Music Town, Funky Town
Hamilton Loomis (and James Brown is Annie) – Town Hall, Darvel, 22nd July 2017
Hamilton Loomis (and James Brown is Annie) – Town Hall, Darvel, 22nd July 2017
Historically, Darvel in East Ayrshire was known as Lace Town (lace mills were introduced in the late 19th century; Darvel Lace was exported throughout the world).
More lately however it’s become known as the Friendly Music Town, due to fifteen years of the Darvel Music Festival and the community spirit and welcoming atmosphere for shows that have included the likes of Larry Carlton and Paul Carrack.
But on this night Music Town became Funky town, courtesy of a headline show from Texas musician Hamilton Loomis with support from Scottish band James Brown is Annie.
The event itself was organised by the Darvel Music Company who have risen, Phoenix like, from the still-burning ashes of the Darvel Music Festival, a victim of financing cuts and a withdrawal of local council grant funding (a sign of the budgetary restraint times).
James Brown is Annie had the first part of their quirky name clarified as soon as the Edinburgh based sextet kicked off their set with the soulful snap and funky crackle of 'Popcorn;' it’s a number that, in a different time and space, the legendary funk and soulster would have been proud to front or call his own (similarly you could also see James Brown getting down to a number such as the wonderfully titled 'Yasmine Bleeth Plays Drums For the Fat Boys').
It was also no surprise therefore when the band delivered a funktastic version of 'Pass the Peas,' although James Brown is far from the only influence displayed by these six funkateers – there’s a bit of Cutis Mayfield, some Steely Dan in cool-vibe mode and a helping of Average White Band – to such a degree that the only thing missing was Hamish Stuart walking on to do a handful of AWB numbers with the band…
When Hamish Stuart walked on to do a handful of numbers with the band (after a posted missing false start which had the band quickly pulling out another original, the aptly named 'Dr Funk' featuring the saxophone of Jonny White and the keys of Eddie Miller) the circle was complete.
Hamish Stuart is no stranger to Darvel, having played the festival event a number of times, but the beauty of his guest appearance with JBiA was it allowed for some deeper cut performances.
No-one was picking up the pieces for example (although a "no time for another song!" curfew probably played its part) but the audience did get to enjoy such Average White Band gems as 'Got the Love' from the hugely successful AWB album and 'The Jugglers' from 1973 debut Show Your Hand.
Also aired was a soulful and genuinely heartfelt tribute to the greatest champion of them all, Mohammed Ali; the song will feature on the forthcoming album from the 360 band who feature ex AWB alumni Hamish Stuart, Malcolm "Molly" Duncan and Steve Ferrone.
Hamilton Loomis is another musician who needs no introduction to Darvel, having played the festival on a number of occasions and making himself a firm favourite with his high energy, fully engaging, feel-good shows – in short, Loomis is a top-class entertainer and musician, bolstering his tasty guitar licks with freight-train-down-the-track stylings on the harmonica microphone.
Right from the get go, on melodic soul-pop opening number 'Eternally,' Hamilton Loomis was on funkin' great form, aided and abetted by his fellow Texans, drummer Armando Aussenac (who made the biggest impact, literally, by kick-pedalling his bass drum so far across the riser it dismantled half the drum-kit, taking five minutes to put back together), Grammy award winning saxophonist Fabian Hernandez (whose love of playing comes across with loud and clear sax appeal) and, joining them for the 2017 UK tour, Roger Innis, the sought-after six-string bassist who is no stranger to followers of the British blues rock scene (Laurence Jones and Ash Wilson to name but two).
More lately however it’s become known as the Friendly Music Town, due to fifteen years of the Darvel Music Festival and the community spirit and welcoming atmosphere for shows that have included the likes of Larry Carlton and Paul Carrack.
But on this night Music Town became Funky town, courtesy of a headline show from Texas musician Hamilton Loomis with support from Scottish band James Brown is Annie.
The event itself was organised by the Darvel Music Company who have risen, Phoenix like, from the still-burning ashes of the Darvel Music Festival, a victim of financing cuts and a withdrawal of local council grant funding (a sign of the budgetary restraint times).
James Brown is Annie had the first part of their quirky name clarified as soon as the Edinburgh based sextet kicked off their set with the soulful snap and funky crackle of 'Popcorn;' it’s a number that, in a different time and space, the legendary funk and soulster would have been proud to front or call his own (similarly you could also see James Brown getting down to a number such as the wonderfully titled 'Yasmine Bleeth Plays Drums For the Fat Boys').
It was also no surprise therefore when the band delivered a funktastic version of 'Pass the Peas,' although James Brown is far from the only influence displayed by these six funkateers – there’s a bit of Cutis Mayfield, some Steely Dan in cool-vibe mode and a helping of Average White Band – to such a degree that the only thing missing was Hamish Stuart walking on to do a handful of AWB numbers with the band…
When Hamish Stuart walked on to do a handful of numbers with the band (after a posted missing false start which had the band quickly pulling out another original, the aptly named 'Dr Funk' featuring the saxophone of Jonny White and the keys of Eddie Miller) the circle was complete.
