Taking the Low Road - King King on tour in the Netherlands, Part 1

Dateline: 10 February 2017     Venue: MEZZ, Breda

It’s tea time in Breda, in the Southern Netherlands, and big snowflakes are falling gently amid the quaint architecture of the town centre.  You might call it damned cold, but it’s a bit of a winter wonderland.  What better way to start a weekend following King King on a spin round Holland?

There are a number of things to love about visiting the Netherlands.  For one thing, the locals generally speak excellent English, which is just as well, because while I’ll have a stab at French and Italian, even basic Dutch is way beyond my ken.  What’s more, they’re so

Alan Nimmo gets the blues

friendly and helpful.  As we sit in the warmth of the Le Petit pub, with a Hergot Jan beer for company, the owner happily points out that the venue for tonight’s gig, is just across the road.  It’s the same when we grab a pre-show burger over the street at VanCoot 13 – the waitress translates the menu, the burgers are excellent, and everything is done with a smile.

It’s all a satisfying precursor to the show in the sleek and modern brown cocoon that is MEZZ.  When support act the Sean Webster Band kick off proceedings, it’s apparent that the place has an impressive lighting rig, and the sound balance from the PA is crystal clear.

Webster and his four-piece band deliver a warm and soulful half-hour set, featuring plenty of his imminent new album Leave Your Heart At The Door.  Webster’s Joe Cocker-ish voice is well-suited to his line in plaintive blues rock, selling the lyrics with conviction, and he adds some tasty guitar to the likes of the strutting ‘You Got To Know’, while the rest of the band swing nicely behind him.

Suitably warmed up, the crowd are ready to let go from the moment Alan Nimmo crunches into his usual couple of guitar chords to trigger ‘Lose Control’, and King King are off and running.

The set largely follows King King Live, minus ‘Jealousy’ and ‘Crazy’, but with the moody ‘Take A Look’ added mid-set.  So we get three episodes of kilt-swinging funk in the course of night, starting with ‘Wait On Time’, on which Bob Fridzema limbers up his digits with a

Sean Webster and gang pretend to be King King

surging solo.  Turns out that’s just a dry run for episode 2 though, because he delivers an absolute ripsnorter on ‘All Your Life’, which also features an ‘incredible shrinking duet’ on organ and guitar from Fridzema and Nimmo.  Episode 3, needless to say, is the good-time encore of ‘Let Love In’.

Along the way, key highlights come in the form of ‘Long History Of Love’ and ‘You Stopped The Rain’.  The former opens with a simple emotional quality, before Alan Nimmo’s guitar solo and Wayne Proctor’s drums work in synch to build a feverish intensity.  On ‘You Stopped The Rain’, meanwhile, Nimmo’s climactic second solo heads off into the stratosphere.

Set closer ‘Stranger To Love’ is a final peak, by turns shimmering and body-punch gutsy.  A few poor souls evidently haven’t got the memo about staying quiet during Nimmo’s ‘hear a pin drop’ guitar showcase, but thanks to some subtle hand signals from him, and some not so subtle signals from those in the know, they get the message.

After a final vocal workout for all concerned on ‘Let Love In’ it’s time to head back to our top notch digs at the nearby Hotel Nassau, a stylish re-modelling of some historic buildings in which the Order of Franciscan Sisters ran an orphanage until the Nineties.  Dunno what the Sisters would have made of some of the sinful artwork, mind you!

Next stop – Amersfoort!

Taking the Low Road Part 2 can be found here.
And you can find Part 3 here.

Ash Wilson - Broken Machine

Are you sitting comfortably?  Good, then I’ll begin.  Out of nowhere, it seems, here comes Ash Wilson and his album Broken Machine, and he’s knocked it right out of the park.

By recruiting the likes of 6-string bass maestro Roger Innis and King King’s Bob Fridzema on Hammond to record his debut LP, along with his kid brother (and Laurence Jones sidekick) Phil behind the drums, Ash Wilson set the bar pretty high for himself.  But with Broken Machine, he sails over it with ease.

