News Archive

Ray Charles in Ingolstadt 2001
Friday, 23. November 2001 - 14:08

Ray Charles

Concert Reviews

Only around 1000 people in the audience at the Theatre Ingolstadt, a pretty
small venue. But the show was not sold out. This was probably due
to the extremely high ticket prices ($ 50 - $ 75 to give you a clue).

Anyway the show started at 7:30 PM with the Ray Charles Orchestra (about 20 
members) who warmed up the audience with four boring jazzy instrumentals.

Lord have mercy, after the fourth one, the legendary "Genius Of Soul",
Mr. Ray Charles entered the stage. Although he's blind and has to walk very slow,
his condition seemed not that great, also not for a 71 years old. He looked more
like 80. However, we were there for the music, but this wasn't much better.
For the first song, Charles and his orchestra seemed to play seperately.
It became better with the second tune, a pretty fast number. Then he played
his monster hit "Georgia On My Mind" but his voice was a big dissapointment.
And why the hell, did he stick to this silly keyboard thing instead of using
the great black upright piano? After this little highlight, he interpreted
some slow jazz songs before singing the great melancholy "A Song For You",
which certainly was the best song this evening. This was followed by some
songs he did together with The Raelettes, his female background choir.
Two wellknown songs followed, "Rockin' Chair Blues", "I Can't Stop Loving You" 
and then Mr. Charles closed the show with a fine version of "What'd I Say". 
This was also the only point in the show where the whole audience got enthusiastic. 

Although 90 minutes long, this show was a big dissapointment and the worst
show I've ever seen after Little Richard in Munich 1996.

Set List

Due to lack of knowledge of Mr. Charles repertoire, we are not able to give 
you a complete set list this time. The highlights are listed above, all other
songs sounded about the same.

---

Dem Erfinder des Soul wird die Luft knapp

Ray Charles: Das alte Feuer brennt auf kleiner Flamme

Ingolstadt (DK) Ray Charles trägt sein Glück im Gesicht. Die Freude darüber, auf der 
Bühne zu stehen, wirft ihm den Kopf in den Nacken und öffnet ihm den Mund zu einem 
breiten, kantigen Lachen. Die Arme dagegen bleiben wie angewachsen auf dem Klavier, 
als ströme die Seligkeit direkt aus den Tasten in die Seele des alten Soulsängers. 
Ray Charles steht gern auf der Bühne des Festsaals des Theaters Ingolstadt zum 
Abschluss der 18. Ingolstädter Jazztage. Die Gesten des Glücks offenbaren, dass 
drin im 71-Jährigen immer noch das rotgoldene Herz des Showstars pulsiert - auch 
wenn der Rest des Musikerkörpers sichtlich an jedem der Jahre schwer zu schleppen hat.

Eine andere "Last" trug Ray Charles vergangenen Sonntag wesentlich leichter: Die Bürde 
der Legende, die den Soul miterfunden hat, die mit 13 Grammys ausgezeichnet wurde, 
die sowohl im Jazz als auch in der Country-Musik zu Hause ist. Zu keiner Sekunde manieriert 
oder blasiert, genießt er den Jubel des Publikums und freut sich fast kindlich, wenn er für 
seine Fans in die Tasten greifen darf. Vergessen sind dann die mühevollen Schritte, die ihn - 
an der Hand eines dienstbaren Tourbegleiters - an sein Instrument geführt haben. Vergessen 
sind die gleißend weißen gestärkten Hemden des Begleitorchesters, die etwas eng geschnürte, 
gravitätische Eleganz verbreiten. Ray Charles ist dann wieder der Soulman, der in dem himmlischen 
Klang badet, den er zum irdischen Publikum weiterschickt.

Aber auch Ray Charles braucht zum Singen Luft. Und die wird ihm schnell knapp. Etwas über 
eine Stunde schenkt er dem Publikum in Ingolstadt. Dann ist er weg. Ohne Zugabe, ohne große Abschiedsszene.

