Blues Matters 59

BLUES MATTERS!

“The

GREGG ALLMAN

Gary Moore

Deborah Bonham

BLUES MATTERS! EDITORIAL

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EDITORIAL team

Alan King / Geraint Morgan: editor@bluesmatters.com

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Contributing writers:

Liz Aiken, Roy Bainton, Andrew Baldwin, Adam Bates, Duncan Beattie, Adrian Blacklee, Bob Bonsey, Carol Borrington, Bob Chaffey, Norman Darwen, Dave Drury, Jamie Hailstone, Beryl Hankin, Stuart A. Hamilton, Nat Harrap, Brian Harman, Alan Harvey, Gareth Hayes, Steve Hoare, John Hurd, Billy Hutchinson, Candye Kane, Peter Innes, Duncan

Jameson, Brian Kramer, Geoff Marston, Ben MacNiar, Vicky Martin, Martin McKeown, Martin ‘Noggin’ Norris, Merv Osborne, Mike Owens, Frankie Pfeiffer, Thomas Rankin, Clive Rawlings, Paromita Saha, Graeme Scott, Dave Scott, Andy Snipper, Richard Thomas, Bob Tipler, Tom Walker, Kevin Wharton, Rhys Williams, Philip Woodford.

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Christine Moore, Liz Aiken, Annie Goodman, Vicky Martin, Paul Webster, others credited on page

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© 2011 Blues Matters!

J.Pearce t/a Blues Matters. Original material in this magazine is © the authors. Reproduction may only be made with prior consent of the Editor and provided that acknowledgement is given of the source and copy is sent to the editorial address. Care is taken to ensure that the contents of this magazine are accurate but the publishers do not accept any responsibility for errors that may occur or views expressed editorially. All rights reserved. No parts of this magazine may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying recording or otherwise without prior permission of the editor. Submissions: Readers are invited to submit articles, letters and photographs for publication. The publishers reserve the right to amend any submissions and cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage. Please note: Once submitted material becomes the intellectual property of Blues Matters and can only later be withdrawn from publication at the expediency of Blues Matters. Advertisements: Whilst responsible care is taken in accepting advertisements if in doubt readers should make their own enquiries. The publisher cannot accept any responsibility for any resulting unsatisfactory transactions, nor shall they be liable for any loss or damage to any person acting on information contained in this publication. We will however investigate complaints.

What a cracker we have for you again. The legend that is Gregg Allman, looked at us and we said come on in and let’s talk so he sat down with Paromita Saha. You can read all about it in this very issue. Deborah Bonham took time out of the studio from recording a new album to chat with us. We were also privileged to talk to the great PP Arnold on her life in music then move on from the lady who started out with Tina. We’ve got slingers in the re-emerging Clare Free plus Matt Schoffield, the swing of King Pleasure, the long blowin’ harpist John O’Leary, the Brit. stalwart that is Norman Beaker. Then there’s Giles Robsons’ Dirty Aces (recently played on BBC radio 2), the UK act that tour mostly in Europe as Keith Thompson Band, and the all round talent that is Bob Corritore from USA who talked to Billy Hutchinson for us. Quite a wide and varied line-up as you may have come to expect from BM.

We also have three tribute pieces in this issue. Firstly, a smashing piece on Robert Johnson (Pt.1) in this the 70th anniversary of his passing through the Crossroads. Secondly, as you may all be aware, Gary Moore passed away a few weeks ago which was a shock to everyone who loved Gary and his music, so tributes to Robert and Gary. Plus we have Scandinavian legend Jenny Bohman, and so much more with a few extra pages this issue only.

Another Butlins, Rock & Blues has passed by and the ‘JAKS’ Blues Matters Stage was a huge success once again. Friday was packed, you literally could not move in the venue. This was the same story for Saturday and Sunday afternoon. We would like to thank all the bands that made this possible and hope those of you who attended enjoyed yourselves. It truly was a spectacular weekend all around with Blues on Centre stage and Rock in Reds which all went well. There were a lot of comments and requests asking if Jaks could be open on Sunday night as well as everyone enjoyed it so much. Well that is not up to us but if you contact Butlins and let them know you want more in Jaks then that will help them to realise you want more. (or drop us an e-mail so we can add you to a list to let them know after all it is you all that pay to be there and they do want to know what you are looking for.

A few things of note:-

*Richard Thomas series features for us will be held over to the next issue – ‘BLUES - ALIVE OR DEAD? A LIVING ART FORM OR MUSIC FOR THE MUSEUM’

*Also our Cajun/Zydeco introduction is delayed from this issue as Bob has been busy organising the Fat Tuesday Festival in Brighton so you’ll have to wait to BM60 to read that one.

Alan & Geraint

and of course all the BM ‘team’

BLUES MATTERS is sponsored by Harcourt Colour Print

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Dont forget your feedback to us :editor@bluesmatters.com

Regulars Features

8 TOP TEN

Sam Hare’s top 10

10 FEEDBACK

Find out news on the scene

12 HAPPENIN NEWS

Lots of Blues News

94 CD REVIEWS

Over 70 reviews

122 GOT LIVE

Imelda May, Joe Bonamassa, Black Country Communion, Dani Wilde Band, Ben Poole, The Producers, Dana Fuchs, Ainslies Vibes, Dago Red, Geoff Achison, Mama Rosin.

22 INTERVIEWS

Gregg Allman, Matt Schofield, John O’Leary, The Dirty Aces, Bob Corritore, Clare Free Band, Deborah Bonham, Keith Thompson Band, King Pleasure and The Biscuit Boy, Norman Beaker, PP Arnold.

80 FESTIVAL FEVER

Skegness Rock and Blues.

84 FEATURES

84. Harvest Jazz & Blue.

88. The Blues in Canada.

130. Alexis Korner.

131. Jenny Bohman.

132. Blues Decay.

134. Blues Jive Anyone.

136. Robert Johnson.

138. Gary Moore.

140. Northern Fried Blues

78 CD REVIEWS

GREGG ALLMAN, DAN WILDE. HENRIK FREISCHLADER, CHRIS FARLOWE, ZOOT MONEY, BILL WYMAN’S RHYTHM KINGS, THE GRAHAM BOND ORGANISATION, JOE LOUIS WALKER’S BLUES CONSPIRACY, KING PLEASURE & THE BISCUIT BOYS, RUFUS THOMAS, KING KING , THE ANIMALS, FREEMAN DRE & THE KITCHEN PARTY, RUTH BROWN, HOWLIN’ WOLF, BOO BOO DAVIS, EARL GREY & THE LOOSE LEAVES, JUNIOR WELLS AND THE ACES , JOHN PRIMER, LUCKY PETERSON, JEZ

HALL, JOE BONAMASSA, KETE BOWERS, LITTLE JOHN GUELFI & THE BLUES TRAIN, PERCY MAYFIELD, LOS FABULOCOS FEATURING KID RAMOS, MISS QUINCY, PEARL HANDLED REVOLVER, QUEEN EMILY, SLIM LIGHTFOOT & THE SOUTHDOWNERS, SAM HARE, SWAMP VOODOO, THE DELTA WIRES, TOMISLAV “LITTLE PIGEON” GOLUBAN, ZED MITCHELL, WILLIE McBLIND, VIVONE, BLUES BUSINESS, RICH DEL GROSSO & JONN DEL TORO RICHARDSON, SAM HARE, SS&ST, CASSIE TAYLOR.

Cover feature

Gregg Allman- Best known as a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band. He was inducted with the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, and personally received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2006.

Giles Robson

DeborahBonham

Clare Free

Norman Beaker

Bob Corritore

JohnO’Leary

(These are in no particular order)

1. “I Just Want To Make Love To You” - MUDDY WATERS

This may not be my favourite recording by Muddy, but it is the one the started everything for me. My brother had bought an album called ‘Real Stones’ –a compilation of songs made famous by The Rolling Stones done by the original people. And when this song came on, my ears pricked up and some kind of internal switch was turned on. It was the harmonica solo (I think played by Little Walter) that did it – the tone cut straight through me, and I thought it was about the coolest thing I’d ever heard. From that moment on, I was hooked. I’d been listening to Rock n’ Roll my whole life, but this was the first time I heard it in it’s purified form. I actually started out trying to play the harmonica after hearing that, but couldn’t get a good sound of it at all, so I promptly moved over to guitar.

2. “Going Down Slow” - HOWLIN’ WOLF

Wolf was just as important as Muddy in my early blues education. And this song always got me. Firstly, it’s a pretty wild concept even now to have a spoken word introduction to a song, that I believe Willie Dixon insisted on doing. But it works for some strange reason. And then when Howlin’ Wolf sings his first line, “I have had my fun”, the song belongs to him. And Hubert Sumlin’s response hit me in a similar way to the harp in the previously mentioned track. That one note he plays, with some of the most controlled vibrato on record, goes to prove that sometimes all you need is just the one note. I must have tried to emulate that lick a hundred times in a row, and never got it sounding that cool. And his playing throughout the track is magic, in places it sounds as if he is going for a Muddy style slide thing, but with his fingers. You can hear where someone like Robbie Robertson got his early style from. But what I love the most about this track is that it sounds like Howlin’ Wolf is on his death bed – you really believe it. And you need to – that is what this song is about. I have never really liked anyone else’s version of this because I never believed they were dying. When he sings the line, “Please write my Mama, tell her the shape I’m in”, he sounds desperate, and it’s very very sad. He is begging for forgiveness before he dies. That is pretty deep stuff, and that IS the blues to me.

3. “Riverside Blues” – OTIS SPANN

There is nothing more magical to me than the sound of one person sitting at a piano playing and singing. I wish I could play it. Otis Spann is likely to be the guy who played on both of those previous tracks – a much sort after session guy in his day, but also a wonderful artist in his own right. Very underrated as a singer I think – his vocal tone is warm, yet sad. I believe he suffered severely from depression, and with that knowledge I get a similar feeling listening to him sing as when I listen to Donny Hathaway – when you know that someone is that sad, then their music takes on a whole new meaning. This song is filled with loneliness and vulnerability – I wouldn’t want to hear it with a band. And Spann was always my favourite of that generation of blues piano players, and had he lived a bit longer, maybe he would have picked up more of the credit I think he deserved as one of the great blues singers.

4. “Drown In My Own Tears” – RAY CHARLES

From one piano player to another, I put Ray Charles in a different bag. Obviously not really just Chicago blues like Otis Spann, but mixed up with Gospel and Jazz and everything else. With Ray Charles, it’s the whole package – not just his

Photo by Al Stuart

Photo by Al Stuart

4BLUESGUITARMASTERS

Lucky JoeMagicSlimPeterson Louis Walker Bill Perry

playing, but the songs, the arrangements, the horns, the Raylettes, and more than anything…his voice. Has there ever been a greater singer? I’m not sure there has. I love the pace of this song, with the drums and upright bass stabbing the ‘one’ instead of the usual off-beat, immediately giving it a different kind of feel, and with the swooning horns, perfectly complimented by Ray’s piano, the whole thing is just perfection. And if you’re not quite convinced by 2.38, you’re about to be. When I think of ‘backing singers’, I think of this song. When they come in, my heart melts every time. If you’ve never heard the song before, you have no idea it’s coming – they’ve been saved until the end, and I love that. I couldn’t name check them all, but whoever the backing singers are, they wrote the book as far as I’m concerned. Pure magic.

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5. “Dr Feelgood (live at Fillmore West” – ARETHA FRANKLIN I wanted to include not only Aretha, but every member of this band in my list. I don’t think there’s ever been a better band assembled on one stage at any one time. They were all the masters of their crafts, and to me it’s one of those bands you make up as a dream band, and yet it actually existed: Aretha Franklin, backed by King Curtis, Billy Preston, Bernard Purdee, Jerry Jemmott, Cornell Dupree, and The Memphis Horns. Oh, and Ray Charles came on for the encore! This is Aretha singing the blues, and then taking it to church, as she could do like no one else. I love the song anyway, but I particularly love the way she builds it in this version, with Curtis answering her lines, and the horn arrangements are the very definition of ‘Southern Soul’ to me. And just as you think the song is coming to a premature end, it shifts into a Gospel frenzy, with Billy Preston helping her build up the crowd until they’re about ready to explode. ‘King Curtis live at Fillmore West’ is another album from the same weekend, and they are both worth their weight in musical gold. God bless Jerry Wexler for putting all that together.

6. “Slow Blues Medley (Live at The Regal)” - BB KING

This memorable North Carolina concert is the occasion for the leading spokesperson and main representative of the First Nation Blues school to sing her favourite anthems. In addition to her current sidemen, Pura Fe’ is helped on this set by Justin Robinson (Carolina Chocolate Drops) and the Tuscarora nation’s Deer Clan Singers. Two hours and ten minutes of ethereal beauty by the campfire!

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Ok, this is a bit cheeky as strictly speaking it’s three songs instead of one, but BB plays them as a medley, so I figured I could get away with it! The songs are ‘Sweet Little Angel’, ‘It’s my own fault’, and ‘How blue can you get?’ and this is from another of the great live albums. Actually, I believe this album has been put in the top albums list by John Lee Hooker, Buddy Guy and Stevie Ray Vaughan. If you like the blues, and you don’t have this album, stop what you are doing and go and buy it, as quickly as you can. I have chosen the slow blues medley because it is the ultimate lesson in how to play a slow blues. As a guitar player, if you never listened to or learned from anything else other than this, you’d probably still be alright. It’s BB at his absolute best, playing a gig that he described as “… just another night on the road, I don’t even remember it, let alone aware it was being recorded”. You can hear where Jimmie Vaughan got a lot of his early style from, as well as a host of others. I hear guitar players directly quoting licks from this on a nightly basis, myself included. And it’s not just his playing, his singing is also some of the best blues singing out there. That was always the thing that I thought was a bit unfair about BB King, he was just as good at playing AND singing. That’s what sets him apart from the other Kings and Alberts in my opinion. And in this recording, he holds the crowd in the palm of his hand, as they hang on to his every line. Simply a joy to listen to, and likely to be the reason I bought my first electric guitar. I simply couldn’t get my acoustic to sound like that!

7. “That’s Alright” – ELVIS PRESLEY

I’m starting to drift away from what many people probably perceive as ‘Blues’, but to me this is just as much the blues as that other stuff, and I’m using Memphis as the musical link. This is obviously Elvis Presley, who was one of the first people to prove that white

Photo by Liz Aiken

fellow blues stars. Electric blues at its best.

men could sing the blues. Forget Elvis the phenomenon for a minute, forget the myth, the cheeseburgers, his very undignified death, and all that. Just imagine what it must have been like in 1954 to have been driving along, and to suddenly hear this on the radio. I grew up listening to this, and music in general doesn’t get much better in my opinion. I once stood in the tiny room that is Sun Studios in Memphis, as they blasted this over the speakers, and I got chills that I have never known the like of. It’s just three men, Elvis with Scotty Moore and Bill Black – who needs a drummer, eh? There have been whole books written about these recordings, so I’m not sure I can add anything. But this (or very close 2nd ‘Good Rockin’ tonight) simply had to make my top ten, end of story.

8. “Going Down The Road Feelin Bad (from ‘Motel Shot’)” – DELANEY & BONNIE (& friends)

From one Mississippian to another, I give you Delaney Bramlett and his wife Bonnie, sitting in a room having a bit of a jam with Duane Allman, Leon Russell and Gram Parsons to name a few. This is not your normal kind of blues song, but more of a work song, done in a bit of a country fashion. But it’s still the blues to me. I love the looseness of this recording, from Leon starting too fast, to the free-for-all vibe that was in the room, and existed in many of their recordings. And again, no drums needed – a simple tambourine will do it. It just sounded like a lot of fun. Delaney & Bonnie sort of exist outside of a genre, which I love. They mix blues with country, soul, gospel, funk… and they are a constant inspiration to me and my music. I had the great pleasure of sitting in with Bonnie Bramlett some years ago, and it was definitely a musical highlight. I have chosen this track because I just love the overall vibe, and the intertwining of Duane Allman’s slide playing with Delaney’s acoustic. It amazes me that Duane Allman seemed to cram so much into his very short career and life – he is one of my top few players, without a doubt. And from him, we go…

9. “Oncoming Traffic (live – The Gregg Allman Tour)” – GREGG ALLMAN …to his little brother. I didn’t want to necessarily pick an Allman Brothers Band track, as much as I love them, but more concentrate on the two brothers as individuals, and the influence they have both had on me. I can honestly say that my biggest inspiration as a singer has always been Gregg Allman. This song is the only one I’m worried about, as to whether it’s a ‘Blues’ song or not. But it demonstrates better than any other just how well Gregg could (and has just proved – still can) sing the blues. His voice in this song is all about tone and feel, not about technique or perfect tuning. And that is my philosophy as a singer as well. Again, one man alone at a piano tells the story, and then at the most perfect moment, the orchestra drifts in – it’s sublime. Am I even allowed to include a track with an orchestra on this list? I’m not so sure. But to me, this is still very much the blues, just done with a different twist and a great lyric… “Tell me where has my faith gone, has it walked out on me? Or does it still lie somewhere inside of me? Or just too close for my tired eyes to see?” He’s a big influence on me as a writer as well. Gregg’s the man, and I love his new album, and am very happy for him that it’s doing so well.

10. “Brothers (Family Style)” – THE VAUGHAN BROTHERS

And finally, The Vaughan Brothers. It seems very uncool these days to like Stevie Ray Vaughan, and to some people even uncooler to like Jimmie Vaughan. But they are two of my biggest influences, and while this track may not be the best thing either of them put down on record, I thought it was a good way of combining them in the one track. This is the last song on the last album that Stevie Ray made before his death. The album on first listen is quite strange, and not what you’re expecting it to be in any way at all. And that was completely deliberate on their part. They didn’t want to come out with the predictable ultimate Texas Blues guitar album, as they so easily could have done. Instead, they chose to go against the grain, and I love them for it. This is the most traditional blues track on the album, but with a virtual mother voice-over, an accordion, and the concept of the two of them sharing the same guitar, they seem to tear down the walls of tradition. It involves the two of them sharing Jimmie’s white Strat, through a nicely cranked Fender Bassman, passing it back and forth, almost fighting over it in typical fraternal fashion. Stevie opens it with some of the purist and most refined blues playing of his career, playing with a different tone for him, a tone more typical of his older brother. Plus I think Jimmie used slightly lighter strings, giving Stevie the chance to really bend those Albert King licks even higher than usual. Then it’s Jimmie’s turn, slightly scrappy and perfectly awkward at the start, as only he can do so well. But then there’s a stop, and Jimmie rolls off the tone, turns the guitar way down and plays a little passage that has probably come straight from that BB slow blues medley I was talking about. It’s extremely classy, and kind of feels like Jimmie’s way of saying, “Ok, I know you can play pretty well, but I’m still your big brother, I’ve been doing this for longer than you, and I can still kick your butt!” And then Stevie grabs the guitar back, adding a bit more fire to his playing, as Jimmie’s made him a bit mad I think. It’s some of Stevie’s most precise playing ever in my opinion. He gives it his all, but then Jimmie grabs it back, and plays one of his fast trademark repetitive guitar runs. How Doyle Bramhall Sr on drums finds his way back into it is beyond me, but he does with perfection, and now Jimmie’s properly in his zone, and won’t let his little brother anywhere near that guitar for the rest of the song. Stevie won the first half, Jimmie the second – that’s what I think anyway! I wonder if that was Stevie grabbing the whammy bar quickly at the end, as Jimmie didn’t ever use it, for his final statement on record? Anyway, the final line from the virtual mother is “I love you both”, and I’m not ashamed to say that I love them both too.

Photo by Jane Pazkiewicz

-

Alligator Records -40th Anniversary Collection

Roomful Of Blues - Hook Line & Sinker

Shemekia Copeland - Deluxe Edition

Albert Collins, Robert Cray & Johnny Copeland Remastered Showdown

Marcia Ball

Roadside Attractions

Dont forget your feedback to us

Hi All at BM!

Just thought I’d drop you a note on behalf of the band & thank you for giving us the opportunity to showcase our music on the Blues Matters Stage in Jaks at Skegness Butlins Rock & Blues 2011. The Idle Hands received an amazing reception from the packed audience of whom most were unfamiliar with the band and the superb comments and further offers that we have received since the gig have been fantastic. There is no doubt in our minds that our successful appearance on the bill of this major event on the Blues Rock Calendar and within the pages of Blues Matters! Magazine have been key in bringing The Idle Hands original British Blues Rock material to the forefront of the awareness of the wider Blues Rock fraternity. For this, we are most grateful to your team, as we believe that without the support of specialist publications such as Blues Matters within which new young talent & established unsigned bands are allowed to stand alongside the greats of the Blues in all its forms, then the potential for continuing development and exposure of The Blues to old & new followers alike is even more limited than we already know. Long may BM! Continue and grow, and in order to help it do so we all need to encourage more of the hidden hoards of Blues fans to come out of their homes to support local venues again, to help bring new talent to the fore, to wear their BM! badge of honour and subscribe to what we all believe is amongst the best and most influential music in the world!

Phil Allen, The Idle Hands Blues Band

BM Says: Phil and band – many thanks indeed for the performance which had the place rockin and was talked about over the rest of the weekend. Also thank you for the comments – and to the readers – enjoy the interview with the band in next issue, 21 years and going strong, well done guys!.

We always ask for your comments on renewal subscription forms so we can shape future issues and here are a few of them;

At the end of my first annual subscription to Blues Matters, I have not seen a magazine with better improvement in the quality of the issues – Well done!

Duncan Beattie does a great job reporting from Scotland and the North. The start of my subscription was a very strange time and these early issues of BM were haphazard to put it frank. Good to see you guys got over these problems and now put out a quality publication.

Nigel Ewen, Perth

BM Says: Many thanks Nigel

I think the new look of the magazine is great, I have just returned from my local Blues club (Bottleneck Blues Rochester) to see Ian Siegal and Ben Prestage. Ian Siegal was playing to his great standard; I was greatly impressed by Ben who is a great musician, any chance of doing a feature about local Blues clubs? Having heard Dingwalls & Charlotte St (London) may close.

David Shannon, Gillingham

BM says: Thank you David, the response has been terrific. Both acts are a credit to Nugene Records indeed. We did open the door for a feature series on local Blues clubs/venues to all but did not receive one response (see BM56 page 5). So much else going on to include so we let it lie for now but it is a series we’d like to do. By all means feel free to submit something.

A gig listings page (or Pages) would be very much appreciated.

Nigel Lloyd, Somerset

BM says: It would be nice to do this BUT it would take away a lot of editorial space and with our gig guide online seemed to be the best way to cope with that area. Many years ago we tried a printed gig guide supplement but it never paid for itself so was dropped.

Please try and review as many of the UK Blues festivals as you can. Cheers.

Rob Wildgust, Norwich

BM says: We’d love to but the team can’t be everywhere. If you spot an event we miss we need to know and if anyone out there wants to cover an event for us do please get in touch so we can talk about it.

Venues in the UK are closing down daily. We need someone with some ideas to bring them back, too many great bands, too many great artists, not enough gigs. We do what we can in our town. What are you doing in yours?

Chris Boughton, Tamworth

BM says: A message we all agree with we are sure. Anyone got any news on what is going on in your area do let us know.

FEEDBACK

Would be nice to see articles about the lesser known 60s/70s British Blues bands/groups e.g. – Rare Amber, Andy Fernbach etc. Keep up the great work.

Kevin Mutter, Mansfield

BM says: Well we try to keep a good cross section of the scene as a whole and are always interested...see this comment from a reviewer on Amazon: Rare Amber - “I heard this CD about 30 years ago, thought it was awful, heard it again and still thought it was awful. Have a listen to it or better still buy it and see what you think.” So what did you think of the album Kevin and we’ll print it. Wonder what the band members are up to now?

Can we have more Interviews with Blues harp players? Keep up the good work!

Grahame Michinson, Surrey

BM says: Ah, Grahame, watch this space, you will have read or soon be reading the interview with one of the UKs best and longest serving harp players in John O’Leary and we are lining up a feature on Blues harp to run in future issues.

More Interviews please with the likes of Dr. Feelgood, Nine Below Zero, Eddie & The Hot Rods, The Hamsters, John Otway, The Spikerdrivers, Paul Lamb & The Kingsnakes, Sean Webster, Otis Grand, Earl Green.

Gordon McNeil, Renfrewshire

BM says: Several of these have already been covered, Sean was a cover artist some time ago, Spikedrivers were in recent issue, Dr.Feelgood and Nine Below have also featured but that still leaves us a few to catch up on.

Your office top 10 of what you are listening too and why you rate it. Classic Blues albums section – one a month.

Mr. S. Dewdney, Reading

BM says: We put a Top Ten playlist on the web site of what gets played in the office. There’s the ‘Lest We Forget’ feature, which reminds us it should have re-appeared in this issue

Features on specialist Blues labels? – Vinyl release section? Cheers!

Dave West, Milton Keynes

BM says: There is going to be a series of interviews with record label bosses/founders starting soon, as for Vinyl release section we’d need someone to cover that one for us.

More lists please – How about the ‘Top 10’ Blues list from America? – You didn’t list the Blues Foundation category winners. I’m 70 years old and love contemporary Blues & Rhythm & Blues so keep it coming!

Dave Parker, Bucks

BM says: We are in touch with some people to organise something on this and we missed Blues Foundation due to publishing dates so it went on the old web site instead of in print. We are doing our best Dave, pleased you are enjoying the magazine.

HAPPENIN’

our Blues world

German Blues Duo makes international music history

The participation of German blues musicians in the world’s largest blues competition on American ground itself is extremely unusual – but Georg Schroeter (piano, vocals) and Marc Breitfelder (harp) winning the 27th International Blues Challenge 2011 in Memphis, TN, USA, cannot be overestimated. Fact is that the two musicians from Kiel (Northern Germany) are the first European musicians in the IBC’s 27 years’ history to run away with this prestigious award from the USA, the home of the blues – that’s just unbelievable! By doing so those two guys will go down in Europe’s music history. The duo took its first try to win the IBC in January 2010. By gaining the German and Baltic Blues Challenges 2009 in Eutin, Germany, they met the requirements to get nominated for the IBC 2010 by the Baltic Blues Society Eutin. Last year blues lovers in Memphis already paid attention as they came in second place at the IBC’s semi finals. By winning the German Blues Award 2010 – also sponsored by the Baltic Blues Society Eutin, Germany – they were entitled to participate in this year’s IBC again. Well experienced and self-assured from last year’s competition Georg Schroeter and Marc Breitfelder went straight through two quarter finals and the semi final in the clubs on Memphis’ legendary Beale Street to the final competition at the time-honored Orpheum Theatre. In front of an audience of nearly 2000 the two Northerners (the German term translated word by word would be „Northern lights“) showed their excellent skills and delivered a brilliant set during their 20 minutes’ performance. Carried and pushed by the overwhelmed and often spontaneously applauding audience Georg and Marc brought their show to a thundering climax which swept the audience off their feet. So it really did not come as a surprise that jury and audience unisonously agreed, when Jay Sieleman, Executive Director of the Blues Foundation, USA, at the end of the solo/duo competition spoke those crucial words: “The winner is.... Baltic Blues Society, Georg Schroeter and Marc Breitfelder, representing Germany!”

Jools Holland, OBE, Is Arguably The UK’s Most Popular Pianist.

With a colourful career in music and television under his belt, he is a household name in entertainment. Respected, not only as a performer, but as an authority on music, recently celebrating 250 episodes of his BBC 2 live music show ‘Later… with Jools Holland’. The 20-piece RHYTHM & BLUES ORCHESTRA features, at its helm, former Squeeze drummer, GILSON LAVIS. Lavis has been drumming with Jools Holland for over 25 years, since their SQUEEZE days. Ruby Turner and Louise Marshall are sure to deliver true rhythm and blues boogie woogie with their show-stopping vocals.

SANDIE SHAW, one of Britain’s top female singers of the 1960s and true British pop icon, will be Jools’ special guest for this tour – her first tour in over 25 years. Jools Holland said, “I’m delighted to have the wonderful Sandie Shaw joining us on the road this year, particularly as this is her first tour for such a long time. She is an absolute icon and I am really looking forward to sharing the stage with her on this tour, along with the great musicians we have in the Rhythm & Blues Orchestra”.

Jools Holland and his rhythm & blues orchestra play an average of 100 live shows each year, touring the UK and the rest of the world to audiences in excess of 500,00 every year.

Muddy Waters Jr To Headline Ashburton Blues Festival.

Muddy ‘Mud’ Waters Jr, eldest son of the King Of The Blues, is headlining the 4th Ashburton Blues Festival on Saturday May 28. Described by one of his dad’s old sideman as being like a ‘ghost in the flesh’ he is the living embodiment of the greatest Bluesman who ever lived. Muddy Jr has the voice, the looks, the mannerisms of the father he rarely saw. Friday’s headliners are The Pretty Things led by the irrepressable original members Phil May and Dick Taylor, described as ‘easily the best band of the Colne 2010 Festival’. Wilko Johnson closes on Sunday, riding high on the wave of interest caused by his starring role in ‘Oil City Confidential’ -the story of Dr Feelgood. Support comes in the shape of The Revolutionaires, Tipitina, The Organ Grinders, Eddie Martin, Congo Faith Healers, and The Wildcards. The weekend is rounded out with a full Fringe programme, workshops, and jam session. Tickets www.ashburtonbluesfestival.com 07855 307 556.

Friday May 27, Saturday May 28, Sunday May 29.

Georg Schroeter & Marc Breitfelder

Steve Miller News

Following last year’s No. one Blues album, “Bingo!,” recently nominated as blues rock album of the year by the Blues Foundation, the Steve Miller Band follows that success with another new album, “Let Your Hair Down,” due April 19 from Space Cowboy/ LoudandProud/Roadrunner Records.

“Let Your Hair Down” features the last recordings by harmonica virtuoso Norton Buffalo, Miller’s “partner in harmony” for thirty-three years. Noted Pink Floyd album cover artist Storm Thorgerson, who also did the wonderfully whimsical cover to “Bingo!,” returns to “Let Your Hair Down” with one of the great album covers of his career. Miller, whose new album shines with some of the finest guitar playing he has ever recorded, will make a special appearance with jazz guitar greats Jim Hall, Bucky Pizzarelli and Howard Alden on February 12 in a concert celebrating the opening of the exhibit, “Guitar Heroes: Legendary Craftsmen From Italy

To New York,” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Three custom-made archtop guitars by luthier James D’Aquisto from Miller’s personal collection are included in the exhibit.

Prior to the release of “Let Your Hair Down,” the Steve Miller Band will perform material from the album at a gala concert opening the new multi-million dollar performance facility built for the long-running music TV series, “Austin City Limits,” on February 24. Two days later, the band will tape the first show of the coming season in the new theater, while the streets outside are closed off and a huge party and free concert takes place.

To launch the release of “Let Your Hair Down” in high style, Miller also plans a series of theater and small arena dates in mid-April through the South and East Coast with Gregg Allman, whose new solo album, “Low Country Blues,” is one of the best-received releases of his career, a combination that could produce some rip-roaring jam sessions onstage.

International Stars Line Up For Inaugural Blues Fest London 27th June – 3rd July 2011

“With an exceptional line up of world renowned performers, BluesFest will add another dimension to the capital’s lively schedule of summer festivals.”

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson

The very first Blues Fest London comes to town this summer for a week-long celebration of incredible music from some of the greatest names in the business.

The Festival’s unique scope covers a huge range of music from the broad Blues, Soul and Jazz spectrum – with such a wealth of musical acts and iconic London venues on offer, the festival presents something for music lovers from all walks of life.

Legends such as BB King, Dr John, Booker T, and The Blind Boys Of Alabama will be gracing stages all over London. International names from all around the globe including Buddy Greco, Max Weinburg, Scott Hamilton, Harry Allen, Trombone Shorty and Monty Alexander will rub shoulders with home-grown talent, among them Georgie Fame, Chris Barber, Jon Cleary, James Hunter, Claire Martin, Tommy Smith, Martin Taylor, Incognito, Sandi Thom, The Unfortunate Sons and Annie Ross. From concert halls to intimate club surroundings, BluesFest London 2011 will take advantage of some of the capital’s best loved venues; from the grandeur of the Royal Albert Hall, to Oxford Street’s iconic 100 Club; North London’s Jazz Café and The Union Chapel, West London’s Bush Hall and Under The Bridge, and Soho’s Pizza Express Jazz Club - with further venues to be announced - BluesFest London 2011 covers the length and breadth of the entire city.

This is the first time in decades that the UK has hosted a festival dedicated to the worlds of Blues, Soul & Jazz - BluesFest London 2011 also marks the fiftieth anniversary of the very first such festival in Britain, the National Jazz And Blues Festival. Originally set up by Harold Pendleton of Soho’s famous Marquee Club, it was the original forerunner of the Reading Festival and paved the way for many of the country’s most celebrated live

Steve Miller

BB King

music events. In recognition of this historic milestone, UK jazz legend Chris Barber, who performed at the original National Jazz And Blues Festival half a century ago, will be appearing at this summer’s event at the legendary 100 Club.

The assembled roster of superstar acts gathered from around the world will give both Londoners and visitors to the capital the opportunity to hear a line-up of top-class artists who haven’t been seen on the same festival billing for decades. Over seven days, BluesFest London 2011 will showcase what a cultural giant the city of London really is.

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: ‘It is thrilling to be able to welcome a new music festival to London. The Blues may have originated in the US, but they have provided the beating heart of British pop music, from Georgie Fame and the Rolling Stones to Adele. With an exceptional line up of world renowned performers BluesFest will add another dimension to the capital’s lively schedule of summer festivals.’

“I am so happy to be invited to London for BluesFest. Since I was a young boy in Memphis to this day, blues and jazz run thru my veins.” Booker T

“I’m thrilled to be playing at the very first BluesFest London – it’s about time London had something like this! See you on June 27th.” Georgie Fame

Death of Bob Tilling author of ‘Oh! What a Beautiful City’ – a tribute to the Rev Gary Davis

The renowned author and artist Bob Tilling passed away 25 January 2011. He was the author and compiler of “Oh, What A Beautiful City” A TRIBUTE TO REV. GARY DAVIS 1896-1972, and several other books on blues and jazz. Robert Tilling R.I.

Robert Tilling has lived in Jersey since 1968 and has held thirty solo exhibitions, including Exeter University and the Barbican Centre, London. His work has been selected for many mixed exhibitions including the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition, the Royal West of England Academy and the Contemporary Arts Society. He has gained a number of awards including the Cleveland Drawing Biennale and two at the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours for ‘the most outstanding work’. He has illustrated a number of books and publications for, among others, Charles Causley and Spike Milligan. His paintings have been illustrated in over thirty books and magazines. Working primarily in watercolour, acrylic, gouache and charcoal, the majority of his work is based on local landscape and seascape. He is presently the Chairman of the Management Committee at the Jersey Arts Centre. He has lectured widely, including the Tate Gallery and at Exeter University, his writing on jazz and blues have been published on both sides of the Atlantic. ‘A great deal of my work is based on the landscape and still life which is composed by a process of imaginative reconstruction in which both observation and memory play important parts.’ -

Robert Tilling

‘This technique is not for the faint-hearted: it needs to be done with a degree of panache that comes from experience gained with experimentation.’ - Patricia Seligman

For a full tribute and obituary please go to www.bluesmatters.com and see latest articles

Geva Alon, New Album In The Works

Israel’s very own superstar Geva Alon is now working on his forth solo album. The album will be produced by Thom Monahan, Dan Hindman on bass, Neal Casal on guitar and Otto Hauser on drums. The last album ‘Get Closer’ was released in November 2009, also produced by Thom Monahan, features Alon backed by the band Treewith a sound ranging from alternative rock to psychedelic guitars and Americana. The new album will be released towards the end of 2011.

Jonny Lang, JJ Grey & Mofro and Blues Caravan’s Girls with Guitars to play 2011 Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival

The Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival announced three more acts joining Rock and Roll Hall-of-Famer Gregg Allman on the 2011 line up. Grammy-winning guitar phenom Jonny Lang, JJ Grey & Mofro, and the 2011 Blues Caravan’s Girls with Guitars are all confirmed to appear at the Festival in September.

“With last year being our 20th anniversary festival, we pulled out all the stops in music programming, and we didn’t want to lose that momentum going into this year,” said Brent Staeben, Harvest’s music director. “Our goal is always to present a diverse range of music – from legends to fantastic new talent we can introduce to Harvest audiences. This announcement reflects both ends of the spectrum, and there’s still much more to be announced.

After having cancelled his appearance at the 2010 Festival to attend the birth of his third child, Jonny Lang will headline the Blues Tent on Saturday night of the Festival. The Grammy-winning guitar prodigy’s career took off early, when at the age of 16, Lang released his hugely successful breakthrough album Lie to Me. A year after that, he was nominated for his first Grammy for the album Wander The World. Lang continues to gain momentum as his most recent soul and gospelinspired album Turn Around, earned him his first Grammy win. With his gritty voice and virtuosic guitar skills, Jonny Lang is one of the foremost blues guitarists of our time.

When JJ Grey brought his swamp soul sound and captivating stage presence to Harvest in 2009, he took the Festival by

storm, becoming the unequivocal sleeper hit of the year. Now he’s returning with his ever-changing band of world-class musicians, Mofro, for another riveting appearance that is truly must-see. Having steadily built a fan base one performance at a time over the last decade, 2011 is lining up to be the breakout year for Grey, with a relentless touring schedule, and the release of his fifth album Georgia Warhorse, which features guest spots by Toots Hibbert (Toots & the Maytalls), and Derek Trucks. With a sound steeped in the rhythm and blues, rock and country soul of his natural backwoods home outside Jacksonville, Grey is set to headline the Mojo Tent. “We don’t tend to bring headline acts back, unless they make a huge impact on Harvest audiences, which JJ Grey definitely did,” Staeben says. “The buzz was huge around JJ after he appeared in ’09, and ever since, patrons have been eagerly awaiting the chance to see him again. We’re excited to give them that opportunity.”

For six years, the Blues Caravan has introduced triple bills of bright new blues stars to the world, including Harvest alums Ana Popovic and Shakura S’Aida. This year, the Blues Caravan tour presents three of the hottest young guitar slingers on a single stage, aptly named Girls with Guitars. The triple bill features England’s Dani Wilde, Samantha Fish from Kansas City, Missouri and Cassie Taylor, daughter of legendary bluesman Otis Taylor. Their high-heeled, rockedged performances are full of raw passion, energy and conviction. Their songs range from heart-wrenching ballads performed with an old-school fervour, to hard-driving blues rock that showcases their guitar prowess. This trio of young, passionate performers, backed by a top-flight band of roadtested professionals are set to rock the Blues Tent.

“Girls with Guitars represent the future of women in blues,” Staeben said. “The Blues Caravan always chooses the cream of the crop in new talent to form their bands, so you know these young ladies will know how to rock with the best of them. This is going to be an exciting show.”

Tickets and passes for the 2011 Festival will go on sale in May. More information will be released soon.

Joe Bonamassa

Award-winning blues rock star, guitar hero and singer-songwriter Joe Bonamassa and his ace touring band will undertake a UK tour in October 2011 to promote his 9th studio album Dust Bowl. The album will be released in the UK by Provogue Records on Monday 21st March 2011.

Tickets for Bonamassa’s “Dust Bowl” UK tour will go on sale to the general public at 9am on Wednesday March 2nd from 0871 230 1101, www.seetickets.com and www.thegigcartel.com. Fans who can’t wait for the general on-sale date, can take advantage of Planet Rock radio’s 48-hour pre-sale, which starts at 9am on Monday February 28th on www.planetrock.com

UK tour dates include - Blackpool Opera House (Saturday 15th October), Capital FM Arena, Nottingham (Sunday 16th October), Cardiff International Arena (Tuesday 18th October), Plymouth Pavilions (Wednesday 19th October), HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London (Friday 21st October) and HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London (Saturday 22nd October).

Ian Siegal & The Youngest Sons

Ian Siegal & The Youngest Sons is a new project comprising Ian with musicians from the North Mississippi Hill Country. A CD will release in May recorded in Mississippi and produced by Cody Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars/Hill Country Review).

“We plan to bring the band over to Europe in July and are presently inviting offers from festivals in western and eastern Europe for the period July 7 to July 23.”

Please contact Richard Pavitt by email or telephone +44 7973 217140.

An amazing combination. Ian Siegal is widely regarded to be the most dynamic blues singer the UK has produced since the sixties. If he had been around in the sixties it is quite possible that he would today rank alongside names such as Van Morrison and Joe Cocker.

This latest project puts Ian’s voice and songwriting in a new setting, that of north Mississippi and the heritage of bluesmen such as RL Burnside and Junior Kimbrough. The album has both RLs and Junior’s youngest sons playing bass and guitar. Plus Rodd Bland plays drums, youngest son of Bobby Blue Bland. There are also contributions from Andre Turner (grandson of Othar Turner, who was a leading light of the drum & fife music of America), and from Alvin Youngblood Hart.

Producer and multi-instrumentalist

Cody Dickinson - also a youngest son - has been a key force in keeping the music of North Mississippi alive. His Grammy nominated band The North Mississippi Allstars had considerable success in the early part of the decade and has recently reformed.

Eddie Kirkland Dies

Blues man Eddie Kirkland, known as the ‘Gypsy Of The Blues’ because of his relentless touring, has died after being involved in a car crash in Florida. According to reports, the 88 year old’s car flipped over after he attempted a u-turn in front of an approaching bus. Born in Jamaica and raised in Alabama, Kirkland dabbled with music at various points in his early years, though his professional career really began when he met John Lee Hooker while playing guitar at a house party in the late 1940s. He went on to work with Hooker throughout the 1950s, both as his road manager, and appearing on numerous recordings with his fellow blues performer as second guitarist. He also recorded a number of albums of his own for various labels during this period, and continued to release new material throughout much of his life, with particular flurries of activity in the 1970s and 1990s. As well as his recording career, he became known for his prolific touring around the US and in Europe. Kirkland is survived by his wife Mary and nine children.

Governor’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts

Bluesman Pinetop Perkins, 97, tucked his walking cane under his arm, sat down at the keyboard and lived up to his lifetime achievement award.

Perkins teased a tune from the piano keys and earned his second standing ovation Thursday at the Governor’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts in Jackson.

Emcee Marty Stuart called it “the most eloquent speech I ever heard.”

That followed on the heels of singer-songwriter-producer Mac McAnally’s acceptance of his excellence in music honor, guitar in hand, “because I’m too bashful to talk without one,” he said.

The annual ceremony for Mississippi’s highest arts honors turned the auditorium of the state Department of Education into a church meeting for the gospel of the arts.

And it was the closing hymns by Pastor Evelyn Hubbard, with Stuart on guitar, that roused the crowd to a spiritual pitch.

The awards salute outstanding achievement in the arts in Mississippi and by Mississippians. The ceremony was marked by at least 10 standing ovations.

Jackson textile artist Gwendolyn Magee, honored for artistic excellence, began quilting for her daughters, then followed her passion to create works that have hung in museums.

“Little did I realize I had grabbed a tiger by the tail and it has yet to let me go.”

The Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration was recognized with an arts in community award.

“As a longtime educator and a proud seventh generation Mississippian, it is fascinating to me to be a part of a conference that explores and reveals what make us Southerners tick,” said Carolyn Vance Smith, founder and co-director of the NLCC. Each year, the conference delves into some aspect of the South and sends hundreds home with a better understanding of the place.

Rankin County art instructor Chuck Rhoads, who called it a “blessing” to teach, received the arts in education award. Recycling telephone books and selling coloring books help him maintain a surplus fund for art supplies.

“By giving my best to raise these funds, I also expect the best out of my students and their artwork,” he said. The arts were lauded as much for the pride and pleasure they bring citizens as for their assets in economic development, education and cultural connection.

“There is no part of Mississippi that is not touched by the arts in some way,” Gov. Haley Barbour said.

Hopes are high among independent music retailers that the Government could finally act to close a VAT loophole allowing online retailers to sell cheap CDs into the UK.

The issue of Low Value Consignment Relief - a tax mechanism that permits retailers to use distribution centres in the Channel Islands to sell goods under the value of £18 into the UK without paying VAT – has long been a bugbear of music retailers, who feel it allows online stores to sell CDs for artificially low prices. Their fears became all the more pronounced after the Government raised VAT from 17.5% to 20% at the start of the year.

While the previous Labour government often made noises about closing the loophole to little effect, Treasury minister Lord

Eddie Kirkland

Sassoon told the House Of Lords yesterday the Government is “actively reviewing the operation of this relief”.

“Ministers hope to be in a position to announce any possible changes to the operation of LVCR flowing from the review in the Budget on March 23,” he explained.

Sassoon made the announcement after the Conservative Lord Lucas asked the Government to assess the annual cost of LVCR- originally set up to protect flower growers in the Channel Islands - to the Exchequer.

Sasson said the latest estimate was £130m for 2010, reduced from the previous estimate of £140m.

Lucas said he found the figure “mildly unbelievable since the turnover of the largest company involved in this scam is around £500m - and that is just one of them - on which we lose around £100 million a year”.

“Does my noble friend agree that what started out as a quite reasonable relief for Channel Islands flower growers has now been abused to the point where it has destroyed whole industries in the UK?” he said.

“You can no longer on the internet retail records, computer memory, contact lenses or gifts. It is ever expanding and costing us thousands of jobs and, as the Minister says, hundreds of millions of pounds. Has not the time come to put a stop to it?” Sassoon said LVCR was not a “scam” but instead came from the fact the Channel Island are treated as being outside the European Union for these purposes.

“The previous Government took steps with the Channel Islands authorities to encourage them to introduce a voluntary restraint and caps on the activities of individual firms in this area,” Sassoon added.

“The issue relates not only to CDs and DVDs but to a whole range of goods. It is precisely because this is an important area and we want to make sure that the Exchequer is protected that Ministers are looking at what else we might do.”

And he revealed the loss to the Exchequer from LVCR has increased by around 50% over the past five years.

Malcolm Allen, owner of Malcolm’s Musicland in Chorley, who has long called for action on LVCR, said all physical music retailers in the UK would benefit from closing this loophole. “If we all had a level playing field it would be a bit better [for music retail],” he said. “We are all at a disadvantage because of this 20%. It would help us all. People perceive that we are overcharging them.” Allen said HMV – which yesterday announced that it would not make its profit forecast for its current financial year – would also profit. HMV operates a fulfilment centre from Guernsey, which means it benefits from LVCR, but Allen said HMV had been forced into this as a result of its competitors’ actions. “If you had a level playing field HMV wouldn’t be in the trouble they are,” Allen said.

Etta James

Legendary soul singer is set to be forced to undergo a medical exam.

Etta James is a genuine icon. Adding some feminine sass to Chess Records, the singer more than held her own with blues greats such as Muddy Waters and Little Walter. Scoring hit after hit, her stunning voice hinted at a life of misfortune. Coming back to prominence due to films such as Cadillac Records, Etta James has begun touring again. However recently the singer has fallen ill, with her condition leaving the R&B icon exhausted. Receiving medical care, the assistance is not universally welcomed. Etta James is suffering from leukaemia, Alzheimer’s and kidney problems, among other health issues.

The singer’s family is split over the treatment, with Etta James’ husband of some forty years Artis Mills in charge of running her affair. The husband is locked in conflict with the singer’s son Donto James, with the pair furiously arguing over the type of treatment she should receive.

Now spilling into court, an American judge has expressed concern after learning that Etta James had feeding tubes put in her stomach without bringing her to hospital.

Blues legend CHICK WILLIS –

The Stoopdown Man – has UK/ European availabilities in July 2011

Winner of Living Blues Award Best Live Performer of 2006

“Chick ‘Stoop Down’ Willis is the most interesting guitarist in contemporary Rhythm & Blues. There’s a friendliness, a neighbourliness, to the playing. As Willis has aged, his mastery of the blues has come to the forefront”. DADDY

B. NICE

For further information please contact: Tim Jennings / Steve Kelly at Big Bear Music, PO Box 944, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B16 8UT. Tel: 0121 454 7020. E-mail: admin@ bigbearmusic.com

20th Anniversary Blues on the Farm

Two leading blues artists have been booked to play the 20th Anniversary Blues on the Farm,

Etta James

the annual West Sussex based festival. Musically, the festival always features world class talent from around 20 bands offering different musical styles centred on classic and contemporary blues, blues-rock, soul and roots music. Gary Brooker & Friends will be headlining the Friday line-up and Walter Trout headlines Saturday.

“I’m really pleased to be bringing these two top acts to Chichester for our 20th Anniversary Blues on the Farm”, said organiser Julian Moores. “Procul Harum’s Gary Brooker last played here to great acclaim some 7 or 8 years ago, and this time is bringing a number of ‘Friends’. Knowing Gary this could include some very well-known names! On Saturday we’re bringing the world-renowned bluesman Walter Trout to our festival. BBC Radio 2’s Bob Harris names Walter as ‘the World’s greatest rock guitarist’ so we’re thrilled he will be with us for our 20th Anniversary festival!”

Other acts for the Three-day festival are still being lined-up, but will include Connie Lush and Alan Nimmo’s ‘King King’. The 20th Anniversary Blues on the Farm will have a revamped schedule to ensure each day offers fans a full and varied line-up of bands and musicians. There will be a pre-festival gig for campers on the evening of Thursday 16th June from 7.30 pm to 12 midnight.

Staged in a 40 acre setting on the Sussex Coastal plain a couple of miles south of Chichester, Blues on the Farm has a big reputation for offering a family friendly, safe and relaxed festival atmosphere, while presenting all the leading musicians and artists of the genre.

The festival runs its’ own beer tent featuring a large real ale bar offering at least a dozens beers; plus the award-winning Appledram Cider which is made on site at Pump Bottom Farm. There will be a range of food outlets to suit all tastes. Tickets for Blues on the Farm 2011 are now on sale. Phone 10243 773828 or online at www.bluesonthefarm.co.uk.

2011 Blues Hall of Fame Inductees Announced

The Blues Foundation has announced the 2011 inductees for the Blues Hall of Fame, including soulful singer/songwriter/ guitarist Robert Cray, whose immense popularity helped jump start a contemporary blues scene; one of the world’s premier acoustic blues artists, singer, guitarist, and harpist John Hammond; singer/songwriter Denise LaSalle, who, since her first hit, “Trapped By A Thing Called Love” in 1971, has reigned as the Queen of Soul Blues; Big Maybelle, whose big voice made her one of the most important R&B vocalists of the 1950s; singer/songwriter, Alberta Hunter, the definition of class, a performer whose career spanned eight decades of blues and jazz; and singer/songwriter J.B. Lenoir whose iconic song

“Mama Talk To Your Daughter” is still relevant today.

Among the other individuals being recognized by The Blues Foundation this year are Vivian Carter and Jimmy Bracken, who were the “Vee” and “Jay” in Vee-Jay Records, at one time the largest black-owned record company in the world; noted African American educator, John W. Work, III whose ground-breaking work in the blues was not appreciated until long after his death; Samuel Charters, who led much of the 1960s blues revival in America through his writings and field recordings; and Bruce Bromberg, who has produced over 150 recordings for artists like Robert Cray, Joe Louis Walker, and Phillip Walker in addition to the Testament reissues.

