Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen, Spiegeltent, St Andrew Sq, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

Disclaimer : It had been a long day, I was very tired, so what follows might not be entirely fair to the artists, but I can only report on how the gig affected me...

Cleary is from New Orleans, and owes much to the classic jazz and blues of the city, whilst adding in his own layers of funk and RnB.  With dummer and bassist as backing he plays piano and keyboards (often both at once), with a single foray into slide guitar, and sings classic songs.  Plenty of energy (notably from the bassist), soe great playing (I loved the bass solos), and his voice is smooth and pleasant.

He went down so well with the audience, and I found my feet tapping along.  But.  There were times when it felt like the keys and the drums were fighting each other, rather than workign together.  And at times I found his paino playing too gimmicky.  Maybe I was just looking for an excuse to be irritable...

Blues Afternoon, Spiegletent, St Andrew Sq, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

 

Great timing on the start - just a minute after seeing the winning Lions score from Australia!  

These afternoons have always been great for discovering new acts, finding new bands to love.  So it was a change to go to mone where not only had we seen all three acts before, but more than once each.  But they were aleady establshed festival faviourites, so it was worth being out in the rain for...

STACY MITCHHART

A solo set from the ever cheerful Nashville resident.  The vocals are warm, with a constant sense of fun, even cheekiness.  He plays guitars - conventional, resonator, and cigar box, the latter made by his own hand.  He plays well, classic blues, great slide work, espeically on the one instrumental number.  Good  mix of classics, such as Muddy Waters, his own songs, and some surprises, like the sudden appearance of some Led Zepp!  Great entertainer, always smiling, lots of jokes and funny stories.  A good start to the show

BLUE MILK

A step up in pace and volume.  The four piece from Glasgow play classic 60s and 70s RnB style, but mostly with their own material.  Guitar and lead vocal, harmonica, bass and drums.  After the relative peace of Mr Mitchhart some of the audience looke d a bit shocked, but BM soon won them over.  

Ike on bass  is a pool of stillness in the sporouting energy of the other three.  Johnnie's wild hair on the guitar solos.  Leo's dance steps as he bursts out blues harp.  Taylor's manic madness on percussion.  There's humour, audience participation, and always thaty driving beat.  It's great to see a band where harmonica is such an integral part of the sound, not just an add on.

They might not be virtuoso level, but the energy and feel and presence make them great crowd pleasers.

MAGGIE BELL

A step back in volume, and a leap forward in legend status.

Not that she was on stage from the start.  We began with Sandy Tweedale on guitar and Chris Agnew on upright bass, backing Tim Elliott on vocals and harmonica.  A few numbers to whet the appetite.

Then off goes Elliott, on comes Bell, to huge applause.  Opens with a Free song, and the voice sounded a bit off.  Well, I thought, she is 80 now.  But that was justher getting wrmed up.  As the numbers moved on we had our reminder of why she was considered Scotland's Janis Joplin.  The phrasing, the gravel, the stage presence remain.  And the jokes and stories!  There was great variety in her material, Elliott joined at the end for some duetting, and we could all have carried on for hours.  Wonderful.

The The Lone Pine Pickers, Spiegletent, St Andrew Sq, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

Country music, western swing and gypsy jazz suggest an international flavour, but this is very much a home grown Scottish line up, featuring several weel kent faces from the national jazz scene. The leader, on guitar and vocals, is Ross Milligan, back up by youngster Connor Smith on guitar and pedal steel, Roy Percy on bass, and Ewan Laing on drums. Together they form a tight outfit with a passion for their music and the talent to bring it to life.

The set was largely instrumental, with many jazz standards, mostly from the 50s and 60s, given their own flavouring. Plus one self penned number that wasn't in the least out of place. Milligan does a decent job with the vocals, keeps it simple, and lets the music do the work. But he is also a good link man, humourous and informative about the history of the numbers.

As usual everyone gets to do their solos. Percy's bass lines are solid, but his solos lacked inspiration. Laing does a better job of making his starring spots entertaining. Milligan is an accomplished jazz guitarist, a man totally at ease with the genre and delivering what's needed to a high standard. But it's Smith who steals the show. Milligan may be as good technically, but the younger man's imagination shines, and his solos constantly surprise and delight, heading off in unexpected directions.

