News

Capital Blues History

Capital Blues Inc. has a long history and it’s getting longer! Some of those people involved in shaping the club from behind the scenes have also kindly contributed their stories.

The year Pip Payne got the blues club off the ground in Wellington was quite a year for music all around. An ad in the Wellington Evening Post shows that the first ever Roomfulla Blues show was at The Venue, Thursday 6 June 1996!

In November 1997 the first BluzNuz newsletter for the Roomfulla Blues gig, sponsored by the Lion’s Club at Bill Direen’s, announced the following acts:

  • Kokomo Blues CD release party
  • Bullfrog Rata
  • Billy TK Junior
  • Darren Watson

December 1997 :

  • Capital Blues Xmas Party with Kayte and the Barflies and Neil Billington Band
  • John Hammond and Duke Robillard @ the James Cabaret
  • Roomfulla Blues jam set

Next followed a series of events; Zebos hosting Kokomo Blues, Summer City Jazz and Blues Series (Darren Watson & the Overnight Sensations, the Ronnie Taylor band, Roomfulla Blues house band Dougal Speir, Dave Murphy, Neil Billington and Marg Layton), Byron Bay Festival, Hamilton Blues Club, a Sunday 2-3 Radio Active Blues Show, and a Radio Access Blues Show.

Other gigs featured and advertised by the BluzNuz around the same time were:

  • Ben Harper @ the Town Hall
  • The Velox Bros at Bill Direens
  • Neville Bros- MFC
  • Tony Joe White- James Cabaret
  • Marg, Bill lake, Andrew, Chris @ Kapiti Live
  • BB King
  • Amazing Rhythm Aces
  • Julian Dixon and Matt Hay
  • Shayn Wills
  • The Behemoths (Darren Bob Smith, Richard Te One, Darren Hancock)
  • Pip Payne
  • Dave Murphy
  • The Pauas

As we said- it was a great time for music!!!!

The club’s weekly CD raffle was started and there was an NZBS contest for the best guitarist. The prize was a trip to Hamilton’s Bourbon St Blues Festival plus a Dobro guitar, 2nd prize was a Marshall amp!

The Queen’s Birthday Blues Bash featured Hammond Gamble and Kokomo Blues, and Midge Marsden and Bullfrog Rata were playing at Vincent’s, Newtown, with the Amazing Rhythm Aces, at James Cabaret.

To continue at the Roomfulla Blues were the bands

  • The Windy City Strugglers
  • Tin Pan Alley
  • Velox Bros
  • Bullfrog and the Alligators
  • The Behemoths
  • Whitireia Blues Experience

At other gigs in town at the time

  • Laura Collins and Dave Murphy
  • Winnie Winston (banjo Peddle steel–) Richard Klein
  • Grassroots Jill Brassell and Lisa Beech

Henpicked

From up Kapiti way comes HENPICKED. They’ve played at the Bristol before and now they return with quite a few more up tempo tunes. There is a kiwi flavour to Henpicked (one guy and three girls) with great vocal harmonies. Their music is gentle, humourous, and sophisticated.   Multi-talented, they surprise and delight – they also ‘dress up’ the stage.   Guitar, keyboards, bass and drums. You can hear songs from their Debut CD Astroturf  at www.henpicked.org.

Here’s a review the new album got last week off ‘Stuff’.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/local-papers/kapiti-observer/entertainment/6656195/Band-wins-Tamworth-approval

Wayne Mason and the Fallen Angels

Wayne Mason is one of New Zealand’s finest and most respected songwriters. “His songs explore the unloved, the unrequited romance, the tensions and the journey along the way….it’s not all about happy endings”, but you sure can dance to it! ”

Slashing through the undergrowth, laughing ourselves to sanity, diving head first into the future” are

  • Wayne Mason– guitar, vocals, keyboards;
  • Clinton Brown– bass;
  • Richard Te One– drums;
  • Greg Turner– guitar


Jake Stokes

For quite some time now, young Jake Stokes (17) has been coming to the Blues Club’s jam sessions and laying down some great guitar riffs. Now he’s got his own band and is playing a gig at the Bristol this month!

Jake and his blues-rock band play classics from Lightnin Hopkins to Gary Moore in a set scattered with edgy originals to get you up and out of your seat. Accompanied by some of the best musicians in the age group from all over Wellington.

Jake Stokes – lead guitar and vocals; Jack Mells– drums and vocals; Felix Bornholdt– keys; Max Apse– bass guitar and vocals

 

Steve O’Connor passes away

It was with great sadness that we learned of the death of former club member, Steve O’Connor, earlier this week. He had undergone major surgery last year to remove a large brain tumour but unfortunately succumbed to another tumour which was only discovered a few weeks ago.  Steve joined the club in 2007 and, together with his wife Cheryl, had worked on the club committee before moving back to New Plymouth in 2010.

Steve was a very talented guitarist and could play a wide range of styles but his first love was the blues – having a real appreciation for early Fleetwood Mac material along with the other 60’s Blues Boom players. Being brought up in England in the 60’s, he was also fortunate enough to have seen many of these bands when they were still touring.

Since leaving Wellington, Steve and Cheryl would make regular trips back to the capital and always coincided these trips with a jam night at the Bristol. He loved getting up and playing with the house band. The last time they were down Steve brought his Les Paul and played several of the old Mac songs – and despite still recuperating from surgery at the time – put on a stellar show.  Our sympathy goes out to Cheryl and his two children, Liam and Kerry.

The Good Ol’ Juke Joint Boys

Tonight we have vintage Chicago and West Coast electric blues
with a touch of jazz and R&B, delivered by veterans of the
Wellington music scene. Not for the faint-hearted.

Neil Billington– harp and vocals; Dougal Speir– guitar; Bob Smith–keyboards; Ross McDermot–  bass;  Richard Te One– drums; with
special guest Andrew London on guitar and vocals

Emma Davey and the Monks of Cool

Fronted by vocal powerhouse Emma Davey, the Monks
are drawn together by the natural tendency of cool to seek its own kind, known as the “gravity of cool”. They are really excited to bring you their eclectic mix of trad blues/ blues rock/ originals and Motown/soul. This is sure to get your foot tapping, head nodding, hips swaying and heart strings vibrating – or maybe just drinking, which is lucky cos you’re at The Hotel Bristol!

Emma Davey, Fiona Buchet, and Debra Sisson– vocals;

Mark Wallis– drums; Martin Robertson– bass;

Lawrence Arps– guitar; Chris Balm– keyboards http://www.wix.com/emmadaveynz/emmadaveythemonksofcool

 

Nick Granville Band

This should be a great night of jazzy blues !!!  How could you beat it? Nick Granville and Mike Petrie – two SUPERB guitar players; add in the famous/ infamous Brannagin Kaa on vocals, and the heavy weight Roomfulla Blues engine room of Richard and Elliotte (back from a hot tour of Australia with Darren Watson). whaaaa

Nick Granville- guitar

Mike Petrie- guitar and vox

Brannagin Kaa- vox  

Richard TeOne- drums

Elliotte Fuimoana– bass 

Wellington Heads

Playing a mix of old and new originals in their inimitable style – a mix of swingin’ rhythm n blues, latin feels, Americana and Hawaian sounds – in short; the music of Wellington Heads!!

A great band to dance to

Neil Worboys – guitar, harmonica, banjo, vocals; Bill Wood – guitars, vocals; Geoff Keith – Upright bass, vocals; Callum Goldie – drums, percussion; James Tait-Jamieson – saxes; Nick van Dijk – trumpet, trombone