Out now!
Issue 255: March 2023
Raised in an Essex village, Connor Selby has already trodden a path less travelled, spending his childhood years in Connecticut before relocating to Dubai whilst still in his teens. Influenced by his father’s record collection, the guitarist and singer has garnered a number of blues awards in recent years, sharing stages with the likes of The Who and Pearl Jam and now playing support to Beth Hart on her forthcoming U.K. tour. Simon Green spoke to the twenty-four year old ahead of the re-issue of his second album, Connor Selby (Deluxe Edition), released this month by Provogue Records.
We last heard from the Grammy-nominated Eric Bibb a couple of years ago, the enforced lockdown giving the legendary American singer/guitarist an opportunity to enjoy the peaceful life he’s carved out on his farm in Sweden. Now fully recharged, Bibb’s new record Ridin’ (his 24th solo studio album if we’ve counted right), is out later this month, with plenty of tour dates lined-up, firstly in Australia and then here in the U.K. in May. Blues In Britain sent along U.K. bluesman and troubadour Sean Taylor, who has in the past shared the stage with Bibb, to chat about the past, present and the future.
Since exploding on to the scene in 2020 with his debut solo record, El Dorado, Marcus King has received international acclaim, gathering ringing endorsements from a wealth of musical luminaries as he effortlessly blends rock ‘n’ roll, blues and soul into a heady brew of American roots music. Last year marked the release of follow-up album, Young Blood, which saw the South Carolina native paired once more with his regular collaborator and producer Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys), the album being recorded live in Auerbach’s studio in just six days – not that it was a walk in the park, as Paddy Wells finds out.
Graham Munn first came across The Cold Stares in 2021 with their Heavy Shoes album. With new album Voices out this month, Graham talks to the band’s guitarist and vocalist Chris Tapp about the songs on the album, and his love of touring in the U.K.
“Sending out an S.O.S.” sang Sting on The Police’s mega-hit ‘Message In A Bottle’, but Marc Broussard is no abandoned castaway. The singer is very much at home in Louisiana, continuing his series of charitable musical projects titled S.O.S. The latest, an intriguing collaboration with blues titan Joe Bonamassa, S.O.S. 4: Blues For Your Soul is due this month on Bonamassa’s KBTA label. Marc Broussard talks to Simon Green ahead of its release.
Renée Flemings and Sal Carolei live in New York City, working in film, theatre and music: their latest musical incarnation is the funky, soulful blues band, Alias Smith & Jones, who released the powerful Hit & Run in 2020 and is now set to release a second album this year. John Mitchell talks to them both.
Grammy award nominated, winner of many other awards, collaborator with and appreciated by many music luminaries, Ruthie Foster still defies categorization. Steve Morphew gets on the Texas hotline to discuss her new album Healing Time.
Life’s a highway for Elles Bailey and Chantel McGregor, who played a brace of co-headline dates in February (with others due in March and May). It gave us the chance to talk to them in the relaxed setting of The Stables, Wavendon, ahead of their enthusiastically received sold out show.
In the autumn of last year, Ruzz Guitar’s Blues Revue returned to the USA for a tour, two and a half years after their previous visit. Airports, tour buses, delicatessens and dive bars? Ruzz shares his tour diary.
Plus: album and gig reviews, My Top Ten and much more.
