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RUNNING TIMES FRIDAY 9TH NOVEMBER CLICK HERE RUNNING TIME SATURDAY 10TH NOVEMBER CLICK HERE RUNNING TIMES SUNDAY 11TH NOVEMBER CLICK HERE  With their unique brand of progressive rock, Focus manifested themselves at the start of the '70s as the most successful and appreciated of all the Dutch pop-rock exports. Fronted by founding member Thijs Van Leer, and best known for their hits “Hocus Pocus”, “House of The King” and “Sylvia”, as well as critically acclaimed albums 'Moving Waves', 'Focus 3' and 'Hamburger Concerto', the iconic Dutch music masters are back with their tenth album, which is guaranteed to please their legions of fans! After a comeback in the early 2000's, which resulted in the well-received albums 'Focus 8' and 'Focus 9', the band regrouped with a fantastic new line-up. Along with Thijs van Leer on vocals, flute and keyboards, back on the drums is famed Focus drummer Pierre van der Linden, who joined the group on their second album 'Moving Waves' in 1972. Internationally renowned for his rhythmic skills, Pierre remains a defining factor in the Focus sound. Guitarist Menno Gootjes, who participated in Focus at an earlier stage, and acclaimed bass player Udo Pannekeet, complete the band's current line-up. Recently, Focus's biggest hit "Hocus Pocus" was used in a 4-minute Nike commercial before the World Cup broadcast. Focus music can be regularly heard on Top Gear and Saxondale on TV in the UK. A new Focus era has arrived! There is a rejuvenated passion amongst the band as it enters the studio to record Focus 11 and prepares to go out on the road again for a World Tour, in support of the new album, and as it builds up to its 50th Anniversary. WISHBONE ASH  Discover for yourself why Wishbone Ash remain one of the most enduring and popular bands in British Rock. With millions of albums sold, their iconic twin-guitar sound inspired bands from Thin Lizzy to Iron Maiden and produced such classics tracks as The King Will Come, Throw Down The Sword & Blowin’ Free. Combining the old songs with the new, they’re just as fresh and in demand after an amazing one year short of 50 on the road!  As this band enters its fourteenth year, they really seem to be on the verge to a success that will open some new doors, in new territories. And with all the hard work they put into this project, they surely deserve it. In 2003, singer and guitarist Thorbjørn Risager asked some of his favourite musicians to join him in a brand new band. The picked the band name ”Thorbjørn Risager Blue 7” and started playing round Denmark. A year later they recorded their first album, ”Live 2004”, and in 2005 they met their current agent who also started working with their CD promotion, in connection with the release of their second album, ”From The Heart”, which already got considerable media recognition. BluesWax, a well-respected US publication, used the headline ”Next big name in blues: Thorbjorn” and the epic quote ”Risager has songwriting skills that match his larger-than-life voice” is from that review. The same magazine wrote about the next album ”Here I Am”: Sometimes a singer's voice just stands out and forces you to listen. Take one part Ray Charles, one part Bob Seger, and one part Joe Cocker and you may have the vocal instrument of Denmark's Thorbjørn Risager. By then they had been signed by the Danish label Cope Records, run by the band’s trumpet player. A few albums later, they made a deal with French blues/roots label Dixiefrog, and in 2014 they secured a record deal with Ruf Records, based in Germany but with a very strong position in the international blues world. The same year, before the release of the multi-award-winning album ”Too Many Roads”, they decided to add the band name ”The Black Tornado” – to signify that this is a REAL band and not some random musicians that back up a vocalist. They were also hoping that this new name would be a bit easier to google, for all