SATURDAY 7 JUNE 2014
THE BARCODES plus GUESTS
Featuring Gordon Smith - Guitar & Vocals
Barcodes - Alan Glen (harp/gtr/voc), Bob Haddrell (pno/org/voc) and Dino Coccia (dms/perc).
A tight-knit swinging band who play a superb balance of low-down blues and soulful jazz with good use of that all-too-rare feature in most live bands today – dynamics. They will be joined tonight by some renown surprise guests to add to the lively atmosphere.
Admission £8
SATURDAY 6 SEPTEMBER 2014
HANS THEESSINK (NL)
(UK TOUR)
Hans is Europe’s No: 1 blues export – one of the top blues and roots musicians worldwide who keeps on spellbinding audiences around the globe during a musical career that has spanned more than 40 years. Hans has become one of the most sought-after artists of the international blues scene appearing at countless music festivals. Described by Bo Diddley as “one helluva guitar player” “Hans Theessink is an international blues treasure……one of the world’s pre-eminent country pickers….as a living, breathing Delta man himself…. ” (US magazine, Blues Revue).
Admission £8
SATURDAY 4 OCTOBER 2014
ELEANOR ELLIS (USA)
(UK TOUR)
In the true tradition of the legendary Memphis Minnie and also Influenced by Skip James and other early blues recording artists, Eleanor Ellis has developed her own distinctive and personal approach to the music. She is a regular at festivals and clubs throughout the USA and makes a welcome return to the UK where she made her first UK appearance at Brooks Blues Bar. With Simon Prager and Alan Glen.
Admission £10
SATURDAY 5th JULY 2014
THE SPIKEDRIVERS
(CD LAUNCH)
Ben Tyzack (gtr/voc/harp), Constance Redgrave (bs gtr/voc/perc.) & Maurice McElroy (dms/perc/voc)
are an original, innovative and exciting band. Their combination of gutsy slide guitar, rock solid bass, infectious grooves and highly distinctive vocals, creates a big sound that is uniquely their own. They have headlined music festivals throughout the UK and on the Continent. “The atmosphere the band is able to create is nothing less than remarkable” (Blues Revue USA) “The Spikedrivers were simply the revelation of the festival” (The More Blues Festival, Belgium) “…three musicians interweaving and complementing each other perfectly” (fRoots UK)
Admission £10
SATURDAY 2nd AUGUST 2014
A TRIBUTE TO JJ CALE.
Steve Morrison leads a band featuring the best of London’s blues musicians in an evening dedicated to the music and songwriting of J. J. Cale. The man sadly passed away on the 26th July 2013 but left us with a wonderful catalogue of original songs and a musical style that epitomised the notion of ‘cool’. The evening plans to celebrate his original brand of blues & roots music and celebrate a life dedicated to music leaving us with some great tunes that will never be forgotten.
Steve Morrison - Guitar & Vocals
Alan Glen - Guitar & Harmonica
Piano - TBA
Glynn Evans - Bass
Mark Walker - Drums
Admission £10
SATURDAY 1st NOVEMBER 2014
RAG MAMA RAG
(UK TOUR)
Brooks Blues Bar favourites Ashley Dow and Deborah Dow have established the reputation of Rag Mama Rag as one of Europe’s finest country blues acts with an array of interesting and unusual instruments (including spoons!) complementing each other perfectly. Ashley is admired as one of the best blues guitarists around and Deborah’s soulful, rhythmic harmonica combine to make this duo sound like a much larger group. Living in France, Rag Mama Rag have clocked up well over 3,000 concert appearances in the last 15 years performing at major festivals in France, Belgium and Germany.
Admission £8
SATURDAY 8TH NOVEMBER 2014
JAZZ SPECIAL – SOLE LONDON PERFORMANCE
PHIL DeGREG (USA) ALL STAR QUARTET
Alan Barnes (saxes), Dave Green (bs) & Steve Brown (dms)
Brooks Blues Bar is honoured to welcome back to these shores renowned US jazz pianist, Phil DeGreg with the “dream team” – superlative sensitive rhythm section of Dave Green and Steve Brown together with multi-reed jazz legend, Alan Barnes. Their jazz special for Brooks Blues Bar last year was truly memorable with astounding empathy, dynamics and swing that is sadly rarely witnessed these days in jazz. Playing their unique and sympathetic improvisations of a repertoire of gorgeous standard tunes penned by the greatest song-writers this quartet stunned our audience last year. Definitely not to be missed and advance booking strongly advised..