The book Walking to New Orleans: The Story of New Orleans Rhythm & Blues by John Broven will also be inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.

The following singles or album tracks will be inducted during the ceremony: “Ain’t Nobody’s Business” (Supreme, 1947) by Jimmy Witherspoon; “Five Long Years” (J.O.B., 1952) by Eddie Boyd; “Hard Time Killin’ Floor Blues” (Paramount, 1931) by

Skip James; and “Love in Vain” (Vocalion, 1937) by Robert Johnson. These albums are also being honored: Night Beat by Sam Cooke (RCA Victor 1963), False Accusations by Robert Cray (HighTone 1985), and The Real Folk Blues by Howlin’ Wolf (Chess 1965).

The induction ceremony will be held Wednesday, May 4, at the Memphis Marriott Downtown in Memphis, Tennessee, the night before the 32nd Blues Music Awards. Plans are underway now to individually honor each of the inductees that night. The Blues Hall of Fame committee, consisting of scholars, record producers, radio programmers, and historians, is chaired by Jim O’Neal, founding editor of Living Blues.

On May 5, the night after the Blues Hall of Fame inductions, The Blues Foundation will present the Blues Music Awards for the 32nd time. Performers, industry representatives, and fans from around the world will celebrate the best in Blues recording, songwriting and performance from the previous year at the Memphis Cook Convention Center in downtown Memphis. The evening will see performances by 2011 inductees/BMA nominees John Hammond and Denise LaSalle, among many other nominees.

The owner of the B.B. King’s Blues Club in the Mirage hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip has filed for bankruptcy protection, court records show.

As Las Vegas tries to recover after being hit hard in the recent economic downturn, hurt by declines in tourism and a glut

Blues On The Farm

of hotel rooms and casinos the owner has filed. Nevada also has one of the nation’s highest residential foreclosure rates.

Beale Street Blues Company Las Vegas LLC, the owner of the B.B. King restaurant and live music club, filed its Chapter 11 petition on Wednesday, showing $2.53 million of assets and $3.76 million of debts.

The club is part of a group of companies based in Memphis, Tennessee, where the bankruptcy petition was filed. Other B.B. King locations in Memphis; Nashville; Orlando, Florida; and West Palm Beach, Florida are not involved in the filing. B.B. King, the blues guitarist and music legend, is not involved in management of the Las Vegas club, according to the club’s website.

New Book Is An Entertaining Journey To The Crossroads Of American Music

February 14, 2011 (Clarksdale, Mississippi) -- As the world celebrates the 100th birthday of Mississippi Delta blues legend Robert Johnson this spring, a new book about the blues genre and the land where it was born is set for release.

Hidden History of Mississippi Blues, published by The History Press (available April 2011), begins and ends in the land of cotton and juke joints -- the land that introduced the world to Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, B.B. King and so many others lesser known but just as inspiring.

“Hidden History of Mississippi Blues is an overview of the music’s earliest days, height of popularity and current state of things,” explained author Roger Stolle, adding, “One ‘hidden’ aspect of Mississippi blues is that in addition to the past history, there is much that’s still present. Mississippi blues survives just under the radar in the juke joints and house parties of the Delta. It occasionally sticks its head out and gets on TV or goes on tour, but even then, it is such an archaic art form that many of the uninitiated aren’t really sure what to do with it once they’ve experienced it. You need to either find it where it still lives naturally or have a tour guide to help you make a virtual journey. This book attempts to do a bit of both.” If anyone would know about blues in Mississippi, it would likely be Stolle. For most of the past decade, he has called Clarksdale, Mississippi -- the heart of the blues Delta -- his home. Owner of the Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art store there, Stolle also books Mississippi blues acts for major clubs and festivals in the region, contributes to radio shows like XM/Sirius’ Bluesville, writes for magazines like Blues Revue , and produces indie blues films and albums. The book came about after months of conversation and a bit of a search, according to Will McKay, the commissioning editor for the project.

At The History Press, we had been talking about publishing a volume on Mississippi blues for some time,” said McKay. “With a book of this scope and magnitude, we really felt like it required an author with just the right voice and background to make it work. We wanted to try to cover a massively important and influential genre in just one book, and we wanted it to be immediately accessible to a mainstream audience. So, we were thrilled when Roger agreed to come on board.” Telling the Mississippi blues story through important historical happenings, fascinating (sometimes humorous) interviews, and personal anecdotes, Stolle weaves together an addictive story that could only come from a land as rich in history and mystery as the cotton-fueled Delta.

“There’s a reason why rock musicians from the Rolling Stones to Jack White love the blues and continue to go back to the well for inspiration time and time again,” said Stolle. “It is the foundation, the dictionary. It is the root of all modern, popular music. A lot of younger rock, rap, R&B and soul musicians these days don’t even realize that their sounds and stage shows have been informed by the blues.”

Hidden History of Mississippi Blues begins with Stolle’s own personal journey from Midwestern white suburbia and big-city corporate America to a fascinating foreign land so close to home -- the Mississippi Delta. Then, through both ancient and recent history, it tells the compelling story of the blues -- sometimes in Stolle’s own voice, other times in the words of the men who were there and lived to tell about it.

To enhance this story, McKay and Stolle also invited another contributor into the loop -- photographer and blues fan, Lou Bopp of St. Louis.

“When Will asked if I knew any good blues photographers, I told him I knew several,” recalled Stolle. “But the more we talked about the project, we decided that we wanted to feature photos of Mississippi’s living blues, not just archival shots. I met Lou in a juke joint when he was documenting just that -- living blues -- so he seemed like a natural. His photos capture both the musicians and the environment in which they thrive.”

Over forty photographs -- some black and white, some color -- help to put a face on Hidden History of Mississippi Blues. From the withered stare of an 83-year-old blues veteran to the playful expressions of a 27-year-old juke joint prodigy, Bopp’s photos add texture and life to an already engaging story.

Blues music producer Jeff Konkel of St. Louis-based Broke & Hungry Records contributed a Forward to the book as well -- providing yet another experienced voice to the project.

Placed together, the words and photos of Hidden History of Mississippi Blues bring a music, history and people to the printed page in a purposely intimate way -- leaving readers rooting for the bluesmen and pondering the future of the music. Hidden History of Mississippi Blues will be available at book stores nationwide beginning in April. The book will also be available via The History Press web site at www.historypress.net

With his trademark long golden mane tied back, a few amulets hanging around his neck complemented with a series of ornate tattoos running up and down his arm, Allman Brother’s front man and keyboardist Gregg Allman looks the part of the archetypal rock star. But if you get a bit closer, you will notice a charming demeanor accompanied by a softly spoken Southern accent that takes you back to a land where gallantry took its last bow. Like a true Southern gent, Allman certainly knows how to spin a good yarn, which he does when I meet him at a lovely boutique hotel tucked away in the heart of Kensington, London. Gregg Allman is in the middle of a hectic schedule here in the UK, promoting his first album in fourteen years, “Low Country Blues,” which sees him teaming up with producer of the moment, T Bone Burnett and the crème de la crème of Nashville’s finest session musicians to produce a record of authentic sounding blues songs. It seems to have been bit of a journey to get the album released, as just after the 63 year old finished recording last year, he had to go under the surgeon’s knife for a liver transplant after being diagnosed with hepatitis C. It was a major operation, in which surgeons also unearthed and successfully removed three tumors. If they had not seen the cancers there and then, it would have eventually cost the singer’s life.

Today, Gregg is well on the path of recovery and in good spirits following the news that his blues album has made it to no.5 in the American chart, the highest position in his career.

“It’s great. It hasn’t quite sunk in, but it’s sinking in. As for the other things, I had a feeling; they said it would be a year, before I felt totally in the groove again.” In light of his recent health problems, it makes one wonder how he musters the energy to embark on a vigorous year of touring, interviews as well as playing with the Allman Brothers for their 10 day annual residency at the Beacon Theatre in New York. Does he have a secret elixir? “Just passion for music and lots of sleep.” He states. “I pretty much have to sleep as much as I can. They told me you are going on the road? ‘You’re crazy,’ but the only way you are going to get through this, is sleep when you are not doing something musical.”

On the contrary, as can be expected with a musician of his calibre, throwing oneself into your music seems to be an apt healing process. Indeed, Allman has been clean for fifteen years, after leading a drug fuelled rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle as singer and keyboardist with legendary Southern band The Allman Brothers. At the peak of their success in 1971, Allman tragically lost his brother and band-mate Duane to a motorcycle accident. Just after his brother’s death, he went into the studio to record his first solo album “Laid Back,” which saw a slight departure in musical direction from the jazzy blues rock sound of the Allman Brothers and saw the singer draw upon his love of Southern roots music which included a cover of the gospel song “Will The Circle Be Unbroken,” and a more country interpretation of Jackson Browne’s “These Days,” along with few of his own compositions such as the epic “Queen of Hearts.” and the heart rendering “Multicolored Lady,” Since then, Gregg Allman’s career has consisted of the staggered release of several solo albums over three decades including the typically eighties sounding “I am No Angel,” which was a hit in the States and various solo tours with his band. His last album “Searching for Simplicity,” in 1997, carried a Chicago sounding blues reminiscent of Buddy Guy, with its brass rhythm section and distinct electrically amplified guitar. “I was looking for some good simple blues,” he responds when I ask him the reason behind the title of his last album. “I was trying to do this record back then,” he chuckles. “This album is a whole new thing, with new ideas; new recording techniques and it uses a different band.”

“Low Country Blues,” which Allman tells me is in reference to the Georgia region, where he currently lives, is his homage to the blues, a love that he nurtured and shared with his older brother Duane while they were growing up as kids in Florida. “When I was about fourteen, I discovered this radio station and it was in Tennessee, which was based where I was born. My brother and me discovered this radio show that came on at night. It was WLAC and you could get it from New York to Miami. It came on at 9.30pm and they shut off at 4.35am. There were these two guys. Once was called John R, and Herman Grissard. The first four hours were the blues and he would play every facet of the blues and then the last two hours Herman would come. His show was called After Hours, and he played jazz, which is where I heard my first Hammond organ.” Allman didn’t pick up the organ until his early adult years. “I didn’t play the Hammond organ until I joined the Allman Brothers. I was twenty-one years old. Prior to that, I was a guitar player. I taught my brother Duane, how to play. And it was like that, until my brother got so into it. At that point, the Beatles had come out, and no pun intended, everybody and his brother were in a band.”

Indeed, their love of the blues took the two young boys to Nashville in 1959 where they were blown away at a BB King concert. Eventually, after devouring the sounds of country bluesmen such as Howlin’ Wolf and Lightin’ Hopkins, the pair laid down their first ever record, which was a cover of Willie Dixon’s “Spoonful.”

Since then, the blues has a been a consistent sound in Allman’s body of solo work that was shaped by his long-term friend and producer Tom Dowd who died in 2002 much to the singer’s sadness. At the time, Allman was reluctant to work with a new producer and at the suggestion of his manager, he met with Nashville producer T Bone Burnett who was riding on the wave of success over the past few years from producing the likes of Alison Krauss and Robert Plant, as well, Leon Russell and Elton John. The pair hit it off and Burnett presented him with something. “Some guy gave T Bone a drive with a thousand blues songs on it. He sent me twenty-five of them and he said pick out fifteen that you can bring up to 2010?” Some of the songs were not entirely familiar with Allman who gives a slight chuckle when he comments on the quality of the recordings.

“Some of these songs, were like they were recorded in some ole roadhouse there were people screaming in the background, ‘leave my woman alone!’ A couple of them were pretty difficult. Some of them were scary. On the track “I’ll Believe I’ll Go Back Home,” the guy sounded like he was wailing.”

Nonetheless Allman had no problem rising to the occasion. “It was a good challenge, because more than a songwriter, I am more of an arranger. When I first heard them, I immediately started to arrange them in my head.”

But it was not the only challenge that Nashville producer T Bone Burnett posed to Allman. “About seven weeks later, I called him and said I got them down. He said ‘come on down but he said, don’t bring your band.’ Well, that almost ended the whole thing. I was to have a brand new band?! I said to him, I call you back and let me think on this. I guess he knew it was going to happen, and he didn’t tell me whom the band was. And, when I got there, I found it was Dr John so nothing else was said about it. “

Allman’s friendship with Mac Rebennack goes back a long way and led to the two joining forces back on his 1976 album

“Playing Up A Storm.”

“I don’t know how I got Dr John back then. ‘Playing Up A Storm’ was produced by Russ Titelman and Lenny Waronker and they worked with the Doobie Brothers. I think Lenny got him in. I always felt he was faking it all the time with all that talking. He’s such a great guy and he’s so funny. And he’s so good. I would say that every musician on this record played circles around me and I think that’s what he did.”

Dr John’s distinct piano style can be heard throughout the album in particular on the last track “Rolling Stone,” where the tone and some of the arrangements are reminiscent of his 1968 debut “Night Tripper.”

“Rolling Stone is one of the two public domain songs, which means it’s an old song. There is one track where he sounds like Ray Charles and nobody plays like Ray Charles. But he sure does, as he grew up in New Orleans and Professor Longhair was his teacher. He is all over the blues. Between him and T Bone. They are the walking encyclopedias of the blues.”

A fourteen-year absence from the studio, must a daunting prospect for any singer to get behind the mic, but for Gregg Allman it was an entirely different story, thanks to what he calls his evolved throat and being a stickler for melody. Yet after a lifetime of tragedies, triumphs, and heartache, I can’t help wonder if his choice of songs on the album resonate deeply with him, hence his powerful vocal performance on the album.

“You don’t have to live the blues but it certainly does help. I am sure I had lots in common with the song, and therefore, they really did hit home. They were just also real good songs. I heard them that way. Some of them were just atrocious and some of them I had to get down with T Bone –and say “what’s that word there?”

Little Milton and Buddy Guy are some of Allman’s favorite singers, but it is the great Ray Charles who Allman cites as his principal musical inspiration and it was thanks to his ex wife Cher, that he managed to meet his hero back in the seventies. It’s a story, which he vividly recollects, as well as relishing every bit of detail.

“My ex wife Cher had her own TV show. She was running out of people to get on her show. She called me at home one day. I said, ‘what’s up?’ and she said I am running out of people to get on my show and I said that’s simple get the Hight Priest. She said ‘who is the High Priest?’ and I said Ray Charles. A week and a half later, she calls, and she says, they are trying to figure out what songs Ray wants to play and was wondering if I could come down and give some help. I said, “Ray who? She responded,’ you told me to get Ray Charles!’ I couldn’t believe it. I got in the Ferrari and got down to the Halifax Ave so fast. I walked in and it was one of the CBS practice rooms with mirrors all around. There is a bar on one side of the room. On the other side there is a 12 ft Steinway with Ray sitting behind it. Oh man, my heart was just thumping – you could see it. Two big dudes standing on either side of him wearing white suits. Ray is sitting there in a brown suit and I walk in and Cher is there. And we figured out the songs in particular my favorite Ray’s songs ha ha.”

So was he tempted to sneak in any of his favorite Ray Charles tracks into the album? “I guess they have already been perfected. Ray’s music is timeless. Fifty years on from now, and people will still shake their booty to him.”

I ask him his thoughts on the British blues, which

All Photos of Gregg Allman by Danny Clinch

gives the 63 year old an opportunity to talk about another musical buddy.

“John Mayall is one of my dear friends and I see him once a year. We played the summer before last when I took my band to Europe. One morning, we were having breakfast in the sun and John is already down there. At this time he was in his seventies, anyways, it was getting towards the end of the tour, and we were bitching how long it had been. He says ‘hold on right here mate,’ and he comes down with this book, which has his itinerary for the whole year. He’s on the road for the whole year!! I don’t know anyone else like him when it comes to touring.”

Judging from Gregg’s schedule this year, it looks like he is taking a leaf out of the same book as his trusted British buddy. This spring and summer, he will be taking his band on the road across Europe and the States, which includes performing in London, Birmingham and Edinburgh in the beginning of July. In light of this heavy schedule and recent health issues, does he ever miss being away from his current hometown, Richmond Hill, Georgia and his Yorkapoo dog that he fondly talks about as we finish up? To which he responds, “when you go home and have a long time off, towards the end of this time, you start thinking what is it that I do. Do I just take up space, food and water? You have to get back on the road pretty darn quick.”

It seems there is no stopping Allman, who with a new liver, new album is a new man on mission. I ask him if there is a desire to put out another record with the remaining blues songs on T Bone Burnett’s ipod? He replies, “the next record, I do, will say all compositions by Gregg Allman.”

chats over music’s problems with Carol Borrington

It has been over two years since Blues Matters spoke to Deborah Bonham and after her success with her last CD “Duchess” brought a growing popularity round the UK circuit, Deborah announced in the autumn of last year that she was ready to make a new CD for 2011, so BM decided to catch up with her again and find out how she was progressing. Things though had been delayed a little over the latter months as Deborah had been struck by pneumonia and pleurisy for months and this was her first interview after a month confined to her bed.

On her feet, just, and preparing for a trip to Eastern Europe to share the stage with the likes of Nazareth and Ozzy Osbourne, she found time to update readers on her progress with the new album.

BM: You are in the process of making a new CD, do you have a working title for it yet?

Deborah Bonham: No, I don’t actually, I was sort of thinking about it, but we don’t start recording until the 20th February. I’ve done all the pre work for it but no title as such yet.

When are you looking to release it and is it a concept album?

Well, I think will be in the autumn, that’s the sort of discussions at moment. We were thinking of doing it early, could be the summer but August/September is a better time to release. We are going on tour in September as well, so it will probably coincide with that. It’s not about dogs this one. You know what, each and every song, to me it’s a very meaningful album. I’m sort of hoping that it will be and it seems be the more we been playing it live and people have snook in and heard us doing the tracks. I think people can relate to it. It’s very personal but it’s pretty much what everybody goes through. It’s about getting stronger, I guess. “Duchess” was like that, I was trying to move forward from “The Old Hyde” and everything I’d gone through. With “Duchess”, I went just a little bit further and a couple of the songs on there were just fun and the lyrics weren’t that meaningful. Some of them though, were very personal, ‘Waiting’ was, ‘Blue’ was and a few others were a bit party sort of time. This one is a lot more focused and a lot more moving forwards. It feels good, I really excited about.

Who has contributed to the songwriting on the new CD?

It’s all of us. Predominately, it’s me but I throw the song in there and we all have our input on it, Pete, Gee, Ian and I respect their opinions. There’s a song on there that is predominantly Ian’s as well. It’s fantastic beautiful Blues song, it’s very like ‘Since I’ve Been Loving You’, actually, in that sort of vein. I’m really thrilled about it, I love that song! It’s called ‘Good Times Going To Find You’. I’ve been writing with an absolutely beautiful guy called John Hogg. He was in a band call “Moke” that had a lot of success in America. He then went on to form ‘Hookah Brown’ with Rich Robinson from, The Black Crowes. I just hooked up with him! A very funny story, in that, when I first met him, I said, “I feel like, I’ve known you all my life!” We really clicked and we started to write some stuff together. We’ve done three songs that are on the album and they are fantastic, I’m really excited about the songs, I’ve done with John. He’s focuses me a lot more into the mainstream a bit, but they are superb! I felt, “My God, I’ve really known you all my life” and we’ve really got on well. Anyway didn’t think too much about it. Came back home, Pete was, “How’s it going?” I said, “It’s fantastic, he’s such a lovely guy! Beautiful wife and family, couple kids, really nice in Wimbledon We looked him up on-line and Pete went, ‘Oh my God, you know who that is!” I went, “No”. When Pete was in Paddy Goes To Holyhead, in about the 1990’s, they used to play in The Swan in Fulham. Pete had a residency there every Sunday afternoon. It was the days when people went out to gigs, The Swan would be packed on a Sunday afternoon and lots of beer flowing and the ‘Paddies’ would play and it was great. They used to have this band, these young kids, open up for them, called ‘Riffs’. John Hogg was the singer and guitarist in Riffs. Of course I used talk to him all the time because he was the talented one. Pete loved John. He said, “That kid’s going to do something, he just so special. So there’s me thinking, I’d really him all my life and he didn’t remember it either! When Pete phones him said, “You used to open up for me!” John said, “Oh no, is that Pete from The Paddies! Then he went “Oh god I knew, I knew Debbie from somewhere.” So that worked out brilliantly. I don’t find it easy because you kinda laying your heart on the line, wearing it on your sleeve quite basically. It’s a very personal thing songwriting, to work with someone you don’t know. I was quite nervous about it. I said, I don’t know how this is going to go, but I’ll give it a try!” John Hogg will be coming and playing on the album as well.

Are there any other special guest appearances on the CD?

I have got special guests!!! I went up to see Robert Plant at Birmingham. I took my Mum up there to see him play. I absolutely love that “Band Of Joy” album. He’s gone somewhere different and it’s quite edgy and that’s what I love about it. From the opening track, there’s a track on there called, ‘Silver Rider’, which I adore. So, we went up there and we were watching the show and they were superb and because I’m a Crosby Stills and Nash fan, I love all those harmonies and I’m country at heart as well, I always have been. I like Blues/country. I’m not an out and out American country fan. Blues, Country and Folk has influenced everything. If you look at Led Zeppelin there is a bit of it all in there! If you can use a little of all of it, it makes a great mixture. Of course the old Blues is quite country. Anyway we watched them play and went back stage afterwards, it just turned out that the drummer Marco had been in touch with me by email to see if I was going to the show and it turned out he was a bit of the fan, he’d got the ”Duchess” album. I met him afterwards and we got talking and Robert came over. I just jokingly said to Marc,” You know what; you could always play drums on my new album!” So, now that’s happening and he fly’s in on 19th February. He’s played with Emmylou

Harris, with Robert, he’s on “The Band Of Joy”

ILOVEBB’SPLAYING

and he’s just spectacular, he’s very good. He’s doing the drums. Also, somebody I met up at Skegness in December at the Folk Festival there which I did. It tickles me actually because we seem to go across-the-board. We do the rock, the Blues, the folk, the country. They seem to slot us in on any festival, whatever the title is!!! We fit into everybody’s club. It can go against you a little bit because some purists get a bit twitchy about that. I met Gordon Giltrap and I watched him play and I started to cry he was so brilliant. He just sat there in front of 3,000 people and played the most stunning acoustic guitar. I was just blown away and what a gorgeous man also. He saw me play and came up and said, “That was brilliant!” We got talking, so he’s going to be on the album as well. BJ Cole who is one of the best pedal steel players there is will be there and we’ll just take it from there.

It’s been over two years since you last spoke to Blues Matters, how do you feel your career has developed in that time?

I’d be lying if I didn’t say it’s been a struggle. It was difficult with Rhino with the “Duchess” album. Rhino were the most wonderful people and Robert Hurley, who’s the Vice President; he tried so hard for us. What I’ve sort of realised unless you have the right manager and right agent and you’ve got have everything at the same time. It’s the only way it works. What we had was a record deal and an album and no agent and tours. We had bits and pieces and it didn’t coincide with the release of the album. There were problems there and the album was on an American Label and we actually didn’t get to America which we should have done. The tour we were supposed to have, we were told we had, didn’t happen. It’s been that same problem, which has pretty much dogged me all my life. In that, I get a deal, I don’t have the manager. I get the manager, I don’t have the agent. Trying to pull all those things together has been a life-time struggle for me. Pulling the right people! I’ve had lots and lots of people that will say to me, we’ll go out and do a Led Zeppelin tribute thing! I even had somebody say to me, what we see is, you doing a disco version of Led Zeppelin!!! This is a notable manager; I’ve had them believe me. At one point I thought I had it tattooed on my head, “Please come and see me if you’ve got any particular stupid ideas!!!” It always revolves around Led Zeppelin somewhere along the line, because it’s the same old, same old. The great thing about that now is that I’ve proven, the way I’ve developed, that side of getting it all together has been extremely challenging. Where it’s developed is I’ve at least proven myself, so I’m not in that shadow of Led Zeppelin anymore. People won’t even dare mention that to me now. I had somebody not that long ago, he was quickly removed! That part has developed hugely and being at the Robert concert, he was just so complimentary about what I was doing and my music that I felt really proud about it. It was great to see his band had got my record and were playing it and I was really, really proud of that. It meant everything to me, it’s the best news I’ve had. At that respect as an artist, I’ve developed into a point were I’m taken seriously. It’s been a struggle putting the rest of the other bit together but its been worth going through all that to come out with the right combination that I think at long last I’ve got. I’ve got Dave Hill, who is managing me and he is just so straight forward, honest, lovely and respects me as a person. I don’t get treated as a ‘silly girl’ which is the other problem, I’ve come across! With Dave, it’s what it says on the tin. He’s fantastic and I’ve got the Alan Cotton agency. Alan Cotton and Steve G who are absolutely doing everything they can for me. It’s hard out there; it’s really not easy and they are doing absolutely everything. Got me into the Czech Republic, we’ve got a break there, which will lead us into the rest of Europe; they’ve worked incredibly hard to get that for me. I’ve got Pete Barton, working for me here as well, in conjunction with Alan and Steve. We are starting to sow that up. So that this year, we’ve got the record, we’ve got the manager, agent and we’ve got the PR. It really isn’t just all about the record you’ve got to have all of the other things in place! It’s hard enough now, it’s not like it was years ago. BBC 4 has had some fantastic music programmes on. I’m quite a big Tom Petty fan; they had a night of Tom Petty. It is absolutely brilliant; this guy fought everybody even back then. He says a very valid thing. He said now, it’s a whole different ball game. Kids don’t get together in a garage trying to put a band together, think they will still be together in thirty years. It’s all about how fast I can get to were I want to get? X Factor and American Idol, that’s the route that’s happening at the moment where it was. Of course radio, back then was ‘king’ and so you were getting all these great bands being played on radio and that doesn’t happen anymore. So, it’s extremely hard out there for anyone and if you don’t have the right people working with you, it’s an uphill struggle!!!

Are there any Blues musicians you haven’t worked with so far, you would like to in the future?

Oh gosh! There’s so many! I’d love to go back to old style Blues. You know the main person I’d love to do something with is BB.King. Love to, I‘d die though, which would defeat

the whole the thing wouldn’t it, I just love BB’s playing. There are so many others, I haven’t worked with, so many people really. Thinking about it, he would be it. The older ones who would have been a joy, are all dead. No. it has to be BB!!!

You done a good number of UK Blues festivals in the last two years, are there any others you would really like to do?

Yes, I’d love to do them in Europe. It’s the one market that is still out there and catering for people who love music. In the UK, I just want to continue playing those festivals we’ve done. What I love about the audiences is that they are very accepting that we are not just Blues. I’m not crazy about belonging to one genre. It all starts with the Blues, everything’s got Blues in it, but I’m not crazy about being labelled too much, because whatever you do as a songwriter and a singer you are just expressing who you are at that point in time and all your influences tend to come through and Blues is a big influence on me as it was for Zeppelin and the like, so it comes through.

What do you like about the festivals

What I do love about these festivals and especially the audiences is that they are very open and accepting. You’ll get the odd few that really are purists but on the whole, they get the sentiment. That’s what Blues is for me it’s a sentiment, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a twelve bar, it’s a sentiment. I absolutely love playing the festivals and I hope we are going to be doing more this year. We did Maryport the year before last and I really liked that festival. John Mayall was there and his band absolutely blows me away. An absolutely fantastic Chicago based band, the drummer and bass player were just phenomenal and I’ve kept in –touch with them. They are guys I’d like to play with too and John Mayall, oh yes absolutely. I’m not sure there is one in particular I can think of, except of course Glastonbury and I would love, love, love to do Glastonbury, but there are some great Blues festivals going on in Europe, I’d like to play at.

What do you think will happen to the Blues in the period of austerity presently immersing us all today?

I feel that 2011 especially for us, everybody’s saying the country’s in a terrible state no one’s got any money, interest might be going up. It’s all doom and gloom. Record companies are seeing huge drops in sales and to be honest with you, it’s been brought on by the way its been worked. The time is coming now for good music to break through. These Blues festivals and certain venues that are very choosy about the bands that they put on, if they put great bands on, people are going to go to them. It can only get better, People are sick to death with crap we are fed at the moment on video and TV. They seem to think that everyone over a certain age is dead and no we are not dead excuse me!!! We were pioneers in music; we produced some of the best musicians ever. I feel that it is moving, it’s got to, it happens all the time, every so often you get a break through, like even when punk happened. I feel something is happening now people are getting sick to death and I don’t mean to be derogatory of X Factor, but it caters only for a certain age and there are lot of us, over ...well I’m not going to say what we’re over! I’m over twenty though! We got quite a few people out there that are of over that age with an income who want to go out and see a good band. They don’t want to just sit at home and think, “I’m forty, I’d better just put my slippers on and give up!

Is there anything you would like say to Blues Matters readers?

To thank you so much all for the support, without magazines like Blues Matters, Blues Matters has pioneered the way forward for Blues to break through, bluesques, Blues type of music to break through at a time it had died and its coming back again. It’s not unfashionable to love that style of music and it’s because of magazines like BM and finding artists who are there like little Chantel. I actually adore that girl, she’s definitely got a talent and it’s great to see. Without magazines like BM, artists like me, Sandi Thom, she’s breaking through again, she’s another great girl. Artists like Joe Bonamassa for example, can you imagine without the blues magazines, it just wouldn’t get out there. It’s all power to Blues Matters, keep going! To the fans out there, who buy it and the records and come to gigs, that’s the main thing get out there, go support your local venue if you love live music, they are shutting fast and furiously and I think it is down to the venues to put on great players. People are not stupid they don’t want to pay their money to see somebody who is going through the motions or playing a load of covers. Covers are OK, I’m happy to do that occasionally. They want a bit for their money, they want to be impressed. Audiences aren’t just sitting there going, aren’t we just happy to be out!” They know their music and they want it to be good and as long as promoters put on good band and bands give the audience their money’s worth. Then people go away and think I had a great night tonight. That’s the important part and that will keep music alive.

GILES ROBSON OF THE DIRTY ACESLays his cards out to Clive Rawlings

Young Jersey based player/singer, Giles Robson has been causing more than a few ripples over the last couple of years on the Blues scene. As front man to the Dirty Aces, he has recently toured with Mud Morganfield and soon will be on the road promoting his new album, ‘This Crooked Heart of Mine’. He took time out from his busy schedule to do this interview with Clive Rawlings.

BM. Tell us what you’re currently doing – are you touring, or recording?

After recording four final tracks in Poland at the beginning of March, The Dirty Aces will be gearing up for a Paul Jones session, a slot at The Yorkshire Blues Festival and then the launch of their new album “Crooked Heart of Mine” at The Blues Kitchen in Camden Town London on Tuesday May 10th. We’re going to be previewing the songs and will have the album fresh off the press. Then we will be going up and down the country the following week. It’s going to be an exciting year for us as we’ve been confirmed for the Sunday night at Colne and there is a lot of other stuff yet to be announced.

You seem to play a lot in States and all over, how does a typical year’s touring schedule work out? Well it’s a mixture of different countries and venues. Poland, France, The UK and the States mainly. We’ve spent a lot of time backing artists such as Mud Morganfield and Katherine Davis - they’ve taken us to interesting places and now we’re trying as hard as we can to focus on our original material and promote and perform that under our own name.

I see that you are actually based in Jersey- what’s the music scene like there? Are there any notable venues?

I’m now based between Jersey and France. There is a small and potent scene spread across all of the Channel Islands and I’m involved in promoting visiting international acts. There are inherent logistical problems of being on an island and getting famous acts over, getting local bands touring off the island and keeping the scene fresh. Travel costs to and from the Channel Islands are very crippling - some of the most expensive in the world. It involves a van on a ferry or flights to get to the UK. This means that once a musician gets settled into a day job, teaching or with a family it’s very hard if not impossible to get them on the road unless they are 100% committed. It’s not as if you can jump in a van and drive to London and return overnight! A lot of very promising bands get caught up and never leave. Now I’m in France for some of the time the cost is cheaper to get to The UK or indeed to other parts of Europe.

What’s your musical background? How did you start out?

I had played violin and saxophone but never really got into them. I had heard blues harmonica on the TV a couple of times and fell in love with the sound. I bought my first harmonica, a Hohner Blues Harp, at the age of fourteen at a music shop in Toledo in Spain on a school art trip. The weekend I came back to Jersey by amazing coincidence Cephas and Wiggins were playing at the local Arts Centre - booked by the late Bob Tilling. This was a great introduction to the art of harmonica blues. I purchased a Hohner cassette and leaflet called “Harpin’ It Easy” on the Monday after the Cephas and Wiggins show and haven’t looked back since.

Any memorable early gigs? What about your first gig?

I gained some visibility at school at the age of sixteen by winning the band section of the school music competition by playing and singing a version of Muddy Waters’ Hoochie Coochie Man. Fifteen years later and I’ve been playing it across the UK and in Chicago with Muddy Water’s son which was a great honour and pleasure! I met junior wells at the age of 19 in London at the Jazz Cafe. I plucked up the courage to play harp to him after the gig - the signature intro he used to do on Hoodoo Man blues. He smiled at me and said “That boy plays like me!” He then sat me down and talked about his upcoming projects and gave me an autographed harmonica.

OK let’s look at musical influences - stylistically on harmonica you’re playing initially seems reminiscent of Sugar Blue - but you are also a front line vocalist - who would you say are your main vocal influences? I love the untamed classic blues singers. It’s that nasal, rhythmic, tough, full of attitude approach that really isn’t considered technically good singing but in my opinion is so very communicative and expressive. People like Sonny Boy Williamson, Bob Dylan, Mose Allison, Hank Williams, Jimi Hendrix, Gregg Allman and also Tom Waits for his impeccable rhythm. It’s a style that has been described as “Strangulated” or “Talking Blues style”, it comes very much from the back of the throat. I was talking about this with Chicago’s Katherine Davis who is an avid musicologist and she reckoned it originated from the preaching tradition. You can hear it through a lot of African American music. It’s more about telling a story and adding meaning to words than singing a melodic line. It’s like an ancestor of the Hip Hop approach. I think Bob Dylan perhaps understood this best. He is in my opinion the best white blues singer; he gives words so much meaning.

And your influences on harmonica?

Ha! I could go on about this forever! Of all the harmonica players my main man is Sonny Boy Williamson No2. He had an overall concept and could load his playing - his solos - with so much depth and meaning though phrasing, space and colouring the notes. He is the one I keep coming back to as I can’t get enough of his stuff. See’s me through the tough times and helps me celebrate the good times. Taste, economy, style and wit. When I talk to a lot of the big gun harp players and Jazz musicians he is the one that gets mentioned first. Sonny Boy really knew how to lead the Chess house band also. Listen to how great the backing is on his tracks. Of course Little Walter, Junior Wells, Walter Horton, Sugar Blue, Carey Bell, Stevie Wonder, Hugo Diaz, Paul Jones, Paul Lamb, Billy Branch, JJ Milteau are all listened with religious intensity as well. I had the pleasure of promoting a Paul Jones/Dave Kelly concert in Jersey recently and Paul Jones blew the roof off the venue. The audience were amazed by his playing. He does some really interesting and technically soulful things. JJ Milteau could be described as a European Sonny Boy Williamson, and incredibly tasteful retrained and melodic player.

Sugar Blue praised the band, early on in our career and it was fantastic as it was such a confidence booster to be praised by a musician of that stature and technical ability. Meeting him was also great experience. A man that lives solely for his music, and let’s face it he singlehandedly extended the range of the diatonic harp in terms of blues soloing. He took it step forward. He practices incessantly which shows in his flowing execution. I guess my playing gets compared to Blue because I incorporate the upper register in a lot of my playing also. He is a big Jazz fan as am I and I think that helps to expand the range and phrasing across the registers of the diatonic harmonica. I think there are differences in approach between Blue and myself. I think I’m more angular and jagged like Thelonius Monk and Blue is smooth and flowing like Lester Young. My favourite tune of his is “One More Mile” from his Blue Blazes album. The soloing in that tune is in a league of its own. Well worth learning - but be warned it takes a while!

Do you have an overriding concept in your approach to harmonica?

Well I’m aiming for a melodic approach that avoids the fundamental trap that a lot of harmonica players fall into. You find with the harp that players learn a stock set of phrases that they play over and over again any sort of chord change and by doing this aren’t really listening to, enhancing or commenting on the melody. I hear this when you find a harp player on a pop record with a strong melody. The harmonica is just used by the producer as an almost background sound effect that adds a slight flavouring rather than being used as a striking musical addition to the number. When I play a solo or compose an introduction I want it to be tailored specifically for the song it features in and is part of - and not a set of phrases that are nothing really to do with the chord changes or vocal line.

Would you consider yourself primarily a vocalist or harpist?

Really I’m aiming for a good balance of both singing and harp playing like Sonny Boy. If I find I’m getting dragged in by the harp too much I pull back and try and practice and think about vocal - and vice-versa. I would hate one to dominate the other.

Do you play any other instruments?

Nope - My Scottish great grandmother drilled into me the importance of sticking at one thing and doing it well. I figured that if I pushed my focus and creativity through one instrument it would be better than spreading myself too thinly over several. A lot of people told me the harmonica was a trap and it was a waste of time. That made me work even harder and the

more I learnt and worked at it the more I realised the tremendous scope it possesses. It really effects people with it’s sound and it’s got the range if you work at it hard enough of any other Blues lead instrument. I’ve certainly no complaints about it or the response the humble harp gets when I play live and I’m very proud to play an instrument that has had and continues to have such a range of truly great musicians that play it.

Do you play chromatic harmonica at all... does that come into your music?

Yes - not a fully chromatic instrument but in the same way Little Walter did. We do a Gypsy Jazz-esque piece called “Devil Led Evil” largely written by Filip Kozlowski. Chromatic harp is great as it has an almost European quality to it and a great lower register of bass notes. Will hopefully be using it a lot more in the future and writing tunes to accommodate it. I would love one day to play it properly. I used to think that it could sound a bit twee at times as an instrument. Then I heard an album of tangos by Argentinian chromatic virtuoso Hugo Diaz and that completely changed my mind. Amazing textures feeling and passion.

Musically, do you move much outside of a strictly Blues format, roots, country, jazz for example?

Well I think those genres, roots, country and jazz, pretty much sum up what we’re into and what we draw inspiration from and what you will hear on our CD or when you hear us live. Both in terms of lyrics and music. Also it’s been noted there’s a sort of punish attitude in there as well. I used to be in a couple of crazy blues punk bands many years ago and some of that has stuck.

What about your tastes in listening?

Well I listen to loads of different stuff. I think as a musician you have too. So classical, pop, rock, Indie, hip hop, klezmer. When I was younger I didn’t - I was a Blues purist! As I got older the more catholic my music taste became and more adventurous. I think if you can appreciate what is good across all genres of music then your own music doesn’t become stilted and a museum piece. It avoids being something that is only effective within it’s niche. In my opinion you have to try to aim to create music that in some way try to transcend it’s genre. God knows there are enough blues bands that go out there with quiffs, sharkskin suits and vintage amps with a set of rules and end up sounding staid and boring. An artist like Imelda May has managed to achieve what I’m talking about perfectly both in her music and the way she dresses and the way the band dresses. It’s distinctly retro and of its influences but also sounds utterly contemporary and original. The same with their look.

Have you got any songs that you always come back to, something you always enjoy playing?

Well, if I’m feeling in a particularly bad way a straight ahead Chicago style shuffle in the key of E usually sorts me out.

What are your thoughts on Blues & roots music as it relates to modern media culture, the DJ/dance culture and X Factor, taking it as given that there is a lot more than just blues music that’s being neglected... how do we address getting ‘real’ music back into the mainstream?

I personally think Blues has never been more popular or more respected. When I was a teenager my friends were bemused as to why I started playing it. Now teenagers are much more clued up. In my opinion ‘iTunes’ and ‘YouTube’ are singlehandedly breaking down chronology in music. They make blues music visible and on the radar to each new generation in that if you listen to, purchase or watch contemporary artists online who are blues influenced you then get pointed in the direction of Blues artist’s records and videos. If you listen to or watch the White Stripes for example you will get Son House as a recommendation. And also let’s not forget that you can see at least one video of virtually every major blues artist online now. When I was starting out I treated any slight clip of Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf or Sonny Boy Williamson shown in a music documentary as pure gold dust! Blues is also played constantly on BBC6 Music. Cerys Matthews on her Sunday show has a blues artist profile every week and Huey Morgan always gets a bit of blues in there. Is blues and its related genres playing to a diminishing or growing audience? If diminishing, why? If growing, how do we build upon that?

Well the answer to that question is Joe Bonamassa. He can sell out the Albert hall with no mainstream radio play, on a tiny indie Blues label. He wins through word of mouth and a genius PR strategy and of course killer music and musicianship. He started out in the UK playing the Blues circuit that we are all on but suddenly made that giant leap out of it and into the big venues. Joe Bonamassa is really the example the Blues world should be looking to if they want to increase audiences as he really has achieved the solid success we all dream of. I think he also shows that that you have to go out and fight for an audience and bring it to you and that they will be out there.

Tell us about some of your recordings? How is the new album coming along?

Well, we record completely live - no overdubs. The band is highly proficient and everything was recorded in three to four takes. We record in a converted mill in Poland which has a great atmosphere and very high ceilings. We rehearse the numbers up very thoroughly and then BAM! Record ‘em! Having done layered multi track recording before - I think it really is of no use to the sort of music we’re doing.

How has the response been to the Paul Jones show?

It was amazing. We got spotted by Chris Evans who played us on his Breakfast show the next morning. The phone didn’t stop ringing after that. I was getting texts, calls emails almost instantly. I met Paul Jones a couple of weeks later and he said it was the first time in the history of his show that something like that had ever happened. We were all very proud, I’d always dreamt of being included on the show since I’ve listened to it since I was 15 years old. So to have that happen the first time we are played on the show under our own steam and not backing another artist meant a great deal indeed.

Do you write as well as play?

I write with The Dirty Aces lead guitarist Filip Kozlowski. He is a very knowledgeable technical musician and great soloist. We’ll both come along to writing sessions with fragments of ideas and try to create songs out of them. In terms of lyrics, I’m very influenced by all Blues, folk and country. People that are great influences on contemporary artists such as Bob Dylan and Tom Waits. Murder Ballads, all that great dark folk poetry that came out of the States. “The Mighty Incinerator” (BM note: the track played on Paul Jones’ show) came about because I love the cautionary tale aspect of folk songs. I wanted to create a name that would encapsulate hell that sounded like it had been passed down through generations. “The Mighty Incinerator” sounds slightly archaic and mythical in this respect so I think it worked well.

Seeing as you’ve played with Sugar Blue & Mud Morganfield, have you got any interesting stories about that? With Mud we had some great gigs, the best ones being at the Dundee Blues Bonanza and the Jazz Cafe Camden. The best bit about playing with him is looking over when he does Mannish Boy and watching his face morph between himself and his dad. It’s eerie but great to experience. We also jammed on stage in Chicago with Buddy Guy. That was quite an evening. Fil and I pass on the harp and guitar duties to the great West Weston and a German guitarist. We’ve had a great couple of tours and now really want to concentrate on our original material after the great response we’ve received. I played on stage with Sugar Blue in Jersey and that was great - in fact witnessing a band like that in pub in your small hometown was amazing! It was like downtown Chicago in the middle of St Helier for one night. Playing with him was thrilling, as was playing with the band he had at that time, Nick Peraino on guitar, Ilaria Lantieri on bass, Anthony Space on keys and Turbo Murray on drums. Wow! That night will always stick with me.

BM: Many thanks Giles - look forward to seeing you in the UK in May and we wish you well for the future. www.myspace.com/thedirtyaces

Since his debut tour of the USA last summer Schofield has reverted to the organ trio format that started his solo career, but with a change of drummer. The introduction of American Kevin Hayes on drums has brought a more straight-ahead and powerful sound to the trio. It certainly seems to have taken Schofield’s sound up yet another notch. Hayes spent many years as Robert Cray’s drummer while also recording with the likes of BB King, John Lee hooker and Van Morrison. Johnny Henderson on Hammond organ has been with Schofield since day one. He also takes care of bass duties with his left hand. The organ trio format found favour with several of blues leading lights including Albert King and Jimmy Vaughan, though the scale of sound produced by Schofield and his two band members led one press commentator to remark “Schofield’s is an organ trio on steroids!”

BM: Your last CD, “Heads, Tails and Aces” was a real success with the punters, is there a new album in the pipeline?

Matt Schofield: I took the band to New Orleans in January to record a new album and it should be released in May. New Orleans has obviously been a very musically inspirational place for us, so it was exciting just to be there to record. My previous albums have all been produced by myself, but this time we have John Porter as producer, someone who I have long admired through his work with BB King, Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal, and so many other Blues greats. At the last count I think John has produced at least 12 Grammy winning albums.

Is this new album different to what we might expect from you?

I feel like this record is continuing the evolution we’ve had across all my studio records. Bringing together all the elements we’ve touched on before, but in an even more focused way. I used the latest incarnation of my organ trio line-up for the record. It’s the same band that we’ve been touring with for the last year. So once again, I’m exploiting Jonny Henderson’s talents to their fullest! And we have a great drummer with us, Kevin Hayes, who is known for his work with Robert Cray and John Lee Hooker, amongst others. So, it has that funkiness of my earlier trio records, but it’s more in the context of a song based record like the last one, Heads, Tails and Aces. I suppose some of the songs on this latest album might even be considered my most commercial to date, though I’m never quite sure what that means, because it’s all Blues to me! Just what comes out. Basically, it’s me playing and singing what I like to do!

On past albums you have had a few choice covers. What’s on this new one?

We have a couple covers again this time. It’s always fun to play songs that you love. We have a song by Steve Winwood called, ‘At Times We Do Forget.’ It’s the first time I’ve covered a fairly recent song, as opposed to going back and picking something older that I’ve grown up listening to. We thought it really suited the current band. We also do a version of ‘Wrapped Up In Love Again’ by Albert King. I’ve covered B.B and Freddie King before, so it was about time I did an Albert tune! The three kings are of course huge influences on me. The rest of the album I have again written, or co-written with my partner Dorothy Whittick.

If you were advising a new guitarist starting out, what would be your main advice? Remember your ears are your most important piece of equipment. Listen deeply to great music, and other great musicians. Listen deeply to what you’re doing. You are a product of what you listen to, but embrace you own approach. Music is a language, and an amazing tool for expression. Not a competition or sport. Don’t get sidetracked into believing that gear is going to make you a better player. You have to learn to play the guitar first before spending money on expensive gear. Good gear will only sound good if there’s good playing going through it! And have fun playing, play what you love, and then it will never feel like you practised a day in your life!

You played recently in India, were there any cultural differences in the way the crowd reacted to your music, than there is in the West?

They were a hugely enthusiastic audience and very knowledgeable. It seemed that the crowd was far more diverse in age and gender than we usually see at Blues festival in Europe and the USA. People respect and desire live music there, and very eager to embrace music from other cultures. Blues is new and fresh and exciting in India! That festival was one of the most enjoyable I have played in a while. It was Buddy Guy’s third time there in four years, so he’s digging it too.

You offered bands a chance to play in support of your 2011, UK, May Tour. What was the reason for doing this? It was an idea put to us by MySpace. We have had several hundred submissions, mostly from the UK but also some from Europe and the USA. I liked the idea because when I was starting out it would have been great to have got a support slot based on merit alone and not who you know, or record label connections and that sort of thing.

Do you feel it is the role of senior professionals like yourself to be acting as mentor to the upcoming generation of Blues men and women, as a way of assisting the Blues to flourish, especially in the present day economic climate?

It’s funny how one day you wake up and hear yourself being referred to as a “senior professional” instead of “young” and “up and coming!” Even though I’ve been gigging twenty years, this year, I am only really seven years into my solo career. I feel like I am only just getting started. But as teenage players start emerging then, yes, I guess I am a ‘senior’ and yes, I hope I can provide some inspiration or direction to them, and maybe a platform for them to build on. The most amazing

Gives Carol Borrington a lesson the importance of listening

Musicisalanguage!

thing is coming across young players who quote me as an influence. That is both very rewarding and very flattering. The one thing I have strived to do, more than anything else, is to make a statement on the guitar, so to know that some people are picking up on my style and approach is very cool and perhaps in some small way it is helping to perpetuate Blues guitar.

You released a DVD in 2010, called “Blues Guitar Artistry”. Who were your target audience and what were you hoping to achieve through this release?

This is something I was invited to do by the American publishers, Hal Leonard. It was an honour to be asked. They are the world’s largest producers of music instructional media. In fact, when I was a teen learning to play the first instructional book I ever saw was by Hal Leonard. I wanted to get away from the typical lick and scale based ‘how to play note for note’ instructional videos. It’s not how I play or approach the instrument, and there’s plenty of that out there already. I wanted to try and come at it from a more broadly conceptual approach and provide some useful ideas for making a player more musical as a whole. It is mainly about my approach to playing the guitar, music, and especially my love of Blues, and illustrating the ideas in context by playing it live with the band. All the music played was written specifically for the DVD. In terms of what I was hoping to achieve, I hope it has given aspiring guitarists a better understanding of how to approach Blues guitar in a musical way, and an insight to developing their own sound and style.

Like many musicians you have a website, Facebook and Myspace. Do you have any feelings about these media and their roles?

There is no substitute for connecting with a live audience, playing directly for them, or if someone is moved by listening to your CD. That’s my job, to deliver music that moves people emotionally. You cannot do that via Facebook or Myspace, or whatever new social network comes along. They are useful ways of keeping in touch with fans around the world and of building awareness; but when the technology gets bigger than the music, then you have to question whether it is still about music.

What’s on the cards for the rest of 2011?

Touring and promoting the new album. After the short UK tour in May, most of the summer will be spent in the USA. I will be in Europe for some festivals in July, then its back to the US. We have another UK tour planned for late October and into November. To some extent how the year will shape up depends on the response to the new album. Meantime, we just have to get out there. We love to play!

INDIAN BLUES

Think India and probably the first things that will come into your mind are The TaJ Mahal, The Ganges, curry, tea or even Bollywood. It is almost certainly not the Blues! Yet, why not? Oh sure, India and the North America are continents apart and two completely different countries in almost every respect. If though, you think of the Blues as a musical form, then music is one of the things that all humanity has in common. If you begin to dissect what the Blues is and move away from a dictionary definition and into its more expansive analysis, that most Blues musicians give when questioned about it. Then The Blues are a feeling. Don’t all humans on this planet have those and don’t they all from time to time get the Blues. So, it’s not surprising then to find the Blues even within Indian culture. 2011 has seen India’s first Blues festival, The Mahindra Blues Festival in Mumbai. This two day festival was graced by top class international Blues artists like Buddy Guy, Jonny Lang, Matt Schofield and Shemekia Copeland. India as well as it’s first festival also has its own favourite Blues bands, one such is Soulmate who also played in 2011 alongside the overseas stars. Soulmate are from Shillong, Meghalaya in India and were first formed in 2003. They are a duo led by singer, songwriter and guitarist Rudy Wallang. He grew up listening to his father’s music and soon began playing guitar at a very young age. Rudy is now seen as one of India’s top singer/songwriter and Blues guitarists in India. His fellow band mate is vocalist and rhythm guitarist Tipriti ‘Tip’ Karbangar who started singing in her local church and then fell in love with the music of Etta James, BB.King and newer Blues singer guitarist, Susan Tedeschi. Soulmate have already played major overseas gigs and festivals and gained top awards. They are signed to Blue Frog Records, having already released two albums. Blues again cross-cultural divides as the influences on Soulmate reveal. There seems then to be another area of the world in which the Blues is hiding away. As Matt Schofield said in his interview the punters turning out for Mahindra Festival crossed the gender and generation gap and most of all as Matt put it, “Blues is new and fresh and exciting in India!”

