Reviews

Jumpin' Hot

J'Hot - Club shows

CW. STONEKING & His Primitive Horn Orc + Little Mo Trio @Cluny2   6th Aug /10
 
Australian bluesman CW Stoneking made his North East debut in impressive fashion. Dressed in white, with a hat included, his energy, tall stories and charismatic personality were enough to carry a wonderful debut show with the addition of his little big band- the primitive Horn Orchestra.
 Backed by percussion, upright bass, trombone and cornet —the brass duo in particular were good enough on their own to hold and excite the audience. Such was their playing, that every time they solo’d the feel of the place was lifted & just soared when they let rip.
 However it must be said CW Stoneking showed a astonishing exuberance and appetite to entertain as the evening ran on greased wheels with one fine song following another. Something the audience weren’t slow to voice their appreciation for and he was equally quick to lap it up and milk it, as they say!
 While CW is no yodeller, he nevertheless worked up a wonderful Jimmie Rodgers-esque feel with ‘Talkin’ Wine Blues’ and also when drawing on his own experiences traveling the world in ‘Dont Go Dancing At The Downstrutters Ball’. As he combined traditional blues, New Orleans’s jazz, 1920’s music and shades of Trinidad calypso. What a wonderful accompanying story came with the latter song, of how he helped a fortune-teller try to aid him to play (and be paid) at a wedding. But, for the full and truly remarkable story, sorry you would need to catch CW Stoneking live! 
The great showman CW not only served up such delights as band numbers ‘Dodo Blues’, the golden oldie ‘Rich Man Blues’ and a terrific tune ‘Go To The Country’ he wasn’t averse or measured up short when he performed solo. This showed his fine skills on National steel guitar, an instrument like that of tenor banjo he played with great affinity. ‘Charlie Bostock’s Blues’ for one, was so impressive —as he rambled down the blues alley & held the attention of every set of ears and eyes in the venue.

    
Opening the theatre gig we had the privilege to hear the locally based Little Mo Trio performing some very tasty blues. Traditional classic blues mixed with Bonnie Raitt-esque sounds came wallowing from the small stage. What a fine support she had in guitarist Rod Sinclair. For his clean, sharp acoustic slide guitar was one of the highlights of not just her set, but also the whole evening! The hard-working Neil Harland on upright bass was as ever solid as a rock. 
 It took something special to upstage Little Mo and flamboyant entertainer CW wasn’t about to disappoint anyone.
Maurice Hope

       Toots And The Maytals @ 02 Academy  13th Aug 10

I have a feelin' that I may be stirring up a real hornet's nest here suggesting the inclusion of Toots and the Maytals ( that is if it ever makes the printed page) a Blues and R'n'B artist ?!?
Well think about it for a moment. The band on stage are currently five musicians plus two backing singers, so seven in total ALL black guys.
For my money at least what they do is an awful lot closer to the Blues and R'n'B than a big percentage of what where served up today as Blues, when in truth, it owes more to Rock music.
Tonight Toot's himself sang ' Reggae got Soul' ( and it's generally accepted that Soul lives next door to the Blues ).He even suggested in the lyrics  reggae got rock ' n' roll  and reggae got country .Well I'll go along with the former and as for the later didn't he manage to breath new life into ' Take me back Country Roads ' originally written and performed by John Denver and then popularised by Olivia Newton John . As for reggae got gospel – Toots is the master of call and response in his stage act . I rest my case!
The highlights for me included ' Pomp and Pride” with a curious almost Punch & Judy like sequence towards the end - quite bizarre. The totally infectious ' Pressure Drop' his classic hit ' 54-46 (that's my number ) ' and the previously mentioned' Reggae got Soul '. But if you hadn't already guessed the final number, the killer- 'cos there's no known antidote - ' Monkey Man’.
Great Black Music in my mind..whatever label you want to try stickin' on it.

Geoff ' The Scribbler ’ Marston.    

