The 20th Burnley National Blues Festival

Burnley, UK Easter Holiday weekend, 21-23 March 2008

For this auspicious occasion, Friday’s festivities, kicked off with Danish band Thorbjorn Risager, named after the leader whose soulful vocals and skilful guitar playing powered their performances.

Earl Thomas’ great show at the 2004 festival won him many fans, evident as the tightly packed crowd cheered his arrival. Now with his own band, Earl turned in another tremendous performance – less athletic than before, but he is four years older! The headliners, Little Charlie and the Nightcats, were nothing less than fantastic, Pick Estrin upfront playing astonishing harmonica (close your as he blew ‘Juke’ and you were in a 1950s Chicago club listening to Little Walter. Their closeness borders on the uncanny). But Charlie Baty’s stunning guitar work is equally important; his musical empathy with Estrin is something to behold, a perfect partnership. Sadly Charlie is intending to retire from the road – let’s hope his few chosen gigs don’t keep him from Europe entirely.

After Connie Lush got Saturday evening off to a good start, Angela Brown (with The Mighty 45s) was her usual ebullient self, her voice super powerful. She operates in the area between soul and blues favoured by many today’s performers, also turning to super-charged gospel for her finale, ‘Battle Hymn Of The Republic’).

Harmonica man Johnny Mars did a short set (including ‘Living in the Shadows’ and good versions of ‘Hoochie Coochie’ and ‘Messin with the Kid’ before being joined by Michael Roach, who kicked off with ‘Bring It With You When You Come’. Michael and his excellent band then did half-a-dozen numbers from their CD, including a stirring version of Bland’s ‘I Pity The Fool’ and Ballard’s ‘Let’s Go Let’s Go Let’s Go’ on which he traded verses with Johnny and Angela Brown. Junior Parker’s ‘Seven Days’ provide the encore.

Mike Sanchez who had opened the very first Burnley fronting the Big Town Playboys, got a tremendous reception. Then 24, but now with his own band, a huge number of performances and numerous CDs behind him, Mike’s still-youthful veteran! Belting out classics like ‘Kiddio’ ‘Rocket 88’ (a great tribute to Ike Turner) and ‘Down The Road Apiece’ and the lesser known, but equally excellent, numbers like Watson’s ‘Highway 60’ and Calvin Boze’s ‘Safronia B’ he continues to be a musical powerhouse. Mike closed with the wild ‘Red Hot Mama’ giving way to irrepressible headliner Little Willie Littlefield (whom he backed at that same first Burnley).

It’s almost 60 years since Willie first recorded at the tender age of 18 but he retains all his old potency and enthusiasm; if allowed, he’d play all night! So hard did he hit the bass pedal on one number that the piano string broke, something I’ve never seen done before. It didn’t put him off his stride though and his well-received programme ranged widely from ‘Every Day I Have The Blues’ to ‘let’s Have A Party’ and ‘one Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer’ and even a reinvigorated ‘Sweet Home Chicago’. At one point Sanchez took over the piano while Willie played slap bass! What a great performer Littlefield is and his keyboard skills are still second to none. Keep on rockin’, Willie!

After Sean Webster’s Sunday opener piano man Henry Butler’s unique piano stylings didn’t appeal to all, but I found his performance a refreshing change. After the rather avant-garde instrumental ‘Orleans Inspirations’ he ranged widely from ‘C.C. Rider’ to ‘Hi-Heel Sneakers’, ‘Working In The Coalmine’ and to ‘Somewhere’ (yes, West Side Story’!) in tribute to his Crescent City’s recovery after Katrina. His best-received sequence was ‘Something You Got’ followed by great readings of ‘Mardi Gras In New Orleans’ and ‘Tipitina’ in tribute to his mentor Professor Longhair.

Nick Moss and The Flip Tops filled the mid-evening slot with tight Chicago blues ranging from ‘Eyesight To The Blind’, to Jimmy Rodgers ‘Rock This House’. Two numbers featuring second guitarist Gerry Hundt on electric mandolin and Nick on harmonica, were outstanding.

Duke Robillard and his band closed the festival in fine style, sticking to excellent versions of classic blues and R&B like ‘Three Hours Past Midnight’ (Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson), Big Joe’s ‘I’ll Always Be In Love With You’ and ‘Honey Hush’, plus Eddie Taylor’s ‘Looking For Trouble’. They encored with a great version of ‘T-Bone Shuffle’ and then it was all over, one of the greatest blues festivals anywhere, anytime and next year Burnley is 21 . . . astonishing!

Bob Groom, with thanks to Brian Smith, Neil Thompson, and Dave Clarke.
Juke Blues