Reviews

Something Inside Of Me: Unreleased Masters and Demos From The British Blues Years 1963 -1976 (Wienerworld WNRCD5114) Review by Roger Trobridge, Chairman 2000-2012

This 4 CD box set contains 96 unreleased tracks which take you back into the world of the British Blues clubs in the late 1960s/ early 70s. It shows many of the music styles and types of performers you would find there - soloists, duos, trios, jug band acts and blues/R&B bands.

The bands and performers include Danny Kirwan’s The

Boilerhouse, Duster Bennett, Dave Kelly, Brett Marvin & The

Thunderbolts, Dynaflow Blues, Simon & Steve, Jeff Curtis &

The Flames, The D.J. Blues Band, Bob Hall, Graham Hine, Al

Jones, The Nighthawks, Shakey Vick’s Big City Blues Band, Dave

Peabody with Tight Like That and The Vintage Jug Band. There are lots of great tracks, but for me the high spot is the release of the 18 tracks by Simon and Steve (Simon Prager - guitar - and Steve Rye - harmonica). Steve Rye is one of the unknown gems of the UK harmonica scene, and he influenced many of the ones who followed in the 70s and 80s. Steve died aged 46 in 1992. The box set comes with a 150-page book with comprehensive biographies of the main bands and musicians. The story of Steve Rye is told by his partner on guitar, Simon Prager, who is still performing as a duo with Kevin ‘Doc’ Stenson. Steve started playing harmonica after hearing Sonny Terry play ‘Fox Chase’ on BBC Radio’s Children’s Favourites and went on to teach himself to play like Sonny by listening to his records. He met Simon in 1964 after seeing Sonny Terry play at an American Blues Festival in London, and they found they had a common interest in the early blues. They began gigging around the local London folk clubs, like Bunjies, where they were part of the scene with Jo Ann Kelly, Dave Kelly, and Tony McPhee. Their repertoire included music from Sonny, Leadbelly, Big Bill Broonzy, Sleepy John Estes, (John Lee) Sonny Boy Williamson, Gary Davis... and much of it is illustrated on these tracks. Steve was probably the best UK blues harp player. His downfall was his drinking problem. His unreliable behaviour limited his career with groups like The Groundhogs, with Bob Hall and Tony McPhee. There is more harmonica by Duster Bennett, Shakey Vick and

‘Wolfie’ Witcher and lots of great singers and guitarists on the other tracks So, if you want to relive or discover the music being played in the folk/blues clubs at this time, pull up a chair and listen to the four CDs as you read this lavishly illustrated book about the musicians and bands who were responsible for it.

Adam ‘Tidy’ Burney

Neil Warren

Adam ‘Tidy’ Burney is a harmonica player, singer and songwriter who hails from Croydon, South London. He’s best known for his band, the enigmatically named ‘The Brothers of Mothershovel’, who play a range of genres, all blues-based but with an edge of

Americana, roots and even punk. The band is underpinned by Adam’s brand of infectious, rhythmical harmonica, producing a driving sound and music to dance to. And by the way, check out The Brothers of Mothershovel music videos online, they are something to behold. I recommend starting with ‘Hovel Bop’ and ‘The Return of Jerome’. All of the music Adam has released derives from his deep love of the blues, and an appreciation of the blues masters. Starting from way back in the pre-war era where the harmonica rose to prominence in the 1920s, then through to Sonny Terry and Little Walter. With these roots, Adam has always had ambitions to release a more blues-based album. And with Tidy’s Blues Sandwich, he has achieved just that.

Recruiting some of the stellar names from the London blues scene, including Chad Strentz (who regularly sings with Paul Lamb) guesting with a couple of vocal tracks, he has produced an album with plenty of blues, but also heavily spiced with all the fun elements from his Brothers of Mothershovel days, including reworks of some of the songs from that band. Adam writes all the songs on the album, usually starting out by coming up with riffs on the harmonica which he puts to the band who then fill it out to create the complete number. This approach ensures the harmonica is central to each song, and is typically based around a catchy motif that is always appealing to the ear. His lyrics add to the effect, as he often employs subtle repeated phrases to drive home the message. The first track on the album, ‘Mudball Mooch’, is an electric blues that captures a Little Walter type sound, and is also a testament to the influences of British players Paul Lamb and Steve ‘West’ Weston on Adam’s playing. ‘A Nod To Noah’ pays homage to his love of pre-war player Noah Lewis. Adam’s irreverent style shines through in ‘Make The Tea / On The Run Again’ and ‘Old Man Blues’, one of the songs he has lifted from the Mothershovel band. Chad Strentz really adds to power to Adam’s lyrics on the two versions of ‘This World Will Keep On Rolling’. The highlight of the album for me is the song ‘Hip Bop’. Adam has released a few songs in this vein (such as Hovel Bop). It features his most fun-filled rhythmic playing and is a joy to hear. Adam may not be the most technically minded player. He’s a straight ahead diatonic player who plays to the strengths of the instrument, with repetition a strong part of his armoury. What you do get from him is lots of tasty, forceful harmonica that is highly effective, more catchy than a viral infection, and above all, a whole heap of fun. You can listen to the album on Bandcamp at this link, where you can also buy all the digital tracks for £7: https://tidysbluessandwich.bandcamp.com/releases If you prefer a physical CD, contact Adam at: adamburney123@gmail.com Be sure to check out Adam’s music videos from his YouTube channel, they’re a blast: search for Adam Burney harmonica on YouTube. Adam has recently been interviewed on the Happy Hour Harmonica podcast, where you can hear much more from him and how he put the album together. https://happyhourharmonicapodcast.buzzsprout.com

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