Music Town, Funky Town
Hamish Stuart & James Brown Is Annie; Hamilton Loomis – The Darvel Music Festival, 21st July 2023
Hamish Stuart & James Brown Is Annie; Hamilton Loomis – The Darvel Music Festival, 21st July 2023
In July the Darvel Music Festival celebrated its 21st year with a double bill that was, in effect, a triple bill – and all welcome returnees.
Texas soul-blues & funk artist Hamilton Loomis (who has played the festival multiple times) played a full set before Edinburgh soul-funksters James Brown Is Annie, in the company of one of Scotland’s most successful & celebrated musicians Hamish Stuart (ex-Average White Band, Paul McCartney, Chaka Khan, Ringo Starr & His All-Star Band, 360, Hamish Stuart Band) took to the Town Hall stage.
(Stuart and JBIA, in larger ensemble form, also perform as Hamish Stuart and The Tomorrow Band).
Hamilton Loomis and his band (Houston based bassist Mike Mead and British freelance drummer Jamie Little; a tight rhythm section and strong harmony vocalists) opened his 90 minute set with a full-on funky 'n' bouncy rendition of 'Sugar Baby' from his 2017 album Basics.
It was also good to hear the cool, funky and harmonica blowin' brace of 'Cloudy Day' and 'Looking into a Dream' get an airing from that same album, as was the case with melodic slow blues 'Breaking Down.'
The latter featured a tastefully delivered solo from Hamilton Loomis, proving, if proof be needed, that Loomis is as much about the blues as he is soul, funk and rock.
Texas soul-blues & funk artist Hamilton Loomis (who has played the festival multiple times) played a full set before Edinburgh soul-funksters James Brown Is Annie, in the company of one of Scotland’s most successful & celebrated musicians Hamish Stuart (ex-Average White Band, Paul McCartney, Chaka Khan, Ringo Starr & His All-Star Band, 360, Hamish Stuart Band) took to the Town Hall stage.
(Stuart and JBIA, in larger ensemble form, also perform as Hamish Stuart and The Tomorrow Band).
Hamilton Loomis and his band (Houston based bassist Mike Mead and British freelance drummer Jamie Little; a tight rhythm section and strong harmony vocalists) opened his 90 minute set with a full-on funky 'n' bouncy rendition of 'Sugar Baby' from his 2017 album Basics.
It was also good to hear the cool, funky and harmonica blowin' brace of 'Cloudy Day' and 'Looking into a Dream' get an airing from that same album, as was the case with melodic slow blues 'Breaking Down.'
The latter featured a tastefully delivered solo from Hamilton Loomis, proving, if proof be needed, that Loomis is as much about the blues as he is soul, funk and rock.
Beyond those Basics, Hamilton Loomis dipped into his back catalogue for a number of live staples, some newer numbers (certainly new to a post-Covid UK audience) and a few choice covers.
From the rhythm and blues shuffle of 'Workin' Real Hard' (including a funky as the original 'Master Blaster' finale) and infectious 'What It Is,' to a rock 'n' bluesy rendition of 'No Particular Place to Go' and a jazzy, piano-led rendition of 'All Right Now' (which worked extremely well) this was as a funkin' good set from a blues-soulful band.
Hamilton Loomis stayed on the keys for the bluesy sway of 'It Came And It Went' and a cover of The Parliaments hit 'I Just Wanna Testify' before the feel-good vibe of 'This Season' (which featured a funky solo from Mike Dean and a great, extended solo from Loomis) announced itself as a set highlight.
Fan favourite 'Bow Wow,' which has plenty of riff-bite to go with its barking mad chorus hook, closed out the set with Hamilton Loomis, as is now tradition, on audience walkabout.
Extending the song with some tasty solo licks, Loomis then returned to the stage to run through a veritable who’s who of rock anthems including 'Foxy Lady,' 'Back in Black,' 'Iron Man,' 'Running With The Devil,' 'Black Dog' and a seriously impressive (and none-too-easy to pull off) burst of Rush’s 'Tom Sawyer.'
Bow Wow, indeed.
From the rhythm and blues shuffle of 'Workin' Real Hard' (including a funky as the original 'Master Blaster' finale) and infectious 'What It Is,' to a rock 'n' bluesy rendition of 'No Particular Place to Go' and a jazzy, piano-led rendition of 'All Right Now' (which worked extremely well) this was as a funkin' good set from a blues-soulful band.
Hamilton Loomis stayed on the keys for the bluesy sway of 'It Came And It Went' and a cover of The Parliaments hit 'I Just Wanna Testify' before the feel-good vibe of 'This Season' (which featured a funky solo from Mike Dean and a great, extended solo from Loomis) announced itself as a set highlight.
Fan favourite 'Bow Wow,' which has plenty of riff-bite to go with its barking mad chorus hook, closed out the set with Hamilton Loomis, as is now tradition, on audience walkabout.
