Just over a week ago the British nation was caught up in the results of the General Election coming in throughout the day. A massive "yes" for the Scottish Nationalists winning 56 out of 59 seats and probably less surprisingly a 5 year term of office for a Conservative Government who will be under close scrutiny in the months ahead. By way of celebration for everyone whatever your political persuasion the 8th May 2015 heralded the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. There would have been dancing in the streets and party fayre would have consisted of dripping sandwiches - that's when you cook roast beef and the pan ends up with a solid layer of white and brown sludge if you leave it to cool: that's dripping. Yum. Faggots made of offal and offcuts, wrapped in fat and fried, corned beef and of course spam.....cue the Monty Python song where everything on the menu at the fictional Green Midget Café in Bromley contains spam. This was a time of food rationing which would continue until 1954.

 

Wind the clock forward to Tuesday and once again a celebration of song and music at Newport Open Mic at the Royal Naval Association. Young Jay Harris and Russ, his dad, were on hand as usual to help set up at 7pm with Jay doing a sound check. By 8.30pm there was a sizeable audience but not a single name on the board to entertain. Eddie Maiden was in the audience so that was a good sign and in the absence of anyone to play alongside him he had come ready equipped with some backing tracks. Football on so looks like we could be in for an early night I thought, this time with music rationing. Thankfully I was proved wrong as our own blues harp player Ed Sullivan arrived followed by a crowd from Wellington. It is always a pleasure to welcome new faces at Newport Open Mic but none more so than blues guitarist Tony McPhee, founder member of The Groundhogs and Joanna Deacon who joined The Groundhogs as vocalist in 2011. New faces indeed at Newport Open Mic but certainly not in the music industry. Tony was one of the great exponents of the British blues scene in the sixties backing  John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Reed, Champion Jack Dupree and Little Walter and touring with The Stones. All legends in music. Tony suffered a serious stroke in 2011 but came back to play with The Groundhogs until they retired in 2014. So there was a great buzz in the room to find him sharing an evening of music with us here in Newport.

 

Another musician and singer, Steve Reynolds, had arrived so by 8.45 the curtains were up and we knew we were going to be in for a great night. Eddie Maiden got things underway with songs which included The Mavericks, Glen Campbell and Barry White with some nimble dance moves and audience participation. His musical career goes back a long way and he can certainly still engage the audience.  

Wellington newcomers Derek Griffiths on guitar and vocals and Pete Ryan on acoustic bass were next up and their opening song "Goin' Back" written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin but made famous by Dusty Springfield was delightful. Follow that with songs from The Killers, Pink Floyd, Ian Dury and Dr Hook these two guys had the audience in the palm of their hands.

 

It's been a while since we heard Steve Reynolds at the Navy but he stands very tall on stage and woos the crowd (the girls in particular) with songs sung from the heart as well as beautiful finger picking guitar. "Sweet Child of Mine", "Wonderful Tonight", Crowded House's "Fall At Your Feet" and "You Do Something To Me" by Paul Weller, four classic love songs had us entranced. "It Must Be Love" originally written by Labi Siffre in 1971 but released 10 years later by SKA band Madness was used recently in a US advert wooing the Volkwagen Passat! - a splendid choice of songs from Steve.

 

Should Be Band started out as a trio with Derek and Pete back on stage joined by Joanna Deacon. Vocalist in the most recent Groundhogs line up Joanna is a natural performer in her own right.   Nina Simone' s "My Baby Just Cares For Me" slid into "Top Cat" then, cue Monty Python again, "Always Look on the Bright Side" and then back to Nina Simone. Blues harpist Ed Sullivan joined them for Janis Joplin's "Me and Bobby McGee", the man behind the sound desk and the camera, Jon Newton, found himself behind the drums, Steve Reynolds and Cath Butler were up there too and suddenly we had Should Be "Big" Band. With Derek and Jo providing lovely harmonies we enjoyed some classics from Bob Dylan, The Animals, The Drifters and Johnny Cash, "Folsom Prison Blues" perfect for Ed who was that train coming down the track on his harmonica. "Dead Flowers" from The Stones album "Sticky Fingers" was superb and  sitting next to Tony McPhee it took little persuasion to get him up on stage to see us out with a magnificent blues jam session demonstrating why he is a  British blues legend.

 

Many thanks to all of you who contributed to a memorable evening of Live Music at Newport Open Mic, every Tuesday at the Royal Naval Association.

 

Joanna and Tony are starting up their Open Mic nights again at the Wrekin Inn, Wellington from 19th May, another great venue 

 

 

KEEPING MUSIC LIVE!