(Phil DeGreg has played with jazz greats including Woody Herman, Zoot Sims, Dizzy Gillespie, JJ Johnson, Stanley Turrentine, Junior Cook, Joe Lovano, Rufus Reid, Slide Hampton as well as Chuck Berry – to name but a few. He also finds time to be Professor of Jazz at the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music)
Admission £10
SATURDAY 3 JANUARY 2015
MARK HARRISON BAND + LAINE HINES
‘one of the British Isles’ great blues singers and guitarists .... totally and absolutely original’ (Mike Harding) ‘wonderful rootsy blues ..... innovative’ (Jazz FM) ‘singular lyrics ...an original take on song writing’ (Blues in Britain) ‘rich and charming songs .... gasp-inducing virtuosity .... superb ideas’ (The Blues Magazine) ‘Mark Harrison has been creating something of a stir .... bringing a modern outlook to a traditional style, he is building a loyal and wide fan base.’ (Blues Matters) ‘while all the songs feel as though they could be rooted in the past they are contemporary and spark of truth’ (Music News) ‘With his gifted finger-picking and slide guitar techniques, Harrison has developed a distinctive style, supported by a group of versatile musicians’ (R2 magazine) ‘songs that are as unique as they are original’ (bluesblues)
Mark Harrison has established a reputation for creating a unique kind of all-original music, based on the style of the early blues and folk/blues artists, with a modern twist. His highly individual music, with its memorable tunes, striking lyrics and strong and compelling rhythms is genuinely fresh and different. He taps into the timeless quality of ‘old’ music to produce something brand new and totally relevant to the present day, with his distinctive rhythmic, finger-picker and slide style.
His band includes some of the UK’s top roots musicians. He has recently released his third album, The World Outside, which has been unanimously praised by influential and knowledgeable figures across the music world, receiving extensive airplay and highly enthusiastic reviews. Laine Hines is widely regarded as the best and most original practitioner of authentic pre-war acoustic blues. He is regularly described as ‘captivating’ and ‘spellbinding’. He has his own distinctive take on both classics and obscurities of the era, and his performances feature a unique vocal style reminiscent of the old field hollers of the Mississippi Delta, and a highly individual and effective guitar technique. www.markharrisonrootsmusic.com
Admission £8
SATURDAY 7th FEBRUARY 2015
DANA GILLESPIE WITH DINO BAPTISTE, JAKE ZAITZ & MIKE PAICE
A major figure on the international music scene for more than forty years and recording over sixty albums for major labels, Dana Gillespie has performed worldwide and been voted “Top British Female Blues Vocalist” by the British Blues Connection and Blueprint Magazine five times and elevated to their Hall of Fame. “....she literally beats the pants off anything done by a British bluesman the last ten years” (Essential Blues). A true blues diva who never fails to delight audiences. Accompanied by the hot-shot boogie pianist, Dino Baptiste, Jake Zaitz on guitar and Mike Paice on harmonica & saxophone
www.danagillespie.co.uk
www.dinobaptiste.com
Admission £10
SATURDAY 6 DECEMBER
DALE STORR NEW ORLEANS BLUES BAND
(CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA)
Following a huge success on the main stage at the 2013 Ealing Blues Festival and a debut London club performance before a delighted capacity audience at Brooks Blues Bar in November 2013, Dale Storr New Orleans Blues Band makes a welcome return to the metropolis and how apposite that it should be for a Christmas Extravaganza in true New Orleans style. Inspired by the Big Easy’s legendary pianists, Dr John, James Booker, Professor Longhair and Allen Toussaint, Dale Storr is recognised as the UK’s leading exponent of New Orleans blues piano. One of the most joyous bands to hear live who are guaranteed to “rock your socks off”. A separate dancing area may have to be provided for this gig in true Louisiana fashion!
Admission £10