Carol Borrington.

Norman Beaker: The Curator! Interviewed by Carol Borrington.

Norman Beaker’s career is entering its sixth decade, it started literally because of an accident in his childhood years. It may have had a rocky start but it has seen Norman flourish in all he has tried. He’s a guitarist, who mostly says he can sing a bit. He’s a band leader, a songwriter who has written music for TV and cinema he is a music producer. The list of those he has worked is a musical Who’s Who’ and includes names like Chris Farlowe, Jack Bruce, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, Paul Jones, BB.King, Chuck Berry. You name it and Norman has probably been there and got the tee shirt. One of those he associates with more than any other as having impacted on his whole career is Alexis Kroner. This year sees him take on the role of Curator for the Alexis Korner Memorial Stage, at The Yorkshire Blues Festival to be held at the end of April this year. Alexis was friend and mentor to Norman who has held charity events in the past at Buxton Opera House to raise money for Cancer charities, the disease that took his friends’ life. He has now joined with the organisers of The Yorkshire Blues Festival to promote the Blues, raise money for Cancer Research and showcase an International event in Yorkshire that focuses the eyes of the world on the area.

How did you start playing the Blues?

I started playing guitar when I was about seven years old, I had a road accident, it wasn’t very serious, but I couldn’t walk properly for several years. So, my dad bought me this Rumanian - not even Spanish - guitar! You know Rumanian’s suffer so did I. You need a G-Clamp, it was so hard. I had nothing else to do; I couldn’t get out of bed for over a year, which is a good start to a musician! I started playing guitar and messing around but at the time there weren’t many guitar players. You used to see them on the variety shows, Hank Marvin, Bert Weedon, they were the boys basically! So, you had learnt really really slowly, learn on your own. Nowadays you can look on YouTube, whatever and in an hour learn something in an hour that would have taken us years and years to learn. It’s better in some ways, but you get a good grounding for everything if it’s taken you a long time.

You are the Curator of the Alexis Korner Stage at the new Yorkshire Festival this year. How did you get involved with this project and what does being curator involve?

Rudi we know from his club in Yorkshire and he went to all the Alexis Korner gigs at Buxton Opera House, the memorial gigs, I used to organise them. He loved them and thought they were a great idea, so he always wanted to put one together. He said, “I’d love to do a festival and we could incorporate it”. It was so much work; it took me months and months putting them together. Equally it was a bad time of the year when we were touring everywhere, so it was getting really difficult to do. So, it made it a lot easier, Rudi was booking two nights and I’m putting on the same, so it fits in really nicely with what he is doing as well.

Why do you think this important?

The Yorkshire Festival, I think it’s the area for one thing. It’s a great catchment area with Nottingham, Northumbria, all that area. They haven’t had enough round there of that sort of thing. There’s lots of beautiful little Arts Centres, that do well but they don’t get the big artists. Nottingham used to be fantastic. There’s a guy called Dave who used to book a lot of gigs at The Old Vic, as the blues guys over there, he’d do it for me. You’ve got Newark and things like that.

If you had to assess the contribution to the British Blues scene of Alexis Korner, what would you say?

I think Alexis would have been the first one to say he wasn’t a great singer or guitar player. He really knew the music inside out. He certainly knew good musicians and he knew how to get them together, without them knowing. He could bring people together and you didn’t know how it happened, but it was always him. Like The Stones, Brian Jones, he knew Brian first, so then got Keith in and……!!! The same with Free, he got Paul Rodgers because his band was called “Free At Last”. He got Paul and that became Free. He had a great knowledge about it. He had a great aura too! There was something very special in it. It’s not easy to say why. He was my son’s godfather, Alexis. When he came to the Christening, he was having a ‘wacky backy’ with all my family in the front room! I’m going, “Oh my God!” and everyone said, “Isn’t he a lovely man!” Not the normal behaviour of my lot! He gave me some real advice like, if there was a country where he thought the gigs were a bit dubious. He’d say, ”Just charge them double and ask for half in advance”. Yeah and things like that, he was great!!!

You have had a long association with Chris Farlowe, how did this first come about?

By doing the live album. We did the live album, I was a producer from Indigo Records and Chris asked me to do it. I said, “I would, if I use my band.” It was a live album so I needed to know what the band were going to be like. So that was it, we’ve been together, I think sixteen or seventeen years.

As a senior musician if you had to give the younger players starting out one piece of advice what would it be?

I was actually discussing this with somebody and I said, it’s very difficult for them in some ways but at least they can get gigs. When we first started you would do a pub gig, three and people would be there, and they would leave! It was quite disheartening for a long long time. If you played a pub, they would say, “Don’t you play any pop songs!” If you did play any pop songs, they would stop you playing the originals. Where as now, at least they can play in a pub or do these festivals, it might not be a big pay but at least they are getting seen. In some ways that’s better. The things is, I feel a bit sorry for some of the younger lads coming in because things have changed so much, they immediately become quite a big band on a festival, where it would have taken us five years.

In 2007, Blues Matters won a prestigious; “Keeping the Blues Alive” award from the Blues Foundation, also in that year Bob Corritore took an award under the category, Public Radio. The significance of an award to Bob Corritore was apart from long overdue, that he could have well scooped one in several categories such was/is his sterling work across the gamut of the Blues industry. Bob Corritore is a compendium of the Blues in being an International harmonica player, a record producer of note on many labels, a club owner, a radio DJ and distributor of one of the best Blues newsletters. Billy Hutchinson took great pleasure in interviewing the man with the passion, verve and Blues glue!

BM: When you heard Muddy Waters at the age of 12 on the radio, you have said it changed your life forever. How much Blues had you listened to before that moment, and which song was Muddy performing

BC: I really had not been aware of hearing the Blues before that moment of hearing Muddy Waters for the first time. I was born in 1956 and heard all the pop hits of the 1960’s many of which had blues influence. When I heard Muddy Waters performing the song, “Rolling Stone” there was no going back because his music was such a pure feeling.

What has been your Bluesiest moment?

So many great Blues moments but if, I had to choose just one; perhaps it would be performing with Jimmy Rogers on a couple short mini-tours. It was such a dream-come-true to work with Jimmy, who I admired so much. Jimmy was such a spellbinding player and his music brings so much out of a harmonica. There were some nights where the Blues was so thick that it just hung in the air, and everyone was entranced in the audience by the music, and knew how special it was.

Which Blues artist that you have met has been the most charismatic, and how did that come across?

I always felt that Muddy Waters was a like a king. He carried himself with such a respectful demeanour. He was the greatest front man and bandleader that I have ever experienced. I was lucky to have been able to see Muddy perform on close to a hundred occasions over the years. Perhaps that is a telling measure of his charisma!

From the outside, it would seem you have a bundle of energy, work-wise.

I really enjoy what I do, and it is the primary focus of everyday from start to end. To add to that, I am also a good organizer and I have a hugely supportive group of people around me. Mona Watkins is the Rhythm Room general manager, George Vaught is my webmaster, Amy Brat is my social media consultant, Jennifer Waters, my KJZZ assistant and Clarke Rigsby makes my time in the recording studio move smoothly. I work with great musicians, and of course, Delta Groove has a whole staff of people who work to promote my music and my cause. There are others past and present that are too numerous to mention.

Are some sectors of your Blues involvement more arduous than others are?

Producing a CD involves intense focus and time. Running a nightclub is no easy assignment and has financial vagaries, but playing music is the reward as that just feels good!

What does it take to keep a Blues club going these days?

I would define The Rhythm Room is a concert club with a primary focus on Blues. To survive in the post- September 11th world I had to expand the club format to stay in business. I reserve Friday and Saturday nights for nothing but the blues, but other days we have all types of music. This allows me to keep the blues going.

You have played with a jaw-dropping list of Blues luminaries. Of whom would you have loved to have played with, but did not get the chance to

I would have loved to have played with Muddy Waters, but I never did.

Having compiled CD’s on your radio shows, club and your own career are there any plans on a book of your photographs, or indeed a biography.

That seems funny to me because I had a cheap little camera in the early days, and never considered myself a professional photographer. Some of these photos have become more important because they capture images of past time that most people nowadays can only dream. I have no plans for a bio but thanks for such a complimentary question.

Bob, you have travelled to many countries touring. Can you outline country differences beyond language, how is the Blues being perceived and showcased

The great thing about the Blues is that it provides a universal connection that highlights our similarities, as opposed to our differences. What is fascinating to me is the prestige that an “American” Blues performer has in other countries. For me I really enjoy meeting the blues musicians in other countries. I have found kind and enthusiastic audiences, and dedicated blues musicians in every country including, of course, the USA.

What pisses you off on tour, and what makes it all worthwhile

The greatest hardship of touring would be flight delays. It once took me almost two full days of travel to get to Barcelona due to bad weather. When I finally arrived, I was exhausted. Above all, what makes it worthwhile is to meet blues lovers

Blues Brotherhood - Billy Hutchinson

who are touched by your music from all over. Nothing is better than that. The far reach of recorded music always surprises me. I have been to festivals where fans will bring CD covers for almost every CD that I have ever done and ask me to sign each one. I love to travel and see places that I have never been, to make friends, enjoy the food, culture and beauty of other countries. I cherish these experiences so much!

With your diverse Blues interests, you are not only an ambassador, but also very good at networking within the blues. Generally, do you think the Blues world is still too fragmented?

I find that the Blues world is an amazing family with our common interest as the connection.

Outside of the glorious album you produced on Big Leon Brooks; I must confess I know very little about this guy. Can you broaden our appreciation please? Big Leon was a great Chicago Blues harmonica player with a glorious full-bodied tone and a terrific voice. Leon had played in Jimmy Rogers band in the 1950s and he played in the traditional Chicago style. I first heard him in 1975 when he held a regular gig at the Kingston Mines. He also worked as Tail Dragger’s regular harmonica player for gigs over at the Golden Slipper on the West Side. In 1980, Steve Wisner and I co-produced Leon’s record called Let’s Go To Town and a little later that year Bruce Iglauer recorded a few Big Leon tracks for his Living Chicago Blues series. Big Leon had some major health issues and when Steve and I finally got the money together to get Leon in the studio, we went to see him at his regular gig with Tail Dragger. We learned that Leon had been committed to hospital. When we went to visit him so we went to see him, Leon was in the hospital bed with all these tubes and wires attached to him. I asked him to get better so we could record him. He pulled it together to make the record of his lifetime, with a handpicked group of all-star sideman that included Louis Myers, Eddie Taylor, Big Moose Walker, Bob Stroger, Odie Payne and others. In 1981, just hours after Jim O’Neal had interviewed him for the liner notes, Big Leon Brooks passed away. It was almost as if he was waiting until he had completed his last obligation for the record before he let himself go. He was a kind man and through the process of recording him, we became great friends.

When you played on Maxwell Street in Chicago were you aware of its significance

At an early age, I seemed to have a sense of how important all of the Blues history was. I knew instinctively who the heavy players of the Blues were. I quickly found out how accepting the Blues was to take in a young kid like me and let me play a few songs with the old pros. I loved seeing Big Walter Horton, Big John Wrencher, Pat Rushing, John Henry Davis, Blind Arvella Gray, and so many others playing on the street. Maxwell Street was an amazing place and time. Chicago Blues players have left the Windy City for places like San Francisco, but why did you pick Phoenix

My brother John had relocated to Phoenix. I went to spend some time with him and enjoy the wonderful warm desert climate of Arizona. Initially I only thought I would live in Phoenix for a year, but within a short period of time Louisiana came to stay with me and do gigs. A year later when Red moved to Europe, I joined Big Pete Pearson’s band. In 1984, I started a blues radio show on KJZZ, and the next thing you know I had became settled in Phoenix. Then in 1986 Chico Chism, who was Howlin’ Wolf’s last drummer moved to Phoenix at my invitation and in 1991, I started the Rhythm Room. Phoenix has really been a wonderful place for me.

Bob you know the Blues world very well, tell us what/who hinders its well-being

The economy can have an adverse effect on the arts, as budget cuts do away with some programs. I hate to see established festivals or venues close their doors. Somehow, through it all the music will always survive

While it is still fresh within your mind, how did the South American tour go?

Dave Riley and I had a blast and we cannot wait to go back in July for the Pocos de Caldas Jazz & Blues Festival in Brazil! I was amazed at the interest in traditional blues and all the people are so kind. Did you know that Brazil has two harmonica companies! Herring and Bends. Adrian Flores and Luciano Boca were the ones that brought us over and they are both dedicated blues musicians themselves.

Clare Free is a relatively new name on the scene, but one that is now rising fast – she’s picked up the pieces of a career that was temporarily curtailed by illness and her live shows are being well received. She brings the wisdom that comes from bringing up a family, and all the stresses and strains that brings, to her song-writing and shares some of that with us in this interview.

We’re in a genre which is pretty much male dominated and I see that you’re a muso and a mother. How do you find being a mum fits in with the real hard slog of running a band?

For me, I find it works really well. I’m lucky in that Dave, (my husband) is immensely supportive of my music and he really enjoys being at home with the children which means that I’m not forced to compromise what I do at all. Sure, it’s hard work, but it’s very rewarding. I write at my best in the dead of night which works well as it means that I can write while the children sleep. The children like my music which helps- they think it’s both normal and very cool to have a Mum who plays guitar in a band. I love being with my family and being on the road, I’m so lucky to have found a balance that works. As a parent of three children, now grown, I reckon that bringing up kids is one of the most stressful things that you can do- but it’s also a very enriching experience. What do you think about this and have you brought any of that experience to your song-writing?

I totally agree, bringing up children is stressful at times but that is outweighed by the good times. I think for me it has taken my life to a more meaningful level. Do I bring that to my song-writing? Hum, I’m sure I do- I love deeper, and see more depth in the world, now than I ever knew was possible before I had children, I have no doubt that seeps into my songwriting.

Do you ever sit down at home and just switch off completely from music?

I try to but the honest answer is I find it hard, I’ve always got a song or idea knocking about in my head and I very rarely make it through a day at home without doing something to do with music. I like to get out of the house and go and do things like walking or cycling, I’m hopeless at doing nothing at home!

I mentioned the [music] biz as being male dominated – yet we’re seeing a growing stream of female bluesers –Joanne Shaw T, Erja Littenen, Dani Wilde do you see significance in that?

Its great to see more women blues guitar players appearing. Although there have always been women blues singers there have, historically, been very few women blues guitar players, especially electric guitar players. I don’t know why this is although I know that women guitar players are outnumbered 100:1 in all musical genres. I suppose it’s sometimes seen as a ‘male’ instrument, I know when I took it up it was on the condition that ‘you don’t get to be a better player than your brother.’ (He’s a great player!) I feel that being a ‘woman guitar player’ goes both ways for me, there is something interesting about seeing a girl play a guitar and people are always interested in that, on the flip side, for me, personally, its all about the music and doing it well, whether you are a man or a woman.

Let’s turn to your album – I listened to it and as compared to your four track EP I wouldn’t call it a blues album –it’s a mixed bag of styles and I hear folk-rock and I hear some kind of pop and of course rock. Can you comment on the stylistic content of the album?

You’re right; Be Who You Are is a mix of different musical styles. I come from a very pure blues background and for a long time had wanted to experiment with music outside the genre to see what I could do with it. I had to take two years off from live playing as I became ill and had to stop driving. I promised myself that if I began driving again I would make the album as the idea had been bugging me- basically I needed to get the idea ‘off my chest.’ That’s exactly what I did! I won’t be recording another album of mixed styles, now its done I’m more relaxed musically. It’s been interesting how much more creative I am within blues writing now that I’ve done that album.

You seem to have honed in on the blues circuit for developing your act in the live sense – does that represent a change of direction from when you recorded the album- or did you gain a clearer direction after recording?

I suppose the truthful answer is I started off in the blues, did a little musical detour, and returned to the blues. Blues is my home, it’s where I always come back to and where I am most comfortable playing and writing. I think that shows in my writing too.

So what’s the next album going to be like?

It’s going to be a blues album through and through but I’m bringing in ideas and influences, especially lyrically, from other genres. I’m not keen on re-inventing the wheel; I like to keep it fresh. I really like the new songs, I’m about half way through writing the album now and there are some great tracks there. I’m really excited about this one. I’m not sure when recording will start although I hope to be back in the studio over the summer. The EP is much closer to the new material than the album is, that’s why the EP is called “How It Is” because it’s very reflective of the new material and how my band and I sound live.

Listening to your songs I noticed that there’s a theme that reoccurs –loosely speaking - lying in bed and reflecting – in ’Fool to Pride’ you’re ‘lying silent and apart, two backs turned aching hearts’, then in ‘Is This Love I Feel’

talking to Vicky Martin

its ‘Late at night I love to stop and listen to you breathing’, then in ‘We’ll Have the Time of our Lives’, he’s in bed and you’re up and raring to go…is that reflection of your life and, maybe, how you approach song-writing.

I guess I get a lot of ideas when I’m reflecting on life but it’s not generally when I’m in bed. Ideas take time to formulate, sometimes I start with a niggle of an idea and it can be weeks, or sometimes months before that thought is coherent enough to write about meaningfully.

Are many of the songs on the album auto-biographical?

Definitely! My songs are about real life and real experiences. I don’t feel right if I’m trying to write about something I don’t understand or something I have never experienced. I’d feel like a fraud! I have a lot to say about life- even the little experiences can have a very big impression and give me ideas for songs. The new material is even more autobiographical, it very directly relates to real life.

Can you tell us about some of the artists who’ve influenced you- let’s consider influence on songwriting first

I have loads of song-writing influences, I think of the music and the lyrics as separate in some ways. Musically I’m very influenced by people like Luther Allison and Albert Collins. Lyrically I’m influenced by almost everything! As I was saying, the songs I write are about real life but I find myself very influenced in terms of how experiences are expressed from music that I hear all over the place. Sometimes I’ll hear a line in a song that will strike me to the core. I’m a very emotional person, strong lyrics move me.

And influences on you vocally?

That’s an easier one, Koko Taylor’s vocal technique was amazing and whenever I struggle with the phrasing or expression I think ‘how would she have sung this line?’ I sound nothing like her but she’s my biggest vocal influence by miles!

And on the guitar?

Without a doubt Albert Collins; BB King and Buddy Guy; but I’m also hugely influenced by the people I have actually played with. The biggest influences of all came from the guys who run the blues jam where I started playing blues. They’d play stuff and I’d think what they did was pretty cool and I’d go home and learn how to do it. They’d lend me DVDs etc too. I’m still more influenced by musicians I see live than recordings.

So let’s talk about you and the guitar- how do you think of the guitar primarily as a solo or accompanying instrument?

Its both, a great rhythm guitar player is so important in a band, lead playing is the more expressive part I suppose. And how would you describe your guitar style?

My playing style tends towards the funky side of playing. I’m not a hugely fast player but I’m definitely funky!

Speaking of funky, that was a funky guitar you were playing at Skegness – looked like a Les Paul, but with a metallic blue finish – what guitar is that?

The guitar is a Fret King Eclat; it is a great guitar to play on stage because it’s lighter than a Les Paul and it has an arm cut away which makes it very comfortable to play. It also has a ‘vari-tone’ dial which allows me to adjust the pickup from single coil to hum-bucking or anywhere in between…which makes it very versatile. I like it so much that I now have an endorsement deal with Fret King! I have several other guitars that I use including a Strat plus and a Patrick Eggle Berlin. As for amps, I always use my Laney LC50 which is a lovely little valve amp- it has a great tone. Sounds good; before we turn to your musical past of your songs which one do you like best?

I have several favourites “Funky Mama’s Kitchen Blues” is always a blast to play as is “I Won’t Lie,” my favourite song off the album is “Fool to Pride.” Most of the time I like my newest material better than older songs, I have to say that my newest songs are also favourites!

OK then-your musical past do you still play on any of those instruments you started out on; flute, sax and piano?

Not really, I still tinker around on the piano, but I’ve more or less given up on all of them. I’d love to be able to improvise on the sax but for some reason I can’t do it.

You jammed with Nigel Kennedy – tell us about that…and Rolf Harris?

That was in Mustique when Dana Gillespie was kind enough to have me along on the trip. I was opening the show each night and one evening things got a bit crazy at the end of the night and everyone began jamming, including Nigel and Rolf who were there. It was surreal but memorable!

Larry Garner?

I was in Lugano for the Blues to Bop festival, not as a musician but I was with other musicians and I got chatting to Larry very late one night. We talked about guitar playing and he asked if I’d like to sit in with him on the main stage the next night. I thought he was joking! So when the next evening came and I turned up without a guitar he asked me “where’s your guitar?” I had a bit of a panic. I borrowed a black Les Paul from someone, I’ve no idea who, and went straight on stage. Talk about being in at the deep end.

OK what about the future direction for you and the band

I’m lucky enough to have a great band Pete Hedley who plays drums, and Dave Evans on bass are a brilliant rhythm section. I have a young guitar player called Matt Allen he plays rhythm for me, he’s only 18 but he’s definitely one to watch. As for gigs, we’re getting pretty busy and it’s getting busier all the time. We’ll be back in the studio soon too.

Well before we close let’s turn to blues music specifically – who are your favourite artists?

If we’re talking of all time? I suppose Buddy Guy and Luther Allison; they had so much influence on me. At the moment, in my car CD changer I have two Derek Trucks CDs, BB King, Shannon Curfman and one by Tom Principato.

And a favourite album

That’s a very hard question to answer, there is so much great music, if I could only take one CD to a desert island it would be one of Buddy Guy’s.

How do you think blues music is faring over and against modern cultural manifestations such as the Dance Music / Rave (do they still call it that?) (or doof doof music) and things like the X Factor I think blues needs to be brought more to the foreground. I think a lot of people have a stereotype in their mind of what blues ‘sounds’ like and that stereotype is not always a positive one. The music press are saying that blues is the hot style at the moment which is great. Things like the X –Factor are so far removed from the musical world that I relate to that it’s hard to make a fair comparison between the two.

Well thank you Clare and we wish you the very best for the future

Cassie Taylor

Cassie Taylor Daughter of Bluesman o tis Taylor – with her highly acclaimed debut release “Blue”

Cassie Taylor pop vocals and deeply-rooted blues bass lines, Cassie is leading the new generation of blues artists.

The Blues mas T ers

Cassie Taylor r ock, Country and Jazz influences can be heard – her music ranges from heart-wrenching ballads to harddriving blues.

Cassie Taylor tours UK with the Blues Caravan

With Guitars” 2011

p re-war country blues to postwar electric Chicago blues, Kansas City shuffles to r &B, and classic rock.

CASSIE TAYLOR

releaseD By hyperTension on The 4Th of april 2011

releaseD By hyperTension on The 25Th of april 2011

By Paromita Saha

It was a simple twist of fate that allowed PP Arnold to escape her life of domestic abuse to the bright lights and fame of being an Ikette in Ike and Tina Turner’s group. An opportunity which led her to the heart of London’s blues explosion where she was taken under the wing of an enviable list of luminaries including Steve Marriott, Jimi Hendrix as well as Mick Jagger and Andrew Loog Oldham who both produced her first album making her the “First Lady of Immediate Records.” The record spun hits such as “First Cut Is The Deepest One,” and “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright.” Throughout, the seventies, PP continued to collaborate with the likes of Eric Clapton, Barry Gibb and her husband Fuzzy Samuels of Crosby, Stills and Nash. Over the years she has become a mod icon and she continues to perform as a solo artist with a series of gigs coming up in the UK this spring. I managed to catch up with her in London, to hear more about her remarkable life, and how the blues played a role.

How has the blues played a part in your life?

For me, the blues has always been in my life. Having grown up with it, we took the blues for granted. Growing up as girls, we thought the Blues was old fogy’s music. We were into Motown, Stax and Atlantic. Blues had progressed and evolved into the rhythm and blues scene. So when I came to England and everyone was into Muddy Waters, Elmo James and BB King. These were the artists that our parents listened to you.

Despite the generation difference, was the blues something that you could relate to?

We were the Blues. Growing up in racist America, the black community, you are the blues. The Blues came from my parents who were sharecroppers. My grandfather used to sing the Blues while he worked and everyday.

How did it play in your evolvement as a singer?

It started at home and in the church. Gospel and blues go hand in hand. My parents were sharecroppers, so when they worked in the fields, they sang hymns and the Blues. My grandmother was very religious so she did the church thing. My grandfather liked drinking whiskey and chasing women so he was the Blues. So the social thing was built around the church and around the Blues clubs. My uncles were playing cards in these clubs. The Blues are life.

While you were growing up, who were the singers that inspired you?

They were Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Mavis Staples and The Staple Singers, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas. But for me, it was Aretha as she fused everything from gospel, Blues and soul. She was the voice and she had the musicality to work with great musicians.

How did your singing career start?

I started singing when I was four and I was in church. It wasn’t my ambition to be a professional singer or be in the entertainment industry. Just one day suddenly changed in my life.

Tell me about that pivotal moment?

I was living the Blues. I was seventeen years old, and I was living in an abusive teen marriage where I had two children, so I was the Blues. Just woke up on Sunday morning, I was really fed up so I just said a prayer, for God to help me out the hell I was living. Two hours later, I got a call from an ex girlfriend of my brother’s who knew another singer and they were looking for somebody to go to Ike and Tina Turner’s house for an audition because one of the other girls didn’t turn up. They wanted me to go and they didn’t take no for an answer. They hung up the phone and then showed up at my house, half an hour later and so they dragged me out of the house. I got that instant answer. The next thing I know, I am at Ike and Tina’s house doing the audition and they offered me the gig straight away but I told them I couldn’t do it as I was married and I would be in trouble. Tina suggested that since I was going to be in trouble than be in trouble for something that was worth being in trouble for. I went and saw them in concert and didn’t get back till the next morning. Of course I got into trouble and I realized that I had an answer to my prayer and I had a way out.

So you must feel destiny has played a part in your career?

It was definitely my destiny. My uncle had a feeling about me. My uncle Book, he gave me my first two records. One was by Nancy Wilson, and it included “Guess Who I Saw Today.” Well my uncle used to sing that. He gave Bobby Blue Bland, and that was “Two Steps to the Blues,” and those were the first records anyone ever gave me. He used to put a book on my head and try to make me walk straight. I guess there was a kind of destiny about it when I look back at that time in my career.

You started working with Ike and Tina in the sixties. What was it like the touring the Chitlin’ Circuit?

The Chitlin Circuit hadn’t really changed much. The Chitlin Circuit was a musical entertainment circuit where all the black entertainment played from the south. It was the black music scene. Some of them were in clubs and some of gigs we did were in barns with barbecue. It was small blues clubs throughout the south and there were the West coast theatre Apollo theatre, Uptown theatre. All the artists they used to book themselves. Ike Turner, Otis Reading had their own booking agents.

Did you and Tina ever share your experience of the domestic violence you were both subjected to?

We really didn’t talk about it you know. I just had a lot of compassion for her. She was so instrumental in saving me from

my abusive life. After I joined Ike and Tina, I did not leave my husband straight away. It was after my tour. I suddenly came back from tour and I was looking good. I got beat up for looking like that. I left my husband and never went to back that

THEBLUESBACKINVOGUE

relationship. Tina had been with Ike for years and years. She didn’t leave him till the mid seventies. We tried to help her get away and give her money. It wasn’t something that you talked about. If I talked about it or cried on stage, I got fined so I stopped crying on stage. It wasn’t good a time on the road for women.

So what was it like for black female artists on the road? It wasn’t like you could tour as an independent woman like I do now. It was really a man’s world. Most of the women on the road went through what Billie Holiday went through, they were either hooked on drugs or they were definitely controlled by someone. We would check into a hotel with black eyes and we would see Aretha walking out with one. Any woman was on the road, was controlled by some kind of man which was fuelled by drugs, alcohol and making money.

How did you first catch the attention of Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts from The Rolling Stones?

Bill and Charlie came to this club called The Galaxy on Sunset Strip to see an Ike and Tina show for the first time. We were very excited to meet the Rolling Stones and about performing in England at that time.

So how did Mick Jagger who produced your first album spot you?

I don’t know why he picked me? That’s a really question for Mick but he really did have his eyes on me. We were just friends really. He used to make me laugh that’s how I connected with him. To me he was just so funny from the way he moved, the way he talked and the way he looked. He used to come into our dressing room so he could learn a few dance moves from us. He used to take me to all the discotheques. It was a different scene and everywhere in American was segregated. Lets put this way I wouldn’t be hanging out with white boys.

What was your exposure to the British Blues explosion?

Paul Jones and I used to do all these gigs with Alexis Korner, the founding father of the British Blues. Just being here at the time I was a soul singer with Ike and Tina. I was right in the middle of everything. Mick Jagger produced my first album. The Blues scene here was just alive!

What was it like being on the road in England and being the new chick in town with the likes of Alexis Korner and Steve Marriot from The Small Faces?

I was kind off in demand. I was very shy and I knew nothing about the music industry, even though I was on with road with Ike and Tina. I never entertained the idea of being a solo singer. For me, it the first time I had my own and my mother were taking care of my kids in the States. It was kind of like my teenage time and it was like that for six months until my kids came over. I guess I was blessed at the right time and right place.

So what was your take on these white middle class boys embracing the blues – the music of your parents?

Mick still makes me laugh when he sings the blues. He was putting it all together. Steve Winwood and Cream were fantastic in their interpretations. Because I was on the road with everybody and their music was so good say like the Stones. I guess my favorite track at the time was Satisfaction but we all thought it was an Otis song that Mick had covered.

While you were in London, you were also very good friends with Jimi Hendrix, how did that come about?

I was very good friends, and he was lovely. He was really a sweet guy and very much into his music. He was also very shy, and quiet. He was meticulous about his hair and used to worry about what it looked like. We lived right around the corner from each other.

It seems as though these guys took you under their wing and almost became your surrogate family?

Oh yes, Ahmet Ertegun from Atlantic Records and Andrew Oldham. These guys were really into the music, and they were very creative in their approach to management. Andrew had visions of me that I didn’t have of myself at the time, which is really great. I like to work with people that can see me from the outside. I can’t see myself in that way.

How did your career evolve in the seventies?

I recorded a lot material during that time including with Eric Clapton that I am planning to release soon. It was a combination of Blues, soul, and rock. I did a lot of pop stuff with Barry Gibb, and then I did a lot of fusion soul, blues and rock, with my partner of the time, Fuzzy Samuels. I’ll be mastering all of that stuff next year.

As a singer, what do you think is the difference between singing soul and blues?

Every generation has its sound. Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey and Billie Holiday it came through my mum, and when she sounded like them when she sang. It was her style and her time so it’s like music going through time. Whatever decade you are born into, that’s the style you pick up on, because, there’s not much black music influence on America, I had access to everything so you had a little bit of this and a little bit of that. I am now exploring all different types of things because I was caught up in the pop scene. Being here, I was seen as a pop singer which was kind of frustrating and that’s why I did the all stuff in the seventies, which wasn’t considered commercial at all. I was singing the Blues, and singing other stuff. I wasn’t wearing the wig and I was kind of revolutionary so nobody knew what to do with me. I was a little out of control.

How would you define yourself as singer then?

I am a singer. You will hear gospel in my roots but I can sing everything from soul to pop. I have even done musical theatre. I like to use my voice as an instrument. My heart is in gospel and soul.

You spent a long time touring with Roger Waters on his tour?

Yes, I was on the road with Roger between 1999 and 2008. I did six tours with him and three world tours. It was a lot of work but full on and exciting. It was a good opportunity to get global exposure especially after that period in the seventies when I was going through the lost years trying to find my identity. I was getting there until I lost my daughter tragically in a car accident in 1977. After that I came back and did musical theatre with Andrew Lloyd Webber. While you were touring with the likes of Roger Waters and others, you must have felt a desire to have your own show?

I haven’t been one of the singers that toured with everybody. When I worked with Roger, I was into his mission and the vocals in Roger’s work are very important and they play major part in his work. It was a great gig.

What about now?

Up until recently, I am getting in with the right musicians and I have had to downsize considerably for my solo act.

Tell me about the current band you are touring with, as it features Marcus Bonfanti? Those guys are really cool. I met them through my guitarist through Tony Remi who helped me to get my first band together.

What are your plans for 2011?

I am focusing on finishing my autography that is nearly done. It tells my story and the way that I am telling here. It’s the raw PP Arnold before the music industry, my roots, and my life with my children and the journey that got me to here. I am putting together a lot of retro stuff that will authenticate what is in the book. And just working with the band really and getting as many gigs as possible like the festivals.

It sounds like you will never retire?

Listen I retired last year. I retired for a couple of months. I got so fed up of the music industry and the politics. I even contemplated pursuing my other interests like Reiki and nutrition, but at the end of the day I am a singer.

Tour Dates

Grand Swansea: 9th April, Ferry Glasgow: 22nd April, Albert Halls Bolton; 30th April, Corn Exchange, Kings Lynn: 4th May, Harlow Playhouse: 6th May, Pacific Road Arts Centre Birkenhead: 14th May, Darlington Arts Centre: 28th May, Pavilion Worthing: 23rd June, The Stables MK: 24th June, Arlington Arts Centre: 25th June, Aberystwyth Arts Centre: 10th September, Cinnamon Club Altrincham: 16th September, Jazz Cafe, London: 1st October.

Lynwood Slim And The Igor Prado Band Brazilian Kicks

Brazilian Kicks teams up California native Lynwood Slim with the premier jump blues outfit, the Igor Prado Band from Brazil, for a surprisingly tasteful and swingin’ blend of American roots music

Dos serves up a tantalizing combo platter of vintage rock ‘n’ roll, interspersed with intensely energized and spicy Latin rhythms and features the trail-blazing guitar work of blues sensation Kid Ramos

Elvin Bishop Red Dog Speaks

For Red Dog Speaks, many of Elvin’s talented friends jumped at the chance to make guest appearances - John Nemeth, Buckwheat Zydeco, Roy Gaines, Tommy Castro, Ronnie Baker Brooks and Kid Andersen all feature

www.propergandaonline.co.uk

Los Fabulocos Dos

proper Blues

Samantha Fish / Cassie Taylor / Dani Wilde

Girls With Guitars - Ruf Records

The name says it all! Girls with Guitarsthe 2011 Ruf Records Blues Caravan Tour – presents three of the scene’s hottest young female guitar slingers on a single stage

Wentus Blues Band

Woodstock - Ruf Records

Finnish group Wentus Blues Band’s seventh studio CD includes 12 new, original songs and was recorded at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, NY in the autumn of 2010

Dana Fuchs

Love To Beg - Ruf Records

The album’s vibe really captures Dana’s influences of Gospel, Blues, Soul, R&B, Rock and even hints of old school country

For more information, news, competitions and much more visit www.propergandaonline.co.uk

Talks with Vicky Martin

Harmonica player, vocalist John O’Leary was involved in some very notable acts in the British blues boom of the sixties; The Savoy Brown Blues Band, and the John Dummer Blues Band…a survivor who was there almost from the very beginning, John’s is a fascinating account…

Hi John, having listened to your recent album ‘Two for the Show’, by the John O’Leary band, I went on line and it said your now called John O’Leary’s Sugarkane – what’s the thinking behind that and what was the inspiration for the name?

It is only a change of name but the music continues unchanged! You know I’m no longer a young pup and anything could happen and it means that if the guys in band want to carry on after I’m gone they can do so using the name Sugarkane. (laughter) That must be a comfort…you’ve played with a number of name acts in the past; notably Savoy Brown and the John Dummer Blues Band, but where did it really start out; and how you came to join Savoy Brown?

Savoy Brown, began soon after I became friends with Kim Simmonds. We were avid R&B record collectors. We bumped into each other outside Transat Imports which used to be in Lisle Street [Soho]. It turned out we both lived just off East Hill in Wandsworth and we used to get together to play records at each other’s houses or at his brother, Harry’s, house. He had a lot of stuff I had never heard before and I had stuff he hadn’t heard. We had a lot of enthusiasm then. We used to jam around Harry’s place and decided we wanted to start a band. We called it Savoy Brown’s Blues Band. Kim found drummer Leo Mannings at a Flamingo All-nighter and Leo in turn introduced the singer Brice Portious. Bob Hall and Ray Chappell answered ads in The Melody Maker and we were ready to roll.

I joined the Dummer band sometime in 1967 or ‘68 shortly after leaving Savoy Brown.

My goodness, you mentioned Transat Imports in Lisle Street, I remember the buzz the first I went there –all those American labels – it was magical – do you recall that buzz?

My God it was an Aladdin’s Cave…a tiny basement at the bottom of a rickety stairs. I still have that musty smell on my records from there! But I bought some great records on those Saturday excursions. I remember them still; Chess 45s by Muddy, Sonny Boy, Little Walter and Howling Wolf. I bought Freddy King’s ‘When the Welfare Turns It’s Back on You’ on

Picture by Alan White

Federal, and James Brown’s Grits & Soul album. I didn’t have enough money to buy everything I wanted and it was torture having to leave hoping that some of those gems would be there again next Saturday. It’s so easy now to get stuff but back then you really had to seek those records out.

How did the name Savoy Brown come about?

We all put forward some names and Savoy Brown was eventually chosen democratically. The name Savoy kept buzzing around in my head for a long time. There were precedents like The Savoy Sultans (they were a great jazz and swing orchestra who played The Savoy Ballroom in Harlem during the late 1930’s and 40’s). I also liked some recordings by a Louisiana singer Ashton Savoy, and then there was the Savoy record label, so somehow the connection was made. I think Kim then matched up with Brown as a nod in the direction of James Brown. It sounded American so we went for it.

What where the highlights of your time with Savoy Brown?

Well, I think the rapid growth in the band’s popularity! We began by opening our own venue (Kilroy’s) and pretty soon graduated to opening for John Mayall’s Blues Breakers at the Marquee and The Cream at Klooks Kleek. In no time at all we had our own nights at The Marquee and had made our first recordings for Mike Vernon. It all moved along very quickly. Places like The Flamingo, Blazes, Scotch of St. James and Eel Pie Island were buzzing and we played them all.

It was easier in those days – I had a go in Liverpool Street Islington. Lasted about six months – but where was Kilroy’s

Ah, I see you were on the Northside while we were on the Southside! Kilroy’s was upstairs in the Nags Head, York Road, Battersea just opposite Price’s Candle Factory. Originally the room was used by The Grand Order of Water Buffaloes as their local lodge. A little later Mike Vernon assumed responsibility for running the place and Freddy King, Fleetwood Mac and Chicken Shack played there. The irony of it! We were all huge Freddy King fans and he ends up playing in a club we started!

That’s fascinating – I’ve researched that place, sadly its long gone – but interestingly it’s where Free rehearsed and played their debut gig, also Jethro Tull played there…but back to John O’Leary -did joining the John Dummer Band follow straight on, what happened?

I was kicking my heels for a few months or so until Bob Hall called me. He told me that Jo-Ann Kelly’s brother Dave was in it and that sounded good to me.

How long did it last with John Dummer?

It lasted through 1968 and possibly into 1969, I think. I left a few months before the album release in 1969.

Thinking back to that time – the JD band seemed to present an image that was loosely allied to the flower power hippy thing, and to the more esoteric music of the time, can you comment on that and your part in it?

I was never into the Flower Power thing. I wasn’t very image conscious and it all seemed dodgy to me. My interest was just just blues, soul and jazz. In the Dummer band the person I felt closest to was Dave Kelly; he was the natural musical leader of the band and the one who understood the music best.

Is there anything from that era that you played on that you’re really proud of, a stand out track or two?

I am generally still very happy with the ‘Cabal’ album and the ‘Sweet Pain’ album which was released around the same time. The album with Champion Jack Dupree was a highlight for me.

Looking at the history of those two bands; Wikipedia quotes Steve Huey’s biography ‘’The band was formed and led by guitarist Kim Simmonds whose dominating personality led to a myriad of personnel changes. Others have attributed the constant lineup adjustments to the “creative accountancy” employed by the band’s manager, Harry Simmonds, brother of Kim’ the JD band also had a constantly changing personnel – did you find that difficult? Were you looking for something that was more constant? What led you to the decision to form your own band, and when was that?

During my time with Savoy Brown the only major change was in Bob Hall leaving and guitarist Martin Stone joining a short time later. Many of the inaccuracies about the beginnings of the band result from errors in Pete Frame’s version of the Savoy Brown family tree. Kim Simmons deserves the credit for keeping it together all these years. And his achievements should not be diminished – and just to say, I don’t think Kim was a domineering

character! I have no first hand knowledge of ‘creative accountancy’ on Harry’s part and so I cannot really comment. However, I left the band because of a disagreement with Harry about another matter.

In the JD band there was only one major personnel change. I was disappointed when Bob Hall decided that once again holding down a very demanding day job as a Patent Lawyer meant that he was leaving.

I started The Famous Bluesblasters in the late 70’s and Mainsqueeze in the early 80’s and have played with a lot of semipro bands from time to time over the years, but it wasn’t until 2002 that I put the John O’Leary Band together. I put that band together because I simply wanted to be able to play my harmonica! Purely emotional reasons…

What’s your basic philosophy in running your band?

Although it sounds like a contradiction, I run the band through consensus. I think the most important thing is play one’s part in creating an environment that allows every member of the band to be creative and challenging. I don’t want to recreate some body else’s sound. It’s essential that one find’s musicians that have a soul connection to each other. I deliberately chose musicians who were not exclusively blues players…I think it creates its own dynamic.

As a musician is harmonica your only instrument?

I’m afraid so! In my next lifetime I’ll probably choose alto saxophone!

Who inspired you to play?

In all probability, if it hadn’t been for Cyril Davies and Alexis Korner, I would never have gone down this road. I first saw them at the Ealing Jazz Club in 1962 and knew then it was what I wanted to do.

So the biggest influence on you is?

Cyril Davies to begin with; he was the first player I tried to emulate. All the greats like Little Walter, Sonny Terry, Junior Wells, James Cotton and Walter Horton soon followed once I found out where Cyril got it all from. All these players have had a great influence on my playing, but I think the one who has had the most influence on me was John Lee Williamson (otherwise know as Sony Boy No.1). He’s still my No.1

It’s natural to be influenced by other harmonica players, however I think you have to look outside of that and absorb what other instruments and composers do. I love the music of Charles Mingus, Louis Armstrong, Clara Ward & Marion Williams, The Mahavishnu Orchestra, East European folk music, and the Bebop movement of the 1940s. Even though I don’t play in any of these genres the influence is there nonetheless. When I play I don’t think about what other harp players are likely to play, I simply imagine I am another instrument such as a guitar or trumpet. When I was younger I wanted to play clarinet like Johnny Dodds!

Do you play chromatic as well?

I do, but I am not attracted to the sound. In fact, if only chromatics existed, I doubt very much that I would have taken up the harmonica at all. I think the diatonic harp is entering a new phase with the improvements in instrument design and the work of players such as Howard Levy and Jason Ricci. I played a chromatic harmonica on a recording with Champion Jack Dupree in 1968 and on ‘Chiswick Roundabout’ on the new CD.

Do you have interests outside of music?

I do! It centers on my wife and family and it also centers around what God wills for me. My hobbies are films, philosophy and weight training.

When you say ‘what God wills’, is there a religious belief that provides a framework for your life?

Yes, except that is not strictly a matter of religion since the word implies adherence to a dogma. I do believe in God and I believe that we are here for a purpose with specific rolls to play. I feel it is vital to follow one’s conscience at all times; I think Sonny Boy said...’let your conscience be your guide’ (laughter!)

Tell us about some of your favourite tunes – the one’s you always come back to – for instance whenever I see you or hear you, you always do ‘Early in the Morning’

How much time have we got? There is so much that I could mention! Albums like Muddy Waters at Newport, Junior Wells “Hoodoo Man Blues”, Blind Willie Johnson’s and Son House’s recordings are among those that I

cherish most. As for ‘Early in The Morning’ well, it’s a link via Junior Wells back to Sonny Boy Williamson No.1.

Is there anything in music that you’d like to try that you haven’t done yet?

…anything musical that the other band members want to express…it could take us anywhere our imaginations want us to go. I don’t see blues as a limited form nor do I see it as a musical straightjacket. As for me, I am on a path which I have chosen. It just leads to home which is still some miles ahead!

What do you think is the ‘general’ public’s perception of the blues? I have a friend who says that when he says he ‘plays in a blues band’ peoples’ eyes glaze over – he reckons the perception is of some middle aged blokes in black tea-shirts playing endless guitar solos – singing in bad accents – and a harmonica blowing over it all – how do we change that perception?

Oh God, I think your friend is probably right, especially if you go along to some of the ‘guitar wars’ that pass for blues jams! There is that perception, but there are an enormous number of people who respect the music and its origins. The challenge is how to keep the music relevant and retain the best of its old values and emotional integrity.

There are so many great young talented musicians out there playing with heart and soul. It will happen for them and they will bring a new audience who will relate to them. They will add their influences and their stories and the music will continue to evolve. Blues is not revolutionary but rather evolutionary and has both informed popular music as well as having being informed by it. There is nothing to worry about; we should not underestimate these young lions. We recently had Erja Lyytinen and Charlie Fabert as our guests and they certainly do not conform to the ill-fitting black T-shirt stereotype.

That’s very well said…can you tell us about the recent album?

We are with Acrobat Records and the album is out in their Trapeze label. It’s a double set comprising a reissue of the ‘Sins’ album we previously released ourselves. The other half is a wild live set recorded at Mr. Kyps in Poole. The studio album is indicative of the direction we will go in the future in terms of original material; but having said that I still want to retain the improvising aspect of the live set.

Your favourite track?

They are part of a whole and they belong together!

Jules Fothergill’s playing is outstanding on the album... Ah Jules, what a player! Pure quirky genius! I have to say that Jules would be the first one to tell you that it’s all possible through the support and creativity of the rhythm section, David Hadley, Roger Inniss, Jools Grudging, Dominique Vantomme and Joachim Greve.

Yes, I’d have to agree having heard you live and on CD; could you tell us a little more about them (maybe concentrate on the most regular live line-up) and any particular contribution to the album that you consider outstanding?

There are many moments that make me smile. Dominique Vantomme’s solo on “Who’s Been Talking”, Jools Grudging’s fiery stuff on the live version of ‘Early in the Morning’… Roger and Joachim’s interplay on ‘Black Cat Bone’. Joachim Greve (the best drummer I have played with since Aynsley Dunbar) listen to him on ‘And Everything’. What sets them apart is the way in which they steer the band and the harmonic richness that Roger adds throughout the live set. I love Lorna’s vocal on ‘Blue Blue Water’. On top of all this we were fortunate enough to have wonderful contributions on the studio set from Malcolm Bruce, Tim O’Sullivan, Rietta Austin, David Hadley and Dave Walker....thanks guys!

Future plans

A new studio/live album, A U.S. trip , Improvement, improvement, improvement!

Well thank you John for all you’ve contributed to music and good luck for the future

Interviewer: Vicky Martin

King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys are one of the most popular swing / blues acts in the world – hailing from Birmingham UK they are regarded as one of the very best even in the home of swing itself the USA. Renowned for their fast moving shows and snappy period style look they capture the essence of 1940’s Kansas City swing style – the city of lawlessness – danger – hot nights-but it is all interlaced with a touch of wacky humour that can only come from Britain. Vicky Martin met the man himself King Pleasure...

So here I am; it’s West London early evening – I’m in a chic modern bar – clean lines, shiny surfaces, pricey cocktails – I’m about to meet a man who once replaced most of his band because it was getting jaded. His name is King Pleasure and he fronts one of the world’s top swing Blues bands - King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys- meeting him is an experience in itself, he’s immaculately dressed, a big guy - big voice - warm presence, touch of danger. He looks me up and down - ‘Bourbon?’ he asks, ‘Sure – make it on the rocks’ I said. I drank it quickly, ‘same again?’, ‘Sure thing’ I drank that too. ‘Where you from?’ he asks. I tell him ‘Blues Matters…and we want to ask you some questions’ – I swallow and wait…he looks…‘Ok, let’s talk’.

So we’re in business King Pleasure and me. We talked a while – Bourbon flowing; ice cubes rattling. He told me a lot – I’m not sure if I should tell you, but what the hell – here goes.

At first it’s the name of the band that arouses curiosity; it recalls the celebrated jazz singer King Pleasure and the famous blues radio shows; ‘King Biscuit Time’- ‘Ah yes,’ he says, ‘It comes from both those sources- it brings together the exciting elements of jazz and Blues – and of course it provides us with an amusing and intriguing name- leads to raised eyebrows and it tickles the fancy’. I caught a glimpse of a wink when he said that I flushed, hmmm…several bourbons and a wink. I asked how long the band has been together – ‘The band was formed in 1986’, pressed he told me more; ‘It’s only Bullmoose and me that have survived from the original line up; the life style of young lads on the road means that survival is the optimum word! Falling by the wayside from back then were; Dixie Prince, Lisa Sugar Lee, P. Popps Martin, Piano Man Skan, Bam Bam Beresford and Slap Happy.’

Seems there are a few colourful characters there; ‘Bam Bam Beresford’, now there’s a name – reminds me of a kid I was at school with – Wizz Bang Carruthers – he fell by the wayside as well – but that’s another tale. Tell us about the first gig and how many gigs? The eyes glaze over for a moment then ‘Oh yeah, I remember that - it was the Holiday Inn in Birmingham. I particularly remember that because a big scuffle broke out and somebody lost his wig! I can’t recall who it was though. I suppose that since then, we’ve performed around 4000 gigs world wide.’ He tells me that the most memorable of all was ‘…definitely the Cork Jazz Festival in 1990. After a storming gig, security had to form two lines to hold back the crowds as we made our exit.’ I thought to myself, ‘Yes it’s a long way from the Dog and Duck Bethnal Green where I played in 1990…

Who, I wondered, is this guy King Pleasure – who is he really? Big guy, sharp suit, plays a big sax – I’d noticed reading the sleeves notes of one of the band’s albums the name Mark Scirving was prominent – let’s go from there ‘Who’s this Mark Scirving?’

Eyes narrowed – ‘I am Mark Skirving – what else do you wanna know?’ ‘Gulp - nuff said.

…so I asked about previous musical experiences – like ‘What’d you do before King Pleasure and Co?’ – ‘I played bass with The Psyclones a punk rockabilly band, throwing around a load of pigs heads from an abattoir’; oh yeah right I think, must have been messy, not too many venues for that sort of thing, so we moved the conversation on – over another bourbon I said ‘We love the names of the musicians in the band but the one that really strikes a chord is ‘Bullmoose’ K. Shirley – where did that come from?

