tVX

Former Vanguard Records act Mindy has a high, pure voice that certainly suits her brand of Country/ Blues/Americana, though it probably also helps that she writes some excellent songs and has a crack band of musicians behind her. She has been compared to both Norah Jones and Alison Kraus, and those two names are certainly relevant here. She does indeed sing the blues on this album, her fifth since she made her recording debut in 2003: Don’t Mind Me is a slow number that builds and builds, whilst the more up tempo Tin Can sounds like a seasoned country musician tackling the blues, with hints of both John Lee Hooker and rockabilly. Sober brought to mind a cross between Tom Petty and Dolly Parton, and much of the remainder of the material is similarly intriguing and totally listenable – try Everything Here Will Be Fine which could have been harrowing but is here a beautiful song of belief. Lovers of the classic contemporary

ERJA LYYTINEN

For B i DD en Fruit ruf

Americana sound should certainly investigate this CD. Classy indeed. norman DarWen

HOT CLUB OF COWTOWN

Dev’li S h mary/Gho St train Floating World records

Many people are only just getting to discover Hot Club Of Cowtown so it is timely to have a gander at their back catalogue with this combination product of two of their earlier albums. Dev’lish Mary from 2000 is lively mix of bluegrass and swing, with jazzy overtones, and although extending to sixteen tracks, only one number (Star Dust) comes in at over four minutes. Regarded by many as the album that stepped them up to the mark, the inventive arrangements are encouraged along by Peter Ecklund’s charming cornet on When Day Is Done plus three others, and the traditional exposure of Bobby Koefer’s Steel guitar on a third of the album. Ghost Train from 2002 is closer to the smoke and/or steam that

Forbidden Fruit will continue to see Erja Lyytinen build her reputation as one of the finest female blues based singers and song writers in Europe. Renowned for her slide guitar playing, on this her fifth release, her guitar playing is pushed somewhat in the background, to provide a greater song based approach. The reoccurring lyrical themes of the album are love, loss and the passage of time. Enlisting Scottish songwriter Alan Darby (Bonnie Raitt, Bonnnie Tyler etc.) results in two of the strongest cuts; Joyful Misery opens the album and sets a personal lyrical tone, while At Least We Still Fight shows almost a pop edge. While there is nothing as riff laden as the title track of her previous release Voracious Love, her guitar work still illuminates songs such Jealousy and the superb instrumental crescendo within Change of Seasons. The latter is a standout track of nearly 8 minutes, also featuring regular contributor Davide Floreno; the dual guitar leads give the song a southern rock feel. Recorded in a separate session, Press My Button is a funky track which has a notable contribution from Harris Taittonen on Hammond organ. For those worried that not much of the above sounds like blues, there is an interesting reworking of Son House’s Death Letter, and a more traditional blues sound comes through in Things About Coming My Way, penned by Tampa Red, which closes the album on a more mellow note.

Duncan Beattie

we may associate with the current-day Cowtown troupe. As ever, it’s James’s fiery fiddle that attracts much of the attention, and her own Secret Of Mine and Before You both highlight her proactive meandering. The blues sensitivities of the band are accomplished by the serenity seen in Chip Away The Stone, even if their signature sound might be best witnessed in the authenticity of Cherokee Shuffle Gareth hayeS

TAS CRU

tire D oF Blue S me c ryin' Crustee tee records

Modern electric blues from a New York based bluesman who plays a variety of guitars including acoustic, resonator and cigarbox and also adds harmonica to a few tracks. Opener and title track Tired Of Bluesmen Cryin’ was inspired by an interview Cru did with a sixteen year old girl who had started writing more upbeat blues songs as she couldn’t relate to old bluesmen’s whining songs. This track starts with a solo slide guitar and then builds into a swampy blues/ rocker with plenty of fine slide playing and wailin' harp which is topped off with Cru's witty, sardonic lyrics. After a few listens this CD really grew on me and has quickly become an essential addition to my collection. Changin’ My Ways is an uptempo number featuring solid rhythm section of Joe ‘the claw’ Goehle on bass and Andy Hearn on drums backing Cru’s sly vocals and wailin' harp. The slow blues One More Time opens with Chip Lamson’s tasty piano as the band lay down a soulful, late night, jazzy groove allowing Cru’s tasty guitar picking and emotional half-spoken vocals to set the scene. There is a feel of Albert King in Road To My Obsession with a funky rhythm, Stax style backing, punchy guitar and sharp vocals. Try Oh I Try adds a dash of New Orleans to the stew as Cru tries to resist the temptations on offer to a travelling musician. There is a lazy country feel too Sure Do (want to fool around) with its pretty melody and wistful lyrics. Cru and his band then lay down some cool jazzy grooves against a walking bass line for Story Time a tale of

a cheating woman. Closing track Dark Side Of The Mountain is an intense brooding blues/ballad dedicated to the soldiers and families of the US Army's 10th Mountain Division who have been fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Cru's approach to his music is quirky, irreverent and often tongue-in-cheek, with great playing throughout this excellent modern blues album which should be particularly relevant to younger blues listeners.

Dave Drury

HOWLIN’ WOLF

m oanin’ i n the m oonli G ht soul Jam records

Appropriately for such a huge man, this is a huge album. Firstly, as Howlin’ Wolf’s debut for Chess Records in 1959 (with the new subtitle of The Definitive Remastered Edition) and, secondly, for the inclusion of an incredible fifteen bonus tracks. The latter tracks are recordings he made between 1951 and 1960 that legitimately could be an album on their own. Well-known numbers such as Rockin’ Daddy and Wang-dang-doodle’ sit well against the lesser-known Nature and Mr. Airplane Man. It’s the main act that attracts attention however. Many readers will already have it in their collection, perhaps as dusty vinyl, perhaps in the form of the Chess two-for-one CD packages, so this may be for completists or newcomers. The set is actually a collection of singles and B-sides. The first two tracks are both sides of his first release for Chess (recorded in 1951 by Sam Phillips at what would become Sun Studios); namely Moanin’ At Midnight and How Many More Years (the latter featuring Ike Turner on piano). The theme of blues history in the making is transcendent throughout and knowing that Hubert Sumlin, Willie Dixon and Otis Spann are part of the band makes it all the more relevant. The sleeve notes call it ‘savage, seismic and vitriolic blues’ and that’s the truth.

Gareth hayeS

JERRY BUTLER

he Will B reak your heart / J erry B utler, e S q. soul Jam records

Jerry Butler’s contribution to the broad category of soul music has been sadly ignored, in comparison to say Sam Cooke or Curtis Mayfield, the latter being a fellow founder-member of the Impressions. Butler was born in Sunflower, Mississippi in 1939 and his parents migrated to the projects of Cabrini-Green in Chicago in 1942. His musical influences ranged from his mother singing to him, as she bounced him on her knee, to late night radio featuring everything from Blues to Country and Western. This and the obligatory church based gospel singing all contributed to form what became his eclectic music. That is one of this twofer compilation’s strength; it is all here, from pop, to swing and from soul to ballads. What makes this CD outstanding is Butler’s fabulous baritone voice, whether in harmony with the Impressions or as a solo performer. The string arrangements add a superb accompaniment to Butler’s mellifluous tones, and are very much of the era. The songs are often quite brilliant – too many to mention here – but they are taken from his two albums released in 1959 and 1960 and of course include the Impressions’ classic For Your Precious Love. The bonus material includes his excellent version of the timeless Moon River. Marvellous! noGGin

JOHN LEE HOOKER

i’m J ohn lee hooker / travelin’ soul Jam records

There is perhaps little that can be added to the many thousands of words penned in analysis of John Lee Hooker’s inestimable and pioneering contribution to the Blues. One doubts that there is anything unfamiliar in this compilation, and one might mistakenly think it is just another repackaging of his work. What sets this set apart is context, for the format takes two complete and consecutive albums and offers them as a twofer, with the addition of five bonus tracks. The albums

ERIC STECKEL Di S mantle the Sun Independent

At the start, this album feels like it’s going to be a big-sound, strong Blues Rocker, a well-trodden path these days. However, after Eric gives his guitar strings a serious workout, he goes on to prove he’s not just produced a succession of generic, rumbling SRV-a-like songs. There are certainly a few tracks which are there to get people moving on a dance floor and to satisfy the more guitar hero obsessed listener, like the opener Mississippi River and hot on its heels Day Drinkin. These songs, though, precede the highlight of the album, the third song, Empty Promises Eight and a half minutes of light and shade, interweaving slow, melodic passages with the well-paced, squealing guitar, and a passionate vocal delivery. Eric’s vocals are at their best when backed by the smooth keyboards here, and it is a song to cherish and to return to. It shows that when Eric is good, he is very good. Love Me or Leave Me is heavy and fast. Last Night is slow, and those keyboards and some next acoustic guitar mark for a fine backdrop to Eric’s trembling wails. Sugar Sweet is reminiscent of some of Aynsley Lister’s lighter work, and has some good harmonica and light-fingered piano.

