News From The Blues In Bangkok And Beyond
In this story…
Local Author Ready To Publish Hendrix Novel
Soi Dogs and Cannonball to Play In India
Rick Derringer On His Way To The Roadhouse
Chai Blues Heads For New Life Up North
The Cruisers Road Ready Again?
More good news is that blues traveller, raconteur and noted blues balladeer Jimmy Fame aka James Newport has his new book ready for print, and this could be the rock and roll blockbuster of the century so far, having read the rushes, so-to speak.
Jimmy has the inside skinny and writes a great account of what was behind the man who emerged from an unknown ‘Jimmy James’ to become the guitar playing legend Jimi Hendrix and who cut the music universe with his back-to-front Fender Strat and cosmic gypsy vibe. Jimmy Fame’s new book will be a must-read when it hits the shelves about June/July time. Jimmy tells us “Chasing Jimi” should be ready in time for June publication to tie in with the 40th anniversary of Monterey Pop where Jimi flamed his Strat and burned a hole in our hearts too.
Cool blues can be had in town at Ad Here down on the Khao San neck of the woods and this tiny blues furnace has live blues every night of the week and some very special players and singers too. Always busy and always fun, you can eat drink and be merry and jam if they will have you. Great venue and this city needs about another fifty or so just like it.
Back on Khao San Road itself, the new downstairs bar Sabai-Sabai features a quieter cut of the blues and ain’t nothing wrong with a bit of slide geetar over a warm acoustic to sooth your soul, providing the singer is doing it for you too. You can call it ‘acoustic blues’ but we’ll call it medium-rare blues which of course has a special flavour all of it’s own. You can catch the music from as early as 7 pm so drop by and let us know how it was for you.
You would not think the little world of the blues in Bangkok would have so much going on but it’s busy busy. We have bluesy R&B over at the Road House right next to Jim Thompson’s House on Surawong with the Fugitives laying down the groove from 9 until 1 pm every Friday. And very cool it is too with the Fugitives led by Simon Stitt pumping out some classics with a full on brass section and feel to die for. This is the only gig on a Friday and you should be there guzzling the beer and awesome food.
Meanwhile, the Road House is also planning, in collaboration with blues and jazz promoters Enlightend Planet, to stage small monthly concerts featuring names from the world of blues mainly, kicking off mayhap with Rick Derringer, a guitar ace with time off for good behavior with Johnny Winters and co. Chances are Rick will be with us in June but no deal struck yet as go to print. We will keep you posted. Could be a good idea to feature the Tonic Rays here I guess.
Local blues big timers Cannonball and the Soi Dog Blues Band are packing spare strings and extra underpants for a quick trip to Mumbai in June (Bombay) where, on the back of their headlining gigs at the Phuket Blues Festival, they have been invited to star at the Hard Rock Caf้ over there – one night only and all the ribs you can eat!
Word is that the Phuket Blues Festival organizers are allegedly claiming they dropped quite a few bob but no more than the price of a nice BMW in staging the three-day event, despite the healthy list of sponsors. Never mind. The good news is that a DVD of the festival featuring all the bands who played is to be released very soon in an effort to recover losses. And the bands get a royalty too.
Doctor Blues and his Groove Brethren are back on stage at Noriega’s every Thursday and at Tokyo Joe’s every Tuesday running the respective open floors and jam nights. The Doc’s latest line-up includes a slide player, two guitars, a new bass player and new drummer and this new outfit spends no less than 90 percent of the evening playing songs penned by the Doctor himself. Good or bad, there’s little chance of hearing any Eagles at this gig!
Former Saxophone blues star Chai Blues has cut his ties and headed north to Chiang Mai where we hear he is getting ready to open his own blues venue. There is a very exciting music scene up in the dusky foothills and apparently there’s more than enough room for another quality blues and music venue. So the best of luck to Chai (and his partners) and hope it is not too long before the new club is up and running.
By the way, once the ban is lifted, spare the time and go look on www.youtube.com where you’ll see App Blues up there strutting his blues stuff and very nice it is too.
Peht and his Blues band are the Friday evening lock at Saxophone these days, followed I hear by Blue-on-Blue, making that perhaps the tastiest blues billing in town. New outfit Baby Blue play Saxophone earlier in the week, and it’s cool to see that the wonderful blues virus is spreading quick and fast and us old timers are not to be the last to hold the candle by a long chalk.
Special Birthday wishes to blues master Buddy Guy who shares a birthday with our very own Mekong Doctor Blues on April 28 th. Happy Birthday brothers in the blues!
Finally Peter Driscoll and his very capable Cruisers report they will be up and at ‘em mid-May rehearsing as they are like Girl Guides as we speak. Another chance to see the awesome Billy Cut put his Fender bass through its paces and all miles away from that ‘unnecessary’ 12th fret!