Blues News [#606]

Why does that low throaty vibe from a sax add just that little extra to a song? Safari Motel, from that town just up the road, has an amazing sound and can hold their own anywhere – but for me it’s Nick’s sax that really ties up the package.
OK, so I’m going to catch hell for concentrating on the sax player instead of the glamorous vocalist or stylish lead guitarist, but I’m writing this. Nick’s pedigree is unsurpassed with experience at the top of the game in jazz, blues, funk and soul having played with some of the biggest acts around. Have a listen to ‘Nick Goes Sick’ (http://youtu.be/UK3kCSTHHss) and you’ll understand.
Don’t think that this is a jazz influenced session, there definitely is a bit of that flavour, but it’s also rock influenced and mainstream blues. Safari Motel have performed at the 2014 MBAS Blues Challenge, and are well known in Melbourne for their blues repertoire.
Aside from Nick, Nicole has a great bluesy voice and really belts them out. Bass player Jason has a background in funk, soul, grunge, metal and hip hop and more than provides a background beat – he locks in perfectly with the drums and weaves in and out in a way that makes people forget that it’s “just the bass”.
Saif has a long history in funk and soul which he puts to work on the Tele, and is actually an internationally known guitarist. Well, he comes from Bangladesh and they know him over there!
Once again, I have left the drummer to last, (no jokes please!) but Neil holds the back together with some very cool rhythm. I’m really looking forward to this one.
Now, I can’t finish off without mentioning that this edition is coming out in Mardi Gras week. That’s right Fat Tuesday is getting a workout in Geelong thanks to Pistol Pete’s Food and Blues.
You’ve missed the openers, Spiderjazz, but are in time for Andy Pobjob tonight and the “N’awlins Who Dat?” band on Friday and Gator Queen on Saturday.
New Orleans was established in 1718 by Bienville and by the 1730’s Mardi Gras was celebrated openly in New Orleans, but not with the parades we know today.
In the early 1740’s Louisiana’s governor, the Marquis de Vaudreuil, established elegant society balls which became the model for the New Orleans Mardi Gras balls of today.
The earliest reference to Mardi Gras “Carnival” appears in a 1781 report to the Spanish colonial governing body. By the late 1830’s, New Orleans held street processions with carriages and horseback riders to celebrate Mardi Gras.
Now the procession is best known for the krewes which provide amazing floats.
Most Mardi Gras krewes developed from private social clubs with restrictive membership policies.
All of these parade organisations are completely funded by their members.
We are a while away from having that sort of event, but maybe we could take over Gala Day, but until that happens Pistol Pete’s is where it is.
By John (Dr John) Lamp / Proudly Presented by the Sleepy Hollow Blues Club