On 20th May 2012 at 15:11 Adam Blackie wrote...
Saw him last night in Sturmer Hall near Haverhill. Brilliant. This review could have been written about last nights gig.
A professional entartainer in all senses of the phrase.
Long may he go on.
Georgie Fame
Live at Sela Bar on Sunday, 19th April 2009
A true legend in a super small intimate venue? Had to be done, even at £35 a pop and we should thank Sela Bar's Mark Young for taking what must have been a risk to bring Fame to a venue whose capacity can't be many more than 100.
New Mastersounds trio were the warm up, competent at the classic 70's soul jazz style without being awe inspiring although the sung/scat/flute at the end was fun and memorable.
And then there he was, just a trio being backed by sons (can that be right?!) Tristan and James Powell on guitar and drums, the one and only Georgie Fame sat at a Hammond Organ and breezing through 'Green Onions' and classic, and I should point out my mum's one time fave rave, 'Yeh Yeh' (that's what I say!)
Took me a few songs to realise but essentially the gig was 2 sets in chronological order with songs and stories from way back in the early 60's to more recent offerings. Oh, the stories, doubtless at least partially true, like getting Mitch Mitchell the gig with Jimi Hendrix! And Tom Jones and the future Beatles being in the audience in his first touring shows backing Billy Fury in 1960 (at the age of 16!)
The group were as tight as would be expected with James Powell on drums especially limber. The sound was disappointing with occasional feedback and faulty mics. Should never have been a problem given the lack of amplification needed. The group took this in good spirits though and the simplicity of their set up helped cover any issues. The songs were approached very much as the pop songs that they were and although Fame now releases sporadically in a more R'n'B/Blues mode it would be great to have a world where our pop sensibilities could still cover gems like these.
The most memorable thing to me was Georgie's personality itself, humorous, self-effacing and as I mentioned not averse to telling the odd tale.
