Christmas Sunday Sessions: Some blues-blasting, a Beatles convention and a sack-load of new tunes

Boys, girls, grinches and humbuggers, roll up, roll up to Southends Railway Hotel for the last Sunday Session of 2013. A three walloper that includes.....

Martin McNeill * Bottletop Blues Band in the bar, with guests Tim Huskisson on and Steve West Weston on harmonica

A grab bag of fruity newly discovered treats and tunes, with some seasonal Beatles and funky nuggets nipped in from me before during and after the band....



A Beatles convention upstairs, with a parade of Southend's finest playing their way through the Fabs songbook...

This is my last post for the year, back in 2013 - with the usual whatnot and waffling - so see you then and have yourself a jumping, jiving Christmas and new year yardbirds...

The Sunday Sessions: Go West at Southend Central

Steve West Weston, recently voted one of the UK's top harmonic players by Bluesmatter mag, and the handpicked harpist of Muddy Waters son (see below on Jools) brings his Bluesonics to Southend for rare hometown gig this Sunday. 

It will be a red-ringed wing-ding of a Sunday with a whole lotta shaking going on at The Railway Hotel. I'll be taking care of DJ duties, spinning in swingers and stompers from before the first note (about 4:30) - to the last bell...



Come on down for anything from northern soul to west coast R 'n' R from Jackie Wilson to Jackie Mittoo and bouncers by Steve




And from my crates....

Shoreline Sounds and Sunday Sessions

A triple whammy weekender of words and music is scheduled around Leigh and Southend over the next few days.  The Shorelines Festival - curated by Rachel Lichtenstein, sees authors Cathi Unsworth, Robert Macfarlane, Travis Elborough and glittering list of others winging into town for events, readings and talks on their text and publications at a cross-campus of Leigh on Sea locations.

Outside of the various venues, Syd Moore and Ray Morgan will be giving literary themed walks and tours around the area. The full index of events and artists appearing at Shorelines is here

Musically SFOB will be DJing throughout the festival with Piley and myself doing two Podrophenia sessions from 6 - 7 and 8:30 - 9 Saturday evening.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, I'll be back at Southend's most rock 'n' roll local The Railway Hotel for my first Sunday Session since the summer.

The always excellent Martin McNeill and Bottletop Blues band will be onboard for live music and I'll be pitching in a potful of new tunes before and after the band - running on 'til chucking out time.

It all starts from 4:30 ish - come on down and shake a Sunday leg  Couple of tunes that could make an appearance at either event are

Freddie King - Low Tide

Queen Beaches and Bewlay Bathers - it's Bowie by The Sea this Sunday

A drive-in Sunday in fact, celebrating the mod who fell to earth and widescreen Jean Genius of the artist formerly known as David Jones - where our Cygnet Committee will be spinning in hits, highlights, obscurities, rarities and related artists from the Bowie back catalogue

It will be an evening of glam, glitter soul and electrickery - played by an ever circling (not-so) Skeletal family of local DJs (they are what they play) each tuning in into a specific slice of the great Dame's timeline that breaks down thus…

Curly Dan (65-70)
Prof Andrew Branch (71-72)
Me (73-74)
Daryl Easlea (75-76)
Tom Seabrook (77-78)
Nikki Nicholas (79-80)

There's even talk of an in-house band firing up for some Bowie-oke

All the details you need to know are here so come along all you pretty things 'n' peoploids and fill your hearts with Bowie

Commencing countdown, engines on for 8pm - at Southend's rockingest venue - The Railway Hotel

A little known nugget from my assigned timeline which threads together and Alladin and Diamond Dogs is this cyberspace oddity

Sunday Sessions: Bank Holiday Hoedown and a free CD

It's that time of the month, when Martin McNeill and The Bottletop Blues Band return for their Sunday residency at Southend's Railway Hotel. Having said that, Martin, JJ (bass), Steve Weston (keys/harmonica) , Roy Webber (drums) - were in for an improv gig last Tuesday - where I even managed to jump on (bass) for a jam 'n' run around on this Gatemouth groover



So ready your dancing legs as it's bound to be a bank holiday blast with a similar swish to this recent session



I'm in from four spinning the tunes - with Big Bo (below) possibly popping up on the playlist. And early birds behold: I'll be bringing in a few copies of an all new comp' Rocking at The Railway packed with floor-shakers and faves from our Sunday Sessions...

Big Bo Thomas and The Arrows - How About it Part 1

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blues...

