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DIGITAL BLUES NEWS

Au Revoir

 

Yes we are off to France. Normal service will be resumed very soon but meanwhile read the Basildon Echo's story of our last night at the New Crawdaddy Blues Club here

 

Robin Humphreys – R.I.P.


In SXBLUES@yahoogroups.com, Stevie King writes:

“Sad news this week, I'm afraid, as I have to report the passing of another British Bluesman.

Bassist Robin Humphreys died this week of complications following major heart surgery, and our thoughts are with his wife Rita and their family. Robin was a regular jammer at Brentwood's Hot Hob. When I quit Bad Hair Day at the beginning of this year, singing bass players being in short supply, Robin was the obvious choice as my replacement. Tragically, he was only able to play one gig with them before his untimely death. He will be laid to rest on Friday 25th April and his life celebrated at a jam session in The Eagle & Child, Chelmsford Road, Shenfield at 3 that afternoon.”

 

On the same group, a fellow Hot Hob jammer called John writes: “I'd always thought that Robin was one of the, if not THE, best singing bass player at the Hot Hob, and I was always very happy to be put onstage with him, I should have told him that last week, but to my utmost regret I didn't - A great player, a great guy, a great loss. Vaya con Dios Robin”


Sean Costello 1979 – 2008

Delta Groove Press Release:

 

seancostelloprIt is with the deepest sadness that we issue this press release, and the news that Delta Groove recording artist Sean Costello passed away in Atlanta, GA on Tuesday, April 15th, one day before his 29th birthday.  Sean was not only a member of the Delta Groove musical family, he was also a friend, and words cannot express the sorrow we feel at having to say goodbye so soon.  As blues music fans, we unfortunately grow somewhat accustomed to the sadness of the inevitable passing of musical elders after long and fruitful careers.  Losing someone as young, vibrant, and talented as Sean, who had accomplished so much in just a few short years and still had so much potential, is a terribly difficult blow, not only to those who knew him personally, but for the music community as a whole.  He had been unanimously praised as one of the main torch-bearers of the blues flame for the coming generations, and now that potential will go sadly unfulfilled.

 

Costello was born in Philadelphia in 1979, moved with his family to Atlanta at the age of 9, and soon afterward picked up the guitar. Within a few short years he’d won the Memphis Blues Society’s new talent award, and was on the road with his own band. At age 17 he released his first album, “Call The Cops”, acclaimed by Real Blues Magazine as “an explosive debut.” He soon joined forces with fellow blues guitarist Susan Tedeschi, with whom he toured and recorded, laying down tasteful lead guitar work on her Gold-certified Tone-Cool debut “Just Won’t Burn”.

 

In 2000, Costello released “Cuttin’ In” on Landslide Records, which earned him critical acclaim as well as a prestigious W. C. Handy Award nomination for ‘Best New Artist Debut.’ With 2002’s “Moanin’ For Molasses”, also on Landslide, came a Blues Revue cover story touting Costello as “the top contender to be the next blues star - and soon.” Costello’s hometown paper The Atlanta Journal-Constitution called his guitar playing “masterful” and of “remarkable maturity.” The paper also compared him to such legends as B. B. King, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

 

In 2005, his self-titled fourth CD “Sean Costello” was released by Artemis Records.  Produced by Steve Rosenthal (The Rolling Stones, Suzanne Vega, Freedy Johnston), it was an appealing blend of soul, funk, upbeat rock.  He was joined by some very special guests: Levon Helm of The Band sits in on two tracks, as does his daughter, Amy Helm, with her group, Ollabelle. Steve Jordan, Willie Weeks and the Conan O’Brien horn section also appear.

 

Sean’s Delta Groove debut CD “We Can Get Together”, just released in February, was produced by Costello himself.  He was justly proud of “We Can Get Together”, calling it the best work he’d ever done, and the critics agreed, with excellent reviews from radio and press alike lauding it his most impressive and mature work to date.

 

Costello was fortunate enough to earn the respect and admiration of many of his own idols, and had the opportunity to perform with his mentors. He shared stages with B.B. King, Buddy Guy, James Cotton, Pinetop Perkins, and Bo Diddley among many others.  He recently said, “All I’ve ever wanted to do was play the guitar well. I’ve been fortunate to be able to make a living doing it, and I plan to keep it up for the rest of my life.”

 

Rand Chortkoff and Robert Fitzpatrick, the CEO and President respectively of Delta Groove Music, issued the following joint statement: "Sean Costello was a genius. He was destined to go down in music history as a blues legend. His musical legacy will live on through his music forever. We at Delta Groove Music and all his fans everywhere are devastated by the untimely news of his death. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, loved ones and friends and to all of his many fans around the world. He will not be forgotten."