A fine melody underpins From Your Blue Eyes to Mine’, where the keyboards again come into their own, and there are chimes of Bruce Hornsby and The Range. So, what might have been in danger of being a fairly predictable guitar fest turns out to have some real variety and the core of a few memorable songs that every album should have.

Daryl Weale

MUDDY WATERS you Shook me - cheSS maSterS vol 3 1958-63 (Hip-O select 2CD) 02

VARIOUS cluck olD hena BarnyarD SerenaDe 1926-1940 (Old Hat CD)

VARIOUS

BlueS From maxWell Street 1960 anD 1965 (Document CD)

VARIOUS north miSSiSSippi hill country picnic vol iii (Devildown CD)

STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN

Srv (sony 3CD & DVD)

BUDDY GUY live at leGenDS (silvertone CD)

HOT CLUB OF COWTOWN Dev’liSh mary/GhoSt train (Floating World 2CD)

LOUISIANA RED: the BlueS For iDa B SeSSion - chicaGo 1982 (JsP DVD)

09

MIKE SANCHEz & HIS BAND, FEATURING IMELDA MAY almoSt GroWn (DoopinCD) 10

OMAR & THE HOWLERS too much iS not enouGh (big Guitar music CD) 11 VARIOUS

Drop on DoWn in FloriDa FielD recorDinGS oF aFrican-american traDitional muSic 1977-1980 (Dust-to-Digital 2CD & book)

JOHN PRIMER

BlueS on SoliD GrounD (Continental song City CD)

MIKE WHEELER

SelF maDe man (Delmark CD)

33 & 1/3 (telarc CD)

16 VARIOUS

Work harD, play harD, pray harD (tompkins square 3CD)

17 CHARLIE LANKESTER & THE MOJO KILLERS

SonG in a minor key (midmoor CD)

18 VARIOUS the BackBeat oF rock anD roll (Famous Flames 3CD)

19 PHILLIP WALKER the Bottom oF the top/ SomeDay you’ll have theSe BlueS (Floating World CD)

20 WYNONIE HARRIS

rock mr BlueS (revola CD)

calypSo DaWn 1912 (bear Family CD)

originally recorded between 1956 and 1960 were released on the Vee-Jay Records label on 1959 and 1960 respectively. The label allowed Hooker time and space, and the second album was recorded in a single month, whereas his many recordings prior to this had been fragmented and issued through many different labels. Hooker was at a creative peak, whether playing solo in simple chord(s) and foot stomps or with fairly minimal additional backing. Classics include: Dimples, Boogie Chillun and Crawling King Snake from the earlier album. Although the second album Travelin’ is probably less well known, it sounds fresher and more cohesive. The lyrics are concise, heartfelt, and sincere; they reflect what had to that point been his itinerant and hard life. The artwork is superb, with contemporary photographs and excellent notes from both the original sleeves and in retrospect. noGGin

MARCO MARCHI AND THE MOJO WORKERS

my o lD r iver swisslos

My foremost musical love is Blues driven by the electric guitar so what a surprise this predominantly acoustic CD has turned out to be. On first listening, this laid back, non-frilled offering of Blues inspired by the Mississippi and the Delta pointed to this being an American band. Yet how wrong could I be. Marco and his three band members hail from Europe. Describing themselves as people of the river, it is rivers that link these guys as they grew up alongside the Rhine, Po and Ticino instead of the mighty Mississippi. Augmented by US musicians such as Rich Del Grosso, Washboard Chaz and others on several tracks, they have produced a truly modern take both on covers of Blind Boy Fuller, Blind Blake and others, as well as the six originals by Marco himself. The core of the band is Marco on guitars and vocals, Claudio Egli on harmonica, Toby Stiftner on drums and Fabio Bianchi on tuba and electric bass, and they work through a number of styles from delta Blues to ragtime, swing to Chicago, and spirituals to folksongs

JOE BONAMASSA

an acou Stic evenin G at the vienna o pera h ou S e Provogue

This concert was recorded at the historic Vienna Opera House in July 2012 during a very special unplugged tour played to a limited audience. In strict contrast to Bonamassa’s predominantly electric blues shows, this presentation was an all-acoustic concert performance making for a unique and very special show fans had eagerly awaited. Accompanying Bonamassa on stage are traditional Irish fiddler Gerry O’Connor, who also plays mandolin and banjo, Swedish multi-instrumentalist Mats Wester on the nyckelharpa (a keyed fiddle) keyboard player Arlan Schierbaum texturing the mix with celeste, accordions, toy pianos and assorted 'organic' instruments, and last, but not least, Puerto Rican percussionist Lenny Castro.

Producer Kevin Shirley persuaded Joe not to do the show ‘solo’ and it certainly pays off. It features gorgeously textured music made with a wealth of rare, vintage, organic and 'oddball' instruments. With a total of 22 songs to choose from on this double cd, the old favourite Woke Up Dreaming stands out as well as Around The Bend, Driving Towards Daylight and Sloe Gin. Provogue are due to release this masterpiece on double cd, double LP, double DVD and Blu-ray in the UK on March 25th, dovetailing Joe’s run of four exclusive London concerts starting on 26th March. Highly recommended.

and nowhere do they put a foot wrong. Throughout it all, they sound as though they are really enjoying themselves and whilst I usually find a track I prefer to any other, each track here is a real gem. This is unadulterated music for pleasure and My Old River should be made compulsive listening to hordes of wannabe’s who think that volume, flash and wizardry, (all of which I enjoy) are the way forward. Simplicity and a minimalist approach can be just as rewarding. Please enjoy.

merv oSBorne

RED SHOES

all the Goo D Frien DS

Cedarwood

Many years ago I had the good fortune to see Sandy Denny fronting Fairport Convention on several occasions. Red Shoes front-woman Carolyn Evans has the same kind of strong but fragile voice and several Fairport associates are also here. along with former members of The Move (who brought along with them a very different cover of Blackberry Way). The sound is what used to be labelled ‘folk-rock’ - though this is simple music that lacks much of the bombast of the

music that used to be included under that banner - and the lyrics committed and meaningful; there are no platitudes here. The opener is an anti-hunting composition, though the vocal lines borrow from Bo Diddley (but you have to listen carefully), others deal with death, rape, war and ageing - but the overall feeling is of a guarded optimism, most notably on the jaunty Swansong which has echoes of Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span. This band successfully meld sometimes achingly beautiful music with songs of significance and a firm political stance. That should certainly appeal to some readers at least. norman DarWen

MARK ROBINSON

have axe-Will Groove blind Chihuahua

Mark Robinson was born in Bloomington, Indiana but today is a resident of Nashville, having spent time in Chicago on his blues odyssey. Whilst in Chicago he played with many greats, such as Sunnyland Slim, Byther Smith, Lefty Dizz, Tad Robinson,

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clive raWlinGS

IKE & TINA TURNER

the Soul oF i ke & tina turner

Hoodoo records

IKE TURNER

r ocket 88 soul Jam records

The domestic history of this unique pairing overshadows the relevance of their music, so put aside the celebrity interpretations and visit (or revisit) their debut album for Sue Records from 1961. All of the album’s numbers were written by Ike and, as we are more accustomed nowadays to the absolute presence of Tina, she is notably not quite the force she was to come. That said, her vocal power is still thrilling, and the focus of attention, particularly on the boiling You Can’t Love Two (sic.) and vivacious A Fool In Love. This re-release include ten bonus tracks from the same period.

