blues news – blues reviews – blues gig guide
Curtis Salgado with Rusty Zinn on guitar live at Bradfordville Blues Club.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMvxophsEEo
Great stuff! That’s how to play the blues. But man that harp is LOUD!
Shame about the cut.
I have seen the drummer before, I don’t recall where. He’s damn good.
Gary Murphy Solo
11 Nov 2009
An acoustic performance at Williamson Art Gallery Gary Murphy returns to the International Guitar Festival after his sell out performance of his hit show Guitar Legends last year. Returning as an ambassador of The International Guitar Festival, Gary returns to the Williamson Art Gallery for a very special solo acoustic performance, stripping down to his roots. Expect Gary to show his diverse style and techniques flowing through blues, country, jazz, rock and various other styles in what should be a night to remember! Tickets are £10 (£8 concessions) and are available from www.pacificroad.co.uk or from The Floral Pavilion Box Office TEL: 0151 666 0000 For more details on the show please visit www.myspace.com/garymurphyband or www.bestguitarfest.com
Not Goatse but something else entirely.
Imagine our surprise on seeing this down Beale Street in Memphis.
Norton Buffalo lost his battle with lung cancer yesterday.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norton_Buffalo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2u9api6tQEA
WOODY MANN & TOM DOUGHTY
Worthenbury Village Hall Friday November 6th
doors 7.30pm, music 8.15pm
Goin’ Up the Country Blues & Roots Club at Worthenbury Village Hall presents a major coup with the appearance of New York acoustic guitarist Woody Mann – www.woodymann.com
Not only is he a big name in the jazz world but he was taught blues guitar by the legendary Reverend Gary Davis and has played with Son House and Bukka White.
He is also a renowned guitar tutor and taught guitar to none other than Paul Simon and his workshops are legendary.
He is supported by Cheshire guitarist Tom Doughty, a remarkable slide guitarist who despite being seriously injured in a car accident, plays beautiful guitar from his wheelchair.
Tickets (£12) for this gig are going very quickly indeed and the gig is expected to be sold out before long so a rapid response is needed to confirm availability. Call 01948 770215 or 01978 312755
Ace photo guy Paul Webster has posted some of his fabulous Colne Festival photos onto Flickr.
Here’s Paul Lamb
.. and here’s Harper
You can see the rest of the set by going here.
THE IDLE HANDS
“All Night Sinnin’”
(self-release)
From just outside our area, in the picturesque Peak District of Derbyshire, hail the Chesterfield-based The Idle Hands – a blues rock four-piece who comprise Phil Allen (vocals), Dave Robinson (guitar), Jamie Burns (bass) and Paul Heydon (drums) – “All Night Sinnin;” being their fifth album, with 13 songs all written by the band, with lyrics by Phil Allen.
It’s fair to say that most of the tracks are in a blues rock mode but with enough variation to appeal to all – but the guys are a tight outfit, with Allen’s gritty vocals and Dave Robinson’s guitar dynamics dominating the release, in front of the tight rhythm section of Jamie Burns and Paul Heydon. They are definitely a highly organised outfit, with a quite excellent press pack – indeed it is far superior to many I’ve seen from more prominent names!
They have that classic rock swagger, with hook-laden songs, which they blend with classic blues, Hendrix, Zeppelin and Rory Gallagher numbers in their live show. “The Stroll” is a striding rocker with nice guitar hook, for someone reason Phil Allen sounds a lot like Dave Lee Roth on this to me; “Personal Demon” has a slide guitar-driven groove to it, definitely in bluesy territory this one, with “Chasing Rainbows” having a Hendrix-style guitar intro and riff to it.
“Things Move On” takes the pace down, with acoustic slide guitar from Dave Robinson and harmonica from Phil Allen – a nice blues-flavoured ballad. The band rock hard on “Testify”, before the slow blues of “40 Nights” – probably the album’s centrepiece, fine performances here from the two front men, with an impassioned vocal and brooding guitar work. “Mississippi”, as the title would suggest, rolls along nicely – an ode to the Mississippi blues.
Elsewhere, “Bad Situation” has a feedback-drenched start and again rocks hard, with the title cut, “All Night Sinnin’” building from a gentle intro to thumping blues boogie, with the acoustic guitar again featuring on the rootsy “I Don’t Mind” – Dave Robinson’s slide work being exemplary on this track, giving it a very authentic old Delta blues feel.
The closing “A Friend Like You” sees the band in full rocking blues mode, with Robinson’s electric slide work driving the song and another passionate performance from Phil Allen – a nice closer to an album that does the band proud.
GRAHAME RHODES
www.myspace.com/theidlehandsbanduk
Here’s the first in a short series of films taken by Pete Evans of the various musical events during our recent trip to the deep south of the USA.
First up is the best one. The stunning performance by Michael Burks at the pro-jam session at Hopson Plantation for Pinetop’s homecoming.
Intense!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgGabyqqccM
DOWN AT ANTONE’S
The Academy, Buckley: 24.10.09
The popular North West blues band, or to be more precise Chester/Wirral/Liverpool, Down at Antone’s, out doing the occasional gig with original frontmen Neil Partington and Ken Peace, played a rare North Wales gig, in the delightful surroundings of The Academy in Buckley – a beautiful old-style dance hall.
