Friday evening music

[RaySmith]

I  had no idea of this when i posted the above  vid of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac.

But I had a sort of premonition - I was thinking of writing something about the highly talented, and a great complement to the outstanding Peter green, Danny Kirwan's sad end a couple of years ago, as a homeless alcoholic, who suddenly dropped out of  the band after  few, highly successful years, and  I knew that Peter had had his troubles, and dropped out  when he was at his peak, one of  our best, if not the best, blues  guitarists ever, but was wondering how he was doing now.

So I was shocked to suddenly see the news of Peter's death. You only have to listen to him to appreciate just how great he was.

[WhiteJC]

I  had no idea of this when i posted the above  vid of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac.

But I had a sort of premonition - I was thinking of writing something about the highly talented, and a great complement to the outstanding Peter green, Danny Kirwan's sad end a couple of years ago, as a homeless alcoholic, who suddenly dropped out of  the band after  few, highly successful years, and  I knew that Peter had had his troubles, and dropped out  when he was at his peak, one of  our best, if not the best, blues  guitarists ever, but was wondering how he was doing now.

So I was shocked to suddenly see the news of Peter's death. You only have to listen to him to appreciate just how great he was.

I had the honour to meet him on several occasions, he was one of the true greats, up there with Clapton, but very humble, Fleetwood Mac was his band however he didn't want the limelight and suggested that Mike Fleetwood and John McVie name his band!

[bobbo]

dodgin and ray. I actually only went to Ronnie Scott's that one time, just with a couple of girls and a mate I would have been 17 at the time. Wher I did go regularly was a club called " the discotec " in wardour street it was next door to the flamingo , up a set of stairs . Lots of blue beat music an Purple Hearts flying about. Actually met my wife there. They never turned out till 6.00am .

[Dodgin]

Bobbo, I was next door at the Flamingo many times, first was a lunchtime record session, when I was in my very early teens. Even took my first late wife there on our debut date. She also lived a ten minute walk from Craven Cottage. Last live gig I went to was just before the lockdown saw this lady.

[Holders]

Anyone else remember the Greyhound in Croydon as a music venue?

[bobbo]

Blimey dodge we poss could have been in the same places at the same time all those years bac.Did you go to the other club " the scene " just off windmill street , saw Chris farlowe , Georgie fame there before he became resident at the flamingo.

Back to what this board is about COYW tonight .

[Dodgin]

Bit before that time Bobbo, Tony Kinsey Quartet was the resident group at the Flamingo, was more into the Jazz scene in those days, early sixties with visits to the Two Brewers in Wandsworth High Street to see UK jazz Ronnie Ross and Bert Courtley, Odeon Hammersmith for Dave Brubeck,Sarah Vaughan and Erroll Garner.

[RaySmith]

Anyone else remember the Greyhound in Croydon as a music venue?

Yes, I saw a  few bands there in the 70's - often on a Sunday night.

Tony McPhee's Groundhogs (?), springs to mind, Focus, top Dutch band of the day, Vinegar Joe with Elkie Brooks,
but my memory's a bit hazy.

That was one of the few venues i knew of , near me, south of the river.

Also, closer to home, a regular at The Cricketers, Keninton Oval, had a lot of jazz, and a great DJ, where I met my wife, and the  Half Moon , Herne hill -where  Little Stevie Smith, brilliant harmonica player and singer led  the resident band, SALT, which often featured  Mick Hawksworth of Ten Years After on bass, i went out with a woman who lived in his house, but that's another story!

I actually remember going to a folk club at the Half Moon in the 60's, but then it became right dive -a lot different today i think.

Speaking of dives which these pubs often, brilliantly, were, anyone remember The George Robey, Finsbury Park? a big music pub.

[RaySmith]

Nice  tribute to Peter Green, by Robin Denselow-

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/jul/25/peter-green-fleetwood-mac-founder-and-guitar-hero-of-the-british-blues-scene

[Holders]

Anyone else remember the Greyhound in Croydon as a music venue?

Yes, I saw a  few bands there in the 70's - often on a Sunday night.

Tony McPhee's Groundhogs (?), springs to mind, Focus, top Dutch band of the day, Vinegar Joe with Elkie Brooks,
but my memory's a bit hazy.

That was one of the few venues i knew of , near me, south of the river.