Acts like this are the meat and 2 veg that keep the festival grounded, and the LPP deliver excellent entertainment.

Blues Afternoon, Spiegletent, St Andrew Sq, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

A change in venue this year, with a different spiegeltent in a different square (and much more uncomfortable seats!).  But the format of the Blues Afternoons remains the same.  Three sets by different artists, with the idea that the quality of the musicianship improves each time.  Which it probably did, but, stragnely, on this occasion I found the level of entertainment decreased...

LONE BEAR BLUES

An Edinburgh based duo playing old time blues and ragtime from the 1920s, 30s, 40s...  Lone Bear himself originates in Brazil, plays resonator guitar, with a bit of harmonica and kazoo (!) thrown in, and a fine, expressive singing voice.  Accompanied by Australian Gerogia Ollier on Washboard and backing vocals (and audience participation lead).  The songs are fun, the guitar work not stellar but always enjoyable, and the washboard brings authentic character to the sound (and gets in a lovely solo too).  They can be very funny too.  A really good start to the session.

THE NICHE FAMILY

A young four piece band from Glasgow (there was a funny story about how they lost their fifth member, the bass player, at a recent festival in Denmark) playing country music with blues influences.  Most of their material was self penned, with a couple of covers (one from the Beatles) sprinkled inbto the mix.  Their song writing isn't the best, but they make up for that in delivery.  

While the rhythm guitarist took on most of the lead vocals, both the lead guitarist and banjo player took on their share of the role, so there was plenty of variety in the set.  Only the mandolin guy kept his voice limited to backing vocals.  Decent enough solos from the instruments, plenty of stories and laughs, and an infectious enthusiasm.  A really fun set.

MUIRREAN BRADLEY

Headling the show was 18 year old Irish wunderkind Bradley, who has built up a strong reputation in her short career to date.  A blues guitar virtuoso and accomplished vocalist, with an extensive knowledge of old blues music.  She's got a good voice for the genre, and her playing is admirable.  But...

This was a long set, of around 75 minutes.  I had been hoping for a demonstration of guitar fireworks.  Maybe I set my expectations too high, bsed on some YouTube videos.  Because there was only one (very enjoyable) instrumental.  And while I like the voice, and there was vareity in the songs, after a while it all started to sound a bit 'samey'.  In between numbers she shows she knows her stuff, but it's a bit much to expect someone so young, however mature and experienced, to have full command of stagecraft.  But that will come, along with a nore balanced set list I hope.  In a few years time I suspect Ms Bradley will fully justify that star billing.

James Brown is Annie, Piccolo, George Square, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

Funk for our Festival finale.  Local band JBiA played to a packed out Piccolo and raised the roof.  Nowadays a seven piece outfit, with drums, bass, guitar, keyboard, two sax players (tenor and alto) and a lead vocalist.  Or one lead of the lead vocalists, for that role flits about through the pianist, guitarist and tenor saxophonist, with all bar the other sax player contributing backing vocals as well.  Plenty of variety in styles and sounds, although none of the others can match the vocal talents of Debs out front.  

There's not much subtelty to the magic.  Get a groove going and keep it going.  Get the audience on their feet.  Throw in a few solos.  The sax solos, from both players, all received warm applause and cheers, but my personal favourite came from the bass - she played a big part in the band's overall sound throughout.

They're a tight act, with humour and joy important components of their set.  Great fun and a great end to JazzFest '24.

Blues Afternoon (Jerron Paxton, Doug MacLeod, Mark Harrison Band), Spiegeltent, George Square, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

Mr Paxton opened proceedings.  At previous festivals he's gone by the name 'Blind Boy Paxton'.  The name may have altered, but he remains as entrancing as ever.  Musically adept, vocally smart, and with thowaway humour to spare.  Guitar, 2 banjos (one of 1848 vintage!), harmonica and piano.  Plus those relaxed vocals .  Paxton is a comfortable performer with his very own laid back style who can manage an audience and plays gorgeous old fashioned blues.  It felt like this performance should have been in monochrome, so strong was the feeling of an old back porch in the 1920s or 30s.  Wonderful, and should really have been the headline act.

