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TONY JOE WHITE
The Borderline, London October 13, 2002. "Heavy rain a falling .., Neon sign a flashing, taxi cabs and busses passing throug the night" - lines penned by Tony Joe White from his timeless classic, Rainy Night In Georgia, seem fitting for those who journeyed to this gig an such a sodden evening. With songs covered by Elvis, Tina Turner, Ray Charles, Waylon Jenning, John Mayall, Hank Williams Jr and many others, there's no surprice for second time in one week to find the venue's rammed with an enthusiastic audience enjoying a rare visit from this distinctive Louisiana born swamp, country blues master. And within such a charged atmosphere, Camden-based songwriter-guitarist and former Rockingbird Alan Tyler, aided by Paul Lush on acoustic lead, sailed through an engaging set, as did the next warm-up, Yorkshireman Michael Chapman, playing finger-picking acoustic in Leo Kottke style. With an outgoing Yorkshire personality, he's full af wisecracks: referring to this Central London venue, he quipped, "I usually only play where I cab park - I'm too old for inconvenience." The atmosphere cooked as the latest Blind Boys Of Alabama album played through the house PA. The suspense triggered a series of premature welcome-applause before TJW (aka Swamp Fox) finally took the stage, sat down and plugged in his well-worn brown-sunburst Stratocaster. Dressed in a dark t-shirt, black sunglasses and with a Dylan-esque harmonica setup hanging around his neck, he kicked off solo with Willie and Laura Mae Jones, a bluesy reflection on life in the cotton picking lands. When his deep Southern voice sings, "... they lived just down the road from us in a shack just our shack ...," the song enters autobiographical territory. Three songs in, Tony drawls, "Gonna get a little swampy," which cues Marc 'Boom Boom' Cohen for deployment behind the drums. This power-duo create an awesome wall of sound as they roll out with Undercover Agent For The Blues. The funky Roosevelt And Ira Lee delivers a narrative centreing on kids in teh moonlight swamp frolics - a snake encounter and plans of chicken stealin' are all part of the course and showcase Tony's skill in capturing time and place in the Southern sense. Musicians in the audience would have no doubt lapped up Tony's trademark guitar styles - typically, Southern blues licks simultaneously plaeyed against ubfectious bottom-end base riffs, delicately fingered chord chomps and sparing use of a squelchy effects pedal mid-way through solos. And they do exactly what a solo should do - excite! Almost missed was the unusual way within a few bars that White subtly alternates between plucking a chord with all right hand fingers, then - as a magician produces a card from his sleeve - in a split second produces a plectrum from the palm of the same hand, flicks it between his tumb and forefinger and proceeds into a more traditional strum. The singing style, guitar technique, and liberal, melodic use of the harmonica make his whole approach look casual, but his impeccable timing and understatement seem to bounce all within his radar into enthusiastic rhythm nods or dance shuffles. Poking fun at he London weather and borrowing a line from his hit, Tony announced "It's raining all over the world" and slipped into the perennial Rainy Night In Georgia. With over three decades of recording under his belt, there was no problem keeping this crowd satisfied, even with the constant barrage of requests between songs. Tunica Motel triggered jovial reflections of last year when I scoffed at how such a bland place inspired such a great song, having accidentally viewed it while driving south on Mississippi's Highway 61. They Caught The Devil And Put Him In Jail In Eudora - Arkansas, Gonna Look Good In Blues, Even Trolls Love Rock'n'Roll continued the swamp groove and the set finished with his '69 US top ten hit forever associated with Elvis Presley's live '70s extravaganzas, Polk Salad Annie. The audience whoop and holler 'M-o-r-e! for near on five minutes before Tony Joe returns and flatters, "Well, you make all the miles worthwhile." Encoring with the song that Tina Turner elevated to a global smash, Steamy Windows, TJW finally eases the baying crowd. Born 1943, he looks remarkably relaxed and contend having just delivered a solid hour and a half set. The audience appear more than satisfied ad he plays out with Feeling Snakey, Nothing I Would Not Do and, as a sign of times, The Organic Shuffle, as he promotes his latest album, Snakey, out on his own label (Tony Joe White Music, Inc.). TJW is heading back to the States where he'll open on Joe Cocker's forthcoming US tour, and funal words from the Swamp Fox reveal, "I'll be back in April." (2003) Afterwards, a circle of musicians gathered from the audience, having just experienced a master at work, and one made a thought provoking statement: "Hardly any British musicians are now tapping into this. No wonder the British music scene's in such a state - look what they're missing out on!" Hoorah to that, and roll around April. (2003) |
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Wayne Smart November 2002 Country Music People |
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