the listeners that heard the band’s music being played on international radio stations. Paralel to writing, recording and releasing new material with 12 – 18 months’ interval, they kept touring all over Europe, plus a tour to Canada and a spot at Asia’s biggest blues festival Mahindra Blues in Mumbai, where they shared the stage with Buddy Guy. They play 100 gigs per year, and they have performed in 21 countries. Remarkably enough, only two musicians have quit the band since the start in 2003. This is a hard-working band, and they really stick together through thick and thin. They are united through their talent, their dedication and their patience!  When explosive natural ability collides with fiery, emotionally charged compositions, the result is Aynsley Lister; an incredible guitarist whose brand of blues-based rock delivers contemporary song writing fuelled with the kind of heart and soul that’s missing from so much modern music. Whether passionately writing and recording his own material or mesmerising audiences at his live shows one thing is abundantly clear: music is hard-wired to his DNA and flows from his fingertips like sonic bolts of lightning. With over 100,000 albums sold, lashings of critical acclaim and years of high profile touring, Lister’s resumé speaks for itself and firmly secures his position as a leading light in the resurgence of British blues-infused music. In hindsight, it's clear Aynsley was born to be a musician. As a child he was hypnotised by his dad's old guitar and at the age of eight was finally gifted his very own. The moment he held that first six-string the outcome was inevitable; he was going to be a guitarist. Blessed with the coolest dad in town, regularly spinning Hendrix, Cream, Fleetwood Mac and a whole host of bewitching blues for his spellbound son, Aynsley taught himself to play with relentless dedication and a precociously attuned ear, spending hours copying his favourite records note for note. Peter Green, Albert King, Clapton and Kossoff weren't just his heroes; they became his teachers. Blazing a trail in a bar band from the age of 13 honed his skills and in 1998 Thomas Ruf signed Aynsley to his label, hooking him up with Stevie Ray Vaughan's producer Jim Gaines to record his self titled debut disc, kicking off a successful relationship with Ruf Records that saw him release 7 albums and 2 DVD's in ten years. Their influence, coupled with his dynamite live shows and intense touring schedule, earned high profile support slots with established artists like Walter Trout, John Mayall and Robert Cray, whilst rousing festival appearances alongside artists like the Fun Lovin' Criminals cemented his standing as an artist whose work, although rooted in blues, transcended the genre with a fiery modern sound. In 2007 Aynsley was the only British artist to be named in Classic Rock magazine's "Top 10 Contemporary Blues Artists", alongside John Mayer and Joe Bonamassa. In 2008 Aynsley's huge crossover potential saw him sign to Manhaton Records and the following year released 'Equilibrium', an album that exposed Lister in his best ever form and stormed into Classic Rock’s Top 50 Albums of 2009. The subsequent tour saw Aynsley playing to sold out shows to over 16,000 people whilst opening for the legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd, after which he and his band relocated to the Tower Arts Centre and with the tape rolling, nailed a cracking rendition of their high-octane live set to produce the storming 'Tower Sessions' record, which was consequently voted ‘Best Live Album’ in the 2011 Blues Matters Writers Poll. Aynsley is currently touring his latest album, Home, which is out now on his own label, Straight Talkin’ Records. The album has featured in recent issues of Guitarist Magazine, Classic Rock, Blues Matters and HiFi Magazines among many others and has received some of his greatest reviews yet! He has a new release due out in summer 2016 on his own label.