 

 

Very sad news... 5th April 2008

 

After the best part of 13 years and goodness knows how many gigs all over the UK, the multiple Digital Blues Award winning Rockin' Armadillos are no more.

 

RockinArmadillos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In an e-mailed announcement, your Blues Personality of 2007 in that year's Digital Blues Awards,  Tim Aves, the band’s frontman says: “The five current members of the band wish to stress we remain, as ever, the closest and dearest of friends. However, for mainly personal reasons which we do not wish to go into, we have decided to call it a day with immediate effect.”

 

The Rockin' Armadillos played the first of many hundreds, if not thousands of gigs, opening for The Fabulous Thunderbirds at the sadly missed Juke Joint Club in Basildon, Essex, on August 24, 1995.

 

Tim continues: “Since then, it is fair to say we have had the time of our lives. We have been to some astonishing places, met some wonderful people and forged some brilliant, lasting friendships, both with fellow musicians and with those who come to see and hear us play.

 

It's early days yet, but there's a strong chance some of us will be back out there playing again fairly soon. For the time being, the website and MySpace page will serve as a basic contact and information point for anyone who wants to find out what we are up to, so please keep checking back there.

 

Finally, we'd all like to say a sincere and heartfelt thank you to the many people around the world who have helped, supported and taken the band into their hearts and souls down the years... it's been a pleasure.

 

Tim Aves, Jane English, Alex Hall, Rob Barry, Paul Lester aka The Rockin' Armadillos”

 

Digital Blues is very sad to learn that the ‘Dillos are no more. They were a band that, for me, were very much the torch bearers for the great Thames Delta style and with Tim and Jane up front offered a tremendous variety and great entertainment as well as fine musicianship. Alex Hall, on guitar, had come out of the shadow of Owen Barry and shown what a fine guitarist he is in his own right whilst the wonderful rhythm section of Rob Barry on bass and Paul ‘Lazy’ Lester on drums were not just rock solid but gave a new meaning to the phrase laid back!

 

It is also a crying shame that the long awaited CD will never materialise. I was so looking forward to it and from the snippets I had heard, it was going to be well worth the wait.

 

The Rockin’ Armadillos are no more, an era has ended and all we can say is thank you for the great music and energy of your performances. You will be missed.

 

 

Blues at the Farm Anniversary Jam

 

Congratulations go to all at Blues at the Farm who, on Saturday 29th March, raised in excess of a four figure sum at an enormously popular charity jam in aid of the Children’s Wards at Basildon Hospital.

 

The event was by way of a celebration of the fifth anniversary of the Blues at the Farm Club move to the Barleylands Social Club from the much missed and now sadly no more Fortune of War.

 

The Club committee want to thank every one who attended (more than 165 over the day), participated & supported the Jam which raised over £ 1000.00 whilst having loads of fun which is fantastic. A special thank you goes out to Tim Aves and the Rockin Armadillo’s for holding it all together.

 

Apologies go out to anyone who did not get to play but the feeling is that Tim did a fantastic job getting as many people up to play as he did!

 

JEFF HEALEY 1966 - 2008

 

How sad it is that a few weeks before the European release of his first blues/rock album in eight years, the superb guitarist Jeff Healey has died in a Toronto hospital on Sunday March 2nd after a lifelong battle with a rare form of cancer which left him blind from the age of 1.  

 

Jeff was considered as one of the most distinctive guitar players of his era and was also a great supporter of Canadian musicians, particularly blues players, whom he showcased at his well known Toronto venue. He also appeared with many great names including BB King & Stevie Ray Vaughan as well as recording with George Harrison, Mark Knopfler & Jimmy Rogers.

 

Healey began playing the guitar when he was 3, formed his first band at age 17 and rose to fame with The Jeff Healey Band in 1988. They released the hit single ‘Angel Eyes’ and the Grammy-nominated album ‘See the Light’ which went on to sell more than one million copies in America. He also became well known after his appearance in the movie ‘Road House’ which starred Patrick Swayzee. In 1990 he won a Juno award for Entertainer of the Year in 1990.

The new millennium saw his rock career winding down and Healey recorded three albums of early jazz on which he played trumpet and acoustic guitar under the band name Jeff Healey’s Jazz Wizards.  The most recent was entitled ”It’s Tight Like That” and was recorded live at Hugh’s Room in Toronto in 2005, featuring British jazz legend Chris Barber as a guest star.

His forthcoming CD, ‘Mess of Blues’ is a joint venture between Ruf Records in Germany and Canada’s great Stoney Plain label and includes two tracks recorded live at Jeff Healey’s Roundhouse in Toronto and two recorded at the Islington Academy in London. Jeff had a tour of Britain and Germany planned as well as an appearance on Later with Jools Holland scheduled.

