bluesinthenorthwest.com

Sunday, 27th May, 2012

Alexander’s, Chester – Rufus Court (CH1 2JW)

**Tickets available on the door**

The excellent Forty 4 have kindly agreed to play at a fundraiser for the Senior Section of the Deva Girl Guides, to raise funds for a trip to Jamboree 2012 in Denmark this summer. Once again Pauline has been kind enough to provide the great venue of Alexander’s in Chester, and tickets will be £7, with a prize raffle on the night.

Doors will be 7.30 pm, with band on stage approx. 8.45 pm

If you can please come along and support the girls, and also see one of the finest bands around.

E-mail: grahame.rhodes@gmail.com, or the blues site regular e-mail, or Facebook a message to Grahame.

http://www.forty4music.com/

(Pic: Ian Williams)

Friday, 8th June, 2012

Doors 8 pm – Tickets £10

Martin Stephenson returns for his third appearance at the club on the back on his national tour with his band The Daintees. Needless too say that the night will be busy as Martin entertains us with his deft guitar work, great lyrics, and wise cracking patter that any stand up would be proud of. Fun, laughs and genius music all in one night!

Support will be provided by the brilliant folk/country/punk rocker: Helen McCookerybook.

To secure your tickets now you can get in touch with us by calling
Paul Langley 07810 756054 / Kevin Jardine 07825511683
email us : socialpromotions@gmail.com

Great value on drinks – also, no age restriction for admittance to the gig.

Andres Roots Roundabout – Electric Dixieland

(Roots Art Records)

The latest release from prolific Estonian guitarist and writer Andres Roots, is this fine 4-track instrumental EP, “Electric Dixieland”, also featuring Martin Eessalu (guitar) and Raul Terep (drums), and recorded at his regular studio, The White Room in Tartu, and produced by Asko-Rome Altsoo and Roots  himself.

The opening “Room Service” has an almost Western swing feel to it, with the guitars of Roots and Eessalu almost replicating the sound of pedal steel and driven by Raul Terep’s drums; the following “Link To Elmore”  has some fine toned shimmering slide guitar which gives it a sort of Elmore James meets Link Wray groove and is very nice too.

“Three Sticks” is a driving blues with more slashing slide guitar as Roots and Eessalu joust and Raul Terep kicks it along. The closing “Wagon Swing” has a lighter, country feel and again has great sounding guitar work, both acoustically and electric.

A most enjoyable way to pass 13 minutes of ‘Blues from the Baltic’, and a further illustration of the quality music now being produced throughout mainland Europe.

GRAHAME RHODES

For further information:

www.andresroots.com

www.rootsart.eu

**Reminder: Early bird tickets available until 15th June**

The lineup of the Worthenbury Festival has been announced.

You can download the flyer here.

www.bluesinthenorthwest.com/Media/flyer2012.pdf

(Pic: Lionel Ross)

BBs Blues Club at Alexander’s, Chester

Thursday, 17th May, 2012

Quite simply this was the perfect andidote to the current bland, reality-show driven media of today . . . . live music from a pair of  seasoned musicians having a ball with two lengthy sets, comprising both originals and covers and thoroughly enjoyed by the appreciative Alexander’s audience. The amiable Atlanta, Georgia bluesman Bill Sheffield first linked up for UK shows with Dave Saunders, bass player with Dorset-based band The Producers, some 12 years ago and they have a chemistry borne out of hundreds of gigs together.

Sheffield, an energetic 60, possesses a quite huge voice, is a wonderfully rhythmic guitar player and has added harmonica to his talents as well, with the rock-steady and simple bass playing of Dave Saunders providing the perfect foil. This great night started off with a couple of blues classics . . . . Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee’s “Walk On”, and the Georgia legend, Blind Willie McTell’s “Georgia Rag”, with some sublime fingerpicking from Bill Sheffield.