‘Oh yes.’ he says ‘We nicked it from singer Bullmoose Jackson, of Big Ten Inch fame.’ Did he ask for it back I wonder…I also wondered ‘Big ten inch what?’ it occurs that this leaves unanswered where the Shirley comes from, but I asked instead ‘…and what do you call him off stage – Bull? Moose? Shirley?’ – ‘The Texas Longhorn’ was the answer (is that ‘The’ to his friends?) We turned to discussing the bassist - Shark Van Schtoop; ‘We’re assuming his parents had a real good sense of humour and his stage performance seems influenced by Eric Morecambe, especially the looking ‘round the glasses?’

King Pleasure looked thoughtfully into his glass and said ‘Mr Van Schtoop, slips into his black framed glasses and becomes The Shark; The bastard son of our Eric and a master in the art of looking totally confused , intrigued, yet lost and befuddled..’ Hmm, that reminds me of a few drummers I played with in the Blues Matters! 64

past…we moved on

With a suit like KP wears and names like the Shark and new drummer Gary the enforcer Barber, no-one is going to mess with this band; Gary appears to be the latest addition to the line-up, so where does that name come from – does he collect the money at the end of the evening? I caught a glimpse of a smile and a short answer ‘No man enforces a rhythm like The Enforcer himself. He lays down the beat and we fall into his groove effortlessly’ could have been Orson Wells himself uttering those words – and maybe Gary Barber does collect at the end of the evening.

We talked on – the King reveals that the King Pleasure band has been a full-time occupation since it was formed, but occasionally they’ll show up in unexpected line-ups of friends and musical heroes like Roy Wood. Asked to describe the band’s musical style – he tells me ‘Its Boogie Woogie, Blues, Kansas City Jazz; music in the style of the golden age of Rhythm & Blues.’

That’s music that really swings – so, feeling nicely mellowed with a couple more Bourbons I asked the questions ‘What is swing? What is the secret of swing? Why is it that 95% of drummers can’t?’ His answer…wait for it ‘Well, swing is a feeling that lifts the soul. It has total drive yet is light. It’s like a hot knife to butter. For a drummer, it’s either in you or it aint and that’s that I’m afraid.’

I reckoned that with the current strong emphasis on guitar in Blues circles – I should find out who the band’s guitarist ‘Bullmoose’ influences are…also would he tell us about the lovely arch-top that appears in the band’s publicity pictures. KP had very kindly checked this out for us – ‘B.B. King, Johnny Guitar Watson, Irving Ashby, T. Bone Walker and Freddie Green; and he plays a Gibson L5’, the King adds ‘of dubious origin according to Bullmoose’. We talked on and drank on, he talks about the characteristics of ‘Kansas City Jazz & Blues’ the core of the band’s style –‘its singing bartenders shouting the Blues, a city where swinging the Blues was at its heart; hot music and lawlessness.’ (it’s a long way from London – local authority noise police with sound meters and a list of endless regulations) – King Pleasure goes on to name some of the main players - Big Joe Turner, Pete Johnson, Jay McShann, The Treniers, Eddie Cleanhead Vinson.

We talked about the live show – it looks very well rehearsed; it is he says but there’s plenty of freedom to express the jazz element and there is ample freedom in the show as well. There’s enough freedom to leave room for a little ‘danger’ - the King talks of an incident at one theatre – ‘…during a big drum feature, Big John our sax player decided to climb a 15 foot ladder at the side of the stage. He fell off half way up and sent the ladder crashing towards the drummer. It would have probably taken half his head off, but without missing a beat or even looking; he caught the end with one hand and continued soloing to thunderous applause!’

King Pleasure and Co is above all things is a Blues band. It’s at the core of what they’re about and they list influences such

BB King, Ray Charles, Charles Brown, Wynonnie Harris, Roy Milton, Little Milton. Personally I’m curious whether they work from written scores (in rehearsal) or how are the arrangements worked out? ‘There’s no mystery there’, says the King ‘We can both read music or play by ear, but often we discuss a song and then Matt our pianist writes down an arrangement.’

The most recent album – a live recording is superb– and it sounds extra good after a few Bourbons – it was taken from a regular two hour show at the Stables in Wyvendon, and a new one is planned for 2012; but it’s getting late the bar is closing and I want to know about that big old baritone saxophone that KP plays? ‘Well the Baritone is required to get that lower register needed for good thumpin’ Rhythm & Blues; although all my influences are really tenor players such as Al Sears, Freddie Mitchell, Plas Johnson, Pervis Henson, Sam Butera and Sam ‘The Man’ Taylor. Alas the baritone is big enough to keep my spinal column out of line!’ – I think he means he suffers from back-ache after a show? We’re getting ready to go – we drain the last of the bourbon – get our coats – he’s looking to the future – the new album ‘… and more fun than you can shake a stick at.’ So I finish with one last question - Was there ever any problem with the use of the name King Pleasure – that is from the relatives or the estate of the original King Pleasure? ‘None,’ he tells me, ‘…but our first London gig, back in the 80’s did attract people expecting to see Mr Clarence Beaks himself, luckily no one went home disappointed.’ King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys have been on the up and up ever since and there are years more of live shows to come and bring yet more pleasure to the people. With that it’s coats on and out of the door and away into the night.

Keith Thompson and his band have been consistently performing in mainland Europe where they are well known to a large Blues following as an exciting live band. In 2010 Keith completed his 4th Blues/Rock album, ‘Independence’ and has subsequently toured again in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Croatia and Poland. They also appeared in Slovenia at the prestigious “Postonja Blues Festival” with Ten Years After and “Paul Lamb and the Kingsnakes”, Suwalki and Krosno Festivals in Poland alongside, Jeremy Spencer (Fleetwood Mac), Colne R&B festival in Lancashire, Swanage, Banbury, Upton and Gloucester Blues Festivals in the UK. ‘Independence’ has been getting great reviews and Keith is starting to get long overdue recognition as a guitarist and songwriter. An album of acoustic material, “Steel Strings and Bruised Reed” has also been released showcasing a more rootsy side to Keith’s music. Work has begun on a new studio album which will surface at some point in 2011.

BM: Like a lot of British Blues musicians you seem to do a lot in Europe. How did this come about?

My first experience of playing in Europe was way back in 1979. A band I was in, Poacher Brown, got the chance to play in American army bases in Germany. We had to play 6 nights a week, playing 5, 45 minute sets a night! It was our first fulltime professional stint and it changed everything! We went out as big fish in our home town and came back experienced! Of course there is always so much more to learn. It took several band changes and many years to get out touring in Europe again and it came about by being introduced by a mutual friend to Brambus Records in Switzerland. We licensed an album to them and toured to promote it and one thing led to another.

As a guitarist how did it start with you and who do you rate now?

I started playing guitar aged 5! By the time I was 8 I won first prize at a Butlin’s holiday camp talent show playing Beatle tunes, but I remember my real epiphany moment came when I went out and bought my first album. It was “Fire and Water” by Free, and I just knew this was it! I retrospectively got into the British Blues Boom guitarists like Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and Peter Green. I didn’t stop liking the Beatles, The Stones, and John Martyn and I soaked in their songwriting talents as well as their great playing. Following on from that of course was Led Zeppelin, Rory Gallagher & Gary Moore, etc. I was actually 14 when I first started working the pubs and clubs playing mostly covers of this kind

of stuff. As a singer, I still think it’s hard to beat Paul Rodgers. That guy could sing the phone book and make it sound great! It was only in later years that I began to realize where this great music came from. Blues is about feel. All those great guitarists played the same notes but none of them sounded the same as each other! I love it when you get a bit of personality coming through. These days there are so many great players but I still lean towards the rock side of the blues, Joe Bonamassa, Walter Trout, and the late Gary Moore.

Keith, tell me who do you have in your current band?

We operate a flexible line up these days, as do many artists. The regular guys in my band, Roy Adams and Neil Simpson have been members of the legendary “Climax Blues Band” now for over a decade. They are also regular members of Roy Wood Band. In December 2009 they embarked on a stadium tour on the bill with Status Quo! They are simply a great rhythm section. They create such a great groove to play over and they have played alongside John Mayall and Peter Green amongst others.... but they always make time for me! How cool is that? I sometimes bring in keyboard players and more often than not saxophonist, Patsy Gamble.

As an experienced session musician you worked with a lot of artists. Would you like to say something about that time for the readers?

During the 90’s I did a lot of session work. It was a way of making money and staying out of trouble! I did so much it’s hard to remember but I will never forget Spooky Tooth as they were so crazy in the studio. It was hard to give constructive criticism of their work because of their legendary status but I do remember a funny incident when I said to guitarist Luther Grosvenor (otherwise known as Ariel Bender, who also played in Mott The Hoople) that I thought he could do a better solo. He came right up to me and with his nose touching mine and said, “no-one plays a note like me!” he then went into a complete superstar tantrum and proceeded to do a mind blowing guitar solo just to prove he could! Later, I was asked to do a couple of shows with Steve Winwood, which was an absolute honour. Ruby Turner also performed on these occasions in a line up that included some great musicians from Island record days, like Jess Roden & Robbie Blunt. Tracing back a bit, “Wurzel” who was guitarist with Motorhead for over 10 years is an old mate. We played in bands together and this did get some recognition but failed to provide the short cut to the big stage that Motorhead did. Going back a few years now but there was a memorable gig when members of an earlier line up of the Eric Clapton Band featuring Henry Spinetti and Dave Markee came out to check me out. Another fellow guitarist introduced me to them, Norman Barrett from Manchester who was very supportive back then. I think they liked the fact that I have always just carried on staying true to my roots and doing my own thing!

Since then, I have supported many artists including Paul Jones of the Blues Band, Ten Years After, Paul Lamb and The Kingsnakes, Geno Washington, Jeremy Spencer of Fleetwood Mac. Too many to mention them all!

How did you come to do music for computer game Grand Prix 2 and other music for TV?

This started during my session days too. Another regular session keyboard player, a guy called John Broomhall, who plays in the band on occasions and helped produce my album ‘Independence’, had started working on computer games for a living and thought my guitar work would be ideal on Grand Prix 2. We didn’t realize it would be so successful at the time. The session work opened the door for other opportunities... for example a guy came into the studio wanting music for a documentary of his travels around America, which I was only too happy to provide. The six part series was shown on British television several times. Over the years I have also had a few people cover songs of mine. It’s all about trying to get outlets for my work other than “live”.

Tell us about your experiences from US touring – how does British Blues/rock function on American market today. This was cool. I spent a lot of time on the road in the UK with a couple of American artists that are largely unknown, but it resulted in me being invited to play in the USA. I just took my guitar and picked up musicians out there so we had fun playing around Texas (which is huge). Notably we played in Austin, which is Steve Ray Vaughan territory. I found the audiences very responsive to my British sounding blues! My English accent actually seemed to open up doors for me to play. I would be very open to going out there again!

Have you been affected by the Internet? Do you sell CD’s online?

Yes. The Internet has been a huge help. I search out gigs on the net. My web site: www.densitymusic.com is a useful

source of information for people wanting to check us out or find out where we are playing. Promoters can download press material etc. MySpace, Reverbnation & Facebook are great networking tools. It all helps to get the name out there and sell CD’s. I use various outlets for selling physical product and downloads. CD baby, iTunes etc. It’s all good. The only thing I do not like and steer clear of is sites that give away music for free. Even if they pay royalties via advertising, I’m not too keen because I believe music and the artist that created that music has a value and this should be promoted. If I choose to give away tracks or whatever, which I frequently do, that is another thing.... I just don’t like to promote music as being worthless if you see what I mean.

What do you think of the current UK Blues scene and do you think it has a future, where does it lie?

I am very optimistic about it. The genre will never die. We will always have those artists who prefer to remind us of the great legends of the past and we also have a lot of younger artists taking the blues forward, like Oli Brown & Joanne Shaw Taylor. It’s all good. Actually, age doesn’t really matter. We are not trying to be pop stars are we? There are a lot of great artists in the UK. There always have been. Where we fall behind Europe, in my opinion, is in some of the available venues and possibly in the way it’s funded. The standard of musicians playing in Europe is also extremely high but more value is placed on live music generally, so artists have more opportunity to get out there and develop their craft. It’s all hugely competitive and the economy has not been easy lately but I believe the gift will always make room for it-self and find a way of expression. I think it is, in fact very healthy to have such a lot of great talent in the UK. It keeps you pressing forward, trying to improve and create your own space. Having said that, it is a difficult time all round for clubs, promoters and musicians with lack of funding etc. but I am optimistic.

So what do you think the future holds for you?

Well, I have a new studio album just about complete. It’s a bit rockier and a bit more of a minimalist approach than previous releases. We recorded it very simply in a studio called FFG in the Cotswolds. Most of the tracks were done in one or two takes and then it was a case of re-doing one or two solos if it needed it. The result is a collection of simple, uncluttered blues/rock songs that at the same time have depth to them. I also have a lot of live material that I would like to put out at some point. There is also an album of acoustic material called, “Steel strings and Bruised Reed” which I would like to do more of and present “live”! So, as regards the future, I am always working to improve as a musician and as a songwriter. It doesn’t matter how long you have been playing, there is always room to grow. I want to keep taking things forward. I need to work at a certain level...you can’t go backwards. I want to be increasingly working in a professional arena. By professional, I mean in the sense of well organised, promoted well and treated with respect. I’m not a 20 year old.... I’ve paid my dues several times over. I would also like to see more of my songs and music being place within TV and films etc. I want to touch and connect with people with my music. Most of all I want to keep enjoying it! Not asking for much am I?

Harvest JAZZ & BLUES Festival, NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA

CANADA’S EAST MEETS WORLD’S BEST

World-class performers. Intimate venues. Legendary Maritime Canadian hospitality. Blues savvy, high-octane audiences. A walkable festival site with 23 stages over six city blocks in a historic, natural setting along a beautiful river.

Over the past 20 years, the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, has developed into one of Eastern North America’s premier music festivals, showcasing the best in established and up-and-coming international talent.

Whether you want to get up-close and personal to a legendary blues artist, get your groove on to the sounds of funk and R&B, or dance to an electrifying blues-rock show, there’s something to tempt every type of blues taste. So where exactly will you find this high-octane event?

New Brunswick may be a part of Canada you haven’t heard much of before. One of three Maritime provinces, it’s known as the ‘Jewel of Atlantic Canada’. Only six hours flying time from

the UK, the province is rich in history, wildlife, culture and natural beauty – and music is an integral part of its psyche. Home to some of the world’s best whale watching, national parks, covered bridges, quaint villages, white sandy beaches and highest tides, there’s a wealth of things to do, see and explore.

New Brunswick is not only an incredibly beautiful part of Canada, but it has a blues heartbeat like nowhere else in the world

In fact, this year New Brunswick and the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival formed a special UK connection. As part of the festival’s 20th Anniversary, the province held a competition for the best of British blues, searching for an unsigned band or singer/songwriter.

After the finals in London at the 100 Club, the winning act will head to Canada this fall, on an all-expenses paid trip to the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival to perform on a world stage.

Sound like the kind of scene you might want to be a part of?

New Brunswick

Nova Scotia

Atlantic Ocean U.S.A.

Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival - Fredericton

NEW BRUNSWICK HARVESTS WORLD CLASS BLUES

The Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival always features a who’s who of modern blues, from Buddy Guy to Davy Knowles, Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi to Pinetop Perkins, all in an amped-up, beer garden-like setting that oozes with East Coast informality.

With its large but intimate tent venues, soft-seat theatre, local pubs, closed-off streets and historic outdoor parks, the Festival has the friendly feel of a community block party, except with awesome world-class entertainment that allows you to get up close and personal. Despite its reputation as one of the top venues in Canada to see blues, it’s still the kind of festival where friends bump into friends. Musically, that translates into impromptu collaborations between artists and lots of late-night jams. Venues get rolling around noon and some don’t shut down until after 2 a.m.

Harvest, as it’s known to its base, is New Brunswick’s largest annual festival and Fredericton’s biggest tourism draw. tracting tens of thousands of fans six days each September, visitors flood the streets for both free and ticketed shows.

Atover

Pimps of Joytime

Girls with Guitars

Gregg Allman

The Rebirth Brass Band

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS IN 2011

This year’s Festival, set for September 13 to 18, in New Brunswick’s Capital City, will feature international headliners Gregg Allman, Taj Mahal, Jonny Lang, JJ Grey, Super Chikan, the Rebirth Brass Band, Girls With Guitars, and Oli Brown, winner of this year’s male vocalist award at the British Blues Awards.

A strong Canadian contingent is led by Matt Andersen, the first Canadian to win the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Matt is a certifiable hometown blues hero here, living just a few kilometeres up the St. John River.

Andersen will be joined by the very best of the Canadian blues scene, including Juno-award winner (Canadian Grammy) Garrett Mason, Ross Neilson & The Sufferin’ Bastards, Rick Fines, Morgan Davis, Joe Murphy and Suzie Vinnick, winner of the 2010 female vocalist of the year at the Maple Blues Awards. But there’s more than just blues. There’s some funk, blues-rock, R&B, soul, jam, folk and jazz added in for variety. Medeski, Martin and Wood will be headlining a stage, along with up-and-coming Latin funksters, The Pimps of Joytime, and Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe – which the groove/jam crowd will be excited to take in.

“We like to say we’re one of the best little festivals in the world,” says program director Brent Staeben. “Truth is we’re not all that little, but the acts we present are outstanding. It’s a festival unlike any other because of its smaller, intimate venues and awesome audiences.”

You can check out Harvest at www.harvestjazzandblues.com. They’ve also got a great active facebook page and twitter feed.

Frontier Travel offers an exclusive 9-day vacation package to the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival. To find out more or to make your reservations, visit www.frontier-canada.co.uk/newbrunswick.

Jonny Lang

Oli Brown

Buddy Guy

Matt Andersen

WONDERS, WILDLIFE & WIDE OPEN SPACES

Discover a place that not only has a pounding and thriving blues heartbeat, but also happens to be a beautiful location to visit and explore.

New Brunswick is that hidden gem, a one-of-a-kind Canadian vacation experience with extraordinary national parks, some of the world’s best whale watching, the warmest saltwater beaches north of Virginia and miles of unspoiled vistas. If your idea of a holiday is no traffic jams or motorcoach queues, and an easygoing pace surrounded by soul-soothing scenery, this is the new adventure you’ve been looking for. Watch the seasons change before your eyes, with our abundance of rich and breathtaking autumn colours. Take in our canopies of burnt oranges and brilliant reds, and step away from the noise of the daily grind. And while we’re all about laid-back, serene surroundings, there are still plenty of exciting things to see and do in New Brunswick, from kayaking to kite surfing, ziplining and jet boating.

Come to New Brunswick to see one of the world’s true marine wonders. The Bay of Fundy is one of only two North American finalists in the “New7Wonders of Nature” competition, in good company with the Grand Canyon. Witness the power of

100 billion tonnes of seawater flowing back and forth twice a day. See the tides rise and fall up to an incredible 52 feet. Walk across the ocean floor at low tide, only to have your footprints washed away six hours later by a wall of water well over 32 feet deep.

The mammoth Bay of Fundy tides are responsible for another natural phenomenon: as the St. John River passes through the city, it flows over a series of rapids as it squeezes through a gorge. Twice a day, the incoming Bay of Fundy tide pours into the river mouth and forces the river flow back, reversing the prevailing current. You can watch from the bridge, but getting soaked on a thrilling jet boat ride through the currents is much more exciting.

When all that’s done, whet your appetite with a hearty feast of the best seafood Atlantic Canada has to offer. From rich, meaty lobster to mouth-watering scallops, delicious salmon and mussels fresh from the sea – there’s an abundance of delectable seafood to savour in New Brunswick.

The Hopewell Rocks

Miscou Island

Steamers Restaurant

Fundy Trail, St. Martins

IT’S IN OUR NATURE TO CELEBRATE

Largely undeveloped, New Brunswick is rich in wildlife. For most visitors, New Brunswick’s “Big Three” land mammals are moose, beaver and black bear.

New Brunswick is an angler’s paradise.

Fly-fishers from around the world (past visitors have included Marilyn Monroe and HRH Prince Charles) come here to challenge the legendary – almost mythical – waters of the Miramichi River for the king of the game fish, the Atlantic salmon.

Deep-sea fishing and regular fishing tours can be arranged on the Bay of Fundy, Bay of Chaleur, or off the Acadian Coast from many local fishing wharfs.

Or for a different experience, head along the Acadian Coastal Drive to Shediac, the “Lobster Capital of the World”, where you can go out on a boat cruise with a longestablished lobster-fishing family, learn old fishing techniques, and how to crack and eat a delicious, freshly-cooked lobster.

Join in the fun at one of our countless festivals and events. People here love to get together and party – which explains the plethora of festivals and events crowding our summer calendar. Festivals commemorate everything from chocolate to hot-air balloons, peat moss to baroque music –

in New Brunswick, any reason is a good reason to celebrate From Scottish highland dance competitions to Acadian street parties and First Nations drumming, the rhythm of our vibrant cultural scene is electrifying. Whether you follow the spectacular coastal stretches (along the Fundy and Acadian Coastal Drives), explore the magnificent riversides (River Valley Scenic Drive and Miramichi River Route) or experience the rugged beauty of the mountains (Appalachian Range Route), you’re sure to experience warm New Brunswick hospitality and a rich kaleidoscope of characters and cultures along the way.

FAST FACTS

New Brunswick is the largest of Canada’s three Maritime provinces, with a population of just over 750,000. It is the same size as the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg added together.

No part of the province lies more than 200 km from the ocean.

With water temperatures rising above 20°C at some points, New Brunswick has some of the warmest saltwater beaches on Canada’s East Coast. There are excellent highways, very little traffic and over 80% of the province is forested.

Huelyn Duvall & Eve Menses Buck

Restigouche Fundy National Park French Acadian Festival

Photo Joe Rosen

Grand Manan

FESTIVALFEVER EVENTS THAT HAVE HELPED SHOWCASE THE BLUES

SKEGNESS ROCK & BLUES 2011 Blues Matters stage (JAKS)

Another great successful weekend for artists and audience alike, which for many was a wonderful way to start the year musically and blow away the cobwebs. Friday night featured Greenmac a 4 piece blues band from Leeds, who appeared at the same venue 2 years ago to a full house. This year was no exception as the opening act they attracted a large audience with their own creative renditions, and take on Peter Greens and early Fleetwood Mac material. From Albatross to Man Of The World. With Dusty Miller (lead vocals and guitar) Steve Harrop (2nd guitar) Trevor Birkinshaw (bass/vocals) and Peter Tallent (drums). Performing the wide and extensive range of Peter Green music and tracks from their own recent recordings at Sun Records USA. They kept the audience spell bound a truly amazing performance from a much loved band. Next Idle Hands from Chesterfield provided us with Original material from their latest CD album All Night Sinnin’ and a couple of Blues Rock classics. Opening with “I Ain’t Broken” from their album to the delights of their fans that made themselves known within a well attended gig. Idle Hands line up were Phil Allen (vocals) Dave Robinson (Guitar) Jamie Burns (bass) and Paul Heydon (drums). A unique and tight sounding Blues Rock band with raunchy vocals from Phil some great and superb guitar playing from Dave with the rest of the band each adding their excellent skill and musicianship to the performance. The Dale Storr Band from Sheffield completed the Friday evening acts. Performing original material and covers with their unique style of Boogie Woogie Blues which had the audience on their feet dancing from the start. It was refreshing to see a band minus lead guitar, featuring just keyboards, drums, bass, saxophone and trumpet. I was amazed to find out that this was only their fourth gig. True professionals whom you would have thought had been together for much longer. Dale Storr is originally from Lincolnshire where he grew up so was a kind of home coming for him. Dale has been playing keyboards since the age of six and has a great interest in music from New Orleans. Saturday afternoon started with the legendary Roadhouse performing live tracks taken from their new CD album “Dark Angel” which was well received. Roadhouse, have been performing at Butlins Rock n Blues Weekend for the last 8 years and have attracted a loyal following as well as

Photos by Christine Moore

BABAJACK

FESTIVAL FEVER

performing at Glastonbury for the first time last year 2010. This was then followed by the annual Jam Session once again organized by Gary Boner from Roadhouse which displayed a wealth of talent from professional and enthusiastic musicians alike. Making sure that Rock n Blues is far from being laid to rest with an abundance of new and young talent. A very popular and well attended event and essential part of the whole weekend for many. Saturday evening got under way with The Clare Free Band a four piece Blues/Country/Rock band from London. Lead by Clare Free performing her own original material with great stage presence. Clare has been involved in music and performing in bands since the age of seventeen which her sheer professional attitude and delivery shone out like a beacon of light. Clare a guitarist and singer songwriter has a talent for re writing and improvising classic pieces as well as her own material. As a teenager she played a variety of instruments including flute, saxophone and piano until she took up guitar when she was 17. Her first guitar, which cost just £25, was falling apart, but it opened a great many more song writing doors than piano. Now she could write songs that sounded like the rock music that she was such an avid fan of and has never looked back since. Surrounding herself with professional musicians this one lady I’m sure we shall here a lot more of in the future. Elephant Shelf, a London based five piece Electric Delta Slide Blues, Swing, Blues, Wild Gypsy Violin, Rock n Roll. They performed their very own original material with a 60’s 70,s feel to it and at times early Rolling Stones sound on some of their songs. A truly varied performance living up to their claim ‘The Sound Of Many Rhythms’. With Vicky Martin on guitar, and writer of much of the material, Diana Stone, pianist and violinist with her flair filled & eclectic mix of Gypsy Jazz, and classical influences; Terry McInerny with true swing on drums, Robbie Charles on bass, and the amazing Rosie Swan vocals. A welcome return after performing at the event for the first time last year. Larry Miller had the honours of rocking us through the wee small hours of Saturday evening Sunday morning. With performance’s from his latest CD album ‘Unfinished Business’ as well as material from previous albums with a splash of Larry’s’ interpretation of Hendrix’s “Voodoo Chile”. Amazing and holding his captive audience in a packed out venue hypnotising them into a trance with his guitar skills. A true master at work who many have said fit’s a void left by the great late Rory Gallahger. Much respected within the music industry by fellow artists who have nothing but good words to say about him and his guitar playing ability. Sunday got under way with the acoustic session starting with The Delta Ladies who are of course three members from Elephant Shelf - Vicky Martin guitar, Dianne Stone keyboards and violin, Terry Mc on Drums. Performing a selection of acoustic Blues and Bluegrass. Entertained an appreciative audience with a gentle ease into Sunday afternoon and brilliant performance with plenty of up-tempo toe tapping tunes. Babajack had the honour of closing the event, at least for Jaks and the Blues Matters stage. A very interesting and refreshing band with a wealth of magical eclectic sounds. A four piece band featuring Trev on slide, acoustic and wine box guitars and rack harmonica, Bec on African drum, stomp, percussion and lead vocals. Together with Ian ‘Ezer’ Jenkins (And Also The Trees, Martin Furey Band and more) on bass, with Sue Bell on violin and vocals, delivering a truly wonderful upbeat sound. Performing tracks from their CD album ‘Exercising Demons’ wowed their audience bringing to an end another great weekend, their performance came to a successful conclusion. Although leaving the crowd wanting and hungry for more. Babajack like all good musicians left their audience with vow to return in 2012. They certainly had enjoyed there live performance at the event and so had we all.

Andy Nisbet

Dale Storr

Larry Miller

Pablo

FESTIVAL FEVER

BUTLINS SKEGNESS GREAT ROCK AND BLUES FESTIVAL @Skegness. Lincolnshire 28th-31St January 2011.

Highlights

Green Mac got one of the hardest spots of the weekend opening the proceedings on the Blues Matters Stage in Jak’s Bar. Yet, anyone who knows this band would realise that they always seem to thrive on a challenge and they blasted into a set, that was not only one of the best warm-ups for newly arrived punters on that Friday evening but one the rest of the bands in Jak’s had to attempt to emulate for the remaining weekend. They soon had the bar packed to the rafters with their innovative take on the music of Peter Green and Fleetwood Mac. Their rendition of ‘Albatross’ was not only technically skilful but full of all the emotional passion that song deserved.

Idle Hands had to follow this with their debut performance at Butlins, so the challenge was on for them. Hitting the audience with skill, passion and enthusiasm with their selfpenned songs and a few carefully selected covers, Idle Hands soon had the punters eating out of their hands. Phil Allen is though a consummate frontman, he has the ability to draw in an audience and keep them in his palm, without as often happens with lead singers, having to play the ‘drama queen’. Phil’s stage persona is innate, it’s not learnt. His mic technique was superb and he used the stage area to his best advantage. At times striking a stately pose, foot placed on his monitor leaning out into the audience to almost become one of the crowd, No band though is one person, it is the sum of its parts and with Idle Hands, all parts are equally capable, committed to their music and so tight they could be joined at the hip!

Gwyn Aston Two Man Blues Army, moved to one of the main stages this year, after his success with last year in Jak’s. Guitarist Gwyn and side-kick drummer Kev Hickman may only be a duo but they made enough quality sound to be a top Blues Rock band. There was pure energy and drive coming off that stage on that Saturday night from both musicians. Ashton gave a display of music that travelled from the beauty of bottle-neck and unique thumb picking style through to ‘inyer-face’ Rock Blues, all played with fluidity, skill, deep passion and topped off with Hickman’s drumming, which at present marks him out as among one of the best young drummers on the circuit. Sandi Thom’s performance was an absolute treat and she is a blues singer who is growing with every gig she performs. Her set came mainly from her 2010 CD, Merchant and Thieves. She also thrilled the crowd with her single ‘Punk Rocker’ which she has now put a Blues slant on rather than its original pop orientation. To Sandi’s absolute delight that packed Saturday night audience actually sang the chorus to back to her without any prompting. The highlight of the show though was her rendition of ‘The House Of The Rising Sun’. If anyone still doubts that Sandi Thom is true Blues, go see her sing this song. She pulled the emotion from every sinew of body and out of her inner soul giving it a beautifully transcendental feel. Once again, no singer can truly reach their best, if not surrounded by an equally talented band and Sandi has chosen her musicians from the cream of her generation. So popular was Sandi she left the stage to shouts for more but was unable to return due the evening schedule over-running, but it was to the disappointment of the crowd and Sandy herself Maybe in the future a small gesture could be made to both artist and paying punters and let them have one encore. There is however no doubt after this performance that Sandi as she sings, was indeed ‘Born In The Belly Of The Blues’.

Herby Goins & The Norman Beaker Band finished Saturday evening proceedings on Centre Stage and gave the audience that feel of evenings of passionate raw blues from days gone by. Norman Beaker and the band, still truly amaze in the way they can slip tightly like a well fitting shoe from one lead singer to another and still produce the same top quality of music. The Ric Lee Blues Project opened Sunday night’s events on Centre Stage and this was an absolute treat of a performance by a group of top

FESTIVAL FEVER

class Blues musicians Ric Lee on drums, Mick Clarke on guitar, Danny Handley on guitar, Bob Hall on keyboards, Scott Whitley on bass. The set was composed of a selection of Lee’s favourite Ten Year’s After numbers, which made a refreshing change as the audience was not for once taken through a repertoire of ‘Greatest Hits’ that often happens with such bands. There were also a number of originals from other members of the band giving the whole set a full, fresh and diverse feel.

Dr Feelgood with their cult like following meant that Centre Stage was heaving with a crowd ready for their heroes. They were not disappointed even walking with one foot in a cast and crutch, frontman Robert Kane was still able to dominate the stage with his persona, vocal and harmonica playing. Their rendition of ‘Milk and Alcohol’ had the fans singing along and the left the stage to cheers and calls for more!

King King, a debut performance, the graveyard shift and having to follow Dr Feelgood, which really is the short straw. Not for King King, this was evident in their whole persona and non-verbal reaction as they hit the stage, kilted in Scottish pride. Alan Nimmo, the ‘Bonnie Prince of Scotland’ was going take the English by pure skill, passion and downright unquestionable talent. For anyone who looked at the close-ups on the big screen, would have seen the huge smile of joy as the assembled joined the band in ‘It Feels Like Rain’, raising that Butlins Roof in musical symbiosis. They even had enough confidence to hit the audience with a song from their new CD called ’Take My Hand’, many a senior a band would have bucked at trying this at a debut venue. If you ever wanted to leave people coming back for more next year then their last memory, one the most important in any experience was King King and the punters will be back.

Carol Borrington

If you want Jaks to be open on Sunday evening you need to contact Butlins and ask them to do this BLUEMATTERS! is willing to make the bookings it just needs input from YOU to make this happen.

HARVEST JAZZ & BLUES Festival

Twenty years ago, Harvest Jazz and Blues festival started out as a small-scale music event promoting local live blues bands as well as the region’s established blues acts. Two decades later, the festival is the largest jazz and blues festival on the East Coast, now boasting four major stages with a bill of 100 acts that combines the talents of local blues artists with big international names such as Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Eden Brent and Grace Potter. I manage to catch up with the team who have played a big part in transforming what was once a small community festival. David Seabrook, is the festival’s communications director and Brent Staeben is the festival’s music director.

How did the festival start?

David Seabrook: It started all started in 1991. The founder was a guy who played in a local blues bar, Rick Hutchins. At that time, there was literally no live music, there were mainly DJs. Essentially what we wanted to do was to support the Acadian Blues and jazz scene and potentially present a business case for live music. So, that’s how the festival started with a strong commitment to showcasing local musicians with some free and paid shows. It was all about Canadian musicians.

What was the Blues scene like back then?

There was a strong connection to the Blues at the time with artists like Dutch Mason. He was Gareth Mason’s father and he was known as the Prime Minister of the Blues, which was a name given to him by BB King. As a result, there was a strong Blues bar scene in Maritime Canada but it was threatened by this trend of DJs and no live music in bars. I think what Hutchins did for the first festival was to capitalize on the existing blues scene with Dutch Mason as the headline act. When the festival came about, five hundred people turned up to see Dutch Mason. As a result, bar owners started to notice and slowly it started to invigorate it-self.

So when did you start to get involved Brent – what was your background?

Brent Staeben: I was just a music fan really and heavily was into recording music. I played in bands. I came into it from an organizational perspective and over time I started to help David and when he left to go to Taiwan, the natural evolution was that I moved into the musical side of things.

How did you go about attracting bigger acts to the festival?

The very first festival was billed on two things. Firstly the connections of our founder Rick Hutchins and I was working at CBC and had some connections there too. Primarily the motivation of the organizers was to create a community event, which grew from there. Right from the start of the festival, musicians came first. We ensured they were the first to get paid then it was the t-shirt, stage people came but musicians first. So we developed the reputation of reliability on the business side, and hospitality. Brent can talk about how the festival grew with the international acts.

When did that phase kick in?

BS: The first real international act wasn’t a Blues band, but it was a band called BeauSoleil.

DS: Yes, we went for BeauSoleil because of the connection with Louisiana’s Cajun music and forty percent of our Acadian community is French speaking. Louisiana was a legitimate connection that essentially no other Blues festival in North America could claim so we really dug hard to continue to do that. So in the early days, we focused on developing that connection which opened doors with some agents

The festival has also had some interesting phases, could you talk through those?

BS: We went through different evolutionary stages and certainly the era between 1994 – 2001 including 9/11, which was an interesting festival. The first three years was planting our roots and trying how to figure things out musically. In 1994 –2001, we were really mining out great American and Canadian blues and worked a lot with smaller agencies in places like North Carolina. We were doing some zydeco and some Blues. It was really an interesting festival from a blues perspective with a lot of great Canadian acts. It wasn’t until 2002 when we looked at the financial model and the desire to present artists of a higher stature half grew out our financial ability to do it, so we had a chicken and egg situation.

DS: If we wanted to do this, how could we make it financially work without breaking our core values which was an accessible, community based and volunteer run festival? I am not talking about a fair ground festival. We wanted to retain our intimacy as a core position.

Interview with Brent Staeben and David Seabrook - By Paromita Saha

It sounds like a tough one to manage?

DS: I think it’s the most complex model in North America. Imagine a town of 50 – 60,000 people and a thousand of them are volunteering and three out four families are participating?

BS: One of our evolutions was to play up on the communal nature of our hospitality. Musicians felt very good here. We started this after hour party where they would play for the volunteers and we started to see it as a really special thing. What if we made it into something that the public could access? We created late night jam and we had this really neat space in the market and we would rent it from midnight until 430am. It led to these incredible music moments, and we launched the career of JP Le Blanc who is an Acadian English blues artist from Bathhurst.

DS: We were somewhat rebellious, and we stretched the patience of authorities for several years. It did create this aura of cool and what it told us, the community and festival are scaled just right to allow these musical interactions. For example, if you are in front of 80 thousand people, you are an artist and your buddy is back stage, you are going to think twice about letting them on stage, if it is a no risk proposition. Here you are in front of 1500 people, it’s relaxed and you have been treated well behind the stage and you say, “Let’s go and have some fun.” It’s the scale of the festival and we were told those collaborations were important from the way people reacted to the late night jams that became legendary. People were literally climbing through windows. We had to shut it down though as it got completely out of control to manage.

I guess to an extent, a lot of that depends on the good will of musicians to play for such long amounts of time?

DS: All the musicians were playing out of the goodness of their heart. They were contracted for their main gig but what they did was entirely out of the goodness of their heart. It was a really remarkable thing and what you saw were blues musicians doing rock tunes. For example, Blues folk artist called Susie Vinnick got up to do a Led Zeppelin tune and knocked everyone dead. This was the dynamic; you would never know when something was going to go off that would be really special.

So is this now becoming a long running tradition of the festival?

DS: This ability to offer collaborations are really important. From a public stand point there is this spark of an unexpected surprise that can happen on a Harvest stage.

Have there been collaborations that have resulted from this? For example where musicians have gone off to record together?

We’ve had Hill Country Revue and Ross Nielsen. They became friends and now they come to play.

Looking at the festival now- it’s clear you’ve got a good selection of North American and Canadian artists. What about British artists or European artists?

DS: We’ve had Sarah Jane Morris and Dominic Miller. A lot of this country has roots in the UK so we think that there is a good space. It also gives us a cache, more than what a lot of the North American festivals are doing.

HARVEST JAZZ & BLUES Festival

In the bill, bands seemed be grouped according to a theme. How much creativity goes into that?

BS: From our perspective, it’s a little more organic that. You are looking for certain things like instrumentation, for example you are looking at piano players and you don’t want all powerhouse trio, so there has to be variety. There has to be some R’n’B tinged Blues, some zydeco, some soul tinged Blues or something like that. There also has to be a good male/female ratio. DS: We are always trying to have female headliners at the festival. BS: Take a show like Maria Muldaur, David Miles and Homemade Jamz. Mojo shows are the best shows. If you look at the Blues tent as your concerts and in the Voodoo House, you want to see more traditional more rootsy approach to the music. The Mojo tent is really the place where, from a programming festival, we are moving around the traditions of the Blues and you are moving it in a different direction. For example, last night you had Soul and R’n’B from Maria Maldur with Home-made Jamz, who are off a new

generation, paying homage to the greats and deeply rooted in the south. Well David Miles is a hometown cat and he comes out of the Blues jazz genre. Together, as a show, it worked really well. The three bands complemented together. Tonight, you’ve got Little Miss Higgins, Matt Andersen and Roomful of Blues. Little Miss Higgins is more acoustic approach to early 1900s whereas Roomful of Blues which is very swinging and Blues. Tomorrow night has a Southern feel to it, with the New Orleans/Chicago connection from Johnny Sansone and Joe Murphy. Kermit Ruffins will be coming at it from a different perspective.

DS: The show highlights what Brent does very well. He’s probably one of the most daring programmers in the whole of North America. There are not that many programmers in North America who will put Kermit Ruffins on the last end of a tent show, after people have had a few beers on the night, but we know Kermit. We know that he can deliver. As the last act, we know it is going to change their perception of New Orleans jazz, but that’s a risky proposition. Throughout the schedule, there are these moments where you give the audience what they are looking for, but you give them a turn. That’s what makes a great festival when you have a programmer that is going to make those risks.

DS: What we are hoping to do is surprise the audience.

BS: That’s really part of it. You go back to 15 years and people had no idea of this kind of music. It’s been educational but not deliberate.

DS: We’ve done some unconventional things. We are trying to make this community what we want to live in, so by delivering a world-class festival to a small town, it gives sense of pride.

Has word of the festival got around Louisiana?

BS: We actually had state of Louisiana sponsor the festival in 2001 and I think those connections are very strong. Johnny Sansone who’s from New Orleans, said he looked at the schedule and thanked us for supporting New Orleans. That’s way

Skennard & Higgins

HARVEST JAZZ & BLUES Festival

these guys feel about the city.

DS: The different styles of music from New Orleans are well appreciated by our audience as a result of their Acadian connections. We’ve also have visitors from New Orleans partly because of the programming. We have a policy at where every show we have tickets at the door even if it’s sold out. It all started because two people from Louisiana because turned up to a sold out show, to find out there no tickets, but because they had driven up from Louisiana we gave them tickets at the door.

What do you see as the next evolutionary stage of Harvest?

DS: We are not interested in growing the size of the festival but we are interested in enhancing the quality of the experience, the artists, and the caliber. We have a new convention centre and we discussing how we can use that as a new venue.

Does the size of the town, limit the size of the festival?

DS: To some degree, we are a small venue festival, where intimacy is key. We are not interested in doing it in a field. We could do it, but essentially we are a downtown festival. Years ago, when we started this move to international class acts, I had my concerns about whether; the festival had the carrying capacity in terms of the ability of a small town to generate a certain kind of ticket price. Quite frankly, I am surprised by how our highest ticket price events sell out first. So our audience has grown along with us.

What about the attitude of North America towards the Canadian Blues scene?

DS: As with North America’s attitude towards Canada, we’re the quiet friendly neighbor. Just because we don’t have loud parties so we are not worth paying much attention to. Canadians are generally quite happy with that position especially when it comes to Blues festivals.

BS: Americans are traveling way less to Canada and also they have great music events around them too, so why would they feel the need to travel to Canada? What can we do is to break through and establish ourselves. The Internet has provided the way for us to reach new audiences. Our desire is simply to keep getting better. The truth of the matter is we are happy with where Harvest is now. It’s not about where it’s going. It’s about the fact that we have created is something that is loved by our patrons, our community and ourselves. We all believe the old adage, you stand still and you die. If we could use a couple of analogies, someone once said for a vision, you can’t fill the Super Bowl stadium with anymore people, but wouldn’t you want to be a Super Bowl where people would pay a thousand dollars to go.

DS: Our cultural goal is to be the best little festival in the whole of America.

THE BLUES IN CANADA

By Paromita Saha

It’s the second night at the Harvest jazz and Blues festival in Fredericton and local blues hero Matt Andersen is wowing the packed Mojo tent with his fiery blues showmanship. Accompanied by his pals, Ross Nielsen on guitar and harp player Mike Stevens on stage, the set is a great homecoming for the three artists who over the years have been busy making their mark on the world’s blues scene as well as on their home turf. Since, winning the International Blues Challenge in Memphis last year, Andersen has been busy touring the international blues festivals as well as recording a new album produced by Canadian Blues virtuoso Colin Linden. Earlier this year, he won the prestigious Canadian Maple Blues Award for Entertainer of the Year. Hailing from Ontario, Mike Stevens is an established harp player on the international Blues grass scene, and his talent has taken him to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, where he has become a regular name playing alongside country greats such as Jim and Jesse. Meanwhile, Matt Andersen’s old school friend Ross Nielsen with his band the Sufferin Bastards, have been making waves with their current album ‘Redemption,’ which they recorded down in Mississippi with Cody Dickinson lead man for Hill Country Revue and the North Mississippi All Stars.

Matt, Ross and Mike are fine examples of Canada’s current Blues talent, who annually perform at Harvest in Fredericton, New Brunswick, which has grown in considerable size to become the biggest jazz and Blues festival on the east coast since its humble inceptions back in 1991. From the old to new as well as from coast to coast, the festival is an accurate reflection of the diversity that has organically evolved within the country’s Blues scene that has firmly established itself over a period of forty years, and is one that is still thriving today.

THE FOUNDING FATHERS

Most Canadian Blues artists can trace their lineage back to greats such as Donnie Walsh (founder of Downchild Blues Band), Richard Newell aka King Biscuit Boy and the late Dutch Mason who all came to prominence during the seventies. Richard Newell who was given his nickname by Ronnie Hawkins, godfather of Canada’s rock scene and The Hawks (who went onto become The Band), learnt his craft playing in Hawkin’s backing band, and with various blues bands in Ontario. An all round performer who wrote, arranged, sang, played side guitar as well as being a virtuoso in the harp, he won international attention with his first solo ‘Official Music,’ and became the first Canadian blues artist to make it to the US billboard charts. In the mid seventies he signed up with the American record label Epic where his first release was the self titled ‘King Biscuit Boy,’ nicknamed the Brown Derby album that was a New Orleans production with legendary R &B man Allen Toussaint at the helm as producer /writer and the likes of the

Ross Nielsen & Sufferin Bastards

Matt with Ross and Mike Stevens

The BLUES in CANADA

Meters and Dr John as his backing musicians. The album was criticized for being more of an Allen Toussaint piece of work as he wrote half the songs. While, never commercially successful, Newell continued to establish himself as a figurehead in the Canadian Blues scene with a steady stream of releases during the eighties, which included a nomination for a prestigious Juno award. In the nineties he produced only one album “Urban Blues Re. Newell,” which was received with great critical acclaim. He died in 2003 at the mere age of 58 years old. Another great Blues pioneer in Ontario was Donnie Walsh who founded Canada’s oldest Blues band known as the Downchild Blues Band. Formed back in 1969, against the backdrop of a relatively barren Canadian blues scene, the Downchild Blues band (which came from the Sonny Boy Williamson song) have gone through more line up changes than Fleetwood Mac. Walsh has been quoted to say more than 120 musicians have been associated with band. Nonetheless, after 32 years, Walsh still continues to play guitar and harmonica after surviving the death of a keyboardist in the eighties and the death of two front men including his brother Hock Walsh the original singer of the band. Downchild are renowned for their relentless cross country tours and wowing the crowds with their ‘spirited style,’ of Chicago Blues.’ The band has produced more than twenty albums with their most recent album ‘I Need A Hat,’ back in 2009 and to this day still continues to win music awards as entertainers of the year. Most notably, some of Donnie’s tracks appeared in the Blues Brother’s album a ‘Briefcase Full of Blues,’ thus giving the band some international success. Meanwhile, around the same time in the seventies, further up the East coast in the Canadian Maritimes, Dutch Mason was making waves with his distinct gravelly voice. He was nicknamed the ‘Prime Minister of the Blues,’ by one of his band-mates after BB King who he opened up for one night referred him to as the ‘King of the Blues.’

John Campbell

The BLUES in CANADA

A larger than life character, Dutch relentlessly toured the entirety of Canada with his band, and their notoriety spread on the blues circuit as a hard drinking act along with their crazy backstage antics. Dutch’s style of Blues also led him to play with the greats such as John Lee Hooker, Big Mama Thornton as well as Buddy Guy whenever they passed through Canada. Dutch Mason produced a steady stream of albums until his last release in 2004, which won him recognition in form of Canadian music awards. He died at the age of 68 in 2006. Today his legacy still burns on through his son Garret Mason, an established Blues artist who is part of this upcoming generation and in particular

REGIONAL BLUES

So what has propelled this nation to embrace this musical form apart from the obvious reason that it is the indigenous sound of its southern cousin that has crept its way over the border via osmosis? The Canadian Maritimes on the east coast, which comprises of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and New Found-land is an example of a region that has adapted the blues to encapsulate its regional identity. David Seabrooke who is one of the organizers of the Harvest jazz and Blues festival, and a proud Mari-timer explains, “the reason why there is that essential connection between Maritime Acadian culture and the Blues is that there is regional underdevelopment with the economic impoverished culture combined with authentic story telling tradition which marries up with the Blues.” Indeed, the region has produced a plethora of established Blues artists from Dutch Mason, harp player Joe Murphy, slide guitarist and vocalist Thom Swift to steel guitarist John Campbell John who is renowned for fusing the indigenous sound of the Maritimes with the blues, “To be honest I took it for granted learning from the likes of BB King, Muddy Waters and the Rolling Stones. I took the Celtic stuff for granted but it gradually made its way into my style. It’s crept into my sound and I call it Celtic Blues.” 55-year old John Campbell John has won accolades including ‘Best Blues Guitarist’ of the year, and ‘Canadian slide guitarist of the year,’ and his style of playing also won considerable attention in Germany too. The young generation of blues artists from this part of the world seems to be rising fast through the ranks, with their own variation of the Blues. Familiar to Blues Matters, Matt Andersen’s career is taking off on the international Blues circuit with his brand of soulful Blues. Ross Nielsen and the Sufferin Bastards after teaming up with some of the Burnsides and Alvin Youngblood Hart, while recording their current Rock/Blues album Redemption down in Mississippi, are getting ready for another year of heavy touring across Canada. Due to lack of funds, Ross and his band enlisted the help of the local community to purse their dream of recording in the home of late producer Jim Dickinson in North Mississippi. “We had to raise to money too, as we couldn’t get any grants from Canada because we were recording in the States. We had a bottle drive here so you could take your bottles back for 5 or 10c. For four months, we picked the bottles and raised the cash to go there. It was amazing, there were so many spin offs, and with the community supporting, it made us feel really good.”

Another up and coming star is nineteen year old Keith Hallett from Fredericton, who has been turning heads since his first album ‘Bear With Me’ back in 2008 which earned him a Maple Leaf Blues award for best new artist. The album, which features five covers and five originals, has won plaudits for his style of guitar playing which is reminiscent of greats such as BB King.

If you travel, further out west, to the Canadian prairies of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, the extreme weather climate has been a contributing factor to its thriving grassroots Blues scene, according to guitarist and singer/songwriter Little Miss Higgins who has established herself firmly on Canadian Blue scene with her vintage style of Blues reminiscent of Memphis Minnie and Big Bill Broonzy. “I think the long winters are

great to play music while we stay inside. A lot of the players like Muddy Waters toured Canada in the sixties and seventies. They had an influence on the scene on these players like Big Dave Mclean who met Muddy Waters before he died. I think he had a huge influence on Big Dave who carried that torch and passed onto younger musicians like myself and Megan Lane.”

Indeed, Big Dave McClean, the unsung hero of Canada’s Blue scene has been playing and working as a touring Blues man since the sixties following hot in the footsteps of Muddy Waters whom he toured with back in the day and John Hammond who gave him his first guitar lesson at the Maripose Folk Festival in 1969. Only in the last decade, he has won recognition after years of touring the prairies and playing his own brand of the delta Blues. And like a true Blues man, it is in the latter part of his life that he has finally paid his dues. One of his fans is 46-year old Blues artist Colin James, who hailing from the same neck of the woods, but this time Regina, Saskatchewan, is the classic story of small town boy who hits the big time in the States. Back in the eighties, he started his career opening for Stevie Ray Vaughan and then to be signed on by a major American label to record with the late producer, Tom Dowd who was a favourite of the likes of Gregg Allman, and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Over the years, he was won steady international recognition for his talents, in particular in North America playing alongside the crème de la crème of Nashville’s music scene.

INFRASTRUCTURE

In order to nurture and support its home grown Blues talent, Canada has developed a strong infrastructure of Blues societies, record labels and awards. For example, the Toronto Blues Society organizes the prestigious Maple Blues awards that has been running for fourteen years and takes place every January. As well being selected by panel, the public is invited in to cast their vote on particular categories and this year, 3,000 people took part. The society is also responsible for promoting and appreciation of blues through various outreach programmes including Blues in Schools that has been designed to encourage pupils to develop a long-term interest in the Blues. Other Blues societies from far and wide places such as Ottwa, Edmonton to Sakastoon has also developed their own initiatives to promote Blues on a grassroots level.

INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION – DOES IT MATTER?

At one point, it seemed international recognition was an accolade that was enjoyed by a small handful of Canada’s Blues artists such as Colin James, Sue Foley, the long running Powder Blues and the late Jeff Healey who was renowned for his unique style of guitar playing thus earning a Grammy award nomination and the respect of luminaries such as Stevie Ray Vaughan and Albert King. However, in the last couple of years, twenty-seven Canadian acts have competed in the International Blues Challenge and have made it to the finals. Among them is Steve Marriner who is lead singer and harp player from the Toronto based Monkey Junk, a band based out in Toronto whose blend of swamp, R&B, soul boogie and Blues has won them the Blues Music Award in 2010 for best new artist debut, the second Canadian band in thirty years to win this. He says despite winning a stream of home awards, it is still very hard for Canadian artists to break into the international market. “We won a Blues music award which is determined by popular vote. And that’s why we were partly shocked we had won, because there are so many different types of bands from the States, so competition is pretty fierce. We found that agents are reluctant to take on an international act.”

The BLUES in CANADA

Despite the challenges for any blues artist to get recognition in the North American market, regardless of what part of the world they are from, the Canadian Blues labels have played an instrumental part in putting Canada on the map. The country’s longest running independent Blues record label Stony Plain is no stranger to the Grammys after being nominated five times, and boasts a plethora of successful artists from Maria Maldur to Vancouver’s Ian Tyson. Owner Holger Petersen has been hosting the regular show “Saturday Night Blues,” which promotes Canadian talent with its huge outreach to all corners of the country. More recently, the Toronto’s Northern Blues Music with its commitment to “add substantially to the Blues repertoire,” has taken on the crème de crème of American current Blues scene including artists such as Watermelon Silm, Homemade Jamz Blues and the critically acclaimed guitar virtuoso Samuel James alongside Canadian artists such as the JW-Jones Blues Band.

Nonetheless, it is still full steam ahead for the country’s Blues artists who continue to work hard at their craft and to get that all deserving international recognition. Blues artists such as producer/songwriter Colin Linden, Shakura S’Aida who won this year’s ‘Maple Blues Award’ for best female singer, and Matt Andersen continue to wave the Canadian flag abroad, winning acknowledgement from the rest of the Blues world as well as working with prestigious names to embarking on worldwide tours. It’s clear that the Canadian Blues scene is vibrant due to the country’s passionate love for the music, as described by Little Miss Higgins.

“It’s for the most part, white settler European people in Canada playing Blues music. How is it happening? It’s such great music that it transcends time, colour, culture and people love it. It’s great way to send out message, to express oneself. As a performer, the old style Blues and jazz works for me and it deserves to be continued. It’s such an attractive music and I think it’s still relevant.”

But does international recognition really matter when the Canadians have their own established festivals, record labels and award ceremonies? As David Seabrooke, one of the organizers of Harvest sums it up, “as with North America’s attitude towards Canada, we are the quiet friendly neighbour because we don’t have loud parties we are not worthy paying much attention to. Canadians are generally quite happy with that position especially when it comes to Blues festivals.”

On the last night of Harvest Jazz and Blues festival, Gordie Johnson, lead singer of Toronto Blues rock and reggae outfit Big Sugar, holds up the back of his guitar over his head, to reveal the red maple leaf, which sends a packed tent of thousands of people into an absolute frenzy. The Canadians will always be proud of their own Blues heritage and if the rest of the world acknowledges it, well that’s just a bonus.

GREGG ALLMAN

Low Country Blues Rounder Records

After fourteen years, Gregg Allan returns with a new album which takes him into the depths of the blues archive, with a collection of songs, where he pays homage to the greats such as Muddy Waters, BB King, Bobby Bland, Otis Rush and Skip James. At the helm, is producer of the moment, T Bone Burnett and as can be expected, he brings with his crew of Americana musicians including Doyle Bramhall II on guitar, as well as a rhythm section comprising of upright bassist Denis Crouch and drummer Jay Bellerose. The album also sees the return of Allman’s old friend Mac Rebennack aka Dr John who provides running piano commentary throughout. With Burnett’s penchant for authentic sounding production combined with Allman’s ear for arrangement, does “Low Country Blues,” succeed in showing off the sixty three year old talents as a bluesman?

Highlights include the album’s opener, which is a catching rendition of Sleepy John Estes’ “Floating Bridge.” that tells the story of a floating bridge that saved the old blues singer from drowning. Judging from the conviction in Allman’s vocals, one gets the impression that he is using the floating bridge as a metaphor to tell the story of his own life. The bass and rhythm arrangements, adds a vibrancy to this cover, making it a stand out lead track. Allman’s haunting interpretation of Skip James’s “Devil Got My Woman,” sends a shiver down one’s spine, with Doyle Bramhall’s guitar taking the listener back to a front porch in the Delta Mississippi at the turn of the 20th century. Muddy Water’s “I Can’t Be Satisfied,” and BB King’s “Please Accept My Love,” are the more faithful interpretations on the album. Whereas, one of the album’s more obscure tracks “I Believe I’ll Go Back Home,” gets a good vintage Americana reworking from Burnett with the dancing mandolin and a New Orleans rhythm and blues sounding piano accompaniment from Dr John. The Night Tripper’s presence can be felt heard throughout the album, until “Rolling Stone,” where he finally throws in his Gris-Gris to make this an epic-closing track. As a songwriter by trade, Allman contributes one of his compositions “Just Another Rider,” which in theory sounds like a risky proposition but seems to nestle in quite nicely with the other songs, thanks to Burnett’s uniform production. Despite the absence of a Ray Charles song in this repertoire, his inspiration can be felt in the singer’s voice. Indeed, the stand out factor in Low Country Blues is Allman’s vocals, which has never sounded better, confirming that if you want to sing the blues well, it certainly does help to live them. On the whole, not the most diverse for a T Bone Burnett produced album, say compared to Raising Sand, but he does enough to make this a great comeback for Gregg Allman as a true bluesman.

Paromita Saha

DAN WILDE This Is The Place Littlest Mojo

Now don’t get too excited, folks. That’s Dan Wilde, not Dani Wilde, so don’t go thinking that the delightful young Bluestress has sneaked out a new release when you weren’t looking. Nope, this instead, the debut release by Blackpool born singer / songwriter bloke Dan Wilde. And he’s another one who’s looking to the seventies for his inspiration as he brings to mind Celtic troubadours of yore like John Martyn and Gerry Rafferty. Which is a good thing, if not a particularly Blues thing. He’s got a good voice, which caresses your ears and has a fine way with his acoustic guitar. The songs, whilst not great, are certainly good enough, and when there’s a wee bit of added value, as on the violin enhanced ‘Broke My Heart Alright’, then things definitely move up a gear. That also goes for the viola and mandolin that pops up elsewhere. There’s plenty of other good songs on offer with the likes of ‘How Will I Know’ and ‘It Hurts To Reminisce’ among the best. As you can tell from that selection of titles, there’s a lot of broken hearts and misery around, but he’s only a youngster, so don’t take it all too seriously. He doesn’t know how bad it’s going to get yet. It’s not all doom and gloom, so you can pick up the pieces on ‘Wait Until Tomorrow’, which has some particularly fine guitar picking, and ‘Look Out’. It’s a good album if folk is your bag, and he certainly seems to have the chops to make a name for himself in the crowded folk world he’s working in.

Stuart A Hamilton

CHRIS FARLOWE The Best Of Repertoire

For my money a real best of Chris Farlowe should include his time with Coliseum and the work he did with such luminaries as Dick HeckstallSmith as well as his earlier ‘white-soulboy’ material but this collection deals with that earlier period on Immediate and in reality there is plenty here to be happy with too. The material covers 1965 – 1968 and kicks off with three Jagger/Richards specials in the form of ‘Out Of Time’, ‘Think’ & ‘Ride On Baby’ and I couldn’t imagine any of them as Rolling Stones numbers – the production is too twee but Farlowe’s voice is all you could wish for with that throaty bellow such a trademark. ‘My Way of Giving’ was written by Stevie Marriot & Ronnie Lane and he almost seems to be mimicking Marriot’s cheeky cockney vocal at the start but again the result is a real belter with all the power. His version of ‘Paint It Black’ is the first time you can really compare his version against a Stones classic and you get a completely different reading to Mick Jagger’s – more anger and less depression maybe – but you also get a really good feel for the soulboy copyist that

he started out as with his sub-James Brown grunts and Woah’s. There are 20 tracks here including the wonderful ‘Handbags & Gladrags’ and his cut of ‘Satisfaction’ but his version of ‘What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted’, for me, is the number where he could really have made a name but just backed off a little leaving the Jimmy Ruffin original as the best. Chris Farlowe is/was one of British Rock’s most original voices and he shows here glimpses of the power and precision he is capable of – at least a dozen tracks are essential and six more important and there isn’t a duff one in the bunch.

Andy Snipper

ZOOT MONEY

Transitions

Repertoire Records

Blimey, it’s really retro month for me isn’t it? Zoot Money – you can almost see him, all mop haired and hoop- shirted striding jauntily down Carnaby Street. Bit of a curate’s egg this one – it has the odd undoubted highlight and a smashing brass section on some tracks, but 1960’s Soul/Jazz/ R&B like this seems as dated as stripy loons and sideburns. Ironically, the big highlight for me is ‘River’s Invitation’, confirming a recently acquired and growing partiality to Percy Mayfield, who penned it. ‘Soma’ reflects the sixties fascination with the sitar sound which unfortunately left me rather nonplussed – ‘What Cha Gonna Do About it’ has that chirpy, harmonizing familiar in the 60’s, but the collection never really takes off. ‘Recapture The Thrill Of Yesterday’ is pleasantly poignant though, and reminiscent of Keith West’s ‘Excerpt From A Teenage Opera’ (y’know – Grocer Jack, Grocer Jack….) while on other tracks like ‘Just A Passing Phase’ Zoot sounds more like Gerry Marsden that Gerry himself. There are some interestingly retrospective and amusing sleeve notes, humour clearly remains a key element of life in the The Big Roll Band – Zoot’s own sublime explanation of how his illegal strobe lights were responsible for straightening out many a drug user and encouraging them into successful business careers is bizarre and brilliant in equal measure. And - if you always wondered that about the previously uncharted antiquity of Andy Summers, the old one in the Police – here is your answer – he was playing guitars for Zoot. Every little thing he did wasn’t quite magic, but a pleasant memory stirrer nevertheless.

Richard Thomas

traditional blues with some recognisable Delta grooves, yet mixed with his own individual energetic style. There’s a strong contrast of styles from the ominous tension of ‘Lay Down My Sorrow’ to the quick paced and lyrically upbeat ‘Going Down To Louisiana.’ ‘Going Down To The River’ the guitar is exchanged for a mandolin. Lawrence is joined by harpist Sherman “Tank” Doucette for several tracks while one time BB King bassist Russell Jackson lays down some stand up acoustic bass. The one limitation which does not detract from this fine recording is Lawrence’s vocals which are not the strongest and are better suited to the country styled ‘Once Loved A Cowgirl’ rather than the deep Blues of ‘Your Woman Quit You’ or the cover of early Bluesman Tommy Johnson’s Traveling Blues’.

Duncan Beattie

HENRIK FREISCHLADER Tour 2010 Live Cable Car Records

This double CD was recorded at various dates on Freischlader’s spring tour of his native Germany, Austria and Switzerland, in support of his excellent third studio album “Recorded By Martin Meinschafer.” The majority of the tracks here hail from that disc yet, yet while the earlier release saw Freischlader aim for the optimum studio recording, with all tracks being self played, the live recordings feature his band comprising Theofilos Fotiadis on bass, Hardy Fischotter on bass and Moritz Fuhrhop on organ. The result is a far freer and improvised collection, with a greater emphasis on lengthy musicianship. The slow Blues workout of ‘She’s Back (For Another Try)’ is a standout track, which showcases Freischlader’s superb melodic guitar playing, before an extended and atmospheric take of ‘Bad DreamsWolkenwinde’, which despite clocking at nearly 19 minutes does maintain the listener’s attention. ‘Breakout’ leads the second disc and features some powerful interplay between guitar and organ. The vocals are crisp and clear throughout and the finest vocal performance comes during the impassioned ballad ‘Cry Again.’ Freischlader’s jazzier playing comes to the fore in ‘Tired of Beggin’’ which morphs into ‘Cissy Strut’ before some interesting jamming diversions through ‘Foxy Lady.’ It’s a very tight band performance, which each member is given space to perform, with both a drum solo and an organ shuffle. However there is the overriding feeling that rather than their inclusion on the album, a couple of additional songs might have served the collection better. In summary a worth addition to Freischlader’s catalogue and taster of his imminent forthcoming UK shows, yet a newcomer to his music would be better starting with either his last or forthcoming studio releases.

Duncan Beattie

MARSHALL LAWRENCE

Blues Intervention

www.doctorblues.com

The picture on the cover of this CD is a good hint as to what is contained within as Lawrence is pictured with three resonator guitars. Each instrument is put to good use on this sterling collection of semi-acoustic self compositions by Lawrence, termed as Doctor Blues in his native Edmonton in Canada. His playing dexterity is evident from outset and his technique has clearly been established with in depth studying of traditional blues artists, is clearly honed with respect for tribute to

THE MUDBIRDS

Slick Blues

Mudbirds Records

The Mudbirds have really surpassed themselves with this 13 track acoustic Blues album in the purest Blues roots tradition, the kind which makes you tingle all over. You cannot but be impressed by the quality of this CD, there is such spontaneity here and the sound gives the thirteen tracks a kind of infernal roots magic, we’d even go as far as saying it’s come straight from the devil himself, and the devil is never far from the Crossroads, right? And to make the mixture as sinful as possible,

Alan Laws (acoustic guitar, vocals and harmonica) and René Tweehuysen (dobro and acoustic lap steel guitar) slip in, amongst their own compositions, four traditional songs beautifully rearranged such as the superb ‘Blood Red River’, ‘Lovin’ In My Baby’s Eyes’ by Taj Mahal and an excellent version of ‘Whipping Post’ by Gregg Allman. Not only those two great birds are sensational guitar and harmonica players, they are also extremely talented songwriters. How can you not be moved by the superb ‘Vanishing Point’ written by René Tweehuysen, then let yourself flow into the sensational ‘Mud Slide’ and its incredibly captivating harmonica. After such an experience, you will believe that these two have actually written classics such as ‘Come Back Baby’ or ‘Beautiful City’. These birds must have come across who you know at the Crossroads because the album is devilishly good. Devilishly good indeed.

Frankie Bluesy Pfeiffer and Nat Harrap

SUSAN CATTANEO

Heaven to Heartache

Jersey Girl Music

My initial reaction to opening the parcel was “Oh God, they’ve sent me a country album”, and despite having a fairly eclectic taste in music, this is not one that I cherish. That said, my first tentative playing of the CD’s was to convert me (not too much though) with this album. This girl has a superb voice, allied to lyrics which are sensitively written and with an insight to the subject. The guitar playing is another jewel in this crown, with a sensitively played support to the crystal voice. The album opens with ‘Gotta Get Gone’ a quintessential country song about a woman leaving home, with a hint of Americana in the music! Track 3 is another insightfully written picture of womanhood in America post your thirties, ‘Girls Night Out’ could so easily be written about anywhere in the UK. ‘Little Big Sky’ on track 4 is another belter of a song and guitar playing, but overall this album is just the ticket to make me listen to her again. Yes this is basically a country and western album, but for me to be more than impressed with this lady and her support takes some doing. I really recommend it for any guy who has a special lady in his life (especially if she likes the genre); too bad it is too late for Valentine’s Day! However, you would impress her with your feminine side guys!

Tom Walker

workout, and harmonica player Anthony Kane’s ‘Who’s On Third?’ with its shuffle rhythm allowing for plenty of musical interplay, but it is a good sign that these two tracks are a good fit for the rest of the album. Although the musicianship is of a uniformly high standard, with soloing from Zunis and Kane leading the tight musicianship of drummer Barry Harrison and Admir Hadzic on bass, it is the singers that add something more to the group’s sound. Hugh Pool leads the band through Howlin’ Wolf’s ‘Killing Floor’ and Anthony Kane leads the band through everything else. Although the group really offer nothing startlingly original to the music scene, they are at least trying to keep it real, and live.

Ben Macnair

BOBBY ‘BLUE’ BLAND

The Duke Sides 1952-1959

Hood Doo

There may be those of you out there who were tempted recently to buy an album by Mick Hucknall titled Tribute To Bobby. Well, whilst Simply Ginger’s influences are impeccable, if you’ve not heard the original Bobby, start here. (In any case, Mick doesn’t need the money). When Bobby Bland was recording for the Duke label in the 50s he was at the top of his game, and that game was inventing a new strand of our favourite music – the soulblues sound. This consummate showman not only sang his songs – he lived them, and audiences, especially the women – fell at his feet. These 22 fine recordings are as fresh and invigorating today as they were over half a century ago. Bland’s big, authoritative voice and clear diction on his big hit ‘Farther Up The Road’, ‘I Smell Trouble’ and the soaring, guitar-driven ‘It’s My Life Baby’, are just three examples of the sheer power and success of his potent style. This is monumental, band-driven urban Blues, the sound of the city, late at night. Among the musicians the guitars of Roy Gaines, Pat Hare and Clarence Hollman stand out, and throughout there’s a variety of powerhouse brass featuring such luminaries as Joe Scott, Bill Harvey and Pluma Davis. This is momentous, deeply satisfying music from a man who truly warrants the title ‘legend’.

Roy Bainton

THE SWAMP

KINGS

Swamp Appeal

Independent

BIG APPLE BLUES

Brooklyn Blues

Stone Tone

Brooklyn Blues do what any decent Blues band does. They deliver classic, time worn songs simply, but find enough of themselves in the music to make the songs sound a bit different. So, we have songs by Paul Butterfield, Howlin Wolf, and Junior Wells, Little Walter and more, all delivered by a five piece band. There are two original tracks on the album, Guitarist Zach Zunis’s ‘Brooklyn Swamp’ is a sinewy guitar and harmonica

Debut CD from Minnesota based band playing spicy Cajun boogie and swampy Louisiana Blues. ‘Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler (Let The Good Times Roll)’ is an energetic and rhythmic song featuring accordion and great drums from Connor McRae which acts as the perfect opener to get the party started. ‘Pirogue’ is a thick swampy, stew of Louisiana pop blues with sparkling guitar from Tom Harkness and rock steady bass from Matt Page. The material is mostly self penned and there are occasional echoes of Creedence Clearwater Revival and Tony Joe White. ‘Momma’s Cajun Food’ features accordion and plenty of references to “red beans and rice” and “creole gumbo” etc and no doubt this number gets the dancers on the floor. ‘Lafayette Polka’ also has a dance floor groove but ‘Swamp Appeal’ is a slinky, slithery, number featuring Hammond organ from guest Toby Lee Marshall. The hard rocking ‘Bayou Time’ is followed by an instruction to go down to the swamp and do ‘The Crawfish Crawl’. The band are at their best on numbers like the funky ‘44 Y’alls’ and the swampy blues of ‘Red Pepper’ featuring washboard and harmonica. There are

lots of references here to swamps, gumbo, Cajun food and bayous etc but sprinkling around lots of Louisiana catch phrases and adding in atmospheric swampy sound effects doesn’t necessarily make authenticity. There is a good band in here allied to some good playing and this is a promising debut album but at the moment the material needs a little tweaking.

Dave Drury

AUGIE MEYERS

Trippin Out On Triplets

El Sendero

Fans of Fats Domino will surely already know of the work of Augie Meyers; his first solo album was way back in 1971. It’s the jovial sunshine boogie-woogie combined with enthusiastic horns that make this new album a vibrant and hip entry to the genre. There is nothing really new here, but that doesn’t mean it’s not wanted. Many of the tracks segue into each other and to the untrained ear it’s hard to distinguish at times between them all. There’s some real Blues in ‘Last Night I Cried’, but even then it’s the slow and boppy rock ’n’ roll style. The whole album is sweet and a little soft, with no real change of pace. Without it being a criticism, even the high tempo numbers have an air of somnolence. Perhaps it’s an album of swoon rather than swing. Only the last track, ‘Do You Like I Do’, offers a crafty reconstruction of the genre and shows innovative promise. The intention of the album is to deliver the triplets, the phrasing distinctive of Meyers’ past. Hats off to him for pressing his nostalgia to disc.

Gareth Hayes

Control, the meaty, up-close production grabs you by the neck and holds you there. Don’t You Get The Feeling and the atmospheric Feels Like Rain both had me flipping the tracks back for a second play. NImmo’s powerful guitar gives you goose bumps, and these guys know a good riff when they make one. The band are as tight as a mouse’s ear and there’s big bonus sounds from the Wonder Brass and backing vocals from Jacquie Williams. With this impressively-packaged album, what King King prove is that when it comes to the high-rolling wave of new British Blues, they’re riding way above the surf.

Roy Bainton

DEPOT

Diamond Joe Independent

This seven track CD is an excellent showcase for this three piece U.K. acoustic Blues band, which have been supplemented here by Koulaty Kaboo, who provides some African rhythm to the more traditional American style Country Blues. The band are led by Mat Walklate who besides delivering some excellent vocals adds classy Harmonica and an assortment of less traditional Blues instruments, like flute & the Uleann Pipes, the flute really works well on “In my Sight”, while the title track gets the “pipes” treatment. The CD is only circa twenty five minutes in length but there is still sufficient time here to establish that this band have what it takes, while on most tracks they follow the Country Blues route they do incorporate some original fresh ideas and the use of Koulaty is a real bonus, the track “So Long” benefits from some African language chorus that contrasts well with the body of the song this is a very catchy & memorable song that deserves to be heard by a wider audience, full marks for an excellent debut.

Adrian Blacklee

MAN GONE MISSING Burn You Self Portrait

11 little gems of haunting trail-tinged Blues – from Edinburgh. Man Gone Missing is Simon Currie, resident of Edinburgh and he has taken a tip from Paul Horn (‘Inside’ was recorded in the main dome of the Taj Mahal) and recorded this in All Souls Church in Invergowrie. He recorded the whole album using just his voice, his trusty Resonator guitar and Drew Lynch on harmonica. The result is rather special. Songs like the opener, ‘Trapped’, have a truly lonesome quality; searching and sounding as though he was in the heart of the desert but trapped by the space around him. The guitar has a wonderfully – sorry –resonant sound to it and Drew’s harmonica just manages to emphasis the aloneness of it all. ‘Drowning’ carries on the feeling of being unable to escape but by the time we get to ‘Our Tragic Shame’ it seems to be lightening up and while the sound is still bouncing around in the vastness of the hall the sound is more human and almost happy. There isn’t a huge variation in tone or tempo but the album is never short of some points of interest, whether it is the resonator guitar chiming in space, Currie’s highregister voice hanging in the height of the church spire or Lynch’s harmonica howling as though lost in the darkness. The songs and the lyrics are poignant and suited to this particular exercise and the final result is half an hour of remarkable Blues with a folk tinge.

Andy Snipper

KING KING featuring ALAN NIMMO Take My Hand Hatman CD

Anyone who’s had the pleasure of a King King festival appearance, or managed to catch their set recently on Paul Jones’s BBC2 R&B Show will have realised that this band are a force to be reckoned with. After a busy festival season, they’ve been putting this album together at Chapel Studios out in the wilds of Lincolnshire, and the result is every bit as exciting as you’d expect. Six of the eleven tracks are Nimmo/Lindsay Coulson (bass) originals. Nimmo’s on fine voice, (especially on Heart Without A Soul) and from the fiery opening track, Lose

THE GRAHAM BOND ORGANISATION

The Sound Of 65/There’s A Bond Between Us

Repertoire

There have been endless tomes written about Graham Bonds band they were one of the most famous fore runners in Blues. They were in my opinion, a law unto themselves, because they played music the way they wanted not the way the money people wanted. You had Graham on organ, Jack Bruce on bass, Ginger Baker on drums and Dick Heckstall-Smith on sax. Bruce and Baker later formed a trio with Clapton (we know what became of that band!). The musical legacy of these people is history to all blues anoraks. Alexis Korner to Manfred Mann figured highly in their careers. Both these albums have now been released with bonus tracks. They are everything you need to be educated in the achievements of the

group. ‘Hoochie Coochie Man’; ‘Spanish Blues’; ‘Wade in the Water’; and ‘High Heel Sneakers’ are just some of the memories of the 60s. The quality of the recordings, at times are not perfect, but this is the music that fired our passions and introduced some of us to the blues. At over 40 tracks, too many to list, this is the perfect collection for anyone wishing to research the blues in the 60s.

Bob Bonsey

really showcases Alison Scott’s vocal and her total ability to cross genres with consummate ease. The title track, ‘Chinese Whispers’ ends the CD, it’s a soul based song incorporated with modern RnB, but actually sung maturely without all the modern day wailing which seems to be the fad. This is a brilliant CD but not really for Blues fans who live in a box!

Carol Borrington

COUSIN HARLEY

It’s A Sin Little Pig Records

Cousin Harley the group I mentioned in reviewing Boxcar Camp-fire also has Keith Picot on Bass and Jesse Cahill on drums as well as the redoubtable Paul Pigat doing the vocals and multi guitar playing. The tempo of this album is much quicker than Boxcar and the overall effect is more rock than folk. There’s the same simplistic lyrics, probably due to the plain fact that no-one should be able to play the guitar as well as he does and write Dylanesque songs at the same time. For fret work that can only be described as just below Mach speed, track

7 ‘Hoss’ Hoedown’ takes some beating, his fingers should have been numb after he played it. Track

11 ‘Spooks’ is another testament to Pigat’s dexterity on the steel guitar and both Picot and Cahill compliment this with a fusion of rock style support. The final track ‘Spaghetti No Sauce’ is yet another instrumental cracker. This album took me back to my teens to Chet Atkins and Django Reinhardt with its similarity in rich chord progressions, harmonics and slides! For aspirant guitarists listen and weep this is as good as it gets.

Tom Walker

HARRY MANX Isle of Man Dog My Cat

This tenth release by Harry Marx is a compilation of his work to date, and is a fine introduction to his work to date. His style had been termed ‘Mysticssippian’ as it blends Indian folk melodies with slide guitar blues. For years Manx has learned Eastern scales and eventually ragas which are deceptively complex and regimented musical patterns. While they form the basis of Indian composition, he also discovered whilst in India that many responded positively when he added Blues licks, therefore felt that in a similar way he could draw those in the west to Indian music. When it works it is absorbing listening, with some stellar cuts such as ‘True To Yourself’ which features Indian female singers in dispersed with a laid back groove and some Eastern flavoured guitar playing. ‘Tijuana’ is a compelling and atmospheric entry with JJ Cale’s tale re-written from Baja California to Bajaj in India. The closing whimsical lyrical mention of the Taj Mahal during the gospel vocal take of ‘Sitting On Top of the World’ might just be pushing it a little too far. On the whole for listeners, like myself, unfamiliar with his previous work, the collection does stand up to repeated listening and on the whole it is apparent the bridge between two different music styles is not as broad as presently envisaged. Indeed tracks such as ‘A Single Spark’ can be quite captivating. ‘Coat of Mail’ is a more simplistic folk tune. There’s the more familiar sound of a harmonica in ‘Roses Given’ although it does make way at times for a sitar. Despite the varying recorded dates and locations, the album is very coherent and well worth purchasing if you are not yet acquainted with Marx’s work.

Duncan Beattie

JOE LOUIS WALKER’S BLUES CONSPIRACY

ALISON SCOTT

Chinese Whispers

Alison Scott Records

This is the third solo CD by Minneapolis singer, songwriter Alison Scott. It consists of thirteen tracks, all but’ Waterfalls’ are self-penned by Alison or co-written with guitarist, producer and manager Kevin Bowe. The CD is best described as genre non specific but rooted in Blues, as Alison mixes and blends many genres into her writing, that matches her very extensive and powerful vocal ability. She also had the good fore-thought to bring on-board a band of musician that match her vocal ability and together make this a very good CD and each track is of quality. The CD opens with, ‘So Why’, a slow funky number, and the first thing that grabs your attention is the pure quality of Alison’s vocal, which is rich smoky, with a lots of passion and soul. It’s followed by ‘Smash and Grab’, which launches into an uptempo eclectic number, best described as a surf song with soul but whatever you want to call it, it’s a real foot- tapper. Moving to the track ‘Almost’, brings an instant response that Alison is a new Carole King in vocal register and quality but also in her songwriting technique but it is also obvious she no clone of anybody. ‘Trains’ is a wonderful blend of soul and jazz. This track

Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise Live Dixiefrog

These cruises have become legendary for those lucky enough to participate either as musicians or in the audience. Take Joe Louis Walker, and a terrific line up of guests who are obviously having a ball, and there is something for everyone here, not just a souvenir of a memorable time. Nothing earth shattering, but fine musicians giving their all over eleven tracks covering seventy five minutes of great entertainment. A straightforward boogie ‘Slow Down GTO’ launches the set with Walker’s distinctive vocal rasp and dextrous guitar accompanied in fine style by Mike Finnigan on keys. The latter appears in many wonderful collaboration but seems to have not recorded himself, much to many’s surprise. Johnny Winter is up next on ‘Ain’t That Cold’ with some fiery sizzling guitar and a hoarse passionate vocal from Joe. Curtis Salgado is in fine voice on ‘You’re Gonna Make Me Cry’ as the pace slackens on a thoroughly engaging slow Blues. Tommy Castro and Deanna Bogart appear on my least favourite track as I am not a fan of screeching brass before Kirk Fletcher’s superb guitar embellishes Lowell Fulson’s ‘Ten More Shows To Play’ a

roistering and lovely vocal performance again from JLW. Blues harp takes centre stage over the next two tracks with first Jason Ricci and then Watermelon Slim. The latter track a real tour de force of picking guitar from the maestro band leader. “From England, a young man on the rise” Todd Sharpville, check out his superb Porchlight release, joins Duke Robillard on ‘Tell Me Why’. Kenny Neal, also on harp takes his turn before ‘It’s A Shame’ a work out for JLW and his house band. Tab Benoit and Mitch Woods help close out on ‘747’. No overdubs or embellishments just splendid entertainment that says ‘wish you had been there’.

Bob Chaffey

shifting percussion patterns of ‘Can’t Get Enough’ does signal a change of tempo before Mighty Matt Foundling leads from the front on the heavily piano based Joe Turner classic ‘Jump For Joy’ and the mellow jazz version of Ray Charles’ early hit ‘Roll With My Baby.’ Elsewhere the swinging double bass of Shark Van Schtoop is the solid foundation behind the multiple soloists tracks like the expansive ‘Walkin’ Mr B’. Little wonder that Paul Jones has referred to the band as the “the hardest act to follow since the parting of The Red Sea.”

Duncan Beattie

JOHN-ALEX MASON

Juke Joint Thunderclap

Naked Jaybird Music

Moving on from his normal one man band approach John has invited a few friends to join him on this, his latest album; It would not be an understatement to say that the likes of such artists as Cody Burnside; rapping vocals, Cedric Burnside; drums (the grandsons of R.L. Burnside) together with Lionel Young; violin, Alya Sylla and Fara Tolno; on Djembe with Fassinet Bangoura; balafon, would be called an eclectic mix of sound and culture but, with the aid of Gerry Hundt; harmonica, mandolin and nine string guitar, together with Lightnin’ Malcolm; guitar and Andy Irvine on bass, a satisfying and intriguing merging of old tribal rhythms, blues and Rap have been attempted and very pleasant to the ears it is too. The raw, gruff and growling vocals of John-Alex are more than suited to the direction that he is taking as he amply displays throughout the ten numbers on this album. A fine example of Hill Country Blues is displayed on the fierce, driving harmonica, guitars and stomping drums of ‘My Old Lonesome Home,’ whilst, the engulfing vortex of all the above is found on ‘Riding On,’ with Cedric rapping over the top. Alongside, we experience the tender enticing slowburning, rhythms on Willie Newbern’s ‘Rolled and Tumbled,’ A more homely ‘Diamond Rain,’ invites you dance along to the footapping fiddle led shuffler. This idea is taken literally a step further with John-Alex belting out on his one man band rig that he is gonna; be ‘Free,’ his searing earthy guitar crashes out of the speakers with Tolno beating on his djembe riff for riff. Mississippi Fred McDowell’s’ ‘Write Me Up A Few Of Your Lines,’ has Cedric enthusiastically pummelling the drums with JohnAlex on equally eager jaunty harmonica. Recommended!

Brian Harman

BIG JOE AND THE DYNAFLOWS

You Can’t Keep A Big Man Down

Severn Records

Big Joe Maher is new to me, despite his pedigree detailed in the sleeve notes, of appearing on the same stage as the likes of Otis Rush, Jimmy McCracklin and Jimmy Witherspoon amongst others. He is also one of a rare breed in combining vocals and drums. With his excellent four piece band of keys, bass, guitar and sax, The Dynaflows, as the name suggests, offer retro fifties swinging Blues at its undemanding best. In addition, half of the forty one minute, twelve track set are self penned and seamless in quality with the rest of the material. The title track with lovely jangling guitar from Rob McNelley who impresses throughout, showcases Joe’s warm clear resonant tones. ‘Bad Case Of Love’ features a swinging sax section with a warm Blues shouter vocal and more nice guitar.

KING PLEASURE & THE BISCUIT BOYS

Life At Last Big Bear Records

Fans of King Pleasure & The Biscuit Boys have had to wait nearly 18 years for another live album following the release of “Live At Ronnie Scott’s.” This album comes for year after their last studio release ‘Hey Peurtro Rico!” and sees one personnel change with the recruitment of Gary ‘The Enforcer’ Barber. This appears to have led to subtle changes were the influence of Louis Prima and shuffle beat has become more prominent. Yet what is not in doubt is that this is an unrelenting and high octane recording with plenty of fun and good humour, which commences with the aptly titled ‘Wake It Up Baby’. King Pleasure leads the line with his baritone saxophone is augmented by the contrasting alto and tenor saxophones of Boysey Battrum. Guitarist Bullmose K Shirley naturally gets to share more of the limelight on BB King’s ‘You Upset Me Baby.’ The

‘Evangeline’ is Rock n’ Roll with fine honky tonk piano from Kevin McKendree, another plus throughout the album. ‘Property Line’ is a well executed conversational piece with honking sax punctuation and ‘Someday’ is a pleasant ballad. ‘Confessin’ The Blues’ is a lovely J McShann Blues honky tonk and I loved the Sean Costello style guitar work on ‘Supercharger’. ‘Nothin’ But Trouble’ is the self penned highlight with a comfortable vocal on an excellent workout with tinkling piano and guitar. ‘What The Hell Were You Thinkin’ closes with a honky tonk boogie and 50’s style chorus line. A must for fans of the genre, there is some consummately professional musicianship decorating this very nice album. Overall however, the vocal quality on display, whilst perfectly agreeable, does not match the power or range of John Nemeth for example should you be dipping your toe in the water for the first time.

Bob Chaffey

RUFUS THOMAS

Crazy About You Baby The Complete 1950-1957 Recordings

Hoo Doo

Memphis has never had a finer ambassador than Rufus Thomas. Massively popular radio DJ, irrepressible showman, the man behind the Memphis ‘soul-funk’ sound …and proclaimed as the ‘World’s Oldest Teenager’ and ‘Crown Prince of Dance’. These are just some of his titles. On this 20-track collection, spanning 1950-57, you not only get an aural impression of the young Rufus – you’re also

looking through a window on what Beale Street must have been like way back when he was performing alongside the young B.B. King, Rosco Gordon and Ike Turner, to mention just three. All his releases over those seven glorious years are here, including the raucous, brassdriven Beer Bottle Boogie and the rowdy response to Big Mama Thornton’s Hound Dog – Bear Cat. Then there’s the slowed-down joy of Juanita, with a series of howls and guttural expressions (even some sobbing) which even Screamin’ Jay Hawkins would’ve been proud of – and probably one of the weirdest, wounded-animal sax solos ever…and as for Decorate The Counter, you’ll split your sides. Rufus is no doubt a Memphis city treasure, but, really, he ought to be a national treasure. Stirring, bluesy, rocky, wildly extrovert and funny. What more can you ask from an R&B record?

Roy Bainton

Soultrain, the guitar parts are all technically accomplished but serve the songs, and where other sounds mix, such as album closer ‘Santo Ciello’ all of the elements sit together. This is the sound of a man playing songs of hard-won experience in a party like atmosphere. He does not set out to dazzle the listener, but the attention to detail in the songs and arrangements means that this disc will reward repeated listening for years to come.

Ben Macnair

SLEEPY EYES NELSON/CRAIG HUGHES

Graveyard Of Blues

Cheap Wine Records

This twofer sampler CD introduces the listener to a pair of UK based Blues men, allotting roughly half the time to each artiste. Craig Hughes is from Glasgow and here plays eight original songs, accompanying himself on guitar. The lyrics are essentially personal and reflective, and stylistically his music crosses the boundaries between folk and Blues. Supporting Tony McPhee (Groundhogs) later gave Hughes the opportunity of some studio time, and his debut album “P*****d Off, Bitter And Willing To Share” brought him more attention. His world weary and grating vocal style is perfectly suited to the depressing nature of tunes like ‘Lies Damned Lies’ and ‘That Old Red Mist Comes Down’. Sleepy Eye Nelson, a fellow Scot is from Ayrshire. Nelson has a more jaunty and optimistic tone to his voice, and eleven of his songs are included here. He has a rhythmic folky style, and five of the titles incorporate the word “Blues”, covering matters such as the undertaker, the postman, sobriety and of course the devil. As with much music in this genre, the true worth is in the lyrical content and live performance, and it does not translate readily to the album format.

Noggin

LAUREL AITKEN

You Got Me Rockin’ – The Best Of The Blue Beat Years

1960 - 1964

Pressure Drop

Laurel Aitken was a big star in Jamaican music from the 50s to the early 70s, but even when I saw him in 2001 he still included in his set a version of Louis Jordan’s ‘Caldonia’, his own ‘Boogie In My Bones’, which helped establish Chris Blackwell’s ‘Island Records’ in 1959, and his reworking of a Floyd Dixon hit, whose title he shortened to ‘Bartender’ – the latter is included on this CD in the form Laurel recorded it in 1961. It is strange to realise that at the time Alexis Korner was kick-starting the Blues boom, Blues records were being made on a regular basis in Britain. Admittedly, they were for a Jamaican audience, but as this 28 track collection of Laurel’s output for the Blue Beat label proves, they were strongly influenced by 50s American R&B. Many are easily categorised as “jump-blues”, a few fall into the Bluesballad bag, and a couple are doo-wop inflected. The main difference in the shuffles and boogies from their American counterparts is that the instrumental breaks are often taken by trombone, usually played by Rico Rodriguez, who is with Jools Holland nowadays. Lovers of jumping Blues will find plenty to enjoy here.

THE ALABAMA BLUES PROJECT I Like It Like That

Alabama Blues Project

Norman Darwen

MAURO FERRARESE Wounds, Wine and Words Independent

The singer songwriter Mauro Ferrarese has turned in a fine set of song and performances with Wounds, Wine and Words. A certain sepia tinted hue is the sound palette for many of these songs, with virtuoso slide and fingerpicked dobro mixing with Ferrarese’s own care worn vocals, harmony vocals, light percussion and Mandolin mixed together into an attractive stew. The songs are all originals, but sound like you may have heard them before. From the up-beat opening of Frontdoor Blues, with its Robert Johnson style performance, to the slower, brooding

This attractively packaged CD is a breath of fresh air on at least two fronts. One is youth. You see these bright young kids on the cover and think ‘Blues? Really?’ Then you play the album and realise how stupid you’ve been. The other front is what the Alabama Blues Project is, and what it stands for. Imagine your local council in the UK funding something like this; an organisation which (quote) “teaches music through award-winning Blues programs, and these are its elite students. Inspired by classic blues and adding a fountain of youth, they perform covers and originals.” The lead vocalist, Rachel Edwards, can do such justice to songs such as Willie Dixon’s It Don’t Make Sense (If You Can’t Make Peace) and take it slow and emotional on a band-penned number such as Payin’ My Dues. Jonathan Blakeney’s harp playing is mature beyond his years, and Tyler Carter’s sharp guitar throbs with big blues confidence. This album, dedicated to the late, great Willie King, shows just what can be achieved when genuine young talent is supported and nurtured – no bling, gangsta guns, bitches’n’hoes - just brilliant youth absorbed in a great musical heritage. Listen up – you’ll love it.

Roy Bainton

WALLACE COLEMAN

Blues In The Wind – Remembering Robert Jr.

Lockwood

Ella Mae Music

In 1985, Wallace Coleman first met the late Robert Jr.

Lockwood, the step-son of Robert Johnson and the man responsible for the guitar playing behind Little Walter and many others, as well as being a successful artist in his own right. Born in Tennessee in 1936 and based in Cleveland, Ohio since the mid50s, Wallace was the only harmonica player Robert ever hired to play with him – and listening to this beautiful set, it is not hard to understand why Robert felt Wallace was different from other harp blowers, and kept him in his band for 10 years (and the track ‘Robert Jr.’ chronicles that initial meeting in a little more detail). Wallace has a warm singing voice and his harp-playing is subtle and sometimes surprisingly delicate; on the Little Walter-ish instrumental ‘Uptown Blues’, he mixes Blues playing and Jazz licks to great effect (as Robert Jr. himself did), and he closes out the CD with a tender instrumental rendering of Sting’s ‘Fields Of Gold’. The backing musicians are also top-notch, and most tracks are very reminiscent of Mr. Lockwood’s distinctive Blues style – though ‘Little Joint Way ‘Cross Town’ is more Louis Jordan - and indicative of Robert’s talent, Wallace’s artistry and the continuity of the Blues.

Norman Darwen

favourite tunes in an acoustic setting. The album opens strongly with an upbeat take of Rev Gary Davis’ ‘Cocaine Blues.’ Some of those earlier discoveries are put to tape here including a pair of Big Bill Broonzy numbers including ‘Glory Of Love’ where Tweeddale accurately recreates the mood and signature licks of the original. The earthy ‘I Know You Don’t Want Me’ may borrow a few lyrics from Hound Dog Taylor yet displays the raw Blues feel of RL Burnside. There’s also a few traditional re-workings of slightly more recent material, as ‘King Bee’ is played in a Red Rooster style and notably The Rolling Stones’ ‘Satisfaction’ which follows one riff with no chord changes much in the vein of early Howlin’ Wolf. The range of styles from country blues to gospel keeps the listener’s attention well, as does the changing moods from the sinister ‘Shotgun Blues’ to the jaunty ragtime of ‘Baily Baily.’ Tweeddale’s dexterity with a hollow body is evident on ‘I Get The Blues When It Rains’, and throughout the sole accompaniment to his guitar is his fine vocals. There are even a few original songs, such as ‘Blues At Home’ which blend effortlessly into this highly impressive collection revealing another creative dimension to this artist.

Duncan Beattie

LOS FABULOCOS FEATURING KID RAMOS

Dos

Delta Groove

THE DELTA WIRES

Live At 105 Degrees

Mud Slide Records

Oh, boy, it doesn’t get much better than this. Never heard of the Delta Wires? Well, they’re one of America’s finest Blues institutions, and they’ve worked out of Oakland for over 30 years. This is an industrial-strength, 7 piece blues band with a take-no-prisoners brass section and they play the blues in that special way a would-be musician could only dream of. This is a bunch of big, grown up lads, fronted by the powerful vocals and agile harp playing of Fine Arts graduate Ernie Pinata. Richard Healy’s guitar playing will set your speakers on fire and the audience who enjoyed this live set from the Northern California Blues Festival in June 2008 must have gone home as very happy bunnies indeed. Just nine tracks, and apart from a couple of Pinata originals, Lonesome Blues and Mechanic, the rest are all rock solid reliable fayre – Willie Dixon’s frantic Monkey Man, a rip-snorting harmonica roller coaster ride through Rice Miller’s Pontiac Blues, and they know how to slow it down, too, with Buddy Johnson’s Save Your Love For Me. 48 minutes of this joy isn’t enough, but the man at the desk who put this down did a good job – the live excitement cuts in like a hot knife through butter. You want great, live, driving American music? This is it, no mistake.

Roy Bainton

Opening with a slightly different take on the laid-back California country-rock sound, “Dos” is, as the Spanish speakers will realize, the second album from Cali-Mex outfit Los Fabulocos. If the first album was something of a revelation, this follow-up is “just” a confirmation that it was no flash-in-the-pan. Kid Ramos is known from his work with Hollywood Fats, James Harman, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and The Mannish Boys, among others – a quality guitar player in other words – whilst accordionist and lead vocalist Jesus Cuevas (singing in Spanish and English) and drummer Mike Molina were formerly of The Blazers. Los Lobos may be an obvious influence, but these guys take it much further as they rock, roll, boogie, sway, slow-drag and two-step in and out of Blues, R&B, TexMex, zydeco and good old Rock and Roll, mixing it all up with undoubted style and class. Take a listen to ‘Los Chucos Suaves’, with its “Rock and Roll meets Rumba” approach… but really, I only suggested that because it’s what’s on at the moment. I could pick any (or preferably all) of these dozen tracks to recommend to you for a quick listen to convert you to the cause.

Norman Darwen

SANDY TWEEDDALE At Home With The Blues Independent

When he’s not playing as lead guitarist to Blues N Trouble, or fronting his own band The River Devils, Tweeddale likes to indulge in his love for early blues which he discovered as a teenager raking through his father’s Blues collection. This album fulfils a long-term ambition in which the guitarist and vocalist lays down some of his

THE ANIMALS Animalisms Repertoire

In many ways, The Animals are one of the most underrated bands of the 60’s. They did not have the hits of the Beatles, The Rolling Stones, or The Kinks, the revolving door policy for guitarists that keeps The Yardbirds in the public eye, the instrumental prowess of Cream or the Jimi Hendrix experience, and most people will only know

them for their two big hits, ‘The House Of The Rising Sun’ and ‘We Got To Get Out Of This Place’ which are still routinely played at Open Mic Nights, but Animalism shows a fine band in full flight. They are a superb band, as this re-release of their early work shows. From Eric Burdon’s spirited, and soulful voice, Alan Price’s piano and Hammond organ contributions, Hilton Valentine’s guitar, let of the leash for a fine reading of ‘Sweet Little Sixteen’ and the rhythm section of drummer John Steel and bass player Chas Chandler. ‘You’re On My Mind’ shows the full depth of Burdon’s voice, with a fine foil from the rest of the group. Other songs on the album are by Joe Tex, Screaming Jay Hawkins, and John Lee Hooker, whilst a number of bonus tracks include stereo versions of ‘Don’t Bring Me Down’, ‘See See Rider’ and a number of other songs. If you want to be reminded of a fine band from the 1960’s, whose music still has life, this is a very good place to start.

Ben Macnair

when their voices mes that things really work best. There are some cracking lyrics, and the band never forget that the best way to someone’s musical heart is through the medium of melody, something that is obvious from songs like ‘Hole’, ‘Banging On The Wall’, ‘Right About Now’ and the title track, ‘Collecting Skies’. A lot of the music was done in one take, and it’s a sign of how good they are, that things sound so good. If you only listen to one track before making your mind up, then bend your ears to ‘Better Days’, a song dripping with hope for the future. As I said at the beginning, it’s in no way a Blues record, but if you like proper, grown up, heartfelt music, then The Big I Am are more than worthy of your attention.

Stuart A Hamilton

RODEO MASSACRE

If You Can’t Smoke Em’ Sell Em Smoky Carrot

Multi-national three piece band who are difficult to categorise as they dip in and out of various musical styles, besides Blues they have some psychedelic & progressive influences, it is as if they have just arrived in a time warp, would have gone down a storm in 1969

The band are well supported on the album by some quality session musicians who give depth to the tracks, particularly impressive is the organ work, the vocals are handled throughout by Swedish native Izzy, who is very impressive; the other band members are guitarist & drummer Zobra and multi-instrumentalist Pat Dam Smyth, all material is self written. Certainly not an out & out blues album but there is no denying that the band have taken a fresh approach to the Blues here and the use of sixties influences is a definite plus for an old codger like me! The best track on the album is ‘I’ve Got A Big Foot Now’, which benefits from some Peter Green style atmospheric guitar breaks, a good album by a band that have shown a lot of promise, it would be interesting to hear the band live, to see how they sound without the session players.

Adrian Blacklee

THE GAMA GT BLUES PROJECT Blues à Moda do Porto Compact Records

THE BIG I AM

Collecting Skies

Folkwit Records

The Big I Am are an acoustic trio from Liverpool. They’re of limited interested to readers of Blues Matters, as their forte is folk music, but that doesn’t stop this being a very good album indeed. Peter McPartland, Colin Heaney and Steve O’Toole have got together with Dutch producer Wim Oudijik, written some great songs, and come up with some inventive arrangements for the ukelele and the cuatro (which is some kind of mad-ass Latin American lute), and ended up with a delightful recording. Musically, it’s very basic with only some additional string arrangements and piano fleshing out the songs, but that doesn’t stop them being quite magnetic. Messrs McPartland and Heaney both sing, sometimes apart, sometimes together, but it’s

So...West-Iberian twelve-bar, who would have thought it? This is an admirable example of the frontier / nationality / cultural defying stretch and appeal of the Blues. For every Gama GT Blues Project that’s got off their cos gurdos to capture their love and talent on CD, no doubt there’s another 200 combos doing their thing in cidades from Lisbon to Setubal. My very limited Ipanema Portuguese can normally only get me into a club, or into custody, often both, but nothing else - so desculpe-me por favor meus amigos, if I lose too much in the translation. ‘Desejos Carnais’ finds the boys hunting for flesh, Narcisco Montiero throwing thrilling, flashy guitar riffs and your heartbeat re-aligning with Carlos’ floor-shaking bass bombast tempo. The yesterday-revisited Blues ‘Era Bom Ver-te Voltar’ (Good to Come Back to See You) is a slow-burning Atlanticcoast walking Blues, volume turned up to dez - mellifluous guitar fluid over the harmonic, downin-the-bottom rhythm section (Joao Amado, bass, Hugo Mesquita, drums) - full-fat, greasy, bad-for-your-health. Our man Montiero proudly flies his Hendrix fuzz-face freak-flag on the lost-weekend heavy-drinking ‘Dei a Dor de Beber’ - steady, unremitting Latino make-over of Albert King’s ‘Born Under A Bad Sign’. The reincarnation ‘Red Infirmary’ is grafted off the ‘On the Road Again’ and ‘I Got My Eyes On You’ Hooker and Heat vine, with a fret-fingerblur virtuoso Jeff Beck / Paul Rose jazzy Gibson Les Paul middle-eight Heavy yet accessible and dancey Blues set the standard throughout – ‘Ana Luisa e o Seu Dedo’ shrieks and pulses, modelled on a percussive, driving late-1960s classic Brit Blues template. These fanaticos have a great understanding and command of the genre, exemplified by Howling Wolf’s monster ‘Killing Floor’, tastefully, jazzily re-interpreted here as ‘What You’re Looking At’. If this fine band hasn’t yet been over here for our summer festival seasons, it’s about time that was changed, rapidamente.