A spokesperson confirmed that the album release would go ahead, coming out in Europe on March 20th and in the US and Canada on April 22nd.

March 3rd 2008

Chris Youlden - Good News

 

Following on from our previous item we are delighted to learn from Shakey Vick that Chris Youlden is much better. He's had all the tubes out and is now out of intensive care, back on a general ward. He can talk again and is on solid food. We wish him a continuing thorough and speedy recovery.

 

 

New Blues Radio Programme

 

There is a new time and day for two hours of great blues in the company of our very good friend and pillar of the Essex Blues Community, Mr Tim Aves as he presents ‘The Blues Is Back’ every Sunday between 8 & 10 p.m. on SaintFM, Maldon District’s very own radio station based in Burnham on Crouch.

The station commenced broadcasting in early December and transmits on 94.7FM with a signal that is quite strong - it's reaching as far as Wickford, the edges of Chelmsford and even almost to Braintree.

If you are out of the broadcast area or cannot pick it up on FM, the programme is also streamed live via www.saintfm.org.uk (don’t go to the .com address as this gets you the radio station of St Helena!!!) At present, the station is in soft launch mode with an official launch just after Christmas but Tim is there each Sunday and would welcome your company!

At the moment he is mainly playing CDs and doing the gig guide, but as soon as the station launches properly he has plans for loads of studio guests and live bands doing sessions in the adjacent Saint recording studio.

Tim tells Digital Blues that, already lined up for sessions are The SPIKEdrivers, Papa George and Kris Dollimore, “with plenty more up for it, too”, so he reckons that there should be some good music getting out there on the airwaves!

It is really great news that, once again, a local Essex radio station will be broadcasting live Blues on a weekly basis and we wish Tim and all the SaintFM crew all the very best. As long as Tim keeps us posted, we will carry details of his special guests and live sessions here on the Digital Blues website.

13.12.07

 

IKE TURNER – 1931 - 2007

 

The death was announced on 12th December 2007 of Ike Turner, a widely respected musician who is perhaps best known for his musical and stormy marital partnership with Tina Turner. Aged 76, he died at his home in California and, although there has been no official comment on the cause of his death, he had been ill for some time with the lung condition emphysema, despite which he won a second Grammy in 2007 with his well received ‘Risin’ With The Blues’ album.

 

Turner’s career spanned some six decades and in 1951 he wrote what is generally reckoned to be the first ever rock’n’roll record, ‘Rocket 88’ which he recorded with his band, the Kings of Rhythm, although it was credited to Jackie Brenston & his Delta Cats. Born in Clarksdale, Mississippi in 1931, Turner was a session guitarist and pianist who played with many now revered and famous musicians including BB King, Howlin’ Wolf, Willie Dixon & Muddy waters. He also has a stint as Janis Joplin’s singing coach and a one-time member of the Kings of Rhythm was a young guitarist called Jimi Hendrix.

He then met an 18 year old singer called Anna Mae Bullock who he later married and who became a world-wide star as Tina Turner. Ike & Tina had a string of hits and in 1972 they won a Grammy with their cover of ‘Proud Mary’

However, their marriage was overshadowed by Ike’s drug-fuelled abuse of Tina, so much so that in 1976 she finally sought a divorce which saw Ike’s downward spiral become ever deeper, so much so that in the mid 80s, a cocaine addict, he was jailed for drug related offences.

In 1991 Ike & Tina Turner were inducted into the Rock 7 Roll hall of Fame although Ike was still in prison at the time.

The new millennium saw Turner return to the public eye, at 70 years of age, with a Grammy nominated album, ‘Here & Now’.

Turner’s contribution to both the Blues and to modern music goes far deeper than is perhaps generally appreciated and it is sad that such a talent is always overshadowed by memories of his treatment of his wife, Tina.

12.12.07

 

 

Digital Blues Awards 2007 Launched

 

Things may have been a bit quiet on the Digital Blues front since we were sacked by Phoenix FM but plans are afoot for our popular podcasts etc. to be back up & running in the New Year. In the meantime, of course, there is still the gig guide which is as popular as ever as well as our reviews of gigs, CDs, DVDs etc. We also publish news stories periodically and the Digital Blues site recently welcome visitor number 17,000!

 

And of course, each year we run the Digital Blues Awards in which we invite you to vote for your favourite artists, acts, venues etc. You can now take part in the Digital Blues Awards 2007 by visiting the Awards page on this website and, using the form which you will find there, you can cast your votes for your favourites.

 

You have until Friday 8th February 2008 to cast your votes and they are already rolling in thanks to one alert band who regularly check the Digital Blues site and publicised the Awards to their mailing list!