Also, closer to home, a regular at The Cricketers, Keninton Oval, had a lot of jazz, and a great DJ, where I met my wife, and the  Half Moon , Herne hill -where  Little Stevie Smith, brilliant harmonica player and singer led  the resident band, SALT, which often featured  Mick Hawksworth of Ten Years After on bass, i went out with a woman who lived in his house, but that's another story!

I actually remember going to a folk club at the Half Moon in the 60's, but then it became right dive -a lot different today i think.

Speaking of dives which these pubs often, brilliantly, were, anyone remember The George Robey, Finsbury Park? a big music pub.

I used to regularly see Curved Air there, lusting after Sonja Kristina, then years later sitting next to her at a dinner.

Anyone remember the late lamented Ram Cider House in Godalming? It was a top-class session pub.

[RaySmith]

Actually Curved Air came to mind whe i thought of the greyhound, but wasn't sure if my memory was tricking me.

I was a huge fan of Curved Air, bought their records. I've always loved a violin, and with her singing, they were great.

She had a lovely voice, and i definitely  remember seeing her, as a solo artist i think, at Chalk Farm Roundhouse.
She went along touching the reaching out hands of the blokes standing at the front, of whom i was one!

[Holders]

Actually Curved Air came to mind whe i thought of the greyhound, but wasn't sure if my memory was tricking me.

I was a huge fan of Curved Air, bought their records. I've always loved a violin, and with her singing, they were great.

She had a lovely voice, and i definitely  remember seeing her, as a solo artist i think, at Chalk Farm Roundhouse.
She went along touching the reaching out hands of the blokes standing at the front, of whom i was one!

I missed the touching at the Greyhound, couldn't quite reach! Made up for it by being able to say that I've had dinner with her.

I'd give my right arm to play the fiddle and used to be a fan of Darryl Way. Then I went to a gig in a pub in South Devon and saw a well-known local band (Baka Beyond) with this terrific fiddler (Paddy le Mercier). Said to a friend "Darryl Way eat your heart out" and he said "that's him over there". He lived/lives in the village and used to go to the sessions my friend ran in the pub there but never played. He said that he had to learn a piece or sight-read, couldn't play by ear. Anyway, a couple of days later  Darryl was playing in a duo with a singer and playing keyboard. Le Mercier was watching and Darryl looked very nervous. He only played the fiddle once. So since then he's gone down in my estimation.

There's so many good fiddlers...

[Holders]

Focus are still going, by the way. They played in Taunton late last year.

[bobbo]

Well done you three ( holders ray and dodgin ) you've done much more than me , I feel like I missed out a bit,.
But I got married young (19) and missed out on a lot of live gigs.

[bobbo]

Getting in a day early but these ultra perfectionists warrant it . Saw the at Wembley about 20 years ago.

[WhiteJC]

same song, 4 different groups...

Foxes & Fossils - love is the answer

England Dan & John Ford Colley - love is the answer

Utopia - love is the answer

Todd Rundgren - love is the answer

[RaySmith]

After finding a mutual appreciation for Curved Air with Holders, I was thinking of the  violin in rock, and here are some fine examples-

Curved Air, with the great Sonja Kristina on vocals, Darryl Way, violin.

It's a beautiful day, Patti Santos, vocal, David Laflamme, violin-

Bob Dylan, with Scarlett Rivera, violin-

[Holders]

Thanks Ray. I knew the Curved Air but the other examples are new.

For fiddle in rock, try Communion by East of Eden: 

It's such a versatile instrument and sounds good in all genres. There used to be a blues guitarist who went to the Ram sessions and fiddle accompaniment to that just added another depth. Ric Sanders turned up there once as well. He was busking with a mate on the melodian, it got a bit "competitive" and the other musicians dropped out just leaving Ric and Dave. At the end they called it an honourable draw and Ric asked him if he's like to play with them (Fairport) at the Civic Hall the following night "no, sorry mate, I'm working nights at the post office". I'd have gone sick!

Meantime, may I recommend the incomparable Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill:

in particular "PJ's pecurious Pachabel", starting at about 12.50? I booked them at the end of a European tour (Toulouse, Paris, Berlin etc...) to play our little village hall on Dartmoor. The roof nearly came off and people still talk about it.

[WhiteJC]

here's a another, Jefferson Starship (74/75) Papa John Creach on violin...

this is what the Grateful Dead thought of him...

[Whitestone]

Some great music on this thread but feel I'm living in the distant past. Try this. Not current but a great song IMO.

Neutral Milk Hotel - In the aeroplane over the sea