kingB

We've a hot new video of Claire strutting her stuff with the band in funky mode, from our January visit to Tap Social. Ian Siegal's 'Hard Pressed'. Definitely the good sort of winter blues!
 

We’ve had a bit of radio silence over the summer, with members of the band busy travelling and even getting married! But we’re back with a couple of great gigs, showcasing very different parts of Oxford’s lovely music scene. From the spectacular riverside location of the Cherwell Boathouse, famous for its restaurant and punt station, to the industrial cool and creative social space of Tap Social, we think we’ve got a good mix for you. We hope we’ll see you soon. 

The weather is looking good and we've confirmed with the venue that we'll be on stage in the garden of the White Hart of Wytham, this afternoon from 5.30pm. Maybe wrap up a bit warm, but come and enjoy your first outdoor gig of the year, with the pub's excellent BBQ. See you there!

We just heard the good news that Saturday's gig at Tap Social will feature Lula’s Ethiopian/Eritrean Cuisine. Their spicy delights are often enjoyed at Gloucester Green Market, and now you can combine them with kingB's tasty blues!

So, what has kingB been up to in the last couple of months? Recording, that's what! We're working on what we've called old blues, new blues and our blues: some classic Chicago-style numbers, some of the best recent songs in the genre, and then a couple of our own originals. It will be the first proper recording by our current line-up. And it's sounding pretty good so far!

We were sorry to hear recently of the death of Paul Oliver, international authority on the history of the blues. He lived and worked in Oxford for many years, and we were privileged to have him in our audience on several occasions. Having first heard the blues in wartime England, he travelled America in the 1960s, doing interviews and field recordings of the early generation of blues musicians, and introducing them to a wider public with his books. Astonishingly this was really a sideline to his 'day job' in architectural history, which led him eventually to Oxford Brookes University. Here's what the New York Times had to say: www.nytimes.com/2017/08/17/arts/music/paul-oliver-authority-on-the-blues-dies-at-90.html

Wow - a fine weekend! After a Saturday performance in an Oxfordshire vineyard, we spent Sunday in the ancient walled garden at the White Hart of Wytham. Thank you to Baz and the crew at the White Hart, and to all our friends and supporters who turned out in droves to enjoy this brilliant venue. It was one of those fortunate combinations of music, place, people, food, drink - and even the weather was kind. We've got a bit of a holiday break coming up, but we're looking for a date to go back there as soon as we can.

Applause for the NHS in our set on Sunday was a first for us, but much deserved, what with our singer on stage with a stitched-up hand and our bassist recovering from a hip op! Thanks also to the brilliant Richard Horrocks for stepping in on bass and driving the set along so well.

We did it! Having opened the very first Cornbury Music Festival in 2004, we played out the final one in 2017. As the sun set magnificently over Great Tew Park on Sunday, we played our favourite numbers to a lovely crowd, and you can almost feel the atmosphere in our new gallery. Thank you, Hugh Phillimore, for an awesome festival, Andy Pickard and friends for the oh-so-cool Riverside Stage, and Bruce Wilson for most of the gallery photos.

Summer 2017 is looking good already: we're expecting to be on stage at the final Cornbury Music Festival, 7-9 July. Watch this space for details!