 

So join in and let us have your votes! I know that although the winners do not receive any prize as such, they are delighted and proud to be winners and/or nominees.

 

Finally, let me take this opportunity to wish you a very happy Christmas and a great 2008. Make it your New Year’s Resolution to support the blues however you are able and especially by getting out there to live gigs. Venues and musicians alike are struggling to survive and you can help by lending your support and encouraging your friends to do so too.

 

 

Chris Youlden

 

News reaches Digital Blues that former Savoy Brown singer & songwriter, Chris Youlden, is very seriously ill in hospital. Graham “Shakey Vick” Vickery and Dino Coccis tell me that on Thursday 8th November, Chris Youlden was taken seriously ill at his home with pneumonia and was rushed to hospital and treated in the isolation unit of the intensive care department. His condition was stabilised and he was under heavy sedation, whilst various conditions were treated. His condition improved sufficiently for him to be removed from the isolation unit but he remained in the intensive care section. He had lung problems and was being treated for this.

Chris continues to make progress though he is still on the critical list. They've managed to get him sitting up to help his breathing and he is conscious now, though unable to talk. He is aware of what is going on.

As far as other people's desire to send their support, Shakey Vick has said he will pass on any emails or letters sent to him, when Chris is able to read them. You can write to Vicksboro' Records,  15 Chippenham Road, London W9 2AH, UK or you can email address  vickery06@btinternet.com. Graham will print out any emails and take them along to Chris when he visits. Chris's wife is happy with this arrangement and is very pleased to hear of the well wishers.

I am sure everyone joins Digital Blues in wishing Chris a full and speedy recovery. A new CD is due to be released very soon called “Got Blues If Ya Wannit” featuring the Shakey Vick Band with Chris as a special guest. Read the first review of this CD on the Digital Blues CD Reviews page for 2007.

 

27th November 2007

 

 

GARY PRIMICH – R.I.P.

 

Gary Primich at the CrawdaddyThose of you who listen to Paul Jones’ Radio 2 show will have heard him pay tribute on the 15th October to Gary Primich, considered by many to be one of the greatest harmonica players in the world, who died, aged 49, on Sunday, September 23, 2007 in Austin, Texas.

 

The Wildcards who toured Europe with Gary earlier this year paid their own tribute in their most recent newsletter saying: “Not only is this the loss of a world-class talent, but also of a true world-class person. Offstage, Gary was a caring and gentle soul — a real Regular Joe of the best kind. Onstage he played with a ferocity and indescribable sound that was often mind-blowing.

 

He'd say 'Thank You' to his fans then quickly change the subject because he didn't want it to be all about him. He loved animals, he loved people, he loved music and he loved life. Gary's career sent him around the world, traveling thousands and thousands of miles for his love of music, but he'll always be right here, in our hearts.

 

The Wildcards toured with Gary around Europe in 2006 and we are devastated to hear this sad news. Only a few weeks ago we were talking together with Gary about another tour planned for 2008.

 

We had recorded Gary's song Hoodoo Preacher on our forthcoming album and have now decided to dedicate the album to his memory.”

 

A tribute on Gary’s website records that “He first picked up a harmonica as a child after hearing Mr. Zip play the theme song introducing the use of zip codes in the U.S. Raised in northwestern Indiana, near the Windy City, Primich cut his teeth on the sounds of Chicago style blues. As soon as he was old enough to sneak into the clubs, he was invited to sit in with blues bands performing at the legendary night spots and juke joints that dot the Chicago landscape. Primich continued to hone his craft performing at Chicago’s historic Maxwell Street open air market where many of America’s greatest blues artists got their start. By the early 80’s he had left the Midwest and headed for Austin, Texas where he became an integral part of the local music scene.

 

His no nonsense approach to music and non-stop touring won him legions of fans across North America and Europe. Never content to just stand still, Primich was continually taking his music someplace different. He expanded the perceived limitations of his instrument and constantly forged into new and very cool terrain. Throughout his career he released nine albums, wrote dozens of great songs, and lent his talents to recordings by many other artists. He was also a generous and talented mentor. Over the years he taught many aspiring harmonica players in workshops across the country. Gary shared a love of animals with his wife Tina.

 

He will be dearly missed. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to The Oak Hill House, The SIMS Foundation or The Animal Trustees of Austin. A memorial service and “life celebration” will be held on October 28, 2007 at 8.00 p.m. at the Sangerrunde Hall, 1607 San Jacinto, Austin, TX 78701.”

 

For more details visit Gary’s website at www.garyprimich.com

 

Photos of Gary at the New Crawdaddy Blues Club in 2007 courtesy of Chris Patching © 2007

 

 

Bottleneck Blues Club – Good News!

