Artists

Eugene is a nomadic musician living his life on the road. His home is wherever the next performance takes him, and every year this is from America through Europe to Australia with many other stops in between.

Son of the blues guitarist Hideaway Slim, Eugene is the fourth child of five. His mother was from the Bullock family (the same as Anna Mae Bullock better known as Tina Turner) and Eugene claims he got his guitar skills from the Bridges side and his voice from the Bullocks. At five he was already playing with his father around Louisiana. With his brothers as The Bridges Brothers he sang gospel and was the musician of his church touring with the Pastor, Elder A A Edwards. At thirteen Eugene was entering R&B talent shows and had formed his first R&B band The Five Stars.

Eugene moved to Texas to join the Air Force at sixteen, playing in the Air Force band for the next three years. On leaving he joined The New Chosen on guitar and vocals and went on to play with The Mighty Clouds of Joy.

Following a move to Houston, Eugene released Blues, Gospel and R&B recordings by the three bands he was running at the time. These included the first line-up of the Eugene ‘Hideaway’ Bridges Band. They toured the USA from coast to coast.

Eugene then travelled alone to Europe, where B B King Bassist Big Joe Turner spotted him in Paris and offered him the position of Guitarist / Vocalist with Big Joe Turner’s Memphis Blues Caravan.

A year later Eugene left to work under his own name again and formed The Eugene ‘Hideaway’ Bridges Band. Signed to the Blueside label, Eugene recorded Born to be Blue, produced by Mike Vernon. His live performances received rave reviews and Eugene was awarded UK’s Blueprint magazine Vocalist of the Year. He also won The Trophees France Blues 99 Chanteur De L’Annee.

In 2000, Eugene signed to Armadillo and released his next CD, Man Without A Home, which got worldwide airplay. Eugene appeared, often headlining, at major festivals in the USA, all over Europe, Singapore, New Zealand and Australia; whipping up a storm wherever he went with his distinctive southern sound.

The 2003 release, Jump the Joint, reached Number 4 in the US Living Blues Charts, charting for three months. Eugene’s songs also appear regularly in The National Association of Rhythm & Blues DeeJays charts. He was nominated for three 2003 US Cammy Music Awards.

In September 2004 Eugene recorded his next CD, Coming Home, at The Zone Studio in Dripping Springs, Texas; using a full horn section led by Seth Kibel, on several tracks. He also has Texan guitarist and friend Rocky Athas joining him on two cuts.

After four CDs recorded with a full band, for Eugene’s next self titled release, Eugene ‘Hideaway ‘ Bridges, he went into the studio with friends and fellow musicians, met on the road. Lucky Oceans, co-founder of the Western Swing band Asleep at the Wheel, plays Pedal Steel on three tracks and Texan legend Ray Wylie Hubbard lays down some fine Slide Guitar on I Can’t Wait. This CD was nominate for two 2008 US Blues Music Awards.

March 2009 saw Eugene in San Antonio to fulfil his fans wishes for a Live CD. With the line up of Bobby Baranowski – Drums, Eric King – Bass, David Webb – Keys, Seth Kibel – Sax and Justine Miller – Trumpet, you have the real deal. Live in San Antonio has now been nominated for a 2011 Blues Music Award in the Soul Blues Album Category and Eugene has also been nominated for Soul Blues Artist. Eugene is currently recording his next CD scheduled for release in May 2011. http://www.myspace.com/eugenehideawaybridges
 

James Hunter is one of the best (and one of the few) British blue-eyed soul singers to emerge in the late 20th century. Hunter began his roots music career in the 1980s under the name Howlin’ Wilf. His solo recordings feature rhythm & blues in the style of the 1950s, pitched between R&B, early rock & roll, and early soul. His 1994 solo debut, …BELIEVE WHAT I SAY, had guest appearances by Doris Troy and Van Morrison and Hunter appeared on a couple of Morrison’s mid-’90s albums, as well as performing as part of Morrison’s Rhythm & Blues Revue. James has toured and opened for Van Morrison, Etta James, Boz Scaggs, Robert Cray, Bryan Adams, Los Lobos, Willie Nelson, Buddy Guy and even the Queen of Soul herself, Miss Aretha Franklin.