I've seen Doug MacLeod a couple of times before, the last occcasion six years ago.  So it was a bit of a shock to see how those years have aged him, and that smooth voice has lost some of it's ability to charm.  But the guitar playing and storytelling faculties are undimmed.  He has a long history as a bluesman, one of the traditional kind, even though he sings only self-penned material.  That brings with it a welath of tales and personalities he's encountered, many of them transformed into lyrics.  MacLeod may not quite be the force he once was, but still a marvellous entertainer.

Mark Harrison is an odd bird, especially for a headline act of a Blues Afternoon.  From Coventry, abd backed by upraight bass and drums, Harrison sings, playes guitar, and tells stories, voices opinions.  He's certainly not the quality of musician that we'd seen with paxton and MacLeod.  Nor is is singing voice that great really.  Some of his opinions seem more like moans.  The song lyrics often lack imagination and so many of the basic riffs seem similar.

And yet... The deadpan humour works well, and can make him easy to identify with.  Both drums and bass offered up excellent solos.  The songs were decent enough to get the toes tapping and there were plenty of laughs.  So maybe this was a performance that was better than the sum of it's parts.  Low key enjoyable.

Mr Sipp, Spiegeltent, George Square, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

 Castro Coleman, aka Mr Sipp, back in the Spiegeltent for another powerful session of Mississippi Blues.  With backing from bass, keyboard and drums, Sipp launched into some classic blues songs.  Low on lyrics (and, sometimes, morality!), but high on muiscality and panache.  He doesn't talk a lot, but his comments are usually funny, occaisonally informative.  I usually feel a bit short changed by performers who don't give something of themselves in between numbers, explaing why this song or that tune made the set, becasuse that's the key to understanding their personality.  But Sipp is an exception - his performance IS his personality!  Part of which includes his walkabout through the audience (and in whoich he used me as a cushion at one point!) on an extended extemproised solo (he uses a wireless guitar pickup) to spread the love.

If there was a criticism it was the sense that the gig was back to front, and it would have been better to have the second half first and vice versa.  The later set included gospel ballads, gentler numbers, and audience participation.  While the first felt a lot roickier, and included that walkabout.  It also had an excellent solo from the drummer, which hinted at further solos to come from keys and bass - but nothing emerged.  

But if the only real fault I can find lies in the structure of the gig, well, I think it can still be amrked down as one of the best of the festival.  The singing is good, the playing excellent, and the vibes top notch.  Go see this guy.

Rose Room, Spiegeltent, George Square, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

 

Scotland's leading Gypsy Jazz band features Seonaid Aitken on fiddle and vocals, Conor Smith on lead guitar, rhythm guitarist (and occasional singer) Tam Gallagher, and Jimmy Moon on upright bass. Not a tribute act, but a loving evocation of the era and music made famous by Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grapelli. They played numbers from the canon, their own versions of other jazz standards, and the odd modern composition.

Aitken has a sweet voice, perfectly suited to the crooning style, and if she doesn't quite match Grapelli (but who does?) she does a mighty fine job of trying. Plenty of imagination in her phrasing, and technical excellence. the arrangements are clever too. Smith is more than her match, with a lovely touch and inventive style. Their duet sections were a delight.

Gallagher got up for one song, a joyously rendered version of Everybody Wants to be a Cat, from Disney's Aristocats. That got the audience involved! And while Seonaid did pretty much all the talking, introductions and jokes, Tam had his sort, relating the tale of how the band came about, but without the modesty that Aitken had been using to cover up the real story. Tam had wanted her as a violinist, and the discovery of how good her vocals were was a huge bonus _so that the money could be split four ways rather than five!

A wonderful ninety minutes that got a deserved standing ovation.  

Blues Afternoon (Al Brown and the Bluelighters, Grainne Duffy, King Size Slim), Spiegeltent, George Square, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

 An afternoon featuring two rocking blues bands and... something else.  I'm not entirely sure what the latter could be called, but it was certainly memorable and entertaining!

Al Brown and rthe Bluelighters are a 4 piece Scottish band featuring Brown himself on lead vocals and electric guitar, backed by acoustic guitar, upright bass and drums.  A good start to the session, being a more than competent blues band, mostly playing standards, who could also put on a bit of a show.  Brown has his amusing moments, while the bassman was a joy to watch at times.  Decent solos from all four.  Brown took the bulk of the lead guitar parts.  Which was a shame, as my preference was for the purer sound of the acoustic instrument, rather than the dirtier tones of the electric.  But no matter, it was an enjoyable set to get things going.

