We don’t normally promote visiting bands / artists in the middle of our winter break but, when you get a chance to feature Lisa Mills at your Club, you don’t turn it down. This is going to be one very special Valentines !!!!   This gig features one of the finest female singers we have ever featured at the Club. Lisa Mills is an absolute star!

In a magnificent line-up at the Colne Blues Festival in August 2011, which included appearances by such blues luminaries as Mud Morganfield and Mavis Staples, Lisa’s appearance was widely regarded as the highlight of the Festival.

Accompanied by her long-term performing partner Ian Jennings (Big Town Playboys, Jeff Beck, Van Morrison) on double bass, she completely stole the show, filling the entire stage with the sheer force of her personality.

Mind you, this shouldn’t have surprised too many people, especially when you bear in mind Lisa’s previous appearances at Glastonbury and many other major European Festivals.

It’s a long way from south Mississippi to Glastonbury but Lisa Mills clearly feels comfortable on both sides of the Atlantic. She recorded her latest album, Tempered in Fire, at Rimshot Studios in Kent. Joining her in the studio was Andy Fairweather Low on guitar.   Lisa has also shared a stage or studio with Robert Plant, Jools Holland, and Jeff Beck, who are all guests on her most recent album.

She has also performed with Delbert McClinton, Dr John, Junior Wells and appears on a compilation CD, Live at the Talbot, with Albert Lee.

She has also featured on the cover of Blues Matters magazine (along with none other than Robert Plant and the Rolling Stones).

The use of the term ‘legend’ is often misused, especially in the entertainment industry, but in the case of Watermelon Slim (aka Bill Homans) it is certainly justified.

Bill is a truly remarkable man in every sense of the word and we are very pleased to announce that, on Tuesday 27th March 2012, he will be opening our 2nd Blues Festival.

Bill has been playing and singing the blues for over 40 years, served in Vietnam, is a committed anti war campaigner, environmentalist, and historian, yet only gave up his day job as a truck driver in 2004.

In 2005 he was nominated for the prestigious W C Handy Award (the equivalent of a Blues Oscar) under the somewhat ironic category of "Best New Artist Debut" for his album “Up Close and Personal”.

His next CD “The Wheel Man" was No. 1 Blues Album in Mojo Magazine two years running (2006 and again in 2007).

In early 2007 his album "Watermelon Slim & The Workers" won in The 6th Annual Independent Music Awards for Best Blues Album.

In 2009 his next album “No Paid Holidays” was nominated for another four Blues Music Awards.

With a total of 17 major Blues since he ‘retired’ in 2004 it seems remarkable that he is still touring but, apart from anything else, Bill is also a confirmed Anglophile. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons we are fortunate enough to be able to welcome him to Scarborough in February 2012.

Whatever you do, don’t miss this opportunity to see a truly remarkable man performing at our intimate and friendly venue here on the Yorkshire coast.

And . . . this is just the first night of a six night Festival !

NOTE: This gig is being organised by Scarborough Jazz as their contribution to the 2012 Scarborough Blues Festival

Al Morrison's Blues Experience is an 11 piece band celebrating the music of the great blues artists. They play music from the greats such as BB King, Robert Johnson, T Bone Walker, Ray Charles, Eric Clapton and many more.

They are a large band comprising 3 horns, 2 backing vocalists, 2 lead vocalists and a rhythm section.

Their lead vocalists are Juliet Roberts and John McCallum. Both are outstanding singers. Juliet has had top 40 hits both here and in the USA and was a member of Working Week. She is currently a member of the Courtney Pine Band.

John McCallum has just completed a world tour as a member of Grammy award winning Corrine Bailey Rae’s band, as both vocalist and guitarist, and appears on her 2010 Album The Sea.

The Tom Townsend Blues Band are our RESIDENT BAND and they will be playing a major part in our 2012 Festival, along with several other top blues musicians from the Scarborough area.