Hunter, also a skilled guitarist, wrote most of the material on his 2001 release KICK IT AROUND. Go Records/Rounder picked him up a few years later, and he released his third full-length album, PEOPLE GONNA TALK, in 2006. The album went on to be nominated for a 2006 Grammy Award which put James on the World map and took him from being “one of the best voices, and best kept secrets, in British R&B and Soul,” as Van Morrison puts it, to a proving major breakout success in 2006 and steadily continuing throughout 2007. The album reached Number 1 on the Billboard Blues Chart; and Hunter has enjoyed both National and International TV appearances. PEOPLE GONNA TALK not only earned Mr. Hunter critical acclaim, but also garnered a huge, adoring, and ever-growing fan-base.

The indeed very extraordinary and very British James Hunter, who possesses a “tight, slithery soul groove” and a “sweet growl” (NY Times). James and his very merry and equally talented band with whom James has collaborated for nearly two decades have extensively road-tested 2008 album THE HARD WAY while criss-crossing North America and Europe.

Rolling Stone exudes James Hunter is “A treat not to miss” and recently quoted: THE HARD WAY as “Unbelievably awesome!” And the new CD debuted in America June 10th, 2008 and promptly zoomed to Number 1 on the Billboard Blues Chart where it remained there for six solid weeks in a row! USA Today raves about James’s “Sublime soul.” The praise continues to roll in as if a juggernaut. But you be the judge …
http://www.jameshuntermusic.com/

The Martin Harley Band are a uniquely talented acoustic trio whose musical palette incorporates all the best roots music styles, from blues to jazz to folk, yet are masters of their own art. With tender acoustic balladry, hot-blooded blues, complex rhythms and gorgeous three-part harmonies and an almost boundless energy, the Martin Harley Band effortlessly challenge expectations of what a three-piece should be capable of.

Having spurred prominent music magazines to proclaim them “shining talents in the British acoustic scene…definitely ones to watch” (Guitarist Magazine) and declare “in the Martin Harley Band the future of British roots and blues is assured” (Blues Nights), there now appears to be a healthy buzz growing around the band. With an ever-expanding fan-base, reams of plaudits and acclaim and a constantly ascendant profile, this band are beginning to reap the rewards for years of toil.

Unwilling to wait for lady luck to find them, the band have always preferred to gig and tour almost incessantly. Audiences across the world can attest to the energetic entertainment spectacle that is a Martin Harley Band gig.

As a live act, the Martin Harley Band has a pedigree that takes some beating. Every show, no matter how many they play, is an event, be it in the intimacy of a tiny West-Country pub or the grandeur of the Royal Albert Hall. In the past year or so, they have notched up scores of UK gigs from Penzance to Shetland, yet still miraculously found time for tours in France, Germany, Italy, Barbados and Australia.
http://www.martinharleyband.com/
http://www.reverbnation.com/martinharleyband

Dale Storr’s musical journey has taken him from his rural Lincolnshire upbringing to his own musical mecca, New Orleans. Dale’s early musical interests were inspired by his parents’ record collection of early rock’n'roll and country music. His interest grew deeper when he began playing the piano at the age of six cocking an ear to the piano-based music of Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis and Fats Domino. The slip-note piano of stylist Floyd Cramer was also another influence that had entered Dale’s musical sub-consciousness.

As a young boy, his emerging talent led to him winning numerous school and county music competitions as a solo instrumentalist. He also started performing live in local venues at the age of ten, playing organ. His ability eventually took him away from home to the city of Sheffield. Here he performed with a series of local bands most notably, Sheffield’s own rock’n'blues legend, Frank White.

