Review: Blues Groovers at Jagz, Ascot, UK

Subject: Review: Blues Groovers at Jagz, Ascot, UK
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 09:06 AM

I thought I was in for a good evening when the guys worked out a head arrangement during the sound check & the pianist used the theme from "Taxi" ( my favourite of the US tv imports) to get his level right. The sight of an accordion on stage worried me a little but probably reassured the 3 Italians at the next table who'd come for a meal and didn't know what to expect.
        What we got were the Blues Groovers: six young guys, mostly with goatees, looking like any company data processing department .
        Sadly, there were only six punters :me,( the saddo who comes almost every week), the aforementioned Italians, another couple also having a meal, two band girlfriends… and a dog (more of him later).
        The line-up was unusual: drums, bass guitar, lead guitar, pianist doubling keyboard (and a couple of toots on harmonica), accordionist doubling electric piano and a baritone sax player doubling on percussion: conga, claves, tambourine, shakers.
        "Is this Blues night?" the leader asked the barperson. "Whatever you like" was the reply.
        Well we got some blues, some jazz, some zydeco, the set list went out the window and the band enjoyed themselves, so did we. From the opener "C-jam blues" through some Louis Jordan numbers "Flip Flop and Fly" some Cajun style squeezebox ("Jambalaya", "Route 66"), even some gospel ("Jesus on the Mainline") , mostly instrumental with the accordion player and the guitarist sharing any vocals.
        When they came on, an aged spaniel waddled out of the green room and couldn't be coaxed back. He flopped down between bass & drums, but from the signals the pianist was making he had serious flatulence, so one of the girlfriends coaxed him to sit with them for the rest of the evening. Fortunately, I was on the other side of the club & upwind. At least for once I could blame the dog, not the beer!
        At the start of the second set the sax player brought on an upright bass and joined the pianist and drummer for two jazz standards: "Night & Day" and "Autumn Leaves".
        If you get a chance see these guys, no "latest one we wrote", no CDs for sale, no mechanical set list- just a happy bunch enjoying a wide range of blues & jazz styles and who really swung. We even got an encore, though the girlfriends and dog left before the end and we were down to six-all. I felt sorry they had such a poor audience, especially for the sax played with all those instruments to cart around, but both sides of the bandstand had a good time . I'll certainly hope to see them again. I'll miss the nest couple of weeks with bands billed as "soul" though I may give Clarence "Tex" Walker a listen at the end of the month.

RtS

Subject: RE: Review: Blues Groovers at Jagz, Ascot, UK
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 09:58 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: Review: Blues Groovers at Jagz, Ascot, UK
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 19 Feb 03 - 03:24 AM

Just to add they are returning to JAGZ on 12th March If you like "blues meets Coco Robicheaux" mixture of Delta & Zydeco, see you there.

RtS
(not on commission!)

Subject: RE: Review: Blues Groovers at Jagz, Ascot, UK
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 13 Mar 03 - 03:38 AM

The guys were back for another gig last night: a better crowd, about 20 of us, though I seemed to be the only one not already a friend of one or other of the band members.
No dog this time and the baritone/percussion player replaced by a tenor/clarinet and the bass player played strung bass all evening (though he carried on a bass guitar). As it was Wednesday (ie not blues night) they played a jazzier set but still with Cajun touches (The Preacher,C-jam blues, Flip Flop & Fly, One scotch, one bourbon, one beer, Route 66 etc).
Another great evening (and the guest ale was Abbots.... mmmm)

RtS
(back there tonight for Papa George blues band, and some more Abbots)

Subject: RE: Review: Blues Groovers at Jagz, Ascot, UK
From: mooman
Date: 13 Mar 03 - 04:20 AM

Dear Roger,

Very interesting reports! It's very gratifying to see that there are some young highly musical bands prepared to "do their own thing" whatever the circumstances of the gig.

Hope my next visit to Ascot or surroundings coincides with one of their gigs!

Sounds like some of our jazz/blues gigs...a high proportion of the audience being friends or family of band members (we tend to choose smaller, friendlier and initimate venues these days which tends to favour this and "regular puinters" like yourself!)

All the best,

moo

Subject: RE: Review: Blues Groovers at Jagz, Ascot, UK
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 21 May 03 - 09:36 AM

Dave Dog,Pete Hamilton & the rest of the band are back at Jagz on 12th July

RtS

Subject: RE: Review: Blues Groovers at Jagz, Ascot, UK
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 11 Jul 03 - 04:23 AM

As Dave Dog is off the Portugal, this Saturday 12th July, may be the band's last performance in its present form. Jagz,Station Rd Ascot, Berks, UK. Doors open for diners 7.30, others 8pm, Band on about 9.
Don't miss it!
This week's guest ale is Adnam's.

RtS

Subject: RE: Review: Blues Groovers at Jagz, Ascot, UK
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 13 Jul 03 - 04:28 AM

Yes, we had a good time, thanks for asking. I had the crab cakes with lime mayonnaise followed by chicken and mango. Herself had melon with fruit coulis followed by Jagz Creole (crab claw, tuna, chicken etc). Both too stuffed for pud. Adnam's had run out, only Courage Best so I had cider, herself had Merlot and cappuccino.
Oh, the band....yes. They got the audience they deserve at last, almost full,(including a hen party who'd been to the races and the free Human League [who?] concert at the racecourse earlier).No Paul Hamilton, who was probably off gigging with his own band with Jay Parrack, so no zydeco. The baritone sax was back, doubling conga & percussion. Started with C-Jam blues and The Preacher, mostly jazz and blues and what to me sounded like a Dylan song, though not one I recognised, but CRS means I can't remember them all. I do remember Route 66 and Flip Flop & Fly.I've described the band as looking like a Data Processing Dept. Well, last night it looked like Dress-down Saturday or Office Outing as sandals or bare feet and those mid-calf trousers were order of the day. Who cares, the music was as swinging and laid-back as ever.
No mention of Dave Dog leaving, though he was giving the young second guitarist a lot of solos and vocals so may be grooming him to take over. Said "See you soon" at the end. I hope so.
Got Her seal of approval as well (plus She drove so I didn't have to walk home).