 

John Adams tells Digital Blues that, following his decision to move to Hampshire and stop running the Bottleneck (See earlier story), the Club will continue under our “new management” with Richard Dobney at the helm. John says that Richard is very keen to see this excellent Club survive and that they have agreed a deal that will see the Bottleneck re-open after the summer break on Tuesday 25th September at the Roffen in Rochester. Richard is, of course, well known to Digital Blues readers as a talented musician and the man behind a number of jams & open mic sessions locally, especially the famed Hot Hob Jam at the SEAXE Bar at the Essex Arms in Brentwood. Richard also has a new Stormy Friday’s series of gigs in the offing at the SEAXE. John is going to be around to assist Richard with the first few gigs and advises that they have some very fine artists lined up for the Autumn season including opener Ian Siegal who is appearing with his band on the 25th.

 

Digital Blues is delighted that the Bottleneck will continue and wishes Richard every success with this venture. We will continue to feature details of all the Bottleneck gigs in the gig guide.

 

 

The End of the Road for the Spitz

 

spitzlogo(2)Following on from our earlier story (see below) about the threatened closure of the Spitz, the smashing venue in Old Spitalfields Market on the edge of the City of London, Digital Blues learns that despite the appeals of the more than 10,000 people who signed the petition to save the venue, they have lost their battle with their landlords and the Spitz will be closing in October 2007.A very sad loss to the London scene, especially following on from the closure of the Catacombs in Camden.

However, the management are actively looking for a new venue and are seeking your financial support to help them to secure the future of The Spitz. They are seeking support to assist them in finding a new home and “to continue to make an outstanding contribution to London’s live music scene and cultural reputation”.

If you wish to make a contribution then visit www.spitz.co.uk where you can pay on line via PayPal or you can send a cheque, made payable to 'Dandelion Trust Spitz Appeal' to: The Dandelion Trust, 41 The Limehouse Cut, 46 Morris Road, London, E14 6NQ. If you have a venue that would suit The Spitz or any ideas on buildings which might be appropriate, please email Rupert@spitz.co.uk

 

 

Adieu to John Adams

 

After nearly 12 years of running The Bottleneck Blues Club, promoter, tour and artist manager John Adams has announced he is “hanging up hid gig spurs”  He is selling his house in Kent & moving to Hampshire in September to develop a new business - JetLine Executive Travel (www.jetlinexec.co.uk john@jetlinexec.co.uk) who have a fleet of Mercedes Benz mini buses & Lexus 600s & have tied in with Manhatten Jet Charters & Villa in Dalyan to offer discrete travel arrangements to sports people, musicians, businessmen & anybody needing luxury transfers, flights or holidays.

Writing on the Bottleneck website (www.bottleneckblues.com) John says, ” I have made many friends over the years both at the club & on the road touring with my artists. It's down to you that the club has been so successful. I'm very proud of what has been achieved over the years & have strived to only ever present what I consider to be "World Class Music" but I can't support myself just promoting blues/roots so must (as my dear late Mum said on her death-bed) "Get a proper job!"”.

John thanks everyone for their support, friendship and loyalty and adds “I'll miss you & I'll miss the great nights we've all shared. However, you may not have got rid of me that easily!! I've agreed to help (from a distance) anybody who wants to take on the task of continuing The Bottleneck. I'm also getting stick from The Souldiggers to continue with the tours....I can't give an answer on that just yet & have asked them to give me time to develop my new business & we'll look at 2008 in the New Year....so you never know...I might be poking my head around the door in the future”.

He goes on to thank “a few individuals without whom my task would have been considerably tougher over the years” as well as the many promoters who have booked my artists, the musicians whose art is so often under-valued & you lot....it don't happen without you.”

John will be greatly missed, who will tell people to STFU now! I have greatly valued his support and encouragement for Digital Blues over the years that I have known him and I know he will be missed by many on the Blues & roots music scene. I wish him all the very best and hope that our paths will cross again. If you want to say goodbye in person get yourself along to the final Bottleneck gig on Tuesday 31st July at the Roffen (full details in the Digital Blues Gig Guide or at www.bottleneckblues.com) when the headliners are the superb Jerimiah Marques and the Blue Aces - from Essex!

 

Licence law 'damaging small gigs'

 

The Live Music Forum, which was set up by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to look at the effects of the 2005 Licencing Act, has called on the government to amend the legislation because “Small-scale concerts are being put at risk by new licensing laws.” It has suggested that small local venues staging acoustic concerts should be exempt from new regulations. Feargal Sharkey who leads the forum is quoted on the BBC Website as saying that that some councils are "unreasonable" when issuing licences.