The Blues came calling first, but
rock was always waiting around the corner. Well it would be,
wouldn’t it? Coming from the deep south, it was inevitable, but
living in the deep south of a major Yorkshire City, there’s a
gritty hard edge to life!  Grainne Duffy is a blues and roots artist hailing from Castleblayney, Co.Monaghan, Ireland.Described by The Sunday Times as 'a blues singer of real integrity', Grainne Duffy is a pioneer of her own style while also paying sincere homage to her roots, soul, blues, country and rock traditions. She is a seasoned artist and has been spending the last number of years touring in Europe, Scandinavia, Asia and Canada. Some highlights thus far have included international leading festivals including 3 performances at Glastonbury Festival, U.K., Phuket Festival, Thailand, Notodden Festival, Norway, Dark Season Festival, Svalbard, in the Arctic Circle, Tremblant Festival, Canada, Blues du Passions, France, Blue Balls Festival, Switzerland and Tanjazz in Morocco. In 2015 Grainne was awarded winner in BM Writers Poll in the categories 'Best Vocalist' and 'Best Solo Artist' in the UK. Her Live album recorded on tour in Germany, released the same year earned her a 9/10 review in Classic Rock sister magazine, The Blues Magazine, quoting 'This sensational live album confirms Grainne Duffy's formidable reputation', 'few possess her killer combination of vocal strength, range and intensity, guitar virtuosity and ability to engage audiences', 'this is one of the best live CDs of 2015'. Earlier in 2017 Grainne embarked on her 1st ever tour in Australia which included 4 remarkable performances on the blues stage at Woodford Folk Festival, Queensland. This year she was also delighted to be invited to play at the prestigious Mahindra Blues Festival, India and join onstage Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top) and Shemika Copeland for the festival encore. With a voice that is as passionate as it is raw and honest, accompanied by simple, melodic and well phrased guitar lines, this is what you have in Grainne Duffy. Having worked before with Niko Bolas (Neil Young, Los Lobos & Keith Richards), 2016 and 2017 saw her back in the US recording with producer Justin Stanley (Beck, Eric Clapton, Sheryl Crow). September 2017 sees the release of her eagerly awaited third album, 'Where I Belong', to follow the success of her debut roots album 'Out of the Dark' and her second album 'Test of Time' which weaved together her contemporary influences of blues and soul roots. It features a stellar line-up of musicians including blues guitarist, Doyle Bramhall.  Take one part blues traditionalist, blend it with a forward-thinking music academy graduate, serve with a side order of skill and a garnish of Nordic beauty. What have you got? Singer/guitarist Erja Lyytinen, a.k.a. "the Finnish slide goddess" (The Blues Magazine). Since first setting foot in a recording studio 15 years ago, Erja Lyytinen has become a bona fide star in her homeland and a celebrated fixture on the international music scene. She has recorded nine studio albums in locations as diverse as Helsinki, Memphis and Clarksdale, Mississippi, earning numerous awards and honors along the way. Lyytinen is equally at home in traditional and modern blues and has never been afraid to incorporate styles like jazz, pop and soul. Even motherhood hasn't slowed her down: Her 2014 Elmore James tribute album The Sky Is Crying – recorded shortly before she gave birth to twins – was universally hailed as her best and bluesiest to date. "Erja has seemingly achieved the impossible by both sounding like Elmore as he played in the 1950's whilst adding her unique flair and 21st century vista," wrote Blues In Britain in a glowing review. Born into a musical family in the town of Kuopio, Lyytinen quickly emerged as an artist to watch in her native country. She signed with Germany's prestigious Ruf Records label in 2005 and recorded her international debut Pilgrimage later that year. Her participation in the 2006 Blues Caravan tour gave audiences outside of Finland a first taste of her spirited live performances and led to a string of successful appearances in the United States. The follow-up Dreamland Blues took her back to the USA to record with David and Kinney Kimbrough (sons of Mississippi blues legend Junior Kimbrough). That album was voted Best Album of 2006 by Finland's YLE Radio Suomi 'Bluesministeri'. After two years on the road, she returned with Grip of the Blues in 2008, mixing hard-edged blues with modern R&B. Her 2010 release Voracious Love was even more adventurous: The lavishly orchestrated "Bed of Roses" – featuring Marco Hietala (Nightwish) on vocals and Apocalyptica cellist Paavo Lötjönen – showed once and for all that Lyytinen is unafraid to push the stylistic envelope. With 2013's Forbidden Fruit, she returned to more familiar territory. Ever since her first visit to Mississippi, Lyytinen had wanted to do a raw, down-to-earth slide guitar blues album. The Sky Is Crying, a dazzling collection of stripped-down, old-school blues recorded live in the studio, brought her full circle. Her tribute to music legend Elmore James convinced even the most discerning listeners of Lyytinen's deep feel for the blues and that as a slide player, she has few peers. The Sky Is Crying was named Best European Blues Album and Best Tribute Album of 2014 by Canada's Blues Underground Network and also placed in the top three international albums of 2014 as chosen by writers at Britain's Blues Matters. 