The BigRoll Archive
the britlegs page
|
The BigRoll Archive the britlegs page |
|
GIG REVIEW BY AL KIRTLEY British Legends of Rhythm and Blues UK Tour Guildford Civic Centre 13 October 2003 After six weeks touring the length and breadth of Britain, the tour finally reached leafy Surrey on October 13. To a student of social anthropology, the audience, gathering in the bar of Guildford Civic Centre before the show, would have provided fascinating research material. Could these respectable, and largely grey-haired (if they were lucky) folk be the mods of forty years ago who used to roar up the A3 to London on their Vespas, and loon it up at the Flamingo Club until dawn? Or had they always been as respectable as their current appearance implied, and just turned up to hear Long John Baldry sing “Mexico”? It was impossible to tell, though those few brave souls who had lit up cigarettes were probably sending out subliminal messages that they belonged to the former camp. With the enigma unresolved, the audience drifted into the main hall for the start of the concert. As the house lights dimmed, five seemingly young and fit figures made their way in from the wings, unannounced. The audience hesitated, thinking this was probably the road crew coming on for some last minute adjustments. Then faltering applause started out as Zoot Money and the Big Roll Band - and it was indeed they, slimmed down, not by the Atkins diet, but from the rigours of six weeks on the road - settled down behind their instruments, before opening with Ray Charles’s “Roll With My Baby”. To those members of the audience who remembered those heady days of early 1960s’ R’n’B, it was at once clear that they were in for a good night. The band was swinging like a garden gate, and Zoot’s voice betrayed nothing of the self-inflicted pounding it must have taken over the previous weeks. And, for once, Zoot was on his best behaviour, or what passes for it. As is well known in professional music circles, Zoot is a bandleader whose musicians will follow him anywhere, if only out of curiosity. But for once, he was keeping in check his mischievous impulse to spring unscheduled changes to the arrangement on an unsuspecting band, and there was not one furrowed brow on stage. After a brief bit of banter with the audience, Zoot and the band launched into “It Never Rains But It Pours”, a song written for Jimmy Witherspoon by Zoot and Colin Allen (who’d come over from Sweden to play drums on the tour), followed by the haunting “May The Circle Be Unbroken”. Then, after a virtuoso solo version by Colin Hodgkinson of “San Francisco Bay Blues”, Ray Dorset came on stage. If the non-blues fans amongst the audience were expecting a string of Mungo Jerry hits, they were to be disappointed, at least at first. No washboard, kazoo or jug adorned the stage as Ray launched into a muscular blues set. Finally, their patience was rewarded as the band struck up the opening chords of “In The Summertime”. This was what the “play something we know” element had come for, and they lost no time in identifying themselves by joining in and clapping on the on beat – testament to their immunity to nearly half a century’s exposure to rock’n roll. With the end of the Ray Dorset set, it was time to repair to the bar for lively discussions on the Winter Fuel Allowance and the latest editorial in the Saga house magazine, before returning for the second half. Zoot kicked off with a driving version of his 1966 hit “Big Time Operator”, and then the band struck up the opening riff of “Let the Good Times Roll”, as Paul Williams strode on stage. Now it’s probably fair to say that if you asked the audience to think of a singer called “Williams”, “Paul” would figure further down the list than “Robbie”, but there were plenty of us there who remembered his vocals on numbers such as “Gin House”, during his time as bass player with the Big Roll Band. And we weren’t disappointed as he powered through his set, climaxing with Sam and Dave’s “You Don’t Know Like I Know”, sharing vocals with Zoot. Finally, it was time for the star of the show, and the towering figure of Long John Baldry made his way up to the microphone, as the band launched into the opening of “Every Day I Have The Blues”. This was vintage Baldry, and his voice seemed to have lost none of its power over the years. As he segued into “Things Getting Tougher Than Tough”, the spotlight danced between Ronnie Johnson on guitar, Gary Foote on sax, and Zoot, all soloing stongly and fluently like there was no tomorrow over the driving bass and drums of the two Colins (Hodgkinson and Allen). And over it all loomed the brooding presence of Long John, resplendent in box drape suit, broad-brimmed hat, and leaning on a walking cane. For a moment, with the spotlight off him, he could almost have stepped off the label of a bottle of Sandeman Port. Long John was clearly out to enjoy himself, either at the expense of Zoot’s ornate shirt, or by hamming it up to the audience in such stentorian tones that it put one in mind of George Melly with attitude. As he worked his way through such standards as “Midnight In New Orleans” and “Hoochie Coochie Man”, the band was playing their socks off. And then at last came “Let The Heartaches (sometimes announced by Zoot as “Earaches”) Begin”. By now, those of the audience who were still fit enough were on their feet, and there they stayed until the final encore, with Long John being joined by Ray Dorset and Paul Williams for the James Crawford classic “Iko Iko.” As the cheering subsided and the audience made their way out, few faces were not smiling. For a fleeting moment or two, we’d been young again.
Al Kirtley |
BRITISH LEGENDS OF RHYTHM & BLUES UK TOUR AUTUMN 2003
Of course for the 'Legless' tour the venerable Colin Allen (lyricist of many tunes, including "It Never Rains but It Pours and Ain't Nothin Shakin' But the Bacon") will, as he did at Christmas, be drumming for the Big Roll Band as he did so many times 'back in the day'. Gary Foote (saxes/flute), Ronnie Johnson (guitar/good humour) and Colin Hodgkinson (bass/vocals) will complete the Legends line up, ALL to accompany guests Paul Williams, Ray Dorset (with whom I used to share many a college circuit and laughs 'back then') and Long John Baldry. Although it's bin 10 or so years since I've seen Long John I can't wait to catch up. He recorded "Don't It Make You feel Good to be Alive" in the 70's AND named the album after the track...thanks again Balders! Meanwhile, Big Rollers, I expect you to bother your friends AND enemies and fill up these seats on the only tour with more talent than hits, more years than sense and more guts than glamour. BE THERE! Zoot.
DURING... Bon Mots de Messuer
De Baldret
2) When repeatedly asked by a Belfast lady ferry
attendant in her brogue "Are ye a foot passenger?": 3) Whilst wearing his 'Man from Del Monte' tropical
hat on stage at the Tivoli Theatre,Wimborne, he comments on the
the only cinema in town being ruined by a fire:
AFTER... ZOOT'S XMAS MESSAGE Nov 1, 2003 Brit-Legs (aftermath) Although limited in number, the tour had the highest satisfaction quotient of any audience I've seen. As I predicted these audiences were presented the widest portfolio of blues/rhythm & blues available, from Ray Dorset's gutteral urban raw original roots delivery of Statesboro Blues and Dust Pnuemonia Blues through Big Roll Band soul favourites (Yoh Soul Boys!) to Baldry's relaxed city tales of psychological trauma delivered in an elegant hat and black/grey suit (nice shoes too John).
Secondly, Merry Xmas.
|
now what?
TOUR DATES SEPTEMBER Fri 17 - Guild Hall, Preston, Lancs (BRB)
|
|
|
