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Issue 241: January 2022

With new album Faster doing the business on both sides of the Atlantic, Samantha Fish’s trajectory continues to rise. “I had a lot to prove, early on,” she says, but the Kansas City-born singer/guitarist has no need to justify anything now. A superb guitarist, Fish can cross styles with ease; from straight blues to hard rock, ‘50s styled rhythm ‘n’ blues to fast fizzin’ pop, she’s never been content to sit still and do what was expected of her. Simon Green listens in.

Another female player who is pushing the blues in new directions is Finland’s Erja Lyytinen, an artist who has featured in our pages many times before, and with good reason. Known initially as a brilliant slide-player, Lyytinen has shaken the tree and her last couple of releases have pushed in what she (with tongue slightly in cheek) calls ‘Prog-Blues’. But who’d have thought she’d have brought out her own brand of tea? “Blues is such an emotional music,” she tells Steve Morphew, as they sit down to a virtual cuppa.  

Cherry Red has re-issued a 5CD box of classic albums by the Midlands maestro, Steve Gibbons and, having just celebrated his 80^th birthday, the “Steady Rollin” veteran of British rhythm, blues and rock and roll blows his candles out and settles down for a chat with writer, Pete Clack and Graham Munn talks to Rebecca Downes about her recent, pared-back, Stripped album, an album she wouldn’t have made but for the lockdown.

Spotted by Alexis Korner in 1969, Raphael Callaghan is a guitar and harp-player who’s played with an impressive list of notables, including Bonnie Raitt and Jo Ann Kelly. He tells John Bottomley his story. Also in this issue, we’re on the hotline to the Windy City to talk to guitarist Guy King, The Jive Aces “Swing, Jump And Jive” and Trevor Hodgett’s in conversation with the unique Walter Parks.  

Plus album and gig reviews, On Your Radio with Clive R, Jim “Big Bear” Simpson’s Opening Gambit and much more. Dive right in.