Boogie Bill Roberts: Bill Roberts pno/vox (just me in that one...)
Betty's Blues: Bill - pno/vox; Liz Jackson - vox. www.bettysblues.co.uk
Electric Mud: Bill, Garry Jackson - gtr/vox; Dave Wilkinson - bass; Steve Hughes - drums. www.electric-mud.co.uk
The Swamp Dogs: Bill, Mark Townson - gtr/vox; Joel Allison - bass; Andy Smith - drums; Gerard McDonald - saxes. www.swampdogs.co.uk
The Groove Crusaders: Bill, Mark Townson - gtr/vox; Joel Allison - bass
Singers: Laura Andrews, Norrie 'Snakebite' Burnett, Amy Forrest
The Hustle: Bill, Mike Atherton - gtr/vox; Steve Hughes - drums; Gary Thistlethwaite - bass; Hugh Castle - trumpet; Paul Froggatt - sax
The Lemon Squeezers: Bill, Mike Atherton - gtr/vox; Steve Hughes - drums; Joel Allison - bass
Boogie Bill's Billionaires: from a trio to a six-piece. Bill, Laura Andrews - vox; Jon Moore (www.jonmoore.info) - gtr; extra players for bigger band - Andy Smith - drums; Rick Middleton - d/bass; Gerard McDonald - saxes
Disco: I can provide full disco with light show as an add-on to booking one of the bands.
Influences
Otis Spann, Dr John, Prof Longhair, Jimmy Yancey, Meade Lux Lewis, Ray Charles, Jimmy McGriff, Harry Connick Jr, Jerry Lee Lewis, Meryl Moore...
Sounds Like
- Electric Mud (4-piece blues band): Buddy Guy, BB King, Otis Rush, authentic Chicago blues of 1960s onwards.
- My jazz/blues duos: like Ray and Ella, like Harry Connick and Billie Holliday, like Dr John and Sarah Vaugn (in my world anyway!)
- The Swamp Dogs (5 piece with sax): Rhythm & Blues, Soul, funk, jazz, country and all points in between. Expect sources as diverse as: Wilson Picket, Santana, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Little Richard, George Gershwin. Yes, this is a very versatile band! www.swampdogs.co.uk
- The Groove Crusaders (trio: keys, bass, gtr/vox): Its mellow, groovy, jazzy, funky, swingy and boogie-woogie-ing, depending on our environment and mood.
- The Hustle (7 piece blues band): Big stonking brassy blues band, influences - BB King, Buddy Guy, Freddie King, Peter Green.
- The Lemon Squeezers: Blues with a feeling! Mix of Mike's own tunes and some Chicago Blues classics, think BB King, Buddy Guy. Lots of dynamics (loud bits and quiet bits), this is far from 'blues by numbers'.
- Boogie Bill's Billionaires: A fun and foot-tapping jump-jive band (trio, or 5 - 6 piece), recreating the sounds of the 40s and 50s swing and rat-pack era personified by the likes of Louis Jordan and Sinatra. This outfit can be played relaxed and loungey or up-and-at-'em as befits the event.
[First things first - if you want to email Bill, the email address is in the pics section, saved as a photo]
Bill has been playing blues piano in the North West and beyond for nearly twenty years now. Below are some of the highlights of this career.
His formative live playing years were served with excellent blues band “The Hustle”, who performed at many prestigious festival gigs and went on to record a CD in 1995. This received excellent reviews (Paul Jones loved it!), sold-out its 1000 copies and enjoyed airplay on Radio2, Radio Lancs and Radio Cumbria.
During this period Bill also formed the still popular “Betty’s Blues”, a jazz boogie and swing duo with the inimitable diamante diva Liz Jackson. Their unique blend of boogie and banter earned them a strong following, and the Dynamic Duo’s achievements include:
• Headline spot at 2005 Lancaster Jazz Festival, as a double Bill with Snakebite Burnett.
• Played at London’s 100 Club in 2001 with a full band for a classic one-off show.
• Supported Jools Holland’s big band, culminating in a dueling piano session with Bill and Jools at the piano at the aftershow party.
• Recorded a CD “Paying Homage” in 2003 to commemorate their 10th anniversary.
Bill lived in London from 2000 to 2004, during which time he became piano man with London’s classiest jump-jump group “The Jive Cats”, with whom he enjoyed appearances at the 100 Club, the Royal Festival Hall, and many swing dance festivals around the country.
During the summers of 2000 and 2001, Bill was involved in the first of many musical exchange trips to Chicago, organised between he and Ben Ruth of cmeas.com. During both trips many dreams were realised as he got to sit in with some legendary players in the city's most famous blues clubs (e.g. Buddy Guy's Legends, B.L.U.E.S. on Halstead) and some of the less salubrious but utterly authentic South Side bars such as Lee's Unleaded - (what a place!)
Bill spent a year in 2005 working with award winning blues guitarist and festival favourite “Otis Grand” and his Big Blues Band. Having now gone fully pro as a musician, Bill toured the country with Otis and got a real taste of life on the road. During this year Bill also toured with visiting American bluesman "Studebaker John" for a whistlestop UK tour.
Since leaving OG’s band, Bill is very busy with various duo and band projects, session work and building up his career as a solo artist. Bill is also a freelance music workshop leader, running workshops for schools, hospitals and community organisations.
Thanks so much for taking part in our Big Bash on Saturday. We raised £551. 77 for the Christmas Shelter, as well as having a great (but exhausting) time!! Nonie xx
SAT 11th OCT: Our 1st anniversary charity bash! Stonewell Tavern noon to midnight Live Music for Lancaster Homeless Action Christmas Shelter. Details www. bandsinlancaster. co. uk
