blues news – blues reviews – blues gig guide
In tribute to the passing of the legendary blues artist earlier this week the blues magazine Blueswax are re-running the three part interview conducted by Bob Margolin.
Check out Blueswax for more information. The site does require registration but is well worth subscribing to, in order to receive the weekly blues email and access to the onlibe resources.
From Montruex 1974. Anyone know who the “English” slide player is?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiEBopPts1EÂ
R. L. Burnside born 23 Nov 1926 in Harman Town, MS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12cgEQSTYxg
Jerry Portnoy born 23 Nov 1943 in Chicago, IL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euZi8ll8uds
The YouTube file is a fabulous clip of Portnoy playing with the legend Muddy Waters in the 1970s. I recently heard Portnoy’s “Down in the Mood Room” CD and what always blows me away about Portnoy’s playing is his incredible vibrato. If you don’t know what I mean then check out this small MP3 clip of him playing the harp. Nobody has a slow vibrato like Jerry Portnoy has these days – it’s more evident than on the 1970′s playing and for me is uniquely Portnoy.
What a great day for YouTube videos eh?
Flickr Photo R.L. Burnside, originally uploaded by hhjack.
I don’t often post more than two YouTube clips per day but this is just incredible. Did blues ever get better than the legendary Freddie King. Unsurpassed vocals and guitar. Even if you are not a blues fan you have to spend three minutes of your life experiencing this genius.
Freddie King live on Dallas T.V.
Yes folks! you heard me correctly. A video of Little Walter, he’s not the band leader but after 20 years of being a fan it’s incredible to see him in the flesh, so to speak. Hound Dog Taylor and Little Walter. Great vocal too.
Angela Strehli born 1945 in Lubbock Texas.
There is also a great YouTube featuring Angela and those Vaughan boys – both of whom play great solos.
Picture 076, originally uploaded by OLD MAN WITH A CAMERA.
Malcolm John Rebbenack Jr. was born this day in 1940, where else but N’Awlins, LA.He is a legend. A great musician and one of the best singers. I love New Orleans music. To read more about the Night Tripper then take a look at his Wikipedia entry.
There is, of course, a YouTube video.
The picture has got a local connection as it is from the recent Liverpool gig that Dr. John did earlier this year.
The picture is Dr John, Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, originally uploaded by griff le riff.
It is four years since Out Of The Blue last graced the stages of the blues clubs and festivals of Britain and Europe. Now, thankfully, they are back. The band has an enviable pedigree, having opened for Robert Cray, Robben Ford, Peter Green and the late Junior Wells. In addition, they were the chosen band to back the legendary Memphis Horns at the Edinburgh Jazz Festival. They have also played several sessions on the Paul Jones show on BBC Radio 2.
Fronted by the superb gravelly vocals of singer/guitarist Kevin Thorpe, Out Of The Blues boasts one of the finest line-ups of any British blues combination in the past decade. The hugely talented duo of Eddie Tatton on guitar and Jonny Dyke on keyboards is unfailingly inventive, while the rhythm section of Nigel Lobley on drums and Simon Sparkes on bass is out of the top drawer. The bluesy mix of the band’s music, tinged with shades of jazz and funk, is an absolute delight, and their varied programme includes many brilliant, original numbers penned by the award-winning Kevin Thorpe. What a wonderful way to end this year’s series of gigs.
Liverpool Marina is situated at Coburg Wharf, Sefton Street, Liverpool L3 4BP.
Tickets for the concert (£10 each) are obtainable from John Welsh on 0151 428 2855 or by email to johnswelsh@hotmail.com.
Visit http://www.bluesinthenorthwest.com for a fund of information on the region’s excellent blues scene.
North Mississippi Hill Country guitarist Robert Belfour is appearing at Worthenbury on Sat December 16th. This 67 year old gentleman is from Holly Springs, the small town that is in the area that produced Fred McDowell, R L Burnside, Junior Kimborough and Jessie Mae Hemphill. You can read more about Robery Belfour here.
It is the only gig in the north and will be his first ever appearance at a UK blues club. Naturally it has aroused a great deal of interest and at time of writing nearly three quarters of the tickets have been sold so if you want one you’d better be
quick. Support is from Tommy Allen who will play a 3/4 hour acoustic set.
The Blue Hyenas at Hookers November 10th
It was always going to be difficult to put on a gig when Robben Ford was playing up The Wirral but all I can say is that our American guest would have had to have played out of his skin to have bettered the guitar virtuosity of Sandy Tweeddale who put on one of the best displays we have ever heard at Hookers. Fitting then that it was to be the last gig at the rugby club.
Whether he was playing straight twelve bar Chicago style or screaming Hound Dog Taylor or Li’l Ed slide, he was the complete master. Backed up a solid rhythm section they treated the sparse audience to two and a half hours of great covers and a few self penned tracks.
Covers in the opening set included a lively arrangement of Rock Me Baby, followed by a more conventional Born Under A Bad Sign by Albert King and then the slide came out for Jim Jackson’s Kansas City Bound. The second set opened with four solo acoustic tracks which quite frankly were stupendous. JJ Cale’s Cocaine was followed by The Stones Satisfaction which integrated the Smokestack Lightning riff throughout. The Rev Gary Davis’ Say No To The Devil was then followed by Broonzy’s Key To The Highway – all wondeful stuff.
The Stratocaster was then reintroduced for Magic Sam’s Boogie followed by Li’l Ed’s I Feel So Good with lashings of wonderful slide work.(Nicked your adjective there Grahame!!)
The final track was a segue of Hey Mona, Not Fade Away and Voodoo Chile which got everyone on their feet. We’ll certainly be booking these boys again – in fact I hope to be able to persuade them to come down to The Nantwich Festival in April so watch out for them.
PETE EVANS
Despite the problems at the Rugby Club, Pete says….
The good news though is that “Goin’ Up The Country” at Worthenbury continues to sell out with last Friday’s gig with Catfish Keith packed to the rafters with people turning up without tickets being squeezed in at the back. The other good news is that we now have a full licence there so can now present bands as well as solo/duo acts so watch this space for some really tasty acts for next year.
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