Pete Innes

PAUL PIGAT Boxcar Camp-fire Little Pig Records

Paul Pigat is the front man for the strangely named Cousin Harley, a group of musicians from Canada. This album actually came out in 2009 and may have had its burst over there, but for the UK this is a compendium of various styles of music. Rockabilly, Blues and Folk

and it may be resurrected on this side of the pond. It is not an album to pigeon hole and has a certain charm to it. His musical style is deeply rooted in the Mississippi Delta which seems a world away from Canada, but with fluidity and precise playing of the guitar, he crosses genres with ease. The tone of his playing has a certain creativity of its own. With a rich set of vocal chords allied to an innate guitar playing ability, which Pigat has used to create an album that is easy on the ear This is not for someone looking for the Blues per se, but it has a general sort of appeal without being specific to any type of music. The lyrics can be a bit anodyne, but then I wasn’t looking for some deep profound message in this particular form of Folksy album. Track 9 ‘Troubled Mind’ is a particularly good example of his delicate finger work on the guitar and in truth the lyrics aren’t all bad. The penultimate track ‘Tortured’ is a total contrast to everything else with a sort of dark intensity to it. In reality this album is not going to shake the foundations of the music world in the UK, but it does showcase Paul Pigat as an all-round musician with some ability.

THE CLIMAX CHICAGO BLUES BAND

The Climax Chicago Blues Band

Repertoire

Tom Walker

The beauty of modern technology, whether CD or digital, is that we can revisit the music that influenced our past. Sometimes, it’s an absolute pleasure to retrace that era, sometimes it is a dangerous place to go, and sometimes it serves to stimulate and confuse in equal measure. This band found themselves competing in a overcrowded Blues field way back in 1969. This, their debut album, shows a deft competence in forceful Blues, whether it is the opener of Broonzy’s ‘Mean Old World’, their arrangement of the traditional ‘Wee Wee Blues’ or any one of the six self-penned tracks. It remains a revelation many years later. The band found more fame in America than on home turf, (yes, they are from Stafford) before parting company in 1984. Anyone wanting to investigate, or maybe reinvestigate their Blues loving heritage could do worse than start here.

Gareth Hayes

EUROPEAN BLUES CHALLENGE MARCH 18th+19th, 2011

European Blues Union.

Europe has long been a breeding ground for Blues talent but never really got down to fostering that talent like the Americans and the Canadians, things are about to change. In 2010, a group of music professionals under the name the European Blues Union (EBU) started a non-profit organization. Their goal is to promote the Blues in Europe on a variety of levels and to encourage international exchange within the industry.” This CD marks one of the first ventures by EBU, the debut of the “European Blues Challenge”, which takes place in Berlin in March and is held on two consecutive evenings, were sixteen acts from individual countries will compete

against each other. Each act has already taken part in their own National competition and now goes forward to the final. Paul Jones will host the inaugural event, with an appearance by the Big Daddy Wilson Band on the Saturday. Winners of the final get the opportunity to perform at the Notodden Blues Festival, The Roots and Blues, The Vienna Blues Spring, Austria, The Blues Sur Seine Festival and The Lucerne Blues Festival. The CD itself is a sampler of the bands who will be in the final and also a taster of the bands for punters who cannot attend, and an opportunity should listeners wish to go further and explore the music of the different artists. It provides the bands an opportunity to promote themselves to a wider audience.

Carol Borrington

JOE PITTS

Ten Shades of Blue Kijam Records

Arkansas born Joe is in the age group that grew up with the latter part of the English Blues boom ringing in his ears and rushing in from nowhere came a strange hybrid sound, which cheerfully toe-crunched its way forward, this being the leering musical monster, ‘Blues Rock,’ emerging to the world with all amps blasting! So, it should not come as any surprise to anyone that his latest opus has a very wide and varied selection of material; that ranges from the Chicago smokin’ buzzsaw slidin’ and harp hip swinging Muddy Waters

‘Cross-eyed Cat,’ to Walter Trout’s prowling, power laden Hendrix inspired ‘Clouds on the Horizon.’ One could easily state that Joe has released an album of ten covers but, that would be a great disservice to the music and the man, for he quite literally absorbs the musical essences that are there to be had and then, pours them out as refreshing and thoroughly tantalising licks from his own lyrically arresting guitar work. The Albert Collins number ‘Put The Shoe On The Other Foot’, shuffles and struts with a sharp funky razor slash ease. Just as the Elmore James ‘I’m Worried,’ unleashes a fast blister burning slide combined with a frantic ‘locked bathroom’ vocal. Peter Green’s ‘The World Keeps on Turning,’ has been given a world weary solo acoustic feel by Joe, with a striking and equally despondent vocal. A refreshing album, well worth investigation!

Brian Harman

NATHANIEL RATECLIFF In Memory Of Loss Rounder

Difficult to categorise this is probably best summed up as ambient folk. Reminiscent at first of John Martyn yet darker, it is stripped down and frank. Infectious in intensity and with a pained intimacy normally reserved for pure Blues. ‘We Never Win’ challenges observational dystopia and, like ‘Brakeman’, plays out haunting melodies that arrest with melancholy. The sometime burden of reality seems to be addressed in every number and songs such as ‘Longing And Lasting’ really do punch the guts of

transparent pop. The album is a balladeer’s dream and at times it sounds like The Lost Soul Band off-kilter. Full of understated guitar and laconic poetry, it’s both an easy listen and a harsh lesson. Ratecliff aims high by being rock bottom. Possibly the work of a genius.

Gareth Hayes

SAM HARE

Down To The Sea

Independent

This is singer, songwriter and guitarist, Sam Hare’s debut solo CD. Sam has played the UK circuit for a while now but never really picked up the credit he deserves, maybe this CD will bring him to the eyes of a bigger audience. The CD consists of eleven tracks that are all self-penned with the exception of an instrumental cover of ‘Mr Bojangles’ and ‘One More chance’ that Sam co-wrote with Ian Siegal. It also features a guest appearance by Matt Schofield. The CD is Blues rooted, but deeply complimented at times with colours of country, gospel and soul. Sam Hare has a vocal and song writing technique which is very appealing to the ear, even with the complexity of his lyrics. The CD opens with an RnB number, ‘Stealing From The Queen’, its complex lyrics are well executed by Hare’s passionate, gritty vocal with its good intonation. ‘Are You Sorry Too?’ is a tender blues soulful ballad that has a distinct feel of the sounds of Procol Harum in its lyrical composition and musical structure. Hare’s vocal on this number has a more polished feel, making this a very likable track that displays an excellent new songwriter in our midst. The CD finishes with ‘The Bridge’ a good old-fashioned gospel–Blues number, with resonator, slide and vocal telling their tale. All beautifully supplemented with brass, percussion and keyboards. A classic song, too end an album of variety and talent.

Carol Borrington

FREEMAN DRE & THE KITCHEN PARTY

Red Door 2nd Floor

Independent

Debut album from Canadian artist who writes highly original and personalised songs with a touch of country and occasional hints of sneering Dylan and gruff Tom Waits. The instrumentation is very varied with plenty of different textures and colours but very little blues content. ‘Oak Tree’ is a country rocker with a catchy hook and Dre’s signature raspy vocals backed by a dense backdrop including slide guitar, mandolin, accordion and fiddle. ‘Six Hundred Feet’ is a lilting ballad but Dre’s lyrics are sometimes dark and the vocals are often half spoken. The upbeat ‘Babylon’ has a slightly Eastern feel to it with a military beat and, as with much of the album, the backing almost borders on the ragged. ‘Magdalena’ shows Dre’s penchant for conventional ballads and features beautiful pedal steel guitar and mandolin as it builds to a crescendo. My favourite track is the jaunty ‘Let’s Take The Show On The Road’ with its highly amusing lyrics like “Let’s go to Amsterdam or Rotterdam, any damn I don’t give a damn,

any place is better than right here”. Essentially this seems to be a private jam session going on in the kitchen and everyone, including the listener, having lots of fun. Wailing harmonica heralds ‘Went To Town’ as Dre goes into town to find a girl and bites off more than he can chew as he finds an independent soul who likes her “wine and weed”. A thumping snare drum introduces ‘These Walls (they listen)’ which features a terrific electric guitar solo. ‘Needle In Your Eye’ is a pretty ballad featuring lovely mandolin but typically painful lyrics. Dre’s songs paint vivid portraits of life and the mood is often bittersweet as with ‘Saturday Night In Parkdale’ - a place which feels and looks like home but is actually strangely alien. The album closes with the klezmer sounding ‘Do Wizdenia’ which seems to be some sort of Hebrew rave up and sounds great fun as it rocks along. Not sure who this album is aimed at but I liked it a lot and recommend it to the more broad minded blues listener.

Dave Drury

T-MODEL FORD & GRAVELROAD

Taledragger

Alive Naturalsound Records

I surmise, due to the lack of sleeve notes that the intention of this release was to recreate the early recording sound of the veteran bluesman’s career. As a result his metallic rather atonal and nasal vocal style sounds like it was recorded in a separate echo chamber to the three piece guitar, drums and bass, seemingly European, backing band, with assorted guests on keys and sax amongst others. The effect does not work for me and a set list of Blue’s classics, many by Howling Wolf (how do you top them and why try?) does not help the cause. Just eight tracks over forty one minutes’ means that some outstay their welcome. ‘Same Old Train’ has some nice flowing guitar lines but submits to monotony. The next two tracks have Wolf style vocals with an insistent rhythm and a searing guitar which is way too much in the background, before ‘How Many More Years’ is ruined by a pyschedelic meandering and chaotic backing to the echoey vocal. At nearly eight minutes, an unsympathetic treatment of ‘Big Legged Woman’ has it’s bluesiness removed by an apparent modern sampling technique using an old style vocal over a similar messy background. ‘I Worn My Body (sic) For So Long’ appears to be a similar attempt at Wolf’s ‘44’.The final two tracks are shorter and less of an assault on the senses. ‘Red Dress’ and ‘Little Red Rooster’ are slower paced too but merely succeed in comparison to the rest of the album, not in relation to the originals. The classics are such because they are pretty near perfect and I see no merit in this type of release either for the veteran or the younger musicians and certainly not for the listener.

BOO BOO DAVIS

Undercover Blues

Black & Tan

On this CD the original Mississippi musician Boo Boo Davis is supported by drummer John Gerritse & guitarist Jan Mittendorp, who for a three piece band deliver a much fuller sound than the line up

Bob Chaffey

would suggest, apparently all twelve tracks were recorded in one take in just six hours, thus this must be as close as you can get to hearing the band live here. The album does not suffer too much by not having a bass player, it just means the other musicians have to work that much harder, a bold decision but on reflection some tracks, particularly the slower Blues ones, would benefit from a thumping bass line, just to fill out the sound. This album was recorded in a Switzerland studio at the back end of 2010 and you even get an obligatory Christmas song with ‘Xmas Blues’, which is one of the better songs on the album with Boo Boo blowing a mean harp although after the lively promising start the later tracks do not compare favourably, the album finishing fairly flat which is a shame as Boo Boo Davis is a talented artist but this album would have benefited from more studio time.

Adrian

Blacklee

TAS CRU

Jus Deserts

Crustee Tees

Tas Cru is a Canadian singer/ songwriter based in New York who delivers a beauty here, the quality of this album shines through, the playing is exemplary and the material fits together like a glove, a real listening pleasure. The album has a New Orleans blues feel with just a light touch of Jazz, non-aggressive blues that has a very sharp edge, aided by a crystal clear sound, the material is mostly upbeat, with a couple of slower numbers, one of which; ‘Time and Time’ is a classic. In the sleeve notes Tas highlights that each of the supporting musicians were encouraged to compose much of their own parts and contributed to the arrangements, this has I am sure helped create the relaxed atmosphere this album creates, while Tas covers vocals, Harmonica and acoustic/electric guitars, the highlight for me is Jeremy Walz who provides some tasteful slide guitar on a couple of tracks. Often when reviewing albums you have to dig deep and work hard to find any positives, this album just throws them up track after track, at times Tas reminds me of the great Duke Robillard in the way he eases the notes out of his guitar, his song writing follows the ‘story telling’ approach and for blues there is plenty of humour here, if there is any justice in the blues world, this album deserves to get its ‘just deserts’ and be nominated for album/artist of the year.

Adrian Blacklee

she had. Atlantic may have signed Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, the Stones and Led Zeppelin, but with her string of No. 1 hits, the company was always referred to as ‘The House That Ruth Built’. On Rock’n’Roll you’d think that between her opening track, the vibrant hit Lucky Lips and It’s Love, Baby, that you were listening to two different yet equally powerful women. It’s a terrific album, with a great Atlantic house band, oozing with 50s ambience enhanced by Ruth’s clear diction. By 1959’s Miss Rhythm LP, rock’n’roll was at its zenith and Ruth rips through songs like I hope We Meet on The Road One Day and When I Get You Baby like a hurricane, then takes you by surprise with the sombre Book of Lies. Yet, like many R&B acts of her day, starved of the royalties she was due, she fell from fashion and at one time became a bus driver, and a maid. But she bounced back, fought Atlantic for her money, and won, became the driving force in the establishment of the Rhythm and Blues Foudnation, and made a new career on the stage and TV before passing away in 2006 aged 78. You’d need a dozen Mariah Careys and 20 Beyonces to come anywhere near this talent. Superb.

Roy Bainton

THE DELTA FLYERS

Sixteen Bars

Soulbilly Archetypal Texas/Mississippi/Chicago Blues with a honkytonk piano underneath, The Delta Flyers don’t do anything you haven’t heard a thousand times before but they do do it with a whole lot of oomph. The core of the band is Stevie DuPree on vocals and harp with Travis Stephenson on guitar. Between them they have written every track on this album and they really do cover all the styles that Blues has to offer. From the opener ’61 Highway Blues’ kicking out some furious slide and picked resonator through ‘Sixteen Bars’ – the number of bars on a jail cell door – with a lonesome harp and storytelling vocals and on to the travelling Blues of ‘Mentone Alabama’ or the Appalachian Blues style of ‘Sunflower River Rag’ they take you on a journey around the US Blues capitals and the feeling is that these guys are deeply in love with their music and anxious to share all their talents with the listener. On the down side it does mean that you never get to grips with the style that they are happiest with but on the up side they never get stuck into any ruts either. The playing is excellent throughout and the quality of the writing is similarly fine and in the 35 minutes of the album there are very few dull moments. My personal favourite are probably ‘Poison Took My Baby’ which almost sounds Zombie-esque and has some of the best picking on the album or ‘Fishin’ Little Mama’ which features some lovely Georgia-slide and rambunctious harp playing but to be honest my favourites change every time I play the album –and I have played it a lot!

RUTH BROWN Rock & Roll + Miss Rhythm

Hood Doo

The late Ruth Brown’s initials said it all – she was R&B incarnate. If anyone wants to know the pleasures and the pain an artist went through in that golden age of R&B, the 1950s, then read her award-winning autobiography, Miss Rhythm. A major influence on Etta James and LaVern Baker, next to Dinah Washington this talented singer was R&B’s greatest star. On these two classic albums Rock’n’Roll (1957) and Miss Rhythm (1959), both originally on Atlantic, she proves what an amazing range

VARIOUS R&B Spotlight’60 Fantastic Voyage

Andy Snipper

As R&B can mean almost anything nowadays, when you see this double album in the CD racks don’t be deceived by the sharp ‘Bullitt’ inspired ultra cool sleeve design into thinking that this is some modern day urban groove collection; no, it’s simply good old fashioned R&B from the charts of nineteen-sixty. Here, such legends as; Big Joe Turner belts out ‘Honey Hush,’ together with ‘My

Little Honey Dripper,’ while Elmore James, contributes the darker, searing ‘The Sky is Crying.’ And the laconic Jimmy Reed asks, ‘Baby What Do You Want Me To Do?’ Representing the more accessible and emerging string backed Soul spectrum is Etta and Harvey with “If, I Can’t Have You,” coupled with ‘Spoonful.’ Dee Clark impressively melds the guitar and snappy strings on the short and sweet ‘You’re Looking Good.’ The prototype blue-eyed (as utilised by Lou Christie) soul style is more than welcome in the form of the two marvellous Jimmy Jones numbers ‘Handyman’ and ‘Good Timin’.’ Only now, after hearing again numbers such as the wonderfully loping “Alley-Oop” by the Hollywood Argyles and the simply stunning ‘Stay,’ by Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs, that I realise it has been so long since I last heard them that I’d forgotten just how much I liked them. After listening to these highly individual and essential sixty numbers it appears that it was the year that R&B was meeting and greeting with open arms the early emerging Soul sound that captured the imagination and of course, the mainstream charts. Most of the numbers on this album have gone on to be stone solid classics and so they should be; for this was the beginning if the ‘hipswinging sixties’ and as Chubby Checker so eloquently says here, ‘Let’s Twist Again.’ Recommended!

Brian Harman

always the best way. That said, their ‘Whiskey Devil’ does seem to try too hard. Capilari Senior sounds a little like Lenny Kravitz at times and there is an urban vibe to the cover of Art Neville’s ‘Fire On The Bayou’, with the notion of frantic still being top of the agenda.

Gareth Hayes

VARIOUS Voodoo Rhythm Records Compilation Volume 3 Voodoo Rhythm

The Punky, attitude-ridden, ton-up Zydeco of Swiss outfit Mama Rosin may be the best-known representative of Voodoo Rhythm’s output on offer on this rather anarchic label sampler, but any CD that opens with the raw, dirty ‘Dust My Broom’ as played by The Juke Joints Pimps has got to have something going for it. Voodoo Rhythm describes its output as “records to ruin any party” and the band names might certainly give pause for thought – The Pussywarmers, Dead Brothers, Sixtyniners, Hipbone Slim And The Kneetremblers for starters, with songs like ‘My Shit Is Perfect’ (from the album of the same name by Bob Logg III) and ‘Hung, Drawn And Quartered’. This CD includes 21 tracks of warped Blues and Country, Electropunk, stomping one-man-band stuff, twisted Jazz, James Brown Funk, and dark Americana – even a relatively straight version of the venerable folk number ‘The Co-Coo Bird’ from Andy Dale Petty. If you want alt.Blues, look no further – but a word of warning: don’t leave it around for the kids to find.

KETE BOWERS Road

Sugar Line

The first nine tracks all have single word titles so one could be forgiven that there is a concept at work. There isn’t. Best described as country-Blues, but not country enough to be country and not Blues enough to be Blues. It’s singer-songwriter stuff, crisply produced by Bowers with a personal story behind every number. The crooning vocal and sensitive lap steel (courtesy of prolific B.J. Cole) occasionally make us sit up and listen, but in real terms, mellow is the keenest word here. ‘Regret’ is suitably moody and heartfelt and ‘Cry’ engaging and convivial. Not designed to break any musical boundaries, many people will find some comfort in the lyrics and story-telling. Fans will enjoy the easy and cosy approach, although newcomers may want something more challenging. To sum up, it is a bittersweet experience.

HEAD HONCHOS’ Independent

Gareth Hayes

Self-titled and self-produced, this is one to buy after you’ve seen them perform live in concert, where they surely thrive. The attack begins with the thrashing ‘Going Down’ by Freddie King. It’s almost metal-Blues, where speed and urgency is the intent and delicacy is an insult. This doesn’t necessarily make it good, but it is effective. The band is hosted by the Detroit pairing of father Rocco Calipari on guitar and vocal, and son Rocco Calipari on guitar. Their own songs work a little better than the covers, and ‘Lucky’s Train’ shows that excelling at excess isn’t

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Norman Darwen

Chicago Blues: A Living History. The (R)evolution Continues RM

Following in the footsteps of the critically successful debut CD “Chicago Blues: A Living History”, which received a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Blues Album, the tribute to Chicago Blues continues with this double CD release “The (R)evolution Continues”, celebrating the evolution of perhaps the most inspirational of all music forms in the 20th Century. This release spans the period from the early piano driven Chicago Blues of the 1940’s, opening with Lonnie Johnson’s ‘He’s A Jelly Roll Baker’ and Tampa Red’s ‘I’ll Be Up Again Someday’ through the electric guitar and harmonica driven 50’s and 60’s as demonstrated by Muddy’s ’Diamonds at Your Feet’ and ‘Rocket 88’ featuring blistering harp work from James Cotton and Billy Branch. Interesting to note there is a lull in time between 1967 and 1980 when the tribute resumes featuring more modern Chicago names such as Lonnie Brooks with ‘Don’t Take Advantage Of Me’, Lurrie Bell’s ‘Got To Leave Chi-Town’ and Otis Rush’s ‘Ain’t Enough Comin’ In’. The strength of this release is the fact that they have not just chosen 22 tracks which they have rereleased, but each song has been recorded by a host of current Chicago musicians. It is this which gives the recordings vitality and breathes new life into some classic songs. Augmenting what to many is a star studded group of Chicago regulars such as Billy Branch, John Primer, Billy Flynn Carlos Johnson and others are Buddy Guy, James Cotton and Magic Slim. Highlights are ‘Mellow Down Easy/Bo Diddley’ with Branch’s vocals sounding smooth, Carlos Johnson’s guitar on Rush’s ‘Ain’t Enough Comin’ In’ and the blistering guitar of Ronnie Baker Brooks on his own funky ‘Make These Blues Survive’. A great introduction to Chicago both past and present.

Merv Osborne

Miss Quincy

I’ve been happily spinning tunes from this album on my radio show for a few weeks now, so was more than happy to sit down with an actual CD version to tell you just how good it is. Miss Quincy herself likes to call her music Grassroots Gypsy Blues, which is fair enough, as she harks back in style and substance to the rural acoustic Blues of the nineteen thirties when the likes of Bessie Smith, Memphis Minnie and Sippie Wallace were ruling the roost with their outspoken lyrics and real life tales. Recording this album in a log cabin in the North of Canada, with the temperatures plunging below zero, Miss Quincy is happy to follow in this tradition with some hard living tales of her own. As the title track states, “Your mama, she don’t like me, cause I stay up late and get so drunk, that I can barely see.” With harps wailing, banjos being plucked and a stand up bass holding down the beat, it’s a raw, sometimes brash, but always life affirming sound. And the songs and the stories just keep coming, with Miss Quincy singing about life, love, hate, brothels and whisky. Lots of whisky. Musically, she throws in acoustic blues, bluegrass, a wee bit of music hall and all points west on songs like ‘Sweet Jesus Cafe’, ‘Bad Luck Women’ and ‘Wild Mountain Flower’. It’s one of those albums that you key up again, as soon as it finishes. Like a long lost friend you should welcome this into your life.

HOWLIN’ WOLF

Live And Cookin’ At Alice’s Revisited Raven

Stuart A Hamilton

This, the Chicago Blues legends only live recording, was originally released back in 1972. Chester Burnette was in his early sixties at the time; indeed he was dead just four years later. This reissue features two bonus tracks; ‘The Big House’ and ‘Mr. Airplane Man’, which for some inexplicable reason were left off the original album. In the band are Hubert Sumlin and Willie Williams (guitar), as well as Sunnyland Slim (piano) and Eddie Shaw (tenor sax). Recorded in a converted coffee house this set is a touch uninspired and sounds tired. Wolf himself sounds pretty good vocally and even better with his harmonica, unfortunately his latter instrument isn’t featured as much as I would have liked. Vocally he still sounds as huge as ever, with his ferocious baritone bark. At times the band sound very sloppy, almost to the point of being drunk with several bum notes being played especially on the guitar. The sax work is good from Shaw, playing some funky Blues on ‘I Didn’t Know’, and creating some lowdown stuff elsewhere. ‘Call Me The Wolf’ has a sinister slow burning feel, whilst ‘Sitting On Top Of The World’ showcases what the band can conjure when they get it right. This CD blows hot and cold performance-wise and there are better Wolf releases available, that being said this still ain’t too shabby.

Andrew Baldwin

acts that choose to play the blues in the 21st century. Few take the traditional path, while many pursue a more guitar centric solo artist approach, however others choose to play original material in which Blues is the primary but not sole musical style. Arguably the latter are most successful at gaining a younger fan base and that’s certainly the case for the Earl Grey & The Loose Leaves. ‘Needle In The Sand’ opens with Andy Stockdale’s slide guitar, yet after his first few vocal line becomes a full charged harmonica led boogie. Corey Gibson provides the harp and is the primary vocalist, at time reminiscent of Captain Beafheart. The steady backbone of Malcolm Mack on bass and drummer Hugo Pengelley complement the lineup. The latter creates the foundation for tracks such as the garage rock ‘Bank of The Devil.’ There’s a more reflective folk influence apparent on ‘The Miner’ before the album’s one cover Memphis Minnie’s ‘Bumble Bee,’ with a virtuoso harp midsection by Harris. There’s a grizzly end to the victim in ‘Fingernails’, which musically alternates between both Blues and reggae. Stockdale’s Blues guitar playing comes to the fore in ‘Bog House Blues’ and ‘Rose Painted Bureau’ where the latter features a reworked Magic Sam groove straight from Chicago’s West Side. Stockdale’s tribute to ‘Romania’ precedes the rag time acoustic closer ’42 Blues.’ In summary an intriguing album from a band which is Bluesy enough for the purists while also credibly alternative for their student following.

Duncan Beattie

ROOMFUL OF BLUES Hook, Line & Sinker

Alligator

There’s not room here to talk about the family tree of Roomful Of Blues, yet needless to say this is another new album and pleasingly, it is another good album. This is evident from the off with ‘That’s A Pretty Good Love’. Rasping horns intertwined with story-telling guitar is the main feature of the album, which is expertly produced and as tight as they come. The musicianship is beyond criticism. Innovation is deliberately not part of the package, but neither is it a remake of old. Whilst being familiar, this is still very fresh. Perhaps, ‘Kill Me’ does satisfy an unusual mix of big band with edgy solos; pain and pleasure together. The usual manic melodies inhabit the customary instrumental of the quirkily titled ‘Gate Walks To Board’. Prime nostalgia is aired in ‘Juice, Juice, Juice’, and corking jazz refrain is let loose in ‘Come On Home’. Trumpets fight with keyboards on the latter, although it is for compatibility rather than combat. Highly enjoyable.

Gareth Hayes

EARL GREY & THE LOOSE LEAVES

Early Grey & The Loose Leaves Independent

There are some interesting diversions between younger

JUNIOR WELLS AND THE ACES Live in Boston 1966 Delmark Records

The famed harmonica player and singer Junior Wells leads one of his first bands through this archive of live material from 1966. With the Brothers Louis and Dave Myers on guitar and bass respectively, and drummer

Fred Below, Wells lead the tight ensemble through a set of classic blues songs and seeming improvisations. So, we have well known songs, such as ‘Look On Yonder’s Wall’ and ‘Messin’ With The Kid’, ‘Got My Mojo Working’ and a seven minute ‘Hideaway’ mixing with the near eight minutes of ‘Junior’s Whoop’ and a number of talks introducing the songs, and discussing life with an attentive audience. It makes you wish you were there. The sound has been enhanced to be up to today’s modern standards, but none of the music sounds dated, which is often the case with music like this. Junior Wells has worked with a number of famed and acclaimed musicians, the most widely known probably being Buddy Guy, but with this ensemble, he can work his magic, in an atmosphere that was supportive of his talent, and also gives space for his band to show what they can do.

Ben Macnair

LITTLE JOHN GUELFI & THE BLUES TRAIN

Vittima del Blues

Crotalo

This Italian four piece hails from Torino in Italy. MySpace suggests Blues influences emanating from the three Kings, (Freddie, Albert & BB), rockers such as Deep Purple and ZZ Top, and a sound like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Gary Moore. Neither influences nor similarities are immediately apparent. The CD opens with the blatantly rock & roll ’Un, Du, Tre!’ followed by ‘Boom!’ Then comes the unmistakable riff of ‘Day Tripper’ featuring the breathless and heavily accented vocal of Roxy Corallino. Into this cover version is inserted an utterly incongruous heavy metal wah-wah guitar soloit’s certainly different. Corallino again takes lead vocal on the evidently Blues inspired ‘Ora Mio Non Lo Sei Piu’. The Yardbirds’ ‘A Certain Girl’ is given the Italian treatment, and the call and response vocals come off quite well. Guelfi takes over on lead vocals with a plodding Blues, the original ‘Costa Resta’. It was perhaps overly ambitious to take on the Hendrix classic ‘Fire’, and the spoken line “move over Rover and let Johnny (sic) take over’ was almost too much to take. The title track, delivered emotionally by Corallino, is superb, but there is not enough of that quality on the CD. Three of the last four tracks are Hendrix penned, ‘Foxy Lady’ (suitably adapted to ‘Roxy Lady’), ‘Red House’ and finally the echo-laden ‘Purple Haze’. Somewhere in here there is a band searching for its true identity, but for now it is lacking.

Noggin

interest with its diversity. It is Olofsson’s acoustic slide which opens this album with a short instrumental entitled ‘Voodoo Wizard’ before the throbbing bass of Lennart Olofsson and steady beat of drummer Tobias Magnusson heralds the title track sung by Olofsson with backing electric side guitar and harmonica by Anders Wemming. It’s a powerful introduction before the contrasting funky strut of ‘Monsters Ball’ which introduces the melodic vocals of Rudefelt and a very different vibe. Robert Johnson’s legacy is celebrated in raw down home blues of ‘The Blues Is Down The Line’ before the delightfully funky ‘Push Myself Up,’ with its memorable chorus. Rudefelt revels with such a talent band and her vocals are sultry on ‘Lover Under The Cover’ and a pretty good knockoff of ‘Need Your Love So Bad’ named ‘That’s What The Blues Is About.’ However it’s the compact rhythm section of Magusson and Olofsson that drive the whole album until the stripped back and reflective ‘Kiss Your Shoe.’ Perhaps the only weakness of the album is its length with a total of 18 tracks, however with a gem such as ‘The Point Of No Return’ close to the end, there is always justification to listen to “Magic Brew” all the way through.

Duncan Beattie

JOHN PRIMER

CALL ME JOHN PRIMER

Wolf Records

This career retrospective for the veteran Chicago Bluesman is, at fifteen, including five previously unreleased, tracks and seventy seven minutes, a mighty fine testament and solid addition to the collections of fans of the genre. Running from 1987 to 2009, all that is missing is any sense of his development as a guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. The first track ‘Going Back Down South’, like half of the material here, is self penned and like the rest compares favourably to the covers. His fluid picking guitar style and warm pleasant spoken vocal style are offset by some fine harp from Billy Branch. He sensibly avoids the trap of yet more versions of the classics apart from a routine rendition of ‘Shake Your Money Maker’.

‘Poor Man Blues’ is also self penned and the chunky rhythm has Primer’s guitar flicking around it like a lizard’s tongue under the cogent committed vocal. His pedigree is as sidesman to Willie Dixon and Muddy Waters and the next few tracks showcase his time with Magic Slim & The Teardrops. His ‘I’m A Bluesman’ and Willie Dixon’s ‘Evil’ are well executed before Wolf’s ‘I’ve Been Obused’ (sic), a good old time boogie with infectious harp and honky tonk piano. The first new track was recorded live in Austria in 1992 with his American band. The other four, at the 2009 Vienna Spring Blues with his European Mojo Blues Band are the highlight of the collection. These tracks showcase his sizzling slide and warm vocals and all the band’s best qualities whilst they and the crowd obviously thoroughly enjoy themselves on these rollicking Blues workouts. A tasty solo acoustic version of ‘Red House’ closes the set. Not an A list stylist or luminary, it’s true, but as fine a collection of gritty down home blues as you could wish for.

KARIN RUDEFELT & DOCTOR BLUES

Magic Brew

Independent

Doctor Blues is a Swedish Blues Band formed in 1980 by guitarist Lennart Olofsson. The project has featured many musicians over the years, but has a settled line up fronted by female vocalist Karin Rudefelt. “Magic Brew”, released in 2008 is their third album and this collection of selfpenned songs, which from outset sustains the listener’s

JEZ HALL Silhouette Man

Folkwit

Bob Chaffey

The record label Folkwit indicates the style of music to be found on this CD. There are no Blues here, even the track ‘Country Blues’ is an up-tempo Rockabilly sounding Shuffle. I approached this with a degree of derision and after the first listen I was completely unimpressed.

However, on repeated plays the music grew on me and I began to appreciate the quality of Hall’s lyrics. Far from feeling morose and down, (feelings I felt upon first listen) I discovered a wealth behind the veil.

Sounding very much like Donovan at times and with more than a few references to Michael Chapman in his melody and phrasing, I began to enjoy the experience that is Jez Hall. Opening with the delicately acoustic ‘Solid Ground’, the song is lifted by the wistful violin playing of Nick Acons and an almost ghostly harmonica by Hall himself. ‘Dark Day’ is a lilting song with running violin and the lyrics are so important to the song.”…Ten years are past and you’re locked in your head, you didn’t find god in the books that you read” has a tremendous import to the whole. ‘Father & Son’ is a delightful rocking song with mandolin picking whilst the title track, which again features the mandolin, is perhaps the darkest song of all on this release. Jez Hall is a clever wordsmith and his songwriting is excellent, I just wonder how much of this presented here is introspective. My favorite track is ‘Beautiful City’ which starts with a couple of minutes of solo acoustic guitar and his vocal is accompanied by Sally Murray whose vocal provides beautiful harmony to his voice. I’m totally surprised to find myself listening to a folk album, but it’s thoroughly enjoyable.

Merv Osborne

PERCY MAYFIELD Nightless Lover Hoo Doo Records

This album straddles the calamitous car accident in 1952 that transformed Percy Mayfield from dashing and handsome to embittered and disfigured, inevitably shaping his journey as a Blues / Jazz / Soul artist of distinction. The uninitiated will be sucked in by a deep vocal plushness and a smokiness you can almost see and smell. It certainly did the business for me, and coming as it did in the same sitting as Thurston Harris, this particular Hoo Doo offering is infinitely more engaging. Just this side of a baritone and reminiscent of Uncle Remus meets Billie Holliday and Cab Calloway – this is sleazy old Blues with more than a touch of sinister eeriness that maintains the interest over 29 generous tracks. The title track and ‘My Blues’ has a delicious squalidness that opens a door into some downtown pit with a fatal attraction and beckons you inside. The subject matter is the ubiquitous Blues sadness, typified by his biggest hit ‘Please Send Me Someone To Love’ - charming, subtle and beautifully phrased with Willard McDaniel’s plinky piano and some nifty sax work splendid accompaniments. Sad though it is in parts – you cannot help a ghoulish fascination with his post-accident appearance in the handy 16 page booklet - Mayfield somehow fashioned his own torture into something credible and for me, still thoroughly enjoyable, even 60 years after it was recorded. Nothing loud and raunchy about it, and I may not revisit it any time soon, but I don’t regret the 79 minutes I spent whiling away an afternoon in the Louisiana Speakeasy in my mind.

Richard Thomas

LUCKY PETERSON

You can always turn around

Dreyfus Records

Opening a Blues album largely of covers with ‘I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom’ will win hearts aplenty, but nil points for imagination. Some too, may feel that attempting Blind Willie McTell’s ‘Statesboro Blues’ is all a bit after the Lord Mayor’s Show after The Allman’s nailed it par excellence. I’ve just been grumpy all day. Lucky Peterson has been playing gutsy Blues since he appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show before he owned long trousers. His authenticity is without question, and forgive my grouchiness – here is a perfectly good collection incorporating splendid light and shade, showing off great versatility and classy sidemen like Larry Campbell, Gary Burke and Scott Petito. However, and this shows how out of sorts I am – I liked this the most when it was being quiet and thoughtful. Ray LaMontagne’s ‘Trouble’ is subtle and visceral, and the Bill Callahan number ‘I’m New Here” (covered previously by Gil Scott Heron) is another standout. Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan’s ‘Trampled Rose’ doesn’t quite hit the spot for me, but the growly ‘Atonement’ by Lucinda Williams confirmed I wasn’t going soft. Gratifying though that was, the restrained moments were the most enjoyable - the laid back and autobiographical ‘Four Little Boys’ is a pie-slice of illustrious ‘Back Porch Americana’ and possibly the highlight. It is all fittingly dedicated to French musical bigwig Francis Dreyfus, who died shortly after its completion. I defy you listen to ‘I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free’ without thinking about Jonathan Ross. There – I’m grumpy again.

Richard Thomas

QUEEN EMILY Malaco Records

‘Queen Emily’ was born Emily David in Houston Texas; Her singing career began when she was five years old performing in front of the congregation of the Baptist church that her aunt attended, even then it was apparent to everyone in the congregation that here was a talent to be nurtured and appreciated. Emily’s early influences were not solely from the church; at home her mother filled the air with music from artists as varied as Aretha Franklin, Bobby Bland and Z.Z. Hill. As the years went by Emily’s ability continued to evolve and she entered many a singing contest but it was not until she won a Sammy Davis Jr. award in nineteen, ninety-nine that her approach developed a more serious edge. But, after becoming a mother she decided to wait until her children had grown-up before seriously pursuing her dream. The call came out of the blue from Malaco approximately one year after appearing on ‘Americas’ Got Talent’ and as measure of their seriousness of intent she was contacted by Tommy Couch who in collaboration Fredrick knight oversaw the whole album production. The backbone of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm section; Clayton Ivey; keyboards, Jimmy Johnson; guitar and James Robertson on drums play scintillatingly and superbly

throughout the entire album, impressively backed by a spot-on horn section. Emily’s’ strong, richly passionate vocals are reminiscent of Denise LaSalle, Dinah Washington and Dorothy Moore. Now in her forties Emily’s experiences of love, life and people enable her project through the twelve numbers here an authentic dramatic edginess and a spaciousness of troubled emotions; ‘There’s No Easy Way to Say Goodbye,’ oozes a knowing sadness while ‘Angel in Your Arms,’ is filled with malicious glee. The mellow ‘Still Crazy,’ seems to evoke strong personal feelings. Essential Soul!

Brian Harman

incongruous in any era, and a completely cheerful version of ‘One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer’ seems to lack any menace whatsoever. Thurston Harris was a 1950’s pop artist with a velvet voice, and if you can last until the end, you will admire an ability to reproduce his upbeat jauntiness – I would love to love this, but not enough about it floats my boat. Fans only.

Richard Thomas

SLIM LIGHTFOOT & THE SOUTHDOWNERS

For When I Lay It Down

Independent

Slim Lightfoot is a mature roots and Blues singer / guitarist from Brighton, UK. Nine of the eleven tracks are self-penned. The exceptions are comfortable cover versions of ’16 Tonnes’ and the closing track ‘St. James Infirmary Blues’, which perfectly fit his style. The opening track, ‘No More Tears Have I Left To Cry’ has a swinging tempo, and is probably the best track on the CD, with Lightfoot’s tasty acoustic guitar solo, and West Weston’s excellent harmonica fills. Another strong track is the punningly titled ‘When I Get Low I’ve Got To Get High’, with the feel being a pleasant reminder of the early 1990s conglomerate, The Notting Hillbillies. ‘Blackwater Rain’ is truly atmospheric, with a distorted vocal and Schultz’s metronomic drumming and shakers. Lightfoot has an authentic Blues voice, with a tendency and unique affectation of tailing off words with a trademark growl. for example in ‘I Went Down To The Riverside’. The Southdowners are a highly proficient foil to the leader, and the rhythm section of Schultz and Shearer add to the down-home feel of the album. The production is spot on, with every instrument and voice given its right emphasis and sufficient space to breathe.

Noggin

WILLIE McBLIND Bad Thing

Freenote

Oh, this started so well. Some good sounding slide with a jaunty and slight shuffle-rhythm behind it, some tasty keyboards and the longest sustained note I have heard in years from Jon Catler on fretless, microtonal guitar. ’13 O’Clock Blues’ is a fine start to the album and I’m settling in for some fun. ‘Bad Thing’ kicks off with a funky little riff and then.... ‘Bad Thing’ completely accurately describes the caterwauling when the vocals kick in and I’m wondering “what the hell happened there?” You have an album with some superb guitar from Jon Catler, excellent rhythm section of Neville L’Green on bass and Lorne Watson on drums, some fine writing from Mr Catler along with a few classics from the likes of Robert Johnson and Willie Dixon – you even get mixing from the hands of Jim Gaines himself but the album is let down by some of the least effective vocals I have heard in years. When the music to the fore it is one mother of an album with dark and powerful guitar, some great use of feedback and a really dense mix on a few of the tracks. The instrumental passages really got me nodding with the music and cranking it up to 11 and on ‘Primo’ with a dark and meandering, slightly Eastern, sound to it it works so well until the vocal comes in. It isn’t just Babe Borden’s sub-Janis or Jon Catler’s gruff but rather the mismatch between them. ‘Nobody’s Fault But Mine’ really works, ‘Stones In My Passway’ has a belting tone to it and ‘It Don’t Make Sense (You Can’t Make Peace)’ slinks along and the closer ‘One Lucky Man’ is 7 and a half minutes of dark and moody swamp Blues but those vocals! Nearly a great album.

Andy Snipper

THURSTON HARRIS

Little Bitty Pretty One

Hoodoo Records

Suppressing an urge to giggle like a 12 year old at the use of “bitty” in the title is not the only challenge to face you here - even the generous 16 page booklet refers to the title track as memorable, but also one of the most “recycled” tracks ever. A foot tapper I grant you, but it is 2 minutes 22 seconds lost in a sea of similarity. At 22 numbers long, seemingly the listing is not as generous as it seems – at 3 mins 5 seconds, ‘I’m Asking Forgiveness’ is positively Stairway-To-Heavenlike compared with most others which are less than 2 minutes long. It is nostalgic and evocative of a lost age in equal measure, but sounds very dated and too many in the collection are anonymous and gone in a flash. Rather cruelly Harris is called a “one hit wonder” by some – no shame there though, plenty would prefer one hit to none at all, and especially one that sold over a million. There are odd moments - a black man singing about cannibals cooking dinner (Purple Stew) is rather

SWAMP VOODOO At The Wheel A’ Betty Independent

Either a long CD EP or a mini album – what the heck! - this five track release runs to a couple of seconds short of 26 minutes and has this five piece (and that’s including Lenny the Skeleton), Oakland, California – no, surely they rose slowly out of the Louisiana bayou murk one

midnight in late October? - Blues/Alternative/Americana/ Avant Garde/Fusion/ Rockabilly (to quote their website – these guys have a website?) band spreading their weirdness to the wider world. Howling harp, Lou Reed, skewed stories, Tom Waits, juicy Jazz, Screaming Jay Hawkins, ghastly groaning guitars, Doctor John, rancid rockabilly, Captain Beefheart, spooky sounds, Frank Zappa, back-road Blues, Whitley Strieber, stop-time shuffles and Sun Ra are all in there somewhere – but

in no particular order. Is this the rise of random Blues? Remember to check under the bed before you turn the light out.

Norman Darwen

THE AVERY SET Returning To Steam

Independent

Second album recorded in Nashville by this band of talented young musicians who show plenty ofenthusiasm in their country meets pop meets rock. Opening track ‘Wandering Shoes’ certainly grabs the attention with its atmospheric intro featuring cello and sound effects and then builds into a catchy pop song. ‘Gotta Move’ is a big production heavy rock ballad perfectly suited for Chris Zehnder’s heartfelt vocals and Brandon Harris’ chiming lead guitar. ‘Salt Mines’ is a speedy rocker featuring twangy Duane Eddy style guitar riffs and then the pace falls for the ballad ‘Stranger’ with keening vocals and tasteful guitar. Although young this group sound musically mature with good songs, tidy arrangements and good tight playing. ‘Hello Georgia’ is a jaunty rocker with nicely picked guitar while ‘Bible Belt’ features impassioned vocals from Zehnder and sturdy work from the rhythm section. ‘Goose Down Misery’ speeds along driven by the drums of Jake Bartlett and organ from guest Akil Thompson. ‘Soul And Song’ has stream of consciousness smart lyrics and the album closes with the gentle ballad ‘Set My Weight On Me’ featuring Jacob Johnson on piano and a soulful vocal from Zehnder. These are talented musicians who have produced a fine album but without any blues feeling or sensibility in their music I found it difficult to get into.

TOMISLAV

“LITTLE PIGEON” GOLUBAN

200$ Sun Memphis

Album Croatia Records

Dave Drury

I confess to being somewhat uninitiated in Croatian Blues. Research reveals that Goluban is described as sounding like “Repertoar, based on the country Blues tradition and in combination with Zagorje’s ethno elements it also incorporates into its music an abundance of several other musical styles. In three words: cheerful, positive and original.” It turns that this is album features Goluban singing mainly original compositions, accompanying himself only with harmonica and foot stomps. There are occasional impromptu guest appearances, for example piano accompaniment on ‘Sunset Jam’ and ‘Boogie Jam’. The music is basic and primitive, but nonetheless the studio recordings are oddly engaging. These include a sensitively executed version

of ‘Amazing Grace’ and a tribute to ‘Memphis Sue’, who clearly grabbed the international visitor’s attention during his Stateside trip. The first three tracks were recorded in Sun Studios, Memphis in February 2009, and the next two in studios in Croatia and Chicago. The final five tracks are live performances captured on a pocket handy recorder, whilst he was in Memphis to make the studio cuts. The live recordings are poor, and even if they were enjoyable for the Tennessee audience, they don’t fit easily here. The CD has the added bonus of a 26 minute Bluesumentary video entitled: ‘Grabrovec – Tennessee’.

Noggin

PEARL HANDLED REVOLVER

Pearl Handled Revolver EPs 1, 2 & 3

Pearl Handled Revolver is a five piece band from the South East of the United Kingdom. The three EPs in focus here make-up a limited Edition Box and are good taster of what this band has to offer The songs on all three EPs are self-penned by the band. EP One consists of four tracks and the opener is ‘Walk on By, a Blues Rocker with a psychedelic edge reminiscent of Iron Butterfly in its wandering and driven melody, Lee Vernon’s vocal as deep, gritty and dirty Blues as it gets. ‘Sunrays Through My Windshield’ sees the tempo taken down into a Blues Rock ballad. Vernon’s vocal takes on a more polished gentle edge as befits the song, all supported by good instrumentals and a keyboard riff flavoured with sound of early Doors. EP Two has four tracks on it. ‘Today Was The Day’ is a Hammond driven Blues ballad blended intricately with an almost Celtic feel. The song draws vivid imagery of ancient marching warriors crossing open country not yet touched by the ravages of modern civilization and would make a superb sound track to a movie with its inheritant beauty and dynamic power of conceptualisation. The final disc EP three again showcases four more tracks from the band‘. ‘25 Below’, with its walking bass-line and driving keyboards is an RnB number of pedigree. ‘Never Liked You Anyway’ opens like a more rapid and driven version of Joe’s Cocker’s, ‘Without A Little Help From My Friends’ before it turns in a powerful Blues Rocker melded with trace of The Doors, Iron Butterfly and Joe Cocker but without being a clone of any of them. Pearl Handled Revolver are certainly not a ’one trick pony’. It is refreshing to see a band following Bo Diddley’s exhortation “Innovate, don’t imitate!”

Carol Borrington

VIVONE My Roaring Twenties Independent

This collection of songs was apparently recorded between 1989 –1995 and has laid dormant until recently. The whole feel of the album is very laid back with a lazy Cajun vibe. ‘Cruise Control’ has a haunting quality where as ‘Bad Stand Up Comic’ has lyrics that make you smile. Jason Vivone has not played in public for over a decade and it is a crying shame because he is a brilliant slide player and a gifted songwriter. The liner notes give no information about him so I don’t know if he is touring but he’s a musician I could listen to all night but on the strength of this album I hope he does go out on the road. Check out ‘Hollywood’ - any song that opens with the line she has breasts like Marylin Monroe gets my vote every time .This is Blues done in a simple enjoyable style.

