2003 NEWS
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A brand new MUNGO JERRY BLUESBAND album, 'ADULTS ONLY', is now ready for release during October, and has in fact been sold to fans attending the current blues tour in the UK. It is, in my opinion, the best MUNGO JERRY
album since, 'BOOT POWER' way back in 1972 and has at last captured, in the studio, the live sound that MUNGO have always created so well on stage. There are some real gems featured, such as JOHN LEE HOOKER's,
'ONE BOURBON, ONE SCOTCH, ONE BEER', and some wonderful re-workings of old favourites, from a hard hitting 'STATESBRO' BLUES', to 'SHE LOVES ME LIKE A WOMAN', 'ALL I WANNA DO', 'WITH A GIRL LIKE YOU', 'ST. PETE'S FLORIDA BLUES', and 'JUST CAN'T SAY GOODBYE'. Unusually for re-recordings, I think that all are better than their original counterparts.
The version of TIM ROSE's, 'MORNIN' DEW' is nothing short of amazing and Ray has excelled himself with, 'I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL TOMORROW', a great song!
As well as Ray, the band consists of;
MICHAEL POHL (Guitars), ACHIM "AKO" PATZ (Keyboards, harp), KLAUS WENSKE (Bass) and KLAUS OTTO (Drums). 'ADULTS ONLY'
The CD is available through the official site and also direct from the fan club, price £10 + P & P (£2 UK, £3 Europe, £4 Elsewhere) - Cheques made payable to A. Taylor.
Ray has taken part in a lengthy tour of the UK as part of 'THE BRITISH LEGENDS OF RHYTHM & BLUES', along with ZOOT MONEY, PAUL WILLIAMS & LONG JOHN BALDRY, backed by an excellent 'backing group' consisting of RONNIE JOHNSON - Lead guitar - (BOB DYLAN, VAN MORRISON, STING), COLIN HODGKINSON - Bass guitar - (ALEXIS KORNER, WHITESNAKE),
COLIN ALLEN - Drums - (BOB DYLAN, JOHN MAYALL,STONE THE CROWS), GARY FOOT - Saxophone (JAMIROQUAI, TOM JONES, THE BEE GEES).
I caught up with the tour at the second date - Durham - and have to say, was very impressed with powerful line-up. The 'backing band' were, not surprisingly considering their pedigree, excellent and Ray for his part did well, performing a few tracks from the new album and even 'IN THE SUMMERTIME', which went down as well as ever. Judging by the queue of people paying him compliments in the interval, I wasn't the only one to appreciate his talents. It's great I feel, to see audiences get to know the bluesier side of Ray, it's amazing to think that 30 plus years down the line, there are some people out there who don't know about MUNGO JERRY's blues based past.
Hopefully, we will see more of this kind of thing, with MUNGO staying in the blues/rock vein in the future. Ray did tell me that he much prefers this kind of package to the kind of 60's/70's gigs we've seen in the past. Apart from Ray, LONG JOHN BALDRY impressed me greatly. I obviously knew a bit about him from the past but I don't think I realised just how talented he is.
Fan reaction has been good; "We saw RAY DORSET in Cardiff the other night in the Rhythm & Blues tour, and were knocked out, he was so good! We bought the 'ADULTS ONLY' CD which we are greatly enjoying. Please pass on our good wishes, and we hope we will be able to see him perform again in the near future". STEVE & JAY VAUGHAN, CHEPSTOW. "I thought I would write to you about the 'RHYTHM & BLUES LEGENDS' concert I went to on Sunday, the 14th of September at The Fairfields Halls, Croydon. Unfortunately, I did not arrive early due to the World Super Bikes at Brands Hatch, and I got to my seat at 8.05pm, and as Ray was on first, I missed about the first half-hour. I did catch him performing - 'DUST PNEUMONIA BLUES', 'BLOWIN'ALL MY TROUBLES AWAY', 'OPEN UP', 'IN THE SUMMERTIME' & 'JUST CAN'T SAY GOODBYE'."
"Ray mentioned how good 'Summertime' was for him winning awards around the world, his voice was very good throughout and he put a lot of effort into his performance. It was a shame about the small audience which amounted to about 50 people all congregated in the centre front seats. In a venue that holds over 1000, this meant there was very little atmosphere."
"Still, I enjoyed seeing Ray after his performance at the bar, hence the photo, he also signed one of his old photographs for me. I bought the 'ADULTS ONLY' CD from the stall at the interval, I didn't get a chance to chat much although he did comment on whether the show was very well advertised locally. I think Croydon has a younger commuter type audience, and the concert was probably more suited to the older generation, unless you were a fan."
"After the interval, it was back to see PAUL WILLIAMS and the concert finished with LONG JOHN BALDRY, who had only just arrived after a long journey from the last gig in Wales." STEVE BRIGHTMAN. |
RAY PICTURED WITH STEVE BRIGHTMAN AT FAIRFIELDS HALL, CROYDON.
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MUNGO JERRY made yet another memorable visit to their 'spiritual' home - Newcastle Under-Lyme as part of the town's May Bank Holiday Festival. They opened with an open air lunchtime gig in the Town Square in wonderful sunshine and for the healthy gathering of fan club members, it was the first chance to see new keyboard player, TOBY HOUNSHAM. Toby, who was with KATRINA AND THE WAVES played like he had always been there and slotted in seamlessly.
Ray has a great UK band around him these days - MICK FRAMPTON (guitar, percussion and backing vocals), JAMES DAVIS (drums), MATT ROUND (bass) and of course, TOBY HOUNSHAM. Being surrounded by youngsters seems to bring the best out of him and he rocked and bopped his way through all the old favourites - 'LADY ROSE', 'BABY JUMP' and of course, 'IN THE SUMMERTIME'. The band were also joined on stage at one point by Garry Marsh and some of the teachers and pupils from The Coppice Special School, for a rendition of, 'FEELS LIKE I'M IN LOVE'. MUNGO JERRY are no strangers to the Coppice, having made quite a few appearances at the school over the last few years. The youngsters have their own business now and were selling their latest CD, recorded by Ray and Mick on a recent visit to the school. The band moved on to perform a special evening gig at 'The Rigger', a pub a short walk from the Town Centre. Despite some reservations from fans and band alike at the gathering of bikers assembled outside, it turned out once again to be one of those special MUNGO nights. It was great to hear the band play numbers from the forthcoming, MUNGO JERRY BLUESBAND album, 'ADULTS ONLY'. Blues classic, 'GOIN' DOWN SLOW' was received well and look out for a new version of the old favourite, 'JUST CAN'T SAY GOODBYE', from the 'LOVIN' IN THE ALLEYS, FIGHTIN' IN THE STREETS' album in the mid-70's. Most of the hits were there of course, including an extended rocking version of 'IN THE SUMMERTIME'. "Best band to have played The Rigger", was the general consensus of opinion as time was called on yet another night, or day, of MUNGO MAGIC! 
THE BAND ON STAGE AT 'THE RIGGER'. |
