BLUES IN THE NIGHT  

Live at St.George’s Beckenham

When Dave Kelly and Paul Jones launched into ‘San Francisco Bay Blues’ the opening salvo of their live concert at a packed St. George’s Church, Beckenham (June 14th) it was clear we were about to witness a miracle.

You see, I was always convinced that a musical combination of two lone artists, sans the essential support of a driving rhythm section, could never hold the attention of an audience for more than ten minutes. But this was a DUO. Just two guys billed to perform a complete concert with their solo skills on guitars and harmonicas ready to back a cavalcade of songs unaided by bass or drums.

And the result was a triumph. They played and sung with a passion and clarity that was quite riveting. It was such a rewarding experience I was shocked to find I couldn’t care less if there was no chap with a double bass drum kit thundering away in the background. You could say this was my moment of Epiphany. (Well, we were in a church).

BRITISH BLUES BROTHERS

Of course Paul and Dave were founder members of The Blues Band of fond memory and have worked together for years. They have also worked with and befriended in the past many great American blues artists notably Howlin’ Wolf, John Lee Hooker and Sonny Boy Williamson.

Paul was also famously the voice of the Manfred Mann group at the height of the Swinging Sixties on such hits as ‘Do Wah Diddy Diddy’ and ‘Pretty Flamingo.’ Following a career as a actor, he returned to singing, with the Blues Band and also toured with the reformed Manfreds. As the popular presenter of the BBC Radio 2 Blues Show for more than 25 years Paul is a justly acclaimed expert on the subject.

Dave Kelly began his career singing in folk clubs and in 1966 went to America to play at Gerde’s Folk City in New York, amazing a promoter and audiences sceptical that an English guy could sing the blues. He sure could!

Back in England he joined the John Dummer Blues Band that backed John Lee Hooker and Howlin’ Wolf on U.K tours. Dave also backed Buddy Guy and Junior Wells.

So it was great to hear the many anecdotes and revelatory stories by these seasoned artists between the songs that drew both applause and laughter not to mention sharp intakes of breath. ‘You mean to say there was more than one Sonny Boy Williamson – and they didn’t get on?’ Well it was worse than that – but let’s not go there.

Dave, a master of slide guitar, opened up the show singing ‘San Francisco Bay Blues’ while Paul followed with ‘If You Love Me Like You Say’ when he first brought his remarkable mastery of the harmonica into play. There was a bit of feedback on the monitor during the Robert Johnson’s classic ‘Come On In My Kitchen’ sung by Dave, swiftly dealt with by their resident sound man.

Paul then cheekily announced: “I have an album out” and waved it around. “It has 21 tracks and I wrote them all!” One of them included ‘Noah Lewis Blues’ about a gifted 1920s harmonica player and one of Paul’s heroes. He described how Noah came to a sad death in Tennessee in 1961 in poverty, while suffering frost bite in the snow. Mr. Jones performed the tribute song, featured on is his indispensible 2022 CD ‘The Blues’ (Umbrella Music).

GEORGIA…GEORGIA…

Dave Kelly proclaimed he too had an album out (and also on sale at the back of the hall) called ‘Sun On My Face’ (Repertoire) that included his next choice ‘Georgia On My Mind’. Dave sang the Hoagy Carmichael classic with passion and clear enunciation of the lyrics – not always a trait among blues singers.

Not to be outdone Paul alerted us thus: “I’m now going to sing another song about a dead harmonica player.” He told us about the various Sonny Boy Williamsons who performed under that name and played a version of ‘Sonny Boy Williamson’ a 1966 track recorded with Jack Bruce on double bass. It was originally devised as a tribute to the man who had recorded the seminal ‘Mighty Long Time’ in 1950 and died in 1965. If this is getting rather complicated, just buy the ‘The Blues’ album and all will be revealed.

Dave retaliated with ‘The Olde Crossroads Blues’ and assured the audience he didn’t sell his soul to the devil as a young blues guitarist. He went to Tooting Bec instead to be taught by his mentor Tony McPhee of The Groundhogs. (Laughter). He wrote ‘So Long’ for the Blues Band’s farewell album which became a tribute to Tony, when he passed away in June, 2023.

Paul then intoned ‘Summertime’ also with perfect diction, then after a break, (when we all rushed about in search of beer and CDs) Dave delivered the ‘D Day Blues’, a patriotic tribute to those involved in the June 1944 landings from Churchill to the soldiers, sailors and airmen. Paul also explained the significance of the lyrics to Lead Belly’s ‘Midnight Special’ in particular the line ‘Let the midnight special shine its everlasting light on me.’ (It was all about prisoners being transported to freedom by a midnight train, with its headlamp glaring).

Whenever Paul was featured on his trusty harmonica during the remainder of the concert, it was to be reminded just what an extraordinarily fine player is he. Whether on ‘Tuxedo Junction’ or when he even played the instrument hands- free, with the mouth organ seemingly implanted into his teeth, it was quite a sight and sound. Dentists please note.

We shouldn’t forget Dave’s mastery of slide guitar and his consistent team work with his Blues Brother. No wonder Jones & Kelly sound like a full size band, especially with all dat dere foot stompin’. And they didn’t have to help pack away a drum kit – and risk missing the last bus home!

CHRIS WELCH