Hamish Stuart is no stranger to Darvel, having played the festival event a number of times, but the beauty of his guest appearance with JBiA was it allowed for some deeper cut performances.
No-one was picking up the pieces for example (although a "no time for another song!" curfew probably played its part) but the audience did get to enjoy such Average White Band gems as 'Got the Love' from the hugely successful AWB album and 'The Jugglers' from 1973 debut Show Your Hand.
Also aired was a soulful and genuinely heartfelt tribute to the greatest champion of them all, Mohammed Ali; the song will feature on the forthcoming album from the 360 band who feature ex AWB alumni Hamish Stuart, Malcolm "Molly" Duncan and Steve Ferrone.
Hamilton Loomis is another musician who needs no introduction to Darvel, having played the festival on a number of occasions and making himself a firm favourite with his high energy, fully engaging, feel-good shows – in short, Loomis is a top-class entertainer and musician, bolstering his tasty guitar licks with freight-train-down-the-track stylings on the harmonica microphone.
Right from the get go, on melodic soul-pop opening number 'Eternally,' Hamilton Loomis was on funkin' great form, aided and abetted by his fellow Texans, drummer Armando Aussenac (who made the biggest impact, literally, by kick-pedalling his bass drum so far across the riser it dismantled half the drum-kit, taking five minutes to put back together), Grammy award winning saxophonist Fabian Hernandez (whose love of playing comes across with loud and clear sax appeal) and, joining them for the 2017 UK tour, Roger Innis, the sought-after six-string bassist who is no stranger to followers of the British blues rock scene (Laurence Jones and Ash Wilson to name but two).
As with any Hamilton Loomis set of recent years, the live staples were present, correct and accounted for, including the funky grooves of 'Stuck in a Rut,' the slow soul-blues pulse of 'No No No' and signature song 'Bow Wow.'
Based on not much more than a big bluesy riff, equally big beat and "Bow Wow!" chorus, the catchy number saw Hamilton Loomis stretch not just his fret-board fingers but his legs, as he went walk-a-bout over tables, chairs and bar counter, all the while firing off some seriously hot, blues-sparking licks and a little Eddie Van Halen for good measure.
But it was material from new album Basics that made the biggest impact.
At times personal but immediately accessible, Basics is the strongest album from Hamilton Loomis to date; it’s funky light and bluesy soul shade were featured across a number of songs including the swing-funk groove of 'Candles and Wine,' the cool vibe of 'Reason,' the soulful blues of 'Breaking Down' (a song that surely, once and for all, proves Hamilton Loomis can blues it out and not just funk it up) and 'Sugar Baby.'
The latter plays as if it’s written for your "sugar" on the dance floor but is actually dedicated to all the "sugar babes" who suffer from the rare low blood sugar disease Congenital Hyperinsulinism, including Hamilton Loomis’s three-year-old son.
A handful of covers also made an appearance including a great version of Chuck Berry’s 'No Particular Place to Go' and, truncated within other songs, 'Let's Go Crazy' and 'Cross Town Traffic,' Hamilton Loomis showing he can get his Hendrix on just as well as he can pull out the Prince meets the blues impression.
As an opening gig gambit from the newly formed Darvel Music Company it couldn’t have gone much better.
As a showcase for Hamilton Loomis on his current UK tour (and a chance to see James Brown is Annie funking it up with Hamish Stuart) it couldn’t have gone any better.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Based on not much more than a big bluesy riff, equally big beat and "Bow Wow!" chorus, the catchy number saw Hamilton Loomis stretch not just his fret-board fingers but his legs, as he went walk-a-bout over tables, chairs and bar counter, all the while firing off some seriously hot, blues-sparking licks and a little Eddie Van Halen for good measure.
But it was material from new album Basics that made the biggest impact.
At times personal but immediately accessible, Basics is the strongest album from Hamilton Loomis to date; it’s funky light and bluesy soul shade were featured across a number of songs including the swing-funk groove of 'Candles and Wine,' the cool vibe of 'Reason,' the soulful blues of 'Breaking Down' (a song that surely, once and for all, proves Hamilton Loomis can blues it out and not just funk it up) and 'Sugar Baby.'
The latter plays as if it’s written for your "sugar" on the dance floor but is actually dedicated to all the "sugar babes" who suffer from the rare low blood sugar disease Congenital Hyperinsulinism, including Hamilton Loomis’s three-year-old son.
A handful of covers also made an appearance including a great version of Chuck Berry’s 'No Particular Place to Go' and, truncated within other songs, 'Let's Go Crazy' and 'Cross Town Traffic,' Hamilton Loomis showing he can get his Hendrix on just as well as he can pull out the Prince meets the blues impression.
As an opening gig gambit from the newly formed Darvel Music Company it couldn’t have gone much better.
As a showcase for Hamilton Loomis on his current UK tour (and a chance to see James Brown is Annie funking it up with Hamish Stuart) it couldn’t have gone any better.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