Live in the Spirit

Gary Brooker plays with Colin John

António Alfaiate writes to BtP:

I read today in Blueprint magazine that Gary plays keyboards on the Colin John CD Live in the Spirit (WMF Music-037), as well as Henry Spinetti on drums.

As you know Colin has been one of Gary's guests at Chiddingfold.

It's a live CD with performances from the last three years in Britain and Europe. The magazine gives it 8 in a scale of 10.

The CD costs 11 pounds and can be bought from 24a Trinity Road, Richmond TW9 2LD, UK

Charlie Allison alerts us to another John / Brooker recording:

COLIN JOHN & FRIENDS – RIVERSIDE RECORDS – Dist. BMG

COLIN JOHN started his musical career in Memphis, where he met Albert Collins and supported him for a few dates in 1987. The “Ice-Man” befriended the young Colin and helped him to get gigs at BB KING’s club on Beale Street in Memphis, where he rapidly ended up leading the Saturday house band. Through the years he shared the stage with BB KING, ALBERT KING, BUDDY GUY, WILLIE DIXON, TEENIE HODGES, JAMES COTTON, HANK BALLARD and of course ALBERT COLLINS. COLIN JOHN’s reputation as an exceptional guitarist grew rapidly, which led him to record for Blind Pig Records with PINETOP PERKINS and HUBERT SUMLIN.

COLIN JOHN moved to England in 1993 to play all across Europe with members of ERIC CLAPTON’s band. In 1995 he met Roger Mayer, the man responsible for JIMI HENDRIX’s guitar sounds, and who now designs Colin’s guitar effects. In 1996, Colin was invited to teach at the International Guitar Seminar in Schondorf, Germany. The event culminated with a concert featuring Colin on guitar, Billy Cobham on drums and Gary Brooker on piano. Colin has also supported GWYN ASHTON in England and joined him several times on stage for breathtaking jam sessions.

COLIN JOHN & FRIENDS was recorded across Europe and features a stellar list of guests:

• GARY BROOKER : Piano, founding member of PROCOL HARUM, also wrote the mega-hit A Whiter Shade of Pale

• TEENIE HODGES : AL GREEN’s guitarist, who wrote the classic Take me to the river, (currently enjoys millionaire status thanks to "Billy the Big Mouth Bass", the singing fish, the best selling toy in the US!) Teenie has written songs for AL GREEN, BONNIE RAITT, TINA TURNER, RAY CHARLES

• BIG JOE TURNER : ALBERT KING and B.B KING’s bass player

• ROLAND ROBINSON : JIMI HENDRIX’s bass player on 9 to the Universe. Wrote Infatuation for ROD STEWART. Played with MICHAEL and JANET JACKSON in 1992

• FRANK MEAD : GARY MOORE’s Sax and harmonica player, also plays with Bill Wyman’s  Rhythm Kings

• HENRY SPINETTI : Drums, played on ERIC CLAPTON’s Another Ticket, Slowhand, Live at Budokan; GEORGE HARRISON’s Dark Horse, All things must pass; TINA TURNER's Private Dancer

•  BILL TROIANI : FATS DOMINO’s bass player

Such an exceptional line-up, combined with Colin’s outstanding guitar playing and soulful voice give us a red-hot live album: from Hodges’ classic Take me to the River to Colin’s own Sweet Louisa or Stop It, each track gives further evidence that COLIN JOHN is, as Guitar Player described him, “the future of Blues”. [Text from Rockingtheblues.com]

Gary Brooker's page at BtP