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| Posted: 14/10/2009 |
Subject: Review From Blues In the Northwest - Geoff Achison |
| Following two very successful years in the United States, Geoff Achison is now resident back in his native Australia. After such a long absence, his return to the UK on an extensive tour has generated considerable excitement and anticipation. It was no surprise, therefore, that the Marina was packed to the gunnels in eager expectation. The party began with a solo acoustic set from Geoff, opening with the fast-moving “Whipping Post”, followed by “Apparatus”, a song that bemoaned the relentless charge of automation, with clever machine-like sounds played on guitar. The set was completed with a duo of Taj Mahal numbers and a superb, energetic version of “Superstition”. Geoff then introduced The UK Souldiggers: Sam Kelly on drums, Spy on bass guitar and Paul Jobson on keyboards. The upbeat shuffle, “Tell Me Something I Don’t Know”, led into a funky performance of Muddy Waters’s “Sugar Sweet”, with Spy excelling on slap bass and Paul Jobson delivering a terrific solo. The funky mood was maintained with the excellent ballad, “Crazy Horse” and the upbeat “Rule The World” that featured a brilliant guitar solo. The set was drawn to a conclusion with a funky blues number about the persistent menace of plastic bags. In the second set, an opening slow shuffle was followed by the boogie-ish “The Natural Fact” that was brought to a climax with another tremendous guitar solo. “Never Give It Up” was wrapped in a reggae beat and culminated in an extended coda that was impeccably driven by Sam Kelly. The only slow blues of the evening came in the form of “The Sky is Crying”, which included a somewhat eccentric guitar solo, while “Souldigger” was played as a breakneck shuffle that built a sensationally tight wall of sound. But the funky joey was not to be suppressed and popped its head out of the pouch with “One Ticket, One Ride”, the title song of Geoff’s latest album. The set was closed with a marvellous rendition of “Midnight Hour”, embellished by some magical tinkling from Paul Jobson. A loudly demanded encore added icing to an already delicious cake. Geoff Achison is a supreme performer, who is equally at home playing solo acoustic and electric band-based music. In The UK Souldiggers, he could not have hand-picked three better individual musicians to support him, as each is consummately talented while collectively they form a wonderfully tight unit. It was quite simply a top class evening. Written by Lionel Ross |
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| Posted: 24/12/2008 |
Subject: SEASONS GREETINGS & BEST WISHES FOR 2009 |
| To all friends and fans wherever You are - Seasons Greetings and Best Wishes for a Peaceful and Happy New Year. Thanks for all your support during the last year and help Keep Music Alive during 2009 by supporting you favourite bands and live music venues. Hope to see You at a gig soon. |
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| Posted: 9/12/2008 |
Subject: BLUES MATTERS NOV-JAN09 ISSUE - SAM KELLY INTERVIEW |
| Check out the latest copy of Blues Matters to read Sam's interview. |
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| Posted: 19/9/2008 |
Subject: SAM KELLY'S BLUES BAND REVIEW FROM 10TH MARYPORT FESTIVAL (27/07/08) |
| On Sunday we headed out on the trail once more to catch the Sam Kelly Band at McMenamins pub. Earlier in the day Sam had hosted a well attended drum workshop for beginners at The Wave Centre. It was a beautiful afternoon and they were playing on the back of a truck parked in the beer garden. The Albert king songbook was visited with rootsy interpretations of ‘Crosscut ‘Saw’ and ‘Born Under A Bad Sign’. With his mates, TJ Johnson on guitar and SPY on bass it was almost like the old days at the Station Tavern. They were still making it funky with the Meters ‘People Say’ when we headed off to the main stage.