The package is supported by superb sleeve-notes. Also out from the same stable is a collection of Ike Turner from 1951 to 1960 (with a number of tracks featuring Annie Mae Bullock before she changed her name to Tina). The title comes from a R&B number they named after the iconic Oldsmobile coupe. Gary Blaillock’s excellent sleeve notes give intimate detail of the overamplification process employed by producer Sam Phillips, and the subsequent sale of a number of tracks from the session to Chess. Ike Turner’s transition from session guitarist to fan of note-bending distortion as well as introduction to the 16 year old Annie Mae is also exposed in fascinating prose. These writings and the sound of the thirty tracks on offer provide infectious education about this sometime under-valued innovator.

Gareth hayeS

Jimmy Johnson as well as the Queen of the Blues, Koko Taylor. This grounding and schooling shows through on Have Axe-Will Groove, as the album weaves through many different styles that includes Chicago Blues, Blues-rock, New Orleans strut, Texas Shuffle and Memphis soul. Robinson is a gifted guitarist, playing acoustic, electric and slide as well as that most Blues of all instruments, the Glockenspiel. On top he is a songwriter of calibre, and of the eleven songs on offer here, he has composed eight of them. The album opens with a self-penned boogie called Drives Real Fast, a hard hitting tune with some great distorted riffs. This is followed by Baby’s Gone To Memphis, a country influenced rocker telling the story of his girl going to the city to see the river and Elvis. Next up is the slow and soulful ballad Angel Of Mercy, complete with beautiful harmonies from his backing singers. Traditional Blues is highlighted in the slow burner of Lifetime Prescription, a mournful sad song of illness since childhood. What’s The Matter With You Baby is a jumping soulful tune that has your toes tapping within seconds. The Doc Pomus song Lonely Avenue is given a royal treatment with soaring keyboards and backing vocals. Best track here for me is the closer, Blue Moon Howl with its sense of foreboding, mystery and eeriness. The only niggle I have is that at times I feel his vocals tend to lose strength and waver. More consistency with his singing would make Mark Robinson a formidable solo artist. merv oSBorne

PINNICK GALES PRIDGEN

maG na carta Independent

With a familiar growl on the mic, this power trio’s self-titled debut gives the Eric Gale’s sound a rejuvenated allure. With perhaps a darker perspective manifested on the album, Gales, along with Pinnick (Kings X) and Pridgen (Mars Volta) keep the blues alive and well. The finished product comes off heavier than Gales’ recent solo work with some cracking rhythm and blues in the mix. The licks are hot from the

off, starting with Collateral Damage, a slow build up to a colossal solo by Gales. Pridgen’s fillers are spot-on adding a layer of structure intrinsic to every track. Pinnick’s bass shines on Lascivious, as do his accompanying vocals throughout. The trio does Cream proud on a hard-nosed cover of Sunshine of Your Love. Stand out for me of the lot: Hang On Big Brother is reminiscent of Gales’s prior work, a soulful bluesy track, with a meaningful message. All in all, this album is a true testament to the unwavering passion each member brings to the table. clive raWlinGS

PROFESSOR PORKCHOP AND THE DIRTY DISHES

u r my everythin G Independent

Professor Porkchop (aka Chris McCaa) and The Dirty Dishes from Shreveport, Louisiana play Swamp Blues like you’d expect. Porkchop’s voice brings to mind Randy Newman, and sometimes Dr John hovers sensuously in the misty mudswamp. Since the release of their CD Grits and Graveyards, they’ve branched out, finding markets outside Louisiana. The new CD contains eight original compositions, a stomping Louisiana piano and gravelly voice supplying that 100% genuine Swamp-Blues sound. UR My Everything atmospherically rocking love song with some nice organ breaks; Blame It on the Moon – a rockin piano piece; Move to New Orleans honky tonk piano with irony; Sprague Street Rag a catchy piano rag with some nice fingering; Early in the Morning matches sparkling piano with a hint of Jerry Lee Lewis; Junkie for Your Love has sleazy vocals matched with slide guitar and a touch of wah peddle, merging into wailing organ; Puerto Rican Hotel alters the mood with flute dueting with jazz guitar in a non-blues jam; Roll With My Baby is pure Dr John with sax and stomping piano; Knock Me a Kiss a tongue-incheek ‘lurve’ ballad with a classy Hammond B3 break. Can’t Stop Thinkin’ a Randy Newman sounding track, has laid back vocal and Hammond in sixties duet style; I’m Gone is the best track, having a

rock feel with skirling guitar and bass laying down a solid groove worthy of Captain Beefheart, and words to match. This CD debuted at #1 on the Louisiana Roots chart and at #42 on the Blues chart. listen to it and you'll see why... peter SimmonS

THE MIGHTY MOJOS

h ook line an D Sinker Independent

Ballymena based band band who operate at the heavier, no frills, end of the blues/rock spectrum with a thundering rhythm section, fiery slide guitar and a vocalist who growls and spits out the lyrics Opener White Lightning positively leaps out of the speakers and grabs you by the throat with a clattering drumbeat, thumping bassline and fierce slide guitar from David McClean with Alan Ward's husky vocals and wailing harmonica. Phew, that certainly grabs the listeners’ attention and they maintain that frantic pace with Hook Line And Sinker. Next up is a sturdy cover of that old Robert Johnson favourite Come On In My Kitchen which features a churning beat and a superb slide solo. A bassdrum riff introduces Devil In Disguise another heavy slice of visceral blues/rock with Ward howling like a banshee. This is great stuff which takes me back to hot sweaty nights in my local with plenty of enthusiastic beer soaked punters and a real sense of excitement, just don't look for too much subtlety in the music or lyrics. The material is mostly original with seven tracks from the band and four judiciously chosen covers. The pace drops for the country tinged Back To You which is almost melodic and features tasteful, even restrained, picking from McClean and a more relaxed vocal from Ward.

Cindylou swings along with a rockabilly feel and you can imagine this one filling the dance floor at the local hop as the boys stand around eyeing the girls and deciding who they are going to ask for the lastdance. Keb Mo’s Am I Wrong is nicely done and then we get the threatening declaration of intent and pleading that is I Want It All. Both Can't Be Satisfied and Don't You Lie

To Me were recorded live in front of an enthusiastic audience and I certainly think the Mighty Mojos would play up a storm at live gigs. The closing track is You Wouldn't Treat A Dog Like That with the whole band joining in on the shouted vocal refrain. This an album to blow the cobwebs away with the Mighty Mojos raw and dynamic approach to their music.

