We received a mail from reader Nathan Samples of Los Angeles, Ca. re the Brit Blues feature of the 19th Annual Long Beach Blues Festival held on the Labor Day weekend in Long Beach California.An excerpt from the L. A. Times newspaper of Sept. 8 1998 follows. Click on the Long Beach Blues Festival logo - and hear the Yardbirds, John Mayall, Peter Green and more, supplied by RadioOnDemand.com & KLON FM "The most anticipated appearance was that of singer-guitarist Peter Green and his Splinter Group. The 51 year old musician played traditional numbers and his own early composistions such as Black Magic Woman. Green appeared distant at times, and his voice, never more than serviceable sounded foggy. But his musical voice rang true, especially on the spooky, moody instrumentals Albatross and The Supernatural, in which his signature style remained intact. Filling the air with sweet, sad, beautiful sounds, Green not only reminded us of what he had been, but showed us what he could yet be again. Original members Chris Dreja and Jim McCarty formed the core of the refurbished Yardbirds, but the quintets raucous, crowd-pleasing set was less a return to the Blues it began with in 1963 than an emphasis of its acid rock and heavy metal leanings of later outfits. Backed by his current Bluesbreakers, the 64 year old John Mayall offered the most dynamic and varied set, a blend of standard Blues and newer material and early classics, including Room To Move. He proved an adept ringleader for the show-closing jam, assembling some incredible firepower, including Keith Emerson on keys, Ronnie Earl on guitar, Mick Taylor, former Savoy Brown mainstay Kim Simmonds and the two Yardbirds for classic Blues, celebrating their own roots, rather than individual contributions to the form. It was about having good dirty fun with one's mates, and in that regard, it was one fine party !" |