Others taking part in our 2012 Blues Revue will include Richard Adams, Dave Greaves, and many others

If you have never seen or heard The Tom Townsend Blues Band before, you'll probably be amazed.  All members of the band are professional musicians with outstanding pedigrees:

Tom Townsend, lead guitar and vocals,  has got to be one of the best blues guitarists in the North of England. He is reknowned for his wonderful tone.  Don't expect ranks of special effects pedals.  This guy doesn't need them.

In addition to playing the drums, Paul Tilley is a multi-instrumentalist and wonderful singer songwriter in his own right.

Mark Gordon (keyboards) is one of the most energetic and skilful keyboard players you are likely to see, and Nick Boyes (bass guitar) has gained an almost cult status at the Club with 'Nick Boyes Rocks' badges now changing hands at premium prices.

The band pay a mixture of classic 'Chicago' style blues and their own material.  Expect lots of improvisation and a fresh approach to every song.

FESTIVAL FRIDAY

Aynsley Lister / TC & The Moneymakers

Doors 7.00 pm

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AYNSLEY LISTER (7.45 pm)

We are very pleased to announce that Aynsley Lister, widely regarded as the finest blues-rock guitarists of his generation, is to open the weekend of our 2012 Blues Festival.

He has appeared at the Club several times with his band but on this occasion he will be appearing as a soloist. This will gives the audience the opportunity to fully appreciate the individual talents of this guitar virtuoso.

Aynsley is a bluesman that all age groups can identify with. He’s young, good looking, and his guitar technique has to be seen to be believed. He's also a musician who can really entrance an audience with the dexterity of his playing and he’s an absolute master of 'light and shade'.

He was the only British artist to feature in Classic Rock Magazine’s Top 10 Contemporary Blues Rock Artists (alongside the likes of The White Stripes, The Black Keys, John Mayer, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Joe Bonamassa, and Derek Trucks).

According to MoJo magazine "there is no English guitarist with more vivid musical ideas".

Doors open fore this gig at 7.00 pm and Aynsley will start his extended set at 7.45 pm. His performance will be followed by TC & The Moneymakers who will commence their extended set at 9.45 pm.

Weekend Tickets are £40. That’s approximately £6.50 per performance which, bearing in mind the quality of all the artists appearing and the size of the venue, is outstanding value for money.

You are strongly advised to order your tickets as soon as possible as there are only 100 weekend tickets available.

Aynsley Lister / TC & The Moneymakers

FESTIVAL FRIDAY

Doors Open at 7.00 pm

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TC & THE MONEYMAKERS (9.45 pm)

Everyone at Scarborough Blues Club was so impressed with TC & The Moneymakers when they first appeared at the Club that we immediately booked them for a six week residency during the summer holidays in 2011.

TC & The Moneymakers are a harmonica led band from the York area and they have gained many supporters in the Scarborough area with their house rockin’ performances and high energy sets.

They feature Tom Cocks (harmonica and vocals), Karl Moon (lead guitar), Lee Parry (bass) and Andy Westbrook (drums).

The band play a mixture of The Fabulous Thunderbirds, 1950s Chicago Blues, and West Coast Swing; all played with lots of guts and soul.

Band leader Tom Cocks already has an impressive CV. In the early 1990s he was one of the founder members of Neil Dalton & The Blue Aces, a band that played all over the North of England, including the Colne Blues Festival six years running ! During this period Tom supported many of the greats including Lazy Lester, Fruitland Jackson and Paul Lamb & The Kingsnakes.

Lead guitarist Karl Moon lives in Rillington and cut his teeth playing with various excellent bands in the York, Newcastle and Scarborough areas, including spells with The Jen Low Band and The Doc Brown Blues Band.

FESTIVAL SATURDAY

DOUBLE HEADER

Kyla Brox / Jon Amor Blues Group

Doors Open at 7.00 pm

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KYLA BROX (7.45 pm)

Kyla's voice remains a stunning example of the soul singer's art: turning up the heat by degrees, lulling and charming before unleashing emotional catharsis, and blurring the distinction between pleasure and pain like the soul greats of old.

