LIL' JIMMY REED BRINGS OLD SCHOOL BLUES TO TEMPERANCE
Review
What an absolute honour to be at this performance in the Temperance basement watching maybe the last of the old school Blues masters ply his trade alongside his longstanding and amazing band, on the organ Bob Hall and on the bass Hilary Blythe the former mesmerising me with stories of playing alongside Chuck Berry.
After soundcheck had a little time to chat to Mr Lil' Jimmy Reed (Leon Atkins) such a gent with so many stories from the old days, and taking along a mounted print of mine from 2015 at the WFF, he was genuinely pleased and even gave me one of his harmonicas in return which I will of course treasure (he said next time we meet he wants me to play it! - beginners guide to the harmonica book coming up!)
Then I took Jimmy on a search to find batteries for his guitar remote and I felt like a king (pun intended!)
The audience went wild when Jimmy stepped onto the floor and then the blues licks and tricks kept coming from all angles as he tore through the likes of the tongue-in -cheek ‘TV Mama', Hoochie Coouchie Man', ‘Gong To New York' and being an Elvis fan loved the blues tunes he coverd during his career ‘Big Boss Man', Baby What You Want Me To Do' and ‘Reconsider Baby'.
Along with his electrifying guitar skills his harmonica playing was breathtaking (love the sound of the harmonica), his voice just perfect for singing the blues and his stage presence immense, while his tales from the old days had the audience captivated.
The applause at the end of each number was deafening you could tell that the audience was chock full of Blues aficionado's savouring every morsel and so into the music.
What a show what a legend, loved every second and at the young age of only 84 hope he remembers us and comes back to Leamington.
11/10 (if you were there you know what I mean)
Andrew Lock