Other performers who benefit or have subsequently benefited from having Dale play alongside them are acclaimed British blues exponents, Alan Nimmo (the Nimmo Brothers) and Kevin Thorpe, 60′s icon Dave Berry, American soul star Earl Thomas, Texas guitar legend Rocky Athas (Black Oak Arkansas), and US R&B giant Eugene ‘Hideaway’ Bridges, supporting along the way, the likes of Duke Robillard and highly acclaimed New Orleans pianist Henry Butler to name but a few.

The evocative music of New Orleans became a passion for the young musician who immersed himself into the styles of other heroes like Professor Longhair, Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, Tuts Washington and James Booker. The latter performer became a particular source of inspiration and resulted in Dale studying the sometimes complex technique of this legendary pianist/singer. Although he himself would probably down-play it, Dale has indeed encompassed much of Booker’s music and style in his own playing.

In March of 2006, Dale’s passion for New Orleans music saw him perform his debut theatre gig as a soloist, concentrating on the New Orleans piano styles of his afore mentioned influences. The success of that performance led to further dates and Dale is now focusing his efforts in this area. More recently, Dale has added another dimension to his solo performances by bringing in vocals, and also adding a full line-up of Drums, Bass and Horns consisting of some of the cream of the British Blues scene. Dale’s ambition has always been to play the music of New Orleans, which can be anything from a classically influenced minuet, a latin rhumba, a back o’ town junker blues to a frenzied boogie woogie. As seen with every Dale Storr performance, he’s certainly fulfilling that ambition.

Band Members: Dale Storr – Piano/Vocals; Ian Sanderson – Trumpet; Kim Mayhew – Saxophone; Dave Raeburn – Drums/Percussion; Chris Chapman – Bass; and Jeremy Meek – Bass
http://www.myspace.com/dalestorr

Currently Grainne is finishing tracks for her second album, as a follow up to her stunning debut album Out of the Dark which was released to warm reception which included her being asked to appear for three days at Glastonbury 2008 Festival. There she was lucky enough to share the stage with such wonderful artists as Joan Baez, Suzanne Vega, Sinead O Connor, Seasick Steve and The Blockheads to name but a few.

Alongside appearing at many of Ireland’s leading festivals Grainne was also approached by the BBC to record a track, ‘Get Here’, for their T.V. promotion campaign in George Martin’s Air Studio in London which was then aired over the summer on BBC 1 and BBC 2.

In 2010 she has taken part in two T.V. shows for R.T.E. One of which is for the highly acclaimed music programme Other Voices along with Eric Bibb, Christy Moore, Duke Special, Elbow, Lisa Hannigan, Mick Flannery, Billy Bragg and many more and she also took part in an interview with RTE’s John Kelly. The second is a documentary piece for the most watched R.T.E. series Nationwide, both of which will be going out early this year.

Grainne will be appearing alongside Paul Brady for the re opening of the newly refurbished Ulster Hall and also at the renowned Celtic Connections Festival in Scotland and other leading European Festivals among other projects in the coming year.
http://www.myspace.com/grainneduffy

The band was started nearly ten years ago, and despite the usual line-up changes over the years, we have been consistently entertaining audiences with only the best soul classics!

Their brass section is made up of some of the Island’s best musicians and they don’t let them stand around! They always pick songs with great brass lines, in particular Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Wilson Pickett and Sam & Dave. They also do a few numbers like Booker T’s Green Onions and Van Morrison’s Moondance to give them the opportunity to solo.

The rhythm section is made up of the usual; drums, bass, guitar and piano, and they like to keep things tight and get that classic Motown sound. Lead singer David Holland has a powerful voice, and isn’t afraid to sing the most feared of soul music and in the original keys! As a whole they like to really capture that sound and hopefully fill the dance floor while they do it!

http://www.soulsuspects.co.uk/