Music

No, the title is not a reference to the deep, dark and somewhat disappointing direction that the country has taken – although given the recent, traditional tropes more usually associated with a right of centre party but now apparently adopted by a supposedly socialist (or even social democratic) government, one might be forgiven if this article was little more than an excuse for a conspiratorial rant – but we’re better than that! So no, this is simply a brief and hopefully more aesthetically pleasing meditation on the sometimes quite pronounced overlap of black artists and country music!

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Apparently, it’s all about the blues!! I should have seen it coming but I’m no clairvoyant (although it does sound a tad like a blues song I think). Following the last post, @ForeverBlues decided a blues variation of the theme would be most welcome. Now, I’m really a fan of the R&B genre because by definition and, unsurprisingly, it covers both the ‘rhythm and the blues‘! Be that as it may, I’m still partial to the more straight forward musical form and have included a number of blues performers in both the original, long gone Shades of Blue website and on the cut down version that appears on the stripped down The R&B Primer (and in the booklet, to be absolutely clear).

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Or, more accurately, a Starter R&B Collection that justifies itself by qualifying as a single purchase. On the basis of a recent R&B query I may have rather rashly promised an actual post on the subject, intrigued as I was by the premise. Could one single purchase really provide the depth required to meet the challenge, even if I did stretch the definition to include multi CD compilations. I have nonetheless answered the query as best I could but, to do so, I have violated one or two of the criteria I established to arrive at the decision. They are, in no particular order, timespan, availability, price and, subjectively, quality. Guess on which one(s) I almost immediately reneged!!

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So, what is this shocking news that has rocked the establishment on a November Thursday evening? Well, it’s not the Apex itself, which was pretty much business as usual, but the astonishing news that our overnight stay in Bury was at the Premier Inn North just off the A14 and not at our usual and much coveted Premier Inn not far from the Abbey Gardens. Let’s just say that the individual charged with the responsibility of booking the hotel was more than a little remiss and didn’t get the rate for which she was striving, having delayed for far too long. I’ve suggested counselling and even a little therapy but so far there has been no take up! Watch this space.

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Back yesterday fron a one nighter in Stoke by Nayland at the Hotel, Golf and Spa Resort, which also happens to be the home of Fleece Jazz. The latter has a thirty year history of presenting modern and contemporary jazz (and a little blues). Originally based at the Fleece in Boxford, then briefly at Kersey Mill, it found its current home at the Stoke by Nayland hotel in 2009.

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and that time is a gig by the perennial favourite Eric Bibb. Astonishingly, it’s been over four years since we last saw Eric in concert (as this time, it was at the Apex in Bury St. Edmunds). More worryingly, it’s been nigh on three years since we ventured to ant live music at all, prior to our reintroduction via The Young’uns in Aldeburgh recently.

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