blues news – blues reviews – blues gig guide
It’s that time again. To keep ahead of the hackers and spammers I really need to think about another site upgrade. Chances are it will rain this weekend as it’s a bank holiday — so most likely I’ll carry out the activity then. Service will be interrupted and the site may take on another look and feel to adapt to the availabilty of decent three column Wordpress themes.
Wish me luck.
Due to a “cock up over the dates” Ray has changed the next gig at Warrington.
In place of Simon Hickling on 6th May you can now see Ernie’s Rhythm Section on 16th May.
Ray says that Simon will be back later in the year.
Blues singer and guitarist Bobby Parker, famous for his hit records “Watch Your Step” (V-Tone label, 1961) and “Blues Get Off My Shoulder” (VJ label, 1958) as well as his two contemporary blues CDs on the Black Top label, has been hospitalized for the past three and a half weeks. Presently, he is at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. where he has undergone
surgery for a mass in his stomach. Georgetown has a reputation as one of the best facilities for internal medicine on the East Coast – that’s the good news. The bad news is that Bobby has had to cancel all his immediate local engagements as well as an appearance at New Orleans’ Ponderosa Stomp. His bills are mounting.
Here are Tom Principato and Danny Gatton in their Blazing Telecasters identity in the 1980s.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PczPU6w4M70
Don’t forget Hamilton’s Liverpool debut this week on Thu 01 May at the Harbourside Club.
As an extra incentive, James Hanks from the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall has kindly donated two tickets for Buddy Guy’s eagerly awaited summer concert. These will be used, on the night, as one of the prizes in the raffle in aid of The Children’s Heart Foundation.
Veteran jazz musician and radio host Humphrey Lyttelton has died aged 86. The BBC news pages have a very sweet page with words and a video clip…
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7367385.stm
Here is the formal obituary…
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/3477089.stm
In my mind I am hearing the sound of the funeral march on the swanee whistle and the kazoo. Thanks for all the years of laughter. RIP Humph.
The 4th Worthenbury Blues and Roots Festival
Worthenbury, North Wales
28 June 2008
This year will be the 4th Worthenbury Blues & Roots Festival and it will take place on June 28th and as always it will present a good mix of British and American acts.
Headlining this year are Lightnin’ Willie and The Poor Boys who will guarantee to get get even the most torpid person on their feet with their great mix of Rockabilly blues. Texan Willie Hermes will be backed by his crack UK band which includes the excellent harmonica player Giles King.
Preceding them will be a great favourite of the North Wales regulars, Bill Sheffield from Atlanta, Georgia.
A very fine guitarist indeed, Bill has played with many of the legends of the American blues, indeed, Muddy Waters was godfather to Bill’s daughter. Accompanying Bill will be his regular British partner Dave Saunders formerly of top UK band The Producers.
The North West’s top blues band The Stumble have been receiving plaudits wherever they play and will be making their Worthenbury debut and are looked forward to with great expectation.
Making up the electric stage are local Wrexham band The Blues Missiles who will have in their ranks Trafficker lead guitarist Tommy Allen who has been playing for them regularly since his return to live permanently in the area.
Tommy then headlines the acoustic stage with the North West’s top harp player Johny Hewitt from Smokehouse Blues. They made their debut to great acclaim back in March in Macclesfield and this will be an appearance that many are excited about.
Making up the acoustic stage are superb blues pianist and vocalist Sam Payne and blues/punk/thrash guitarist Dave Arcari who played at the festival two years ago. A bit of Robert Johnson meets The Sex Pistols!
The event may not be taking place at Glandeg Farm the site of the 3 previous festivals, but an alternative is lined up in case Glandeg is not available. The village is based right on the Wales/ Cheshire border set in a beautiful rural location
There will be camping and caravan sites available as in the past but the final timings and pricing details have yet to be finalised – keep in touch with the festival website www.hookerblues.co.uk and also updates on Blues in the North West
What is Kid Ramos up to these days since quitting the Fabulous Thunderbirds a few years ago? I stumbled across this photo on Flickr that answers the question.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/orbitgal/2426500343/
Here’s the MySpace site for Liverpool and North Wales band The Blues Gang.
http://www.myspace.com/thebluesganguk
Click here for the poster of the Blues on the River Festival in Glasgow 20 to 22 June
I previously mentioned the festival here on bluesinthenorthwest.com
What did Stevie Ray Vaughan sound like in the 1970s?
Now we all can hear the answer. Here’s a tune from The Cobras from 1975.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uv7cv1AzH4
Blues fans. Don’t forget that the new Rolling Stones film directed by Martin Scorcese has a reasonable blues quotient.
I haven’t seen the film myself but Chief Reviews Editor Grahame Rhodes went last week and says….
I would wholeheartedly recommend “Shine A Light” – it was louder than some gigs I have been to!Fair play to Buddy Guy, his cameo was pretty cool on “Champagne And Reefer” and old Mick blew some decent harp!
Some of the reviews have been less that praising and Buddy’s spot has been mentioned as the highlight of the film.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuPQX20elpQ
The Nimmo Brothers – Poulton le Fylde – 26 April 2008
Saturday April 26th sees the welcome return to the Fylde coast of the UK’s finest Blues/Rock siblings.
The Nimmo Brothers will be appearing at The YMCA Hall, Breck Road, Poulton le Fylde (Nr Blackpool), FY6 7PU.
Tickets are available in advance, priced £10 from Alan on 01253 890927 or on the door. Doors open at 8.00pm and show starts at 8.30.
Alan and Stevie Nimmo are two of the most exciting, young, modern blues guitarists on the European circuit. Drawing their influences from the blues boom of the 1960s, they learned their trade by listening to such greats as Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers.
The Nimmo Brothers emerged as a band from the Blackwater Blues band in the late 1990s, with a first album (Moving On) that yielded a number of strong tracks – many of which are still requested by fans today. Signed by Armadillo Music following the Moving On album, the brothers combine a passion for live performance and showmanship with a desire to write good songs. “Coming Your Way”, the first release on their new label, catapulted them to the forefront of the European blues scene, with top billing at many of the European festivals and support slots for many of the blues greats.
They have since gone on to highlight the best in powerhouse British rock and blues. Their material is rooted in the traditions of the British blues boom of the 1960s but includes enough rock elements to keep most blues/rock fans happy. The band play with power, attitude and passion and will be featuring material from their most recent CD ‘Picking Up The Pieces’. A Glaswegian attitude plus the incredible energy they inject into every performance has gained the Nimmo Brothers an enviable reputation.
This looks like an interesting and excellent gig this week in Chester.
Miller Anderson will be playing with his band on Thursday evening at Alexander’s, Rufus Court, Chester.
I am 100% sure that there will be some bluesy material. From the samples of his new CD Chameleon available on his web site he is a very accomplished singer and guitarist. Classy!
http://www.milleranderson.co.uk/
I have to admit that I had not heard of Miller Anderson but I had heard of some of the bands he has played in over the years.
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