Harmonica player John O'Leary has a
considerable pedigree as a bluesman, starting out as a founder
member of Savoy Brown's Blues Band back in the mid-1960's. He
recorded an album with the legendary blues singer and pianist
Champion Jack Dupree and over the years he has collaborated with many
well respected British bluesmane, including Dick Heckstall-Smith, Bob
Hall, Tony McPhee and Victor Brox.
The programme at Alexander's
comprised Chicago blues favourites, opening with "Born In
Chicago" and "Snatch It Back", which gave Jules
Fothergill an early opportunity to display his impressive array of
jazz-tinged chords and riffs. John O'Leary then played some
delightful harp on a fine version of "Early In The Morning",
which was followed by "19 Years Old", Howlin' Wolf's "Who's
Been Talking" and "Little By Little" to complete the
first set.
The second set continued the splendid,
Chicago-based blues miscellany, and included "Yonder's Wall",
that drifted in and out of Rice Miller's "Help Me"; "Rock
Me Baby", "Checking On My Baby" and a stirring version
of "Black Cat Bone".
John O'Leary gave a typically, warm and
relaxed performance on lead vocals and haerp, was wonderfully
complemented by a cosmopolitan trio of excellent musicians; Jules
Fothergill on guitar, German drummer Joachim Greve and New Yorker
Dave Clarke on bass guitar. Throughout the evening, the level
of musicianship from all was consistently outstanding, much to the
delight of a suitably appreciative audience. - Lionel Ross
