On Valentines Day I was performing in the fabulous Simla restaurant near Tamworth. It was quite a long gig with the restaurant fully booked for the evening, I played a mix of classic romantic numbers from my Pop and Soul repertoire and some upbeat contemporary songs for the younger crowd. Marvin Gaye is still a popular choice for all ages it seems.
Thanks to the diners for a very warm reception and to the staff for their hospitality, the food was excellent, I would have no hesitation in recommending it to fans of Indian cuisine in the area.

Simla

Feb 5th
Today I did a session at Abbey Lees Farm near Knutsford providing some music for their farmers market, which takes place on the first Sunday of each month. I was playing in the barn between nine and one entertaining the customers (and assorted chickens) while they browsed. There was a smaller turnout than usual due to the freezing weather, getting up the lane was a feat in itself, but I received many nice comments about the music and have been booked for the next one on March 4th.
The market is well worth a visit with many local suppliers selling wonderful produce, as well as the farm itself which has a great range of organic goods including eggs from their speciality hens, many of whom you can meet roaming freely around the yard. Don’t miss Jane’s bread stall while you are there, fabulous home-made bread baked that day, and if the queue’s too daunting Jane takes advance orders through her website.

Abbey Lees Farm Jane’s Bread

A slightly confused Abbey Lees chicken

Jan 1st
Saw the New Year in in style with the Rumble Fat Band at Reddish WMC in Stockport. We played four sets in the course of the night, the Soul and Motown was favourite with the dancers although we saw some fine disco moves to Earth Wind and Fire. The partygoers fortified themselves with a packed lunch and carried on till 1 am. Thanks to the club for making us welcome and hope to be back soon.

The Rumble Fat Band

I was appearing at Hoar Cross Hall in Staffs on Friday with guitarist Jason Kester. Jason and I usually work together in his band the Believers so it was a nice change to do a duo gig together. The first set was quite laid back as it was early in the evening, we ran through some of our Jazz repertoire and then livened things up as guests came through from the dining room. Things finished on quite a high with everyone up dancing, another enjoyable night.

Jason Kester Hoar Cross Hall

23rd Dec
Another last-minute booking yesterday with Jason Kester and the Believers at The Ashes, Endon, for a Wedding. The venue is a beautifully converted set of farm buildings and the band enjoyed playing to an enthusiastic crowd there. The bride and groom kicked the evening off with a choreographed version of I Want to Hold Your Hand, after which it was non-stop party classics till midnight, the musicians sharing the honours with old mate DJ Adrian Burns.

Jason Kester The Ashes

18th Dec
This weekend has been very busy. On Friday I travelled up to the Lake district with members of Soulfire to play a lunchtime gig at Centre Parcs in Penrith. The music was very well received and the journey was spectacular in the snow but the traffic jams on the way back weren’t quite as enjoyable. I managed to make it back in time for my evening performance with The Rumble Fat Band at Everton FC, where we rocked a party till midnight with Soul and Disco classics.
I was settling down for a well-earned chill day on Saturday when I got a last-minute call out from Jason Kester and the Believers. After rapidly sprucing myself up and heading into the wilds of Staffordshire we played for a great party crowd who enjoyed everything from Rock and Roll to this year’s hits with a few seasonal numbers in the mix of course, what’s a party without Slade at this time of year?

Soulfire Centre Parcs The Rumble Fat Band Everton FC Jason Kester

10th Dec
Yesterday I played for the opening night of Ludus Bar in Liverpool. The venue is on Bold Street right in the heart of Liverpool 1, contemporary and stylish upstairs with the downstairs styled as a 1920′s speakeasy which was very popular with the crowd. The music was appropriate to the surroundings, a Soul/Funk set in the bar early on, then moving downstairs for some Jazz, Al Capone himself would have felt very comfortable if he’d happened to pop in . I left about 11 and the party was still going strong with canapes and cocktails keeping the guests happy.

Ludus Bar

4th Dec
On Saturday I was at Everton FC with The Rumble Fat Band playing for a private event. There is never a problem getting the residents of Liverpool into the party mood and there were soon plenty of dancers up for both the band and the DJ, we had a fine rendition of “Delilah” still going on as we carried our equipment down the stairs at 1.30 am. Looking forward to another date there in a couple of weeks.

The Rumble Fat Band Everton FC

20th Nov
Yesterday I visited the Bridge Hotel in Prestbury to play for a Wedding breakfast with pianist and singer Guy Porteous. I have known Guy for some time but this was the first time we have worked together, he’s a versatile and tasteful player and the whole evening went very well. When I left Guy was setting up in the restaurant with regular duo partner singer Sue Baker, they are there every Friday and Saturday, well worth catching if you are in the area.

