it has been a splendid last couple of weeks for going to gigs here in Edinburgh:

27th July: Georgie Fame

georgie

 I was a bit dubious about this but my brother-in-law Ally tempted me with the “Hammond B3″ lure, and indeed it featured. I was just a wee boy in the 60s, so my memories of Georgie are of the tunes that got further playing as I got older, such as “Bonny and Clyde” and “Yeh Yeh”. Turns out the gig was much better than I expected, maybe because I haven’t listened to his happy banter between songs before, or experienced him belting out the songs with a very impressive voice, and that his encore on solo piano was stormingly good, as he quipped “eat your heart out Mr. Jules Holland”.

28th July: Jafala

jafala

Jafala stands for “Jazz and Funk and Latin and Other” and they are a local band featuring my drum teacher, Terry Sloan, so I was very keen to go to this gig, and they were great. Which is more than can be said for the pub audience, some of whom had their backs to the band while talking. I have a friend of a friend who would pour his pint over such people. Anyway, I very much enjoyed their set, especially when Terry let rip on the kit.

Whatever Jazz cred I may have had I blew by identifying their opening number as “Freddie Freeloader” rather than “All Blues”. So rather than dwelling on my failing brain, may I just say that their very fine sax and horn players know their stuff even if I don’t.

1st August: Dr John and the Lower 911

drJohn

The band rocked and Dr John delivers magic. I hate to mention it, but our local newspaper gave this gig a hostile review which was oblivious to the sheer musicality and theatre of the event, so I cheerfully borrow the above photo from them and ask them to employ reviewers who love music. My only prior knowledge of the Dr. is the wonderful Marianne Faithfull album Strange Weather where he has a brilliant solo spot on piano. Based on that I was prepared to be entertained by the live experience, and indeed, I was, and then some. Splendid!

So I’m hoping this set with the Lower 911 is a great introduction to the music I shall hear when I go gigging (in the giving a seminar and software expo sense) with Perspector in New Orleans at the end of October at PPT Live!

5th August: Spencer Davis Group

Spencer Davis had hitherto never meant much to me other than being the bloke that had the band with the young Steve Winwood belting out “Gimme Some Lovin”. This great clip on YouTube demonstrates that he was also the coolest dude saying “Hey” at the time. Wind forward 40 years and we find a stormingly tight and expert group who delight at every turn. So since I didn’t know much about SDG, the major revelations were

  • Miller Anderson, who has an amazing voice as well as a guitar technique honed by 40 years of professional playing. Miller was a member of the Keef Hartley Band who played at Woodstock, but they didn’t appear in the movie. His fascinating career involving many bands over the years is documented on his website.
  • Eddie Hardin,  who had the task of taking over from Steve, and has being doing so for 40 years. I didn’t know that, and again I found his website very interesting too. He knows his way around the Hammond.
  • Colin Hodgkinson, killer solo spot and solid rythmn. Again, an amazing CV.
  • Steff Porcell, tough also to fill Pete York’s shoes, but Steff does so with aplomb.

They played a great set, but the evening was not complete since they are touring with:

5th August:The Yardbirds

A very good value double bill, since the The Yardbirds did not drop the torch from SDG but kept on rockin. The original members Jim McCarty (drums) and Chris Dreja (rythmn guitar) have recruited great younger blood who you can read about here. They work together and make stirring loud music (what more do you want?).

13th August: Tony Montana Organ Trio

Who I blogged about here. And if you missed that post, may I just say that you should go and hear Tony’s trio if you can.

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A very inspirational couple of weeks and proof that old rockers still have a lot to offer. I already knew that having gone to see The Who at Hyde Park last year, but it doesn’t hurt to broadcast the thought. Keep on rockin!

And Jeff Beck, and your mate Jan Hammer - please come back to Scotland!

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