JOOLS HOLLAND & HIS RHYTHM & BLUES ORCHESTRA + GALIA ARAD – BRIGHTON CENTRE 10.12.22
What better way to warm the cockles of our hearts and banish our blues last night than joining the annual New Orleans family party that is Jools Holland & His Rhythm and Blues Orchestra in the lead up to Christmas? Holland was the ringmaster for the evening and amazingly accomplished pianist, expertly introducing his guests, who included his long-serving and beloved piano, as well as showcasing all his excellent band members to a sold-out Brighton Centre.
So, what do we know about Jools Holland OBE? He was a founder member of Squeeze, he is now known as a pianist, bandleader, TV and radio presenter, singer and composer, he is not quite a renaissance man but he has in-depth knowledge of the musical fields which interest him. The styles which interest him most appear to be boogie-woogie, blues, soul, gospel, ska and rocking rhythm and blues, but his wide choice of guests on ‘Later… with Jools Holland’ reflect his even wider ranging taste and demonstrate that he is open to many forms of musical creativity. In interviews Holland acknowledges that he has been blessed to have worked with some of the greatest artists in the world and that his true love remains playing live with other excellent musicians to a responsive audience.
On this year’s tour Holland’s Rhythm and Blues Orchestra contains seventeen amazingly professional musicians, Ruby Turner and the man himself. First up on stage, Holland wasted no time launching into ‘Morris Dance’, his flying fingers on the keys projected onto the backdrop screen, and then played a lively new ska song, written in collaboration with Ben Okri. Now joined by his orchestra, Holland expertly rendered versions of boogie woogie classics and blues numbers with band members’ solos peppering the set throughout. Guests Sumudu Jayatilaka and Louise Marshall were introduced, the former’s relaxed jazzy vocals contrasting with Marshall’s smooth, strong and more soulful renditions. Marshall’s sensitive singing on ‘I Went By’ was particularly fine. Holland chatted between songs, recalling how his mum had introduced him to Jelly Roll Morton and his Grandma had laughed time and time again when advising him to “never pick your wife from a photo as you can’t see what she’s like round the back”.
Following a drum solo from Gilson Lavis, Holland and his orchestra took the pain away from many disappointed audience members after England’s failure to reach the World Cup semi-finals. The tension had been palpable up to this point in the auditorium as those interested audience members had been holding their breath awaiting the result whilst enjoying the music.
Holland introduced Lulu as his next guest and the party atmosphere solidified. Who would have thought that that cheeky young Glaswegian singing ‘Shout’ with soulful gusto in the sixties would continue producing great music over the ensuing decades, collaborating with so many greats in the process. I remember watching both her TV show in the late sixties and her winning the ‘Eurovision Song Contest’, but she has also recorded a Bond theme, written hit songs for the likes of Tina Turner, had an intermittent acting career on stage and screen, and hosted radio and TV shows. Lulu, dressed in a black jacket with sequined padded shoulders, black jeans, hat and sunglasses, spryly owned the stage as she blasted her way through rousing performances of ‘Hit The Road Jack’, ‘Unchain My Heart’ and, of course, ‘Shout’.
Ruby Turner, who has been a close friend of Holland’s and accompanied him over many tours, was the last guest, her powerful gospel voice soaring out in ‘Stay With Me (Baby)’. The upbeat ‘Informer’ provided a good contrast, further proof, if we needed it, that Turner’s vocals are seriously under-valued.
“Songs are a little like lanterns; they need to be illuminated and if you manage to get the right artist then the song comes to life” Holland has said in an interview and his concerts always manage to achieve this illumination for the benefit of his audiences. “I always think that paradise is now”. So do we, Jools, after watching you, your fabulous orchestra and guests.
Band:
Jools Holland – piano/guitar
Ruby Turner – vocals
Louise Marshall – vocals
Sumudu Jayatilaka – vocals
Gilson Lavis – drums
Mark Flanagan – guitar
Dave Swift – bass
Christopher Holland – organ/piano
Phil Veacock – saxophone
Michael ‘Bammi’ Rose – saxophone
Derek Nash – saxophone
Anna Brooks – saxophone
Nick Lunt – baritone saxophone
Roger Goslyn – trombone
Fayyaz Virji – trombone
Winston Rollins – trombone
Jason McDermid – trumpet
Jon Scott – trumpet
Chris Storr – trumpet
Setlist included:
‘Morris Dance’
‘Untitled’ new ska song recently written by Holland with Ben Okri
‘Forgive Me’
‘One o’clock Boogie’ (Count Basie cover)
‘Trouble In Mind’ (Richard M. Jones cover)
‘Air On A G String’ (Johann Sebastian Bach cover)
“Drum solo” by Gilson Lavis
‘After The Lunch’ (Wendy Cope cover) with Louise Claire Marshall
‘I Went By’ with Louise Claire Marshall
‘Oh Marie’ (Louis Prima cover)
‘Boogie Woogie’ (Count Basie and his Orchestra cover)
‘Hit The Road Jack’ (Percy Mayfield cover) with Lulu
‘Unchain My Heart’ (Ray Charles cover) with Lulu
‘Shout’ (Isley Brothers cover) with Lulu
‘Informer’ (Snow cover) with Ruby Turner
‘Bye, Bye, Blackbird’ (Mort Dixon cover) with Ruby Turner
‘Stay with Me (Baby)’ (Jerry Ragovoy and George Weiss song & Lorraine Ellison cover) with Ruby Turner
‘Roll Out Of This Hole’ with Ruby Turner
‘He Is The Light’ (Al Green cover) with Ruby Turner
(encore)
‘All You Need Is Love’ (Beatles cover)
‘Enjoy Yourself (It’s Later Than You Think)‘ (Prince Buster cover)
‘Well Alright’ (Mayme Watts & Sid Wyche cover)
Support came in the form of singer-songwriter, Galia Arad, Indiana-born, currently living in Dublin and originally classically trained. Arad describes her musical style as Bob Dylan meets Britney Spears.
Her short set was full of well-crafted songs reflecting her life experiences to date, some sad, some less so, but all beautifully sung with an acoustic guitar as accompaniment. Arad’s hunt for a boyfriend, “Can anyone out there recommend their brother, son or friend? I’m looking for a man over 35 who is nice and funny”, brought her obvious humour to the fore. She told us she liked Mike the sound man, but thought she had lost any chance of reciprocal interest by embarrassing him. Her quirky sense of humour was evident again when explaining the origins of her song ‘The Elvis Costello Song’. Arad had received an email from Elvis Costello and was so excited that she told everyone at work, all family and friends, only to discover shortly afterwards that her ‘friend’ Bob had sent the email pretending to be Costello.
Arad ended her set with the song ‘Ooh La Baby’, a catchy number about the mistake of falling in love with an Irish man, but my favourite song of Arad’s was about gratitude, a polished number which connected with her audience and showcased her vocals.
Setlist included:
‘The Elvis Costello Song’
‘Gratitude’
‘Ooh La Baby’
