A excellent London blues festival is taking place in London from May 29th to June in various location around town. Organised by DMP UK and our friend Joe Cushley from Balling The Jack this is a celebration of live blues music not to be missed.
John Lennon once said “The blues is a chair, not the design for a chair, or a better chair… It is the first chair.” Hip-hop guru Chuck D agreed – “Rap is the furniture, blues is the damn house…” Elvis once commented – “If you haven’t got a partner, use a wooden chair…
Future Juke Festival intends to present some of the finest chairs.
June 1st, Dingwalls – Tickets: https://bit.ly/2qMcv5U
Fantastic Negrito won the 2017 Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album. He is one of the most electrifying performers you will ever encounter. He is Bernie Sanders’ favourite bluesman. Chris Cornell personally asked him to be opening act on his final tours. The Daily Mirror wrote of ‘The Last Days Of Oakland’ – “The first great album of the post-Ali, post-Prince world.” The forthcoming, ‘Please Don’t Be Dead is even better. He will be supported by Miraculous Mule, a power trio who have revitalised British alt.blues-rock. Check out their recent 'Two Tonne Testimony' album. “Lashing voodoo grooves to a Delta moan, sounds like it was concocted by a post-modern chain gang” (Classic Rock)
June 5th, Bush Hall – Tickets: https://bit.ly/2HJoYPC
Jerron Paxton is still only in 20s, but delves into the deep history of African-American musical traditions and breathes new life into them. He's a multi-instrumentalist: guitar, banjo, piano, violin, harmonica and percussion, who has thrilled audiences globally. An evening with Jerron is a profound education and a joyous entertainment. He was a highlight of the BBC’s recent American Epic series and is a legend in the making. Nia Wyn is a young woman with an extraordinary talent – blessed with a keening country/blues voice and mean guitar-picking skills, she developed her love of roots and soul music sifting through second-hand shops in her native Llandudno. She describes herself as a hip-hop soul in a blues body. Her star is on the rise.
May 29th, Paper Dress Vintage – Tickets: https://bit.ly/2H9NQmF
Legendary actor/director Steve Buscemi says of Jake La Botz – “He is a true American classic, and a musical resource that is a joy to be discovered time and time again.” Need we say more? The Chicago-born bluesman is a deeply compelling performer who learned at the feet of blues pioneers David ‘Honeyboy’ Edwards and ‘Homesick’ James. His latest album, 'Sunnyside' is a masterclass in rootsy, grooving songcraft. Sister Cookie is an in demand DJ and an amazing soul-blues voice with the stage presence to fill a stadium. She's performed at festivals all over the world, belting out a mixture of originals and covers from the classic eras of swing and R&B with ebullience, class and pizzazz. Chanteuse extraordinaire, Annie Bea helps head up The Rotten Hill Gang and Fjokra (whose fleet-fingered accompaniment also graces Annie's solo performances). Annie is equally at home with punk, funk, prog and jazz – but blues is the natural home for her enthralling, evocative, smokey tones.
June 4th, 100 Club – Tickets: https://bit.ly/2qMdseu
Young, Eli Paperboy Reed is latter-day soul-blues don. He honed his skills in Mississippi jukes and Chicago gospel choirs. He has the voice of a classic 1960s R&B belter and superb guitar and harmonica skills to boot. He is joined on this occasion by the wonderful, 10-piece High & Mighty Brass Band to make a frankly heavenly racket. Blues-rocker Marcus Bonfanti is one of Britain's very best – a young gun guitarist who will make for fine support.
May 31st, The Islington – Tickets: https://tinyurl.com/yd6eu2ek
Aidan Connell, Husky Tones and Mudlow represent different strands of the vibrant British alt.blues-rock scene. Connell’s guitar pyrotechnics and scintillating brand of garage-psych has graced stages with Gary Clark Jr and Iggy Pop. His debut album Grio, is a sonic stunner. The frenetic, enthralling Husky Tones are launching their sonic rollercoaster of an EP, I Don't Give A Damn Anymore at this gig. A stand-up drummer and a swaggering, swirling guitarist – boy/girl alchemical punk-rock-blues at its finest. Brighton-based Mudlow’s dusty, gritty Americana is evocative and enthralling. Their new retrospective, Waiting For The Tide To Rise is proof that they are stars in a parallel universe.
Future Juke intends to present the most vital aspects of the genre. Our line-up will celebrate cross-pollinations between the blues and other musical forms, we'll champion variety and diversity, and honour the past while shimmying towards the future. “When I get the blues, I get me a rocking chair…” Big Joe Turner
