Thanks to our good friend JUERGEN KEUNEKE over in Germany, we can show you these brilliant photographs (and read his review) taken at a gig Ray played with the GOODTIME GAMBLERS at Barsinghausen in August 2006.

It's seldom that UK based 'MUNGO-MANIACS'have the chance to see Ray and the boys in action. Okay! The Mr.Kyps gig was a great thing, but the most 'uproarious' concerts are happening in Germany these days, so I would like to present two oustanding examples of such these events. The MUNGO JERRY and THE GOODTIME GAMBLERS gig from August 28th in Barsinghausen and the MUNGO JERRY BLUESBAND gig from September 2nd at the Fehmarn Festival.

What do you need to know about both of these line-ups? What is very special? I'd like to tell you that there was a little touch of 'MUNGOMANIA' from the early 70's for visitors to both events, and the festival on the Isle Of Fehmarn 2006 where MUNGO JERRY were headlining along with the re-formed TASTE, (RORY GALLAGHER's old band) brought back memories of the Hollywood Festival in 1970 and the original Fehmarn Festival, the German 'Woodstock' where JIMI HENDRIX performed his last gig.

But that's another story. For now, it's time to present MUNGO JERRY AND THE GOODTIME GAMBLERS.

I first heard the name GOODTIME GAMBLERS driving with MICHAEL POHL to the 'Umsonst & Draussen'-Festival Vlotho in 2003. "Ray has a new skiffle and jug band", he said, "they are members from a well known band from Hanover". My first thought was "Hanover! It must be the BOURBON SKIFFLE COMPANY". They often played MIGHTY MAN in their shows that I saw a long time ago. "No", Michael said, "It is another band, they had a hit with 'LAMBRETTA', the bass players name is WINNIE MARTIN". We both didn't really remember the band's name at the time. Later on, I heard the name, HIGH LIFE from Ray, and I also remembered the 'LAMBRETTA' song which was a hit in the German radio charts. The correct name is, 'ICH FAHR AUF DER LAMBRETTA', which translates as 'I RIDE THE LAMBRETTA'.

I first saw Ray with the GOODTIME GAMBLERS with two members of HIGH LIFE (TORSTEN LUDERWALD - bass, WINNIE MARTIN - bass, and MARTIN TROIKE - washboard and drums) playing in a pub in Hanover. It was one of their first gigs together, having only brief rehearsals with Ray in Herford. Ray and the boys played a lot of standards on this particular evening, a lot of folk and well known skiffle standards, not so much typical MUNGO, hits apart. So I was very keen on seeing MUNGO AND THE GOODTIME GAMBLERS live now in 2006, after the recording of the 'COOL JESUS'CD and the experience of playing together for some time. By the way, I first heard the CD in October, after the Barsinghausen gig on August 28th.

The gig was part of the Barsinghausen City Party, and the market place in front of the stage was crowded with thousands of spectators of different ages. Ray started with, 'TAKE ME BACK' from the 'YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN THE ARMY' album, a song I hadn't heard for a long, long time. The band's sound had a very good harmony from the start of the show, and I was very pleased to hear the great percussion and washboard work from MARTIN TROIKE. The audience were involved immediately as the second number was 'LADY ROSE', with 'TEN LITTLE WOMEN' next up. It sounded better than the version on 'NAKED FROM THE HEART', because it wasn't so simple and rough, more virtous and interesting together with Torsten's keyboard work. The skiffle version of 'ALRIGHT ALRIGHT ALRIGHT' followed, again sounding better than the version I heard from the same line-up in Hanover some years earlier. It may be interesting to you to know that MARTIN TROIKE was playing drums on some numbers, which differs to JOE RUSH in the 70's, who concentrated on washboard. You can hear this on the 'COOL JESUS' CD, on for example 'GOING UP THE RIVER' and 'COOL JESUS'. Martin also featured on the well known in these parts, 'MIGHTY MAN', as the BOURBON SKIFFLE GROUP have been playing it since the 70's. The crowd were now totally involved in the gig and the song gathered great applause. I wish this line-up would cover 'MIGHTY MAN' in the studio, I was never so happy with the cover version that you often see on compilation albums but doesn't have the dynamic 'joy-of-life' of the original. One of my all time favourites, 'HEY GYP-DIG THE SLOWNESS' was next although I could never remember the name of the song perfectly, thinking it was 'CADILLAC' or 'SOMEONE TO LOVE'. This song is for me, the outstanding song on the 'NAKED FROM THE HEART' CD, after 'I'M A LIAR'. They closed the show with 'LET'S WORK TOGETHER', which was in my opinion the only song in the set which didn't suit this particular line-up. A half-hour break followed which was frustrating as many thought the gig was over, and after waiting about 15 minutes, a lot moved off into the marketplace to visit other attractions. Whose idea was this to have such a long interval?

Ray will have noticed that after the break, the crowd was about half the size it had been, but he attracted new spectators from the town party after opening up again with, 'TING-A-LING' and 'WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HANDS'. After 'BABY JUMP', the band once again had a full crowd standing in the marketplace in front of the stage, and they were shouting out loud for 'IN THE SUMMERTIME' and they soon got their wish. TORSTEN LUDERWALDT played great piano on the coffee bar version of 'FEELS LIKE I'M IN LOVE', after 'SUMMERTIME', with the crowd very involved. Ray had great fun with them with a great new live version of 'THANKYOU VERY MUCH'. This new arrangement would make a great single! 'WOODEN HEART' is known by many to be an ELVIS PRESLEY song, but in its original form is a German folk song. Ray and the boys left the stage and crowd in a real party atmosphere and in response to the many cries for an encore, returned to perform 'IN THE SUMMERTIME' again in the 'latin/On a Night Like This/Shaggy' style. 'LADY ROSE' was performed a second time and the encore ended with 'JOHNNY B'GOODE'. A second encore and third performance of 'IN THE SUMMERTIME' followed which to my taste, was one time too many as Ray has many other songs in his repertoire. But all in all, I saw my best MUNGO-jug gig ever, but I have to say, I never saw the original band in their hey day from 1970-72, my first gig performed by the 'ALRIGHT' line-up in 1973. One idea? To make this line-up more perfect, how about a second guitar player. Don't misunderstand, Ray is great performing alone, but it could be more interesting for the overall sound to maybe include TIM GREEN again, who still lives in Germany in the Hanover area. The gig gave me a happy feeling driving home, and stayed with me although I had big problems with my car in the middle of the night.

Ray gave me the information that the CD, 'COOL JESUS' will see some changes before release. The reason is not the quality of the finished songs but that he wants to create a sound more like 'BOOT POWER'. I wasn't wrong when I spoke with Derek when I said that, "Hey! The song, 'GOING UP THE RIVER' - my favourite from 'COOL JESUS' - is sounding like the sister of 'MY GIRL & ME' from 'BOOT POWER'".

Juergen Keuneke - 2007.