Isle of Man News, 21 January 2010 – The dates for the 12th Big Wheel Blues Festival are Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd May 2010. The venue is the one we have used for some years although it is now known as “The Pavillion” [sic] in Laxey Glen Gardens.
However, before the main event, we are thrilled that due to the support of those lovely people at the Centenary Centre in Peel, we are able to announce an amazing festival launch gig …
The Boyd Small Band
The band are flying over from Holland to play at our launch gig on Saturday March 13th, 2010 at 8pm (doors 7.30pm). The support act will be legendary local bluesmakers, The Big Wheel Blues Band. Tickets for the launch gig will go on sale from the Centenary Centre website on January 22nd at £10.00 each – hard copy tickets will be available from usual outlets* and there’s no booking fee!!!
Musical phenomenon Boyd Small was a local hero in the Portland area as singer/drummer of the Terraplanes for 11 years. His musical expertise earned him a Cascade Blues Association “Hall of Fame” induction in 1993 after winning the award for best drummer 3 years in a row. His presence is still felt in the Portland music scene through the musicians he influenced both as an instrumentalist and as a song writer.
http://www.cascadeblues.org/NWBlues/BoydSmall/BoydSmall.htm
Boyd Small’s international performance credits while living in the USA included tours with Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Jimmy Rogers, Hubert Sumlin, Guitar Shorty and Pinetop Perkins. Since relocating to Europe, besides fronting several successful projects under his own name, Boyd has toured with Black and Tan* recording artists Byther Smith (Chicago, Ill.), Big George Jackson (Chicago, Ill.) and Billy Jones (Arks.) as a consummate side-man.
As an active member of Europe’s roots music scene, Boyd co-founded the Amsterdam-based alternative roots and modern blues label “Cool Buzz”. During his tenure there, he co- produced several CDs for American and Dutch artists including Monti Amundson, Jim Wallace, Drippin’ Honey and The Cuban Heels.
The other members of the Boyd Small Band are:
Roelof Meijeringh. Brilliant blues guitarist discovered in a local music joint by Boyd himself. He’s shared the stage with Michael Burks, Monti Amundson and Dutch blues singer Harrie Muskee, to name a few. Was a part-time member of Dutch blues band The Cuban Heels.
Ronald de Jong
An all-round double-bass and bass guitar player, who played with the infamous Shane McGowan on his “Crock of Gold” CD launch in Germany and has worked and toured Europe with many eminent bluesmakers.
TEE
a.k.a. Marc Thijs, TEE has been playing around the European blues scene since 1986. He started out playing harmonica and singing and after switching to guitar he formed “The Electric Kings”, a major influence on many European blues bands.
Meanwhile TEE has worked with many international touring acts on both European and American ground. He recorded his first album under his own name “ this is… TEE” produced by PALADINS bass player THOMAS YEARSLEY and featuring one of California’s finest blues musicians JEFF TURMES.
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The Big Wheel Blues Festival is very pleased to be able to announce that we have a new partner sponsor – our good friends from Peter Norris Music in Douglas. Ken Mitchell and all at the shop have always been a huge support to the festival and it is great to see them becoming even more closely involved as sponsors. Despite the welcome and continued support from Cains, the Isle of Man Arts Council and Visit Isle of Man, overall the level of sponsorship and support we are receiving is significantly lower than in recent years. In spite of this, we have an amazingly talented and truly international line-up for you.
Our headline acts for the 2010 Festival are:
Larry Garner with the Norman Beaker Band – Saturday 1st May
http://www.myspace.com/larrygarnerblues
Ana Popovic – Sunday 2nd May
We will be announcing the supporting acts next week as Blues Festival tickets go on sale from Thursday 28th January 2010.
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More about the launch gig artists:
http://www.boydsmall.nl/English/boyd.html
http://www.myspace.com/boydsmall
http://www.myspace.com/marctee
* Usual outlets are:
Thompson Travel, Station Road Port Erin;
Celtic Gold, 5 Michael St. Peel;
Peter Norris Music, Finch Road, Douglas;
‘Mostly Manx’, Nelson Street, Douglas;
Shakti Man, 68 Parliament Street, Ramsey
or on the door, if not sold out.
** Black and Tan is the Dutch record label which discovered and launched the late great Ernie Payne who supported Robert Plant and played a most memorable gig at the Centenary Centre.