2015 saw the release of a brand new live CD/DVD, Live in London, recorded at that city's renowned 100 Club the previous fall. The concert performance, featuring a mix of original material and selected Elmore James cuts culled from The Sky Is Crying, was honored as the year's #1 International Live Album in the Blues Matters Writer's Poll and ranked #2 in Blues In The South's listing of the Top 100 albums of 2015. What will 2016 bring? Well, it started off with a bang as Lyytinen was named Artist of the Year at the Finnish Blues Awards. The "Finnish Slide Goddess" will spend the coldest days of winter bringing the heat as she plays a 26-date tour alongside guitarist, singer and actor Heikki Silvennoinen, best known as a member of the comedy group Kummeli. And there's a new studio album on the way, Lyytinen is happy to report. "We've already done some rough demos, the new songs are ready to be recorded. It's very exciting", she says with her famous smile.  John Verity has had a varied and amazing career, supporting rock luminaries such as JIMI HENDRIX, JANIS JOPLIN, JOHN MAYALL’S BLUESBREAKERS and MOUNTAIN. Recording with RINGO STARR, KEITH EMERSON, GREG LAKE, TIM ROSE, ZOMBIES, COLIN BLUNSTONE, PHOENIX and ARGENT to name a few. John is also an established producer of numerous artists including Saxon, Charlie and Phoenix plus his own extensive album catalogue but a priority has always been ‘live work’. John’s extensive touring schedule in 2016/17 has seen him scaling new heights which is set to continue in 2018 with even more new venues and festivals. John Verity has been among the most enduring performers on the blues rock scene for many years. Nothing compares to seeing JV live, up close, on stage as John's guitar playing is a joy, whether it be soulful acoustic or driving amplified in style. What marks him out from others is his timing and feel which are close to perfection. With his unmistakable and distinctive soulful blues edge to both singing and playing John is pleasing old friends and winning over many new fans.   There was a time when the Jersey Shore represented the best in American entertainment. Count Basie, Lionel Hampton, the Rat Pack, Dick Clark, Chubby Checker, they all made stops on the Jersey Shore. Tony Mart’s was the club Levon Helm was playing when Dylan called.Of course we all know what happened in Asbury Park. The town, ravaged by riots in the late 60’s, became a melting pot of musical experimentation. Late night jams that ended when the sun came up were the norm. Bruce Springsteen & Southside Johnny were the two acts that made their way to an international stage from these humble beginnings. For decades musicians have come and gone, always hoping to make a living and pursue a dream. Billy Walton is no different. Billy’s proving ground was Long Beach Island. There he was chaperoned from gig to gig by his Mom, two young to drive around and enter the clubs on his own. He always was up for a jam and looking to learn some tricks. For years Billy spent his time sharpening his skills, developing his stage act until he decided to step up to center stage with the Billy Walton Band. The band has focused its’ effort in Europe. 13 tours since 2007 have established the group in the fertile British Blues Rock scene. In 2010 Billy got the call to join in with one of the masters of the Asbury Park sound, Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes. For years Billy toured with the Jukes. Most people don’t know that the creative force behind Southside was none other than Little Steven. A highpoint in Billy’s tenure with the Jukes was when they recorded a live version of Southside’s most acclaimed release, Hearts of Stone, with Little Steven. Good things have been happening to the Billy Walton Band. The band recently signed to Vizztone Records for the release of Wish For What You Want. Produced by Tony Braunagel, the award winning BMA producer and current Eric Burdon drummer, this batch of songs will certainly take the band to the next level! You can say Bruce Springsteen is a singer songwriter fronting an old-school rock n soul band. Southside Johnny is a soul singer fronting an old-school rock n soul band. Billy Walton is the guitar hero fronting the old-school rock n soul band. The horns are the common thread. Find out why so many people are getting excited about the Billy Walton Band!  