Next up an Irish blues guitarist and singer, with an excellent voice and strong rocking style.  Backed by a drummer, a very cool looking bass player, and another guitarist who pplayed his solos in a more grungy style to the leader, Duffy sang a selection of her own material and the odd classic.  Her rendition of Etta James' I'd Rather Go Blind was one of the best I've heard, both vocally and in the empathetic nature of her guitar solo.  A step up in quality from the first act, for sure, but a trifle over amplified.

King Size Slim are another four piece band, from Hastings on the south coast, comprising drums, upright bass, sax and guitar.  On the latter was leader and singer Toby Barelli who, it seems fair to say, is a hard man to classify.  Which applies to the band as a whole.  Musically they were less striking than either of the preceding acts.  But for sheer entertainment they were in a class of their own.  Funny, unpredictable, drawing in their audience and making them a part of the show.  The songs are decent enough, but it's all about the poerformance.  Hilarious and memorable.

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.

Blues Afternoon (Sandy Tweedale Band and Gus Munro, Big Boy Bloater, Martin Harley Trio), Spiegeltent, George Square, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

 Opening act was the trio fronted by one of Scotland's best known, and best, blues guitarists, Sandy Tweedale. Backing from drums and electric bass. But Sandy largely stood aside and let his guest, Gus Munro, take the spotlight. No bad thing, as Munro has a good blues voice, his own style of guitar playing, and an engagingly laid back stage persona, complete with dry humour. Tweedale's guitar solos still took the plaudits though, and gave us the ideal start to our three hours.

Next up came English act Big Boy Bloater. Another singer and guitarist backed by bass and drums. He certainly is a big boy, and has an enjoyably sub-Waits edge to his vocals. The backing is tight, the guitar playing decent enough, and he engages with the audience. But this is one set that never quite made the connection with the audience, and it all felt a big flat after BBB's time on stage.

Fortunately Woking's Martin Harley was in anchor position and saw out the afternoon in style. Less rocky, more bluesy, and so laid back. Drums and bass once again provided the backing, but Harley is a very different guitarist from what came before, as well as being a much better singer and songwriter. And a good raconteur too. Acoustic blues guitar, and dobro on his lap, provided a purer sound, and he's a master of the slide. This set took us to different worlds and soundscapes, and raised the tone considerably. If Harley is back next year then I want to see him.

Nirek Mokar and his Boogie Messengers, Spiegeltent, George Square, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

 

A French, four piece, multigenerational line up. Drums, guitar, sax and the titular star on piano. Mokar is in his early twenties, and stated that wind man Claude Brand was 74. The latter's high energy performance belied that fact.

Boogie Woogie features in their name, and in their repertoire, but there is so much more to their overall performance. Jazz, swing. blues, even some rock influences, make for an eclectic sound. Mostly original compositions, but the odd classic thrown in.

I mentioned energy before, and that, and virtuosity, are the hallmarks of their stage presence. Tremendous solos from all four members, but with Mokar always the pick of the bunch for his power, sensitivity and imagination. He's a decent enough vocalist too, and can be pretty funny in his slightly stilted English.

The standing ovation at the end was well earned and wholly deserved. Great music, great show, great theatre. If Mokar returns in future then so will we.

Blues Afternoon (Conor Selby Band, Troublemakers with Maggie Bell), Spiegeltent, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

 CONOR SELBY BAND

Selby is a young singer/songwriter from England, with his (mostly) youngish band in support. Drums, bass, rhythm guitar and keys back up the leader who sings and plays lead guitar. Despite their age, and playing mostly Selby's own material, it soon becomes apparent that what we're listening to is a classic 60s R&B band. And a good one at that.

Much of the 60s feel comes from the organ of Stevie Watts, who shares the solos with Selby's strings, and is a strong presence within the lineup. The 60s vibe is enhanced by the rhythm guitarist, with his floral short and Lennon shades.

There was a '64 Ray Charles song, and a Selby composition relating to his own lifelong love for the blues and what it meant to him. But much of the time the band went straight from one song to another, with no introduction. Which was a shame, as Selby speaks well when the mood takes him. His singing voice is competent, albeit unremarkable, but oh why do UK singers so often adopt US intonations? Be yourselves guys.

