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I'M IN THE MOOD - ROMSEY ARTS FEST - JUL 08

DRIVING IN THE RAIN - ROMSEY ARTS FEST - JUL 08

Photos by John Watson jazzcamera.co.uk Nov 08

and Richie Brewer, Bournemouth Live, July2007

and Richie Brown, Tivoli Theatre, March 2008

THE WAITRESS - Romsey Arts fest

"One of the finest guitar based blues and roots acts in the world" Time Out Magazine (Feb2008)

An earthy, modern blues band in which the funkiest musicians from the parallel worlds of blues, jazz and rock return to their roots.

(The Band was formed early 2007 by Zoe, Rob and Malcolm with 1st CD release 24th Sept 2007)<

> Rob Koral - electric guitar Co-leader of the band (with Zoë), Rob is originally from a rock and blues background. He has since made his name on the British jazz scene, having performed with Jim Mullen, Django Bates, Bill Bruford, Tim Garland, Dave O'Higgins, Ainsley Dunbar and Sue Hawker. He has appeared on television in The Old Grey Whistle Test, The James Whale Show and Good Morning Australia and in festivals in Brecon, the Isle of Wight, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Jersey, Marlborough and Birmingham. <

> Zoë Schwarz - voice Zoë's formal classical background included studying with Esther Salaman and passing Royal Academy exams in singing, piano, clarinet and theory, eventually gaining a BA (hons) degree. Zoë has headlined at Ronnie Scott's, The Vortex, Dean Street, and at festivals all over the UK. She has performed with an extraordinarily wide range of musicians including Harrison Birtwistle, Emma Kirkby and Keith Tippett. She has been writing both lyrics and music since the age of seven and is gaining a fine reputation for her work internationally. Zoë's collaborations with Rob Koral have produced six songs for this album. <

> Mike Gorman - Hammond organ Mike was born in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. After completing a music degree at University College Salford, he moved to London to attend the Guildhall School of Music. Since then he has established himself as one of the UK's leading jazz pianists and organists, having appeared around the world with Don Weller, Bobby Wellins, Gilad Atzmon, Jim Mullen, Georgie Fame, Jimmy Witherspoon, Charles McPherson, US3, Incognito, Marlena Shaw and Tom Robinson. Mike released his debut album The Maze in March 2002. < > Steve Smith - Hammond organ Steve has played keyboards with Roger Daltrey, Robert Plant, Lulu, Greg Lake, and Gary Moore. He has run his own recording studio for 25 years and his engineering credits include Chrissie Hinde and Paul Young. He produced Sandi Thom's UK no. 1 single I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker in 2006. Steve is also a successful songwriter and record producer and has lectured in sound production and recording techniques at Salisbury College and Bournemouth University. <

> Malcolm Creese - double bass Malcolm leads the innovative trio Acoustic Triangle - alongside Tim Garland and Gwilym Simcock. He has worked with Cleo Laine, Lee Konitz, George Shearing, George Benson, Johnny Griffin, Mel Tormé, Junior Mance, Kenny Wheeler, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Mose Allison, Georgie Fame, Sting, Diana Ross, Rod Stewart, The Divine Comedy, Depèche Mode, John Williams and the London Symphony Orchestra. Malcolm has played on numerous television and film soundtracks including Lord of the Rings, Cold Mountain and G.I.Jane. <

> Dave Wallace - drums Originally from London, Dave is a prolific session player. He was working professionally at just 13 and has since played for headline acts at virtually every major arena & festival in the UK. Dave has also worked extensively in theatre and television as well as recording countless albums in a wide range of genres. Dave has toured regularly with David Essex since 1990. <

> Paul Beavis - drums Paul has been playing drums professionally for 25 years, during which time he has worked with Judie Tzuke, Robert Fripp, Russ Ballard, Leo Sayer, Thea Gilmore, Andy Summers, Toyah, Lisa Stansfield, Terry Britten, Robbie McIntosh, The Waterboys, Sandi Thom and Alex Parks. Paul is currently a member of the Andy Fairweather-Low Band. <

> Si Genaro - harmonica Si is the mild mannered yet mysterious harp player of the band. Formed mainly from hydrogen atoms and powered by steam and alchemy, he was found in a swamp in the mid '80s and answered only to the name Elias. Now almost fully recovered, he has mastered several words in the English language and his care worker is pleased with his progress. Si has been playing harmonica for 18 years; when not doing this he enjoys stealing fast cars. He once met Larry Adler and can burp the alphabet. <

> LIVE Reviews:

FOR SAT NOV 8

Lichfield Guildhall By John Watson

Electric blues can be one of the most exciting styles of music, especially when served with a dash of jazz. Singer-guitarist Alexis Korner (CORRECT) was a pioneering figure in the style in this country, touring and recording with his star-studded band Blues Incorporated in the 1960s. The Baddest Blues Band Ever, which appeared last night at Lichfield, is a worthy heir to the movement started by Korner. Included in the line-up are the virtuoso bassist Malcolm Creese – who is also a member of leading jazz trio Acoustic Triangle – and the very fine organist Pete Whittaker. The Baddest Blues Band Ever also features the raunchy vocals of Zoe Schwarz, the driving guitar of Rob Koral, the powerful blues harmonic player Si Genaro and rock-solid drummer Dave Wallace. (ALL NAMES CORRECT) Last night they delighted the Guildhall crowd with 12-bar classics and pieces such as Mose Allison’s Stop This World. Another highlight was an original by the band, Driving InThe Rain. If you missed the gig, their excellent new CD – entitled Breakout – is released on the Audio- B label.

