Blues News #638
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Blues News #638

Well, if you didn’t manage to get to Derek and the Champ’s gig at Sleepy Hollow Blues Club, you missed out big time. They kicked off with Time is Tight from Booker T and the MGs and, believe it or not, it just got better from there. You’ll just have to keep an eye on their Facebook page for the next gig.

Now, just quickly, Big Daddy Wilson is on this Saturday at the Piping Hot Chicken & Burger Grill in Ocean Grove. Big Daddy Wilson uses his wonderfully warm baritone voice to draw on  a wide stylistic spectrum of blues, folk, soul and gospel – his music is all  heart and natural soul. His recent album ‘Time’ was co-produced by blues legend Eric Bibb.

I seriously hope you are reading this before Saturday – next time you’ll grab Forte more quickly!

Anyhow, the next news is The Jackson Four – Melbourne’s Blues, Groove & Jazz Hammond B3 Quartet. The Jackson Four have been impressing audiences across Australia at venues and music festivals.

Including the Wangaratta International Jazz, By the Bay – Wine and Blues (Kingston), Eltham Jazz and Blues, Stonnington Jazz, Mornington winter Jazz and Frankston Waterfront festivals to name just a few.

In 2015 the band launched their debut CD/EP Love the Life to a fantastic reception at the Bruthen Blues and Arts Festival in Victoria. After receiving airplay and positive reviews from blues and jazz radio across the country the band had the opportunity to visit New Orleans.

There they found generous support from the local music community including program presenters on fabled radio station WWOZ, who continually played tracks from the CD throughout 2015, helping build the band a growing following in the U.S.

Knocked out by this initial reception, Love the Life was released into the UK and Europe in September, and after only a few weeks entered the U.K top 50 Blues charts via airplay on more than 50 Blues programs going directly to number 17 within a month. This was topped off with nominations for U.K. ’Blues CD of the month’ in November.

Positive reviews and acclaim followed in the European musical press with Keys and Chords magazine, Belgium giving Love the Life 4.5 out of 5 stars.

The band’s distinctive style and sound is centred on the classic Hammond B3 organ, with interplay from soulful sax and vocals. All this is driven by a strong swing, jazz, Latin rhythm and percussion section.

Their music is a journey into the crossroads where blues and jazz intersect. And a repertoire mixing the sounds of New Orleans, Chicago, New York and Memphis into their own interpretations of renowned favourites and hidden unknown gems that the band searches out for their set.

Now given all that, it’s probably no surprise that our local swing dancers have been invited along, which should make for an exceptional evening.

So, if you did manage to miss Derek and the Champs, then don’t miss The Jackson Four at Sleepy Hollow Blues Club on 22 May will more than make up for it.

Written by John (Dr John) Lamp
Proudly presented by the Sleepy Hollow Blues Club