A good opening set that got the audience in the mood for what was to follow.

TIM ELLIOTT AND THE TROUBLEMAKERS

It was Scotland all the way from now on. From deepest Livingston came Tim Elliott, veteran front man of Blues 'n Trouble, now well into his seventies. But still a blues man to his core. Accompanied by one one the country's finest guitarists, Sandy Tweedale, and Chris Agnew of the Rezillos on upright bass. With such a strong and experienced line up the quality was no surprise.

They mixed classic 20s and 30s blues with R&B from the 60s (a Yardbirds number stood out), plus some of the Elliott's own songs from his band, into a melange that gave variety and a strong urge to move the body. Tim's voice remains passionate and colourful, while his harmonica playing has real feeling for the genre. Agnew is as solid as they come, while much of Tweedale's playing is mesmerising. Fifty minutes flew by.

MAGGIE BELL

A short break and Tweedale and Agnew returned, this time with another septuagenarian of even greater legend. Maggie Bell has been belting out the blues since the sixties and has a huge variety of material on call. And any set that begins with Free's Wishing Well promises much. Bell delivers. And how.

Rough as a badger's arse, and all the better for it, her vocals remain powerfully distinctive, with constant improvisation and such a strong musical sensibility. An instrument of power and subtlety, best described, as she said herself, as pure gallus.

The voice is backed up by a great stage presence, enhanced by an audience that wasn't shy in showing exactly where their loyalties lay. Bell is a fan favourite, and not just for her voice. An entertainer supreme, she can be hilariously funny, has a deep river of anecdotes, and knows how to get a crowd involved. Even if it meant signing along to a Kylie song!

Long my the Legend of Maryhill keep on rocking.

Sister Cookie, Spiegeltent, George Square, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

 Cookie emerged, in the dark, and sat at the grand piano. With her back to the audience. Sang three songs, without ever showing her face. On came the band, a four piece outfit of drums, bass, guitar and sax. And still she sat at the piano for the next number. Only then when more than twenty minutes had passed, did she come to the mic centre stage and show herself. Maybe it's just me, but I found this an odd way to start a show and get an audience on your side. So it took me a while to get into the swing of the music.

And swing it does. Cookie's voice is deep, resonant and expressive, although the quality drops holding longer notes. The songs are mostly self penned, sometimes touch on depression, often dealing with how difficult she is to have a relationship with. She laughs loudly and frequently and has a great time up there, a big presence in all senses. Her band a solid appendance, with good solos from sax and guitar, and an excellent bass player.

It was slow getting going, but ended up being an enjoyable show and a fun time.

Rachel Lightbody, St Brides, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

 Backed by a four piece band (drums, upright bass, piano and sax), Lightbody sang a wide range of her favourite songs, from Jerome Kern to The Beatles. Her music is very much of the free jazz persuasion, and there are plenty of solo opportunities for all the band members. Rachel is an engaging personality, and her enthusiasm and warmth bubbles over into her introductions. She was clearly enjoying every minute of the evening.

I'm probably not the right person to be reviewing this gig. While I loved, and was greatly impressed by, the quality of her voice, the freeform nature of the music did little for me. I have to admit that a bit of melody and rhythm are a necessity to me. In her intro to here Comes the Sun, probably the best known of the songs in her set, she encouraged the audience to sing along. Nobody did, because how can you join in when only fragments of the original tune are left to recognise?

In the end I think I enjoyed the introductions, and the pleasure on Lightbody's face, more than I did the actual music!

The James Oliver Band, St Brides, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

 

Let the clichés commence.

Appearances can be deceptive

or

You can't judge a book by it's cover.

The band is announced and on walk a couple of obvious rockers, to take their places with drums and pace. Followed by a shambling giant who looks like he's dressed at the last minute. Grabbing the first things of the rail in a charity shop. In the dark. The bottle top glasses and sing-song Welsh accent further dispel any resemblance to every guitar hero stereotype you've ever come across. But let none of that fool you. Oliver is the real thing.

Oliver is high energy, hilarious, and a virtuoso of blues rock guitar.  Plus being a competent enough singer.  His material skips across genres, covering rockabilly, blues, country and pure rock.  Tunes from his wide range of guitar and musical heroes, and slef pennd songs too.  A few instrumentals.  There was a beautiful rendition of Peter Green's soulful Albatross that carried the listener back in time.

