Monday 11 August 2014

Power of soul at The Wishing Well, Hayes.




For Robyn and me, it's all got a bit too hard - so while we had a whole choice of music on Saturday night there wasn't any argument.

If you can only get a couple of hours together we knew what we needed, we headed down to the Wishing well in Hayes to catch 'The Power of Soul'.

It's not cutting edge, it's not going to change the world.

The band certainly aren't the youngest but then a table of ladies in the pub were having a bet on how old I was. The sweepstake ran from 67 years to 75. I know I've been having a tough time recently (and believe me I have), but that's quite a way out, ladies.

Here's the band's history;



      Founder members Gavin Barnett (bass ex Albert Lee) and Ted Cullen
      (trombone ex Scratch Perry) have kept the flag flying for Classic Soul
      music and with accomplished accomplices in Adrian Barry (vocals), highly
     
      acclaimed guitarist Steve Kempson, plus George Lee (alto sax ex Jimmy

     Cliff and the Amboy Jukes) all powered by the drummer’s drummer the
     amazing Mac Poole (whose Soul background included taking over the drum
     stool in top Birmingham Soul band Locomotive to let  his pal John Bonham
     leave to try his luck with Led Zeppelin).
So we are talking experience and style here and it showed.

There were all the soul classics you'd expect; the best that Motown has to offer.

And the pub was soon on its feet;

 
   
                                                   
And it takes some doing to thaw out either of us these days, but they managed it;


                                           
 
As the evening moved on, the beers started to work and by the third session there was a bit of jamming - a bonus for me; stylish instrumental music played with real blues and soul.
 
Then Adrian Berry got out his own guitar and the Funk started; a couple of Prince numbers. A little Bob Marley too and suddenly midnight was just a memory.
 
It's just a shame that real life comes barging in through the door when the music stops.
 
Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
 
 
 
 
 

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