Bob Bonsey

ZED MITCHELL

Summer in LA

Joybringer

‘Summer in LA’ is one of two recent releases from German guitarist, and singer-songwriter, Zed Mitchell, the other one being ‘Springtime In Paris’. Over the fourteen tracks on the album, Mitchell and his talented band explore many genres, from the later period Pink Floyd soundalike ‘Don’t Lie To Me’ that opens the album, or the melodic pop blues of ‘It’s Killing Me’. Although, in terms of style and sound, the album harks bark to the eighties, it still sounds relatively contemporary, with guitar solos being soulful and melodically appealing rather than shredfests. At times the vocals of Mitchell sounds like a cross between David Gilmour and Chris Rea, and the bluesy sounds of the album perfectly suit this style. The quality of the songs is also of a universally high standard, with strong support from Ted Mitchell on second guitar, Martin Drazek on Keyboards, Ulf Stricker on drums, and bassist Goran Vujic. So, if you like well produced, well polished blues music, and can over-look the eighties style production, this could well be an album for you to consider. However, if you appreciate corners and grit over smoothness, it might take some getting used to.

`````````````Ben Macnair

ZED MITCHELL

Springtime in Paris

Albanese Music

Zed Mitchell’s ‘Springtime in Paris’ was first recorded in 2007, and it still stands up to listening today. Although there is nothing new or overwhelming here, it is very well done, from the rocking opener of ‘Money for my Blues’ to the title track, with its slow beat, or ‘Lonely just like me’ which starts with Beach Boys like harmony vocals, before becoming a slow Jazz Blues piece, complete with Mitchell’s tight rhythm and lead playing integrating with synthesized horn parts and the harmonica playing of Klaus Killian. This is feel good music, the type that any talented band might play in your local pub on a Saturday night. Jokier material also features, such as ‘Good Lookin’ man’. A close stylistic comparison is Chris Rea, they have a similar gravely vocal timbre, and seem to have talents best suited to this type of music. The guitar playing is particularly impressive, with the playing on ‘I’m a River’ being particularly heartfelt, as is album closer ‘What’s Life’, an instrumental that would go down well on the live stage. Along with recent release ‘Summer in LA’ this release shows that Zed Mitchell is a talent worthy of further investigation.

Ben Macna

BILL WYMAN’S RHYTHM KINGS

Double Bill: Anyway The Wind Blows

Struttin’ Our Stuff

Repertoire/Ripple Records 2CD

What does a Rolling Stone do when he’s no longer gigging it around the globe’s glamorous hot spots with Mick’n’Keef? Realising that there’s been even more to life over the past 14 years than his hugely popular Tex-Mex restaurant, Sticky Fingers, Bill Wyman has kept his musical chops in fine fettle via his equally tasty R&B band of brothers and sisters, the Rhythm Kings. His post-Stones work has a wonderful warmth about it. These albums are a labour of love for the music he’s always been steeped in; they match his wistful, laid back smile on the covers. What a fine, fine band the Rhythm Kings are.

With one double and two single CDs here, one with 12 tracks and another with 16, it’s almost pointless trying to single out songs because quite frankly, every one’s a gem. Why? Well, for a start on Double Bill, just check this for a line-up: Albert Lee, Gary Brooker. Martin Taylor, Ray Cooper, Andy Fairweather Low, Georgie Fame, Chris Rea, George Harrison and on vocals, the superb vocals of Beverley Skeete and, of course, the Captain of this terrific enterprise, the man himself, bassist Bill Wyman. And it’s not all old R&B standards, there’s 6 brand new compositions written by Bill in partnership with Terry ‘’Tex’’ Taylor, who also doubles as producer. If you thought the last line-up was impressive, Any Way The Wind Blows gives us the regular Rhythm Kings line up plus – get this - Eric Clapton, Chris Rea, Albert Lee, Georgie Fame, Andy Fairweather Low and Mick Taylor. This time there’s more Wyman compositions, some great versions of standards such as J.J. Cale’s title track and J. B. Lenoir’s Mojo Boogie. As with all the albums the production is superb, with outstanding performances all round. Struttin’ our Stuff is an adventure through the 50’s to the 70’s and once again, we’re looking at British music royalty - Peter Frampton, Georgie Fame, the legendary Albert Lee, Gary Brooker, Eric Clapton, Paul Carrack (Mike & The Mechanics), Elton John’s percussion wizard Ray Cooper and one-time drummer for Madonna Graham Broad. This album is Bill’s favourite – according his comments in France’s ‘Le Figaro’ he said ‘’I’ve wanted to do this for years. It’s the best work of my career & I’m very proud of it.’’ Hardly surprising. You could put your sticky fingers on any one of these three records blindfold and be very happy – this reviewer’s lucky to have all three. Makes one realise what great musicians this corner of Europe has produced. British Blues has a lot to be proud of.

JOE BONAMASSA

VARIOUS

Rumba Blues The Mambo Years Rhythm and Blues

We sometimes overlook the influence of Latin rhythms which have been storming into R&B ever since Parez Prado infiltrated the USA with his Cuban mambo beat back in 1951. Of course, congas, timbales and maracas have been giving us itchy feet in the blues since way before that, and here are 30 assorted slabs of joyful proof. If this collection doesn’t put an umbrella in your pina colada then you should see a doctor. What makes this glorious album so interesting is the sheer variety of acts, from straight-up mid-century R&B greats such as Chuck Willis, Big Maybelle and Jimmy McCracklin to John Lee Hooker’s atmospheric 1955 Mambo Chillun and even a slightly-off mambo message Little Richard (though welcome to the party) with Slippin’ And Slidin’. Then there’s the genuinely hard-core instrumental Latin gems bristling with brass such as the Griffin Brothers with Griff’s Mambo, and Illinois Jacquet’s terrific sexy sax on Mambocito Mayo. And if you’re thinking this might be all snake hips and exotic women’s hats piled with fruit, there are even Latin tracks from Chuck Berry, Howlin’ Wolf and Elmore James, not forgetting Bo Diddley, among others. As a collection to dance to, this is a brilliant idea. Olé! Git down and boogie…er…mambo.

Roy Bainton

flows along like a spring stream. There are two wonderful slowburners, Charlene Howard with her soulfully brooding and emotive ‘[Send Me Someone to Love’ and Percy Sledge and the Aces Band stirring up the butterflies in your stomach with ‘First You Cry,’ (he still has it after all these years).Buddy Flett plays guitar, bass, drums and vocals on the life reflecting ‘Livin’ Ain’t Easy,’ his powerful rich, striding and stirring slide rewards your undivided attention. Carol Fran, who has made a remarkable recovery from a stroke, puts in a sublime performance on ‘I Needs To Be Be’d With You.’

Other fine performances on this album are given by the likes of; Omar Coleman, Little Freddie King, Sonny Landreth, Larry Garner, Stanley “Buckwheat” Dural Jr. and Dwayne Dopsie. A great cause and a great album!

VARIOUS

Let Me Tell You About The Blues: NEW ORLEANS

Fantastic Voyage 3 CD set

Brian Harman

VARIOUS Louisiana Swamp Stomp

Honeybee

Entertainment

In recent times the State of Louisiana and its’ inhabitants have been dealt more than their fair share of bad luck; from Katrina and long-term government indifference to the B.P. oil spill. Through these adversaries the resilient spirit and character of the community has invariably risen above these overwhelming disasters. Now another blow has stuck a number of Louisianans, that being the possibly deadly viral infection Encephalitis; A greatly recovered past suffer Buddy Fleet, has now gathered together a stellar group of artists to highlight the problem and to raise funds for the Northern Louisiana Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Foundation by recording this album. Here are sixteen numbers of pure unadulterated grooving New Orleans glorious goodtime blues, swamp stompers and the occasional pleader.

Although the numbers have been recorded at such various locations as; New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Chicago, Columbus, Lafayette, and Houston there is no discerning difference in sound or quality. Whether it is Henry Gray supplying vocals and spine-tingling piano on ‘Times Are getting Hard.’ or his joyously footapping piano led boogie shuffler “How Could You Do It.” The music just

New Orleans is Fantastic Voyage’s latest destination in their laudable and continuing mission to take us on historic journeys to the great American Blues conurbations. This three-disk set, weighing in at a generous and hefty 75 tracks, should fill many gaps in a genuine blues fan’s knowledge of what, besides jazz, was making musical waves in this wonderful city. Some of the names will be familiar here; Ray Charles, for example, Ernie K-Doe, Lloyd Price and T-Bone Walker. Listening to some of these cuts, laid down as they were decades ago in Cosima Matassa’s tiny studio, you can almost touch the humidity and feel the Bayou heat. If George W. Bush had been force-fed this collection he might have taken more sympathetic interest in the stricken city after Katrina struck. It’s the unfamiliar names which grab your ears, too; the wonderful Texan singer, Lillian Glinn, singing Where Have All The Black Men Gone, and Dewy Segura’s Far Away From Home Blues. Also of great interest here you’ll experience some of the first recordings of Cajun music by Amédé Ardoin, and there’s a whole roster of gilt-edged blues legends to enjoy, among them Roosevelt Sykes, Bo Carter, Elmore James, several cuts by the energetic Roy Brown, including his classic Good Rockin’ Tonight, Big Joe Turner and, of course, no New Orleans collection would be complete without Fats Domino, singing I’m The Fat Man. There’s a lot of sheer fun to be had in a compilation like this because none of us, no matter how much we think we’ve absorbed over the years, can know absolutely everything about the wide and wonderful world of blues history, so when one comes up with names such as Sugar Boy and his Cane Cutters, Herbert ‘Woo-Woo’ Moore and Big Boy Myles and The Shaw Wees, you’re into an Apocalypse Now-type journey into an exciting, almost forgotten territory. And everybody loves Professor Longhair – and he’s here too, with his band, (I kid you not) the Shuffling Hungarians, playing the bouncy Mardi Gras in New Orleans. As current parlance goes, ‘What’s Not To Like?’ Chill the beer, baste the ribs and fire up the gumbo. Brilliant stuff.

Roy Bainton

JOE BONAMASSA Dust Bowl Provogue

Every musical generation throws up a number of musicians who sit on a higher plane than the rest. Joe Bonamassa is certainly the front-runner of his generation and has set the path for others to follow. With this twelfth studio album, Bonamassa has taken another step forward along that path. It was produced by Kevin ‘Caveman’ Shirley in a series of recording locations to indicate not only Joe’s solid blues root but also the perfection with which he has been able to blend other genres into that root. Bonamassa’s lyrics on ‘Dust Bowl’ also see a sea change of the man now entering adult maturity in his 30s. Out has gone the songs about the plight of lost love and in has come a more traditional Blues story-telling method. There is an organic feel to the whole; with the roughness is found rounded edges, which give it of sense of whole band input. It is a taste of professional honesty rather than a commerciality of the modern music business. The CD features appearances by Vince Gill, John Hiatt and Glenn Hughes. The CD opens with ‘Slow Train’, a Blues rocker with masterful drumming intro and featuring vocals and instrumental, more than a match for anything for the past five decades. The title track ‘Dust Bowl’ is a Blues Rock ballad that has a Zappa’esque feel. It’s a moody song with dark edges, that rises and falls in tempo that match perfectly to the context of the lyrics. ‘Heartbreaker’, a Paul Rogers’ song features Glenn Hughes on a Blues Rock ballad that reveals a vocal interchange between Joe and Glenn that is masterful. It’s nice to be around to hear this standard of music again. It’s not a ‘rave from the grave’, it’s new, but temporally free.

Carol Borrington

be a disadvantage in this day and age when everything has to be so instant- but the songs have depth – they’ve been crafted and constructed and lived in for awhile. I particularly liked the song ‘Freddy Tupelo’, it’s about a character that you dear reader do not want to meet on a dark night. I also consider the opener ‘Wasted & Alone’ a real good song. This is a very good debut album that I would recommend to readers. Mr. H you are definitely on the right track, just keep clear of ‘legendary’ producers’ and do your own thing baby; I look forward to your next album.

Vicky Martin

BLUES BUSINESS

Live at Laura’s www.blues-business.co.uk

This is a live at home recording by a band who play regularly in West Sussex of some of their favourite songs. The recordings strength is that it picks some of the more obscure vintage Blues material to record rather than many of those Blues ‘standards’ heard all too often. Once exception though is ‘My Babe’, and personally I believe it would have benefitted from a little more oomph than the versions on this disc. Instead it’s the less oft heard ‘She’s Into Something’ and ‘Teenie Weenie Bit’ which catch the ear. Vocalist Roger Fuller also plays harp and when he cuts loose this provides many of the finest moments, specifically on Little Walter’s ‘Juke.’ There’s also a more than respectable take of the Albert Collins’ classic ‘If Trouble Was Money’, which allows scope for both guitarists Paul Burris and Bruce Fryer and is a worthy addition to any live set. ‘Mystery Train’ allows drummer Mark Roberts and bass player Alan Burris to hem in a high groove. The recording closes with a fine version of one Rolling Stones’ song which was a Mick Taylor cowrite ‘Ventilator Blues.’ This disc won’t become a personal favourite but I’d certainly spend a good couple of hours seeing Blues Business live.

Duncan Beattie

SHEMEKIA

COPELAND

Deluxe Edition

Alligator Records

ALCD 5614

MR ‘H’

Wasted and Alone

Self Production

This album presents an interesting conundrum. Mr. ‘H’ is pictured on the cover gazing wistfully at an empty beer bottle; the expression is of someone who’s just lost a winning lottery ticket. Yet when you talk to him he’s a humorous character with a wry and rebellious outlook on life and music. That is reflected in this album which I really enjoyed. It’s not an over polished studio production but it is very real music. Listen to the album and you do meet Mr. H and a selection of interesting characters. File this under blues and roots, it’s blues based but carries several influences, I recalled a slightly less gruff Tom Waites (vocally), Richard Thompson, Dylan – there are flashes of Jo Jo Burgess of Hokie Joint (the song Joe Meek in particular), harmonically the songs had hints of Americana – like the songs of Eilen Jewell, particularly on ‘Wasted & Alone’. There is even a hint of a Radiohead-like song structure (but with more oomph) on the track ‘45 Minutes’. It’s not an instant album; the songs are growers; that may

Shemekia Copeland is the daughter of he late great Johnny Copleland, so you really can say that the blues is in her blood. She’s a powerful Lady with a really powerful voice; powerful enough to strip paint at 40 yards, except that it has the in-built mellowness that only the really great singers have. She is a great singer and readers who may wish to know more may like to visit BM’s website – in the archive department is an interview with Ms Copeland – it’s replete with video and you’ll get an idea of what’s on this record. What is on the record are sixteen tracks culled from her previous albums – and there is not a weak track on here – the musicians include Steve Cropper; Chuck Leavell, Sugar Blue, Hugh McCracken, Dr. John, Barry Harrison, Harry Barrison, Jimmy Vivino – need one say more? There’s blues here, there’s soul, it rocks it swings, it moves you, it grooves, there are lashings of Memphis

style horns; you can’t ask for much more. So if you haven’t guessed by now – I’m recommending this to readers.

Vicky Martin

feature on the slinky ‘Summertime Is Here’ a tale of barbecues and beer - sounds good to me! ‘She’s Sweet’ is a joyful blast of Chicago Blues featuring superb waling harmonica from Sonny Boy Terry. ‘Good Rockin’ Johnny’ does what it says on the tin and then the album closes with ‘Baby Please’ a classic slow blues with both men in fine form as they share the limelight on vocals and solos. This is a fine album brimming with energy and packed with good songs, clever arrangements and exuberant and masterful playing. Although this review is being written in February this album has to be a contender when the gongs are handed out later this year.

TUTWEILER Comin’ In Gateway Music

Dave Drury

RICH DEL GROSSO & JONN DEL TORO RICHARDSON Time Slips On By

Mandolin Blues

Rich Del Grosso is known as the Mandolin Man and here he teams up with fiery guitar player Jonn Del Toro Richardson for an album of rocking Texas Blues and Roots. Opening track ‘Baby Do Wrong’ is an absolute cracker which rocks furiously and sets the scene for the rest of the album. Del Grosso leads the way on mandolin and bottleneck and then trades licks with Richardson’s sparkling guitar as the pair groove splendidly on this Texas shuffle. Title track ‘Time Slips On By’ is a soulful blast which features Richardson’s honey toned vocals all topped off by the wonderful Texas Horns featuring “Kaz” Kazanoff who also produced the album. The steady rockin’ and aptly named ‘Mandolin Man’ gives Del Grosso the spotlight and also features Sonny Boy Terry on swampy harmonica. The material is all self penned and there’s not a weak tune or less than stellar performance on the album. ‘Katalin’ is a sweet, soulful, ballad featuring particularly chiming, tasteful, slide guitar and extra colour from Joel Guzman on accordion. Funky horns and spiky guitar riffs introduce ‘Shotgun Blues’ which features some fine organ from Nick Connolly and gruff vocals from Del Grosso. The pace drops for ‘Hard To Live With’ a heartfelt plea which features impeccable tone and tasteful playing from Richardson. ‘Where’s Laura’ is a swinging instrumental before the rocking boogie of ‘A Gig Is A Gig’ kicks in featuring great thumping piano from Nick Connolly. A nice laid back rhythm and accordion flourishes

Tutweiler are from Denmark, a four piece blues unit who produce a West-Coast US style sound. They struck quite lucky in getting the album produced by James Harman who is a ‘legendary’ bluesman according to the blurb. He’s from California and if you Google the name he has quite a track record – but not sure if he’s legendary – in fact I reckon it’s about time we made the qualification ‘You have to be dead to be regarded as a legend’. The blurb tells us that the ‘ Music sounds like cool cocktails, real cars, humid nights and hot chicks ...’ it also tells us that was mixed in California by the aforementioned James Harman and his musical partner Nathan James who is, we are informed, a very cool cat. So what is the result of all of this? Well, it’s a good sounding record, the playing is good, the songs, the feel; it’s all OK, pretty good in fact. In fact, to repeat myself, it sounds like an American record and their in lies my problem. I guess that with blues as an on-going and evolving musical form that eventually elements of National identity my come into the music – for instance; is it beyond possibility that a Danish Blues band may bring something ‘Danish’ in essence to their blues? I’d like to think that there is that possibility, because there is an overwhelming degree of homogenization going on the world today, and I would like to see more individuality, particularly in the field of roots and blues music. In summary, this is well played, well produced but it lacks a distinctive identity, it’s not really necessary to sound so ‘American’; I look forward to a future album where the group seeks and expresses some of its own distinct style.

EBC62 Susan & The Surftones

The Songs of The early Rolling Stones

Acme Brothers Records

As this is the most peculiar and curious thing I’ve heard for a long time, I had to do some serious background checking before writing this review. To be frank, I thought somebody was having me on. 18 tracks, all instrumental. It’s mainly the work of one east coast American Susan

Vicky Martin

Yasinski, who is credited with playing guitar, bass, drums and GEM organ. You learn something every day in this job. This time I’ve trawled the internet to find that Ms. Yasinski and her group, The Surftones, after 15 albums are pretty big among the wet suit surfing fraternity. Her speciality appears to be that ‘Pipeline’Surf guitar sound. But here, a different direction has been taken. It’s back to 1962 and the Ealing Blues Club, and the early Rolling Stones Decca releases. So far, so good. Sadly, there’s little of the R&B fire of that period evident here. The Fender Strats are crystal clear and the recording is well produced, but to me it sounds like an early 60s 5th form Shadows tribute band who decided to abandon Hank Marvin in favour of Chess Records – yet without changing their sound. And maybe this is exactly what it’s supposed to sound like; a post-modern parody. I don’t know, but I found some of it, such as Roadrunner, Muddy’s I Want

To Be Loved and the truly weird rendition of Bo Diddley’s Mona relentlessly hilarious. I remain in a state of bemused puzzlement, yet I can’t stop playing the damned thing. You have to hear it to believe it – but be warned, it’s oddly addictive.

untimely death last year. it is truly a great album that will leave a lasting memory of his immense talent. The rest of the band Dominic Hollands on guitar, Paul Mallatratt bass, Nigel Lobley drums, with added input from Dale Storr on keyboards for the recording. The band were all involved in the songs from Dominic co writing with Kevin, to all 4 arranging and recording the album. Consequently even though Kevin is now gone but not forgotten, they are keeping the band together touring and playing this album, which is just what Kevin would have wanted. Down to the album – this has a great collection of songs from the title track “Antedote”, to the opening song “You Cant Keep A Poor Man Down” which has a swampy rift to it which really gets in your head. “Heavy Rain” has a wonderful upbeat tempo to get you dancing as well as “The Only Way To Fly” and “Bad Stuff”. Particularly poignant is Kevin’s rendition of “Before the Fall” that has a stirring guitar section from Dominic. But this is not a guitar based band with endless soloing, it’s about the songs and all musicians in the band. In fact all the way through the quality of the musicians shines out. The band dedicated themselves to producing powerful and finely crafted guitar led blues rock. It’s a quality album from a quality band that love their music, if you love good blues music seek out this album its worth spending some time on.

AL PRICE Blues Is The Roots

Distilled Records

Kitty Rae

TIPPING POINT

Antedote Independent

This is last album Kevin Thorpe (Out Of The Blue) was responsible for and was immensely proud of before his

This is a very interesting album – Al Price plays the Moothie; that’s Scot’s for harmonica and he takes the instrument and the listener to some very intriguing places. ‘Blues is the Roots’ is an apt title – because blues; or at least the five note pentatonic scale, is at the heart of this music but this is a wide ranging musical journey. It opens with an impressionistic almost classical moodpiece ‘Christo Redemptor’, it touches traditional Celtic based music – ‘Lament for the Kerry Fisherman’, ‘Devil’s Elbow’, ‘A Mans’ a Man (Robbie Burns), touches real deep blues ‘Rolling Stone’ with an excellent vocal by one Ernie Bell. There’s jazz with Barney Kessel’s ‘Little Star’; Mongo Santamaria’s ‘Afro Blue’ in jazz waltz time, and a really good version of Miles Davis’ classic 6/8 blues ‘All Blue’. Lastly there’s an old-time type tune ‘Thanks Mine’s a Pint’. The playing throughout is very good indeed; Al’s Moothie playing is outstanding. The album is imaginative with some highly original touches and will yield more on repeated listens. It’s produced by Distilled Records a Scottish collective and there is a good community feel about the whole presentation. I reckon that Al and the guys on this enjoyed a good few bevies while making this; and I reckon they’ll enjoy a few more making the next ; if its as good as this is it’ll be well worth the wait; recommended

Vicky Martin

Roy Bainton

BIG MAMMA’S DOOR

Handbagged

I am fortunate enough to receive quite a few new CDs each month (my wife does not see it that way but that’s another story!) Every so often one comes along which really catches my attention and Big Mamma’s Door latest, ‘Handbagged’, is one of those!

It is rare these days to come across a new CD comprising mainly original material but which has such a great feel of the ‘old days’ and with their new offering, BMD have achieved just that. With seven originals by ‘Big Mamma’ Fiona McElroy and two Barbara Lynn covers, this CD has the risquéness of Memphis Minnie or Sippie Wallace combined with Fiona’s own deliciously naughty style, her smoky voice so right, giving the feeling that she is singing just for you! Even though it is a studio recording, it has a very uncomplicated ‘live’ feel to it. ‘And it’s all just a lil’ bit dirty!’

Although Fiona’s silky and sassy vocals inevitably hold centre stage, Big Mamma’s Door is so much more than a female vocalist with a backing band.

Each track is a joy to listen to as much for the great interplay and individual skills of the understated but quite superb guitar of Mal Barclay and the rolling keyboards of Henri Herbert together the fine rhythm section of Rob Pokorny on drums and John Culleton on bass. This excellent CD should see the band attracting many more fans, getting many more gigs and should certainly be in your CD player!

Ashwyn Smyth

MALCOLM HOLCOMBE To Drink The Rain Music Road Records

The perennial debate raged every time I played this album. Is it or is it not a Blues album? So difficult to place this as it is a truly Roots album which encompasses all things Country, whether Blues, Folk or Western. Opening with an acoustic rag time Blues number, ‘One Leg At A Time’, an upbeat tune with some extremely empathic fiddle playing in the background, but the feel changes completely by the second track with a total contrast in the C&W drawl of ‘Mountains Of Home’. In fact, the album doesn’t stand up to dissection, but rather stands and falls as a whole piece of Country work. Holcombe’s voice is perhaps the single most notable instrument here. To call it a gravel dirt road does it an injustice, as it sounds as if several life times of hardship, abuse and injustice have lived there in his vocal chords. The solid backing Holcombe receives is also a notable point here. The fiddle playing of Luke Bulla adds many dimensions to the songs and the upright bass of Dave Roe (former Johnny Cash bassist) is complimentary and solid without being forceful and intrusive. Indeed, with drums that are extremely unobtrusive and the dobro and acoustic guitar, the overall result is a rich musical tapestry. This is an album that makes an impression on the listener and after many plays I still can’t decide if I really like it or not, but one thing is sure, I can’t dismiss it.

Merv Osborne

Latest Red Lick chart of top sellers

1. Mississippi Fred McDowell: Down Home Blues 1959 (JSP 2CD)

2. Reverend John Wilkins: You Can’t Hurry God (Big Legal Mess/ Fat Possum CD)

3. Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland: Little Boy Blue - The Duke Sides 19521959 (Hoodoo CD)

4. Howlin’ Wolf: Live & Cookin’ At Alice’s Revisited (Raven CD)

5. Doris Troy: I’ll Do Anything - The Anthology 1960-1996 (Kent CD)

6. Various: Let Me Tell You About The Blues - New Orleans (Fantastic Voyage 3CD)

7. The Accelerators: Let’s Turn It Up (SDSM CD)

8. Various: Sweet Inspiration - The Songs Of Dan Penn And Spooner Oldham (Ace CD)

9. Roomful Of Blues: Hook, Line & Sinker (Alligator CD)

10. Gregg Allman: Low Country Blues (Rounder CD

11. Lynwood Slim & The Igor Prado Band: Brazilian Kicks (Delta Groove CD)

12. Various: Gospel Celebrities And Celestial Lights (Fantastic Voyage 2CD)

13. Al King & Arthur K Adams: Together – The Complete Kent & Modern Recordings (Ace CD)

14. T-Model Ford And Gravelroad: Taledragger (Alive CD)

15. Queen Emily: Queen Emily (Malaco CD)

16. Eric Clapton: Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010

(Rhino 2DVD)

17. Phillip Walker With Otis Grand: Big Blues From Texas (JSP CD)

18. Magic Sam: West Side Soul (Delmark CD)

19. Stefan Grossman: The Ragtime Cowboy Jew (BGO CD)

20. Charlie Rich: It Ain’t Gonna Be That Way – Complete Smash Sessions (Ace CD)

GOT LIVE

IMELDA MAY, BRILLIANT! O2 Academy, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne (11/02/11).

Almost ten years ago my friends and I walked into a Mike Sanchez gig and encountered for the first time the wonderful Imelda, who at that time was singing backing vocals for his excellent band. She was stunning even then dressed in a Chinese dress, wearing a flower in her piled up hair and singing in a smoky retro style that mesmerized us all. My friend Colin observed “that lass is brilliant, one day she will be a huge star in her own right!”

We are ecstatic to report that this prophecy has come true, and I don’t think anyone who has seen Imelda fronting her own band will disagree with us on that. She and they just go from strength to strength. These are real musicians playing real music, and they work their socks off. They have a strong sense of camaraderie and their own distinctive identity that shines through. Imelda handpicked these musicians and every one of them plays a vital part in this success story. Darrel Higham (Imelda May’s other title is Mrs Higham by the way), has a great authentic guitar sound. Steve ‘animal’ Rushton is awesome on drums and backing vocals. Dave Priseman makes such an impact on horns that it just wouldn’t be the same without his distinctive style of playing. The amazing Al Gare is mad, bad and cool as **** on bass, and chronicles the band’s antics in his hilarious and informative blog ‘Here, Gare and Everywhere’ which is definitely worth following if you are Imelda May fans. Imelda herself just sizzles with real talent and sex appeal from the top of her trademark kiss-curl quiff to the killer heels on her stylish shoes. This girl from Dublin never fails to rock the joint with her fabulous voice, mostly self-penned songs and exciting stage presence. Speaking of those songs it is eye opening to count up just how many hits and potential hits they have to their name. Love Tattoo, Big Bad Handsome Man, Sneaky Freak, Johnny Got a Boom Boom, Mayhem, Psycho, Kentish Town Waltz, Inside Out, and so on. She even makes the few covers she does such as ‘Tainted Love’ her own, and as for Proud and Humble when she delivered that in Newcastle she just had us, and I suspect the rest of the crowd in the palm of her hand…

Every member of this band is vital. That is why Imelda chose them all, and that is why it works!!!

Beryl Hankin

Imelda’s Photo of Al from the stage!

IImelda taken by Christie!

COMMUNION @The Civic Hall, Wolverhampton. 29/12/2010

It is good at times to go back to our home roots but Jason Bonham, Glenn Hughes and not to forget their support act Joanne Shaw Taylor did it in style at this gig. Joanne kicked off the night, with some impressive Blues Rock that could not help but bring loud cries of approval and cheers from the approximately 3,000 people jammed into every inch of the Civic Hall. One couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for her though with the sound, which at times was heavy on drum and bass and muffled her vocal. Even so, a cracking performance from Joanne. The punters awaited moment arrived to the driving sounds of Wagner’s’, ‘Ride Of The Valkyrie’. Starting quietly at first in a darkened room and then rising to a tempest of sound, lights and cheering fans as Black Country Communion stepped on the stage. A fitting start to these giants of Blues and Rock. They opened not surprisingly with the track ‘Black Country’ and it was just a feast of music from then on as their debut CD got its live exposure to the full and a little bit extra thrown in to tempt people to want more. ‘One Last Soul’, saw Glenn Hughes in full fettle using every inch of the stage to underscore his powerful vocal range moving from middle to falsetto with consummate ease throughout the gig. Joe Bonamassa’s Blues solo was a piece to truly savour in, ‘Too Late For The Sun’. Yet, it was hard to pick one moment from all four musicians on that stage, which was not musical perfection, The audience stood, some ‘head-banging’ to the sound and others in contemplative silence but all in rapturous applause at the end of each song. The surprise inclusion of Joe Bonamassa ,’ Ballad Of John Henry’ saw an instant rise of Blues fans heads as the first notes caressed the very fabric of the building and it wasn’t long before rock fans were holding their breathe at the fine Blues guitarist in front of them. This was a fine version of John Henry, with exquisite keyboard riff, bass and drums that took your breath away.’ Medusa’, originally recorded by Glenn Hughes with Trapeze in the 70s, had Glenn telling the audience, ‘I played this with John Bonham and now I’m playing it with his boy’. This weighed up BCC perfectly, rooted in the best Blues and rock, while at the same time drawing from the best of music and crossing generations. The perfect recipe!

Carol Borrington

DANA FUCHS @ The Harmonie in Bonn Germany, 9 Feb 2011

This was my third visit to the Dana Fuchs ‚Rock n Roll Church of Love’ as Dana calls her concerts. The first was for a ‘Rockpalast’ recording, the second as support slot for Joe Cocker. This time you could be excused for thinking the pressure would be off and the lady could sit back a little. Sitting back is not the Dana Fuchs style though and from the off she’s a lion. Rocking with ‘Love To Beg’, her long mane of blonde hair flies as she prowls around the stage like its her private territory, and like any self respecting lion would - she fiercely roars into the microphone. Think Cocker, Coverdale and Joplin together at a singalong and you have the essence of what makes a Dana Fuchs show hit warpdrive. Add a tiny dash of Billy Grahams style oratory to really spice things up and you’ll realise why co-writer and guitarist Jon Diamond actually seems to use his melodic Telecaster solos to calm things down rather than shake them up. Walter Laituperissa on bass must wonder what hit him after touring previously with the mild mannered Snowy White. When the remote for her mike packs up to shouts of “Sh**ss Technik” from the German crowd Fuchs simply sings ‘sans microphone’. Despite her young age a lot of heartache has already passed the way of Dana Fuchs and ‘Songbird’ is in memory of sister Donna who took her own life, it’s also typical of Dana’s indominatable spirit. As she sings the words “songbird, fly me away” you can believe Dana Fuchs believes her sister has really flown to a better world. It’s a world with a ‘Rock n Roll Church of Love’ and everyone’s a member. It’s a world to celebrate being alive too, and Dana is having as much fun as we are “I love you Germany” she calls out. “You’re the only ones who pronounce my surname right!” Away from the Rock, Otis Redding’s ‘Loving You Too Long’ displays a voice that can purr as well as roar. It’s a belter though that brings the evening to a scorching close in the form of the Beatles ‘Helter Skelter’. Some were disappointed not to hear an encore of ‘Whole Lotta Love’ but frankly having just heard her give 110% vocally and emotionally I doubt anyone would hold a grudge. The extra material from her new CD made this easily the best Dana Fuchs show I’ve caught to date, so beware, if she comes to Britain prepare to be converted!

C.John Hurd

THE LOZ NETTO BAND @Stormy Monday Club, Bulls Head Barnes

I love Monday nights at the Bullshead because you always can guarantee the high quality of music. Tonight the music was provided by THE LOZ NETTO BAND. Their album “Bridge Of Dreams’ was reviewed here in issue 57 and got good reactions but it does not do justice to their live performance. Their line up simply consists of Loz on guitars and vocals, Nigel Ball on bass [one of the most visually exciting players I have seen in a long time .He reminded me of John Entwhistle

Photo by Robert Knight

or Norman Watt Roy of the Blockheads who all play their instruments like a rhythm guitar] and Rob Kenny on drums. They say that there is no place to hide in a three-piece outfit and these guys don’t need to hide. The set ranged from Ry Cooder’s ‘Little Sister’, ‘Get Rhythm,’ ‘Little Feats’, ‘Dixie Chicken’, ‘On Your Way Down’ to Bill Withers ‘Use Me Up’ .Loz plays a very melodic laid back slide one minute and then blows you away with some guitar solos the next. His own compositions ‘Wild’ and ‘What U Dun’ were brilliant. The finale was a tremendous ten minute rendition of Wilson Picket’s ‘635789’ which seguewayed into ‘Thankyou Baby’. The audience in the venue refused to leave until these guys did an encore. This is a band not to be missed. Catch ‘em if you can, I promise you won’t regret it.

Bob Bonsey

THE PRODUCERS @ BOURNEMOUTH UNIVERSITY 4/2/11

The Producers

The current line-up of The Producers have now developed a full acoustic show and tonight it was aired in the brand new, state of the art, 300 seat, money no object, theatre on campus. The show opened with Tampa Red’s ‘So Far So Good’ with a loping pace and swinging rhythm featuring Harry Skinner on guitar and vocals, Dave Saunders on acoustic bass, Ray Drury on piano and Biff Smith on brushed drums. Next up was that old favourite ‘Diggin’ My Potatoes’ featuring good interplay between guitar and piano. Harry switched to slide guitar for a solo rendition of a great new song ‘Moneylender’ and then the whole band joined in for ‘You Gotta Move’ featuring exciting and fierce Elmore style slide riffs from Harry. The mood changed for a beautiful cover of Van Morrison’s jazzy ‘Moondance’ which was followed by the rollicking ‘Baby Please Don’t Go’. ‘Glory Of Love’ is an old favourite much loved by band and audience alike and then Ray switched to accordion for ‘I Can’t Be Satisfied’ and ‘She Caught The Katy’. I particularly enjoyed the extra colour added by the squeeze box and more texture came when Harry played mandolin on ‘Fishing Blues’. My highlight of the night was an impassioned version of ‘Nobody Knows You’re Down And Out’ with Harry’s soulful vocal a standout. Nina Simone’s jaunty toe tapper ‘My Baby Just Cares For Me’ is always a crowd pleaser and then we were treated to an encore with a romp through Muddy’s ‘Rollin’ And Tumblin’’ featuring Ray on accordion. A whole evening of acoustic music needs plenty of colour and light and shade and this one certainly had it in abundance. It’s great to see the The Producers back again and and on sparkling form. They are currently recording a new electric album which will be released later this year and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.

Dave Drury

AINSLIES VIBES @ The Blue Room at McGinty’s, Ipswich, 29/12/2010

Tim Ainslie is well known to Blues lovers across the UK from his time with the (now defunct) Groove Doctors and as a member of Lightnin’ Willie’s tour band. He is now fronting his own trio, Ainslie’s Vibes. He is joined by Alex Best on drums and Roy Little on bass and they provide a solid platform for Tim’s virtuoso guitar work. Tim has now added lead vocals to the mix, not to mention song writing of very decent quality. This gig was in the void between Christmas and New Year, but still attracted a fair audience. For me it was the perfect way to blow away the Christmas cobwebs! There was no support, but the band had plenty of material to give us two strong sets. We were also treated to the additional talents of renowned guests Ramon Goose and Giles King. They each played a couple of songs and both reappeared for the encore... what a band that would be! Content-wise the music was 50:50 originals and covers. The title track of the band’s mini CD “The People Have Spoken” is really strong with a great hook (which is now my phone’s ringtone!). It emanates from Australian band Transport, while Canadian band Brother Big Bad’s “Daughter Of A Debutante” contained some excellent slide playing from Tim. An Ainslie original “Kissy Kissy” has a wonderful bass line which got the dancers out and they stayed on the floor for the rest of the evening. “Killing Floor” brought the best out of Giles King who showed why he is one of the UK’s best harp players. The band aim to have a new CD available later this year. On this evidence it will be very welcome.

Alan Harvey

Tim Ainslie

DANI WILDE BAND @ The Ferry, Glasgow 17/09/2010

For those in the know this evening was a superb night of modern Blues by some of the best young Blues musicians in the UK. The Dani Wilde Band appeared on stage sans their frontwoman, as her brother Will ‘Harmonica’ Wilde led the band through a slow blues, demonstrating his fine voice and superb harp playing. He then directed the band into ‘Little By Little’ which saw his sister come to the stage to warm applause. It was clear immediately has a pleasant stage manner and throughout her set spoke in detail about the background to the songs aired from her superb new album “Shine”. Ben Poole’s controlled yet aggressive guitar playing on ‘Some Kind Kinda Crazy’ gave the song the sharp bite to contrast with Wilde’s smooth vocals. A true band, in the real sense, the focal point varies from song to song between the Wilde’s and Poole in a set ranging from southern soul to upbeat rock n roll, such as ‘Red Blooded Woman.’ A stellar moment was the song dedicated to an orphan from Kenya, ‘Abandoned Child.’ A Blues minor, the band coordinated introduction was a hair on neck moment and Wilde provided an impassioned performance as good as any blues great. The band relaxed as the crowd showed their appreciation and ‘Bring Your Lovin’ Home’ was a rare outing from her debut, before the powerful ballad ‘Don’t Give Up On Me.’ While the suspicion lingers that many of the new batch of blues musicians tend to hide behind their guitars, Wilde proved this does not apply to her, as she unplugged her Telecaster and covered the stage during a playful take of ‘People Say’ with funky backbeat from Jon Chase and Mark Earl. The Wilde siblings dueted on Will’s ‘Blues is My First Love;’ which brought some good hearted amusement, particularly to Will’s rapping. With Wilde making plans for an extensive Blues Caravan tour with Cassie Taylor and Samantha Fish in 2011, the opportunities to see this great band together in might be sparse, so make sure you do so.

Duncan Beattie

DAGO RED @Stormy Sunday. Jazz Bar, Edinburgh 19/09/2010

Due to a festival cancellation, Italian blues and roots six piece Dago Red were an inspired late addition to the newly established Stormy Sunday Blues Night. Very much an unknown quality, they engrossed an impressively populous crowd with a range of strong originals, work songs and reworked Blues and folk standards. The band features acoustic guitarists Giuseppe Mascitelli and Nicola Palanza, whose interplay with Domenico Grossi on harmonica is a key element in the band’s blend country blues and folk. An early standout was ‘They Took Me,’ with its distinctive guitar chords and soft backing vocals of Paola Ceroli. A spirited take of ‘Good Morning Blues’ grew to a wild crescendo of fast strumming, quick drumming by Fausto Troilo on drums and wailing harp, before the reflective, laidback ‘Sorry Folks’ spelled their tale of travelling as Mascitelli’s Chris Rea like vocals came to prominence. Angelo Tracanna’s steady bass playing led the band into ‘I’m Sober Now’, with ear catching lyrics of the perils of alcohol and a sweet swinging vibe. Essentially a modern street band, which touch on the sounds of their influences, like Johnson, Leadbelly and Guthrie, Dago Red have the ability to make the familiar songs sound both fresh and dynamic, ‘My Babe’ was played in unplugged Bo Diddley style, with flurrying runs on the harmonica by Grossi. Then Ceroli took lead vocals for an unusual version of Muddy Waters’ ‘I’m Ready’. Sadly the band’s trip to the UK did not turn out as envisaged, yet they showed the quality in spades that would see them welcomed to Blues and folk festivals throughout the country.

Duncan Beattie

BEN POOLE @The Ranelagh, Brighton Friday January 7th 2011

Ben is one of a small group of talented local blues artists to have graduated from the Brighton Institute of Modern Music. Backed by his rhythm section of Gary Pearson on bass and Alan Taylor on drums, it’s easy to see why they are fast becoming a “must-see” band. Ben has a voice well suited to his style of blues/rock and is certainly no slouch on the guitar.

Dani Wilde

With only a five track EP to his name so far the set relies on a lot of covers but is none the worse for that. Immediately springing to mind is his cover of Stevie Wonder’s’ ‘Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers’, beautifully crafted in the style of Jeff Beck, with whom, incidentally, Ben played as a competition prize-winner whilst at college. ‘Hey Joe’ closed the first half and the audience were really into it. Second half, and still the energy was there: ‘Hear My Train a’Comin’ ‘, ‘Foolin’ Around” and ‘Behind The Mask’ preceded Ben’s own “The Damage Has Been Done” proving that he can certainly write a good song! A superb rendition of Free’s “Fire and Water” led into ‘Losing You’ before encoring with ‘Me And The Devil Blues’, complete with Ben’s customary stroll into the wildly enthusiastic audience for a duel between his slide guitar and his tireless rhythm section. All in all, I cannot recommend this young outfit strongly enough - check them out! Rumour has it a full-length album will be with us this year and I, for one, am waiting with bated breath.

Clive Rawlings

GEOFF ACHISON & THE SOULDIGGERS @ The Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh 09/10/2010

Australian Geoff Achison might not be as well-known as some of his fellow guitar slingers, as the sadly disappointing attendance at Achison’s most northerly show to date testified. This despite being rated above Sting as the top artist to play the city that weekend by the local evening newspaper However those that did attend were wowed by the superb musicianship of the vocalist and guitarist. Taking to the stage with an acoustic guitar, he performed the ironically titled ‘Don’t Play The Guitar’ which lyrical references to influences who departed the earth too early. An innovative solo version of ‘Mystery Train’ was to follow, with a clever reworking of ‘Whipping Post’ later in the set. The Souldiggers joined him as he led them into a New Orleans style ‘Voodoo.’ Before Achison strapped on his PRS ‘My Little Bag’ was a funky number with ear catching Hammond organ while the subject matter referring to the dilemma of recycling, before the blues of ‘The Magic Bell.’ The dominant music style was funk rather than blues, yet the first set was closed with a straight slow Blues, with a humourous subject matter, ‘GPS Woman’. A more serious social conscience was displayed through ‘Rule The World’ which decries the foolishness of our countries leaders. The Souldiggers on this tour date were perhaps not particularly familiar with Achison’s material, yet his compositions did allow for a degree of improvisation, as in the reggae style ‘Never Give It Up’. The powerful closing instrumental ‘Reach For The Sky’ showcased his guitar playing in depth, which can be flashy, yet is very distinctive, and sees Achison on occasion place his left hand over his fretboard. He really has been seen live to be fully appreciated, so keep an eye out for his return.

Duncan Beattie

JOE BONAMASSA @TPAC’s James Plk Theater, Nashville, TN USA 26/11/2010

Wrapping up his world tour, blues-rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa came to Music City, promoting March release “Black Rock” to a packed house at TPAC’s James K. Polk Theater. Bonamassa hit the ground running just after 8 p.m. with Rory Gallagher’s ‘Cradle Rock,’ stepping onto the stage playing the opening riff on a Gibson Les Paul. Wearing slicked-back hair, sunglasses and Converse sneakers, Bonamassa led the audience from ‘Cradle Rock’s’ slide solos to the determined steam engine of ‘So Many Roads’, stepping out of Gallagher to channel B.B. King. Bonamassa’s own ‘When the Fire Hits the Sea’ followed. Appearing on his latest solo project “Black Rock”, the song’s syncopated British Blues shuffle got audience members tapping along. After ‘If Heartaches Were Nickels’ and ‘Slow Train’, Bonamassa tore into ’Steal Your Heart Away,’ another song off “Black Rock,” then rolled into a reverb-heavy ‘Sloe Gin’, showcasing his vocal control and mic technique. Next, Bonamassa introduced ‘The Ballad of John Henry,” a song voted by Total Guitar Magazine as having the 12th best riff of the decade.

“And I said, 12? That’s it?” Bonamassa shouted before launching into an effects-laden slide solo that wailed like it’d been shot in the heart. Bonamassa followed with ‘Happier Times’ and ’The Great

Joe Bonamassa

Ben Poole

Flood’, then swapped his Les Paul for a Gibson Explorer for Mose Allison’s “Young Man’s Blues,” played with the raw musical power of The Who. But for many, Bonamassa’s most memorable solo wasn’t played on an electric guitar. ‘Woke Up Dreaming’, the only song played on an acoustic, was a combination of Spanish flamenco, driving Bluegrass, rockabilly and old-school jazz. Bonamassa’s technical skills in ‘Woke Up Dreaming’, was a fluttering display of hammer-ons, pull-offs, harmonics and triplets, arranged in musical patterns of varying intensity and dynamic, which inspired a standing ovation. Bonamassa ended his hour-and-a-half set with ‘Mountain Time’, a song with a lingering melody and an Allman Brothers walk-down finish. Written by Bonamassa, ‘Mountain Time’ demonstrated thoughtful craftsmanship, with a melody matching the wild, free and easy sentiment of the song’s lyric. A two-song encore followed, beginning with Bonamassa’s hymnlike cover of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Bird on a Wire,’ also off “Black Rock.” Audience cheering opened into the tightly-played, highenergy finale spotlighting Bonamassa’s Flying V, a mash-up of ZZ Top’s ‘Just Got Paid’ with Led Zeppelin’s ‘Dazed and Confused’. It was a finale that brought the audience to its feet, to dance and applaud.

Jen Moncuse

MAMA ROSIN / THE LUCKY STRIKES @Borderline 27/01/2011

Mama Rosin are becoming a very accomplished trio with huge heart and a great sense of fun about their music. They play Cajun with all the feeling of the Louisiana Bayous and they really kicked it out from the first moments with ‘Quinze Jour Passe’ acting as a calling to the stage and pulling a very attentive crowd in. Their version of ‘Sitting On Top Of The World’ is beautifully lazy and louche and I got the feeling that they were having fun and working the crowd up as they ripped into a stirring ‘Honky Tonk Tout Le Temps’. By this time the crowd were really getting into it and from where I was, the sight was of a whole lot of fairly frantic and very happy jigging and two-stepping folks, Switching instruments between guitar, banjo and washboard and with his mass of hair swinging around like a ball Robin Girod was at the heart of all the music and Cyril Yeterian’s melodeon, guitar and vocals very much the focal point but drummer Xavier Bray was the pounding drive. They are all excellent musicians but the ability to change things around that really marks out the truly ‘live’ bands from the rest and they have this in spades. They went through the whole canon of their styles including a couple of delicious waltz time numbers – as Cyril said “Every Cajun dance needs a waltz for the lovers” and some dark and heavy voodoo Blues. ‘Je Vas Mon Chemin’ was played with real verve and showed all their talent and Cyril and Robin’s harmonies really worked well and now they were getting really warmed up with a brilliant ‘Mama Rosin’ followed by a raucous ‘Le Pistolet’ that had the crowd bouncing all over. ‘Bon Ton Roulet’ kicked off with heavy Voodoo drums and a hypnotic tone and set off a fresh set of mad dancing in the crowd. The encore, a brilliant version of ‘Johnny Can’t Dance’ was simply excellent. One of the highlights was Cyril announcing to the crowd that his girlfriend had just told him he was going to be a father for the first time – this was also news to Robin as the girlfriend in point is his sister – truly a family affair. The support band for the evening, as they have been for the whole tour, was Southend’s own The Lucky Strikes. Having just heard their album – ‘Gabriel Forgive My 22 Sins’ – I was very keen to catch sight of them live and they proved to be as good onstage as on disc. Matt Boulter is an excellent vocalist with real passion and an urgent voice while Jim Wilson’s Appalachian style fiddle and banjo playing take the bands’ sound to a different place to most other Americana & Blues bands. Founder and keyboards man, Dave Giles also plays a second set of drums and together with Will Bray the two make a stirring and powerful sound. They really set the early evening crowd alight with some terrific music and I can’t wait to see them do a set of their own soon.

Andy Snipper

Mama Rosin

The FATHER of the BRITISH BLUES

NEW FESTIVAL FOR 2011 PAYS TRIBUTE TO “THE FATHER OF BRITISH BLUES”, ALEXIS KORNER.

by Kevin Wharton

There are many legends in the world of music but one who must rank at the top of the UK Blues tree is Alexis Korner, who has been dubbed , The Founding Father Of The British Blues Scene’. He was a major rock on which the British Blues Scene was built. That scene would not only help to revive the US scene that was at this time being sadly ignored by many punters but also form the foundation of the musical genres right up to the present day. This year, sees a new festival in Yorkshire that celebrates the Blues and Alexis’ part in its continuation to the present day. The festival is to be held at The Magna Centre, Science Adventure Centre, Sheffield on 30th April and 1st & 2nd May 2011. The festival will centre around two stages. The main stage is named, ”The Alexis Korner Memorial Stage and will feature performances by many of those early British Blues trail busters of the 60s who learnt their craft at the hands of the great man himself. Names like Jack Bruce, The Animals and Spencer Davis, Dr Feelgood, Connie Lush, Zoot Money. Andy Fairweather Lowe, Maggie Bell. The Alexis Korner Stage will also feature those over the last fifty years who have picked up the legacy left to them by the early Bluesmen and women and the 60s British Blues Boom and are carrying it on into the present day. Alexis Korner worked with young up and coming artists to form the foundation of today’s music and no more fitting tribute to him than that all generations from the 60s stand side by side to celebrate his part in the genre. So, the stage will also feature musicians like Deborah Bonham, King King, The Stumble, Chantel McGregor and Danny Bryant’s RedEye Band. The second stage is entitled “The Yorkshire Stage” and as well as featuring traditional Blues and Blues/Rock it will also bring on board the new wave of young Blues acts, which are essential if the Blues is to be passed on to future generations.

Blues Matters spoke to Mick Rutherford about his connection to Alexis and thoughts on his contribution to the Blues.

Mick Rutherford: Alexis Korner was born in Paris, France on 19th April 1928 to an Austrian father and a Greek mother. He shortened his surname from Korner when he joined Chris Barber’s Jazz Band in 1949 where he met harmonica player Cyril Davis. Together with Chris Barber’s bass player and drummer Korner and Davis began playing a Blues set in the middle of Barber’s Jazz set.

Alexis and Davis formed Blues Incorporated in 1961. Incorporated was a mix of individual musicians at the outset and from time to time had Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Brian Jones and Peter Green as members and sometimes had Mick Jagger on vocals. I first met Alexis late ’63 when my band supported Blues Incorporated at the Marquee Club in Oxford Street. As we finished after midnight he invited us to stop at his flat. The five of us bedded down on the sofa and chairs and went to sleep. The next morning the whole of his lounge was filled with bodies of different bands that had too far to travel. That was when I found out that he always kept open house. Any band that had too far to travel home just rolled through his open kitchen window. In the morning Alexis made sure that everyone had plenty of buttered toast and cups of tea and coffee. To say that Alexis was a ‘gentleman’ would be an understatement, he was the gentlest of men, and he had encyclopaedic knowledge of blues music.

He was to teach me everything I know. He took me to a small club in Piccadilly to watch an American Bluesman who, after the show told me that if I tuned my guitar to an open E chord, I could play all the major chords with 1 finger. That American Bluesman was John Lee Hooker and you imagine the honour I felt that night being mentored by one of the true legends of the Blues! Lessons that have been my guide throughout the rest of my career!

When I got back to Alexis’ flat he showed me how to tune my guitar and I have never looked back since, so many of my self written compositions were written using this tuning. Alexis also took time teaching me how to sing ‘Scat’ a type of singing without words, just sounds, a style I still use to this day. I did a support tour with Blues Incorporated in mid ’65 and realised that Alexis was at the side of the stage every night watching. Then in September, I became a full time member of Blues Incorporated. As a bandleader he was just as gentle as he always was with everyone he met. When it was time for me to move on, as it was two years later, he took time to find me a band, now I don’t know anyone else in this business, then or now, who would do that!!! Alexis later formed C.C.S. and had a massive hit with ‘Tap Turns On The Water’. He then went onto Radio fronting the Blues Show (now fronted by Paul Jones).

I kept in touch with Alexis over the years. The last time I saw him was in a café in Wardour Street, London in ’83, he looked very frail and we arranged to meet on my birthday, 18th January 1984, but I would not see my musical mentor again as he passed away on January 1st 1984.

Alexis Korner would have been 83 on 19th April 2011, and I for one will miss him, not just as a musician but a friend and the man who taught me everything I know about Blues. It is said that in this business you have to be a bastard to survive, but Alexis was an angel and should be remembered as the Father of British Blues. Without his help and support there would be no Rolling Stones and no British Blues. All those who knew Alexis were truly blessed to have known him. I know that, having worked with him, I was blessed with his friendship and his knowledge and wisdom. When Alexis got to heaven God said ‘Boogie On Down’ and Alexis did!!!

Mick Rutherfood

Jenny Bohman

Swedish Queen Of The Blues –March 30th 1963 - November 13th 2010

By Brian Kramer & Candye Kane

Outside of Scandinavia Jenny Bohman was just starting to catch the attention of a wider audience with her music, deeply rooted in the blues but original with her own style.

Chances are if you own an Eric Bibb album, then you have heard the sound of Jenny’s sweet, confident, Delta-countrified harmonica playing as she has been his main harp player of choice for over a decade. Jenny has been a staple artist in the Scandinavian Blues scene since the late 80’s fronting groups, Monaco Blues Band (blues/rock)and Little Jenny & the Blue Beans (all chick blues band). Over the years she has released a few notable, acclaimed albums in these settings & recently in 2009 released “Coming Home” on the Rootsy label (Rootsy 029). This solo album brought together all the elements of Jenny’s craft in full force. Her original songs that focus on her own life experience, her beautiful voice, guitar playing and kick-ass harmonica. She put together a group of musicians than could deliver the blues-goods, but could also be an extension of her personal touch with this music and the direction she was taking. While recording the album Jenny was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and started an intense, relentless battle against the disease. She never for a moment wavered and continued recording and performing concerts & festivals no matter what condition she was in.