Whether fronting the mighty Kyla Brox Band, or harnessing undiluted soul power in a duo with musical and life partner Danny Blomeley, Kyla Brox is without doubt the most authentic UK blues and soul singer of her generation.

Back in Manchester in 2001, Kyla and Danny formed a duo, occasionally augmented by old members of the child slavery band: the Kyla Brox Band was born! They plied their trade in North West pubs and clubs, before a career-making performance at Colne Blues Festival in 2002 sealed Kyla's reputation as the first lady of the British blues.

The line of development can be traced through Kyla's six albums. From the 2003 debut Window, where the tone is summery and romantic, to the acoustic Grey Sky Blue (2009), where hopes and longings are freighted with deeper emotions, via the blues/soul calling card Beware (2003), the band triumph Coming Home (2004) and the more introspective Gone (2007). The songs have developed too: the team of Brox/Blomeley have grown into a potent songwriting force, writing in the blues/soul idiom with an individual, nicely personal touch.

In an age of conveyer belt pop stars and emote-by-rote singers, Kyla Brox is the real deal

FESTIVAL SATURDAY

DOUBLE HEADER

Kyla Brox / Jon Amor Blues Group

Doors Open at 7.00 pm

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JON AMOR BLUES GROUP (9.45 pm)

UK vocalist and guitarist Jon Amor, formerly of award-winning British band The Hoax, has joined forces with long-time collaborators Dave Doherty (guitar), Chris Doherty (bass) and Simon Small (drums) to form Jon Amor Blues Group.  This group has swiftly become one of the most highly regarded blues bands on the UK circuit.

Drawing inspiration from the Blues greats of the past like Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, as well as more contemporary acts like Black Keys and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, the group's sound is powerful, raw and uncompromising.

Having spent the last ten years honing his skills as a song-writer and solo performer, the band is the perfect vehicle for the guitar-playing which brought Jon Amor to prominence with The Hoax during the nineties.

This will be their first appearance at Scarborough Blues Club

FESTIVAL SUNDAY

Babajack / Ian Siegal Band

Doors Open at 7.00 pm

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BABAJACK   (7.45 pm)

BabaJack is fast becoming one of the most popular acoustic roots bands in the UK.

This is not just our opinion:

“BabaJack is an outstanding blues, folk band. When they are on stage everyone sits up and takes notice. They have great presence and energy and it is hard to contain the fire and passion emanating from them” says Blues Matters Magazine.

“Rhythm, power and sheer groove makes their brand of blues, roots or folk - whatever you call it - addictive!” says Blues in Britain.

This wonderful trio have appeared on the main stage at Warwick, Bromyard, Bromsgrove, Wychwood and Shrewsbury Folk Festivals and at the Upton, Skegness, Gloucester, Tenby, and Buxton Blues Festivals.

They are headed by one of the most charismatic female vocalists in the UK.  Her name is Becky Tate.

Becky and partner Trevor Steger (acoustic / resonator / winebox guitars & harmonica) form the songwriting nucleus of the band.  They have recently been joined by Marc Miletitch on double bass.

They have two albums to date and their third album will be available at our Festival on 1st April.

FESTIVAL SUNDAY

Babajack / Ian Siegal Band

Doors Open at 7.00 pm

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IAN SIEGAL BAND (9.45 pm)

Multi-award winning singer and guitarist Ian Siegal is now widely regarded as one of the most natural, exciting and vibrant talents on the European blues scene.

He is a child of the seventies who dropped out of art-college in the late eighties to go busking in Germany. From the streets of Berlin he progressed to clubs around Nottingham, then to London and ultimately to major stages throughout the world.

He has toured Europe opening for ex-Rolling Stone Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings, toured with Big Bill Morganfield (son of Muddy Waters), captured the hearts of audiences in Belgium, Austria and Hungary, topped the Soul/Blues/Jazz charts in Holland and toured throughout the USA.

These are just some of the reasons why he is headlining our 2012 Festival.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to see Ian and his wonderful band performing here in Scarborough.