Nicky Moore announced as fifth exhibition curator/spokesman

Left, Timmy Moore; right, Nicky Moore

Nicky Moore, the man known as ‘The Voice’ in British Blues, is the fifth Curator announced by the British Blues Exhibition, following Andy Twyman (one man band), Paul Lamb (harmonica), Roger Inniss (bass), and Jamie Pipe (keyboards).

Aspects of the British Blues Exhibition have Curators with particular relevant experience and expertise. The role of a Curator is to help build relevant content in the British Blues Exhibition and to act as a spokesman in their field of knowledge. It can have an additional aspect, to venerate the individual chosen, and Nicky Moore deserves that recognition as a premier vocalist.

Former Hackensack, Samson and Nicky Moore’s Blues Corporation frontman, Nicky is now in duo Kyle & Moore with guitarist Danny Kyle.

Check out his page here.

New headline supporter: Pete Brown

Pete Brown, poet, musician, songwriter and producer, is our latest headline supporter. Pete’s career is wide-ranging, and one highlight was the writing of songs such as Sunshine Of Your Love and I Feel Free with Cream.

Competition winner

Mr F of Bermondsey, London, is the winner of the 100 Club competition for one pair of tickets to give away to the Laurence Jones, Laura Holland Band and Bourbon Street Revival night on Tuesday 29th September at London’s legendary 100 Club.

We still have a few tickets available for purchase on a British Blues Exhibition special offer! To get in touch for these tickets please email promusicagency@outlook.com or call 07708 712011.

British Blues Exhibition travels north and south

In the space of a week (30th and 31st August and 3rd September), travelling versions of the British Blues Exhibition appeared in the Great British R & B Festival 2015 in Colne, Lancashire, and at the Boisdale Canary Wharf, a venue whose Patron of Music is Jools Holland. Photos from Colne are below:

Andy Twyman

Chris Barber prominent

Blues Matters stand

Scarborough Top Secret Festival looking

Rebecca Downes and friends

The Suitcase Full of Blues

Yoka from The Little Devils

Blues on the street

More Blues on the street

Main stages

British stage

Rory Gallagher on a leg

Funkycat in da house

Beyond the doors

The foyer of the British Stage at Colne hosted the exhibition for two days – and the chili from the eatery next to the stand is recommended for next year. A big thank you to the organisers and staff of the festival for their help and hospitality. Onto a briefer expedition to London:

Eric Ranzoni

Mike Vernon beyond a wall of spirits

Exhibition popped up

The Boisdale Canary Wharf hosted the exhibition’s Briefcase Full of Blues on a night when Mike Vernon and the Mighty Combo were playing. Mike and his band played a well-paced succession of 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s Rhythm and Blues classics and some songs from Mike’s new album. Piano and keyboard master and Boisdale regular Eric Ranzoni was also present and showed off his new album at the exhibition. One play later, it proved to be a mix of covers and originals played on piano and with vocals, a barrelhouse delight reminiscent of Memphis Slim, Piano Red and Professor Longhair. For piano panache, look no further, seriously.

Thank you also to the staff of the Boisdale Canary Wharf.

Next up for the British Blues Exhibition is a Jo-Ann Kelly tribute night in Sevenoaks, Kent on 26th September, then, with a few appearances in Blues strongholds in hand, it’s off to schools, colleges and places where the word of the Blues needs to be newly noticed.

100 Club Tuesday Blues ticket competition and special offer

We have one pair of tickets to give away to the Laurence Jones, Laura Holland Band and Bourbon Street Revival night on Tuesday 29th September at London’s legendary 100 Club.

We also have a limited number of tickets available for purchase on a British Blues Exhibition special offer! To get in touch for these tickets please email promusicagency@outlook.com or call 07708 712011.

For the competition, please put ‘Comp’ as the title of an email to promusicagency@outlook.com and correctly choose an answer to the question below.

Put A, B or C in the body of your email plus a name and address to send the tickets to if you win:

Question: What is the name of The Laura Holland Band’s new album?

A. To Dare Is To Do

B. Dare I Believe

C. Daredevil Blues

A video of the band (with a song from the album) is here.

The winning entry will be chosen from correct answers at random on 10th September and picked by musician Andy Twyman, whose new single, Try To Stay Alive, can be heard here.

 

 

 

The British Blues Exhibition meets Chris Barber

We have had Chris Barber’s support for the British Blues Exhibition for some time, based on calls and emails. Yet to see the great man face to face has always been an aim. At his show on 29th July 2015, in Dartford, Kent, we met Chris and he signed the exhibition banner.

Chris took an interest in one or two of the exhibits we had brought along, and can be seen above browsing a 1955 copy of Melody Maker. Meeting Chris and talking with him in person as he readied himself to go and play, will always be one of the best moments in the history of the British Blues Exhibition.

This is an enjoyable article on Chris.

 

The ‘Briefcase full of Blues’ debut at the Eel Pie Club and on Jukin’ Jenn’s radio

Debut of the briefcase exhibition 9 July 2015 Eel Pie Club

A busy week for the British Blues Exhibition saw the smallest travelling ‘Briefcase full of Blues’ make its live debut at the Eel Pie Club in Twickenham on a night that celebrated the late Art Wood and also raised funds for Prostate Cancer UK, with raffle prizes drawn by Bruce Welch of The Shadows. Numerous artists performed and made it a great night of Rhythm and Blues.