I knew Jenny and we were good friends for 20 years, but these last two years we got very, very close. I was helping her use Buddhist chanting (Nam Myoho Renge Kyo) to get more energy and focus in co-ordination with her other treatments and it was very effective for her as she was able to move out from Hospice care and live an active life for over a year against the odds. She adopted me to be a member of her group at that point and also work as a duo together for the next year and a half and it was just an amazing experience that taught me the meaning of never giving up!

Her last performance we both did together 2 weeks before she passed away and yes, she was weak and a little wobbly from the medication, but when she played, she was in full command of her ability and literally “blew everyone away”. Jenny went beyond the blues in the way she inspired people with her music.

Here are some words from internationally acclaimed Blues artist; Candye Kane.

“I had the honor of meeting Jenny Bohman in 2006 at a festival we both played in Kokkola, Finland. She was playing in a smaller bar after our set, so I was lucky to get to see her. I was with my friend Sue Foley on the Blues Caravan and both of us wanted to see Jenny because she was a female musician in an all female band, Little Jenny and the Blue beans. Sue and I both feel strongly that there are not enough female instrumentalists and were excited to see Jenny playing harmonica that night, but also some guitar and vocals. Sue left early but Jenny and I hung out after the show and became friendly. We exchanged numbers and email addresses and promised to keep in touch. When I played in Sweden, Jenny often showed up with her big warm smile. I always asked her to sit in and she was always gracious and fun. We found out we had a lot in common - we were both single mothers. We both loved Piaf. We both loved the Blues and female musicians. I started hearing more from Jenny when I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2008 and she was also being diagnosed for her own health issues. We spoke on the phone several times and I encouraged her to be strong and hold firm to the belief that she would be able to beat the disease that was ravishing her tiny body. Sometimes she seemed more upbeat than other times but that’s how it is when we are struggling with a disease. We have dark moments and we have hopeful ones. The idea is to have more hope than darkness.

The last time I saw Jenny, she came to see me at the Akkurat in Stockholm. She ate dinner with us before the show and she seemed full of life and much healthier than before. She sang me some songs from her Piaf show and I was just astounded how amazing she was doing Piaf. I told her that I thought she was born to play the role of Piaf. The movie about Piaf had just been released and Jenny and I spoke a lot about the film. My whole band was blown away by the strength of Jenny’s voice and how she seemed to become Piaf in those moments. We had a lot of fun that night. I almost lit myself on fire when my feathers on my dress got too close to a candle. Jenny and I laughed about that. She said “Don’t beat cancer and now die in flames in Sweden!” We later invited her onstage and she sang a song with me and blew some harp. She was wonderful as usual. I didn’t know that would be the last time I would see her alive. I am glad I saw her healthy and lovely and full of the warmth and love of music that made her so tremendously special. She packed a lot of heart and soul into that tiny body.

It was especially heartbreaking to find out that Jenny left us on my birthday, November 13th. I will always think of Jenny but especially on my birthday each year. She was a wonderful person and a gifted entertainer. I am proud to call her my friend. Now our Jenny soars in the heavens. Fly on little sparrow.”

Candye Kane

BLUES DECAY:

More than teething problems

Billy Hutchinson

First and perhaps foremost, I must declare my disclaimer, as my observations are based on my visit to Jackson, Mississippi in April 2010, and that circumstances may have changed, an undoubtedly will if, and when the whole of Farish St is completed

Farish St. is one of the most famous streets in Blues music history, and today sadly, one of the most neglected. Although renovations have started towards one end of the street, it has a low profile and a very slow programme. After dark along Farish St., I recall my wife found it is a scary place, and during the day anyone who resembles a tourist finds himself swooped upon by panhandlers (beggars).

In its hey-day Farish St., was a visual success story, a testament of what African Americans had achieved, and historically what they could achieve. After desegregation, there was freedom for blacks to shop or work more or less, where they wished. Sadly by the 1980’s many of Farish’s businesses had folded. Out of this, white furniture owned stores opened up, amongst the buildings held by black doctors, lawyers, churches and cafés. The white storeowners began to understand, that the recorded music they were hearing was indeed popular, and that it may well benefit their trade. So run down became the street that they wound up in the hands the City of Jackson. When that occurs the City appoints a board then the Authority stands on its own, sometimes the City government issues bonds for the authority. The authority first gave the option to Performa Entertainment Real Estate of Memphis, who set up the re-vamped Beale St., but they could not come up with the funds, time elapsed then Watkins Partners of Jackson itself took up the challenge, and it is in their hands at time of writing.

Today work around town on hotel, and business infrastructure shows dynamism in this capital city of Jackson, Mississippi, but frankly, the one-time African American commerce/business centre resembles a bone-yard. Frankly, in most lots, there appears less there than there is actually there. With barely a handful of businesses remain open, the most prominent being “Peaches”, a soul food diner, and F. Jones Corner, (formerly Fields Café) a Blues joint, Big Apple Inn (aka Big John’s) serves hot sandwiches. There is a Mississippi Blues Marathon and half marathon every year, although the adding recently of Elvis Presley’s name as a marketing device has caused some concern. Some within the community are still angry that Elvis took songs from their culture, and made it big.

Choctaw Indians inhabited the area now known as Jackson before the

non-indigenous settlers kicked them out. The city

settled with a dedication to General Andrew Jackson who later became President. Other names for the city now known as Jackson were Parkerville and LeFleur’s Bluff. Jackson has the distinction of being the only American city to sit upon a volcano (long extinct).

My raggedy Jackson Blues history lesson being: Farish St., was (Main St.) of the newly liberated slave, it went on to be one of the most famous Blues music streets in the nation. Farish St. included H.C. Speirs Phonograph/ Music Store (briefly 225 N. Farish, then 111 N. Farish). Speir a white man who was responsible for getting most of the great Delta Blues guitarists on record, sold to a 90% black clientele (a fire destroyed a hefty tomb that was his address book with names, and address’ of those he sourced for recording). Speir noted that Charlie Patton was the best he ever found for record, Skip James a very close second on a good day, and Willie Brown as the best guitarist).Trumpet Records started out as Lillian McMurry’s furniture and record shop. Later she recorded Sonny Boy (Alex Rice Miller), Elmore James, Big Joe Williams, and Willie Love etc some in her own Diamond Recording Studio. Ace Records (established by Johnny Vincent who recorded rock ‘n’ roll and R&B artists such as Earl King & Huey Smith). An apartment above the Big Apple Inn was once home to Sonny Boy II and his wife, later it became the states NACCP headquarters, Medgar Evers was the field secretary, later famously assassinated by a Klansman. The Alamo Theatre (kick started the careers of Otis Spann & Dorothy Moore). The Edward Lee Hotel was a black hotel on Church St. (not to be confused with the King Edward Hotel) was a preferred location for recording visiting musicians. A Mississippi Blues Trail Marker is all that is left of Jimmy King’s Subway lounge, which was located in the basement of the Summers Hotel on W. Pearl St, now Metro Parkway. Just out of the back of The Queen of Hearts Blues joint is the house Johnnie Temple lived in; Tommy Johnson, Elmore James, Skip James, Joe & Charlie McCoy amongst others stayed there when in town. Bo Carter is reputed to have lived on Pascagoula St. Jackson was a hub the likes of Memphis that would have anyone from the Memphis Minnie to Lightnin’ Hopkins coming through. I cannot end this section without mentioning that Jackson was a one-time home to Gayle Dean Wardlow, one of the very best country Blues researchers there has been.

The Blues scene today is scattered across the city, found in places like, The Queen of Hearts, Hal & Mal’s, 930 Blues Café, Underground 119, and Burgers and Blues. The Central Mississippi Blues Society are active in the trenches as well

as visibly above ground, running a Blues jam as well as having their own band. Blues radio is active if not extensive, most notably Medgar Evers brother, Charles Evers who is the manager of the high Blues music content WMPR 90.1FM. The Medgar Evers/B.B. King Homecoming Celebrations is a huge annual event on the Jackson calendar. Today the almost 40 Yr. old Malaco records, continues Mississippi’s famous African American recording tradition, although it has released straight Blues it is synonymous with Southern soul recordings. The birthplace of the great Otis Spann, Bobby Rush, Melvin Taylor, Johnny Jones and Papa Charlie McCoy, though seemingly sporadic at times, does have a definite buzz about it, those active and notable artists who play in Jackson being, Grady Champion, Eddie Cotton, Jarekus Singleton, King Edward, Louis “Gearshifter” Youngblood

American society has a capitalist bi-polar mentality, in that there isn’t a lot of the population between those at the top, and those at the bottom. This is apparent in the architecture of many of its cities from the glass bastions of the commercial districts to its service workers ram shackled dwellings. In the South, this is more acute, even though the suburbs are where housing has migrated. Ole Mississippi - often cited as the most impoverished state in the Union with its vacant lots, abounding urban decay… dog-eared like in the searing heat. The food is great, the people warm, and very hospitable; ultimately most things move at a very leisurely pace. The city I believe has a lot of catching up to do in realising its great contribution to Blues music, and the tourism thereof; there is a vibe in Jackson it just needs a flowering.

The renovations are a work in progress, at present information is that there a strong push on site, and that everything is on programme. The first block between Amite and Griffith streets is now in very good condition, and Watkins having started in the Griffith to Hamilton streets section. The only business’ that can be mentioned as being planned being a B. B. King Blues club, and a new venue using the locally famous, “Subway Lounge” moniker. There will be celebration opening, but it is too early for details.

If I had the power with all he did for Mississippi Country Blues alone, the tallest structure in the city would be the H. C. Speirs building!

Acknowledged sources & valued contacts:

Marcia Weaver – the owner of The Poindexter Park Inn, Jackson, MS., also the manager to Dorothy “Misty Blue” Moore and a former City Council member.

Steve Cheseborough – author of “Blues Travelling: The Holy Sites of Delta Blues”

David Preziosi – Executive Director, Mississippi Heritage Trust

Todd Sanders – Tax Incentives Coordinator, Historic Preservation Division MDAH

Julie Skipper, Watkins Partners (Development) – Jackson, Mississippi

Blues Jive Anyone?

I would suggest that it’s the non-conformist in us that attracts us to the blues and its close cousin jazz. Whether as listeners or purveyors, the music offers the opportunity for free improvisation within a musical framework but without the constraints that other music genre require. It’s that same quality that also appeals to a section of the dance world that is evolving into a genre called Blues Jive. It’s a smoking, sensual, up close slow jive form that allows for those of us without a musical instrument talent to express ourselves and offer an additional visual form to the blues! For those guys about to switch off at this point I would point out you are passing up a great opportunity to find favour with the opposite sex! A good male dancer is never short of partners. For those of you with access to a PC, as a sampler of what I’m about to elaborate and make sure the kids aren’t around!! Check out the song ‘Sweat’ by Popa Chubby’s earthy CD offering ‘Booty and the Beast’. Hot or What?

To briefly backtrack. Whilst the evolving Jazz and Blues music of the USA was slowly trickling across the Atlantic to the UK in the 1920’s and 30’s, it became a flood with the arrival of US armed forces in the build up to the D Day landings that was to turn the tide of World War two. The exuberant dance styles of the U.S. based on swing, blues and jazz was to transform the dance halls of Europe. Jitterbug, Lindy Hop and Jive were the principle styles and it was the later that found most favour, as the former two required such athletic ability.

In recent years jive has evolved from its fairly simplistic and energetic form to what is now termed ‘Modern Jive’ with upwards of 500 moves and is gentler on the girls. This is a less vigorous form with input of Latin American dance moves from tango, salsa. As it is the guys that lead, they have to remember the moves and can pick and mix them in any sequence; the girls simply have to follow. In reality most guys can only conjure up twenty of them at any one time.

There has been a veritable explosion of modern jive clubs worldwide since the early 90’s. Some are self-formed, others through commercial organisations that offer franchises like Ceroc (C’est Roc) or LeRoc. There is certainly one near you and the music of choice is largely from the pop world I have to say but Blues jive, which has evolved from modern jive in the last ten years, offers the fans of Blues and jive the ultimate solution.

The exponents of the form on the aforementioned YouTube video Nigel and Nina, were amongst the coaches on hand when I attended a Ceroc Blues Championship weekender last autumn The soundtracks played by the DJ’s were from the mid fifties to present day blues generally of the slower tempo. This more developed style follows on from modern jive and is as I previously mentioned very up close and consequently a regular partner is almost but not necessarily a must.

I was pleased to see many more jivers at a recent Boogaloo Blues weekender where dancing features as part of the event. Hopefully more might progress from the left foot hop, right foot hop that passes as dancing so often.

An issue I have is that many festivals/venues don’t appear to cater for dancers. I have even heard that one UK festival that did have a dance floor and was condemned by Health and Safety as prone to accidents! Nanny state gone mad.

So those who don’t yet jive I’ll simply say, if you can walk and can follow a beat, try it! You may find a new chapter in your life that compliments the present one!

http://www.ceroc.com/ http://www.leroc.org.uk/ http://hub.webring.org/hub/modernjive

Mike Owens

ROBERT JOHNSON

The Subway to Robert Johnson

by Kevin Wharton

By Brian Kramer

If you can imagine a 15 year old kid in Brooklyn New York discovering Country Blues music and Robert Johnson, it was more than just stumbling across a needle in a mountain sized haystack.

We’re not talking about modern times, with its access to YouTube, Myspace, Facebook, or a zillion selling Eric Clapton tribute CD and DVD, I mean the late 70’s Disco-era Brooklyn. These were barren times for the blues throughout NY and by all logical accounts I should not have even been mingling with such deep sounds of the Southern soul at such an early age, if not for a tiny fluke incident that involved shoplifting a bunch of albums at a local used record store. Well, we did; my very bored buddy and I on a typical summer day and somehow my fingers were unknowingly guided to a small selection of records as we both spontaneously grabbed a handful and ran like hell.

When we got home we weren’t thoroughly impressed with our bounty that included John Mayall’s Blues Breakers (not interesting) Country Joe & The Fish (too trippy) but there was one Lightnin’ Hopkins record that when we put it on, set out a dizzying wave of unusual sounds, feelings and emotions which set this journey in motion.

I was young & impressionable at 15, playing guitar for only a year & trying to emulate songs by Pink Floyd or Neil Diamond, but this new discovery was like uncovering a secret language and it was difficult to go back and listen to popular music of that time with the same enthusiasm. It got our attention and blues was now on my radar, seeking out and reading up on whatever I could find. Robert Johnson’s name came up in Samuel Charters book; “The Country Blues” and we started to see a pattern in regard to the whole “deal with the devil” story, but his recordings were NOT easy to come by. Taking the subway to the city, we’d search high and low in every possible record store, finding only one LP titled “Paul Williams & Friends; In Memory Of Robert Johnson”. An import British release that was not without its charm, but a far cry from what we were ultimately seeking. Finally one day we found a used, out of print copy of the first volume of Columbia recordings and couldn’t imagine the impression and anticipation we had to finally hear this man titled; The King of the Delta Blues Singers!

Fast forward now to 2011… 33 years later, and it’s even harder to believe that somehow, in some small way I would, could or even should be connected to the legacy of this man’s life and music 100 years after his birth. But I tell you somehow it has happened!

Claud L. Johnson, illegitimate son and heir to the Robert Johnson estate now has in his possession a photograph that was discovered a few years ago which depicts a young, dapper Robert Johnson holding an acoustic guitar, posed with his travelling buddy at the time Johnny Shines. This is the third known photograph to surface that has been officially verified to be Robert Johnson. Claud clearly recognized his daddy when he was shown this photo from his brief memory as a child and proudly uses the image now in promotion of his dad’s legacy. Johnny Shines was also once quoted in an interview saying that a photo of them both was taken for a local newspaper. A few years earlier Zeke Schein; who works behind the sales counter in New York’s legendary guitar store, Matt Umanov, discovered this photo purely by chance while idly killing time identifying some old, beaten up guitars on ebay. He stumbled across an ad of this old photo for sale with the description “Possibly a young BB King”, but Zeke, who at that point was very familiar with Robert Johnson, his music and his legend recognized some significant details in this tattered photo & identified the dashing young man, setting out on a journey, with many “stones in his path”, to properly verify this fact (you can read the whole incredible story; “Searching For Robert Johnson” in the Nov. 2008 Vanity Fair magazine which can be found available on-line).

In a little Greenwich Village café Zeke Schein in confidence showed me a copy of this photo to see what I thought and gage my reaction. I was one of a small handful of people at that point who was allowed to view this image including John Hammond, Robert Lockwood Jr. and Honeyboy Edwards. Zeke then told me that if it weren’t for me showing him how and getting him started on Robert Johnson’s slide technique many years before, ( I always slipped in a few tips and tricks I’d picked up when we would sit in the store on those slow afternoons jamming on RJ tunes) that he would never have developed the interest and passion to indentify and carry through with this undertaking which would lead to uncovering yet another significant piece of the puzzle, shedding light on the mystery of Robert Johnson’s life. I was the first person to put Robert Johnson on his radar.

Go back another dozen years and I am 20 years old in the same guitar store; Matt Umanov’s. I stop in during a break from my job as a bicycle messenger to drool over and covet the many wonderful vintage Gibsons, Martins and Nationals I could never imagine affording, find a corner and clearly start to pluck on a RJ song, which was always the first thing I would play when testing a guitar. The man behind the counter, an older gentleman with slightly bulging eyes and a handle-bar mustache listens in recognizing what I am attempting to play, makes his way over to me and interrogates me a bit about

Picture owned by Claud L. Johnson

picture above by Vicki Moss Ramsey

Robert Johnson and as to why and how a young fellah such as myself was into this music. He mysteriously tells me to meet him back here at the store when it closes at 6:00 and bring a blank cassette. Slightly suspicious, a little creepedout, but mostly curious, I return and he leads me over to his tiny, cluttered apartment a few blocks away on McDougal Street. He leans in like he’s about to divulge some government secret; “Have you heard of the lost Robert Johnson alternate takes?”, this man; Eric Frandsen explains that he has in his possession a copy of the alternate takes of Robert Johnson songs that were never released on the Columbia volumes or anywhere. He had received them directly from John Hammond Jr. who received them from his father, producer and infamous talent scout John Hammond senior, recorded directly from the original plates. Hammond senior was the man who put together the legendary Spirituals to Swing concerts at Carnegie Hall in 1938 were he set out looking for Robert Johnson to feature him, only to discover and confirm his death. By this point in my life I had studied and absorbed a steady diet of mostly pre-war & country Blues, with Robert Johnson’s music in the center, so to find out that these alternate takes existed was worth more that gold to me! I sat there mesmerized as we listened to other versions of ‘Crossroad Blues’, ‘Phonograph Blues’, ‘Drunken Hearted Man’ & ‘Travelling Riverside’. Very few people got to hear these alternate takes back then and I was so honored to be one of them. May 8th 2011 marks the 100 Year centennial of Robert Johnson’s birth. There are indeed concerts and tributes planned in many regions. Zeke Schein is arranging one in New York and has invited me to perform along with artists like Nick Katzman, Jackson Smith, Steve Earl and other notables. This has also spurred and inspired me to arrange my own Robert Johnson Centennial concert in Stockholm at Club Stampen. There will be two floors of non-stop live blues, gathering together dozens of the finest sliders and pickers in Scandinavia for the first time in the history of this land. Most Blues festivals here primarily focus on Chicago style electric blues or jump/swing blues with perhaps only a couple of country blues pickers with their National resonators & flat tops representing. However this event will be a spectacular display of the influence of Country Blues and specifically Robert Johnson’s music on the Scandinavian Blues scene!

From the time I first heard the smooth articulate sounds of Robert Johnson’s guitar playing at 15 until now, I have spent a lifetime trying to digest, figure out and play his music. There were no teachers for this stuff that I could find or even look for back then and even less resources and printed matter. I’m actually pretty surprised at how much of it I got right just by feel, ear and limited information.

When I got my first record deal in 1988; “Brian Kramer and the Blues Masters; Win Or Lose”, featuring Junior Wells, Mick Taylor & Steve Jordan among others, I absolutely had to include a Robert Johnson tune; “32-20”. Also an instrumental with just me on National resonator guitar & Junior Wells on harp called “Lover & Friend”, which essentially was my finger picking in the style of the RJ song “Little Queen Of Spades” (this recording is long out of print and unavailable, but trust me, you can find it free for download all over the net…).

I got a chance to visit Clarksdale Mississippi recently for the first time and visit two grave markers bearing Robert Johnsons name. I meditated there and played a few songs in appreciation, thanking Mr. Johnson for enriching my life with a spirit and soulfulness in music that has been a vast treasure for me.

I wrote a song while there called; “Journey To The Delta” capturing this moment (released on my latest recording Myself and Mine -BKB 0005);

“Near Morgan City by the Zion Church is hallow ground

Near Morgan City by the Zion Church is hallow ground

Right by the highway side they laid his body down”

I’ve taught to hundreds of private students over the years with what I consider to be my interpretation of Robert’s songs, trying not to get people too hung up on the exactness of it, but finding the flow and spirit of these rich songs while breathing something new and individual into them. A few of them have gone on to confidently perform & record Robert Johnson’s material and pay tribute in their own way. When one finds that balance, then without having to copy, you can drink from the same stream of inspiration as our idols have. Chris Whitley knew this as well as the late great John Campbell, who I both knew and admired when I was seeking inspiration on the local NY blues scene through the 80’s. When I teach my high school students (I work at an International school two days a week) I make them aware very early on of Robert Johnson and explain that he was actually only a few years older than they are and this was amongst “the” most popular music of its day in the south.

I try to make a connection between that and their current musical tastes & usually discover that that bridge is shorter than the realize.

To this day I still include a few Robert Johnson numbers in my live performances. They are like old friends, happy to be greeted and I feel the same way now as I kick off a version of “Stop Breakin’ Down”, “Travelling Riverside Blues” or “When You Got A Good Friend” as when I was just a teenager engaged in between the fantasy of the blues and the reality of my young, tortured life.

I couldn’t think of a better way to honor the man than that!

*For more info about Brian & his music check out briankramerblues.com

Zeke Schein & BK by Peter Modin

Blues Matters

By Duncan Beattie

There’s not a person reading this who wouldn’t have known of Gary Moore nor had an opinion about him. It’s also fair to say that no one would have predicted his premature death at the age of 58 on 6th February 2011. We can all relate to how we heard of Gary Moore.

As a teenager in the early 1990s, I knew very little about the Blues. I became aware of Thin Lizzy through the release of Phil Lynott’s posthumous single ‘Dedication’ which marked the fifth anniversary of his passing. Then I heard Gary Moore’s single ‘Cold Day In Hell’, which reached 24 in the UK charts and before long the albums “After Hours” and “Still Got The Blues” shifted my Metallica albums to one side. These albums and subsequent “Blues Alive” and “Blues For Greeny” first introduced me to the music of Peter Green, John Mayall and many earlier blues artists, each of whom I then explored with relish.

Born in the same part of Belfast as Van Morrison, Moore’s early influences were Hank Marvin and George Harrison (whom he later recorded with), but it was the John Mayall’s “Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton” album that was the real turning point. Shortly afterwards Moore, like Rory Gallagher, saw the Blues Breakers at the Club Rado in Belfast. By this point Green had replaced Clapton, and Moore was ‘absolutely transfixed’. By the time Green returned to the city in the early days of Fleetwood Mac, Moore was already an aspiring guitarist and an encounter with future Thin Lizzy drummer Brian Downey saw Moore receive an offer from Brush Shiels to join his band Skid Row in Dublin, which at the time also featured Phil Lynott. Moore left Belfast in 1968, just at the start of the ‘Troubles’. He rarely spoke of the political situation in Northern Ireland, except on tracks like ‘Speak For Yourself’ in an appeal to the peaceful majority.

Moore’s developing friendship with Green saw the band relocate to London under Clifford Davies’ management. When Skid Row broke up Moore released the solo album “Grinding Stone” before receiving the call to join Thin Lizzy after Eric Bell’s sudden departure. After four months Moore left them with the of his unaccredited co-write with Lynott, ‘Still In Love With You’ with his guitar solo helping the band gain a deal with Phonogram was and was left untouched on their “Nightlife” album. Moore required greater discipline and found it in Jon Hiseman’s prog rock/fusion group Colosseum II recording three albums. He was to return to Lizzy when they toured the USA with Queen, and again in 1979 when they toured Australia and recorded “Black Rose.” Simultaneously Lynott and Downey made contributions to Moore’s solo album “Back On The Streets”, most notably on the minor ballad ‘Parisienne Walkways’ and Peter Green inspired slow take of ‘Don’t Believe A Word.’Green bequeathed Moore his ‘59 Les Paul which Moore reluctantly sold after a hand injury left him out of pocket after festival cancellations in 2003. After the final and acrimonious split from Lizzy Moore launched his solo career, which included fine hard rock albums such as “Run For Cover” which featured Lynott on the top five hit ‘Out In The Fields’; and the Celtic tinged ‘Wild Frontier’.

One evening in the dressing room, Moore was playing the blues to himself when his bass player Bob Aisley said “You know, Gary, you should make a blues album next. It might be the biggest thing you ever do.” Recording “Still Got The Blues” Moore almost got cold feet, and at his first gig received boos. Yet the gigs got bigger and better including large European festivals, and the album quickly sold 3 million copies. “Still Got The Blues” demonstrated Moore’s ability to blend his style with those who inspired him and his own original compositions sat well between covers featuring Albert Collins and Albert King. It also allowed him to dip into his eclectic guitar vocabulary to pull out some rarely used styles. ‘Moving On’ saw him play slide guitar in a similar way to his work on Lizzy’s ‘Little Darling’ or ‘All Messed Up’ from ‘Run for Cover’. Not only did the album revitalise interest in the Blues in Europe, it brought back substantial attention to artists such as Jimmy Rogers whom Moore had covered with ‘Walking By Myself.’ ”Blues For Greeny” released in 2003 helped stimulate Peter Green out of retirement.

Subsequent interviews have shown that Moore later felt his interpretation of the blues at that time was overblown and acknowledged that on tour beside Collins and King playing he was “hanging onto the rock thing” more than he should have. Of his recording of ‘Oh Pretty Woman” with Albert King, he recalled King’s departing statement, “You know what?

Blues Matters remembers Gary Moore

Play every other lick.” It is perhaps these thoughts that led Moore to re-record ‘Midnight Blues’ and ‘All Your Love’ on a later release while his penultimate album “Close As It Gets’ finally saw record an acoustic song, a version of Son House’s ‘Sundown.’ Yet Moore’s loyalty to his own impulses was greater than to the Blues. In between Blues albums he recorded as BBM with Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker, the power trio Scars and even electronic samples on “A Different Beat”. On his “Bad For You Baby” tour, I recall having mixed feelings as he mixed the sublime with showboat shredding. The bulk of 2010 saw him play a rock set, yet according to garymoorefc.com Moore recorded another Blues album that was scheduled for release later this year. On the inside perhaps it was problematic to keep all fans on side.

Moore had a reputation of being hard to work with, his preshow preparations were often lengthy and he would show his displeasure if things were not as he wanted. Yet this showed he cared about what he did and can be balanced by the tributes of younger guitarists such as Joe Bonamassa, Henrik Freischlader and Ben Poole who were inspired by him and came to know him.

Moore’s lasting legacy is considerable. He left us an impressive and diverse set of recordings, including strong compositions in Blues, Rock and Pop. He also introduced many of his existing Rock fans to the Blues, brought much needed attention to earlier Bluesmen and inspired countless younger music fans to discover and play the Blues.

My Memories Of Gary Moore

By Mick Simpson

I’m sure I share with many the shock and sad passing of Gary Moore, however for me it was a more personal blow, as Gary was a major influence on my playing and my long musical journey over the years.

I first met Gary back in 1979 at Pete Back’s Custom Guitar workshop, which at that time was based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. Thin Lizzy were riding high in the charts with hits like, Do Anything You Wanna Do, Waiting For An Alibi, and Sarah, also Gary’s debut solo album ‘Back On The Street’s’ had just been released. I’d called into Pete Back’s workshop that day along with my friend Rob Royston, who was himself, a great blues guitarist and another big influence on my early playing days. Rob had commissioned Pete to build him a guitar and we’d called in on the off chance to see how thing’s were progressing. It was there that I first encountered Gary, sat perched on an amp, playing a custom built Firebird that Pete had made for him. I sat and watched in awe as Gary played these incredible blistering runs up and down the neck. His playing made such an impression on me, I’d finally found the direction that I wanted to take, fusing Gary’s fast alternate picking style with Jimi Hendrix ‘Red House’ style of blues. He invited us that evening to stop by and say hello to the rest of the band, as Thin Lizzy were playing at the Sheffield City Hall, but unfortunately we didn’t make it as I was only twelve years old at the time and my parents wouldn’t allow me to go. From that day on I became an avid fan.

I met up again with Gary back in November 2007 whilst he was on tour with the Bad For You Baby album. I presented him with a Gibson Les Paul 59 Historic, as he’d sold his Peter Green 59 Les Paul back in March 2006, and I know the sale of the guitar caused him a lot of anguish. My gesture wasn’t for any personal gain, but just out of appreciation to the guy for what he had gave to me musically over the years. Gary was very complementary of my playing and songwriting, he particularly liked my track ‘Love Me Tonight’, which in his opinion was a well crafted song with a great feel, as you can imagine praise coming from someone like him really meant a lot to me. In fact there’s a few nods to Gary on my latest album ‘Hard Road’, the instrumental track, A Father’s Son, has a feel very much reminiscent of his style. His passing is a tragic, untimely loss. Gary was one of the greatest guitarist’s of our time and a true inspiration who will be sadly missed.

LITTLE WALTER

by Kevin Wharton

By Brian Kramer

As you are walking down a thin cobble-stoned street in the Old Town, your ears pick up the distinct wail of a slide guitar, the beat of the drums, you get closer; a harmonica. A crowd is gathered outside the club called Stampen, and you can barely wedge your way into the room. People are seemingly mystified by the pumping shuffle beat of a local blues band working the room, sweating, moaning, to the satisfaction of the crowd.

Musicians of all shapes, sizes, age, color & gender jump on and off the stage at a dizzying pace and slip right in without missing a beat. It’s easy to lose time here and the blues goes on from 2:00 in the afternoon till 2:00 in the morning on Saturdays.

Just one street over in the basement of the pub Wirströms, a Saxophone is wailing over a tight groove led by Derrick “Big” Walker and his band. Dim lights, a musky, damp smell, and bumpy stone walls, the energy in the room feels timeless and the crowd looks just as at-home here as in any Chicago dive or Mississippi juke joint.

One block over from there, St; Clara is getting ready to start up their Blues Jam and you can see many of the familiar faces from the other joints working their way into the room, greeting each other joyfully, and eager to jam.

Keep walking a few more blocks over a small bridge and Club Akkurat is packed to the rafters while harmonica ace Kim Wilson tears it up. International touring blues acts can be seen here regularly and it is always free to get in.

A few minutes away on the tube and you’ll find Nalen Bar with the Top Dogs swinging a heavy and convincing Zydeco groove. There are a good handful of other places as well around the town thriving and pumping with the primal, intoxicating sounds of the Delta, the Windy City or Texas.

No, this isn’t a tour of the best Blues joints in the US, this is Stockholm Sweden and its Blues scene is as healthy and vibrant as anywhere in America, maybe even more so.

Week after week the crowds can’t wait to experience their favorite local blues musicians; Eric Hansson, Maxi Dread, Harmonica Henry, Sven Zetterberg just to name a few…

But I swear it wasn’t always this way. When I first came to Sweden twenty years ago there were a couple of small joints that featured some regular blues bands but the closest thing they had to a real scene was a small bar called Kaos where mostly expatriate Americans gathered. Allen Finney originally from Michigan and living in Stockholm for three decades was one of the most visible on the blue scene then and still cuts a deep groove with his blues.

Brian Kramer band Bert Deivert

Eric Bibb, living here for two decades and three wives could be seen around town in various “singer songwriter” settings, but back then he was quite a few years away from stumbling onto his now trademark sound that he would develop in Stockholm in collaboration with Swedes.

I remember at that time in 1990 it was my first time in Scandinavia on tour & before the tour started I ventured out to see a local blues band of all Swedish musicians. There were maybe only half a dozen folks in the bar listening and the group was attempting to recreate classic blues songs note for note as they were on those old Chess recordings. When I say something was missing, it is in the same way you would make a really hearty gumbo, but without any of the spices or cayenne pepper.

During their break I approached the band leader with my guitar and mentioned that I was visiting from the States, humbly name-dropped that I’d recorded with Junior Wells and asked if I could sit in with them. He hesitated for a moment and then answered no. When I asked why the said “we’ve never played together before, I don’t know how it will sound”.

This was my first encounter with a group of musicians who played “blues” but had no experience jamming or taking risk. That’s all I grew up with in NYC in the 80’s jamming in the clubs with everybody.

I returned to New York and the scene there was just steadily declining as it was increasingly difficult to get decent paying gigs.

A few years later I relocated to Stockholm with my pregnant Swedish wife (who I met in NYC) and infant son and started to work my way into the very limited club scene & also get to know their blues history.

I discovered the Scandinavian Blues Society has the oldest blues magazine on the planet called “Jefferson” which started in the 60’s and these guys who ran it did have a passion for the blues, but it was clearly a bit on the dusty side, not very flexible and they easily discouraged any blues that didn’t fit the mold. I Befriended Pelle Leuf of the Stockholm Blues society, also a hobby blues bassist and he booked me at a few local events & I played some shows backed by his group; Tru & Blu.

He was and is very productive in his efforts to inform the public of all Stockholm’s blues related activities.

I then discovered that two very important American blues/music historians lived right here in town. Samuel Charters; producer and author of many prominent books including what I refer to as the blues bible; “The Country Blues”, has had an apartment here for 30 years and also Izzy Young who heralded in the folk and blues movement in New York’s Greenwich Village in the 50’s and 60’s. Izzy promoted shows for every legendary folk and blues artist around at the time. He started the Folklore Center in New York and continues it in Stockholm. And these two guys, these two mammoth minds of American folklore history were around and accessible!

To my dissatisfaction there were absolutely no jam sessions or open stages around in Stockholm or Sweden & hadn’t been any for a decade. From what I was told the one they tried wasn’t very conducive to creativity and was mostly an unorganized, drunken mess.

So, I started one of my own and from the very first day dozens of musicians came out of the wood-work and hundreds of curious patrons wanted to know what this was about. We featured anyone who was willing to step up on stage with us and shy as Swedes were, made it as friendly and comfortable as possible. Not like the highly competitive, head cutting vibe I was used to from my early days in NYC at Dan Lynch Blues Bar.

Young folks started popping up and more & more people came to witness this tightrope act before their very eyes, never quite knowing what will happen next from jammer to jammer, week after week packing

Wirstroms Derreck Walker, Benny Feranderr

the club solid and waiting outside till the door opened, rushing in to stake the best spot. Stampen, which originally was an old pawn shop in the 1950’s converted to a Jazz Club (all sorts of wares and musical instruments stuffed animals, a baby carriage, hang dangling on wires from the ceiling. Hundreds and hundreds of old items) had seen better days and at this time was sold to a Lebanese immigrant, Josef Haddad and his cousins, who had little to no experience with this American music culture. From the first day Stampen started up my Blues Jam (a concept every other place in the area turned down) he turned to me and proclaimed; “people who come for Blues drink more that people who come for the Jazz… Stampen is a Blues Club now!”

I would never claim that this was the start of the Swedish blues scene, but this was clearly the start of properly nourishing and nurturing the interest that was already there, in a healthy way that promoted its growth. Other bars and clubs soon started to feature more blues related music and young bands started to form who had a more balanced understanding of how “Blues” was supposed to be communicated, many of which would become attractions for the few festivals here. There are two outstanding festivals here in Sweden; the Åmål Blues Festival and the Monstrås Blues Festival and both of these have a history of featuring the finest Blues artists locally and abroad. Åmål has grown to attract over 7,000 patrons each year and the humble man who runs it; Nils Lönnsjö was, is and always will be a blues-lovin’-fan at heart. People from all over Scandinavia travel to this festival and spend days here in a dizzying joy from all kinds of international blues. I’ve played this festival with both Larry Johnson and Eric Bibb as well as with my own group and the appreciation is overthe top!

Talking with elder statesmen of the blues T-Model Ford and Cadillac John at that festival, they both were going on and on after witnessing a small, frail, curly haired Swedish girl I was playing with named Jenny Bohman blow some of the most incredible blues harp they’ve heard ANYWHERE!

Popular Swedish Jump style blues bands like Knock-Out Greg & Blue Weather, Trick Bag, or Jump 4 Joy featuring Boogie Woogie piano virtuoso Ulf Sandström, are hailed as the best there is at these events over the years. Also Homesick Mac; a Serbian, expat fingerpicker and slider who has worked & recorded with the late great Sam Mitchell, Bert Deivert, originally from Boston is single-handedly reenergizing the mandolin blues style of Yank Rachell on this side of the pond. Bottleneck John Eliasson plays some wicked slide guitar on his resonators and sings like he’s in a Baptist church. However my personal favorite is a man named Sven Zetterberg. Sven can play the pants off any of the “Kings” and sing with the sweet soul of the best of em’. He’s got the chops and the pipes & did his time in the States touring early on with artists like Jimmy Rodgers and Jimmy McCracklin. He is indeed Scandinavia’s equivalent to the King of the Blues.

Young local artists and Blues bands have been popping up like crazy here over the years, many of them developing their craft at my jam at Club Stampen week after week.

Emil Arvidsson and Daniel Kordelius as teenagers formed a group called the Young Guns that became a very popular festival & touring attraction. They eventually split up and both have gone on to develop and mature their sound even further in individual bands. Little Chris Shorooi was only 13 years old when I put him up on stage to trade licks with Sven Zetterberg. He’s gone on to become a Stockholm Records recording artist and a prodigy of the blues.

Chris now tours as guitarist with a 24 year old, talented, cutie; Jasmine Kara who also cut her teeth singing with us at the Stampen Blues Jam. She has just been nominated for a Swedish Grammy award for her acclaimed release “Blues Aint Nothing But A Good Woman Gone Bad”.

A saucy group of young Swedish sisters called the Slap-Tones and then later re-formed as Baskery wound up travelling the globe after finding their voices and honing their skills within this new fertile, blues scene in Stockholm. There’s a 16 year old kid right now named Jesper Öberg (he prefers Jesse Walker) who just rips on his Gibson Firebird at the jams. He’s got a big thing going for Johnny Winter but I’m gradually turning him on to Robert Nighthawk, Earl Hooker and such. Up and coming acoustic and slide players like Svante Sjöblom or Benny Ferander on his National resonator guitar are taking their own experiences and culture and expressing them with their blues. Matti Norlin has been dazzling audiences with his high energy finger-picking and slide chops for many years. An acoustic based group called Yonder are also interpreting Skip James and Mississippi John Hurt songs with a bit of a Swedish personality and hang, but will just as easily dip into an ancient Scandinavian funeral song, making it feel like a blues. More resonator guitars and slides are making appearances (and I’m getting more calls to give private slide guitar instruction). I’m also seeing more and more blues based musicians writing their own songs now. There is a comfort ability growing here that is connecting to the original intention of what good blues music is all about; personal, communicative, and entertaining. A far cry from what I had experienced and witnessed 20 years before and these Swedish blues artists can go toe to toe with any American blues musicians currently out there. Maybe even have something

Kim Wilson

new to offer in return?

The audiences are getting younger too, with dozens of kids in their late teens and early 20’s in the room moving in rhythm alongside middle-aged and senior folk. There is no generation gap in sight here.

Whoever would come through Sweden now from around the globe would make it over to Stampen or play around town.

Jimmy Dawkins, Bob Brozman, Eugene Hideaway Bridges, Rocky Athas, Kevin Thorpe, Otis Grand, Michael Powers, Louisiana Red, Larry Johnson, Duke Robillard, Candye Kane, Speedo Jones, and the list goes on. You come in out of the icy, cold, dark winter after walking around this city surrounded by water, crossing over thousand year old bridges, passing castles & listening to the polite chatter of the Swedish language and feel disoriented for a moment when this total blues experience hits you in the face. I think that’s why Swedish people who are shy by nature and taught from a social standpoint to not be overly outgoing are so intrigued by this and keep coming back. It’s just so spontaneous and expressive. I see hundreds and hundreds of Swedes every week, year after year, loving every minute of it and none of them give a crap about the history of the blues. Many don’t even care to know who Robert Johnson or Muddy Waters were. They just get caught up in the grooves and the emotions and the surprise of it all. Isn’t that really what it was all about originally?

That’s the closest thing I can find to the true connection of the lineage of this Blues; that it’s capable of moving all people. However Swedish culture is not void of its own emotional and moving folk music & mystical traditions. The Swedish Nyckelharpa or key harp with its 16 strings and played with a bow like a fiddle (but it also has levers sort of like a saxophone) date back to the 1400’s and has very melancholy, bluesy undertones to its wail. Interestingly in its construction during the 16th and 17th century the luthiers would even include a small bag of charms with bits of feathers, stones and earth tucked inside the instrument to ward off demons. This was 300 years before the mojo bag made its way into American blues folklore. “Visa music” is very much like the lone troubadour telling a story or tale from another time when music was a form of the news or document of important events.

Their own beloved Cornelis Vreeswjik, an absolute folk icon was known for his moving-folksy blues and covers of Leadbelly songs. And Peps Persson who sings his blues entirely in Swedish recorded an album “The Week Peps came To Chicago” in 1972 with impressive names like Carey Bell, Jimmy Dawkins, Sunnyland Slim, Louis Meyers and a virtual who’s who of Chicago side-men supporting.

After being exposed to this culture and its rich folk music tradition, I’m even convinced that at some point in time Mississippi John Hurt or even Blind Lemon Jefferson must have been exposed to an immigrant Swedish fiddle player because there are some clear melodic similarities that just don’t seem to have emerged solely from the Delta country life. According to Tony Russell’s book Whites Blacks and Blues; “Though the blacks were a segregated bunch, they received and passed out countless musical ideas from surrounding peoples- not merely southern Anglo-Saxon whites, but French-speaking Cajuns, Mexicans, and perhaps even the German-, Italian and Swedish-speaking immigrants.”

Throughout Scandinavia now there are thriving clubs and festivals featuring the blues, roots and welcoming the diversity of this music in all its forms. Norway has a huge, popular festival called the Nottodden Blues festival which is a grand event that literally turns the whole town into a blues-zone. Denmark has the Mojo Blues Bar which is a popular blues hang-out and features many known touring blues artists. There is also the Grand Blues Festival in Lathi, Finland. All of these countries have their respective blues societies and local blues jams as well as dozens and dozens of noteworthy performers & local hero’s in every shade of blue. They are all doing their part to keep the blues juices flowing in the northern hemisphere.

So somehow in this cold, dark, emotionally introverted Northern country a taste for roots and blues music has emerged and is being steadily cultivated. It is something of a privilege to be able to be both appreciated as an American blues artist here and also to be able to pass along something that I have come to love and develop in a deep, personal way from my own culture.

It may not be the first thing one thinks about when visiting Scandinavia, but the blues is here and it’s here to stay!

-Southern-fried Swedish meatballs with hot sauce anyone?

*Brian Kramer from Brooklyn New York, has been working and travelling as a blues musician for over 25 years and has performed and recorded with Legendary artists like Junior Wells, Bob Brozman, Larry Johnson, Taj Mahal, Eric Bibb & others.

Since re-locating to Sweden he has enjoyed a renewed and refreshed understanding for this music and continues to travel around the world sharing this spirit with others.

For more info about Brian & his music check out: www.briankramerblues.co

Brian Kramer

JIMI HENDRIX

The Mason’s Yard Sessions 1967

by Norman Darwen

Remastered (Photographs by Gered Mankowitz)

@Richard Goodall Gallery, Manchester, 4 February – 5 March 2011

Walking along in the rare February sunshine, it struck me that Jimi Hendrix would probably have felt at home in the still slightly bohemian ambience of Manchester’s northern quarter - so it was fitting that an exhibition of the photographs of Hendrix by Gered Mankowitz was taking place at The Richard Goodall Gallery in that area. A line of large portrait photos as I approached the door increased the anticipation, and once having got inside, I was hit by a blast from “Band Of Gypsys”, my favourite Hendrix album ever since I first heard it shortly after reading of Jimi’s death on the front page of my local paper whilst on my way home from school.

I had seen many of these (originally black and white) photographs before - Gered took them in London in 1967 and some have graced many albums, books and magazines ever since (this exhibition actually developed from a request for photographs for a series of CD reissues in Germany); but to see them close up and some more or less life-size, with digital colour bringing to vivid life the psychedelic regency dandy image which these shots established whilst hearing Jimi’s music at the same time, brought up a whole host of memories and feelings... and to see photographs that were unfamiliar, such as the lenticular picture (it changes as you walk past it) of a smiling Jimi with hat, was absolutely fascinating. For a few minutes the 40 plus years since Jimi’s untimely death rolled away - and I was not the only one who felt like that, to judge from the comments in the visitors’ book. “The legend lives on”, said one I read as the words coming out of speaker were, rather appropriately, “With the power of soul, anything is possible”. For the 15 minutes or so I visited this exhibition, it was indeed possible to recapture the optimism of those longlost days...

Too

Q65

The

THEE

BEFORE WE FORGET

LITTLE WALTER

Papa Charlie Jackson

by Kevin Wharton

Papa Charlie Jackson is held to be the first Bluesman to record. Apart form the recordings he made, and their dates, very little is known about this pioneering Blues player. His dance hit ‘Shake That Thing’ was one of the most influential tunes of the era and his comedic style made him a much-loved performer. Despite this, he remains a shadowy figure, with even the dates of his birth and death unknown.

Kevin Wharton looks at the life of this shadowy but highly influential figure of the Blues.

Papa Charlie Jackson was born Charles Alexander Jackson, although even this is in doubt as some references say his name was Charlie Carter. He was born in New Orleans around 1885. It is not clear when he died but a good guess would be in 1938 in Chicago.

He is known to have spent his teen years playing all around Chicago in the early 1920s, originally busking and performing in Chicago’s famous Maxwell Street Market as well as the City’s West Side clubs. He gained a reputation as both a singer and performed and built up a repertoire of bawdy songs that would serve him well for decades. In August 1924, Jackson made his first recordings. ‘Papa’s Lawdy Lawdy Blues’ and ;Airy Man Blues’ for the Paramount label. Crucially, these were the first commercially successful, selfaccompanied recordings, by a male singer of the Blues. He quickly followed up this success only a month later with ‘Salty Dog Blues’ and ‘Salt Lake City Blues’. One of these recordings, ‘Salty Dog Blues’, became one of his signature songs and he later recorded this as a member of Freddie Keppard’s Jazz Cardinals. In 1925. He began cutting his first duet records with Ida Cox, Hattie McDaniel and Ma Rainey. Hattie McDaniel was to later achieve fame as an Oscar winning actress.

In that short period Jackson went on to become one of Paramount’s most important artists and all but a handful of his recordings were done for that company over the next decade. The recordings he made show him as a player with a wide variety and diversity of material. He also had a surprising range of vocal styles. ‘Good Doing Papa Blues’ and ‘Jungle Man Blues’ hinted at Jackson as a ladies man with a strong sense of humour. A duet with Ma Rainey presented him as a serious commentator on poverty. ‘Don’t Break Me Down’ was a pop song with seduction as a theme.

In September 1929 Jackson reach the pinnacle of his career, when hew got to record with his idol, Blind Blake, then the King of Ragtime Guitar. The recording ‘Papa Charlie and Blind Blake Talk About It’ parts 1 and 2 are very unusual in their diversity, including Blues jammin’ hokum and ragtime.

Most of Jackson’s recordings to date were made on a hybrid guitar/banjo and ukulele. The banjo/guitar was six stringed and tuned like a guitar but a banjo body gave it a light resonance. On some of his late 1920s recordings Jackson switched to guitar, although he was back to his hybrid by 1934 when he cut his final sessions. For reasons never recorded, Jackson left Paramount Records and moved to Okeh Records in the early 30s and never recorded for them again, even though the company lasted until two years into the Depression. His last recordings for Paramount were ‘You Got That Wrong’ and Self Experience’. These were deeply personal recordings dealing with lost love and a problem Jackson had with the law – although we do not know what that was. Perhaps tellingly, after making these records Jackson disappeared from recording for four years. He continued to perform however and returned to the studio in 1934 for three recordings with his friend Big Bill Broonzy. Unfortunately these recordings were never issued. Despite being the first Bluesman to record, Papa Charlie Jackson’s place in the history of the Blues has been lessened by several factors. Firstly, his recordings contain a lot of unique and irreverent material. He also played a fast upbeat tempo which whilst they made his records sell, they did not sit comfortably as traditional Blues. Also, neither his banjo nor ukulele was viewed as a traditional Blues instrument. It is also relevant that his recordings were of poor quality since about half of his output was recorded with an acoustic horn, not a microphone. This is clear on the few YouTube clips of Jackson’s songs.

To check Papa Charlie Jackson’s music out get a copy of the album ‘Fat Mouth’ released by Yazoo in 1970. Although it doesn’t include a few of his best works, the fourteen tracks spanning 1924-27 this concise compilation is a good introduction. For enthusiasts there are three volumes of complete recorded works released by Document in 1991.

What’s Coming Up - In Blues Matters; Who’s been talking to us? Well how about – Amar Sundy from France, Cassie Taylor (the daughter of Otis), Dana Fuchs yet to play the UK but raising a storm across Europe and USA, Joe Bonamassa on his new album, Mama Rosin on their exciting music, Idle Hands on 21 years in the Blues for starters. We are also talking to Chris Barber, Jon Cleary who will be talking to the UKs own rising New Orleans exponent in Dale Storr, Pure Fe of the Music Maker Foundation, Shirley Collins (former colleague to Alan Lomax) talks to Paromita Saha for us. We have Tommy Emmanuel, Todd Sharpville returns with his album Porchlight and spoke to Duncan Beattie. Then there’s the new young US prodigy that is Andy Poxon with the flaming hair and fingers. Also planning to have a chat with Louisiana Red, one of the greats still out there on the road. We will be starting a feature series on Acoustic Blues to also cover Slide, Resonator etc written by Michael Messer for us plus the features missing from this issue mentioned on p.5 and all the usual sections and reviews! Can’t wait!!!

Message - If you are interested in helping Blues Matters as part of a ‘street team’ get in touch at editor@bluesmatters.com as you could help get our fliers out there to your local venue, music store etc.

Joe Bonamassa

Chris Barber

Andy Poxon

Simon McBride