He is by no way strictly a bluesman, and has definite Americana, folk and jazz touches in his set, as evident on his own “13 Hours On The Highway”, an ode to long road gigging trips in his native USA. He wrly introduced Tom Waits “The One That Got Away” as the ‘jazz number’ of the show; with the lovely “Back In My Baby’s Arms” . . . his wife’s favourite song . . . being another first set highlight.

Other treats in the first part of the evening were a glorious Bob Dylan cover in the shape of  “I Want You” and, even better, the fantastic Richard Thompson song “1952 Vincent Black Lightning”, with some stunning guitar work; a top hour ending with an impassioned swing through the timeless “Route 66″, the Bobby Troup song covered by hundreds, from Nat King Cole to Chuck Berry!

His spectacular voice soared on an emotive take of The Beatles “Eleanor Rigby”, before a switch of style into bluesman Jimmy Reed’s ‘downhome’ “Natural Born Lover”, before he showed his impeccable taste in covers with Tim Hardin’s  “If I Were A Carpenter” . . . such a beautiful song. The duo had some fun on the ragtime flavoured original “New Tattoo”, with its wry lyrics, and the audience were treated to the brand new song, “Every Time I Close My Eyes” . . . ‘a pop song’ as Bill Sheffield noted!

The duo were at full tilt by now, and other second set songs included a stunning “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”, a song written for Nina Simone and a huge hit for The Animals; and also Sheffield showing his prowess on slide guitar on Robert Johnson’s “Ramblin’ On My Mind” and his own “It Don’t Bother Me”. A much-demanded encore saw Dave Saunders step down to allow Bill Sheffield deliver a gorgeous solo version of Gerry & The Pacemakers hit, “Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying” . . . what a brilliant end to a great night!

GRAHAME RHODES

www.billsheffield.com

The John O’Leary Sugarkane Band
Playing Snatch It Back and Hold It (by Junior Wells)
At the Junior Wells Tribute Night at The Boom Boom Club, Sutton, Surrey

Band:
John O’Leary – Harmonica, Vocals
Jules Fothergill – Guitar
Steve Wright – Guitar
Jules Grudgins – Keys
Roger Inniss – Bass
Joachim Greve – Drums

This brilliant band will be appearing at Fogherty’s Function Room, Liverpool, on Saturday, 26th May 2012

Saturday, 30th June, 2012

The legendary Robert Cray brings his band to Parr Hall in Warrington for the only North West date on the upcoming tour.

http://youtu.be/-zKrQW2DY9g

www.robertcray.com

www.pyramidparrhall.co.uk/whats-on/the-robert-cray-band

Royal Southern Brotherhood – self-titled

(Ruf Records: RUF 1180)

At last one of the most anticipated albums of the year is with us, from an outfit which demands attention purely by having an Allman and a Neville in the ranks . . . from two of the US South’s most loved and well known musical families . . . namely Devon Allman, son of Gregg, on guitar and vocals; and Cyril Neville, from the iconic giants of New Orleans music, The Neville Brothers, here featured on vocals and percussion.

The five-piece Royal Southern Brotherhood are completed by the supremely talented Missouri-raised, and now located in Texas, bluesman Mike Zito, on guitar and vocals; the rhythm section comprising seasoned campaigners in bassist Charlie Wooten and drummer Yonrico Scott, who has been in the Derek Trucks Band, played with Greg Allman and also The Allman Brothers Band. With this stellar line-up it is no wonder they have been given the ‘supergroup’ tag!

The 12 cuts here on the self-titled debut cover all bases and are all originals, bar one, written by the band, both individually and collectively – with so much talent in the line-up it’s fair to say that this album delivers big-time and is a joy from start to finish, and beautifully produced by Jim Gaines at the much-lauded Dockside Studios in Maurice, Louisiana.

The opening “New Horizon”, co-penned by Neville and Zito, rides on a funky guitar groove with some snarling solos; and it leads into the excellent “Fired Up!”, with a defined Latin feel to it and some very Santana-ish guitar licks, with delicious vocal chorus. Devon Allman’s “Left My Heart In Memphis” is lovely, and has a lazy, bluesy feel, and is an ode to the mighty Mississippi river and the city itself.

