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First formed in 1984, bass player
Ian Jennings is the sole surviving founder member of The
Big Town Playboys: but those that play in the band look on it rather
like a private club; people come in, stay for a bit, go and
come back again. This obviously makes for an interesting line-up
at any gig, whether in the UK or abroad.
Their songs of choice are derived from the black America of the 1950s. Rockabilly
and swing music were influences, but nobody was experimenting with west coast
rhythm and blues; Amos Milburn, Willie Littlefield, Willie Egans – and
that's where the Big Town Playboys found their niche. Stylistically it’s
a more saxophone and piano based feel with bigger line-ups and it is more dance
oriented than Chicago blues. The contagious dance grooves, the boogie piano,
the sax riffs, the overdriven guitar solos and the wailing blues of the vocalists
are all part of the reason for this band’s obsession with the music known
as Rhythm and Blues.
By the end of the 1990s the band had visited the USA three times, including a
residency at Mick Fleetwood's club in Los Angeles, a tour of the West coast,
a TV show and a trip to New York.
The current line-up comprises:
• Chad Strentz – Vocals
• Dave Wilson – Guitar
• Ian Jennings – Double Bass, Bass Guitar
• Mike Morgan – Drums
• Jools Webster-Greaves– Tenor & Baritone Sax
• Matt Empson – Keyboards
However, this may change at any given moment, depending on independent projects,
touring or recording commitments. That’s one of the exciting features of
a Big Town Playboys’ gig – you never know who may be waiting to take
the mike with them. This is compounded by their fan-base of well-known rock musicians
and singers: -
• At a recent private party in the Midlands, one of the guests got up and
sang several songs – in fact, they couldn’t get the mike away from
him. It was Robert Plant. Songs performed included “Hello Josephine”, “Kansas
City”, “Gloria”, “Stagger Lee”, “Baby please
don't go” and “Fever”.
• At Tommy Hilfiger’s birthday party in St Tropez two years ago,
the Big Town Playboys were to be found providing the music on board his private
yacht.
• At the Battle Music Festival during the May 2002 bank holiday, the band
headlined and an exhilarated-looking Jeff Beck stood in the audience playing
air guitar in synchrony with Dave Wilson.
• Eric Clapton invited them to support him on the whole of a European tour,
including 21 nights at the Royal Albert Hall. The band played on the film score
for “The Colour of Money”.
• The band recorded the ‘Crazy Legs’ album with Jeff Beck which
is a tribute album to Cliff Gallup, the first guitarist with Gene Vincent and
the Bluecaps – they subsequently supported him on his last European tour.
The band has also found much success in Europe, particularly Scandinavia, Germany,
Holland, France and Belgium, where they are repeatedly invited back to music
festivals and private corporate functions.
An important part of the Playboy ethos is to be inspired by their influences
rather than trapped by them. The new album of infectious 1950’s R & B
music as well as jazz, blues, gospel and rockabilly, recently recorded at Sweet
Georgia Brown’s in London, reflects this and there’s proof that the
Big Town Playboys really are the ‘band’s band’ – Jools
Holland, Robert Plant, Jeff Beck and Andy Fairwether-Low all asked to be allowed
to record on the new album.
Click here for the Album Discography
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