SummerTyne Americana Festival @ Sage Gateshead

Jumpin’ Hot Stage in Performance Square
Friday, Saturday and Sunday 23/24/25th July 2010

By Alan Harrison

A crowd of nearly 300 people were already in place as The Jumpin’ Hot Club stage in the Performance Square, outside of the Sage got the weekend off to a great start on Friday afternoon with local troubadour Shipcote opening proceedings in the bright sunshine with an hour of gentle country music from the Delta Region of Saltwell Park. The sun kept shining and beer and cocktails flowed as the acts got in the groove with Gem Andrews and the Anglo-Canadian Bluegrass duo Jack Maple nicely entertaining the ever expanding crowd until local folk-chanteuse Bridie Jackson eventually wowed us with some beautifully ethereal folk music before the afternoon was rounded off with local favourite Archie Brown and his expanded Trio of 4, then a set of belting Geordie Rockabilly from the Sour Mash Trio.
Oops; I shouldn’t forget the five fresh faced teenagers from the backwoods of Low Fell called the Kentucky Cow Tippers who gave the crowd 45 minutes of the finest Bluegrass music I’ve heard in years.
Saturday opened with the East Nashville Songwriters Showcase led by the exotically dressed Phil Lee who impressed the already packed Hill at noon. They were followed by the immaculately dressed The Hi and Lo with their own brand of Roots rock. Star of the day was Jumpin’ Hot Club favourite; Otis Gibbs who took the crowd by storm; even receiving loud demands for an encore. Over an hour later I saw him selling his very last CD for £7 and a kiss.
The enormous crowd then welcomed two gorgeous sisters and their Dad called the Toy Hearts from Birmingham who delighted them with a very British take on Bluegrass. Next on stage were the Handsome Family who I love, but who were just okay in the bright sunshine.Saturday afternoon was rounded off with some fantastic authentic Blues and Soul from New York’s The Holmes Brothers.
Word had obviously got around overnight as the Hill and every surrounding vantage point was already taken on Sunday lunchtime when American folk singer Rita Hoskings walked onto the stage to rapturous applause. Those who had arrived early were very pleased they did because they got see The Grass Mountain Hobos in all of their glory as hundreds of people were still arriving and looking in vain for places to sit. The Grass Mountain Hobos are from Prince Edward Island Canada and play stunning traditional Country Music and boy; did they put on a performance! Singer Josh Ellis is not only dashingly handsome but has a voice that could melt tarmac and the rest of the group are all outstanding musicians too; with Gordie MacKeeman doing things with his fiddle that defied science.
The Hobos were immediately followed by another barn-storming set of Cajun music from Sarah Savoy and the Francadians. Quality songs from a master songwriter- guitarist from Nashville called Paul Burch held the crowd spellbound as slippers were put out & we relaxed in the J"Hot Clubs mid summer live music madness.
The jam-packed crowd were soon back on their feet for what can only be described as ‘Surf' fun’ Music from the Bikini Beach Band who had to be seen to be believed in their flamboyant red and yellow polyester outfits. The BBB were absolutely fantastic; playing instrumental versions of classic and modern Pop songs.
The afternoon had to come to a close and it couldn’t have had a better outfit to finish with as Country Music’s new favourite act; The Quebe Sisters gave us a master class in Western Swing music.
As one chap said to me on Saturday afternoon; “Life just doesn’t get any better than sitting on the banks of the Tyne on a sunny day with a pint in your hand and watching live music like this!”
Because I was transfixed with the Jumpin’ Hot Stage in the Amphitheatre I missed the two ‘Country Cruises’ up the Tyne with John Miller’s Country Casuals on Saturday and Rachel Harrington and Dayna Kurtz on Sunday each despatching a hundred ‘merry’ music fans back onto the Quayside each afternoon.
The 2010 SummerTyne Festival surpassed every expectation with acts that very few people had heard of in advance playing to packed audiences each day and giving performances that will live in the memory for a long time to come.

All pics - CJ Holley

Big Sandy & His Flyrite Boys + Sour Mash Trio @ THECluny2 - Summer 2010

It was a long awaited welcome return for Big Sandy and his Fly-Rite Boys. AND They proceeded to deliver such a knockout gig ! Their music apart from having a pronounced rockabilly edge to it also possessed liberal slices of western swing and Latino to spice up the beverage’s served.

This all came after promising local act, The Sour Mash Trio had shown what they were worth. Like on their previous J”Hot Club appearance they offered plenty of good authentic fare to savour. They showed themselves in good light via splendid covers of Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Hank Williams material aided by their own ‘Drinking Days’ — as James Stephenson (lead vocals), Mickie Downey (upright bass) and Davey Patton (Lead/Slide Guitar) hit tip top form.