Dave Drury

VARIOUS ARTISTS

alive at the Deep Blue S Fe St alive Natural sound

Nicely packaged little compilation, 12 pages of colour pictures, but what details there are appear in typography so miniscule you need a magnifying glass. Even then, all we really know is that these seven acts appeared between June 21-July 1 at The Deep Blues Festival, Bayport MN. This isn’t your average blues album. These young acts are more at the heavy rock end of the scale, and there’s a roughness about the

ROBIN TROWER

r ootS an D Branche S manhaton records

recording quality which either detracts from the potential musicality, or adds something if you’re looking for a live vibe. The stand out tracks are by Radio Moscow (a name which may concern some Americans!). On Hold on Me and Little Eyes the metal Muscovites opt for some raucous, frantic wah wah guitar, which is reasonably exciting. Some of the treatment of the blues seems heavy handed and far too rocky, such as Left Hand Cruiser’s reading of Rambling on My Mind. There’s a touch of lyrical subtlety from the magnificently named Lee Bains III and The Glory Fires, with There is A Bomb In Gilead and The Red, Red Dirt of Home. Henry’s Funeral Shoe are not an act many might be familiar with, but they seem to hail from this side of the pond as their vocalist opens his set desperately asking the US crowd if they knew who Spike Milligan was. (They didn’t...) In the end though, if you’re going to opt for a 12 page colour booklet, then put some information in it – about the festival, where the bands came from, etc. I suppose to enjoy this you had to be there.

roy Bainton

Legendary guitarist Robin Trower has looked back to his roots and ultimately decided to present the waiting world with mixture of old gems and new trinkets; his first intention was to record a whole albums worth of classic material but after considerable reflection he felt that he could only do justice to the handful of numbers that are featured within the numbers found on this album. Although, the rest of them are new and original compositions they are a perfect complement to the classic numbers. Robin dismantled all the old classics and rebuilt and re-fashioned them into formats that he feels are happily, far from cliché and hackneyed re-treads. Overall the simple and stark arrangements achieve the tanginess of atmosphere that can be found in a late-night smoky club. where the blues and booze is mingling with light, wafting Jazz overtones. Paul Jones harp contributions on Hound Dog and That’s Alright Mama, deliciously melds with Robins’ oh so satisfying slow meandering and entwining string bending. The Thrill is Gone, is turned into a very mellow jazz tinged aching slowburner with Robin delicately teasing out the notes. The Shape of Things To Come,’ allows Robin to let his wandering psychedelic fingers to roam free, to the enjoyment and pleasure of all concerned. Two of the branches that are of some note are When I Heard Your Name and 10 Sheltered Moon, the former is a slow, hypnotically grooving shuffler with two subtly compelling encompassing and opposing guitar riffs. The latter is a Hendrix influenced wah-wah filled groover, with a nodding, burning set of riffs that are waiting and champing at the bit to be set free.

Brian harman

showtime!

the bm ! round–up of live blues

Blues In The CITy

various locations, chelmsford 27 – 30th september, 2012

After the success of ‘Blues in Town 2011’, ‘Blues in the City’ (changed to reflect Chelmsford’s new city status) was expanded to a four day event, taking in venues throughout the weekend.

The weekend commenced at the New Crawdaddy Blues Club and what a way to kick off. A double header

featuring the explosive talents of Roadhouse and Tim Aves’ Wolfpack. Roadhouse got the ball rolling and it was a real pleasure seeing Gary Boner back in action after his recent health scare. The opening number Rainmaker set their stall out with superb guitar playing from Danny Gwilym. Other highlights, Dark Angel and Roadhouse Blues which featured Nick Garner on harp. Wolfpack followed and put on a terrific display. Part Time Lover was

a sensation with Joel Fisk on guitar on fire. Other highlights included a superb version of Wang Dang Doodle before the first evening wound up with Smokestack Lightning coupled with Spoonful. A superb start to the festival.

Friday

Friday saw the Blues in the City move to the Hooga Bar in Chelmsford for the acoustic night. Although there was a fair turnover of people coming

jack bruce

photo: Nick GarNer

and going it was consistent enough to be packed. Happening Boy and Mike Rasmussen opened, an unlikely combo but very effective use of acoustic guitar and harmonica. These two are beginning to pick up a strong local following and it’s very well deserved. An act to look out for.

Jeremiah Marques and Laurie Garman plus Friends put in a terrific earthy set, Chicago Blues acoustically, superb. Richard Townend from the Mighty Boss Cats had to follow and with a mellow style, subtly changed the mood. With a vocal style in between Mark Knopfler and Chris Rea, Richard won the crowd over very easily and it was a shame he didn’t play for longer.

Mississippi MacDonald was up next with Rosco on Harp. I’m a big fan of Mississippi. This was a well-balanced set, featuring some very powerful

vocals particularly on Reefer and some fine attacking guitar. Rosco’s harp playing fitted like a glove. Catch Mississippi if you can. Give it up for Dove and Boweevil. A young pairing from Norwich with an outstanding debut album to their name, they were positively brilliant. Boweevil’s guitar playing is a revelation and Lauren Dove’s voice is something to die for. Friday night finished with Back Porch, a four piece highly entertaining band from Suffolk with Poison Your Tea and Steam Train, a couple of originals standing out. Featuring Mike Rushmore on vocals and assorted percussion, John Miller on guitar, Tony Lewis on 12 string guitar and Steve Graham on harp, these guys are upbeat and out for a great time. A fine way to finish the Friday and as an acoustic event, it was inspiring to watch six different acts

with six different styles put on a terrific night’s entertainment.

Saturday

Saturday was fringe day, with various pubs in Chelmsford putting on a number of acts from lunchtime through to late evening. Sadly, Ramon Goose had to pull out as he was involved in an accident travelling to his gig. Thankfully, he wasn’t hurt but his car was. Darren Jones played an entertaining set at the Cricketers to, unfortunately, a very small crowd, I missed the Wild Coyotes at the Woolpack as they clashed with John Campling’s excellent set at the Alehouse. Talking of excellent sets, Jamie Williams and the Roots Collective were on top form with their brand of Americana roots and blues. And

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roadhouse photo: Nick GarNer

back porch photo: Nick GarNer

dove & boweevil

photo: Nick GarNer

Marcus boNfaNti photo: Nick GarNer

lil’ iaN GoodsMaN photo: Nick GarNer

festivaLs

yes, Nick Garner played harp as well. A sprint to the Black Bull to catch part of the Emma Wilson Blues Band. I didn’t see too much but judging by the audience reaction, they were very well received. Sadly I missed Ian Goodsman at The Orange Tree, as I caught the Heaters at the Globe. The house band from the New Crawdaddy club never disappoint and this was obvious by the way they played well over their allotted time as the audience enjoyed them so much. Then back to a packed Black Bull for the highlight of the day, the Roy Mette Band. An outstanding set of Roy originals with an odd Rory Gallagher number thrown in for good measure.

Sunday

Sunday was the main event, hosted by Evoke, formerly the Chancellor

Halls. An all day event kicked off at one o’clock with an enjoyable set from Roy Greens Bluesboys. Next up, Blues Corporation, Nicky Moore’s penultimate gig with his band before handing it over to Nicky Junior and Timmy, and poignantly the highlight was a superb version of The Thrill Is Gone which really showed off Nicky’s incredible vocal range. During Nicky’s set an unexpected visitor arrived, one Andy Fraser, the former Free bassist. Fraser’s presence made the day of many a member of the audience as he chatted, signed autographs and posed for photos. Bill Liesegang was next up with special guest Jack Bruce and was probably the highlight of the day. Now this really was a coup. Bill was unable to put a band together, so Nick suggested Jack Bruce as Jack and Bill had played

together some years earlier. Initially, Jack’s band was suggested by Bill but this was a tall order at short notice. Nick then mentioned Bill to Jack and also drummer Barry Fitzgerald who knew Jack’s music very well. Within a couple of hours Jack Bruce was back in touch and agreed to do the event which was totally unrehearsed. For those who were there, the rest is history. Needless to say, ticket sales increased once it was known Jack was appearing and we were treated to 50 minutes of Cream material, Sitting On Top Of The World, White Room, Sunshine Of Your Love wonderful stuff. Not only did Jack play, he also brought a prized memento to be auctioned for the charity.

Following Jack and Bill was going to be tough, but Marcus Bonfanti rose to the occasion and played a storming solo acoustic set. Marcus’ star is on the rise and can only be enhanced by this performance. Fortunately the vast majority of the audience who had come to see Jack Bruce stayed for Marcus and really lapped up his performance. I can’t wait to see him again.

Up next, the Bare Bones Boogie Band, who lived up to their name with a highly entertaining set. This was the best I’ve seen them, with Midnight O2 the stand out number. More gigs like this and their reputation will surely be enhanced as well.

