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The 2005 Festival is: Friday 13th May, Saturday 14th May and Sunday 15th May        Friday 13th May, Saturday 14th May and Sunday 15th May        Friday 13th May, Saturday 14th May and Sunday 15th May        Friday 13th May, Saturday 14th May and Sunday 15th May       


Steve Ajao





FESTIVAL FORUM
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2004 FESTIVAL ARTISTES
The who's who of Festival 2004; pictures, links, the lot

ARTISTES
Many of the Fest bands and musicians who have appeared over the years Bio's, pic's and loads of info.

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Photo's and Gig Reviews of ALL the stages/venues of Festival 2004

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POSTER 2004
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PROGRAMME 2004
What was on in 2004
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ACOUSTIC STAGE
The "Acoustic Stage" (in reality an eclectic mix of music from Delta Blues to flat out rock) at The Shore Hotel has it's own website which is now updated with new pictures and info..

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ISLE OF MAN BLUES CLUB
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venue, dates, history etc..


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TRAVEL
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Stage: MAIN STAGE GIG REPORT 2003
Photo's and Report on the
Charterhouse International Blues Pavilion
Main Stage


Stage: ACOUSTIC STAGE
The Acoustic Stage has it's own web
site. You can check out: Previous
fest.s, pictures and details.


Domicilium: Internet Providers to the Festival
Domicilium - Internet Providers to the Festival

Bushy's Big Wheel Blues Festival 2003 is a fund raising event for the British Red Cross. Please give generously.
Bushy's Big Wheel Blues Festival 2003 is a fund raising event for the British Red Cross





Steve on stage at the 2003 Festival - click to enlarge and see the rest of the band





Born in 1952 in Birmingham, England, Steve was brought up listening to his dad playing drums and guitar in the 50's and 60's. His father, Bobby Ajao, had a great record collection and Steve was listening to people like Lightnin' Hopkins, Charlie Parker, Wes Montgomery, T Bone Walker, BB King, Buddy Guy and all the best blues, R&B and jazz at some of his dad's parties long before the so-called "British Blues Boom" happened in the early 60's.

Steve started off playing drums, but by the late fifties, when he was just eight, he was given his first guitar, a "Selmer 222". By the age of thirteen, Steve was playing non-stop and beginning to develop his own style, which was strongly based on Lightnin' Hopkins. He even managed to fool his dad into thinking some tapes that he had made were actually by Hopkins!

That was enough to persuade Steve's dad to bring him into his band as lead guitarist. Still just thirteen, Steve was playing soul, R&B and early reggae together with a smattering of blues in black clubs and dances all over the UK at weekends.

During this time Steve was still studying hard at Moseley Art School in Birmingham, developing his other great passion and skill in fine Art. He then went to Lanchester Polytechnic, Coventry to study graphic design, but still came home each weekend to play in his father's band and even got poached by some of his dad's friend's bands!

So by his late teens, Steve was working with a wide range of bands such as The Woodpeckers, The Cariboes, Barley Wine and The Internationals, The Caribbean Allstars and played the odd recording session with the great Laurel Aitken.

After graduating, Steve came back to Birmingham and, having had no luck in the traditional job market, got deeper and deeper into music. Although initially playing mainly soul and reggae, Steve was so amazed by the wonderful playing of Jimi Hendrix, who had just emerged onto the scene, that he just had to get back to the music he really loved... the blues.

Living in Moseley, right in the heart of the artistic and musical epicentre of Birmingham, Steve soon became recognised as one of Birmingham's top blues and rock guitarists.

Throughout the seventies, Steve was playing the pub and college circuit with bands like the First Band, Spitfire and the Wide Boys. However, to make ends meet, he was also playing Delta style blues, solo in some of the hardest and roughest pubs around.

Although a hard working blues singer and guitarist for some sixteen years, Steve also wanted to develop his other music passion further and taught himself to play the saxophone. By now Steve was also in great demand as a Bebop sax player on the jazz scene as well as continuing to be widely recognised as a great blues man.

The resurgence of interest in jazz during the eighties saw Steve playing more and more on the London scene, including The Wag Club, Dingwalls, Ronnie Scott's and at Brighton's Concorde Club together with the great Red Rodney, Charlie Parker's trumpet player! Over the next twenty years, Steve worked endlessly in both jazz and blues.

He has maintained his hard hitting three-piece blues band, a regular jazz quartet, made numerous solo appearances and all the time has also worked with countless other well established musicians and done lots of teaching, television and radio work.

Steve always pushes himself to ensure that his playing never stands still. He has that rare ability to draw upon various music forms which gives him such a unique style which is immediately accessible to both jazz and blues lovers.

Much of Steve's work over the past thirty or so years has been based here in the UK, however, Steve can now be seen more and more on the international stage and we look forward to seeing him at Festival 2003.

Steve was on the Main Stage in 2003 - Click here to read the Main Stage gig reviews
Web Site: www.steveajao.com


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