Big Sandy for his part, did everything and more expected of him and his rockabilly - swing inflected band. On reflection I don’t think there is a finer act, playing this kinda music & with a good few revellers dressed up for the occasion, set to “dance and let their hair down”, the evening was a huge success. Sandy’s cool stage presence coupled with the syncopated work of the band The Fly-Rite boys, Jeff West, bass, vocals; Ashley Kingman, electric guitar; Joe Perez, drums, whipped up a frenzy with their rich, Southern Californian warmed fare. A rare vintage summer evening in Cluny2 was very much enjoyed, as seats were discarded and the floor was left for dancers and admirers.

Pulling on over twenty years of recorded material, Big Sandy’s tendency to learn towards Latino styled vocals, utilised a style akin to early Marty Robbins simply produced one gem after another. The likes of the infectious and arguably pick of the evening ‘Power Of the 45’ —that spoke in nostalgic terms of the little piece of vinyl and oh my how it captivated Sandy as the rhythm of the soul took over with ‘the needle hitting the groove’! What fabulous lyrics, and with more infectious songs the evening just raced along as ‘Jumpin’ From 6 To 6’, ‘Chalkin Up The Blues’, ‘Her Hair Is A Mess’ and ‘Heaven Is the Other Way’ slid off the conveyor belt in wonderful fashion.
They are the business with “quality” the word to associate with them.

As the evening progressed, Sandy bowed to most requests & indeed kept everybody happy, winning more requests from us regulars to please come back again. Not with a 5 year gap though, like this one!

Maurice Hope

EVOLUTION FESTIVAL 10- Late May

- Welcome's back Jumpin Hot Club (After 5 years in Evo' club show division)

As 30,000 gathered on the quayside for the Evolution Festival 10 , those sussed headed up the bank to the Ballast Hill Stage where you couldn’t miss the big red Circus tent (cap 2000) & a full 2 days of quality live music provided by us, The Jumpin Hot Club.
We tried to keep it within the Evolution brief, therefore a few acts were for the younger clientele, but for most part the tent was full & well…who even cared a hoot, about the weather.
JT Nero was unlucky as first in the weekend line-up, & as it took on average about 1 hour in one long queue to get your wristbands on Sunday, the American played his quirky folk-soul music to the hardy few. John Smith said he found it hard to play his guitar on stage, as it was so bloody cold, but he certainly warmed a much healthier crowd with his excellent finger’ picking guitar style & mighty fine fodder. He brought to mind John Martyn crossed with Kreg Veisselman if you know what I mean. Canada’s Po ‘ Girl have played J’Hot Club many times & their rootsy sound with clarinet, dobro, accordion & a one string bass was just perfect for a circus tent. A mixture of cool young dudes & old cool dudes greeted the classy cockney soul man James Hunter & his Band, who are hipper in The States these days than the UK ! As always they put on a really groovy show & even cigarette smoking was witnessed on stage. Dawn Landes flew in from Brooklyn & we all liked her a lot too. There was an edge about her wacky country music, and there’s just something about a young New Yorker in a white cat suit. Forget Paulo Nutini & Calvin Harris on the main stages, the best Scottish artist playing Evolution was the man who goes by the name of King Creosote. The Tent was pretty well full, mid evening, and deservedly so, cause his lilting ditties & Fife tales were a treat for everybody. When I was in Austin Texas, I read a glowing live review of our headliners, The Unthanks, and all I can do now, is endorse that, as they really are a stunning live show. The tent again was pretty much to capacity for the 10 piece folk band led by Northumberland sisters Rachel & Becky Unthank & even their earthy clog dancing isn’t at all false & made for a grand finale to a grand day out on Byker Hill.

Monday - the sun shone & the wind blew mildly & the surfers were in good attendance for err…young surfer - cum singer songwriter Ben Howard & his band of cello, d’bass, drums, who opened up the tent, in a chilled Jack Johnson mode. Good vibrations indeed. People congregated all day outside until the music started, catching the sunshine & the excellent amenities (Food- beer stalls, circus entertainment, kids kaleidoscope etc). American rock-stress Lissie came over well enough, but her songs need sharpening up, to gain a much wider audience. Laugh a minute girl-boy duo Slow Club from Sheffield, had the young audience in the palms of their hands though, as their peculiar brand of happy harmony indie pop was very well received by everyone. It cost me mere £1.50 for a coffee & another £1.50 for chips & if that wasn’t bad, the exciting local Soul- Funk collective Smoove & Turrell were quite the unexpected highlight of the weekend for my good self. They made me proud to be a Geordie! London’s Danny & The Champions of The World are a band you need at every Festival, as they play great music, are great entertainment & they get the crowd involved. They were a teatime bank holiday treat for sure & you cannot go wrong with “The Boss” to finish off your set. Three attractive Swedish blonde sisters - the youngest, leading in her rock chic ways, a rollicking banjo gal & a thumping string bassist & there you had Baskery. With tip top sibling harmonies too, these folk babes made quite an impression here, yet again. The crowd was swelling to capacity & it was with great anticipation that, right on time, our weekend headliner Donovan took the stage. A nicer man you will not meet & he did what all the great artists do, that is play what the audience wanted to hear. Just him & his guitar and more classic songs than the hour & a bit slot allowed. BUT What an end, to a weekend that made the most genuine of live music fans, very happy !