I have to confess to knowing nothing about the Saiichi Sugiyama Band but was very impressed. Rosco Levee was a revelation. A heady mixture of roots and blues provided the catalyst for possibly the performance of the day and the highlight for much of the audience who stayed.

Unfortunately, there were few of us left for Earl Green and the Right Time, who concluded the weekend with a fine soulful set which had those of us left up and dancing.

Blues in the City was once again a success with over £2,500 raised for the J’s Hospice. We have hopes for next year and to make Blues in the City a regular part of the blues calendar. All we need is the support of you.

Mike Lightfoot

earl GreeN & the riGht tiMe photo: Nick GarNer

sKeGness ROCK & Blues WeeKenD

Jaks stage

25th – 27th January, 2013

The crowds are drawn to Butlin’s for a weekend of wall-to-wall music, lots of fun and the friendly warmth of meeting up with friends and the delight of making new friends who share your love of live music. The variety on the three stages, spanning countless different styles within the Rock and Blues genres ensures that everyone will have a favourite and if you ask ten people for their favourite act you will probably get ten different answers!

This review picks out the highlights, the bands most commented about and some of the sessions were so packed it was impossible to move around in the Reds and Centre stages, so it will be a taster of the weekend that is now

a sell-out and proving to be a popular gathering place for a mix of people, the dedicated festival goer, and those who just love music and the Butlin’s Big weekend it is this mix that gives Skegness such a buzz.

The programme on the two stages are eclectic, whereas Jaks Bar, sponsored by Blues Matters!, was focussed on the blues. Some real hidden gems were showcased over the weekend.

Friday

First band up on the Jaks stage this year on Friday evening were The Mentulls – a three piece consisting of British Blues Award Nominee Andrew Pipe on vocals and guitar, his brother Jamie on keys (playing the bass parts) and Nick Coleman on drums. The set got off to a flying start with an amazing drum solo from 17 year old Nick, into a very tight

set leading us to believe the boys had been playing together for decades, but that’s just not possible considering that the combined age of the band is around 50! The boys played a mix of covers and self-penned material in the style of Jethro Tull with their own twist, a musical fusion of blues rock with a bit of prog thrown in for good measure! Their set was a great start to the weekend and set a high standard for the rest of the acts to follow.

The Mentulls are definitely a band to keep your eye on in the coming year, given the level of their musicianship at their tender age they are sure to go far!

Following on from the Mentulls was another guitar led trio, a solid chugging Blues rock three piece, a quick check on the bands and artistes to follow saw that power trios were not the theme of

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jo harMaN photo: sarah reeve

the MeNtulls photo: sarah reeve

dave MiGdeN photo: sarah reeve

festivaLs

the weekend in Jaks, thankfully. That said the set produced by Absolution was solid with some delightful guitar licks from Joe Fawcett who also delivered strong vocals, for me, their version of ‘Born Under a Bad Sign’ was the highlight of a tight set consisting mainly of well-known covers done very well. A great start to the weekend with two bands delivering the blues. To close the Friday night session the night owls were entertained by Roy Mette after delighting us with his solo performance last year he returned to Jaks with his band, with Jaks as ever filled up to bursting as the main stages closed. His set was authentic electric blues played with aplomb, the majority of the set comprised of self-penned songs of the highest class delivered by a man who can play guitar. The great funky, bluesy rhythms being produced certainly got the bar humming and dancing with delight. A very solid rhythm section gave Roy the freedom to express himself on his six strings and played on until the early hours of Saturday morning arrived and the last chord was played to a happy satisfied crowd on the first night of Skeggy weekend.

Saturday afternoon, as ever, started off in the safe hands of the Roadhouse team. After opening with a taste of tracks from their new album, Gary Boner organised the renowned afternoon jam session, which gives all comers the chance to perform in a mix of styles, collaborations and with varying degrees of success! Noteworthy again were Alex Butler with the addition of the singer from his band Red Butler, young Jane whose voice and presentation go far beyond her tender years and promise some very exciting things to come.

Following the jam, something completely different – and David Migden and the Dirty Words were certainly that! A collective of five extremely talented and versatile individuals who have come together to play as a whole along with the usual instruments and some unusual additions – namely trumpet, trombone and, erm, a megaphone!

In my opinion these fellas gave

one of the best performances of the weekend in Jaks bar – the hangout of the Blues Matters team – and the crowd were unusually quiet during the performance showing that playing blues that strayed slightly from the eight bar tradition was a sure way of grabbing our attention from the outset. Fresh from their heat win of The New Brunswick Battle of the Blues in Brighton the night before, we were treated to an eclectic set combining pure blues with, blues rock, Americana, funky Jazz and strangely enough some Mariachi the latter of which had people up on the dance floor! Most of the tracks played could be found on their latest album release Killing It which was for sale after the gig and garnered the longest queue for merchandise that I saw all weekend.

So if you’re adventurous in your blues listening get the album for yourselves or failing that get yourself along to one of their gigs and take it from this eclectic loving reviewer - you won’t be disappointed!

Congratulations, Blues Matters and Jaks for putting on the first woman performer of the weekend even if it was at the midnight hour on Saturday night. Andrea Jones lead singer and diva of Rythmn Zoo sang a powerful set with emotions displayed through her voice which can be sexy, sad, sultry and fiery depending on the requirements of the song this lady has a fine set of lungs. Rhythm Zoo have found themselves two gems Pete Betts (bass) and Phil Dean (guitar) who have recently joined Dermot Hall (Drums) and Andrea Jones (Vocal) resulting in a tight band that oozes class. Jaks rocked to their vibes and the atmosphere was hot. The whole band coped with having buckets strategically placed on the stage to catch the water leaking through the ceiling which resulted in the guitarist having to stand further away from his band mates than normal. For many the touching tribute made by Andrea to the late much loved and missed Maggie Ross who dedicated the song that Maggie made her own I Just Wanna make Love To You in her memory.

Andy Twyman starts the day on

Sunday. Again Jaks was breaking the mould with this talented one-man band who opened the traditional Jaks Sunday afternoon chilled acoustic session. Andy performed a mixture of self-penned and standard numbers. There was a common theme in his own work ‘food’ or poultry’! I Ate Pot Noodle With a Plastic Fork’ was witty and reflected modernity of living for many in the fast twenty-first century; he combined this with some classics which included a very pleasant acoustic take on Cole Porter’s Summertime; Elmore James’, T.V. Mama and Skip James’; Hard Time Killing Floor Blues, this was just the laid back start the Jaks audience wanted as they recovered from late nights/early mornings. Next to take the stage was the songbird from Burnley, Lucy Zirins, who with her ready smile, charismatic charm and kind words is a pleasure to listen too every time. As she took to the stage I am sure she never thought she would be upstaged by a cat – aka a man dressed in a tiger wonsie – who got scared when she asked for audience participation during Red Rooster and the crowd were asked to bark and howl. Lucy with the stage craft of a veteran asked poor kitty to sit with her she would look after him, this he did and conducted the audience. What a pleasure, the music produced by Lucy has a special magic that is more than just talent, The guitar and voice meld into a harmonious outpouring of music. She has a tale for every song and Lullaby was especially sweet and In Tall Buildings that showcased her stunning voice and guitar skills. This was a highlight act of the weekend, looking forward to the CD due out Spring 2013.

The Jaks crowd were given a rare treat in the form of Jo Harman’s acoustic set. Accompanied by Mike Davies on keys and guitar she proceeded to hypnotise the audience with her soulful and heartfelt set, of mainly self-penned songs. Jo is one of the few performers around these days who will go the extra mile to let you hear each word she sings, and it became apparent that her own songs were about various experiences in her own life. My favourite song of her set was Fragile, a

song written by James Maddock which after being given the ‘Harman’ treatment made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, and brought more than one tear to my eye! As I mentioned before, most of the other songs in the set were Jo’s own work including Sweet Man Moses (which was nominated for the British Blues Awards Best Original Song) Amnesty and Worthy of Love and were not necessarily meant to be performed acoustically, so it was a great credit to Jo and Mike’s musical ability to produce one of the best sets of the weekend when in fact they were playing blind!

