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LIVE BLUES REVIEWS
HOT BLUES
IN THE WINTER TIME -
Phoenix Concert
Theatre -
February 12, 2004 |
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It’s a cold Thursday winter night
and I’m off to the Phoenix Concert Theatre for, as it
is advertised, “An Evening of Blues You’ll Never Forget”.
Legendary Texas guitar slinger Johnny Winter is playin’
a rare Toronto performance. I’ve seen a lot of Blues artists
over many years, but Johnny is one that has slipped through my
fingers. So hearing him live will be a first for me. The show
will open with special guests, one of Canada’s greatest
guitarists from Nanaimo B.C., David Gogo and London
Ontario sax man Chris Murphy and his band. When I
got to Phoenix there was only a handful of people in the large
room, but it soon started to fill up. I could tell instantly
that the makeup of those in attendances were of the older
generation, mostly men, and fans that had grown up with
Johnny Winter. |
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Scattered throughout were a few
younger men that were future guitar wannabes. When the Chris
Murphy Band got on stage there was a fairly large crowd
gathering. Chris who’s on a number of local recordings and has a new
CD coming out soon really has a decent voice and can blow that horn
with the best of ‘em. He began his performance with a tribute to one
of his favourite sax men, Motown recording artist Jr. Walker
then honked his way into the New Orleans standard “Sick And Tired”.
Gary Kendall on bass, sang an early Eddie Jones A.K.A.
Guitar Slim tune “Certainly All”. Chris had the crowd
stirring when he did a version of “Gonna Rock Tonight”. After
their rockin’ set it was time for the band to retire and make way
for David Gogo. By the time David Gogo reached the
platform with his four-piece band the theatre had reached standing
room only status, although I’ll have to say there wasn’t a single
chair to rest your butt on to be found on the main floor, only a
handful in the upper balcony. It didn’t take long for David to start
ripping at his sunburst Gibson SG with “Going Down To Louisiana /Mojo
Hand” with his vocals sounding extremely powerful due to the
vintage Shure microphone he had near his lips. The tempo slowed down
on “It’s A Man’s World” after changing guitars to a Les Paul
Jr. he cut into “Do What You Wanna Do”. Now grabbing his
ever-popular Montreal Canadiens decaled Stratocaster he cut into “Do
What You Wanna Do”. It was time to boogie on the Magic Sam
tune “I Feel So Good”. Then with a slide on his finger he did
”Hoochie Coochie Man”, the Muddy Waters classic and at
one point took a beer bottle slid up and down the neck of the guitar
and ended the song with a long pickin’ solo. David Gogo
proved this night why he has gained the reputation as one of the
finest guitarist this country has to offer. But it was time for the
curtains to be closed once again to prepare for the main man of the
show, Johnny Winter. |
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The drapes opened
for the final time and Johnny was introduced to the waiting crowd
and they began to cheer knowing he was the one they came to hear.
The lone star from Texas walked across the stage with the aid of a
cane and was looking very frail, but once he was settled in his
chair and yelled out a “Ya” and struck the fist notes of
Freddie King’s instrumental “Hideaway” he took hold of
the stage and the audience. Although this was not the Johnny Winter
of old, I felt that we were gonna get some straight ahead Blues from
this band and this was the right band to back Johnny. With James
Montgomery on vocals and harmonica, Scott Spray on bass
and Wayne June on vocals and drums, they added the old time
rhythm for Johnny’s vocals and guitar playin’. Johnny broke into two
of my favourite tunes from the past and did great versions of both
Lazy Lester’s “Sugar Coated Love” and “Boogie Real
Low” originally done by Frankie Lee Sims. Though out the
set James Montgomery took his turn front and center wailin’
away with some licks on the harp and singing James Cotton’s “Good
Time Charlie”, Bo Diddley’s “Mona” and “Got My
Mojo Working” first recorded by Ann Cole and popularized
by Muddy Waters. Drummer Wayne June threw in a number
as well when he did the ageless song, Jimmy Wilson’s “Tin
Pan Alley”. Johnny also did the Fats Domino hit of the
50’s, “Sick And Tired” and the early 60’s track, which Johnny
has become known by; “Johnny Guitar” initially recorded by
Johnny “Guitar” Watson. Of course with the roar of
the crowd Johnny had to come back and do an encore. He strapped on
his historical Gibson Firebird and grabbed a slide and thanked those
in the house with his closing tune “Sure Had A Wonderful Time"
and so did everyone at the Phoenix. You could tell by this night’s
performance by all the bands involved, the classic Blues is still
being played and enjoyed by many in a world of so much ‘now’ music.
Was it a night as advertised? I think so, three great Blues bands
sticking to traditional songs and finally getting the chance to see
and hear one of the legends of the Blues, Johnny Winter. At
the end of the night I noticed that there were plastic cups
everywhere. The crowd must have consumed a large amount of
beverages to quench their thirst for the Blues this evening, it was
then I knew it was gonna be a hot Winter.
Eddy B
(photo by Eddy B
- February 12, 2004) |
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