Lightnin' Willie is a veteran bluesman, originally from Dallas Texas, now residing in the Los Angeles area. Willie plays in a traditional blues format with traditional instrumentation i.e. guitar, keyboards, accordion, bass, drums, and horns. He is a songwriter, singer and guitarist in that order and his sound is an irresistible blend of tradition and spontaneous creativity, with a deliciously insidious emphasis on the groove.  Storm Warning - are lauded by the UK blues press as one of the classiest, contemporary blues bands in the UK, playing superbly crafted original blues rock songs and breathing new life into blues standards. This year the band were voted ‘Best Band’ on the Saturday Introducing Stage at The Great British Rock & Blues Festival. “The stars at the Skegness Rock & Blues Festival, Storm Warning roar into 2018 on the back of their best ever album' Take Cover' Pete Feenstra - award winning promoter and reviewer “Storm Warning are a welcome change from the norm. They play the blues with real feel, but rock hard enough when required. Above all, they strike a balance that tests the full possibilities of a song without overstaying their welcome…… Maxwell’s belligerent self penned ‘Big River’ provides the perfect finish to an album that flows from beginning to end. It’s also a timely reminder that for all their splendid ability to refresh blues covers, Storm Warning can rock out in their own right on a song that is arguably the highlight of the album.” Storm Warning 'Take Cover' Album Of The Week - Get Ready To Rock website Ex Mick Ralphs Band vocalist Son Maxwell and guitarist Bob Moore, lead the band backed by Ian Salisbury on keys, Derek White (Larry Miller band) on bass and ex Mick Clarke band drummer Russ Chaney. Storm Warning have recorded four CDs, all receiving critical acclaim and tracks have been played on radio stations across the world including BBC Radio 2 for whom they also recorded a live session which was broadcast on the Paul Jones blues programme. Chris King Robinson  It was inevitable, after spending his formative years listening to guitar legends such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix & Buddy Guy, that Chris King Robinson would pick up a Fender Stratocaster and learn the craft for himself. Fast forward through his progress - from those first notes played by 9 year old Chris in 2003; through 1000’s of practice hours, relentless gigging, and millions of YouTube hits later - to 2017, where at the age of 23, Chris has quickly established himself as Twitter’s most followed blues guitarist worldwide. His self- produced and released first single ‘Lipstick On Her Cigar’, hit No.1 on the iTunes &Amazon Blues charts, after just one day of sales, whilst his debut EP 'Tell Me Why You're Scared' set the Blues world alight by flying straight to No.1 on both the Amazon and iTunes album charts. Huge public demand for live performances led Chris to form his own 4-piece group: ‘The Chris King Robinson Band’ and as word of the bands astonishing live performances spread, they were invited to headline The Suwalki Blues Festival in Poland, and played the highly exclusive Lead Belly Festival - held at the world renowned Carnegie Hall in New York City - where Chris played a scorching psychedelic jam to the sold out crowd and cemented his reputation as one of the finest young guitarists in the world. All of this is just the beginning, for a guitarist, who many think, will become the standard bearer for ‘The Blues’ for years to come.  Two acclaimed albums and numerous tours across the country with legends of the genre have led Federal Charm to become one of the most talked about rock bands on the scene.Picking up the sound of the 70s rock heyday with a dynamism that infuses a contemporary edge coupled with explosive live performances, the band has earned several accolades including a nomination by Planet Rock Radio for Best New Band 2017. With a satchel full of influences that belie their tender years, Federal Charm are unabashed blues-rockers who take inspiration from that scene's 70s genesis, citing Zeppelin and Free in particular. What matters is what they do with these influences, and Federal Charm invest swaggering riffs, sleazy slide flourishes and cinder-raw vocals with a confidence that is utterly winning". - Classic Rock Magazine.  