But Oliver has his own style, and injects imagination into everything he plays.  There's nothing predictable about the solos, which take the rules of each genre and bend them to his own wishes.  But, alongside the musical output, an Oliver gig is a lot of fun.  Unless you simply found it all a bit loud then it's hard to imagine anyone not getting some genuine enjoyment from the show, even if only from watching the man move about the stage.  

He brought a few local guests on towards the end.  Richard O'Donnell and John Bruce, both well respected blues guitarists, delivered fine solos, and tired to 'duel' with the main man.  While O'Donnell just about kept up, Bruce laughed and admitted defeat to the talent of the younger man.  The final guest was vocalist Liz Jones, the only one of the three who could say she did a better job than Oliver!  A rocking finale from the basic trio closed the show, to a standing ovation.

James Oliver has a new fan.

Jed Potts and Hillman Hunters, St Brides, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

A rocking blues set from Potts (guitar and vocals), Charlie Wild (bass) and Jonny Christie (drums), playing a very varied mix of established Hunters songs (and tunes), covers (a Johnny Winter number stood out), and new material commissioned by the EJBF. Potts keeps the chat to a minimum, and has his humourous moments, but the focus is very much on the music.

The trio form a tight outfit, Potts has a decent singing voice without being especially memorable, a diverse range of riffs, and the odd spark of imagination in his solos. The melodies are often simple, but the arrangements smart and embrace a range of tempos and influences. Christie's percussive contribution draws the eye. A solid beat enhanced with constant variations, some good solos, and and impressive intro to a couple of numbers.

You'll see better bands at the Festival, but Potts and co lay on a good show and you'd never feel short changed from seeing them.

Blues Afternoon (Michael Roach, Andrew Eustace Band, Marcus Bonfanti Band), Spiegeltent, George Square, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

 MICHAEL ROACH

Cool. In his cream suit and beige homburg he came on stage looking like the epitome of the Mississippi blues man. Which he was. And funny, from the off. Played a good variety of blues songs, mostly from 20s, 30s and 40s. Simple melodies, which allowed him not to tax his voice. He might not be the greatest singer technically, but he sings well within himself, almost conversationally, and the phrasing is often clever. And, as he says himself, he specialises in a bit of smut, so even the lyrics could be amusing at times. But the guitar playing is another matter. An unusual style that makes him a bit special, with sharp, clipped notes and a very clear sound. A great, and relaxed, warm up act.

ANDREW EUSTACE BAND

A pretty typical RnB band. Drums, bass, and Eustace himself on guitar and vocals, playing a mix of original material and blues standards. Musically solid, and certainly well above pub band standard. But lacking the spark of originality that sorts out the good from the great. Eustace's solos were more than competent, but always felt predictable, very much in keeping with the genre without adding anything to it. The exception was the bass player, on 5 string bass, who constantly drew the eye (and not just because he was slightly reminiscent of comedian Greg Davies!). Adding a layer of complexity to the underlying soundscape, and provided a wonderful bass solo, to suggest that he was the best thing about this trio. All good enough, but not exciting.

However...

MARCUS BONFANTI BAND

Another trio of drums bass (this time of the upright variety) and guitarist/vocalist, but these Blues Afternoons always try to save the best for last, and this was very much the case here. Defining charisma is never easy, but it was immediately clear that Bonfanti has it. Full of character, humour, with the talent in both vocals and string playing to back it up. There was plenty of variety in the material, including originals, blues classics, jazz and even a bit of ragtime. Lots of variety in tempo and style.

Bonfanti has a strong singing voice, deep and powerful, although his phrasing and intonation is American, despite the clear London origins of his speaking tones. The guitar playing brought everything that Eustace lacked, with frequent forays into the unexpected and a constant demonstration of a vibrant musical imagination. And the same could be said for the very characterful bassman. I don't think I've ever sat through a seventy minute gig with so many bass solos (and quite a few contributions from the man at the back too), reflecting Bonfanti's lack of selfishness, and just how accomplished the man on the big wooden box was. There was clearly a great relationship and empathy within the trio, and that flowed into their performance, both accomplished and joyful.

