The London R'n'B Scene
The late 70's and '80s witnessed a thriving R'n'B scene in London, Charlie
played bass in Juice on the Loose, produced Diz
and the Doormen, and was one of a large group of musicians
including Ed Deane, Dana Gillespie, Ron Kavana, Andy Winfield,
Fran Byrne, Bam King, Pete Thomas, Geraint Watkins, Gary Rickard, Les Morgan, Ben Waters, Sam Kelly,
Nick Pentelow, Nick Payne, Paul Astles - to mention just a
few- who played the circuit. You can't beat it, great musicians playing
music for all the right reasons.
Juice on the Loose shows no sign of reforming, but
in 2006 Diz and the Doormen conducted several lightning
raids into Europe, with Tony Uter on percussion, Nick
Payne and Nick Pentelow and saxes, Dick
Madelaine on guitar and Charlie on bass. Diz has been singing
and playing rumba piano better than ever and the band played a memorable
concert in 2006 in Nidaros, Norway with Solomon Burke.
Charlie also formed Disorder on the Border with Geraint Watkins and Gary Rickard, after the demise of mighty Balham Alligators. The trio primarily used an accordion/fiddle/guitar line up and played a range of Cajun, Zydeco, R&B, African, Mediaeval, Swing and Country material.
2003 saw the release on CD by Babel Records of the album 'Vol. 1', originally recorded some 10 years earlier. Vol 1 consists of eight originals and some well chosen covers to accompany them. Described by Hinternet as 'an unplugged jem' it was greeted by Jazzwise as 'a big thing in a little package from a lost age'.
Available from babellabel.co.uk
Download some samples
Equator 1
New mexican man
C'est ca