A few songs here would slot seamlessly into an Aynsley Lister album and not let the side down.  Both ‘Words Of A Woman’ and ‘Holding Hands’ feature soulful, fluid guitar solos where Wilson sounds well and truly in the zone.  I can well imagine Bob Fridzema and his King King buddies nodding approvingly as they listen to the latter, a sensitive ballad on which the guitar work skilfully embroiders the vocal melody.  In contrast ‘Lonely Room’ is lit up by some bright bursts of funky rhythm guitar interspersed with a buzzing, ascending, Hendrixy riff.

Ash Wilson - he plays guitar you know

But that’s the least of what Wilson delivers here, because as debut albums go Broken Machine is pretty damn ambitious.

The first time I listened to this album, the thought that popped into my mind was – Robben Ford.  There are two reasons for this.  The first is that the material here reminded me of the imagination that Ford showed on his 2015 album Into The Sun, stretching to craft songs inspired but not constrained by blues motifs.  The second is that, like Ford, Wilson may not have terrific range or power vocally, but he still makes the most of what he’s got.

But on further listening, Wilson’s sound becomes more distinctive.  Vocally, he sometimes adopts a vaguely Josh Homme-like slur, without lapsing into Homme’s irritating degree of posturing, and it gives his singing a bit of character.  More significantly though, there’s a modern sensibility to the writing and arrangements that suggests a kinship with the heavier sounding Dan Patlansky – with whom I gather he's touring in May.

That sense of adventure is apparent right from the git go, on ‘Show Me How To Love You’, which follows a moody intro with background chanting, lurching drums, and squealing guitar sounds that meander around the piping vocals on the chorus. ‘World’s Gone Crazy’ meanwhile, is brief and brisk, with a riff and chorus that echo the neck-snapping catchiness of the Stones’ ‘Under Cover’.

‘Peace And Love’ combines restrained drumming with nagging riffs and swirls of organ from Fridzema, as a precursor to a neat guitar solo that – as elsewhere on the album – is all about serving the song, not showmanship.  But that’s just a precursor to the title track, on which interesting guitar tones and subtle washes of background keyboard colour contribute to an aching sense of alienation as Wilson sings lines like “It feels like we’re part of a broken machine / What are we gonna do? / It feels like this release makes it harder to breathe, in different ways”.

There’s still room for the cheerful ‘Out Of Time’, with its skipping rhythm, Stax-like organ riff and crisp, harmonised vocal and guitar lines, as well as the outright bluesiness of ‘The Hitcher’, which has a dreamy, reverb heavy quality suggestive of Chris Isaak.  And yes, it features a “my baby done left me” line - in this case down the A1, it seems.

You know what?  All those people who do ‘Best Newcomer’ awards might as well hire the engravers now, because Ash Wilson’s going to have his name all over them.  Get Broken Machine in your ears as soon as you can.

Broken Machine is released on 21 April, and can be pre-ordered from Amazon at  http://amzn.to/2jO3FzN.
Read the Blues Enthused interview with Ash Wilson here.

The Stumble - The Other Side

You can’t beat a bit of good home cooking, can you?  A big, satisfying beef casserole maybe, made with love and the best of ingredients, perfectly seasoned and with a bouquet garni chucked in for extra flavour.  Dished up on a proper plate, with a hefty serving of mashed spuds to soak up the gravy.  Sounds pretty good to me.

What’s all this about, you’re asking?  I’ll tell you what.  I’m talking about the kind of kicks I get from listening to The Stumble cook up a storm on The Other Side.  None of your teenage guitar sensations, fancy-dan producers for hire or big name collaborators

The Stumble - the next big boy band?

Pic by Alan Partington

necessary here.  This is no nonsense, honest to goodness R&B, delivered with passion, imagination, and buckets of musical nous by a bunch of old lags based in Lancashire who sound like they’re having a ball.

