Blues Train

The Blues Band’s Gary Fletcher

In Association with Shades of Soul Ltd

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Last Show: Sunday 11 th September 2022

PizzaExpress Jazz Club (Soho)

Gary Fletcher – a founder member and mainstay of The Blues Band it’s entire life (together with Paul Jones, Tom McGuinness and Dave Kelly) brings his all star band to the club tonight. As well as material from his successful and highly rated recent release ‘River Keeps Flowing’ he’ll be delivering some of his songs from The Blues Band’s catalogue including the legendary ‘Greenstuff’ which effectively became the band’s anthem following its appearance on the band’s ‘Ready’ album. His mighty band includes some wonderful exponents of their respective instruments. Alan Glen, previously of The Yardbirds and Nine Below Zero, Tom Leary from Lindisfarne, Sam Kelly from the Tom Robinson Band, Nick Ritchie from Mud and Andy Billups from blues rock favourites The Hamsters. This is a very rare opportunity to catch Fletcher and his superb band in Central London. 

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"Gary Fletcher, solo artist, is worthy of much wider recognition, and The Blues Band are lucky to have such talent in their ranks."

Roy Bainton, Blues Matters

The music is a compelling mix of originals including Blues Band classics such as Gary’s composition ‘Greenstuff’ and the odd classic cover straddling blues, Americana and folk. Live he plays guitar, slide and banjo.

His latest album, released on the Repertoire Records label, is entitled ‘River Keeps Flowing’ and features the aforementioned musicians plus Paul Jones and, from Slim Chance, Charlie Hart on accordion as well as Lol Plummer on piano, Amanda Guy on alto sax and Jack Fletcher on bass.

GARY FLETCHER: RIVER KEEPS FLOWING

Repertoire Records CD review by Roy Bainton – Blues Matters magazine

"When you’ve spent four decades of your musical career playing bass in a band which includes Paul Jones, Dave Kelly, Tom McGuinness and Rob Townsend, venturing out on a solo limb requires confidence and talent. Well, that’s never been a problem for Gary Fletcher. Here’s some well-seasoned quality from a musician and composer who, as a cornerstone of the immortal warhorse of British blues, The Blues Band, is as steeped in the genre as a Mississippi hog roast. But there’s a wider emotional landscape on offer with this album. The recording quality and production are impeccable. The sinister, haunting opening track, No Shadow on The Wall, reads like a dark thriller. Don’t You Come Creeping seems to continue the theme with lines like Maybe I’m Crazy, maybe not, paranoia seems what I got. The song is beautifully framed with an almost orchestral ambience supplemented by Alan Glen’s eerie harmonica. Full credit for the top-drawer production on this CD goes not only to Gary, but is massively aided by the engineering and mastering skill of Bill Gautier. Fletcher is a thoughtful, introspective composer who knows instinctively just what instrumentation he needs to create the right mood. If you need romance, just bask in Back to Your Heart, with its ecstatic violin solo from Tom Leary. And among the starry line up there’s Paul Jones playing harp on two tracks. Gary Fletcher, solo artist, is worthy of much wider recognition, and The Blues Band are lucky to have such talent in their ranks. One of this year’s finest albums, without a doubt."

 

Band Line Up

Gary Fletcher (lead vocal, guitar, slide, banjo)

Alan Glen (harmonica)

Tom Leary (violin)

Andy Billups (bass)

Nick Ritchie (guitar)

Sam Kelly (drums)