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“One Note”
The Borough Blues Club Newsletter
September 2007
Gig
Review – Borough Blues Club Second Birthday Bash –
8th September 2007
By Adrian Bold
Two
years of the Borough Blues Club already! And what a good reason
for a great celebration last Saturday night! Not only were there
live performances for the whole evening but there was also a free
raffle with the usual prizes of Blues CDs, wine and chocolates, an
“on the house” birthday drink for everyone and a superb
complimentary buffet. The Clubroom had been decked out with
balloons, candles and posters and from very early on it was clear
that people were entering into the party spirit. The room was
nicely crowded and, with the atmosphere building, the evening
kicked off with a great set from local “unplugged” duo Mike Markey
and Nick Jones, fresh from their previous weekend’s successful
performance at
Pontypool’s
“Jazz in the Park” festival.
Mike is a vocalist and harp player in a traditional blues style
who sang a range of songs from the blues greats including
“Tired as a man can be.” (Sonny and Brownie); “I just can’t
be satisfied” (Muddy Waters); “Dust Pneumonia Blues”
(Woody Guthrie) and “I’m so lonesome” (Hank Williams).
Mike was superbly supported by Nick Jones who is highly
accomplished on both guitar and a beautiful, shiny, metal
resonator. Nick’s intricate picking and slide guitar was held in
awe, particularly among the aspiring blues guitarists in the
room. It takes a special talent to hold an audience spellbound
with just guitar, voice and harmonica Mike and Nick managed this
well and the Borough Blues Club provided a good reception and warm
applause.
No
expense had been spared and the evening continued with two sets
from the highly acclaimed band “Storm Warning” who are building a
reputation as original and entertaining rock-blues band. Their
list of credits is huge with many appearances at big UK festivals
and upcoming tours of Holland and Poland where they will take
third place on the bill at the RAWA festival, the biggest indoor
blues event in the world, with over 8000 people attending. The
band, who hail from Aylesbury and High Wycombe, have been together
for three years and are fronted by Stuart “Son” Maxwell who has a
melodic vocal style and is a virtuoso harp player – and has
actually had books published on the subject. He was elegantly
accompanied by Bob “Mad Dog” Moore on guitar. Bob, according to
his blog, was “born under a road sign, near the cotton fields
of
East London, the
eldest of seven older brothers. My father had been killed by a
lynch mob just a year before. My mother entertained gentlemen at
home to make ends meet, or so she told us. I left home at twelve
and took the greyhound to Chicago. I got back about one thirty,
and gave the dog back.”
(Check out the Storm Warning Website
http://www.stormwarning.co.uk/ for more in a similar vein).
The band was completed by Derek White who has bass experience with
some major bands extending back into the 1970’s, and Roger Willis
on drums. These two provided the excellent platform from which
the whole band sprang to life. Unfortunately, Ian Salisbury, who
normally joins in on keyboards had been called away abroad and was
not able to appear. However, if this had not been mentioned it
would not have been noticeable as the band gave a very
professional performance made up almost entirely of songs written
by band members themselves.
In
fact, a few more familiar “standards” might have made the evening
even more enjoyable – but, the crowd did not seem to mind and
called loudly for encores as the group finished their set.
Storm Warning is a band determined to go places. They are
producing their second CD of original songs at the moment; they
have a list of major engagements in the diary and are beginning to
make their mark in the media. They recently had three “live
session” songs played on the Paul Jones Rhythm and Blues programme
on Radio 2 and are getting air time in other places. Their visit
to the Borough Blues Club was a fitting way to mark our second
birthday and marks the commitment of the Club Committee to provide
the best of the blues into our third year. Watch this space!
Club News
It
may be possible to run a small trip to a revised Upton Jazz/Blues
day later in the year – watch this space for details. Check out
the new website. Do you have any suggestions for bands you would
like to see at the club? If you have, please let us know because
we do: -
NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE!!
New
Website
The
new website is now up and running with all the general information
available – gigs, workshops etc. The site is still being
developed, so please bear with us a little longer until we have
loaded all the information and links we have at the moment.
Hopefully, this site has greater potential than our last one, and
as a result we will be placing a lot more information on the site
for you to access. You can keep the feedback coming in via direct
contact with committee members, (see bottom of page for names) or
via the web site message board / forum, so please let us know your
views. In the meantime: -
You
can keep checking for updated information at (www.boroughblues.com)
Also further information can be got at: - the other BBC site (you
know the broadcasters!)
www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southeast/sites/music
Blues Club Workshops
The
‘Workshop Gig’ – A view from the crowd
by Dave Leek
Monday 6th August. They came in their droves or at
least about forty of ‘em did. Friends and family, plus the odd
hanger on, to witness the debut performance of the Borough Blues
Club Workshop Band.
There were a few nervous looking faces and that was just amongst
the crowd. What had they let themselves in for? Had all those long
nights playing with themselves in the bedroom with the other half
shouting for them to “Turn it down I’m trying to watch Corrie”,
paid off?
Well
we were about to find out and I can tell you we were not to be
disappointed.
The
workshop players, ably supported by a large proportion of the
blues club committee, kicked off and stormed through a set that
included old blues classics from the likes of Robert Johnson
through to modern blues from old ‘Slowhand’ and Van the Man. There
was even a bit of Jazz thrown in for good measure (nice crooning
Dave).
The
night proved to be thoroughly enjoyable, I’m sure, for both the
band and audience alike and the families in attendance should be
rightly proud of the workshop members’ achievements. They’ve all
worked extremely hard over the last few months and thanks have to
go out to them for their efforts.
Last
but not least, thanks should also go out to Dave, Keith and the
two Adrian’s for their efforts, and to Pat for a fabulous buffet.
Cheers guys we look forward to perhaps seeing the workshop band
playing on a regular gig night.
So,
to the future,
we are always looking for vocalists, Key-board players, and
drummers, In fact, anyone with an interest to complement the happy
gang we have already. If you fancy a go, or know someone who
does, just let us, and them, know and we’ll make them welcome. The
only rule is that you have to be a member of the Borough Blues
Club to attend, and the cost will be £2.00 per session. We meet at
New Panteg RFC every fortnight on a Monday, and we run from 7.00pm
to 9.15pm.
New players/singers are always welcome, so check website for
dates, and-come-on-down.
Next Gig – 6th October 2007
Doctors Orders
were formed in 2005 with the aim of playing ‘Good Time’ bouncing
blues, the result is just that. Their music, while it can broadly
be described as blues, is an eclectic mix combining funk, rock, R
n’ B, jazz and swing, to produce a varied up-tempo set. Covering
artists such as ZZ Top, Dr Feelgood, Fleetwood Mac, Johnny Winter,
Gary Moore, Allman Brothers, Robben Ford, and many others,
‘Doctors Orders’ are exactly what the doctor ordered to cure your
blues yearnings.
The band features a front line of Jon Bridger and
Martyn Davies on guitars, and a solid Back-line of Dave Wiggins on
bass and Chris Houghton on drums.
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