Ganz so schnell war er zu Beginn seines Auftritts nicht. Lange kramte das Begleitorchester von 
halb acht an nach gleich klingenden Tönen; als endlich alle Instrumente gestimmt waren, näherten 
sich die Musiker in schickem Orchesterswing langsam aneinander an. Geordnet, aufgeräumt, 
praktisch aufeinander geschlichtet spielen die Musiker einen wärmenden, aber zu keiner Sekunde 
hitzigen Swing. Immer wieder drückt sich der weißhaarige Trompeter mit dem langen 
Vadder- Abraham-Bart an seinen Mitmusikern vorbei und gibt am Bühnenrand ein kurzes Solo 
zum Besten. Auch die diversen Saxofonisten dürfen ihren Szenenapplaus ernten.

Kurz bevor es dann endgültig ins Beliebige abkippt, räumt der Bandpianist endlich seinen Stuhl. 
Unruhe an den Bühnenrändern, Kribbeln im Publikum, die Musiker atmen noch einmal tief durch. 
"Mistaahh Rayyhh Charles" wird am Piano platziert und lacht freudig auf. Noch klingt es so, als 
spielten Band und Star parallel, aber nicht miteinander. Dann aber schmiegen sich die Klänge 
der beiden Antipoden aneinander wie beim Engtanz. Das Orchester schluchzt, Ray seufzt: 
"Georgia, o Georgia." Der Festsaal schnauft auf. Endlich sind alle beieinander. Band, Star und 
Publikum swingen im Gleichklang, den Takt gibt Ray Charles vor.

Der bekommt ihn wiederum wohl von seinem Alter diktiert. Denn so richtig schmissig legt er 
sich nur ganz selten ins Zeug. Gediegen und geruhsam schlendern er und seine Band durch 
den souligen Abend. Ray Charles Genius funkelt durch die durchsichtigen Töne hindurch. 
Doch hätte der gute Ray ein wenig mehr Gas gegeben, hätte es etwas weniger Genius auch getan.

So betritt die pralle Lebensfreude des Soul erst den Saal, als die fünf "Raelettes" die Bühne erklimmen, 
kernige Stimmen, erzeugt von ebensolchen Körpern. Nun treiben sich Ray und seine Mädels gegenseitig an; 
das raunende Nuscheln Ray Charles erfährt im strahlenden Gesang der Damen sein passendes Gegenstück, 
Gospel, Swing und Blues feiern gemeinsam, und das Publikum klatscht mit. Par. . . Zum ". . .ty" hat es 
nicht mehr ganz gereicht. Denn good old Ray ist nicht nur gut, sondern auch alt. Und das Alter fordert 
auch bei Legenden seinen Tribut. Auch wenn man sich zum Abschluss der 18. Ingolstädter Jazztage 
vielleicht etwas mehr gewünscht hätte.

DONAUKURIER, Markus Schwarz, 20.11.2001, 07:11

Source: Wolfgang Guhl

Bo Diddley & Hiram Bullock in Basel 2001
Thursday, 13. November 2001 - 13:52

Sound Check

Hiram Bullock

Bo Diddley

Concert Reviews

About 4000 people attented the Rock'n'Roots evening during the Avo Session Festival 
in Basel, Switzerland. Probably 3/4 of the tickets were sold. The show was taped by a 
Swiss TV Station named SF DRS and will be broadcasted on August 31th 2002. There 
were two big video screens beside the stage where we could see the performers very closely.

Anyway, support act Hiram Bullock started at 8 PM, did a great show and played for 90 minutes. 
Then he told us he has to go cause of Mr. Bo Diddley coming up.

After a 30 minute break, Bo Diddley and The Debby Hastings Band entered the stage and opened 
with the famous Bo Diddley beat. His stage moves were very slow but he looked ultra cool. 
And to be honest, I never saw him jump on stage or things like that on the old videos. 
It's just his style. Then he played, played and played... he just didn't stop. And here is the big 
difference. While other performers stop after 40 some minutes which is fixed in their contract, 
Bo just doesn't seem to care. He is still a musician and not a business man. He did fantastic 
solos on both drums and keyboard additionally to his crazy guitar sounds. During the two hours, 
he played Rock'n'Roll, Blues, Reggae and Rap and there was even an encore.

