VanEckBlues

CD review Jay Tamkin Band – Alibi

dinsdag, 27 september 2011 | Geen reacties »

Text: Nineke Loedeman
Label RoKoKo Records

I had high expectations of the second album of the Jay Tamkin Band , named ALIBI, partly because Jay’s first album “Sorted” was so different but very special and partly because the live-performances of the band are so powerful. This album ALIBI was planned to come out last May, but due to circumstances it took till the 5th of September to be released.
First track of the album is “Going out tonight”, a poppy song which also has been released as a single. By the time the third song ”You’ve got the heart” starts, the tempo is going up, and we even hear a gospelchoir! Just wonderful. And there we have that amazing guitarplaying of Jay, and what a killer song this is. There is a nice balance between uptempo songs and slowsongs like “Don’t wait to long”. Real crackers are “Can’t not think about you“, with outstanding guitarplaying and flashy drums, and ”You’ve changed”, an amazing song in an almost sensual pace. By the way this is a great song on stage!
So, this is a great cd, full of different styles and wonderful songs.
Great compliment for Jay, who not only wrote the music and the lyrics, but also played almost all the instruments. He also did a huge part of the vocals , what a extraordinary achievement of this young man from Great Britain! This is a very nice album to listen to, from a committed band , which since the recording of this album already has grown so much! With outstanding guitarplaying, lots of vocals, very nice keyboards and driving drums. Personally for me the guitarparts were a little too short  but they definately show what a great musician/ guitarist Jay Tamkin is!

The Jay Tamkin Band is:
Guitar and vocals: Jay Tamkin
Drums: Nick Ramos Pinto
Keyboards: Rik “Howling”Christiansen

Tracks:
1. Going out tonight
2. Dancing in the rain
3. You’ve got the heart
4. Can’t not think about you
5. Lovin’ man
6. I think I’ve fallen in love
7. Can’t get it out of my head
8. Don’t wait to long
9. Circles
10. You’ve changed

Website Jay Tamkin Band

Interview Jay Tamkin

dinsdag, 6 september 2011 | Geen reacties »

Interview by: Nineke Loedeman

A week after I saw my first and second performance of the Jay Tamkin Band in Giethoorn, I got the chance to see them for the third time, at Culemborg Blues. And there was some time for an interview. To see this band three times in one week is no punishment, far from it! The enthousiasm of this band and in particular of Jay Tamkin is wonderful to look at. This 23-year young multi-instrumentalist from the south of Great Britain knows how to make a hell of a gig. Together with drummer Nick Ramos Pinto and keyboardplayer Rik “howling” Christiansen they form a strong combination. These guys know eachother for several years and it shows. Rik, as keyboardplayer, also plays the bass-parts and this band has a firm, steady sound.After listening to his debut-album Sorted, which came out in 2009, I got an image of this young man, clearly his jazz-education shows, but he’s also really into the heavier bluesrock stuff. So, knowing his second album “ Alibi” is coming out soon, the 5th of September, I took the opportunity to ask him some questions about it.On my first question how this album” Alibi” is different from” Sorted” Jay answered that the new album is more evenly and therefore more accessable. All 10 tracks were again written by Jay. At first the album was about to be released in May but due to circumstances it was postponed until 5th September.On “ Sorted “ he is still playing with a bass-guitarist, on “ Alibi” and while touring he’s playing with a keyboardplayer. When I asked him about it, he told me he’d always wanted a keyboardplayer in his band, and in Rik he found a keyboardplayer who could also play the bass-parts. Two-in-one so to say.By the way, Jay plays a pretty good piece of bass himself, showing it in Giethoorn on a 5-string bassguitar.On my question who has influenced him in the past but also in the present, the name of Popa Chubby came up, and John Mayall’s Buddy Whittington, but also Matt Schofield. Jay is a huge fan of Matt’s way of playing and of the sound he creates. And Matt also uses a bassplaying keyboardplayer ( Jonny Henderson). Jay also specifically mentioned Steely Dan’s Donald Fagan as an influence.My last question for Jay was which typical Jay Tamkin Band track of his album “ Sorted” I should play in our radioprogramme “uurtje van Nix” (6 september) and he answered me that that would be “ Love don’t keep me down”, actually a wonderful bluesy rock song. So, that’s what we will do first, and we are really looking forward of hearing ”Alibi”.