 

The BBC News story also advises that “The group has also recommended that acoustic performances should be exempt from licensing, and also if it is not the main attraction at a venue.  It added that local councils should set up performance spaces for musicians.”

 

Speaking on the BBC's Breakfast programme, Sharkey said: "It's these little rooms in the back of little pubs that sustain the £6 billion business known as the music industry."

 

Gerry Sutcliffe, the Licencing minister is said to have welcomed the "interesting and challenging" findings. He continued, "We will now look at each of the recommendations, discuss with stakeholders and will respond fully in due course."

 

Full story at

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6268406.stm

 

 

Digital Blues Radio Shows

 

Sadly, I have to announce that Digital Blues is no longer associated in any way with PhoenixFM. The Managing Director of PhoenixFM has unilaterally and without any warning or discussion pulled the show with immediate effect because I dared to have and to express an opinion which did not accord with his. In doing so he has also made what I believe to be some very unfair & unfounded comments and accused me of things which are untrue.

I am sorry for all the listeners to Digital Blues and thank you for your past support. Digital Blues has been broadcast on Phoenix for six years and did much to raise the profile of the station over that time.

Digital Blues podcasts will be available again in the near future and I will let you know as soon as they are.

 

 

 

CHICAGO RED Tour

 

Undertaking a short UK tour this month (July) is the now Los Angeles based Chicago Red, a man whose life has definitely seen him living the Blues. Red was to have kicked things off playing live on Digital Blues on Wednesday 18th July but for reasons that are obvious from our headline story this will not now be happening although we hope that we may get Red to record a session for us.

 

So your first chance to catch Red will be at the Upton Blues Festival on Friday 20th July and over the next 15 days he will be playing a dozen or so gigs, mainly in the South West but with appearances at the Grey Horse in Kingston upon Thames and the Retreat at Bocking and the SEAXE Bar in Brentwood, both in Essex.

 

You can read much more about Red’s life and times and catch some of his fine music by visiting his website at www.chicagored.com or his MySpace pages which can be found at  http://www.myspace.com/chicagoredblues

 

Full tour dates are as follows:

 

Friday July 20th & Saturday July 21st - 5:30-7:30pm

Upton Blues Festival

appearing at the Kings Head, Riverside, Upton-Upon-Severn

(tel) 01684 592621

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Sunday July 22nd - 7:00-9:00pm

Mi Familia, Old Barn Passage, St.Marys Street, Stamford, Lincs

(tel) 01780 766338

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Tuesday July 24th - 9:15-11:15pm

Bunch Of Grapes,  8 Denmark Street, Bristol

(tel) 01179 099293

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Thursday July 26th – 8.00 – 10.00 pm

Otterton Mill, Budleigh Salterton, Devon

(tel) 01395 568521

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Sunday July 29th   4.00-6.00pm

The Greyhorse, 46 Richmond Road, Kingston-Upon-Thames

(tel) 020 8541 4328

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Monday July 30th - 8:30-10:30pm

The Courtyard @ Lulworth Castle, East Lulworth, Dorset

(tel) 01202 631912

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Tuesday July 31st -  9.00-11.00pm

The Barn @ Square+Compass, Windmill Hill (Nr Ilminster),

Somerset

(tel) 01823 480467

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Wednesday August 1st – 9pm-11pm

Raleighs Cross Inn, Brendon Hill (Nr Watchet), Somerset

(tel) 01984 640343

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Friday August 3rd – 9.00-11.00pm

The Bear Hotel, The Market Place, Devizes

(tel) 01380 722444

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Saturday August 4th -  9.00-11.00pm

The Retreat, 42 Church Street, Bocking, Essex

(tel) 01376 554923

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Sunday August 5th -  8:30-10:30pm

The SEAXE Bar, The Essex Arms, Warley Hill, Brentwood, Essex

(tel) 01277 201164

 

 

FESTIVAL FEVER!

 

As ever, July is a busy, busy month for festival goers featuring, as it does, some of the best Blues Festivals around.

 

This is not an exhaustive list of all the Festivals in July but these are the ones that look particularly good to me. They are in purely chronological/and alphabetical order!

 

 

Thursday 12th to Saturday 14th July - The Abertillery Blues Festival 2007, Blaenau Gwent, Wales

 

Back for a third year is the Abertillery Blues Festival which has steadily grown in popularity over the last three year’s to become one of the biggest Blues events in Wales. This year’s Festival is the biggest one to date and will kick off on Thursday 12th July at the new Met in Abertillery and will showcase local Blues bands from around the region.

The Kendall James Band will open up the event, followed by Chicago electric blues three piece, Crosscut Saw.  J44 will be wowing audiences with their blues and r n’ b rhythm and Blues singer, Jim Diamond and Snake Davies will round off the first night with performances of their hits in the 80s with ‘I Should have know better’ and the theme from Boon, ‘Hi-ho Silver’.