The same subject matter rises for the soulful and funky “Moonlight Over The Mississippi”, with some lovely wah-wah guitar and a great feel from the rhythm section of Wooten and Scott, and a blistering guitar solo added in. The sole cover is a make-over for The Grateful Dead’s “Fire On The Mountain”, penned by Robert Hunter and Mickey Hart, and is given a loose jam-type feel here, with percussion a-plenty from Cyril Neville and more top-notch guitar work.

The ballad “Ways About You” has an aching heartfelt vocal and is a highlight amongst many as it builds as it progresses, with a stunning dual guitar section . . . what fine players both Devon Allman and Mike Zito are! “Gotta Keep Rockin’” may suggest a foot-to-the-pedal number, but it’s not . . . it’s a mid tempo number with another great feel and exemplary playing from all concerned.

Devon Allman’s ‘dust bowl’ blues “Nowhere To Hide” rides on an acoustic slide riff intro before the band kick in; they all rock hard on the following Mike Zito tune “Hurts My Head”, before a direction swerve next on the ‘gumbo groove’ of Cyril Neville’s “Sweet Jelly Donut”, recalling his ‘Crescent City’ home and complete with more lovely slide guitar. This excellent debut release ends with almost a title cut, an instrumental simply called “Brotherhood”, and penned by the whole band . . . it’s a joyous uptempo end that showcases all these fine musicians.

The band head our way later in the year . . . I would suggest they will be pretty unmissable!

GRAHAME RHODES

www.rufrecords.de

www.royalsouthernbrotherhood.com

Please note Rhythm Zoo are playing Amuse in Macclesfield this Saturday,  19th May, not the 18th as originally posted in the previous Bluefunk listings.

News just in from Pete Evans:

The outstanding American acoustic guitarist John Emil who played a superb set at the Bangor on Dee Blues Festival last Saturday is back in the area this coming Friday 18th May at 8pm at:

Greenhill Bank and Dudleston Heath Workingmen’s Club, near Ellesmere, Shropshire SY12 9LU.

This new venue is starting to put on regular live music nights and will feature a good sprinkling of blues. It features good parking and some nice local ales.

To reserve a ticket @ £5 please contact Alan Preston on 01691 690521 or mail: ahpreston@btinternet.com.

The venue is between Ellesmere and the A5 (after St Martins) on the B5068 and located in Chapel Lane (right from the A5 and left from Ellesmere).

John can be heard on the following Youtube clip:

http://youtu.be/ZMPiL9NSyR4

**TOMORROW**

THUR 17th MAY – BILL SHEFFIELD + DAVE SAUNDERS

Alexanders Jazz Cafe + Bar,
Rufus Court, Chester. CH1 2JW  01244 340005

Adv £8.00      Door £10.00       Doors 8pm

www.alexanderslive.com

Although the foundation for Bill Sheffield’s music is the Blues, the live concert contains elements of many other genres’; folk, country and gospel. Classifying it as Blues may be too limiting. ‘Americana’ may be the better description. Honest, gutsy, and passionate, an evening orchestrated by Bill   Sheffield promises to be an unforgettable musical experience.

The big bluesman from Atlanta, Georgia is again accompanied by The Producers bassist Dave Saunders. The award-winning  Producers pack out venues all around the country so this is a fantastic pairing. Those lucky enough to have seen Bill before know what a great singer/ guitarist and powerful performer he is. With his huge voice and stunning slide guitar this man puts his heart and soul into every show.

He was guitar legend Roy Buchanan’s vocalist, touring with Roy throughout the United States and featuring on Roys Polydor album “In the Beginning”. His experience of working for blues greats such as Big Mama Thornton, Fabulous Thunderbirds, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters (Godfather to Bills daughter!), Bonnie Raitt and Stevie Ray Vaughan (it’s a little known fact that SRV actually opened for Bill Sheffield once!) and his laid back yet energy laden stage style has made him many friends in Europe where he is always made very welcome.

