Steve Payne with Michael Pickett at The Southside Shuffle
The Parole Brothers: Coronation Tap Bristol Monday 12th January 2009 In the 1980s The Parole Brothers were one of the most popular bands on the Bristol / UK Blues scene. They broke up shortly after making their first album and the individual members went their own way musically . Right from opening songs, St Louis Jimmy’s blues standard Goin’ Down Slow rapidly followed by Leadbelly’s Bourgeois Blues, it was obvious that we were in for a night of hard driving, raw, rocking 12-bars with lots of space for extended solos. Steve Payne seemed to be enjoying the opportunity of playing once again the sort of stuff on which he cut his teeth and some of his guitar solos were simply outrageous.! It must be a long time since he has sung with such depth animation, and with such obvious enjoyment , brilliant ! Keith Warmington demonstrated that he is still a very mean harmonica player, especially on Train Blues, and has lost none of his ability to growl out a song. Jerry Blythe’s piano player was superb, whether rolling out boogie woogies or rocking it up. All the while bass player Lyndon Parry and drummer Tony Heyes kept up a rock solid rhythm for the others to build on. The musicianship was of the highest quality and, despite not having played together for three years they were amazingly tight as a band. More important perhaps, the music was infectious and it was all great fun, both for the audience and, obviously, for the five people on stage as well. See you in three years time, lads. Keith Clark ------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Noche de Blues" : Marbella, Spain : 29/7/05 As the long, hot Spanish evening drew to a close, and the skies darkened, Steve Payne took to the stage. From the planning stages of the concert concerns had been expressed as to how well Steve's particular brand of blues/roots music would go down with a Spanish audience. These doubts proved totally unfoundedÉ.from the opening bars of "Cocaine 'Lil" to the closing notes of "Little Red Rooster" Steve had them in the palm of his hand. Spanish audiences are notoriously difficult Ð talking and walking and generally doing anything but concentrate on the musicÉbut when Steve played they really listened Ð the lack of background noise was almost audible. Steve was accompanied by the skilled and sympathetic harp playing of John Fenlon. Having created a mood, and nicey warmed the audience up, they handed the spotlight to the Vargas Blues Band. Vargas and his new band, driven by the rhythm section of Esteban "Spiro" Cabezos and Gustavo Segura, augmented by the keyboards of Lucia del Campo, with the vocals of Jorge Fontecha ably replacing the much loved Chicago blues voice of Bobby Alexander, played with a high level of energy from start to finish. Towards the end of his set Vargas asked Steve Payne to join him on stage. This was an unexpected bonus, with Vargas holding back on the power chords to let the artistry and finesse of the Payne slide work shine through. It was a real joy to listen tom two such talented guitarists playing together unselfishly and with such obvious mutual respect. If the Vargas Blues Band finally get their UK tour off the ground don't miss them,. And if Steve Payne or John Fenlon are ever in your area make sure you go and see them ! Blues In Britain September 2005 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Steve Payne @ the Brit Hunched over an acoustic guitar bringing his own blend of gritty blues / roots to the Brittania, the first half of the evening sees Steve play original material alongside some old school blues classics such as Little Red Rooster. Throughout there is a contained authenticity that surrounds SteveÕs performance, he has a sort of effortless venom in his vocal style and his percussive slide playing makes him a firm favourite with the 'Brit audience. After the interval Steve took to his electric guitar and welcomed fellow musician Lee Mcrory to the stage. Mcrory's addictively scruffy voice served as a perfect accompaniment to Steve's exquisite slide guitar playing. With measured maturity Steve created a sound that I can only describe as like 'an excitable coyote howling through a bath full of honey'. This was a great gig with a great atmosphere that made me resent my bladder for taking me out of the room. Elliots Ear August 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ STEVE PAYNE Outlines (Digitdoc Records) British guitarist and songwriter Payne, who has been working the Ontario market every summer for the past few years and finishes this year's round of dates at The Rivoli Tuesday night accompanied by local bluesman Michael Pickett, is a veteran of the folk and rock business in his homeland, having performed and recorded in a variety of settingsÑblues, punk, folk-rock and popÑsince the mid-1970s. This solo recording of blues-tinged country folk pieces, some original, some traditional, showcases a remarkable acoustic guitarist, capable of considerable rhythmic power and sweet slide work on the blues side and understated elegance in the finger-picking that distinguishes the folk and country elements of his repertoire. Payne's easy low-timbre mumble, not unlike Gerry Rafferty's or Mark Knopfler's, sits well in this gentle mix, and while the original songs follow very basic progressions, they exhibit a lyrical wit and cunning sense of humour. Greg Quill Toronto Star Thursday, September 9, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Steve Payne is a curious fellow who visits our shores on a regular basis - a true journeyman - and despite being label-free, issues some delightful records on his own label. Neither folkie nor blues man, Payne is a gifted guitarist, singer-songwriter who falls somewhere between Roy Harper and Nick Drake. More British folk-rock than straight blues, although his guitar stylings lean towards the Delta on occasion. This 29-minute disc is short but definitely sweet, providing a wonderful taste of what he does best. His approach to the guitar is almost classical at times while he carefully mines each groove, blessing it with a blues presence. A bit of a painter and a bit of a poet, Payne colours his work with the rudiments of acoustic guitar, harmonica, banjo. Yet he manages to create timeless songs that get under your skin and stay there. Northern Town paints a haunting, Drake-like picture, albeit a less desolate one; Everybody's Talking About It focuses on his adeptness at fingerstyle guitar playing coupled with somewhat sombre vocals; Rita Hayworth's Smile is a love song that slides along like butter. Calm yet impassioned vocals marry to distinctive melodies and exemplary guitar-playing across a variety of themes. He wins his fans one at a time but, at this rate, he'll certainly never lose them. Eric Thom October 2004 |