Friday night will see some of the best in British Blues take to the Abertillery Park stage. Swansea band The Revelators will open at 7p.m. and will be followed by the classic blues rock band The YardBirds, The legendary Animals and the outstanding The Blues Band featuring Paul Jones amongst others.

Saturday is the International Blues day and offers Festival goers the opportunity to catch a great line up of Blues artists from across the UK and America. Local band Stone Fox will be performing during the day and they will be followed by the superb Scot, Dave Arcari, and the reformed Irish Rock Band, Taste.

After going down a storm last year, Paul Lamb and the Kingsnakes return to Abertillery Park again this whilst the superb Michael Roach Band make their first appearance in the area. This year’s headliner is Grammy Award Winner John Hammond who will be playing his only European date for 2007 at the Festival.

 

As well as a great selection of Blues, music fans will be able to relax and enjoy the beautiful Welsh countryside and enjoy traditional Welsh beer once again from the Rhymney Brewery Bar.

 

 For further information, please contact the Box Office on 01495 355800 or visit www.blaenaugwentvenues.com

 

 

Friday 13th to Sunday 15th June - GuilFest 2007 – Stoke Park, Guildford, Surrey

 

GuilFest has grown hugely over the years from its humble beginnings as the Guildford Folk & Blues Festival. Now sponsored by BBC Radio 2, amongst others, and attracting major media attention, this year, as ever, sees an eclectic mix of musical styles gracing the six stages of live music whilst theatre, comedy, cutting edge DJ’s and classic disco add even more variety to this national award winning event. (Family Festival of the Year 2006 – UK Festival Awards.)

 

The line-up for the BBC Radio 2 Main Stage will feature headline bands SuperGrass, Squeeze and Madness supported by The Ordinary Boys, Morcheeba and The Magic Numbers. Performing as special guests this year will be Rodrigo Y Gabriela and legends of Reggae, Jimmy Cliff and Toots and The Maytals.

 

For the first time GuilFest will feature the Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra who will perform a stunning two hour classical concert from noon on the Saturday. Also performing at GuilFest for the first time will be the 250 strong Rock Choir, who will be performing a set of mixed pop, gospel and Motown classics on the Sunday at noon.

 

Ents24.com return to sponsor the second stage which is simply heaving with songwriting talent – from the established figures of Richard Thompson and The Saw Doctors to the emerging talents of Ghosts, Cherry Ghost, Ireland’s Damien Dempsey and Ross Copperman.  The Sunday bill culminates with Prog rock legends Uriah Heep, whose line up will feature one of David Bowie’s Spiders from Mars.

 

The RockSound stage having proved immensely popular in 2006 has pulled out all the stops with My Vitriol, Reuben, Orange Goblin, Your Code Name Is: Milo and Six Nation State leading a stellar line up of rock bands nearly all of whom are making their debut at GuilFest this year.

 

UNISON will once again present the UNISON ZONE and provide a packed program of activities including the Unsung Heroes Live Sessions, offering unsigned acts the opportunity to roll up and experience Andy Warhol’s ‘15 minutes of fame’.  Organizers are keen to encourage new talent – we may sneak a glimpse of a future headliner.

 

The Surrey Advertiser and Andertons Music Co are staging the festivals 2 Live Club Stages for unsigned bands. Sikhona, Satellite State, Feel Free Mind, Flyin Ike, Program, BenSem, The Riotous Brothers and Staff Brett, plus over 40 more of the best raw up and coming bands will wow audiences over the weekend on these 2 stages. Of particular interest to Blues fans are appearances on Saturday by 3am on the Surrey Advertiser stage and the fabulous funkydory on the Andertons stage, let’s hope they are not at the same time.

 

eFestivals Cosmic Comedy Tent will be bringing you some of the very best comics on today’s circuit whilst the Funky End Stage is all set to groove n move and will see over 30 of the South’s finest DJs plus internationally renowned DJs hitting the decks. 

 

For a full line up of bands, attractions and facilities visit the Festival website www.guilfest.co.uk GuilFest 2007 looks set to be the most successful to date and tickets are selling fast so get your tickets quick!  Ticket Hotline: 0871 4240050. Book tickets via the website: www.guilfest.co.uk Visitor information: 01483 454159

 

Friday 27th to Sunday 29th July -  Maryport Blues Festival 2007, Maryport, Cumbria

 

For me this is not just the Festival of the month but possibly of the year! And that is not just because our good friends at Movinmusic are the booking agents. It is a real tribute to the organisers of what is a not for profit event taking place in a small harbour town in West Cumbria that they have won the reputation of hosting one of the UK’s best Blues festivals with this year, the 9th,  promising to top all previous events.