Set List

Introduction
Bo Diddley
I'm A Man
Can I Walk You Home
Crackin' Up
Bo Diddley's A Bad Seed
Roadrunner
That Mule
Who Do You Love
Unknown Song
Drums Solo
Keyboard Solo
Rap Improvisation
Hey Bo Diddley
Diddley Daddy

---

And 50 years were as nothing

AVO SESSION: BO DIDDLEY ROUSES THE AUDIENCE WITH HIS 2-HOUR APPEARANCE

Three dotted eighths, a sixteenth, an eighth and then a quarter note: this is the rhythm Bo Diddley 
has stamped on rock'n'roll since the mid-1950s, one that famous bands like the Rolling Stones 
later copied. And it is still this rhythm that the now 73 year-old "primary rocker" together with a 
convincing Hiram Bullock roused his audience in the opening program of the AVO Session. 
For what seemed like minutes, the drummer beat it on the snare drum. Then bass led in, followed 
by the Hammond, the rhythm guitar and then Bo Diddley himself. Rolling ever on, minute after minute, 
the beat began to work its primeval hypnotic effect, taking the whole hall with it. It was magic, timeless. 
And it always moved on one harmony - real one-note blues.

Three dotted eighths, a sixteenth, an eighth and then a quarter note - and 50 years are as nothing. Then 
Bo Diddley's square guitar begins to howl. It sounds strage, unrecognizable, just like it did back in the 
fifties, when the young man from Mississippi was one of the first ever to work with effects and distortions 
on the guitar. Suddenly his vocal starts, with a deep, full blues voice, overriding everything its carrying power. 
What an entrance.

Bo Diddley may be 73, but he didn't show the slightest sign of slowing down, and continued with the same 
intensity. "I'm A Man", one of his hits from the 50s, had a fresh and new-sounding effect. Diddley made an 
impressive appearance, without any gimmicks, and the band gave him very good support. Then he played a 
couple of mid-tempo numbers, during which he talked a lot with the people in the front rows, from which 
fortunately the seats had been removed. He stirred them up, urged them to dance and to sing along. And they did. 
Bo Diddley gave lots of solos, continually pressing the buttons of his specially made guitar to achieve the unusual 
effects. He even added a couple of rap pieces (!) and did a solo with felt socks on the drummer's floor drum.

After taking it easier for a stretch in the middle part, Bo Diddley moved into high gear for the finale. He invited 
everybody to the party, played a classic rock'n'roll number, said, "I feel good this evening, very good!" and gave an 
super extra chorus of "Who Do You Love".

After more than two hours the very strong concert finally came to an end with the classic "Hey Bo Diddley". Yeah, 
with three dotted eighths, a sixteenth, an eighth and then a quarter note.

By Marko Lehtinen, translated by John O'Brien

Basler Zeitung of November 12, 2001

Source: Wolfgang Guhl

New pics in the Picture Gallery
Thursday, 13. November 2001 - 13:52

Pictures of the following shows were added:

Source: Maarten van der Tol

Chuck Berry expected to appear in Rolling Stone
Tuesday, 06. November 2001 - 16:23

Rolling Stone magazine reportedly dispatched one of its top photographers to St. Louis 
to document the excitement of the legendary Chuck Berry's 75th birthday concert 
at The Pageant. A portrait of Berry in all his celebratory glory is expected to appear in an 
upcoming issue of the esteemed rock'n'roll magazine.

Source: Johan Hasselberg

3 new Lyrics added
Tuesday, 06. November 2001 - 16:23

Source: Francis Goulet

Several Updates
Saturday, 03. November 2001 - 14:07

Source: Wolfgang Guhl