Apart from the afore-mentioned Neil Partington (guitar and vocals) and Ken Peace (harmonica), the rest of the band comprise Glen Lewis (keyboards), Steve Brown (bass) and Nick Lauro (drums). Two fine sets contained a sprinkling of blues, mixed up with some New Orleans flavours and some cool jazz grooves.
The band were down to business on Howlin’ Wolf’s “Riding In The Moonlight”, punctuated by Neil Partington’s superb ‘less is more’ guitar work and vocals, and Ken Peace’s big-toned harmonica. The band got funky on the timeless “Shakey Ground”, before slowing it down for Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Cross Your Heart”, with solos from Partington and Peace, and also keyboard man Glen Lewis.
The jazz standard “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” is a highlight of the band’s live show, with the Joe Zawinul penned tune seeing some lovely melodic harmonica from Ken Peace. The variety of the Down at Antone’s live show was illustrated by the rumba of “Poor Boy”, a jazzy shuffle on Lowell Fulson’s timeless “Reconsider Baby” and the Texas blues of The Fabulous Thunderbirds “Extra Jimmies”, which ended a most enjoyable first set.
The second set kicked off with a nice “Black Cat Bone”, followed by jazz guitar giant Kenny Burrell’s “Chitlins Con Carne”, which has just been added to the live set, before a chance for all the band to stretch out on Ray Charles “I Don’t Need No Doctor” . . . . great guitar and vocal again from Neil Partington, with the rhythm section of Steve Brown and Nick Lauro ‘in the pocket’ behind him.
Other treats in the second set included The Red Devils “Automatic” and another trip down to New Orleans for The Meters “Pocky Way”. The small, but enthusiastic crowd demanded more and were given the rocking “The Shape I’m In”, a Texas favourite from the pen of Bramhall/Bramhall/Benno . . . a great end to a fabulous night in lovely surroundings.
GRAHAME RHODES
The Hexmen are gigging at The Shakespeare Pub, Scarisbrick New Road, Southport. This Friday 30th October 2009. Details www.thehexmen.co.uk & www.myspace.com/thehexmen
A mammoth tour as ever for Catfish Keith. Here are the ones in Northwest England and North Wales.
October 28th – Bluefunk, Poynton
October 31st – Community Hall, Poulton-le-Fylde, nr. Blackpool
2nd November – Victoria Hotel, Menai Bridge, Anglesea
3rd November – Guitar workshop, Menai Bridge, Anglesea
4th November – Theatr Harlech, Harlech
5th November – The Ironworks, Oswestry
17th November – Pacific Road, Birkenhead (part of the International Guitar Festival of Great Britain)
21st November – Powis Hall, Bangor University, Bangor
Full details at www.catfishkeith.com
Paul Rose
Club 35, Carlisle
07 Nov 2009
Guitar virtuoso Paul Rose will be playing a gig at Carlisle’s Club 35 at the start of November to celebrate the anniversary of Blues gigs at the city centre venue.
North eastern born ’stratmeister’ Rose will be playing his scorching electric set with his band on Saturday November 7th with doors opening at 8.00. He is recognised as one of the best guitarists in the world with a rock based blues style that intermingles with country and folk.
Early in his career he was selected by non other than Rory Gallagher as a special talent to watch for and sure enough he won Guitarist of the year from Guitarist magazine a short while later. After a number of career setbacks due to personal demons he is currently going from strength to strength with a live DVD, acoustic CD and numerous gigs in the UK and Europe already this year. His performance at Colne Blues this year received excellent feedback.
Because it is the anniversary of the Club 35 Blues the gig is free entry and tickets can be obtained from the club or from promoter Chris Denton on 077930 19958 or email cjdentoncumbrian@aol.com in case the gig fills up and you can’t get in.
After visiting the grave (the one believed to be the genuine one of the three graves) I decided to post a Robert Johnson clip. Of course it’s not a video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd60nI4sa9A
The 21st International Guitar Festival of Great Britain is being held at various venues in Wirral for three weeks in November.
As usual there are blues and rhythm and blues performers, including Woody Man, Catfish Keith, Tom Doughty, Peter Price and Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings with Georgie Fame and Albert Lee.
The opening concert is on Tuesday November 3rd at Pacific Road Arts Centre, Birkenhead. It’s the Brendan McCormack Celebration Concert in memory of Brendan, Merseyside guitar, lute and bass virtuoso whose idea the guitar festival was back in 1988. Brendan died early this year and his daughters, Frith and Ana, have organised with the help of the festival staff a memorial concert in his honour.
Appearing are Blue C, John Harper & Les Bolger, Anne Jackson Quintet, Modjango, Capo Fiasco (featuring Carl Chase, Ches & Al Cherry, Brian ‘Saxophone’ Jones) and Ricki & The Redstreaks.
Raphael Callaghan of blues duo Blue C says:
“Brendan and I were friends since school days – he was a prefect and he remembers taking my name when I was a first year for being late! “Years later, in 1991, he gave me my first break on the guitar festival with a solo concert at Birkenhead Town Hall. This was also the beginning of Blue C, as Christine joined me on bass for the encore.
“We were so pleased to be asked to play the celebration concert and we’ll be doing a number specially composed for the event.
“But we are really looking forward to Ricki & The Redstreaks – this was Brendan’s group in the Merseybeat days and John Lennon is on record as saying they were his favourite band and, by default, Brendan his favourite guitar player.”
Tickets are £10, box office 0151 666 0000 or book online at www.bestguitarfest.com
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