Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra
Bournemouth International Centre
Jools and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra are in mid-U.K. tour. They now total nineteen performers with the addition of his brother Christopher on Hammond organ. Tour guest artists are Lulu and Ruby Turner.
The band went through a wide range of numbers from boogie-woogie to blues to big band and back, to great effect. Each member is a star, able to lead pieces, which they all did superbly. One of the best was the ska and reggae trombonist and vocalist, 73-year-old Rico Rodriguez.
Lulu still looks absolutely great, which was just as well as most of the ladies in the audience were of similar age, and were clearly there to check her out. Luckily, she still sings well too, including the obligatory Shout. However, she faced stiff competition from Ruby Turner – she of the phenomenally powerful blues voice, honed over the years boosting many a fading rock star. Her rendition of the Otis Redding classic Try A Little Tenderness was superb.
However, the star of the show is inevitably Jools himself. He compered proceedings with his usual wit and charm, but he remains at his best with his effortless piano renditions of boogie-woogie – and ever other type of rhythm music you care to mention. My parents were fans of the great Fats Waller and always used to amuse me with the comment “Just listen to that left hand”. After this concert, I now know exactly what they meant.
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