When it comes to one-man bands, guitarist and singer extraordinaire Steve Hill has no limits. The truest definition of a one-man band; Hill performs standing up while singing and playing guitar, his feet playing bass drum, snare drum, hi-hats and with a drum stick fused to the head of his trusty guitar, any other percussion within reach. An overnight sensation 20 years in the making, Steve Hill is an ambitious and raucous force to be reckoned with on the Canadian and international blues-rock scene. “The one-man band style has made him the top star in the Canadian blues scene right now.” (Bob Mersereau, CBC) Following the success of his JUNO nominated Solo Recordings Volume 1, which also won album of the year at the International Blues Challenge in 2013, and JUNO Award winner Solo Recordings Volume 2, Steve Hill released Solo Recordings Volume 3 on March 4, 2016. Solo Recordings Volume 3 features originals that are outright rockers (Damned, Dangerous, Rhythm All Over, Smoking Hot Machine, Can’t Take It With You, Walkin’ Grave) to more acoustic-based melodic tracks (Slowly Slipping Away, Troubled Times, Emily) and three reimagined and rearranged covers (Still A Fool & A Rollin Stone, Rollin & Tumblin / Stop Breaking Down, Going Down That Road Feeling Bad). Solo Recordings Volume 3 shows an artist at the top of his game and proves why the Montreal Gazette called him “the meanest guitar player in Canada.” “When I started the Solo Recordings projects four years ago, I had hopes that the songs and performances would resonate with my existing fan-base”, says Hill. “I am constantly trying to improve on the songs, both lyrically and technically, live and recorded, in order to keep the fans excited about my material and live shows. I feel that Solo Recordings Volume 3 is my best work yet and I am excited to present it”. Hill’s reputation as an exciting performer has provided him the opportunity to showcase his talents at some of Canada’s biggest music festivals including the Montreal Jazz Festival, Ottawa Blues Festival, Mont Tremblant International Blues Festival, Thunder Bay Blues Festival, Kitchener Blues Festival and more. Steve Hill is clearly in his element as a solo artist and one-man band, inviting listeners into a world of musical madness in the form of blues and rock ‘n’ roll.  The award winning Blues Rock Guitarist, Luke Doherty, started playing Festivals when he was twelve years old, and 10 years later, he hasn’t looked back. After achieving a Rock School first, 2 grade 8’s by the age of 11, it lead to many Newspaper and Radio interviews. While Luke was Ploughing his was through his grades, he was encouraged to record his version of Parisian Walkways of which Gary Moore had a copy. Luke has gone on to play numerous Festivals, Blues Clubs and Music Venues up and down the Country, including the Legendary Cambridge Rock Festival, 100 club London and Upton Blues Festival, to name a few. Luke is never happier than when he is playing Blues. It all started when he was 7 years old and he found an old music VHS in a cupboard featuring several Blues players. He was enthralled with the playing of Eric Clapton and B.B King, both of which he was extremely honoured to meet a few years later. Over time he also met the great Peter Green, Jeff Healey and Andy Fairweather-Low, and John Mayell which enlightened his passion for Blues even more. Luke has been truly blessed to share the stage with many fine Blues rock artists including, Ansley Lister, Danny Bryant, Virgil and the Accelerators, Connie Lush, Mike Estes of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Skinny Molly, As well as the Legendary Buddy Whittington, who told the crowd when Luke was on stage with him “This is how the Blues should be played”. 2015 was an exciting time for Luke and his band with the release of their all originals album “Six Strings and a Stetson”. The album has been played all around the world and to rave reviews. With such enthusiasm from the public about the album it has propelled them to go back into the studio to start on another long awaited second all original album, which they hope will be available very soon.Luke is very fortunate to have the backing of such accomplished musicians in his band, such as:- The legendary Paul Morgan on vocals and harp, who has shared the stage with Dr Feelgood, Deep Purple, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown to name a few. Simon Parratt, who has recently obtained a BMus (hons) degree in jazz. His jazz and hard rock influence gives their songs an edge, which makes their songs stand out in the crowd and gives them a little twist. Throughout his musical career Simon has done lots of session work and recording for many Blues, Classic Rock and Jazz bands. Ant Biggs has been playing bass for many years and toured the world with Cajun Rockers Folk band The Butter Mountain Boys, who received international Musician and Recording Artist of the Year and Arts Council Musician in Residence, with one album charting at number 17, which lead to many Radio and TV appearances throughout the 80s and 90s retiring from music 1995, Ant came out of musical retirement to join the band and to playing Blues with Luke in May 2014. CONNOR SELBY BAND  20 Year old Connor Selby