Towards the end of the set, Jo invited Alex Butler (lead guitarist with Red Butler) onto the stage for a quick jam to Feeling Alright and they were rewarded with enthusiastic applause and cheering! It feels to me that 2013 is going to be Jo’s year, so if you can get to see her then do, just so that you can say you were there at the start of what will be a very successful career.

Roadhouse exploded onto the stage to open the evening session and delighted the crowd as ever with their set, this year introducing material from their forth-coming new CD. They have a style all their own but each time I see the band, the team of vocalists changes slightly without diminishing the quality of their work, which is some achievement. But I do wish the girls would get a choreographer and co-ordinate their moves – it’s often a bit hard to know where to look and not a little distracting! That said, the Jaks punters adore them and that is really all that matters! Robin Bibi and his band was the penultimate band of the weekend. So much has been said about Robin and his knack of getting an audience going, this time was no exception. When will the promoters on the other stages realise that putting the likes of Dr Feelgood on a main stage at the same time as the quality on the BM! stage is an error? It’s not a competition, but having said that. To finish the weekend we had The Keith Thompson Band, yet another power trio! I have to be honest and say that prior to this weekend, I had not heard

of them and that they are allegedly ‘big’ in Europe. To me, they were distinctly average and could not understand why they were given the prime spot, being as the other stages had finished, on the strength of a Live In Europe CD. A missed opportunity methinks, to exploit the last minutes of this great festival with a bigger headliner on the Jaks stage. Another brilliant festival... well done to all the BM! team of DJs, MCs, photographers and writers. Book early for next year!

Reviews by, Liz

r ed and c entre stages 25th – 27th January, 2013

On the Main and Reds Stages the blues/blues rock acts have to be sought out in between rock and prog rock acts, but the hunt is worth it when you find the fine musicianship showcased on the fantastic shows at Butlins.

Friday

The first act on Friday was solid blues played with confidence and aplomb by the Trevor Burton Band, an enjoyable smile inducing set of blues standards that showcased Trevor’s impeccable credentials as a guitar player and certainly you want to get your dancing shoes on and this was the first and probably not the last time we would hear Freddie Kings, Down, Down, Down.

Then like dynamite Eddie and The Hot Rods appeared, this band of veteran pub rockers know how to entertain to a packed house they rocked the night away with all their favourites, and the crowds loved it with the dancers dancing and everyone’s feet tapping away. As ever a very energetic set and they had the crowds eating out of their hands with pure pleasure.

The rest of Friday was an interesting mix that many did enjoy of Mothership – a young heavy rock outfit, reminiscent of early Black Sabbath; John Coughlan’s Quo, consisting of a series of Quo covers – the crowd enjoyment created a great atmosphere and many saw this act as a highlight of the evening’s entertainment!

Focus, was a sad shell of the old prog rock band and disappointed many who had hoped to relive their youthful memories but these were dashed by the set despite the inclusion of Focus classics including House of the King. With the late night/early morning show in Jaks we were royally entertained by Roy Mette and his band.

Saturday

Saturday afternoon the blues fans were entertained on the Centre stage by Laurence Jones Band; performing on the big stage came naturally to this

Aiken, sARAh Reeve, bARbARA k And CLive RAwLings

the trevor burtoN baNd photo: liz aikeN

festivaLs

young talented band, fresh from winning a regional heat of New Brunswick Battle of The Bands; and from this performance they must be serious contenders to win and make the trip to this Canadian Blues Festival. They certainly blew-away any lingering disappointment regarding the line-up on the main stages on the previous evening with some really good blues with a funky edge, and Laurence has a good stage presence ensuring the audience warm to him and the band. This was quality musicianship with the drums leading a rear guard action and adding textures and backing vocals with the bass reinforcing the rhythm section giving Laurence the perfect sounding board for showcasing his guitar skills and accomplished vocals. The majority of the set was self-penned and the sales of CDs at the end confirmed this band was thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated by the crowd, many catching up with this

new talent for the very first time.

Clashing with this act on Reds was Billy Walton Band from U.S.A. Delivering a funky blues style with plenty of meat to beef it up. The set was strong with the drummer providing a solid second-line style. Billy Walton is a stylish musician with loads of warm personality that the audience appreciated as they delivered a rip-roaring set that the people would have been happy if they played on and on but the set all too quickly came to a close. Hundred Seventy Split were eagerly awaited by many Ten Year After fans on centre stage, and they did not disappoint Leo Lyons as ever the charismatic powerhouse on the bass providing a perfect foil for Joe Gooch on guitar. This was a class act that excited the audience who were delighted to hear new numbers, this was a new band with fresh material, The World Won’t Stop, title track of the CD was a great

introduction to the band

Next up were the Mitch Laddie Band, with a display of powerful guitar, his band is definitely at the rocky end of the blues and is another trio lead by a fast playing guitarist. What makes Mitch stand out from the crowd was a real in-your-face hard edge and the whole band is really tight and the guitar breaks do not go on for so long that tedium sets in! This band is further evidence that the Blues/Blues Rock scene in Britain has a bright future with this young guitarist who is heavily influenced by Texan guitarist Eric Johnson and the highlight of the set was a charming and clever self-penned tribute to Eric; Mr Johnson re-Visited, definitely a band to look out for and go and listen live at a festival or gigging venue near you.

Slack Alice; provided an entertaining but predictable set at Skegness, with their rocking blues style.

virGil aNd the accelerators

photo: liz aikeN

the blues baNd photo: liz aikeN

huNdred seveNty split photo: liz aikeN

This year the set included some tracks from their latest CD; and they certainly had the longest Bass solo, with Alan Sagar demonstrating in a complex, entertaining break that the bass guitar is not just part of the background.

The energy was provided by Virgil and The Accelerators, who produced a crowd pleasing set, Virgil, as usual produced lots of powerful solo’s and intelligent use of the whole guitar. This band was returning to Skegness after impressing last year and were definitely popular but the lead breaks are getting longer and longer. This is a hardworking, talented band and the crowds absolutely loved it. The Accelerators are the type of band many come to see at Butlins; noisy, energetic entertainment with machismo and guitar-led bands. Again the music continued into the early hours with Jaks late night session, seeing the first female performer of the weekend, Andi Jones fronting Rhythm Zoo

Sunday

Sunday started with a class blues act on Reds with the arrival of The Stumble – another popular Skegness act and for many the highlight of the weekend, not surprising as the set was delivered with verve and style as they performed crowd pleasing blues. Paul, the lead man and vocalist wooed the crowd getting them stomping the afternoon away despite the array of hangovers and tiredness from two days of fun and music. This is a band not to be missed, with a set comprising of well-known and expected songs such as Bus Stop and tracks from their latest CD ‘Lie Baby’. The set was a walk through the blues invoking the spirit of Chicago through to rockabilly swing, the set delivered blues with a swagger. Next up, the return of Skegness regulars Gary Fletcher and Dave Kelly performing separate solo acoustic sets on the centre stage that definitely pleased the audience with this early Sunday afternoon quieter paced acts delivering exactly what was expected. This was followed by the third Blues act, is this scheduling of Blues on a Sunday due to the fact that the rockers can’t get up!.

Blue Swampis a re-vamping of the popular duo of Bowden & Williamson, both firm favourites at Skegness with the addition of a rhythm section, Colin Seymou and Jim Mosley which. Jumper on the Line, was particularly good with John ‘Guitar’ Williamson showcasing his great slide guitar technique. They also introduced new numbers to this well-practised set, such as, Stumble and Fall. Then the fourth Blues set and the first female performer on the main stages – come on Skegness modernise your selection process!

The Erja Lyytinen Band, hail from Finland and bring the combination of youth and talent and a new act to the weekend. Erja has a distinctive voice and is a skilful slide guitarist, adding glitter and style to the proceedings and delighting the audience with her music. The band was a complete unit with fantastic support from rhythm guitar, bass and drums. The set sold her CD’s especially the latest and the self-penned tracks gave the set a mature mix of styles and tempo that kept the punters very happy.