Can you find all four Fabs hidden in the pic

From today through to Sunday it's a three way whammy of music, gigging and disc-spinning.....

Friday: the long-awaited wedding of Southend pals Su and Jack, with a reception at The Railway. Stomping, shaking and shindigging will be taking place from 2pm through to who-knows-when? musically there'll be a selection of live music from local talent and (larger than local) legends. I'll be on the decks (and possibly on bass for a bit) pinging in an improv playlist of soul, funk and old nuggets and new treasures...
 

Saturday: National Record Store Day and a medley of local DJs Daryl Easlea, Curly Dan (pictured above), Beardy Al, Prof Andrew Branch of the Middle Age Spreaders and Podrophonic representation from myself are all parking up at Fives in Leigh Broadway, rotating actual vinyl records instore from 8 - 3. With live music from Hannah Marsh and Tom Burgess. A Dansette Disco we're calling it with double decking of these portable players. One on loan from home.  



Sunday: Britain's premium harmonica player - West Weston returns to The Railway for a rare home town gig with his band The Bluesonics. West's last blast brought out the full roll call of Southend's Rock Aristocracy. Assorted Feelgoods, Hot Rods, Tonight and Lew Lewis... I'll behind the bar doing tunes between the bands...

Outside of the Bluesonics. West records with Scandanavian combo Trickbag, the new album *title* is out now has been on a repeat loop play since first play. Dig in and sample West's fruity-tooting blues above

The Sunday Sessions - Wilko approved and with added Digby

 

Martin McNeill and the Bottletop Blues Band will be blazing away from 4 today at Southend's most rock 'n' roll local and epicentre of the swelling scene..  The Railway Hotel

Expect a jazz spin on this Sunday's swing-ding as legendary trumpeteer Digby Fairweather is aboard as the special guest

But don't just take my word for what hot-rocking heat Martin McNeill and pal's generate - they're rubber stamped 'approved' by Wilko Johnson - who, in our just published  interview (more on that later) had this to say...

They're a bloody good band. The whole of the band is really good - they're playing proper blues, which is quite a rare thing. The whole band is good - rhythm section, guitar - and the man himself.

And I couldn't let the death of the blackest of mambas go unmarked - so expect to hear..


 

Solomon Burke - Maggie's Farm

Get aboard with the double deckers

There's a dual action double-decking session over the next couple of days rocking away at the Railway Hotel, the epicentre of Southend's simmering music and social 'scene' (©Daryl Easlea)

Saturday from 7, it's likely to be an unscripted playlist of big 'n' beaty bouncers winging in everything from garage to glam, big beat to beatleg remixes to glam stompers and stampers



Sunday from 4, the award winning Martin McNeill is back for is every third Sunday, I'll be parked up at the bar rooting through blues, funks and soul - but trying to work in some never-before-played tunes...like..

Les McCann ltd Bucket o' Grease



Mini Vip - Block



So if you happen to round and about Clifftown Road, swing in for a scoop and a legshake

Sunday Sessions: music and movement

Snow stopped play for the last edition of the Sunday Sessions - but this weekend, we shall have.... a mix of blues, soul, boogaloo, funk, fatback and disco. A three course Sunday roast that includes...

Blues 'n' Boogie - Martin McNeill and the Bottletop Blues Band.

Decks 'n' discs - that's me.

A'drinking 'n' a'dancing - that's you.

So let's gather together at The Railway Hotel from four. Salut!

Lowell Fulson - Man of Motion

The Sunday Sessions - Mix 'n' Match

I've had something of a run of DJ sets at The Railway over the last few weekends, with every session having a different fitting, variation or twist

Mo Fingers - I leant heavily on the Hammond, soul and funk Last Friday - three and a half hours straight (with only 3 drinks and 1 comfort break) - was mostly a medley of Motown, New Orleans and northern until 11pm - followed by indie, 90s and assorted nuttery til 1 (including the Joe Loss Orchestra's Steptoe Twist)



While last sunday, for the Marc Cecil Soul Session, groovers and shakers with everything from AWB to Louis Jordan and Prince Buster were pitched into the ad-hoc playlist.

This coming Sunday, Martin McNeill is back for his regular residency with West Weston and his harp - (last seen on hooting and honking on Jools' Later).

So expect some bluesier tunes from me starting at 4 and high-firing live music from Martin and the Bottletop Blues boys from 4 30.

Lowell Fulson - Everything That I Took Away 

Spooky doings at the Sunday Sessions...

