The Sage that Rocked - THE MANFREDS

Paul Jones (vcl/hca), Mike Hugg (pno), Simon Currie (ten/sop/fl), Tom McGuinness (gtr), Marcus Cliffe (bs), Rob Townsend (dms).

Was it Sixties Pop? - yes. Was it Blues? - frequently. Was it Rock 'n Roll? - not 'arf. Was it Jazz? - now and then. Was it great?
YEAH! YEAH! YEAH!

It was all of those things and more. Perhaps it was the break from the intensity of contemporary jazz gigs - although there was a lot of jazz played - maybe it was the sheer enthusiasm of Paul Jones who knows that music of whatever genre can also be entertainment but, whatever, I have never enjoyed myself so much for years.

Possibly since the days of the pirate ships.

The hits were there, expanded versions of Sha-La-La, Oh No Not My Baby, Just Like a Woman (using Killer Joe for the intro), 5-4-3-2-1, The Mighty Quinn, Do Wah Diddy Diddy Dum Diddy Do, Pretty Flamingo, Come Tomorrow but, in-between and sometimes during, there were things like Watermelon Man, Senor Blues, Max Roach's Driver Man, Ham and others.

Jones wailed away like a Mississippi bluesman on harp as well as singing and working the packed Hall Two.

Simon Currie blew sax and flute effectively whilst Tom McGuinness of McGuinness/Flint fame had some great bursts on guitar and a vocal on, naturally, When I'm Dead and Gone.

On keyboard Mike Hugg was blues personified. Bass and drums did the business.

The standing, foot-stamping, ovation was well deserved.

I'm going to have to dig out that old vinyl but don't speak to me - my voice is hoarse from the sing-a-longs...

Lance.