From: Bottleneck Blues [john_at_bottleneckblues_dot_com]
Sent: 29 April 2006 08:22
Subject: FW: Friday 12th May

Importance: High
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Bottleneck Blues [mailto:john_at_bottleneckblues_dot_com]
Sent: 29 April 2006 08:21
Subject: Friday 12th May
Importance: High

Hope you all have a pleasant Bank Holiday weekend.......getting up the energy for the next batch of gigs I trust!
Well last Tues was another truly superb night....notwithstanding we were up against Arsenal on the telly we got a reasonable crowd through the door.......Caroline Aiken I thought was terrific, a lovely picker & a wonderful voice, a real entertainer with the added bonus of Dave Sutherland ~ an outstanding start to the night with The Spikedrivers complimenting the first set perfectly......we shall have them both back in due course but not necessarily on the same night again, a lot depends on when Caroline is visiting the UK again...this was her first visit & I know she thoroughly enjoyed herself.  
And so on to the next gig...........
Friday 12th May 
The Bottleneck Blues Club
Zaffa, Maidstone
8:00pm 'til Late
BIG DEZ (France) 
+
Kevin Brown (UK)
 
BIG DEZ came to my attention after I received a CD in the post....Toby Walker was here & as we do, we listened to it together, a lot of the time I assign these CDs to the "Coffee Coaster" box but this one jumped out at us & we were both impressed with the quality.  I have since read several reviews ~ Digital Blues, Blues Review, Blues in Britain etc. all of which confirmed my feelings.  This is a fine band led by Phil Fernandez with not a hint of a French accent (nothing against a French accent but perhaps best left to Cajun!).  This band have just returned from Austin, Texas where they recorded their second album using some top session-men over there.  This band swings....."These cats can play!" ~ Blues Review.  "There is a lovely, almost jazzy feel to this delicious CD....cracking!" ~ Digital Blues. "I am honoured to be their friend & play on their new CD ~ Big Dez are one of the really good ones" ~ Uncle John Turner (drummer for Johnny Winter, Lightnin' Hopkins, Mike Morgan).
Kevin Brown kicks this evening off but he's not a "support" in the usual sense...he's too good...I just love what he does (& so does Mark Knopfler).  He doesn't copy anybody, he has a unique style which is unmistakably "Kevin Brown" interspersing his songs with dry humour & comment.  His new CD "Tin Church" is seriously good.  By the way, he's been recording & working with Jim Crawford, I've heard some "rough-cuts".....hope they do, one day, release some of this work!! 
Plenty of room at this gig to date so please try to support what will be yet another outstanding evening's entertainment.  I always strive to present "Mater Classes"....most of the time I think I succeed!
John.
www.bottleneckblues.com
www.thekevinbrown.com
www.bigdez.com
01634 314602
07702 554989