This week Benoit Felten has republished an interview with French harmonica genius Jean-Jacques Milteau. The interview was originally recorded in 1999 and published in 2000.
Harmonica Ramblings: Jean-Jacques Milteau (1999)
Monthly Archive for February, 2007
A country look and a country guitar – I do love a Telecaster. I’m not sure that this guy is looking after his as well as he could.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1c3OVhyg2M8
Phil Bates is playing at 35 in Oswestry this Thursday 01 March, it’s at 35 Willow Street, Oswestry. Start at 9pm. Call 01691 661114.
Doug MacLeod is playing at Worthenbury on Friday 09 March at 9pm. Call Pete Evans for tickets or information on 01948 770215
Bad news from Ray in Warrington.
Because of poor ticket sales The Mike Sanchez gig on March 10th at Alford Hall Warrington has been cancelled. If you have already got tickets email me & I will refund your money. All the other gigs at the football club are going ahead as normal.
Cheers Ray & Barb.
Connie Lush has announced that the 15 years of the current BluesShouter line up are over. John and Carl don’t want to travel anymore. However there is good news for lovers of the North West’s premier blues diva – Connie and Terry will carry on.
In Connie’s words “We just can’t stop”
Flickr photo DSCF0120, originally uploaded by NinaMarieLouise.
PRESS RELEASE
Doug MacLeod
at the Harbourside Club, Liverpool Marina
Thursday 8th March 2007 (doors open at 8pm)
Rightly acknowledged as a torchbearer of the acoustic blues, Doug MacLeod, from St Louis, Missouri, is one of the last remaining bluesmen who learned from the old masters. He is highly respected for his superb songwriting, and several of his songs have been covered by many artistes including Albert King, Albert Collins and Coco Montoya.
Doug is also a great storyteller, who enthrals his audience with the tales that have inspired his songs. As a performer, he is renowned for his finger-picking and bottleneck guitar wizardry, his warm soulful vocals and his wit, which combine to produce unforgettable live performances. In the words of Delta Blues legend, Honeyboy Edwards, “Doug MacLeod, now there’s a man that can really play the blues.”
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.
These gigs are still quite a long way away, however you may have to get in there early for tickets.
- Thursday 31st May – Gary Moore at the Philharmonic Hall (with Otis Taylor support)
- Friday 1st June – Seasick Steve at Carling Academy
Today we celabrate the following blues birthdays
CASH, JOHNNY born 1932 in KINGSLAND, AR
DOMINO, ANTOINE “FATS” born 1928 in NEW ORLEANS, LA
OSCHER, PAUL born 1947-0226 in BROOKLYN, NY
Continuing the outstandingly high standard of blues gigs at The Harbourside Club, the John O’Leary Band delivered two sets of superlative quality. Supplementing the trio of founder members (O’Leary on vocals and harp, Jules Fothergill on guitar and Joachim Greve on drums), Roger Innis on bass guitar and Julian ‘Mr Jools’ Grudgings on keys completed the best yet line-up of this magnificent band.
The fact that nearly two hours of performing covered only twelve numbers, including an encore, fully indicates the length and frequency of individual cameos from all the band members. In the hands of less than brilliant musicians, that formula has the potential to be self-indulgently boring. In the event, each solo was a refreshing delight. Even the familiar content of the sets are forgivable, as each number is so well delivered. The mix is also a finely balanced programme of shuffles, slow blues and up-tempo favourites.
The rich tone of John O’Leary’s harp work was particularly well enhanced by the sublime artistry of Jules Fothergill on guitar. He seems to get better and better with each appearance, combining sensitive phrasing with exceptional fingering speed. He is now undoubtedly in the very top rank of UK blues guitarists. Innis and Grudgings have added considerably to the mix with their individual flair, the former’s bass guitar solos a match for many a lead guitarist; while Joachim Greve’s drumming is simply incredible. To select highlights seems superfluous, but “Early In The Morning”, “Who’s Been Talkin’?” and “Black Cat Bone” were especially well presented, with Greve’s drum solo on the last named number positively awesome.
A measure of the band’s brilliance is that the spell-bound audience remained transfixed despite the simultaneous, televised, counter-attraction of Liverpool’s triumph over Barcelona in the adjacent bar. It even limited the depressing effect of Everton’s all-too-predictable, last-minute demise against Spurs. Now, very few performers can meet a challenge of that magnitude.
Lionel Ross
I would like to announce the bluesinthenorthwest.com forum as open.
You can access the forum by hitting the new menu tab at the top of the main page or by using the following link
http://www.bluesinthenorthwest.com/index.php/forum/
The forum should be easy enough to use. So give it a try – let’s see if there’s an online community out there.