Following Erja was (for many) the highlight of the weekend. Rory Gallagher fans poued into the venue to see Band of Friends. Ex-Gallagher bassist Gerry McAvoy and band are not seen as a tribute band, but a celebration of the music of Rory. They are close to the original sound – loads of energy and real crowd pleasers. Will B.o.F. be added to the list of Skegness regulars? Let’s hope so!

Colin Blunstone on the main stage was a journey down memory lane – they pumped out all of Colin Blunstone’s classics, and he can still sing, he was supported by some great musicians: guitarist Tom Toomey generated an excellent sound platform for Colin’s vocals.

The evening saw more Blues with a mix of Skegness regulars including The Blues Band, who delivered a strong set with the Main Stage packed, this was proper Blues delivered with style and panache but there were no surprises everything was predictable. Reds stage introduced a new act for Skegness –

thiS event delivered a bolder, more imaginative, line-up

the Henrik Freischlader Band. A great blues performer, delivering a varied set with some powerful high-octane numbers delivered by Henrik, never over-indulgent, full of emotional energy. We got a really meaty version of the Beatles number Come Together. Sunday concluded with a packed house on the Main Stage and some ever-popular Skegness regulars. Fans pouring into the venue creating a crush and raised the temperature to tropical levels, with The Animals and Friends, (Stax legend Steve Cropper in tow) were back on Centre stage for another year. The audience was delighted and needed no asking as they willingly belted out the chorus to Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood. The line-up may have changed over the years (no doubt Eric Burdon is missed). but no-one can argue they are a popular act at Skegness as they play sing-a-long favourites such as Boom Boom and We Got to Get Out of This Place

A sound still relevant today. Dr Feelgood gave the crowds what they wanted at the end of a long weekend, with crowd participation an integral part of their set. The Feelgoods played many much-loved songs from their classic Lee Brilleaux era; including Back In The Night and Milk and Alcohol. Tonight they did not disappoint as they delivered their trademark high energy performance.

Admittedly some acts were a disappointment over the weekend, but this event delivered a bolder, more imaginative, line-up than ever –most of which could be found at Jaks Bar. The numbers flocking to see the event’s regulars cannot be argued with.

Liz Aiken

dove & boWeevil band

Walnut tree s hades, n orWich saturday 6th January, 2013

Vocalist Lauren Dove and guitarist Mark Howes, aka Bo, have been performing together as a blues duo for around four years now. They first met when they both played in a now defunct funk band. As a duo they have built up quite a following across the U.K. with some level of success and a number of prestigious support slots, but have recently taken the decision to form the Dove & Boweevil Band, by adding drums, bass and Hammond organ. I took the opportunity to catch up with them at a recent gig.

As a duo the sound was very much deep southern blues but with the added twist of Laurens soaring vocals. The addition of Luke Kerry and Paul Weston on bass and drums, and especially the keyboard sounds

generated by Andy Cooper widens the palette considerably, think classic 60’s Delaney & Bonnie, Joe Cocker and Graham Bond Organisation. Lauren is very much centre stage with great presence and a wonderful vocal range (she also sings in a gospel choir), added to which is real feel and experience gained by spending the best part of a year exploring the musical hotbeds of USA and performing with the best local artistes, including a prize winning show at the famous Eddies in Atlanta. This is definitely no one woman show though, Marks guitar playing shows depth and maturity whether it’s a Hill Country blues stomper or more controlled Little Feat funkiness. He plays with a subtlety and softness of touch rare among younger blues guitarists who too often rely on speed and volume to impress.

These are no slouches in the song writing stakes either. Second

set opener Lady Lavoo, about Marie Lavaux, the original witch queen of New Orleans holds the audience spellbound and the closer Bourbon Street was a BBA best song nominee. Other highlights for me were Red Eye Fly and Getting Somewhere. These are highly recommended to see live and I’m sure are a band we’ll be hearing a lot more of in the not too distant future. A full band ep. can be purchased at gigs and the debut duo album Getting Somewhere is available direct from www.doveandboweevil.co.uk steve youRgLivCh

photo: richard shashMaNe

babaJacK

Borough Blues cluB, PontPool october 6th, 2012

Babajack tonight where in duo format with Becky Tate (vocals and percussion) and Trevor Steger (guitars), as ever they bought their own distinctive excitement to the stage. There’s usually an amusing and relevant story behind their selfpenned numbers these where told with warmth and wit by Becky making the act so much more that a string of brilliantly delivered numbers. As ever Becky’s strong and haunting vocals are complemented by Trevor’s rugged rhythm (slide/wine box guitars and his rustic emotive backing vocals creating an unique sound, that is Babajack. The set included some great cover’s given the Babajack treatment that brings the blues back to its rootsy beginnings including Son House’s, Death Letter Blues and Leadbelly’s Gallows Pole The mix of tunes created a strong set which showcased there mix of percussion curtsey of award winning Becky on African Drum and Cahon and Trevor on his acoustic self-built wine-box guitars as showcased with their own tunes including a great song once the hangover has diminished suitable named Sunday Afternoon and title track from their latest Album Rooster that is the ideal vehicle for Trevor’s sublime guitar playing. Throughout the the evening Becky demonstrated why she won the British Blues Award 2012 award for Instrumentalist. This was another evening of musical success at this great blues club bringing tip top music to the valleys.

Liz Aiken

Joanne ShaW taylor assemBly rooms, derBy 10th october, 2012

Opening another great RAW Promotions evening was Ron Sayer Jnr who charmed the audience with witty comments during an entertaining set, playing meaty licks on his Les Paul. This warm up set was a delightful mix of blues, slow numbers and some funk no wonder he is becoming a firm favourite on the blues circuit. It was certainly an accomplished warm up

act that definitely pleased the crowds waiting for the main act of the evening. Joanne Shaw Taylor strode onto the stage full of confidence gained from touring the USA and definitely bought some glitz and glamour to the stage, tonight her band included Jules Grudgings on keys to bring a further depth of tone to the sound. Joanne continued the Gibson theme sporting a couple of Les Paul’s herself. She wasted no time at all, immediately going off into a silky, slick guitar solo that set the tone for the rest of the evening. The set was definitely rocky blues, a distinctive niche that Joanne has carved out for herself within the genre. The performance was confident, elegant and definitely authoritative she was in charge tonight shaping each number to be hers a true woman in black playing the blues to please the crowds. Each number included a solo of the highest technical ability showcasing Joanne’s great guitar playing prowess, her lack of vocal clarity is the only chink in this girls powerful musical armoury as she wooed the crowds as she played an intelligent set of which the highlight was the Jealousyfrom her latest album Almost Always Never. The biggest cheer of the evening was for a brilliant version of Jimi Hendrix’s Manic Depression to cap a great evening and now she is based in the USA it really is a case of catching her whenever she graces our shores for a masterclass in guitar playing.

Liz Aiken

michael meSSer and ed geniS

West end cluB, Barry 12th october, 2012

Local guitarist Pete Mathison opened the evening with a selection of acoustic blues numbers, warmin up the crowd nicely with selections from Jimmy Reed, Robert Johnson etc. Michael Messer and Ed Genis were real crowd pleasers to another packed house at another Mike Duggan evening Mike really pulls out the stops to get the best acoustic artists to Barry on a regular basis. The evening was a real tour guide to bottleneck blues including the traditional Rollin’ &

michael truly made the guitar Weep in an emotional tribute

Tumblin opening the evening and setting the standard very high. Diving Duck was delivered as you have never heard before with his own take on this number with Ed providing intriguing Mandolin sound from his guitar, a great rendition with Michael showcasing his subtle, silky slide guitar skills and Ed adding beautiful rhythm guitar giving this acoustic set a depth and contrasting tones which is often missing.The Lap Steel Resonator was delivered to the highest level in Shouldn’t Do That, which bought a Hawaiian sound to the evening. Then on to bluegrass, with Rolling In My Sweet Baby Arms. Blueletters’, which featured an electric slide. Michael truly made the guitar weep in an emotional tribute to his dear friend Louisiana Red (who sadly left us earlier this year.) Michael and Ed were in perfect harmony throughout. as they delivered the true acoustic sound with all the guitars being amplified by microphones the only exception was when he used his electro acoustic guitar. This was an evening walking with the blues including the greats such as Son House, Oscar Woods and a tribute to Robert Johnson Robert Johnson’s Wake on electric slide. As the evening drew to a close the crowds cheered and demanded more this he delivered with an encore including instrumental Steel Guitar Rag. The audience definitely want to hear this duo again and soon.