Shipcote

RAY WYLIE HUBBARD – J’Hot Club @ CLUNY2 28/05/10

What a treat this was! One of Austin, Texas’ most revered Americana singer-songwriter Ray Wylie Hubbard plus drummer, percussionist and session ace Rick Richards accompanying him. An awesome combination and, didn’t the audience certainly know it.
Ray Wylie was in fantastic form. His stories and add-libs were top drawer. It may be less than half way through the year but some of us will be of the mind, they had seen the gig of the year. With a wall-to-wall sound and lots of grit and drive, Ray who on first glance looked like someone from a biker’s bar, held the audience in the palm of hand. With such a bulky catalogue of songs for him to get through, there was always going to be a heap neglected and though it was the case, it did not matter a hoot. For Ray Wylie could do no wrong, and anyway the songs just kept coming.
With a disarming charm and a real love for playing, he worked his way through material from “Crusades Of the Restless Kings”, “Dangerous Spirits” “Snake Farm” & on right onto his latest album “A. Enlightenment B. Endarkenment” (in most instances the live version were to outstrip the album recordings) as he spoke of the devil, reincarnation, redemption, & the world-weary. It’s as if his songs are plucked out the fire and not the air such is the power of his work. The snap and crackle of him playing live is pulsating. I repeatedly found myself pinching myself, due to the fact the sound coming from the stage was like he had an actual band playing with him. But, it was just himself hunched over his guitar on slide and, Richards likewise playing the equivalent of two. Hubbard is also a fine finger-picker and he put his expertise to good use on quite a few occasions.

Among the most memorable songs of the evening you had ‘The Messenger’ that has the lines ‘I am not looking for god. I am not looking for sex’ which like a good many of his songs gathered impetus and passion the longer the song progressed. Like with his rough-hewn telling of his co-write with Hayes Carll ‘Drunken Poet’s Dream’ (that featured some neat harmonica) and equally impressive, if not more so ‘Down Home country Blues’. A wonderful lyric crazed affair as were ‘Mother Hubbard’s Blues’ and the likes —as tales of ghosts, the devil, angels and women of the street shared the spotlight.
His material and rugged, raw-boned music excites people for it takes them on a rollercoaster never to be forgotten, journey. There were really too many to mention. With Ray and his songs —it is like once unleashed they take on a life of their own and will, never sound the same twice. That is before you take into consideration the fabulous ‘Snake Farm’; a terrific tune, it is one of those where he really whips up frenzy with its choppy beat and typical driven sound typified the man. A better choice would be hard to imagine, that closed one of the best nights at Cluny2 —

Local act Steve Daggart worked very hard opening up the evening and he certainly writes a good lyric. The only thing he needed was an additional instrument for the song’s, to produce that telling power of say ‘Mandolin Man’ his ode to the late ex Lindisfarne band mate Alan Hull.