Guy Porteous The Bridge

On Friday I had my first visit to Rookery Hall, a beautiful 19th century house near Nantwich. I was working with members of Soulfire playing Jazz and Swing, while guests from a Civil Ceremony mingled and had their photos taken in the Weaver Bar before the DJ started the dance music for the evening. The atmosphere was very relaxed and we even had a couple of dancers.
Earlier this week, I was back in Centre Parcs in Penrith, also with the Soulfire crew playing for the diners underneath a very imposing array of tropical vegitation, kept an eye out for falling coconuts but fortunately the band emerged unscathed.

Soulfire Rookery Hall Centre Parcs

13 Nov
This weekend I have been working with The Rumble Fat Band in Warrington. The band have been together on and off since the 60′s and specialise in the classic Soul and Motown repertoire with a few Disco numbers thrown in to keep the dance floor full. We were playing at social clubs, Friday was the Pierpoint and Bryant and Saturday at the Rylands (after we found the secret alleyway that only the locals know ), a very friendly reception on both nights, nice to see some neighbourhood clubs still supported by the local community.
I have also been updating my publicity shots with Brendan Knight, an extremely talented photographer, we had a walk round Dunham to take advantage of the beautiful scenery in the sun. Always a bit awkward for shy musicians posing for pics but it has to be done, freshening up the website with the results when Brendan’s worked his magic.

The Rumble Fat Band Brendan Knight

30th Oct
Spectacular drive across the North Yorkshire moors yesterday with all the trees in full Autumn colour, very tempted to get out for a stroll but I was heading for Grinkle Park Hotel to play at the Wedding of Lynsey and Lee. The hotel is an imposing manor house and I was set up in a corner of the cosy lounge area to provide music for the drinks reception. It was a very pleasant afernoon and thanks to all the guests who came up to chat about the music, glad you enjoyed it.

Grinkle Park

22nd Oct
Out with Soul stalwarts the Rumble Fat Band in Liverpool this weekend. We were playing for the members at St Aloysius Catholic Club in Liverpool where we had a very good night, the band were, of course, suitably silent for the bingo!

Rumble Fat Band

15th Oct
Just one gig this weekend with Jason Kester and the Believers, a 60th Birthday bash in the intimate surroundings of the family garage which had been transformed for the occasion into a nightclub. The band entertained dancers, the neighbours horses and a border collie into the small hours fuelled only by jacket potatoes.
I should also have been appearing with the Rumble Fat Band at the Pelican in Timperley but this had to be postponed as our singer was indisposed, so Committed to Blues did a fine job standing in for us. We hope to be back there soon with our regular line-up.

Jason Kester The Rumble Fat Band

9th Oct
This weekend I had a corporate event on Saturday with Jason Kester and the believers. We were performing at the annual long-service awards for Otis, the lift company. We played a bit of light background music as the guests were assembling and then after the awards ceremony took the stage for the dance music. Everyone was ready to let off a bit of steam by then and it was a very successful night, we even had a surprise guest appearence in Mama Mia by Agnetha and Frida who gatecrashed from a 70′s do next door.

Jason Kester The Stratford Manor

Oct 1st
On Saturday I was performing at Blackbrook Working Men’s Club in St Helens with the Rumblefat Band, a long-established Soul and Motown outfit from Manchester. The band arrived in style having been abandoned by our satnavs which decided to desert us on the East Lancs, so we had to resort to the prehistoric skills of mapreading. It is a very friendly club and our two sets seemed to go down well.

The Rumblefat Band

23rd Sept
This weekend I travelled to Yorkshire on Friday to play for a Wedding drinks reception. The event was taking place at Waterton Park Hotel which is on an island in the middle of a lake. The weather was fine so we were able to be outside on the lawn where I entertained the guests with a selection of tunes picked by the bride, while she and her husband were having their photographs taken.
On Saturday I was at another Wedding with the Rumblefat Band in Warrington. This was an evening function playing Soul and Disco classics to another lively crowd. Apart from an essential bacon butty break, the dancing didn’t stop all night.

Waterton Park Hotel The Rumblefat Band

17th Sept
On Saturday I was working with Jason Kester and the Believers at Willington Hall near Chester, a beautiful nineteenth century house. We were entertaining guests at a Wedding and had a great night, the crowd wanted to dance from the beginning of the gig til (slightly after) closing time. Judging from the comments I received on the way out, the audience really appreciated the band, and I look forward to working with them again next month.

Jason Kester Willington Hall

Links for more information about some of the artists mentioned can be found here
Rumble Fat Band Bourbon Street Preachers Richard Smith

If you would like to see some pictures of bands I work with, please visit my Flickr site.