The Other Side is an ensemble piece for sure, but the obvious place to start is with singer Paul Melville.  If there’s a sandpaper rasp to Melville's voice, it’s of the finest grade, as he lends a towering, soul-shaking dimension to each of the various blues and rock’n’roll styles explored by chief songwriter and drummer Boyd Tonner and the rest of the gang.

And it sure is a varied collection.  It ranges from the stonking boogie woogie of opener ‘New Orleans’, with honky tonk piano from guest keys man Justin Randall, to the Madness-like bopping rhythm of ‘Only You’, emphasised by the honking sax of Simon Anthony Dixon; from the crooning Fifties rock’n’roll of ‘Under Your Command’, with its sweet slide guitar, to the country-tinged folk of ‘One True Rock’ with Celtic fiddle from Richard Curran.

In between all of these diversions there’s plenty of raunchy, expansive R&B, epitomised by

Paul Melville does some soul-shaking

Pic by Alan White Photos

the blast that is ‘Be My Slave’, while on ‘Freedom Like A Woman’ some Bruce Hornsby like piano frills give way to a scorching guitar solo from Colin Black, like Tonner a founder member of the band.  It’s not the only time Black gets let off the leash either, his outing on ‘Heat Of The Night’ being just one of several instances where he lights the blue touchpaper.

The sheer quality of some of Tonner’s songwriting shouldn’t be overlooked either.  The aforementioned ‘Freedom Like A Woman’ is full of light and shade, providing the foundations for Dixon to lay down some smouldering sax, and Melville to demonstrate both control and passion.  ‘Bullet For The Blind’ is similarly dynamic, with an earworm of a hook, while on ‘Evening’ they fan the flames of a smoky, jazzy, late-night vibe.

Overall the sound is a potent mix, with the rhythm section of Tonner’s drums and Cameron Sweetnam’s bass always in the sweet spot, and further solidified by Ant Scapens guitar, with added colour from both Dixon’s sax and Randall’s piano.

I’m left with the inescapable impression that The Stumble not only know what they’re doing, they aim to have a damn good time doing it.  So get on your dancing shoes, turn the volume up, and shake yer booty!

Eric Gales - Middle Of The Road

Given that Gary Clark Jr pops up to lend a hand on the fourth track here, a cover of Freddie King’s ‘Boogie Man’, it’s no surprise that for much of Middle Of The Road Eric Gales heads towards similar territory as said Clark – to wit, 21^st century bluesy guitar melded to trippy, hip-hop inflected soul and funk stylings.

Gales doesn’t push the envelope as far as Clark, and to these ears that results in a rather smoother, less edgy listening experience.  He has a rich, treacly voice well suited to a soulful sound, and for the most part weds it to an ultra-modern, squelchy guitar tone like a state-of-the-art Stylophone.

Eric Gales - modern boogie man

At its best this produces something like ‘Been So Long’, a catchy, laid back shot of reggae-fied funk, with a nifty little bass line – Gales also plays bass across the album – and a measured, piercing guitar solo.

The aforesaid ‘Boogie Man’ is built on easy, loping rhythm guitar and bass, with Gales and Clarke trading licks to good effect.  ‘Repetition’, meanwhile, has a verse melody that owes more than a fiver to Prince’s ‘Sign O’ The Times’, but moves on from there to find its own place, with some spikier guitar playing courtesy of older brother Eugene Gales.

There are a few variations along the way, with varying degrees of success.  The opener ‘Good Time’, for example, is a supple slice of jangling, gospel-ish fun that is really no more than an hors d’oeuvre.  Even more peculiarly, ‘Swamp’ is an instrumental that weaves some minor variations and rhythmic tinkering around a briskly repetitive – and I mean repetitive – guitar line.  Rather more effectively, ‘Help Yourself’ features persistent chugging guitars that nod vaguely in the direction of North Mississippi hill country, Gales being assisted on this occasion by 16 year-old guitarist Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram.  And for a denouement Gales combines acoustic strumming and minimal percussion to deliver something simple and sensitive with ‘Help Me Let Go’.