Norma Victor
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| Posted: 18/8/2008 |
Subject: Primo Blue @ The Retreat 02AUG08 |
| Saturday 2nd August Making a third appearance at Alan & Lynn’s lovely venue is the superb Primo Blues featuring the excellent Sam Kelly. This band sees Sam surrounded by some of the cream of his musical colleagues and part of the pleasure of a Primo blues gig is who comes with Sam! Also to enjoy is a wonderful mix of soul, blues and roots all stamped with the unmistakeable mark of Sam, repeatedly voted drummer of the year in many major awards and a man who recently toured with Gary Moore. (Review from Digital Blues) |
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| Posted: 21/7/2008 |
Subject: EALING BLUES FESTIVAL |
| If you didn't get there yesterday (19/07) you missed a great day at the Ealing Blues Festival and a whole days music for just £1 (briliant). Thanks to Ealing Council and big, big thanks to Bob Salmons (Robert Hokum)for getting all the music together. I had a great time playing with Blues Sans Frontiers - a fusion of blues guitar/vocs, the sitar and me on the cajon. The Soul Britannia Band had people up and dancing and thanks to the Station House guys, TJ, Paul & Spy, & Jerome, Matt & Vasilis and the superb vocals of Leburn, Carol Grimes & Jimmy Lindsay............ more of that please!! |
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| Posted: 25/5/2008 |
Subject: SATURDAY 19TH JULY - THE PLACE TO BE IS THE EALING BLUES PARTY |
| On Saturday 19th July, Sam, Paul, SPY & TJ will be playing with Carol Grimes, Jimmy Lindsay and LeBurn Maddox for a SOUL BRITANNIA band special performance at The Ealing Blues Party, Walpole Park, Ealing W5. The band are playing on the Main Stage between 5pm - 6.30pm. The gig is part of the Ealing Blues 'N' Roots Festival, with bands on stage throughout the afternoon and evening. Come along and enjoy a day out in Walpole Park ..... with the bonus of great music from Blues Sans Frontiers, The Dani Wilde Band, SOUL BRITANNIA BAND, Funkydory and Robert Hokum & The Guv'nors. |
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| Posted: 25/5/2008 |
Subject: SAM ON LARRY VIDAL SHOW 13 JUNE (HAYES FM RADIO) 91.8FM |
| Sam is being interviewed on the LARRY VIDAL show on Friday 13th June. Tune in to Hayes FM 91.8FM starting at 9pm and listen to Sam's interview. Sam will be also taking along some of his favourite tunes to play on the show, so listen out for tracks from Cymande, Little Feat, Dr John and of course, music from the 2 Station House albums, Live at Crawley and Sunday Best. |
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| Posted: 20/4/2008 |
Subject: Website Update |
| The web pages for Station House, Primo Blue and Sam Kelly's Blues Band are currently having a make-over. All the confirmed gigs (to date) for this year have been added and new dates will be included as and when they get booked. |
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| Posted: 9/2/2008 |
Subject: MON 18TH FEB - STATION HOUSE ON PAUL JONES SHOW |
| Tune in to THE PAUL JONES SHOW on MON 18TH FEB to hear a live session from Station House. The show goes out on Radio 2 (FM 88-90.2) between 7-8pm. |
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| Posted: 15/1/2008 |
Subject: LIVE AT CRAWLEY - THE 2ND ALBUM FROM STATION HOUSE |
| If you haven't had a chance to buy the latest 'live' CD at a gig yet, you can also buy the album, by ordering through the website (Go to the MUSIC section). The live album was recorded at Crawley Folk Festival and Station House will be playing there again this year on Sun 29th June 2008 |
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| Posted: 15/1/2008 |
Subject: STATION HOUSE 2008 GIGS |
| The gigs section has been updated with all current gigs throughout the year. Dates are continually being added, so if you fancy a great evening out, check to see where Station House will be playing. |
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| Posted: 15/1/2008 |
Subject: Station House on the Paul Jones Show, Radio 2 Mon 18/02/08 |
| Station House were in Maida Vale Studios last week recording a few tracks for the Paul Jones show. You can hear the tracks on The Paul Jones Show on MON 18TH FEB. The show goes out on Radio 2 (FM 88-92) between 7-8pm. The guys had a great session in the studio and you can catch that vibe by tuning in on 18/02/08 @ 7pm. |
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| Posted: 7/11/2007 |
Subject: REVIEW Of STATION HOUSE GIG @ THE ROFFEN 30/10/07 |
| Many thanks to all who attended last Tuesday's Station House gig. What a musical adventure we were taken on by Sam, www.sam-kelly.com, and the boys - all world-class instrumentalists in their own right and singer, Root Jackson, who can only be described as soul personified! As I said to Sam, such a musical treat, with that variety and mix of styles with vocal and percussive arrangements executed by the whole band and carried out to such a high standard is a rarity indeed - I was blown away! So many people came up and shared those same sentiments with me. A truly wonderful band!
Thank you.