Extending the song with some tasty solo licks, Loomis then returned to the stage to run through a veritable who’s who of rock anthems including 'Foxy Lady,' 'Back in Black,' 'Iron Man,' 'Running With The Devil,' 'Black Dog' and a seriously impressive (and none-too-easy to pull off) burst of Rush’s 'Tom Sawyer.'
Bow Wow, indeed.
Hamish Stuart needs no introduction and, as if to underline that very point, didn’t get one.
Walking on stage unannounced, guitar in hand, Stuart started in the most unassuming fashion by playing an understated but tastefully delivered tribute to Tony Bennett, whose sad passing had been announced earlier that day (he also told a lovely if regretful anecdote about "the day I didn’t meet the great man" – Stuart’s stories are as much a part of his set as the songs he plays).
As Hamish Stuart temporarily departed, the soul-funk sextet that is James Brown Is Annie entered to perform three of their own numbers, including the 70s vibed 'Change Your Mind' and the up-tempo 'Dr Funk' (rhythm guitarist Barry Gordon and keyboardist Eddie Miller taking respective lead vocals).
Hamish Stuart then returned to take centre stage for a collection of his own numbers, nods to his illustrious past and, of course, the Average White Band, kicking off with the AWB’s ridiculously funky 'Cut the Cake.'
(The song was preceded by Stuart’s enquiry as to "Who remembers 1975?” – cue most of the crowd confirming their age – followed by Stuart’s back in the (hazy) daze reply of "What was it like?).
Walking on stage unannounced, guitar in hand, Stuart started in the most unassuming fashion by playing an understated but tastefully delivered tribute to Tony Bennett, whose sad passing had been announced earlier that day (he also told a lovely if regretful anecdote about "the day I didn’t meet the great man" – Stuart’s stories are as much a part of his set as the songs he plays).
As Hamish Stuart temporarily departed, the soul-funk sextet that is James Brown Is Annie entered to perform three of their own numbers, including the 70s vibed 'Change Your Mind' and the up-tempo 'Dr Funk' (rhythm guitarist Barry Gordon and keyboardist Eddie Miller taking respective lead vocals).
Hamish Stuart then returned to take centre stage for a collection of his own numbers, nods to his illustrious past and, of course, the Average White Band, kicking off with the AWB’s ridiculously funky 'Cut the Cake.'
(The song was preceded by Stuart’s enquiry as to "Who remembers 1975?” – cue most of the crowd confirming their age – followed by Stuart’s back in the (hazy) daze reply of "What was it like?).
Other highlights included the cool funk of 'Midnight Rush' (from Stuart’s 1999 solo album Sooner Or Later), which featured an equally cool and fluid solo from Lyle Watt, AWB funk work-outs 'Put it Where You Want It' and 'Person To Person,' and the soul-plaintive 'A Love Of Your Own,' featuring a cool and swaying sax solo from Josie Girgis.
At 73 years young the Godfather of Funk still has the chops but as some of the more trickily keyed numbers highlighted he’s not the vocalist he once was; the paradox however being there were moments where he got so lost in the musical moment that he actually lifted his voice to ad-lib falsetto highs he shouldn’t be hitting. (The soul-funky 'What Cha’ Gonna Do For Me,' written for and performed by Chaka Khan, highlighted both vocal points).
It’s also fair to say that unless you are a fully paid up member of the souled out, funked up club you may have had your funk fill by an hour of the 90 minute set, but if funk be your music of choice (and who wasn’t movin’ or groovin’ to the timeless and set closing AWB classic 'Pick Up The Pieces') you were certainly in the right place on a rainy East Ayrshire evening when Hamish Stuart and James Brown is Annie came back to ol’ Darvel town.
In summary, a fine way to celebrate the 21st Anniversary of The Darvel Music Festival.
Here's to the next 21.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Photo Credit (all images): Kevin Kerr 1010 Photography
https://www.kk1010photography.com/
For more information and tickets for upcoming shows, head to:
https://www.darvelmusiccompany.com/
At 73 years young the Godfather of Funk still has the chops but as some of the more trickily keyed numbers highlighted he’s not the vocalist he once was; the paradox however being there were moments where he got so lost in the musical moment that he actually lifted his voice to ad-lib falsetto highs he shouldn’t be hitting. (The soul-funky 'What Cha’ Gonna Do For Me,' written for and performed by Chaka Khan, highlighted both vocal points).
It’s also fair to say that unless you are a fully paid up member of the souled out, funked up club you may have had your funk fill by an hour of the 90 minute set, but if funk be your music of choice (and who wasn’t movin’ or groovin’ to the timeless and set closing AWB classic 'Pick Up The Pieces') you were certainly in the right place on a rainy East Ayrshire evening when Hamish Stuart and James Brown is Annie came back to ol’ Darvel town.
In summary, a fine way to celebrate the 21st Anniversary of The Darvel Music Festival.
Here's to the next 21.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Photo Credit (all images): Kevin Kerr 1010 Photography
https://www.kk1010photography.com/
For more information and tickets for upcoming shows, head to:
https://www.darvelmusiccompany.com/