THE STUMBLE
Warrington R&B Club, at Warrington Town FC: 23 Feb 2007
The second gig of the year at Warrington R&B Club saw a visit from the fast-rising North West band, The Stumble – now a force to be reckoned with nationally, following on from the release of their fine “The World Is Tough” album and a string of live dates.
The band – Paul Melville (vocals), Colin Black (guitar), Jonny Spencer (guitar), Simon Anthony (saxophone), Dave Heath (bass) and Boyd Tonner (drums and vocals) – are now a well-oiled machine, who provide a heady mix of blues and soul influences, covering all bases from Chicago to Memphis and New Orleans!
A short acoustic set kicked off the evening, before an excellent crowd, with highlights being two vocal tour-de-forces from Paul Melville on Bill Withers “Ain’t No Sunshine” and the Sam Cooke classic, “Bring It On Home To Me”; with drummer Boyd Tonner getting in on the vocals with Big Bill Broonzy’s lively “Keep Your Hands Off Her”.
Two rollicking electric sets covered much of their fine album, with some choice covers – from full-tilt up-tempo numbers to some slow blues – all featuring the band’s excellent stage presence and musicianship. The first set started a bit shakily with “You Upset Me Baby”, but featured the great “All Over Again” – a slow blues with dynamite solos from Colin Black and Simon Anthony, and superb vocal delivery from Paul Melville – what a fine singer this guy is, with bags of soul and grit!
We were taken down South for the rousing “Back To Louisiana” and the New Orleans rumba of “Saturday Night”; with slide driven “Small World Baby” being another treat.
The second set saw the band in full swing on a majestic “Let The Good Times Roll”, but the standout for me was an excellent “Ain’t Nobody’s Business” – a timeless blues that the late, great Freddie King did best in my humble opinion, and Colin Black showed what a great guitarist he is. Jonny Spencer showed off his fine slide licks on Hound Dog Taylor’s “Gimme Back My Wig”, before the evening was rounded off with “Train Kept A Rolling”, which saw the dance floor full!
The Stumble seem set for an excellent 2007, with a full gig list and radio play – check them out next time they are in your area – a good night is certainly guaranteed!
GRAHAME RHODES
Like last year, I would like to celebrate a birthday.
The man who nurtured my love of the blues in the early days can claim his pension from today.
Paul Jones – Born 24 Feb 1942 in Portsmouth, UK
Without Paul Jones I would probably not have begun to play the harmonica and maybe I would not have developed the same passion for the blues. When his blues shows started in the 1980s they widened my eyes so much to the availability of good blues; all I was aware about before were the the terrible selections that were available in the local high street record shops.
Thanks Paul! Without you I am sure that there would never have been bluesinthenorthwest.com.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/jones/
http://www.thebluesband.com/biographies_paul_jones.htm
It’s ages since I have been out to see a live band; there are a couple of reasons for this, I have been very busy with my day job shuffling around trying to make a living, plus there hasn’t been a huge amount for me to see within easy striking distance of Chester.
So it was a great pleasure last night to drive over to Warrington Blues Club to see North West favourites The Stumble, they are a cracking band; good lead instrumentalists are easy to come by in the UK, however much rarer is a good rhythm section and a top singer. The Stumble have all three. I’m not going to write a review, as someone more talented than I will contribute I am sure, however I will say “Excellent show lads!” and give my thanks to Ray and Barbara for booking the band.
I took a few pictures and unbelievably they are even worse than the rubbish that I usually take. My camera is fine – it’s the driver who is inept. Anyway the pictures are here and the YouTube clip is here.
I love a bit of earthy funky blues and The Greyhounds have tons of it.
Check them out on CD Baby and listen to the samples.
They will be backing American Idol winner (and pretty good harmonica player) Taylor Hicks on his nationwide US tour.
What a great singer! I always loved this song by Little Milton, shame it looks like a mimed performance. I don’t have the original handy but, to me, the main vocal and band sound like the original but maybe the backing vocals and the trumpet solo are different.
Maybe it was a recorded performance that was later mimed to. Anyone know?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxFxSVcdkDw
I know that there are a lot of Little Toby Walker fans here in the North West of the UK after his successful show at the Harbourside in Liverpool.
Toby writes to let us know his recent news……
I’m very happy to say that my concert at The Boulton Center was a complete success. To my delight the show was completely sold out I have just posted a slide show of this concert along with the song Nobody’s Fault But Mine. This is the actual recording that will appear on my next CD which will be out in a few months.
So click on the link, turn up your speakers and enjoy the show.
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