Martin Stephenson & The toe rags @ Cluny2 – Dec 27th 2019.
At the end of another busy & successful year, the Jumping Hot Club annual Xmas party at Cluny2 was like a family reunion with long time advocate Martin Stephenson and his Toe Rags playing some rockabilly music & Jumping Hot club stalwarts Graham and Joe in the band. Hell, even the drummer Keith played in Howlin Wilf & The Vee Jays way back in 1986 at the club. Martin waxed lyrical about the early days of the club, meeting down in the basement of the Bridge Hotel and as if by magic, we were transported back to those times when he invited Round Eyes Ray up to play some sweet chromatic Harmonica and Graham as luck would have it, was on the Double Bass. Those two together were a real genuine hark back to days of the Bridge & their band Hot Licks Cookies. To add to the xmas party night we had Anna joining Martin on stage for the delicate song “Parisian café”, & many other friends such as the local songster Nev Clay, Martin’s friend Emma Flowers as support’s and even his daughter Phoebe in the folky country duo Calico Bonnet contributing three tunes to the evening. At the door we had as always, the legendary volunteer’s Mel, collecting all the tickets while Sid stamped all the hands, and that with a full capacity too & most appreciative crowd. Jumpin hot’s racking up 35 years of putting on quality live music in 2020 so that will be a great year for anyone who cares about music & something to really celebrate.
Juan Fitzgerald– Review/Pics