Local Musical Heroes
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First and foremost if you like the sax in particular, do try and catch
local tenor/soprano supremo Geoff Hearn whenever you get the chance.
This man is definitely my local hero and never fails to inspire me whenever
I catch him blowing. I will try and watch out for his gigs and let you
all know about them. If I forget, then watch out for
'The Brighton Blues
Corporation' featuring Geoff, and also other greats such as Nigel
Thomas (blues singer/jazz bassman) and David Hastings (an unassuming
but stunning guitarist who claims to practise very irregularly but plays
as though his guitar never leaves his grasp!)
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Dave Barnard is - for my money (and probably the majority of others
in Town) the best local bass player. I have been lucky enough to play with
him when he played with Frank Doubleday and recently with 'The Soul
Review' too (I stood in once for 'Tiger'Tim Woods - lovely
player and chap, who also plays with Pete Howells in 7-Pin Din [another
blues outfit well worth watching out for]). Dave also plays with 'King
Salsa' and 'Terry Seabrook'sCubana
Bop' - a salsa jazz band who have recently played the Jazz Cafe in
London and have had rave reviews in the Jazz section of the Times. Watch
out for their CDs.
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STOP PRESS: Dave, along with a further 'Brighton-based contingent'
of Veronica Cowper [aka Makhalemele and also of Frank Doubleday and the
Blues Volcanoes fame!?] (backing vocals), Mark Edwards (piano and organ)
and Dave Trigwell (drums), features prominently on the highly critically-acclaimed
new album TimePeace
from Terry Callier. I have just
bought it and beginning to get into it properly. There is a nice, assured,
quality feel to the whole album which just seems to wash over you and take
you somewhere relaxed and mellow. Call it what you will (soul, jazz, folk
and blues all get a mention in the sleeve notes); a kind of souly jazz
best describes it for me but who cares! Just listen and enjoy! Good
on yer Dave! It's about time this man started to really make the big time
and achieve some recognition for all the hard work and great musicianship
he's put in over the years - it's long overdue! Also it's nice that the
Brighton music scene may receive some reflected glory and a higher profile
through its more prominent sons. I just say go out and buy it! You won't
regret it and you will be helping to put the Brighton music scene on the
map.
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Steve Wrigley is a highly talented singer/guitarist to watch out
for. Steve also writes for radio and stage performances - you may have
seen him in arguably the best local soul band 'The Champions'
and
watch out for his Stevie Ray Vaughan Tribute gigs [SRV tribute band].
If you like SRV then you'll be amazed how much justice Steve does to this
legend on stage, ably assisted by Adrian 'Sleeze' Marshall
on bass
and Terry Popple [ex-Glitter Band] on drums. Again, the CD is available.).
If you're lucky you may catch Steve playing as a duo in a pub somewhere
with, perhaps, Dave Barnard, Sleeze or Maggie Burroughs (great soul
singer).
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Of course it goes without saying that you should watch out for Frank
Doubleday, Dave Fletcher, Ozzy and Mickey Kane
in the band that
counts!! (Mickey also plays in the Soul Review).
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