JOE BONAMASSA plus
ERROL LINTON, MIKE ROSS, KIRK FLETCHER, THE 251s, MARK HARRISON
October 2020 - 226
KING KING plus
ERJA LYYTINEN, CONNOR BRACKEN, SAMANTHA MARTIN, SCOTT ELLISON, SYLVIE SIMMONS
November 2020 - 227
WHEN RIVERS MEET plus
CATFISH, ALLMAN BETTS BAND, SUSAN SANTOS, JUSTIN ADAMS, RUZZ GUITAR
December 2020 - 228
CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE plus
MARCUS KING, NORMAN BEAKER, CHRIS SMITH, GRAHAM PARKER, BONNIE BISHOP
January 2021 - 229
GRAINNE DUFFY plus
GEORGE THOROGOOD, JOHN MAYALL, DANA GILLESPIE, THE CADILLAC THREE, KATIE BRADLEY
February 2021 - 230
JOANNA CONNOR plus
KIM WILSON, RONNIE GREER, SHAUN MURPHY, MUDDY MANNINEN, TREV TURLEY
March 2021 - 231
BAI KAMARA plus
SELWYN BIRCHWOOD, IMELDA MAY, MIKE SANCHEZ, LAURA B, NICK WATERHOUSE
April 2021 - 232
THE DAMN THRUTH plus
KAI STRAUSS, GARY MOORE, WILL JOHNS, ARIELLE, BRAVE REVIVAL
May 2021 - 233
ELLIS MANO BAND plus
DR. FEELGOOD, CURTIS SALGADO, STEVE CROPPER, DAVE SPEIGHT, FIVE POINTS GANG
June 2021 - 234
ELIANA CARGNELUTTI plus
MIKE ZITO, MOBY, HITMAN BLUES BAND, JULIAN TAYLOR, SCOTT McKEON
July 2021 - 235
TROY REDFERN plus
BERNIE MARSDEN, TITO JACKSON, CLARENCE SPADY, WATERMELON SLIM, SUITCASE SAM
August 2021 - 236
RORY GALLAGHER plus
ERIC BIBB, BERNIE MARSDEN, CONNOR SELBY, ROBERT JON, PAPA GEORGE
September 2021 - 237
JOE BONAMASSA plus
JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR, TERESA JAMES, REV. GARY DAVIS, JIMMY REGAL & THE ROYALS, BRIGITTE DeMEYER
October 2021 - 238
WHEN RIVERS MEET plus
DION, SUE FOLEY, COLIN JAMES, MARK PONTIN, MISSISSIPPI MACDONALD
November 2021 - 239
KENTUCKY HEADHUNTERS
plus
SNOWY WHITE, DANNY BRYANT, THE COLD STARES, WARREN HAYNES, MARK HARRISON, MISTY BLUES
December 2021 - 240
SAMANTHA FISH
plus
ERJA LYYTINEN, GUY KING, WALTER PARKS, STEVE GIBBONS, REBECCA DOWNES, THE JIVE ACES
January 2022 - 241
ELLES BAILEY
plus
ERIC GALES, JOHN MAYALL, CHRISTONE KINGFISH INGRAM, WILLE & THE BANDITS
February 2022 - 242
DAN PATLANSKY
plus
BETH HART, JETHRO TULL, STEVE BAILEY, THE 251s, ADAM NORSWORTHY
March 2022 - 243
DOM MARTIN
plus
EDGAR WINTER, THE BLUES BAND, THE CINELLI BROTHERS, LARRY McCRAY, DAVE KELLY
April 2022 - 244
ROBIN TROWER
plus
ROBERT CRAY, EMMA WILSON, BRAVE RIVAL, BEAUX GRIS GRIS, THE LOVE LIGHT ORCHESTRA
May 2022 - 245
THE BAD DAY
plus
CATFISH, KARA GRAINGER, MATT PEARCE & THE MUTINY, VANEESE THOMAS, THE TERRAPLANES BLUES BAND
June 2022 - 246
BERNIE MARSDEN
plus
WILKO JOHNSON, ANDY FAIRWEATHER LOW, LAURA EVANS, XANDER AND THE PEACE PIRATES, TINSLEY ELLIS
July 2022 - 247
TROY REDFERN
plus
BONHAM-BULLICK, DELBERT McCLINTON, ROBBEN FORD, KIRK FLETCHER, SUPERSONIC BLUES MACHINE
August 2022 - 248
TOMMY McLAIN
plus
WALTER TROUT, BAD LUCK FRIDAY, THE MILK MEN, JO HARMAN, BEN HEMMING
September 2022 - 249
250th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE
with
LAURENCE JONES, PETER FRAMPTON, SUNJAY, JIMMY HALL, ALBERT CASTIGLIA, DAVE THOMAS, MALAYA BLUE
October 2022 - 250
ERJA LYYTINEN
plus
LARKIN POE, DON McLEAN, JASON RICCI, THE COMMONERS, OLIVER DARLING, STEVE HILL
November 2022 - 251
JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR
plus
RORY BLOCK, CLIMAX BLUES BAND, DONNA HERULA, JOHN VERITY, ROB KORAL, JO CARLEY & THE OLD DRY SKULLS
December 2022 - 252
TYLER BRYANT & THE SHAKEDOWN
plus
REBECCA DOWNES, CAROLYN WONDERLAND, GERRY JABLONSKI & THE ELECTRIC BAND, TREVOR BABAJACK STEGER, PETE SEARS
January 2023 - 253
MISSISSIPPI MACDONALD
plus
AYNSLEY LISTER, JARED JAMES NICHOLS, BOB ANGELL, THE CADILLAC KINGS, ANGELA STREHLI
February 2023 - 254