But there was no doubting who the star of the entire show was, and I hope I get to see more of Marcus in the future.

Blues Afternoon (Blue Milk, Blind Boy Paxton, Brandon Santini with Mud In Your Ear), Spiegeltent, George Square, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

 A young Glasgow based blue quartet for openers.  Dulux Dog lookalike Jonny McGiffen on guitar and lead vocals, Ike Malinki on bass, Taylor Whyte as the drummer and Leo S Glaister blasting out harmonica.  They didn't say much to begin with, just threw out a couple of numbers to show what they could do, and became chattier, funnier and more relaxed as the set went on.  McGiffen's vocals don't do clarity, but have an edginess and directness that's engaging.  The arrangements are richly textured and solos nicely matched.  They play to a high standard but have the sense to stay within their own limits.  I liked that on Black Magic Woman there was no attempt to out-Carlos Mr Santana, and the result was excellent.  The harmonica gave a real blues feel to the music, and the drum solo from Whyte was a highlight.  Even from his position at the back of the stage it was clear he's a charismatic character.

I'm sure I wasn't the only new fan the boys picked up on the day. 

Things quietened down for the middle act, a solo performance from Blind Boy Paxton.  What a character!  A naturally laconic comedian and raconteur, multi instrumentalist, with an unmistakably Mississippi Blues voice.  Anyone who enjoys the blues, and a good time, would love this man.

From the off he's engaging, dryly humourous and laughing at his own jokes.  Around him he has guitar, 5 string banjo and fiddle.  And from his voluminous overalls produces a variety of items - harmonicas, jew's harp, clackers.  There's a piano over the the right of the stage.  Looking back it's amazing how he managed to fit all those in, whilst singing and joking and storytelling too.  A genuine all round entertainer in the most laid back style.

And the music?  Of a very high standard, with his fiddle solo being a special treat.  Great singing, great playing, and a great time for the entire spiegeltent.  Not to be missed if you ever get the chance.

Another American to end the afternoon, harmonica master Santini and  with hugely experienced Edinburgh blues duo Mud In Your Ear.  The latter consisting of Allan Jones on guitar and Richard O'Donnell on keyboard and guitar.  Slow and mournful, fast and driving, quirky and funny - an eclectic mix of tunes and songs and tempos.  All three took their turns as lead vocalist, all three bringing different styles and qualities.  Jones has a never ending well of stories about the blues, Santini can also tell a good tale, and this was another set where the audience were drawn into involvement.  All three are excellent and imaginative soloists, but there was no doubting Santini's star quality when he made that tiny instrument wail and warble like an extension of his voice. It was all over too soon.

A comment that applied to the whole afternoon.  This was the best Blues Afternoon I went to in this festival, and maybe the best I've ever experienced.  Three great acts, all with very varied approaches to the blues, with the constant thread being that most essential blues element, the harmonica.  Wonderful.

James Brown is Annie & The Hamish Stuart Band, Assembly Hall, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

 Edinburgh's own funk and R&B band is a slick outfit, here playing as a septet with three decent lead vocalists to choose from and the ability to swap instruments around to suit each song's needs.  Drums, bass, guitars, keyboard plus both tenor and alto sax.  Another outfit to mix up classic numbers from the genre, plus some of their own material, and lots of variety in style and tempo.  A friendly bunch too, full of enjoyment, happy to interact with their audience and have a good time.  Some impressive solos, especially from the guitarist who started out as the bass player, and the alto sax.  A really fun set and I'd have been happy if they'd been on all night.

Confession time.  I hadn't really heard of Hamish Stuart, although, of course, I did know of The Average White Band.  So I wasn't quite prepared for the legend treatment he received for a clearly adoring audience.  But he knew exactly what to expect and traded on it with some charm.    Stuart certainly has stage presence, and I can't fault anyone who expresses their dislike for tories and admiration for the videos of Janey Godley!

But his singing voice is clearly suffering as he ages, although the phrasing is good and he can muster an impressive falsetto.  He was backed by a talented band, most, like the man himself, in the veteran category.  Drums, bass, lead guitar, keyboard.  The latter was the youngest of the bunch and by far the best soloist, although I enjoyed the bass player's too.

The afficionados were in heaven , and would disagree with me no doubt, but JBiA were the highlight of the evening.