Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Jams and jamz

Not every band you see at Bluesfest is going to knock you dead, or even off your feet ... The New Mastersounds are one of those bands I think I might enjoy bopping around to in a club. They're a Leeds, England-based soul funk combo who really demand a dancefloor. The slight slope in front of the Hard Rock Stage is not well-suited, particularly when wet and cluttered with lawn chairs, unless the name of your act is "Girl Talk". There is one thing unusual about the new Mastersounds ... they are in fact a continuation of an older Mastersounds, featuring guitarist Eddie Roberts and drummer Simon Allen.

Joe Tatton eyes his organ.

The New Mastersounds at Ottawa Bluesfest 2009

After the quite active Balconies and intense ejaculations of Sunparlour Players thay also seemed a bit sedate. That's bassist Pete Shand standing just behind Roberts.

The New Mastersounds at Ottawa Bluesfest 2009

Simon Allen, prototypical scruffy British drummer.

The New Mastersounds at Ottawa Bluesfest 2009

Jazzy action!

The New Mastersounds at Ottawa Bluesfest 2009

What passes for faceoff action!

The New Mastersounds at Ottawa Bluesfest 2009

A bit more of Shand and Roberts.

The New Mastersounds at Ottawa Bluesfest 2009

Allen holds a pose.

The New Mastersounds at Ottawa Bluesfest 2009

The whole lot and several annoying microphone stands.

The New Mastersounds at Ottawa Bluesfest 2009

They only held my attention for a handful of songs. I went off to the Subway Stage to check out the bluesy sounds emanating there from. The Homemade Jamz Blues Band were performing, and doing a decent job of it (not even taking their age into account). With those instruments they should probably come from Detroit, not Tupelo.

Ryan gets a full dose of sun.

Homemade Jamz Blues Band at Ottawa Bluesfest 2009

Kyle keeps to the shadows.

Homemade Jamz Blues Band at Ottawa Bluesfest 2009

Then there's Taya, who's not even a teenager yet.

Homemade Jamz Blues Band at Ottawa Bluesfest 2009

And, er , that's it (unless you want to bother with the Flickr stuff) since I went off to see Land of Talk. I will note that as I headed back over to the Black Sheep Stage that the New Mastersounds sounded like they were cooking much hotter than when I left.

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