RtS

Subject: RE: Review: Blues Groovers at Jagz, Ascot, UK
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Jul 03 - 09:22 AM

This is one of the most boring, irrelevant threads I've ever read. really, who is interested in any of this ?

Subject: RE: Review: Blues Groovers at Jagz, Ascot, UK
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 03:26 AM

Nobody obviously!
Just a vain attempt to drum up some support for a club that has good acts but often sparse audiences.

RtS

Subject: RE: Review: Blues Groovers at Jagz, Ascot, UK
From: CraigS
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 06:23 PM

Sod off, guest, and thanks, Roger - this sounds like the sort of place that might give my blues band a booking!

Subject: RE: Review: Blues Groovers at Jagz, Ascot, UK
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 15 Jul 03 - 03:23 AM

Craig, you can contact the bookers at:[e-mail]
Website is www.jagz.co.uk

RtS

Subject: RE: Review: Blues Groovers at Jagz, Ascot, UK
From: PoppaGator
Date: 15 Jul 03 - 10:46 AM

Roger,

I was amazed and happy to see your casual reference to my buddy Curtis Arcenaux, aka Coco Robicheaux. He's become a pretty prominent local musician in these parts, but I'm a bit surprised that a correspondent posting messages from the UK would assume that his readers would recognize his name. I guess Coco enjoys greater worldwide recogntion that I realized.

We were acquainted for years as fellow fans/listeners/hangers-out before he started his musical career at the age of forty-plus, which makes him a special kind of hero to me. Actually, he *resumed* a career that had started and stopped when he was in his teens, but I didn't learn about that until later.

Incidentally -- in reference to a couple of recent threads about "accents " in song and speech -- Coco belongs to that class of artists whose singing voice is exactly the same as his everyday speaking voice. (Believe it or not!)

One notable accomplishment of Coco's during his non-performing years: he sculpted the bronze bust of Professor Longhair that resides just inside the front door of Tiptina's, at the corner of Napoleon and Tchoupitoulas in uptown New Orleans. He claims never to have done any other sculpture before or since, which makes a very nice piece that much more impressive. All in all, a truly amazing character.

Subject: RE: Review: Blues Groovers at Jagz, Ascot, UK
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 16 Jul 03 - 03:47 AM

Yes Tom, I came across his name in a novel (probably a James Lee Burke). Checked out his website, liked a sound sample and bought a CD. Thanks for the info on Coco.
Thanks for the pm, I've replied.
Cheers,
RtS

Subject: RE: Review: Blues Groovers at Jagz, Ascot, UK
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 23 Oct 03 - 03:43 AM

Blues Groovers back at Jagz, Ascot on Weds 19th November.

RtS

Subject: RE: Review: Blues Groovers at Jagz, Ascot, UK
From: mooman
Date: 23 Oct 03 - 03:57 AM

Keep up the good work Roger and I for one enjoy the reports. Perhaps Jagz might be a possible venue if I ever get our blues/jazz outfit over to the UK! I certainly hope spreading the word helps keep an obviously good venue thriving.

Abbotts? Adnams? (drool! ...even though I live in Belgium now!)

Peace

moo (no goatee at present)

Subject: RE: Review: Blues Groovers at Jagz, Ascot, UK
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 19 Nov 03 - 03:58 AM

...er, at the risk of annoying anonymous Guests, the boys are on again tonight. See you there (guest ale this week is Young's Special).

RtS
(audieences on the blues night , now back to Tuesday,are picking up. About 30 last week for excellent Geordie plank spanker Paul Rose, and about 20 last night for Brighton's harp-led Blackjacks)

Subject: RE: Review: Blues Groovers at Jagz, Ascot, UK
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 20 Nov 03 - 04:21 AM

Warning: this thread does not refer to any clubs in Hull, the writer has never been to Hull.

About 20 of us there last night. The fourth time I've seen the Groovers, Dave Dog even recognised me!
The club made a liar out of me, the guest ale was Fuller's London Pride (I can't have drunk all the Young's on Tuesday, surely!)

They had the 2-guitar line up like last time, with no accordian. There was a differeent reeds (tenor and clarinets) player, the previous sax player, last seen backing ex-Drifter Luddy Sams, was playing string bass.
They started as usual with C-Jam Blues and The Preacher but therefter a much bluesier set than they even played on a blues night! The new young guitarist was featured vocalist on Key to the Highway, Torn Down, Matchbox Blues and some others I couldn't place (I have barely illegible scribblings of key lyrics but not much help!) and they played a couple of latin-tinged instrumentals I didn't recognise. They also played a jazzy version of Ticket to Ride featuring the pianist & clarinet player,Rollin down the river and Stuck in the middle with you. Dave Dog doesn't bother to introduce the numbers so I've missed out a few. I did ask the pianist when we were at the bar but he was no help- they just busk along happily to whatever Dave starts playing, which is one reason I like this band, casual but competent, interesting solos, relaxed attitude and going with the mood, just what jazz should be. The two guitarists share vocals and also trade riffs, playing off each other very well, despite (I would guess) 20 years difference in age.

RtS
(boring for Britain)