Gig Review
The Sam Kelly Blues Band
Saturday, 18 October 2008:
We enjoyed a cracking night's music with these three highly accomplished musicians who make up the Sam Kelly Blues Band. Sam Kelly (Drums/Backing Vocals), T J Johnson (Guitar/Vocals) and 'Spy' (5-string Bass/Vocals) are also the nucleus of The Station House Band, one of North London's favourites. Starting off with a slow blues - Robert Cray's “The Grinder” - they set the template for the evening's show, their interplay and empathy effortlessly flowing and allowing each musician to solo was a joy to behold!
The rhythms created by band leader Sam on the drums, Spy's bass lines and TJ's chord changes, riffs and solos all meshed to create a very exciting and driving show! Maceo Merriweather's “Further On Up The Road”, a staple number in the Clapton repertoire, was very good, an excellent boogie with a flowing guitar solo. “Born Under A Bad Sign” (Booker T Jones/William Bell) was fantastic; that song has quite a hypnotic riff!
A big surprise was the inclusion of “The Death Of J.B.Lenoir” from the John Mayall's Bluesbreakers’ 'Crusade' Album. The intro' chord sequences were beautifully laid down and led into a very powerful guitar solo. Wonderful!
Note: Click thumbnail to view full artist image.
Photo credit: Paul Martin.
... continued
The second set started with the Sam Kelly Blues Band's own composition “Treat A Dog”. This is very funky! Spy took the vocals and delivered an inventive bass solo, Sam's rhythms were excellent and TJ’s chops rounded it off. Jimi Hendrix's “Little Wing” was very well played, all three of them weaving their own patterns that formed the whole that then segued into a very infectious, syncopated, clapping, choppy rhythm.
Another offering of J Hendrix was “Voodoo Chile”. TJ pulled out a superb solo on this and Sam's drumming was subtle but at the same time busy! “That’s Not Love” is a very pleasant ballad and went down well. The trio finally finished with the 1973 Ohio Players' tune “Skin Tight”, a very up-tempo funky number that was really driving along – a superb performance!
The band was so inventive, each number being an extended workout constantly moving things along. They had such an effect on the crowd that a number of them rose to their feet and applauded. This was a really superb musical entertainment and a good thing was nobody wanted it to stop! One could not get a better endorsement than that! Yet another sell-out Bluesnight that once again proved high quality live music can beat the 'credit crunch'!
Review by: Lewis A Harris.
© Bluesnights. The Dorset Blues Society.
18 October 2008.
