This blues trio was something special
Bob Hall & Dave Kelly, with Hilary Blythe at Arlington Arts on Thursday, October 6
WHEN you bring three consummate musicians together with decades of experience at the top of the British blues scene, you can expect something special. Tonight did not disappoint.
Bob Hall was a founder member of The Groundhogs and Savoy Brown back in the 1960s, as well as working extensively with Peter Green and other members of Fleetwood Mac, while Dave Kelly was a member of The John Dummer Blues Band, The Blues Band with Paul Jones of Manfred Mann and his own Dave Kelly Band.
The pair met as neighbours back in the 60s and have been firm friends ever since.
The trio is completed by Bob’s partner Hilary Blythe, whose emotive folk/blues vocals and guitar and base skills have seen her work with many giants of the blues.
It was a pity the audience was not larger, but it did make for an intimate club atmosphere as the show opened with Rock This Joint, a song Bob wrote for Chuck Berry while he was touring with him, though Chuck never recorded it. There were so many highlights that it would be impossible to list them all here. The set list included a mixture of tracks penned by
Dave or Bob and classic American traditional blues.
Hilary contributed with lead vocals
A beautiful varied and well put together set to delight any traditional blues fan
on Tricks Ain’t Walking No More and Bloodhound Blues ,asongabouta woman who poisoned her husband and broke out of jail.
Their blues version of Dock Of
The Bay was exquisite as was the whimsical I Don’t Play Boogie, which like several tracks tonight detailed experiences and meetings with iconic blues musicians.
They finished with the wonderful I Can’t Get My Ass in Gear.
A beautiful varied set to delight any traditional blues fan with entertaining and highly informative commentary between songs. Wonderful.