The first exhibition banner, now an exhibit itself, was signed by several of the musicians playing or present on the night including Don Craine (Downliners Sect); Martin Turner (Wishbone Ash); Chris Hunt (Lonnie Donegan); Ali McKenzie (The Birds); Derek Griffiths (The Artwoods).

The banner already had the signatures of Bill Wyman (The Rolling Stones); Terry Taylor (Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings); Chantel McGregor; and Georgie Fame.

Additionally, the exhibition founder, Darren, recorded a show for Jukin’ Jenn. You can listen to the show here.

John Mayall – All Your Love – From the famed ‘Beano’ album, one of the milestones in the career of one of the British Blues Exhibition supporters. John returns to the UK to appear at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in November

Junior Wells – Come on in This House – From the 92-volume  ‘Blues Collection’ of magazine and CD’s that were on issue years ago and able to be bought by British Blues fans

The Laura Holland Band – The One and Only Jimmy Reed – A contemporary British band who here pay their respects to numerous Blues and Soul icons, and feature John O’Leary (Savoy Brown/Sugarkane) on harmonica

Alexis Korner – Leaving Blues – Korner was one of the most significant people in early British Blues and featured the late Cyril Davies on harmonica in his Blues Incorporated

The Yardbirds – For Your Love – Eric Clapton left The Yardbirds for John Mayall’s Blues Breakers after recording this ‘pop’ song

Willie Dixon – Little Red Rooster – Some argue that The Rolling Stones cover of this song, in 1964, was the only ever British Blues song to chart at number 1 in the UK

Big Joe Turner – Roll ‘Em – Big Joe Turner has inspired many artists including the Exhibition’s one man band curator, Andy Twyman, who covers his song TV Mama

Paul Lamb and the Kingsnakes – Jumpin Judy – Paul Lamb is one of the Exhibition’s curators and one of his harmonica’s was in the Briefcase full of Blues

Chris Thomas King – Hoodoo Party  – Not a frequent visitor to the UK, but supported Robert Cray on a tour here

Mavis Staples – See That My Grave is Clear – Mavis appeared at the Clapham Grand and Glastonbury not long ago

The Animals – Let it Rock – one of the great early British Blues acts, here with Sonny Boy Williamson II. Eric Burdon recently featured at the Lead Belly Fest in the Royal Albert Hall

The Blues Brothers – B Movie Box Car Blues – Delbert McClinton‘s song covered by the Blues Brothers. The Original Blues Brothers Band often play in the UK

Long John Baldry – Sunshine of Your Love – Cream’s classic with Jack Bruce before the tribute night at the Roundhouse on 24th October. Long John had Elton John in his band for a period

Otis Grand – Between Heaven and Hell – Otis has contributed numerous items to the exhibition and has lived in the UK for many years

BB King – Blues Man – in tribute to the King of the Blues who played in the UK many times

Thanks to Jenn and the Eel Pie Club for both opportunities.

Jamie Pipe announced as fourth exhibition curator/spokesman

Jamie Pipe, keyboard player with young British Blues-Rock act The Mentulls, is the fourth Curator announced by the British Blues Exhibition, following Andy Twyman (one man band), Paul Lamb (harmonica) and Roger Inniss (bass).

Aspects of the British Blues Exhibition have Curators with particular relevant experience and expertise. The role of a Curator is to help build relevant content in the British Blues Exhibition and to act as a spokesman in their field of knowledge.

Jamie Pipe is brother of The Mentulls vocalist/guitarist Andrew. The band have been playing from a young age, are indeed still at a young age, and have supported numerous famous Blues and Rock acts. Jamie himself is largely influenced by musicians who were themselves influenced by the Blues. Check out his page here.

First public appearance for Briefcase British Blues Exhibition 27th June 2015

The debut public outing for the British Blues Exhibition will be in a cut-down form, its “Briefcase” version, where enough exhibits to provide a sample of British Blues history are popped into a suitcase or two (we have a vintage 1941 special for this very purpose) and taken on the road.

This road leads to an afternoon (2-5pm) at the Sevenoaks Summer Festival in Kent on 27th June 2015, and will be with Katie Bradley, herself a noted British Blues harmonica player and vocalist. The venue is The Anchor, a place where Sue Revell books Blues acts. Sue is one of the people who, as a result, has contributed to keeping the scene going.  Thus it is apt that the exhibition’s content will be leaning towards the women of British Blues.

More on Facebook here.

26th September 2015 will see another event worth mentioning as an evening takes place, again in Sevenoaks, in honour of the late British Blues vocalist Jo-Ann Kelly. More on Facebook here.

Still Hard and Blue – fifty or more years on

For admirers of British Blues, it is possible to see many of the performers who were part of the British Blues Explosion in the 1960’s still performing with as much passion as ever today.

Look out for:

– The Rolling Stones – Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts remain from the original line up. Several other members of The Rolling Stones come and go from the line up and have separate bands, such as Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings.

– John Mayall. The Bluesbreaker himself who advanced the careers of guitarists including Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton continues to tour, and is a supporter of the British Blues Exhibition.

– The Pretty Things – with two original members, this band continues to tour.

– The John O’Leary/Alan Glen Allstars – a band with a varying membership, and in their last Monday of each month shows at the Bull’s Head in Barnes, London, both the core band and guests have members who were some of the dynamite in the British Blues Explosion. John O’Leary also performs with his own band, Sugarkane.

– The Downliners Sect – Don Craine has been wearing his deerstalker hat on stage with this outfit for over fifty years.

More to follow….