With its roots firmly planted in what is generally acknowledged to be the UK’s first true blues club, The Ealing Blues Club, founded by pioneers, Alexis Korner & Cyril Davies, Ealing Blues Festival 2024 saw the retirement of its central founding father, Bob Salmons, aka Robert Hokum after 37 years at its helm.
WORDS: Iain Patience | IMAGES: Paul Dubbelman
The 2024 festival was an absolute triumph and a fitting final farewell to Bob’s sterling efforts over the decades. A galaxy of UK and international acts tore the place apart, in perfect summer weather at Ealing’s Walpole Park venue.
Opening night saw an array of local talent and a bang-on set featuring the Ealing Blues Festival Allstars with Ian ‘Blues is the Truth’ McHue and Karena K in the mix; Chris Corcoran’s Big Band – some fiery fretwork flourishes – the excellent Paul Cook Blues Band, featuring the wonderful vocal support of Katie Bradley, with a set that was explosive and set the main stage alight in readiness for the evening’s closer with USA’s Alligator Records star, Selwyn Birchwood Band. Always a personal favourite, Selwyn worked the audience, hitting the ground running with his usual traditional blues work and demanding, commanding edge.
Sunday found yet another fabulous day of great music on offer. On the West Stage, MCd by UK sax wizard and singer Karena K, Andy Twyman, a very fine bluesman kicked off, followed by the fabulous Emma Wilson. Wilson’s latest album, recorded in Memphis, is an absolute gem and one of the best releases of the past year, for sure.
Following this, she raced across to the Main Stage to add her vocal power to Terry Marshall’s record album launch which also featured the superb voice of Alice Armstrong – an altogether fabulous pair of UK blues songbirds on one stage is a rarity indeed.
The fun continued unabated with the crowd loving every minute, although truth be told, it was difficult to decide which stage to catch given the sheer quality of acts on offer – always a festival problem!
West Stage saw a wonderful outfit, Joli Blon Cajun Band, kick up a shindig of irresistible toe-tapping music that got the crowd dancing in the sun, to be followed by a cracking set by Leavin’ Trunk that was blues and rock combined with courage and passion. The stage closed late that night with the delightful Zoe Schwartz Blue Commotion. Zoe’s voice is the main thing here every time, a subtle blend of grit – when needed – and sensuous jazzy undertones that just roll along perfectly.
Meanwhile, more stage-hopping needed to catch UK Blues Award favourites When Rivers Meet who delivered their usual blend of Mando, Cigar Box and Electrifying blues paying before moving aside for the now ever-growing furnace of Sons of Cream – featuring no less than two of the original band member’s sons, Kofi Baker on drums (What else!!) and Malcolm Bruce on bass (again, What else!!) Joined on
guitar by the aptly named Robert Johnson, they delivered a fabulous set that included a mix of blues standards, their own work, and Cream greats – Kofi Baker did a truncated 14-minute drum solo on Toad, that he described as a ‘Rushed’ version of the original 17-minute version played by his late father, Ginger.
Other artists on the Main Stage included a fabulous tribute to Peter Green by Supernatural, with both Robin Bibbi and Krissy Matthews featured on dueling guitars, and a set to launch sax player Terry Marshall’s new album on Marshall Records.
Overall, this was simply a superb event, with a stunning line-up featuring the absolute cream of UK blues talent. As a tribute to its founder, Bob Salmons, it was surely perfect.
Keep up to date with the Ealing Blues Festival over on their website: http://www.ealingbluesfestival.com/
