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The Big Roll Band
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REVIEW FOR BLUES MATTERS
Zoot Money's Big Roll Band The Bulls Head, Barnes, close to the Surrey stretch of the Thames with its trendy eateries and village shops. A haven for retired actors, hairdressers and an estate agent's dream world. A wet Thursday winter's evening should have forced everyone to stay glued to TV beyond Eastenders but that didn't deter a good turn out to see one of London's REAL Westenders, the inimitable Zoot Money's Big Roll Band. Casually ambling on stage as though he was at a mid sixties session at The Flamingo club, Zoot joked with his Bull's Head regulars about another evening of 'old farts' music 'and then briskly launched into an organ led instrumental Florence of Arabia that vitally captured the Jimmy Smith and John Patton feel. The Big Roll Band - Boz Burrell on bass, Sam Brown, drums, Gary Bush, sax and Ronnie Johnson, guitar - were all in fine fettle and ably fielded Zoot's comic banter and on-stage directions. He led them through R&B classics like Barefootin, Let The Good Times Roll and Hallelujah I Love Her So. A fair sprinkling of Ray Charles is always a certainty on Zoot's gigs and the man himself (who recently played The Apollo), would have been proud of his Bournemouth bred devotee. "This one's from Peter Green", Zoot continued and a bluesy rendition of What You Gonna Do was performed to warm response. Having been a Zoot fan from the Sixties, I have to say that his singing has developed incredibly in recent years. Whether it's the more demanding material that he now plays, his capacity to reach and sustain high notes is fantastic. This was also heard to good effect on his classic 'Please Stay' (almost a blues from Hal David & Burt Bacharach) and unjustifiably instead a hit for The Cryin' Shames, after they heard Zoot perform it. By now the pub was buzzing as the band swung into a final run of Aint That Peculiar, Alexis Korner's Wild Women & Desperate Men and finally a great New Orelans style rhythm and brass arrangement on Chuck Berry's Promised Land. Then it was time for the empties to be collected and Zoot was telling us that he was just off to join the British R&B tour with Georgie Fame, The Animals and Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers . Zoot will be back at The Bulls Head on Thursday 25th April. Can't wait ! Mel Wright Site built and maintained
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now what?
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