Liz Aiken

Simon mcbride guildhall, gloucester 15th november, 2012

Support was provided by fellow Northern Irishman, Gareth Dunlop who played

concerts

dave thomaS band the maddermarket, n orWich saturday 8th february, 2013

Dave Thomas has been playing blues in front of enthusiastic audiences since he was twelve years old around 1963. He fronted the famous Blonde On Blonde during the psychedelic era and one of Londons foremost blues bands The Diplomatics in the mid-70’s. He has played all over the world with many famous blues artists. Therefore it should come as no surprise that his playing technique is masterful. Opening the first set with It Must Have Been The Devil it was soon obvious that here is a man who understands the real blues of the 50s and 60s. No unnecessary frills or fillups, just pure blues depth and power. Dave has surrounded himself with an excellent band, bassist Joe Bernard is an animated player who clearly feels every note the band play down to his core, Rick Hudson on drums and Hugh Birkenhead provide brilliant support and excel when they get the chance to solo, but special mention must go to the superb sax playing of Phil Marshall throughout.

Dave is no slouch as a vocalist either, his strong singing a contrast with his gentle chat between some numbers. Other first set highlights include Bus Driver Blues and Sweet Black Angel

The second set opens with Dave solo on acoustic for a couple of numbers, Corina Corina and an astonishing version of It Just Don’t Matter Anymore, the old Buddy Holly hit. Dave recorded his version on a solo album, Coldharbour that led to him being requested by Paul McCartney to perform it for him at his birthday party. Is there a higher recommendation?

Joined again by the band second set highlights include Robert Crays Phone Booth, Sassy Mae and Driftin’ and Driftin’. What was especially enjoyable throughout was the way the whole band had space to perform and be heard, they are all top class, but make no mistake, this is Daves band and he leads them with a quick glance or subtle gesture all the way home to the finishing line. As I said simply masterful.

steve youRgLivCh

an accomplished acoustic set delivered by his powerful voice and comprising of self-penned songs with strong lyrics including Home To Me, which Simon has nicked from him providing an insight into the quality that was coming up. Now after the warm up act came a blistering set of high octane class rock-blues, a real contrast to Gareth, there is no doubting the sheer brilliance of Simon’s talent on guitar when combined with a voice that would never allow the guitar to dominate. The rhythm section comprising of Paul Hamilton (drums) and Carl Harvey (bass) were the perfect foil so that the beautiful guitar work shone through in all its glory that makes a rock guitarist so exciting to watch and listen to. The whole set was an impressive selection of songs new, old and the odd cover with various tempos and included, Down To The River and innovative use of effects in Alcatraz, Far Away and slide version of Take My Hand. While the band took a break Simon demonstrated his depth of talents by hanging up the electric and delivering a short Acoustic interlude, which included Devils Road in its original form as he wrote it acoustic and recorded electric! With the return of the band the tempo went up again with a selection of songs, the title track of his latest album Crossing The Line an unusual Hendrix cover was given the McBride treatment, Spanish Castle Magic. The high level of musicianship pleased the crowds the only spoiler was the auditorium was laid out cabaret-style with tables and chairs this should have definitely been a standing gig then the audience would have felt less restrained and really rocked the night away.

Liz Aiken

the churchFitterS

Wade street church, lichfield January 30th, 2013

With more instruments on stage than the average Orchestra, the musically adventurous, and experimental folk four-piece the Church-fitters entertained a near capacity audience with their own songs, and well-chosen covers of famous songs from the folk and traditional idioms.

The band, led by brother and sister Rosie and Chris Short, on a wide range of instruments, and a strong rhythm section of New Model Army alumnus Nelson on Drums and Percussion, and bassist and instrument maker Boris Lebret on a further range of instruments, and with all four members providing harmony and lead vocals, this was a night of musical invention that many bands could not manage.

The set ranged from their own spirited instrumentals, such as the fiddle led Hammer it flat, to a funk based piece that included a wah wah basszouki (a self made instrument, that combined the deep bass sound of a traditional electric bass, and sympathetic strings which allowed it to be played as a chordal instrument) that included Booker T and the MG’s Soul Limbo in the coda.

marcuS bonFanti the g lo B e, hay-on-Wye 8th february, 2013

Marcus provided the audience with a strong set that showcased his guitar skills and introduced us to tracks from previous recordings and the much awaited new album due Spring 2013, including many favourites. He started on his Galaxy acoustic guitar with Devil Girl, followed quickly on by a track from his forthcoming CD, Blind Alley; there is no doubt this prodigious talent is growing with stronger lyrics combined with powerful guitar, revealing the true real heart and soul of Marcus, with that distinctive mix of sweet and sour, summed up in the line ‘little sip bitter wine’. With a deft guitar change and relaxed interchange with an audience that had instantly warmed to this young man of the blues with his friendly open style; he launched into Jezebel on his Telecaster, this change of tempo and style is what makes his solo act so vibrant fresh and live, using the great acoustics in this converted Chapel to his advantage; he made the guitar zing and his voice soar in perfect harmony as they reverberated throughout the building with warmth

Many of the songs contained story telling narrative, such as The Green Children which told the story of some strange foundlings on the Suffolk/Norfolk border, and illustrated the haunting tale of the story with a solo from Chris Short on Musical Saw. They tackled the traditional The Little Drummer boy with some vigour, and this song featured unison violin and saxophone motif’s, and beat-box percussion. The haunting folk songs continued with Bleeding Heart yard which was a murder ballad, whilst Amazing was a pure pop song with deeper sensibilities. The first half closed with the wobble board, ukulele, and audience participation of Turning of the tide. As well as the bass, and Ukulele’s made from saucepans, and the

and depth. Marcus always entertains with his musicality, friendly interaction with the audience with songs that included Honey; Hard Times with such relevant lyrics for now mixed in with some gospel for good measure demonstrating his great versatility. The Girl I Knew was including in his repertoire for this tour, and Bittersweet, that won Marcus the British Blues Award, Songwriter of the Year 2012; the tempo changed again as he introduced another two new songs, My Baby Don’t Dance showing his skills with slide guitar Bang of a Gun, like many of his songs the title drives the song and captures the tempo. The evening all to quickly came to an end with Give Me your Cash which had been showcased by Paul Jones when promoting this eagerly awaited solo tour. Of course this wasn’t the last as an encore followed as light follows day with the poignantly wistful song Sweet Louise. Marcus certainly won new fans tonight.To sum up the gig in one one word ‘powerful’ in a sentence; charismatic powerhouse mesmerising the audience with his entertaining modern British acoustic blues.

Liz Aiken

Basszouki made from the hubcaps of a Mercedez Benz, a further instrument, invented by the group, the Bing Bong Machine added a dance like ambience to some of the songs, whilst the Musical saw was reprised for ‘The Silence Fell’. The solemn mood created by this song was soon changed by the group’s reading of ‘South Australia’ another radically reworked well known Sea Shanty, that allowed for spirited audience participation, and some strong drums and bass. A number of other instrumentals were played, with each group member demonstrating their versatility with the number of instruments on the stage. An encore of Sing for our time on earth was a further demonstration of the group’s talent.

ben MACnAiR

Blues TOp 50