Matt Fox crossing pond

Subject: Matt Fox crossing pond
From: GUEST,John Hardly
Date: 13 Jul 04 - 02:24 PM

Good friend of mine, tremendous guitar player, endorser of Langejans guitars, and all-around nice guy, Matthew Fox is going to be touring the UK in the coming weeks. I would encourage you to attend a concert if he's in your area. One of the dates he'll be opening for Chris Smither, the others he'll be sharing the billing with another friend, and fine resonator player, Dan Phelps.

Matthew has recently released his second CD, on which he is accompanied by some very fine musicians (like Peter Ostroushko).

I think you'll enjoy what you hear if you attend!

July 17 ~ Village Hall on Strathtay (Grandtully)

July 18 ~ The Stereo (Glasgow)

July 19 ~ Bacup Folk Club (Bacup)

July 20 ~ Music Box at Jagz (Ascot, Berks)

July 21 ~ BBC Radio (London)

July 21 ~ Catford Blues Club (London)

July 22 ~ New Crawdaddy Club (Billericay, Essex)

July 23 ~ The Musician (Leicester)

July 24 ~ RMA Tavern (Portsmouth)

July 25 ~ London Resonator Centre (London)

July 26 ~ Bulls Head Stormy Monday Club (London)

July 27 ~ Beehive Pub (Swindon, Wilts)

July 28 ~The Wheatsheaf (Buzzard, Beds)

July 30 ~ The Studio (Hartlepool)

July 31 ~ The Farm (Skegness)

August 1 ~ The Torrington (London)

Subject: RE: Matt Fox crossing pond
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 03:59 AM

Two minds with but a single thought...I was just going to post to publicise the Jagz gig. After a diet of electric plank-spankers and over-amplified harp players the last few weeks I'm really looking forward to this one. A poor turnout last night for John O'Leary band who deserved more, though Walter Trout last Monday and Ruthless Blues last Tuesday were both sellouts.
I hope it gets a good crowd to support my lone campaign with the promoter to get more acoustic acts along when the season starts up again after the sumemr break.

RtS
(Old bloke in the corner)

Subject: RE: Matt Fox crossing pond
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 04:31 AM

sumemr? Summer, I meant , of course.

RtS
(Preview, Roger, always Preview!)

Subject: RE: Matt Fox crossing pond
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 15 Jul 04 - 03:56 AM

Refresh.
Let's get a good crowd at these gigs, (especially Jagz!) to encourage promoters to book more acoustic blues acts.

RtS
(No axe to grind, honestly!)

Subject: RE: Matt Fox crossing pond
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 15 Jul 04 - 04:15 AM

Final Music Box Night of the Summer
20/07/04
Pete Feenstra's Music Box Tuesdays will end for the Summer next Tuesday (20/07/04) with the US Acoustic duo Dan Phelps and Matthew Fox (£7). We'd love to see y'all down here to finish the Music Box run with a bang.
But fear not, the Blues will be back every Tuesday from September 14th with Blue Touch. call 01344 878 100 for more details.
[or www.jagz.co.uk]
RtS
(nuff sed. I'll miss Sept 14 as I'm not back from Greece (Patmos) until 17th)

Subject: RE: Matt Fox crossing pond
From: GUEST,John Hardly
Date: 15 Jul 04 - 09:51 AM

I talked to Matthew last night (he heads out on tour this morning) and he said that the resonator workshops that he and Dan are putting on are sponsored by National Guitars. He's also endorsing the fine Scottish-made blown glass Diamond slides.

Thanks for the extra promptings, Roger! You all will really enjoy Matthew if you go see him.

Subject: RE: Matt Fox crossing pond
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 15 Jul 04 - 09:57 AM

I booked my place back in May, John!

RtS

Subject: RE: Matt Fox crossing pond
From: John Hardly
Date: 17 Jul 04 - 11:16 AM

bump

Subject: RE: Matt Fox crossing pond
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 21 Jul 04 - 03:45 AM

Sadly only about 15 discerning punters turned up for the gig at Jagz last night.
Despite that they started on time (UK performers please note, no peeping out of the band room to count the house before deigning to appear!). Matt was on first, he described his style accurately as part blues, part singer-songwriter. Despite American Airlines losing their luggage their guitars made it OK so he was playing his signature Langejans acoustic and a National Steel. He opened with his own Things are coming my way and Weekday Blues followed byWoody Guthrie's Vigilante Man Blind Lemon's Deep Ellum Blues his own instrumental Red Square Blues and Django's Tears, finishing with his own New Casey Jones. Matt has an efforless guitar style and a pleasant voice, more Josh White than Bukka White.
Next up was Dan Fox, who played two resonators and a small bodied acoustic and concentarted on pre-war blues (very much my sort of thing). The Adnam's Broadside must have kicked in about then as my notes don't list any titles but he played from the repertoire of Furry Lewis, Willie Dixon, Mississippi Fred, Blind Willie Johnson, Blind Lemon and Robert Johnson. A great gruff blues voice and percussive style.
Matt came back to join him on harp for Play with your poodle, lap steel for Big Bill's Key to the Highway and they finished with a 2 acoustic guitar version of Leroy Carr's How Long.
A great evening that deserved a bigger audience. Both men were gracious to the punters and to the sound man (nice to see someone thanking the sound man instead of just complaining!). I bought a CD from both, had a chat with Dan about our mutual affection for Fred McDowell (who influenced his playing especially on Good Morning little schoolgirl) and got a chance to thank Matt as well.
The rest of their itinerary is in John's post, go to see them, and lend them a T-shirt if their luggage hasn't got through Gatwick yet.
If you can't get to their gigs, they're on Paul Jones' BBC Radio 2 Blues Programme next Thursday 29th July (and online for a week afterwards) see:http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/jones/

RtS
(No more blues at Jagz till September, sob, sniff)

Subject: RE: Matt Fox crossing pond
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 22 Jul 04 - 03:57 AM

Final refresh.

RtS

Subject: RE: Matt Fox crossing pond
From: John Hardly
Date: 27 Jul 04 - 09:13 PM

Roger,

Thanks for the great review!!

I just got back from my biggest show of the year and almost missed this (as it went off the front in my absence).

I'm glad you got to meet them as well.

It was particularly nice to hear your reviews because, though Matthew had hopes of staying in touch, he hasn't yet told me anything about the trip. I'm going to email your fine review to some mutual friends of Matthew, Dan and me.

thanks again!

John

Subject: RE: Matt Fox crossing pond
From: Dr. LJ
Date: 28 Jul 04 - 11:01 AM

Hello, everyone. I am a good friend of John and Matt. I was wondering if any of you have any further reviews or information about the tour. Did they ever find their luggage? I hate to think of those boys playing the United Kingdom in dirty clothes!

LJ

Subject: RE: Matt Fox crossing pond
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 29 Jul 04 - 03:47 AM

If you can pick up their UK radio show after tonight on the link I've given below, Doc, there might be an update (but it was probably recorded a week or so ago). I'm out when it's broadcast so I'll be listening online later, too.
I hope they had larger audiences than at Jagz, they deserved it.

RtS

Subject: RE: Matt Fox crossing pond
From: Dr. LJ
Date: 01 Aug 04 - 12:59 PM

Thanks, RtS. I appreciate the information. Matt should be returning home today or tomorrow. I imagine he will sleep for a few days.

LJ

Subject: RE: Matt Fox crossing pond
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 19 Apr 05 - 09:41 AM

Refresh as the rest of Dan's performance recorded for Paul Jones' show is to be broadcast on BBC Radio 2 8pm BST 28th April 2005.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/jones/ for a week thereafter.


RtS