Blues in Britain

Stormy Monday Blues at The Bull's Head London 15/9/08 by Fran Leslie

They started up with an instrumental called 'Pebble In My Pond', while I was still queuing for a drink but even from the bar you could hear they were good. Rob Koral, a southpaw, is a skilled guitarist and his elegant guitar line cut through the doors. Next up was a Mose Allison song, 'Stop This World' featuring singer Zoe Schwarz, guitar and keyboards and finishing on a harmonica blast from animated harp player Si Genaro, of the huge hoped earrings. During the third number ‘Driving In The Rain’ written by Rob and Zoe. I noticed that the bass player and the keyboard player were reading sheet music, the sign of a classy band. Zoe is a classically trained singer who has sung jazz for a while and on this night was in blues shouter mode. Her powerful vocals were to the fore on ‘I Cant Quit You Babe’. Owing a fair bit to Robert Plant’s interpretation of Willie Dixon’s song. ‘Heart Break Tears’. Another Schwarz/Koral original brought out the electric upright bass of Malcolm Creese. Most of the band’s material is original, although Rob points out that ‘Too much of a Good Thing’ is heavily influenced by John Lee Hooker. The encore, though, was a roaring rendition of ‘Spoonful’, deservedly well received.

CD Reviews:

Breakout by The Baddest Blues Band (Ever!)

Audio-B ABCD 5022

Blues Matters – October 2007

The Baddest Blues Band (Ever!) are certainly not, as the name might suggest, the worst blues band (ever): in fact they are superb, a thoroughly modern mix of jazz and Blues, combining a sense of history with their own contemporary influences. The band is based around the considerable talents of guitarist Rob Koral who has a rock and blues background. The second main person is smooth vocalist Zoe Schwarz who is a young classically trained singer with a BA (hons.) from the Royal Academy. To avoid any allegations of chick singer with others, producer and bassist Malcolm Creese suggested an ensemble approach and they recruited engineer / Hammond C3 / all round studio guy Stephen Darrell Smith, whose delightful organ licks are layered all over this project. The final touch was to add harmonica player Si Genaro, whose flourishes give Blues authenticity to so many of these tunes. Talking of tunes, 9 of the 14 have band input, from the autobiographical ‘The Waitress’ based on making ends meet table waiting in Covent Garden, to the poignant ‘Nothing Seems To Matter’, with just a whiff of Elkie Brooks at her Bluesy best. The covers are not only wisely chosen, but are indicative of their tastes and influences, for example a laid back version of Ray Charles’ ‘Someday Baby’, a near perfect interpretation of Nina Simone’s ‘Do I Move You?’ and an aching take on Willie Dixon’s ‘I Can’t Quit You Babe’. What is astonishing is that this recording took place in just two days in a Hampshire studio, mostly first take, and with the ace-in-the-hole of Schwarz pitch perfect vocals. To all fans of quality Blues / jazz this will really appeal.Noggin

SoundStorm – September 2007 '"The finest new blues band on the British scene....? very possibly." - Dan Somogyi, Music Promoter

Blues In Britain – November 2007

Breakout features fourteen titles, swinging from the off, for over seventy minutes. There are four well-placed covers for those who need something familiar to anchor them, in spite of the fact that all of the original titles are well with whatever limits there might be of the chosen idiom. These are two Willie Dixon standards, and two less obvious picks, one each for Mose Allison and Nina Simone, whose ‘Do I Move You?’ is a notable rendition. The core band consists of Rob Koral on electric guitar; Zoe Schwarz on vocals; and Malcolm Creese on double bass. Hammond organ duties are split 50:50 by Mike Gorman and Stephen Darrell Smith; likewise Dave Wallace plays drums on the same titles as Gorman and Paul Beavis plays drums on the same titles as Smith. Si Genaro features on harmonica. His evasive bio-details most illustrious point seems to be that he can burp the alphabet. Thankfully he managed to discipline himself to keep this skill quite separate from his harpistry during the times the tapes were running. In fact his musical intelligence and skill belie his baser celebrated party-piece: it’s certainly a good job he refrains from this exploit on his excellent break during “It’s Alright To Be Blue” (Hawker/Koral). The band members’ pedigrees include performing credits with an impressive galaxy of jazz, rock, and pop artists including: Mullen, Bruford, Tippett, Weller, Wellins, Atzmon, Fame, Witherspoon, Daltry, Lake, Laine, Shearing, Benson, Torme, Allison, Sting, Williams, Essex, Fripp, and Fairweather-Low; the list could go on … and on … The Baddest Blues Band (Ever!) is an accomplished group of sophisticates playing jazzy blues; Zoe’s diction is a fraction too perfect to be in the ‘dirty blues’ camp (some have said the same of Paul Jones, to little effect). You’re more likely to see these guys performing in Dean Street than Kingly Street. ‘The Waitress’ (Schwarz/Koral) is a good example of the writing quality and interpretation of the songs in this collection; Hammond and guitar both display measured talent, and there’s little to choose between who’s playing drums and Hammond, with the band’s sound remaining consistent throughout the set. Frank Franklin