 

Saturday sees Van Morrison headlining the main stage along with his 11 piece band and Gary Moore headlining on Frida. The bill over three days includes top international acts from the UK, Australia, Italy & Germany all making their Festival debuts on the main stage as well as more than 25 other bands representing the best in British Blues performing on the trail in pubs and clubs around the town.

 

Booked for the main stage are the premier blues and roots troubadour, Eric Bibb, Zydeco superstar C.J. Chenier and his Red Hot Louisiana Band, widely acknowledged as the best living zydeco singer & accordionist, Grammy nominee and critically acclaimed James Hunter, renowned for his extraordinarily soulful voice and impassioned performances, Sharrie Williams & the Wiseguys, possessor of an awesome voice and well known for unforgettable performances, the Holmes Brothers, undisputed masters of blues-based American roots music, Australia’s award winning blues artist, Harper, renowned for his unique harmonica perfomnces and for including the didgeridoo in his live act, Italy’s top blues band, Family Style, British rock legend Mike Harrison with his band returns to his blues roots following on from his excellent recently released CD, ‘Late Starter’ and the excellent British Blues rock band, Never The Bride featuring Nicki Lambourn, “the best female rock voice since Janis Joplin”. Completing the main stage line-up are Blues’n’Trouble & Out of the Blue.  

 

The Trail features, amongst others, Scotland’s gravel voiced Dave Arcari, the superb funkydory featuring the glory that is Lorna Reilly and hubby Jules Fothergill, Giles Hedley & the Aviators featuring multi award winning Sam Kelly on drums and jazz funkster Richard Sadler on bass, the excellent John O’Leary Band whose present band line-up features Jules Fothergill on guitar, Joachim Greve on drums, Roger Innis on bass with Julian ‘Mr Jules’ Grudgings on keys, the wonderful Paul Rose band featuring the glorious guitar of Paul, the power & emotion of the Sean Webster band, the highly individual take on the genre that is offered by Bucks. Based band, Storm Warning, the Matt taylor band, again featuring a superb guitarist in Matt often described as the “king of slide guitar” and a band not mentioned in the publicity material, Howard Smith & the Razors who, after a break of some years are back together and well worth catching.

 

This really is a stonking Festival and full details are available at www.maryportblues.com

 

Saturday 28th July to Sunday 5th August  - Gloucester International Rhythm & Blues Festival, Gloucester

 

Clashing in part at least with Maryport is this 8 day feast of great music which this year boasts their best ever line-up which features appearances by the likes of the Holmes Brothers, Sharrie Williams & the Wiseguys, the Animals, Mike Sanchez and the Portions.

 

The Festival kicks off on Saturday in Gloucester Park with the Mike Harrison Band in the afternoon and the Holmes Brothers in the evening whilst Sunday afternoon sees former Paul Lamb & the Kingsnakes guitarist Johnny Dickinson, the Matt Schofield Trio and Sharrie Williams & the Wiseguys  performing in Kings Square. Sunday evening highlight for me is phenomenal Irish tinged blues and lightning fingers of Will Killeen. Other highlights during the week include the excellent Memphis in the Meantime at Café Rene on Tuesday 31st, the unique Molly Brown at Café Rene, Howard Smith & the Razors at the Windmill and Bridget & the Big Girls Blues at the Tall Ship making the first of a number of Festival appearances, all of these acts are on Wednesday 1st August.

 

Thursday the 2nd sees Giles Hedley & the Aviators at the Dick Whittington, the Innes Sibun Band at the New Inn, the Guy Tortora Band at Café Rene and  Bridget & the Big Girls Blues at Petes Wine Bar. Friday the 3rd at the Guildhall has what looks a fascinating evening with American Blues Harmonica Masters Johnny Mars, Dennis Gruenling and Russ Green with the Michael Roach band. Saturday the 4th sees Micke Sanchez, Spank the Monkey & Rick Payne plus others playing at Greyfriars whilst Sunday sees the Animals headlining the same venue.

 

The full programme and all other details can be found at www.gloucesterblues.co.uk or you can call +44 (0)1452 412828

 

 

Unfortunate News Regarding the NightFlies

 

Digital Blues has learned that the NightFlies have parted company with guitarist Kevin Webb. Band frontman, Mark Sibley, tells us “I suppose you could say it’s down to ‘personal differences’. Obviously we are disappointed at the outcome, but, after all the hard work we’ve done bringing this band on Wayne, Andy and I have decided to pick it up again with somebody new.” Mark says that he cannot say anything definite at the moment in this respect but hopes to have some good news soon.