Maurice Hope

MALCOLM HOLCOMBE w/ THE MINNIKINS@ THE STUDIO, LIVE THEATRE 23/01/10

It is always great to have Malcolm Holcombe perform at the club, and when he is in the kind of form displayed at the intimate, Studio (upstairs) at the Live Theatre just a little extra special. Sat rocking on his chair when he wasn’t stood, hunched at an acute angle over the microphone Malcolm swept up the audience to whisk them away to his world via stories and songs. Complete with quirky mannerisms he was top-notch, and because of the fact the audience were never quite sure what he was going to do or say next. As he joked and spoke of his life, sitting in his backyard looking for the shade and writing ‘Baby Likes A Love Song’ after something said by his wife.
A masterful acoustic guitarist, and likewise at creating a powerful rhythm to go with his smoky, bruising vocals that clung to the audience as songs from his new album ‘For The Mission Baby’, ‘A Bigger Plan’ and a beautiful ‘Whenever I Pray’—that contained hints of Woody Guthrie had him set out his stall and he never faltered.
Sounding better and his music more structured than I have ever heard him he held the audience transfixed and from the wry smile he gave when he was asked back on stage he knew it had been an especially good night and a one they will still be talking enthusiastically about this time next year and best of all. What great songs!
From the dashing title-track ‘For The Mission Baby’ to the wistful recollection of better days in a small mining community on ‘Hannah’s Trading Post’ to the pretty melody of ‘Doncha Miss That Water’ and the song he closed up shop ‘Marvelene’s Kitchen’. Man, he was hot and by the time the show had finished the audience it too was, in both body and soul.
‘Someone I Left Behind’ was a brand new song the last time he was over and like with the material on his then current offering ‘Gamblin’ House’ it possessed real quality. A remarkable guitarist, a human dynamo dressed in a checked shirt and over-sized, old worn leather jacket catering for all seasons Malcolm keeps time not to another drummer, but himself, and with him more often than not reeling off two songs at a time, before that is he would fidget and share a few words he pressed all the right buttons. With the pendulum now swung his way and him gaining more and more acclaim there is no reason why the world doesn’t hear a lot more of him. Malcolm is such a fine and precious talent it sure is about time; he is totally unique, a pure genius!
Like in the song he started with, ‘Not forgotten’ —this night will not be for a very long time

Prior to Holcombe, Nova Scotia brother and sister act, Gabriel and Ruth Minnikin (The Minnikins) had played their part as they brought a serving of Canadian folk music to the table. Playing mandolin, banjo and guitar, Gabe for the greater part of their show was content to support Ruth as she sang lead and added accordion to the mix. Gabe’s own Halifax Blues’ (a true story) and an accomplished version of ‘Will The Circle Be Unbroken’ were the pick and the ones I will long remember.

Maurice Hope - pics CJ Holley

ANAÏS MITCHELL and ERIN MCKEOWN, Cluny2, 22nd January 2010

Placing these two acts together for a UK tour was an inspired decision, since the fledgling singer-songwriter Anais Mitchell through her artful, carefully crafted songs may be for some a little quirky but she certainly is a gem. One of the true treasures of the new set of Americana acts, and there is little doubt she is to go on from here.
With two albums under her belt for Righteous Babe and another Hadestown due for release in March, Mitchell wasn’t short of material to call upon, and with her instant connection with the audience she was on a winner immediately she gave voice. From start to finish her light shone, and when you take into account the time she spent on stage aided Erin McKeown they were within their rights who had her down as the major performer.
Though small in statue, pocket dynamo Erin more than made up for her lack in inches through her superb handling of her Gretsch guitar and a burning desire to entertain. Yes, she has an ego, but don’t her fans and you can count those in attendance tonight love her for it and what energy. Talk about a 200watt light bulb in small room, the diminutive McKeown fits the bill like few others I can think of.
With Erin having the audience help out on two or three occasions the already intimate venue became that much more homely. It isn’t too often that you will have an act as in Mitchell sit in the front row on waiting the call to lend support!
I can well imagine McKeown would like to take this audience with her for some gigs, and with her doing no wrong they were even satisfied with her playing a short 50-minute set. McKeown was honoured to have Mitchell join her both on harmony vocals and guitar for a couple of songs. While for ‘You Sailor’ and ‘Santa Cruz’ she played a little Wurlitzer.
Ever smiling, Mitchell except on the occasions she became lost in concentration. She delivered her meticulously written songs, songs that cross boundaries as folk and pop become inseparable with a rare grace and beauty. Her greatest moments had to be the little off-kilter ‘Old-Fashioned Hat’, the wonderful new song ‘The Shepherd’ that like with her work from her Greek mythical tale and made into a folk opera, Hadestown Anais’ gift as a storyteller beyond the norm was superbly underlined.
With McKeown sharing a few songs from her latest album, Hundreds Of Lions —the splendid, and uncomplicated ‘To A Hammer’ fitted ideally alongside the likes of ‘We Will Become Birds’, ‘You Were Right About Everything’ and her must play ‘BlackBirds’. That she did as one of two songs she performed as her encore. As her grand finale McKeown had Mitchell return to duet on blues gospel favourite ’Ain’t No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down’ to send everyone home happy; and that included the acts themselves because of the genuine bond shared by them. That played a prominent part of an evening when the standing of both was greatly enhanced.

Maurice Hope- pics CJ Holley