Ray
Stubbs (harmonica, vocals); Nick Ross Rickard (guitar); Pat Rafferty (keys,
accordion, vocals); Max Whitehouse (bass guitar); Rob Walker (drums).
There were blues on both sides of the river tonight. Over on the north side the King Bees were laying it down at the Cumberland Arms in Byker whilst on the south side the Ray Stubbs R & B All Stars had the joint jumpin'.
The All Stars are well named and well-versed in the work of the bluesmasters as witnessed by their repertoire of classics born in juke joints, cotton fields, hollow logs and dusty roads - usually inspired by mean women who'd done them wrong.
Big Bill Broonzy, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Bo Diddley, John Lee Hooker, Otis Rush, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy and Albert King were just some of the names who provided the source material.
Tonight's guys know their stuff. When Ray Stubbs sings Born in Chicago you'd bet your bottom dollar that he was a native of the Windy City and his blues harp blowing does nothing to disprove it.
His cohorts are the real deal too. On keys Pat Rafferty knows every permutation of the 12 bar format and when a number calls for a touch of Cajun he picks up an accordion and before you know it you're in Southern Louisiana.
Nick Ross Rickard was a new name to me but he played some gutsy solos that impressed me immensely - he's on my radar.
Max Whitehouse is the longest serving All Star and his pulsating rhythm gels with Rob Walker who I gather to be the newest member although you'd never have guessed.
All Stars yes, but they're also a team that feeds off each other. Some of the riffs are better than the originals.
All this plus pizza and chips served during the interval. What more could you ask for? Lance
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