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Saturday
15th March 2003 Lunchtime click here
Saturday
15th March 2003 Evening click here
Friday 14th March 2003
In the Beginning
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Derek White
introduces the first Rocking the Blues at Tring - he doesn't look very
well - the strain of organising the event is beginning to take its toll.
He is wearing a crumpled T Shirt from one of the worlds finest and
possibly oldest bands (not in age of individuals but the time they've been
together - just wanted to make that clear as Deke, Martin and Micky are
fine specimens - for their age) - Welsh rockers MAN. |
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Daniel Smith www.hants.org.uk/daniel.smith
The atmosphere in the bar at The Court Theatre
was buzzing and Daniel Smith was preparing to kick off the first night of
the first ever Rocking the Blues at Tring.
He was positioned with his piano on a small stage to the side of
the main stage. At this point the few seats in the auditorium were nearly
all taken but the majority of the people were still in the bar. Derek
White the organizer said a few words of welcome and Daniel Smith coasted
into a jazzy blues instrumental followed by a boogie woogie instrumental
‘Swanee River’. As word got round that the live music had started
slowly more and more came into the auditorium. Daniel took up vocals on
the classic ‘How Long Blues’ and played some great piano finishing his
first set with a Howlin’ Wolf Chicago style blues number. |
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The J.Fordaway Band
www.jfordaway.com
 
Vocalist Steve
Norchi and Derek White looking a little better playing the bass.
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As Daniel
ended his set he introduced the J.Fordaway Band and they straight away
launched into their set starting with the upbeat ‘Take out some
Insurance on me baby’. At this point with the increased volume of the
band the crowds came flowing into the auditorium. This number was followed
immediately by vocalist Steve Norchi hammering on the cowbell bringing in
Keb Mo’s ‘Muddy Water’ which featured Bob Moore on slide guitar. The
tempo and feel was then taken right back by a swinging version of Van
Morrison’s Moondance with some great organ soloing by Ian Salisbury. The
pace then started to pick up with Willie Dixon’s ‘I Love the Life I
Live and I Live the Life I Love’ (What a great title) and then into
three Robben Ford numbers, ‘When I Leave Here’, ‘Tired of Talking’
with some sublime soloing from guitarist Bob Moore and Start It Up. To end
their set they played a rousing version of JB Lenoir’s ‘Talk to your
Daughter’ which had the crowd with them all the way. |
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Daniel Smith - second set
It now became apparent why Daniel
Smith was on the side stage. As the J.Fordaway Band finished they handed over to
Daniel Smith who seamlessly brought in ‘Fast Train Boogie’. Unlike many
festivals and gigs where the audience hang around while equipment on stage is
changed over, this gig had live music almost non stop. Now the bands on the main
stage could change over their gear and be ready to come in after Daniel’s 20
minute second set of more boogie woogie and rocking blues including ‘CC
Rider’ and Big Joe Turner’s ‘Jump
for Joy’.
Collette Allen & Jon
T- Bone Taylor
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band of seasoned musicians under the guise of Jon T-Bone Taylor &
Collette Allen. Although vocalist Collette is fairly new to the UK blues
scene the rest of the musicians; Sam Kelly on drums, Dave Moore on
keyboards, Dave Clarke on bass and of course Mr Jon T-Bone Taylor on
guitar have traveled the circuit in various bands so many times. I’m
told over 100 years between them. Straight away Collette, who has been
championed by Blues in Britain, let her presence be felt with strong
vocals on traditional songs ‘Wade in Water’ and ‘Don’t Let My Baby
Ride. This girl has real vocal power with a strong
Gospel influence. |
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The set was held together
with some impressive drumming by Sam Kelly and good solid work from Dave
Clarke on bass. Jon T-Bone played some fine blues guitar leading the band
through ‘People get Ready’, Precious Lord and ‘Up over my Head’.
Although most of the crowd
may have been unfamiliar with this band (maybe not the individual
musicians though) and maybe some of their songs, the band and Collette got
the crowd in the groove and they finished off with superb versions
Carmichael’s ‘Georgia on my Mind’ and ‘Imagination’ by Gladys
Knight and the Pips.
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The Raffle
At this point there was a break in
the live music while a raffle took place with the proceeds going to Teenage
Cancer Trust.
"Oh no not another
raffle ticket!" Both nights raffle raised £312 in total for Teenage Cancer
Trust.
Paul Lamb & the King
Snakes www.paullamb.com
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Many took the chance to get
the drinks in before the final assault on the evening by Paul Lamb and the
King Snakes. Their set is made up of mostly originals, although a lot of the numbers are of the up
tempo, 12 bar style with great vocal lines in the blues tradition. You
would have trouble deciding if these were original blues songs as they
capture the essence perfectly. It’s
so easy to get hooked on their good time music. They are one of the few
bands that can capture the blues from a bye gone era.
They eased in to their set
with a blues shuffle before being led by Paul Lamb's harmonica into Earl
Green's 'No Glue in the World'. This was followed by the foot tapping
'More then Alright' which has an infectious chorus that any audience would
find it difficult not to join in with. Paul Lamb is not only a brilliant
showman on the harmonica but a band leader who also manages to lead his
audience every step of the way. 'Don't Answer the Door ' and 'Guitar
Slinger' followed showing some lightning fingering guitar licks by Johnny
Whitehill. The band really do knit together with the upright thumping bass
playing of Rod Demick and the effortless swinging drumming from Sonny
Below.
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Earl Green has one of the
best smooth blues voices you'll ever likely to hear, moving on stage in a
laid back way with slow snake like movements. His vocals are crystal clear
on the slower pace, traditional 'CC Rider' and 'Take your Time and get it
Right'. These songs were followed once again by those lightning fingers of
Johnny Whitehill playing through a guitar instrumental. He stands there
almost motionless and expressionless but does the business.
Paul Lamb and Earl Green
return to the stage to push on with two more numbers featured on the
'Live at the 100 Club' cd, the quick shuffling 'The Pillow' and the Bo
Diddley style 'She's Crazy' with Earl wiggling his body seductively to the
beat. This once again features some fine harp playing building up to the
end leaving the audience desperate for more.
The band return to finish
off a fantastic night with the slow, sleazy blues 'Open Up' and the fast
moving harp growling 'Makes You Feel Good'. Still the audience call for
more as the time fast approached the midnight curfew. Not wanting to
disappoint Paul Lamb returns to the stage and gives the crowd a quick solo
'Hootin' the Blues'.
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What a great
first night of Rocking the Blues at Tring. To continue with a review of
the Saturday lunchtime Guitar Workshop and the Blues Jam Session click
here or to go to the review of Saturday evening
click
here
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