has been a guitar and music fanatic for as long as he can remember - first picking up the instrument at around age 8. Since that day Connor has been honing and developing his craft for almost the entire duration of his life. Musically Connor takes inspiration from most of the British players that emerged in the 1960s citing Eric Clapton as his first and current major influence, putting particular emphasis on his output with John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers and Cream. Connor has also studied the guitar playing of other players such as Paul Kossoff, Gary Moore, Joe Bonamassa and of course, BB King, Albert King and Freddie King . Although blues based guitar music has been the most prominent style in terms of Connor's listening throughout the years his musical taste extends much further and deeper than just the blues. Connor's listening also includes a variety of Folk, Soul, R and B, Gospel and Country and Western including the music of Ray Charles, Donny Hathaway, Nick Drake and many others. Connor describes these artists in particular as having a huge impact on the way he listens to and thinks about music. To date , Connor has been focused on building his reputation with many local shows and some support slots for headline artists such as Henrik Freischlader, Dr Feelgood , Albert Lee and Erja Lyytinen. 2018 is looking to be a breakthrough year for Connor and his Band , with the release of their debut Album on 3Ms Music in the first half and several higher profile gigs in the calendar, including a headline slot at 100 Club and several Festival appearances.  Featuring three members of the award-winning Bare Bones Boogie Band, whose last album, 'Tattered & Torn', was voted one of the best of 2013 by 'Classic Rock: The Blues' magazine, Born Healer is a brand new band from Helen Turner (vocals), Iain Black (guitar) and Andy Jones (drums), who are joined by new boy Marek Funkas on bass. The band got together earlier this year, and have been gigging since the summer, taking their live show around the UK. The band introduced themselves to the world with a feature in Blues in Britain magazine in July and some teaser videos of rehearsal demos released via their website (www.bornhealer.com). Musically, Born Healer play soulful, heavy blues, with a groove, and Helen has been likened to such great names as Janis Joplin and Maggie Bell. The fact that Robert Plant dropped into see her, Iain and Andy play a pub gig last year speaks volumes, and makes Born Healer one to watch in 2015. MARK PONTIN GROUP  Mark Pontin is a genuine "triple threat". If he were solely a singer, the new album ’Textures’ from The Mark Pontin Group would stand head and shoulders above the pack on that strength alone. His effortless vocals can turn on a dime from gritty and raw to smooth and melodic, displaying enviable range without the strain and the kind of control and dynamics rarely seen in a blues/rock context. His abilities as a guitarist easily put him in the upper echelons of blues and rock players, in the UK or anywhere else for that matter. His beautifully nuanced playing, musicianly without over-indulgence, at times wrangles massive sounds from a Marshall amp, at others coaxes delicate harmonics from an acoustic guitar. As a songwriter, Mark displays the kind of versatility rarely seen within the often predictably rigid confines of the blues/rock scene and demonstrates how easily - when you know how - the genre can incorporate shades of jazz, funk, soul and pop music. In the short period since the release of their 2013 debut Days Of Destiny, The Mark Pontin Group established themselves firmly on the UK Blues/Rock scene. Extensive UK tours, festival appearances and stages shared with the likes of Walter Trout and Royal Southern Brotherhood forged the band into a formidable live act.The Mark Pontin Group are never happier than when they are on the stage utilising not only their remarkable individual talents but also great interplay and improvisation, with no two shows ever being the same. Obvious comparisons could be made to Cream or Hendrix though it could be said that MPGs abilities range further still, incorporating a rich variety of flavours into their own secret formula. Now, with their new album Textures it is clear that the bar for contemporary blues/rock has been raised and The Mark Pontin Group is a force to be reckoned with.  "Félix Rabin is a French twenty two year old singer-songwriter who is inspired by musicians such as Jimi Hendriy and Stevie Ray Vaughan. His style embodies the best of Rock and Blues, and holds such passion and talent that you will be blown away! After touring around Switzerland and playing several times at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival, Félix is now taking on London with his amazing band.” |
| SOLID ENTERTAINMENTS Presents... BUDE BLUES FESTIVAL |