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| Posted: 17/4/2007 |
Subject: PRIMO BLUE - REVIEW FROM CRAWDADDY CLUB 5APR07 |
| Hi and happy Easter to all the members of the New Crawdaddy Blues Club mailing list. Hope you have had a good break and how about this weather?! We had a precursor to Summer this last Thursday when Primo Blues played a storming set at the Club and raised the temperature to tropical levels with a fantastic mix of rock, blues, funk, reggae and all points in between. Many bands might be compromised if they received a call shortly before a gig to say their singer was unable to make it. Not so Primo Blues! They now have three other singers! It is self-evident why Sam has won so many awards. His drumming is so tight and exciting and yet he makes it seem effortless. TJ plays guitar beautifully, his style somewhat unorthodox but very effective and his vocals cross a variety of styles. Spy on bass is spot on, whether playing funk, reggae, rock or anything else. He also has a great soulful voice which brings me on to keyboard player Paul Jobson. His instrumental skills are superb and, as I am aware from a previous gig, he is also no mean drummer. However, for the first time we were treated to a Paul Jobson vocal and he proves that he has a very good voice, very soulful and strong and with quite a range. It was a revelation and very exciting and showed yet another side to his prodigious talent. The band's material ran the whole gamut with Labi Siffre songs sitting alongside reggae, rock and all sorts. In closing Sam commented that it may not be Blues as is it commonly understood but it is based in the Blues. And damn fine it was too. |
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| Posted: 17/4/2007 |
Subject: Primo Blue @ The Oval Tavern, East Croydon 24/12/06 |
| “This was an amazing gig for a number of reasons, not the least being the that the Oval was rammed to capacity with a vast number of Christmas Eve revelers. The Landlord, Graham Miall, who must have been delighted with the turnout said “I’ve created a monster”. Well over half the audience appeared to be under 25 and all present were clearly knocked out by the musical fare on offer. Primo Blues is a great band, but even these musicians were astonished by the capacity crowd. The band personnel was a class act from end to end, consisting of the redoubtable Sam Kelly on drums, the incomparable Spy on bass, the lyrical guitar and vocals of TJ Johnson and the mellifluous tones of vocalist Root Jackson. The band started the first set as a trio with TJ Johnson providing the vocals on a number of blues songs including the classic ‘Going Down’, all played with great gusto, a wonderful groove, and consummate musicianship. They were then joined by Root Jackson, who completed the hour long first set with a range of blues, soul, reggae and funk, all played by a band totally in command of their music. The second set lasted for nearly two-and-a-quarter hours, during which, by turns, the crowd was mesmerized, animated, thrilled and entertained by a succession of great grooves and pulsating music. This included ‘Unreal Values’, ‘Skin tight’, ‘Well Run Dry’, ‘People Say’, ‘Keep The Music Live’, ‘Kilburn High Road Blues’, ‘Too Much Trouble’, and the ecstatic ‘Take Me to the River’, all of which had the crowd on their toes. Yes, Primo Blues is a great band; they cook, they groove, they are funky: no one can fail to be thrilled by this band. They have got what it takes in great measure. Normally one would single out the soloists in the band but in this case the dynamics stem from the remarkable drum work of Sam Kelly and the incredible bass work of Spy. It is also true that TJ and Root are masters of their craft, but the groundwork laid down by the rhythm section of this band is an object lesson in how it should be done. This was a fantastic evening and the capacity crowd loved every minute of it. There was something for everyone, and anyone wanting a great night out should catch this band. - Bill Smith” |
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| Posted: 26/3/2007 |
Subject: Soul Britannia 2007 Tour - Review |
| Soul Britannia, Lighthouse, Poole.
Review by Kevin Nash for the Bournemouth Echo
THE wedding reception-style ambience ("Where's the bride and groom?" asked a smiling Linda Lewis later in the evening) meant it took a little while for the atmosphere to warm up.
This was a shame for opening act, Carol Grimes, whose remarkable voice, displayed to superb effect on Chain of Fools, persuaded just a handful of brave souls to strut their stuff.
And when seriously funky Cymande, a truly '70s secret pleasure, joined the fantastic Station House musicians on stage, why, the floor was well and truly thrumming with gyrating bodies of all ages and sizes.
19/03/2007
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| Posted: 18/1/2007 |
Subject: PRIMO BLUE - REVIEW OF GIG @ 16TH BANBURY BLUES FESTIVAL |
| 16th Banbury Blues Festival The Mill Arts Centre, Banbury 6th & 7th October 2006 'Sam Kelly's Primo Blues finished off a fine evening of entertainment with their Caribbean tinged blues rhythms, fronted by the amazing Root Jackson on vocals and percussion. Paul Jobson, on keyboards and TJ Johnson, on guitar, played some inspired solos, proving, as Sam Kelly pointed out, that you don't have to be American to get the groove. There are lots of fine musicians in the UK. The encore had all of Funkydory on stage too, leaving the audience wanting more' Review by Tim Porter (Blues in Britain) |
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| Posted: 16/1/2007 |
Subject: SAT 3RD FEB - SOUL BRITANNIA GIG @ BARBICAN CENTRE |
| Sam and Station House will be playing the Soul Britannia Gig at the Barbican Centre on Sat 3rd Feb. Sam will be playing with founder members of Cymande and Station House will be playing throughout the evening backing artists Madeline Bell, Carol Grimes, Linda Lewis, Root Jackson (FBI) and Hamish Stuart (AWB). The concert will be televised on BBC4 either on Fri 9th Feb or Fri 16th Feb. |
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| Posted: 14/1/2007 |
Subject: BBC OXFORD REVIEW OF SAM KELLY's BLUES BAND GIG @ THE EX ON 29/12/06 |
| Sam Kelly ripped the night up! Read about this fantastic gig down at the X.
(full review at http://www.bbc.co.uk/oxford/content/articles/2007/01/04/sam_kelly.shtml )
"There is something funny about listening to Blues music, played well, live, in a full, smoky bar, having a good drink. Most people wouldn’t sit at home and listen to this type of music on CD, it is not much heard on the radio, yet it is extremely popular when performed live. On the Friday just before the New Year, 100 or so brave souls, despite the storms outside, had the imagination to take themselves along to The Ex in Cowley to hear Sam Kelly’s Blues Band play long into the small hours. And he had the place grooving. The music has a natural beat which suits this barroom setting, and attracts a quirky following."
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