LIVE MUSIC: Blues and Roots w/Beki Brindle Geoff Grimes, Sticky Wicket + Friends.

Unfortunately  Steve Gibbons can no longer make it but we are very happy to welcome a harmonica player/vocalist in the Chicago Blues style  ‘Honeyboy’ Hickling

Simon Honeyboy Hickling

With  additional guests Brazilian Percussionist Alex Magni  with Geoff Ockenden on Double and electric Basses and Kieth Whiddon on Mandolin.

With a back catalogue of collaborations to make your mouth, eyes and ears water, this will be a great night. With music from Mississippi, Memphis, Nashville  Chicago, and beyond.

“Seeing the Beki Brindle band is like having really great tapas. Real variety, really well presented. Beki is an exceptional guitarist with an expressive and rich singing voice. She and her group of consummate musicians both pay homage to the rich and deep musical past which inspires them and create unique and original material. Their live performances are instantly enjoyable and timelessly memorable.”- Phil Lightwood-Jones

New York Blues Hall of Fame 2014 Inductee, Beki Brindle was discovered at Indiana University by Rick Danko and Richard Manuel of “The Band,” while she was Blues Legend James “Yank” Rachell’s lead guitarist. A consummate player at an early age, Beki toured repeatedly with Jerry Lee Lewis, as his guitarist. A native of Indiana, she spent time living in Ireland where she shared the stage with Hot House Flowers, The Waterboys, members of U2 and Thin Lizzy, The Pogues and Francie Conway, as well as recording  & touring with blues artists such as Carey Bell, Johnny Mars, Joe Louis Walker, Mary Stokes Band, Tampa Red, Fenton Robinson and more. She was also commissioned by Bono of U2 to create and run a blues workshop on Irish National Television.

Although Beki is a renowned blues guitarist and singer, with a style that is a mix of classic and original blues, peppered with sounds from Chicago and The Delta, she was also the guitarist for the Warner/Reprise band Grace Pool, as well as releasing several albums featuring other guitar stylings.

In 2016, Beki’s latest blues album, “All Kinds of Beki,” released on NY Blues & Jazz label Random Chance Records, was much-lauded, including a stellar review from Living Blues Magazine (by Robert Cattaliotti). In November, Beki and her band recorded a “Live in The Studio” album in Staffordshire, UK, featuring original, classic and obscure songs by artists such as Willie Dixon, Ike Turner, The Band, Lightnin’ Hopkins and Yank Rachell. The new album,“Blue For You (Vol. 1),” promises both classic blues and originals, jam-packed with unforgettable, exuberant and raw performances.

www.bekibrindle.com

Sticky Wicket   has drummed for  The Russ Ballard Band, Steve Gibbons Band, Steve Marriott’s Packet of 3, Chris Barbers Jazz & Blues Band and The Lonnie Donegan Band. As a drummer and percussionist he has also played on gigs and/or recording sessions for Van Morrison, Jools       Holland, Bryan Ferry, Leo Sayer, Roger Daltrey, Joe Cocker, Mark Knofler, Rory Gallagher, Peter Frampton, Bryan May, Paul Young, Joe Brown, Paul Jones, Kenny Ball, Acker Bilk and many others.

Sticky is a much-respected Jazz player, drum teacher, vintage drum collector and his ‘Swing Orchestra’ Now living in Shropshire ,  and as well as all this he plays with some finelocal musicians including Mr Grimes and is regularly seen with ‘Beez Neez’ or ‘Byrdland’ often Robert Plant’s Saving Grace ( Frist seen here at Sparc )

Geoff Grimes, keys and vocals has been in the business all his working life. Starting out as a musician in the British Army playing clarinet and piano he studied at Kneller Hall, the Royal Military School of Music before becoming a London based session musician.

Working for Young Blood Records he recorded on many hits by their artists whilst working as a plugger at Radio One.

Headhunted by WEA Records he became one of the best promo men in the business, responsible for the successful airplay of artists on Warner, Electra, Asylum, Atlantic and their related labels. Atlantic became his home during the 70’s working with business legends Ahmet and Nesuhi Ertegun and Jerry Wexler.

Moving on to become the Managing Director of Warner Home Video he spent some time in the film business before moving to Shropshire.

Whilst in London he played or performed with many well known artists including Van Morrison, Jimmy Page and members of AC/DC. More recently he played organ in Ricky Cool and the Hoola Boola Boys for more than 10 years and has worked in bands with Steve Gibbons and Robert Plant.  Geoff is one of the most popular and sought after musicians in the Shropshire/Mid Wales area playing in many line ups. Committed to entertainment and having a great time.

Part of Bishop’s Castle Arts Festival