Jools Holland is the presenter, not the commissioning editor who books the acts. Mark Cooper (I think that's his name) has his ear to the ground and, for most editions, has one non-mainstream performer - visiting World Music artists, non-pop folk players from the UK, etc. It's not much and it's not perfect but it's better than anything else being broadcast on TV.

Seasick Steve has a genuinely interesting biog and has been round the block a few times as a player over the years (including, would you believe, a stint as guitarist with The Beach Boys). He's worth looking up on the interweb for his CV. The joy of his music is its simplicity. It's all been done before, and probably by better performers, that I don't deny. The big difference is that he's around, right now, and some other genius like Hound Dog Taylor, isn't. No doubt there are also a load of Fat Possum label blues people who could knock him for six, but it's SSS who's getting the break rather than them. I'm not defending this, it's just the way showbiz works.

I'm glad that he's getting a high profile break, rather than some other over-hyped and over-played performers we see too much of as it is.

Norman