Oliver GrabowskiWhen I found out I was going to watch Jools Holland the other night I was caught between two thoughts. Was I excited or did I cringe a little? There is no denying his prowess and virtuoso when tinckling the ivories, yet at the same time there is a certain side of me that cant help thinking “do I actually like the music he will play?” Maybe it is just me but I sometimes feel like he often flogs a horse that has been dead for decades, to his credit though Im not sure anyone really cares.
Packed to the rafters, Jools comes on stage welcomed with rapturous applause and genuine delight he feeds off this well and begins with the first number. A light boogie woogie to test the waters, funking about with the drums and bass the rest of his band make it on stage just in time for their parts, playing it cool but really giving it the gusto in the brass sections. With the full band eventually coming into swing the show really gets going, intricate melodies bounce about the stage from the organ to the horns to the bass back the the horns then the backing singers. It is all masterfully played and incredible to wittness.
Showcasing the immense tallent in his band Jools regularly calls members up for solos long or short and each one is jaw dropping. Even the bass player gets a time to shine and shine he does! One of my favorite solo sections however was the drum solo, pulling off feats of sheer intricate lunacy, rolling left, right, up and down he never missed a beat and to top it all off he made it look effortless. He was so laid back he was practically lying down!
There were special guests all over the shop too from the incredible Ska ledgend Rico Rodruigez to the amazing Ruby Tuner it was a class act all round. Let’s not forget an appearance by Sandie Shaw.
Shaun Ryder also made a surpise appearance on the saxophone, playing a couple of solos for a few numbers and holding his own. Out of all the things I thought I might have seen I never expected that to happen I must say, but never the less it was a cherry on top to a fantastic eveing. As dubious as I may have been going into the gig I was soon enough won over by the music, the showmanship, the class and just the feel good factor that had everybody out of their seats and cheering along Mr Holland and his amazing Rhythm and Blues band.
