Feast of Blues classics has audience hungry for more

BRUCE FORMAN was certainly right when he described the difference between jazz and the Blues from the Globe stage on Thursday night. He said Blues musicians played three chords to a thousand people, and while this number may be exaggerated, the Globe was full to brimming on Friday night as the annual Blues Night filled the Jazz Festival’s main bill.

Great show: Bullfrog Rata performs at the Jazz Festival main bill on Friday night. Fine performances were evident throughout.

The inimitable Bullfrog Rata took to the stage at the start of the evening, putting the audience in fine spirits with Ain’t Superstitious and Parchman Farm, ably supported by Paul Dredge on the bass and Earl Pollard on the drums. They were soon joined by the notable New Zealand blues harp player, Terry Casey, for some great renditions of I’m Ready and T Bone. Tony Faulkner then joined the lineup with some driving bass work.

Probably the highlight of the first half, for me anyway, was Dean Parkinson and Bullfrog’s beautiful rendition of the Paul Ubana-Jones number Daddy Don’t Live Here, Parkinson’s poignant saxophone work superbly matching Bullfrog’s haunting melodic line, again wonderfully supported by Dredge, this time at the piano. This half was bought to a rousing conclusion as Mahia Blackmore took the stage with strong voice and prepossessing manner.

The second half rocked as Shayne Hurricane Wills took to the stage, soon to be joined by Terry Casey for a performance of Room to Move featuring a Blues harp duet that brought the house down.

This was quickly followed by Gimme Some Lovin’ featuring a crowd-pleasing performance by Faulkner on the vocals.

Janine Knapp romped through a set including such numbers as I Can’t Stand the Rain and Love Me Like a Man, as highlight after highlight was greeted enthusiastically by the audience. The evening concluded with great renditions of Take Me to the River and Walk On, by all involved. There can be no doubt that this was a wonderful swampfulla blues, featuring a huge variety of extraordinary talent, sending home a very content audience indeed.

REVIEW

Bullfrog Rata and a Swampfulla Blues.
The Manawatu International Jazz Festival.
The Globe Theatre, Friday, June 4th.
Reviewed by Stephen Fisher.

Published courtesy of Manawatu Standard.