By all accounts MiddleOf The Road is the story of Gales’ renaissance after a 2009 jail sentence for possession of drugs and a weapon.  As comebacks go it’s a solid piece of work, well put together with just enough quirkiness and stinging guitar to stand out from the herd.  Personally I’d have liked a tad more seasoning in the song writing at times, a bit more light and shade, a bit more edge.  But if you’re up for some adventures in post-Prince guitar-orientated soul, Eric Gales is a good place to start.

Middle Of The Road is released by Mascot/Provogue on 21 February 2017

Toronzo Cannon - Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh, 19 January 2017

Are you ready for the Chicago Way?  You’d better be, because Toronzo Cannon is here to demonstrate that the citadel of electric blues can still produce a contender.  And then some.

On this first night of a lightning quick first trip to the UK, Cannon and his band the Cannonball Express fired up a packed audience that included blues nuts from all points of the compass, put smiles on their faces, and left them wanting more.  Leaning heavily on material from last year’s album The Chicago Way, Cannon showed off scintillating guitar work, a rich and soulful voice perfectly suited to the blues, and a range of fresh and convincing original songs, kicking off with the bright shuffle of ‘Mrs From Mississippi’.

Toronzo Cannon makes himself at home in Scotland

‘Midlife Crisis’ is a perfect example of Cannon’s penchant for tongue in cheek wordplay, accompanied by a solo in which he shows his readiness to go off piste in search of unexpected notes.  There’s more humorous storytelling on ‘Bad Contract’, by which time two more things have become clear:  Cannon has charisma to match his chops, and the Cannonball Express don’t half swing, punctuating and syncopating with ease.

The slow blues of ‘When Will You Tell Him About Me?’ confirms how tight they are, like a perfectly fitting jigsaw, with drummer Pookie Styx key to holding it together.  I know jackshit about drumming, but the way that Pookie sets the rhythm but also knows exactly where Cannon is going and how to enhance it is a joy to watch.

By the time they get to ‘Fine Seasoned Woman’ Cannon’s bonhomie and effortlessly pleasing guitar work have everyone in a good mood, as he engineers a singalong with some relaxed patter.

After a break they open a second set with ‘She’s Too Much’, which comes across more or less like a more laid back, funkier version of ‘Mrs From Mississippi’, with Sonny Edwards’ keys offering

Cannon feels the rhythm from Pookie Styx

subtle and complementary colour behind Cannon.  They get heavier on the opening of ‘Chickens Comin’ Home To Roost’, with a playful solo from Cannon to follow, and synchro-meshed dynamics as they drop the volume.  Cool Hand Luke bassman Dave Forte furnishes a classic rolling bass line on ‘Strength To Survive’ to complement funky, chiming guitar chords from Cannon on a song about the pressures of everyday living.

And then they really get down to business.  With ‘John The Conquer Root’, the brooding, hoodoo voodoo seduction tale that’s the title track of Cannon’s 2013 album, he cranks things into overdrive and gets all Hendrix on our collective asses.  It’s full of depth and attack, with Pookie well and truly in the pocket, driving things along while Cannon gets down to some serious guitar wailing, before casually fishing a whammy bar out of his gig bag and fitting it to his Strat for a crunching finish.  They dig in again for a slice of boogie as a finale, Cannon never overplaying but getting his thumb working to beef up the bottom end, before they close with a rocking coda that echoes ‘You Really Got Me’.

Toronzo Cannon is continuing a great tradition, but he’s also an original.  He writes his own stuff, it’s fresh and modern, and he and his band more than do it justice.  It was a coup for the Edinburgh Blues Club to get him here, and here's hoping we see him here again soon.