Tuesday, 9 August 2011
Sunday, 17 July 2011
More blues...
My mate Paul (of paullauriemusic fame) and I have been getting to know the London blues scene over the past few months, taking part in some of the regular jam sessions that happen around town. It's quite a varied mix of people and playing styles, but there is definitely a core group of players that crop up at every session.
Blues in London points out that there's a lot more going on than the cliche of the "middle aged accountant with a Strat and a hat singing about 'goin' down to the roadhouse' in between interminable guitar solos." Of course, you do get some of that, but overall, these sessions are lively and entertaining, and brimming with enthusiasm and talent - talent at every stage of development, and at every stage of experience.
You get the youngsters armed with 3 chords and the stars in their eyes; you get the old-timers who've been playing rhythm 'n blues since the '60s. But, refreshingly, you also get the guy in his forties who's obviously always wanted to play and has finally found the opportunity and purpose - playing with other musicians in front of an appreciative audience certainly beats strumming away on your own. And it's a great way to push yourself and improve your playing.
But, of course, you also get the up and coming stars, like 13-year-old Aaron Keylock who is at every jam as well as keeping up a busy gigging schedule with his own pro band, or collaborating with the likes of local blues mainstay, Sam Hare.
Blues in London points out that there's a lot more going on than the cliche of the "middle aged accountant with a Strat and a hat singing about 'goin' down to the roadhouse' in between interminable guitar solos." Of course, you do get some of that, but overall, these sessions are lively and entertaining, and brimming with enthusiasm and talent - talent at every stage of development, and at every stage of experience.
You get the youngsters armed with 3 chords and the stars in their eyes; you get the old-timers who've been playing rhythm 'n blues since the '60s. But, refreshingly, you also get the guy in his forties who's obviously always wanted to play and has finally found the opportunity and purpose - playing with other musicians in front of an appreciative audience certainly beats strumming away on your own. And it's a great way to push yourself and improve your playing.
But, of course, you also get the up and coming stars, like 13-year-old Aaron Keylock who is at every jam as well as keeping up a busy gigging schedule with his own pro band, or collaborating with the likes of local blues mainstay, Sam Hare.
Aaron Keylock jamming at The Blues Kitchen, Camden, with house band members Nick (guitar), Kez (bass) and Virgil (drums)
The Blues Kitchen holds a very popular Sunday evening jam. The place is always packed. It's got a funky Camden vibe - a lot of musicians and followers of the broader music scene, in addition to the regular blues crowd. The evening is hosted by house band front man Kez (Kerim Güneş, also a member of The Dirty Feel and The Killer Meters), or his partner-in-blues (and now also Killer Meters band mate), Guy. The Blues Kitchen jams tend to start as they mean to go on - loud and energetic. Genre boundaries are often blurred with rock, funk and soul adding flavour to the mix: these evenings are always entertaining for both jammers and audience alike. The occasional guest appearance by an established musician, or sometimes even a full band, is a bonus. And, of course, there's always Albie...
The Blues Kitchen house band: Nick (guitar), Kez (bass), Virgil (drums) and Guy (guitar)
Sam's Jam is a smaller, more intimate affair. Some might say it's more "orthodox" blues, but (again referencing Blues in London's discussion), I would say it's just a different blend of the elements that make up blues. Firstly, there's a real piano on stage, which is naturally conducive to some quieter sets, with musicians (such as Sam himself), showing off a "clean" guitar sound to full effect. Take a listen to Joe Glossop's piano solo in this performance with Aaron Keylock (around 5:40). Of course, the piano's also great for thumping out some boogie-woogie!
Sam Hare has been active in the blues community for many years, and has performed and collaborated with many of the country's top bluesmen. For this reason, his jam often features special guests such as established artist Ian Siegal or touring blues acts, both local and international.
Sam Hare warming up for the Wednesday jam at Alleycat, along with Ed Green (drums) and Jamie Lawrence (bass)
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
The Blues Kitchen
Have been jamming at The Blues Kitchen in Camden. They have a great Sunday evening jam session.
Wednesday, 14 July 2010
Making Music
I'm loving my new Zoom R16 digital multitrack recorder! Given that my last multitrack was a second-hand Tascam cassette 4-track I bought back in 1995 (and loved dearly), this new digital wonder is a real treat. 16 tracks, loads of on-board effects and tools, easy hook-up to the PC, and it can also serve as an 8 channel in / 2 channel out external audio interface. It even has a pair of built-in mics, so you really can just sit down and start recording with nothing more than an acoustic guitar and a brief flip through the manual.
I've put a couple of my first attempts on http://www.myspace.com/jimthebassistmusic. "Windy Afternoon" was recorded with the on-board mics (apart from the bass, which I plugged in). The background noise in that track is actually the wind in the trees outside my open window.
For me, the best part about the R16 is it's simplicity and the fact that it's so easy to use, but not at the expense of features or sound quality. It's a piece of technology that enables the creative process, rather than being a challenge. I think I'm going to get a lot out of it!
I've put a couple of my first attempts on http://www.myspace.com/jimthebassistmusic. "Windy Afternoon" was recorded with the on-board mics (apart from the bass, which I plugged in). The background noise in that track is actually the wind in the trees outside my open window.
For me, the best part about the R16 is it's simplicity and the fact that it's so easy to use, but not at the expense of features or sound quality. It's a piece of technology that enables the creative process, rather than being a challenge. I think I'm going to get a lot out of it!
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