It's that time again - every third week, when Martin McNeill's Bottletop Blues Band pitch up and play for a few hours of Sunday afternoon.

Marmite and myself will be warming up the bar with some funk and blues based bumpers 'n' thumpers. Athough being just a nudge away from Halloween, I may wing in a spooky tune or two, something like...

Darkness of evil - Laid Back Funk







We're on from four, the band strike up from four thirty. We'd love to see you shaking a Sunday leg, should you happen to be round and about The Railway way...

Sunday Sessions: a funking about by the river special(s)

Sock it to 'em JB

Following a Sunday off - the boy Marmite and I are back and installed behind bar at Southend"s Railway Hotel ,  dabbing about with the newly patched in Radiogram.

Taking the floor from four thirty are Marc Cecil's three piece: The Band With No Name - a free-form funk outfit riding live and unaided by the safety net of setlist or rehearsal. What you hear on the day, happens, as it happens - without any prep or pre-production. Of course it can only help if the collective are a power trio of pro-players: Marc (drums), Julian Burdock (guitar, harp, vox) and Dan (bass)

Working around a sound that's perhaps more good footed than the usual Sunday shenanigans - Marmite and I may tweak this Sunday's setlist with a funkier flow than yer typical Sunday sesh...with these Specials themed groovers getting a run out


 

Sunday Sessions: All this, and he plays the Hammond too...

Out in Finland last month, sharing a bill with Buddy Guy, Johnny Winter and playing to crowds of around four thousand - Steve 'West' Weston scales down his hooting 'n' tooting this weekend as he brings his blues-blasting band The Bluesonics to The Railway on Sunday from 4:30

Buzz yourself to the bottom of this post and you'll catch Steve as the harp player of choice for Mud Morganfield/Muddy Waters Jr (Muddy's eldest son). A platinum plated endorsement in anyone's Book of The Blues.

But, harmonica aside Steve's also a boogie woogie piano man and a dab-hand on the Hammond. At the last couple of Sunday Session's we've managed to catch a natter exchanging Hammond faves Booker T (me), Henry Cain (Steve).

So buckle up as, today's preview tunes for this Sunday's playlist come to you hand-picked by Steve 'West' Weston..

Merl Saunders Trio And Big Band - Soul Grooving



 Jackie Ivory - Do it to Death

The Sunday Sessions: Flats and Fifths

Swinging at the Sunday Sessions - get me in the floral shirt!

Flats and fifths: those steps and semitones that give jazz and blues their particular modal moan. Jive along to The Railway this Sunday and you'll be for in an afternoon of flats, fifths, blues and boogaloo - live! As the always excellent (and one of my top ten favourite guitarists) Martin McNeill and his Bottletop Blues Band take the floor from four. 

The Bottletops are something of revolving repertory (excepting JJ Zarbo, who 'never misses a gig' on bass) - with a different musical mix each session - sometimes keys, sometimes sax, sometimes special guests: Wes Weston - harp, Wilko Johnson - guitar, Digby Fairweather - trumpet.

So if you're spinning anywhere around the SS postal code zone this sunday - why not ramble your way to The Railway from four and see who's sitting in for this Sunday's session

Dig'n' the Bottletop Blues Band 

I'll be operating the in-house stereogram, spinning in jump blues, New Orleans shufflers, funk work-outs, hammond happenings and reggae shakers 

A couple from the crates popped into the pot may well be...

Count Machuki - Pepper Pot






Thanks to Bluey for a borrow of the pics....

Sunday Sessions: Decks and drums and rock and soul

Regularly of a Sunday, well during Martin McNeill's set, Marmite and I will shoo away any downtime and dead air during the band's breaks by winging in a few tunes to keep the room warmed up and buoyant.

This weekend, Mark Cecil (drummer in Martin McNeill's outfit) brings his own band to The Railway - I've yet to see them in action, but they come recommended with the Marmite Seal of Approval - which is a kitemark of quality in anyone's book.

I believe they're jazzier than the jump blues, New Orleans grooves and western swingers that make up Martin's McNeill's signature sound. So I may add a few new groovers to the crates - tunes like..

Chairmen of the Board - Finders Keepers





We're in from 4pm should you fancy shaking a funky leg.

