Blue Milk with Craig Ralston, Piccolo, George Square, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

Blue Milk are a Glasgow based blues outfit comprising Johnny McGiffen (lead vocals and guitar), Taylor Whyte (drums), Ike Malinki (bass) and Leo Glaister (harmonica). However the evening opened with Johnny accompanying an old friend, Craig Ralston.

Ralston has a quiet speaking voice, which makes the gruff power of his singing all the more surprising. It's a fine blues sound, rough and characterful, and he gave us four enjoyable numbers with McGiffen fleshing out the sound on his guitar.

Then came the band. And a considerable increase in volume and tempo. This is proper rockin' blues, steeped in sixties and seventies traditions, and full of power and passion. (Too much passion for some it seemed, for the crowd thinned out a bit after the interval - it certainly was loud!)

Ralston joined the band for that second half, this time playing lead guitar, and providing a grungey alternative to the clarity of McGiffen's playing. Overall a great sound, with Glaister's harp providing the character that marks out the Blue Milk sound. Solid back from the contrasting rhythm section, Malinki an isolated pool of calm and stillness, Whyte a manic grinning presence at the back (and full of funny quips during the gaps).

Visceral blues rock that provides such a beat that the audience can still feel it in their bodies as they leave. Great stuff.