Sugaray Rayford (vocals); Aaron
Liddard (tenor sax); Giles Straw (trumpet); Gino Matteo (guitar); Drake
'Munkihaid' Shining (keyboards, vocals); Allen Markel (bass guitar); Lavell
Jones (drums).
(Review by
Russell)
The Jumpin' Hot Club boys know their
stuff and, in association with the Cluny, booked Sugaray Rayford to deliver an
electrifying performance. A first visit to these shores by the larger-than-life
character from California generated considerable nationwide interest and
Newcastle upon Tyne's blues-soul fans turned out in force.
The prospect of Rayford delivering
the goods momentarily looked in doubt when, half an hour before the doors were
due to open, news filtered through that, earlier in the day, Rayford and his
six-piece band had arrived at their destination...Newcastle under Lyme!
Pointing the tour bus north the headline act arrived on Tyneside with little
time to spare.
Big man Rayford called the shots, his
band razor-sharp, this was the business! Don't Regret a Mile sang
Rayford. A poverty-stricken childhood, singing in church, escaping his lot via
service in the US Marine Corps, turning to music - as the man said: Don't
Regret a Mile. From deep soul to crying the blues with a rhythm 'n' blues
shuffle or two, Rayford gave it his all. Shirt drenched through - he wrang it
out on stage! - the 6'5" frontman worked hard and in return his band
worked hard for him.
The man at the back behind the traps
- Mr Lavell Jones - produced a memorable powerhouse performance. A left hand
snap to die for, Jones' band mates, including bassist Allen Markel, hung off
every beat. Guitarist Gino Matteo could play it all - r 'n' b riffs, BB King
licks, the lot. The horns - Aaron Liddard, tenor, Giles Straw, trumpet - blew in
all the right places, never overbearing. The man conjuring Booker T, Jimmy
Smith and his own fine sound hadn't been feeling too well but a committed Drake
'Munkihaid' Shining hung in there. And, if we were to believe Rayford, his
keyboards man was taking his first drink in four years!
Fans out on the floor shouted
for Troubles. Rayford said it wasn't in the set list. More voices
called for the number. Rayford insisted they weren't going to play it. Instead
the fan club got Time to Get Movin' from the Somebody
Save Me CD, a powerful Cold Sweat and, another cut
from Somebody Save Me, You and I. Sugaray Rayford made
a whole lot of new friends in Newcastle upon Tyne, let's hope it isn't too long
before he returns to see them again.
Radikal Queen: Radikal Queen
(vocals); April Olatunji (keyboards); Jimmy Brown (bass guitar); Lewis Brett
(drums)
Earlier, Radikal Queen played a short
support set. The Tyneside based singer took to the stage alongside April
Olatunji, keyboards, Jimmy Brown, bass, and drummer Lewis Brett. Songwriter,
poet, artist, activist and more, Radikal Queen reworked the blues for a new
beat generation.
Russell
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