Sunday Sessions: Crate Rock 'n' Roll Swingers

Behold the sunday afternoon shindigs at the Railway Hotel: a hooting, tooting blues 'n' booze blast. Should you find yourself loose ended or with a few spare hours to fill this coming sabbath - point and steer yourself in the direction of Southend's most rock 'n' roll local. Why? Martin McNeill's Bottletop Blues Band are installed for their every-third-week-residency and calling on a rolling repertory of premium league players

West End legend Mark Casey could be on drummer duties, Martin Johnson may be onboard for some heavy-handed hammond action, or Wes Weston might be huffing, puffing and blowing the house down.



22nd April this year - zip to 1 minute in for a proper old honk-off

Retro vintage finery is the gear to go for - with jive, swings and spins being the dances of the day - 'it's all about the back-step' I'm advised by those in the know (Mrs M).

Between the sets I'll be spinning a mix of jump blues, west coast blues, early R 'n' B, northern, soul, ska and Latin along the way. Every sesh I try and wing in a few newbie-tunes. This week - stand by for the sounds of Magic Sam and Lowell Fulson.

Lowell Fulson - Can She Do It






So from 4 pm, come and rock-along at The Railway. And who knows pal Wilko may even be in - he was last time!

What an evening, what an event - what a weekend! And Wilko Round Two

Where shall we start: Friday's ram-out at The Railway perhaps. Southend's most rock 'n' local was packed to a bubbling and sweaty swell before the sun had set, with gig-goers gathering together from North Yorkshire (John Medd - whose match report is recorded here) to North London (Mark Underwood, Alan Powell) and all points inbetween including: designer Sophie Lo, photographers David Apps,  Eric Waring and guest of honour Gaye Black (formerly Advert) in attendance.

Andy J Gallagher played the first hand in tonight's three way split, with a roaring set of rafter raising rock. Dick York livelied up the night, with sing-a-longa Southend solo set. And ripping up the Railway's massed capacity crowd  - TV Smith's set of stripped down acoustic punk, which with his songbook reduced to an unpolished raw-rooted form - punches through and carries forward  a foot-stomping, fist clenching tradition of both protest folk and delta blues. And you know it's been special night when there's stage-diving an at acoustic gig.

The full gallery of grinners, gurners, drinkers and dancers, is viewable here - thanks to Paul Hughes for another snaptastic recording of the night.

A huge Podrophonic honk is due to Fi Jacobs, Dave Dulake (and all at The Railway) , Retro Steve, Johnny Medd, Piley, TV, Gaye, Steve Pegrum for threading together such a special event.

Saturday saw us parked up in Leigh Library Gardens for the all things folkie at Saturday's section of the Leigh Folk Festival including a jazz/blues set from the spectacularly talented Jess Noah.

Photo by Marmite Boy

And what a way to wrap things up of a Sunday - a return to The Railway with Marmite Boy for our Sunday Sessions,  DJing around Martin McNeill's jump blues tunes - which bonus of bonuses included yet another surprise guest appearance from Railway regular Wilko Johnson!

The Sunday Sessions: soul, blues and Black Belles

 

What a full and frothing menu of musical doings are afoot at Southend's Railway Hotel this coming Sunday - bringing together a mixed bill of blues, soul and black-hearted all-girl garage.

Spread across two floors: upstairs Mod Club Almost Grown thumps out the funk with a soul all-dayer. While from 4:30 in the main bar downstairs - Martin McNeill's Bottletop Blues Band will be stomping through a set of jump blues, boogie and raw-rooted R 'n' B.

Following this, it's new band on the block The Other Ones (formed of Tom Burgess and Seasider Paul Hill)...Literally capping off the event are Snow-White-meets-the-Wicked-Witch girl group (and Jack White signings) The Black Belles dropping in as part of their debut UK tour.

From 4:30 between-the-bands in the downstairs bar I'll be pitching in a few platters ranging from Big Joe Turner to Big Boss Man and Merry Clayton to Mae West.

Should you happen to be in the central Southend area, or fancy heading there - come on around The Railway and shake a Sunday leg. One tune that's proved to be a recent rumbler at various shindigs has been.....

Amos Milburn - I Done Done It

The Sunday Sessions: West Weston

If you happen to be round or about near Southend's Railway Hotel on Sunday - drop in to hear the hootin', tootin' Wes Weston - one of the UK's premier harpists - as he brings his own band the Bluesonics to Southend for a rare hometown gig. While they're setting up and between the bands - I'll be spinning some tunes from the CD box marked 'Rockadoodledoo'.

Expect to hear Freddie King, Little Walter, Fania Latin releases, Lowell Fulsom and suchlike

We're there from 4:30, so come on in and shake a leg.. West Weston - Jumping at Deke's