Jazz breaking news: Van Morrison, Robert Plant and Gregory Porter help the Royal Albert Hall Get The Blues
Friday, November 8, 2013
Last week saw the Royal Albert Hall play host to BluesFest 2013.
Now in it's third year of operation the organisers seem to have hit a winning formula by centering all activities at one venue, and as venues go, it doesn't get much better or prestigious than the RAH. The back-to-back evening performances by an exciting roster of artists namely Bobby Womack, Van Morrison, Ronnie Wood, Gregory Porter, Natalie Cole, Mavis Staples, Tedeschi/Trucks, Chris Rea, Mick Hucknall and Robert Plant ensured there would be something there for everyone regardless of their preferred flavour of the Blues.
Mavis Staples kicked off the festival on Tuesday with a beatifying performance of gospel soul with a firm rhythm and blues foundation redolent of her time as lead vocalist with the Staple Singers. Staples may be considered as blessing the festival by her opening performance but it was the Tedeschi Trucks Band (pictured above), featuring husband and wife duo of guitar monster Derek Trucks and singer Susan Tedeschi, which certainly lit the touch-paper with their earthy 11-piece blues-rock outfit, before Bobby Womack who turned up the heat as he ventured 'Across 110th Street' into the late evening to deliver even more classics from his R&B and Soul repertoire.
Van Morrison (pictured above) started day two with a sombre alto-sax led version of 'Celtic Swing' replete with Fedora and dark shades looking every part the bluesman as he woos and nonchalantly wallows in audience appreciation. If there were thoughts that the seasoned Van Morrison is a tough act to follow, well not for Gregory Porter (below) as he affably takes command of stage and by his closing number '1960 What?' there could be no doubt that he had taken emotive control of the audience. Natalie Cole started her set 20 minutes late, for unknown reasons, but the murmurs and signs of agitation turned to calm when she elegantly wasted no time and launched 'Inseparable'. However, a better choice might have been to put Porter as last in the program. 
Chris Rea set the tone for the start of day three with his signature gravely voice and blend of slide guitar. Engaging the capacity audience he paved the way for Robert Plant and his Sensational Space Shifters. Judging from the psychedelic backdrop you get the impression that the ex-Led Zeppelin front man has managed to unearth some of his old stage props. With plumes of incense smoke wafting across the front of stage Plant's strong assertive vocals and mic stand pyrotechnics show that he still has a lot of his old fire and still knows how to inject drama.
It was left to Ronnie Wood with his tribute to Jimmy Reed to end a great week of amazing artists and what appears to be a successful and festival that seems to have found its groove, which all bodes well for the BluesFest's future.
– Roger Thomas (story and photos)