In press reviews from concerts Bill Sheffield was singled out as an “outstanding live performer and possibly one of the best natural players and forceful vocalists that has ever visited these shores from the US”.

Some of the accolades already given to the “Hearing Things” album…

“The more I listen to this album the more I think it’s the best acoustic music I’ve heard”………. “Simply stunning”……… ‘This is a superb album and a must buy for all lovers of acoustic music’

- BLUES MATTERS 2004

**Special offer: Book in advance quoting GR001 for just £5, or quote ref. on door for just £8**

Great short film about Daptone Records – the home to such talents as Sharon Jones and Charles Bradley – celebrating 10 years of existence.

http://youtu.be/rK81HgOpbuM

Frank Thomas telling a Welsh joke in Iuka, Mississippi

During their UK tour earlier this year, Eddie and Frank Thomas enjoyed a joke that I told over a meal at Christine Harrop’s house near Wrexham. We challenged Frank to tell the joke at a gig when he got back home to Iuka, Mississippi.

The joke is based on the famous place name of a village on
Anglesey that is claimed to be the longest in Europe –

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.

Frank rose to the challenge brilliantly as the YouTube clip taken at the Thomas Brothers’ subsequent concert in the Little Episcopal Church building in downtown Iuka shows. By the way, the Dennis referred to at the end of the clip is one of my many pseudonyms (don’t ask!).

Lionel Ross

Wed 27th June – The Rodewald Suite at The Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool

Fri 29th June – The Kirkgate Centre, Cockermouth

Woody Mann is a superlative player/singer/songwriter of American roots music.  He’s an outstanding performer who plays with passion and a deep sensitivity to his music with an easy, laid-back style.  He’s a sublime singer/songwriter with a warm, witty engaging personality.  Hugely talented, his music is an enticing mix of blues, roots and jazz. He’s written film scores, is top class guitar tutor and has produced many books, CDs and DVDs on the music he loves.  Woody Mann has played with Son House, Bukka White and John Fahey and has studied jazz under the great Lennie Tristano….

Woody has recently put the finishing touches to his documentary film about the Rev. Gary Davis called Harlem Street Singer – a heartfelt tribute to this amazing guitarist – a riveting film about the life of the man who taught him to play guitar with a dedicated website www.acoustictraditions.org.

www.liverpoolphil.com/8469/events-contemporary-music/woody-mann.html

www.thekirkgate.com/

Friday, 11th May, 2012

What a fantastic night’s entertainment again at this brilliant club. The band After Hours took to the stage and wowed the audience. If you didn’t go you missed a treat.

This blues trio from Preston in Lancashire, played a great mix of blues standards from the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Otis Rush, T –Bone Walker and B.B. King, along with their own original compositions.

Lee Wharton on lead guitar and lead vocal took centre stage – his brilliant renditions of Hendrix’s masterpieces were absolutely marvellous. He is a very talented musician indeed. Lee and his band have been together playing on the North West music circuit and blues festivals and have gained a reputation as one of the best blues trios around.

Lee also writes the bands compositions of which several were played on the night. He has great musicians in his band – on bass guitar was veteran blues man Doug Long. He was just superb and not a bad vocalist in his own right. I particularly liked his rendition of the number “St James Infirmary”, played on his modern long case double bass and a subtle “Summertime” reference midway – just superb as a slow tempo blues number.

On the drums was Ann Batty – a great performance from her, and she has only been with the band about 18 months or so but kept the band on course. This band does what it says on the tin, a hard working band who entertain and play the blues, enough said.

Keith Blackledge, national & international music reviewer, based in the North West

Not blues, but no apologies for posting here . . . a great band and big favourites of ours. Check out this smashing new video of the track “Nothing Lasts Forever”, off their recent third album, “One Last Hard Goodbye”.

http://youtu.be/KNU0HVvPpK0