Paul Rose Trio

Newcastle Cluny - 19-12-12

Jeebers!! Where’s this thread been hiding? Paul's been name-checked a couple of times on here, so a dedicated thread is due, long due. Paul is a busy guy, back in the UK after a 18 month stint in the US: a sporadic tourer, I think I last encountered him about 5 years ago over in Hartlepool, doing a slot before a Ryan McGarvey show...

So, a local gig for a local guy, and what a fantastic evening’s guitar work. I’ve seen many a good guitarist this past decade at The Cluny, several very good guitarist, but Paul Rose is one of the few to take it to the next level, a “guitarist’s guitarist”. Backed by Jim Hammond from Glasgow on drums and all the way from Gateshead, Alan Champion on bass,  last night’s show had the atmosphere of three mates having a bit of a jam in their local, yet was a masterclass of rockin’ blues with jazz and Celtic overtones in the mix for good measure.

Howlin’ Wolf’s Killing Floor & Muddy Waters were covered for the Blues purists, a new slant on JJ Cale’s Call Me The Breeze and Hendrix’ treatment of All Along The Watchtower ran along side a superb take on Zappa’s Black Page. Not that it was all covers, Paul mixed in plenty of his own material, such as Suicide, a nod to Roy Buchannan, but come-on; a hometown gig, at Christmas…? Of course you’re going to get some “Newcastle music”, so despite a recalcitrant Strat that didn't want to stay in tune, a blistering instrumental launch of House of The Rising Sun segued into The Shads’ Man of Mystery. And then a bit of fun and mischief as Chet Atkin’s Yakkety Axe led into a run of the old Animal Magic theme (old UK kid's tv show). One in the eye for the “Blues Police”, enjoying himself....

Winding things back on to the serious side, a take on a theme from Get Carter movie proved a great showcase, not only for Paul, but for Jim on drums just one of several instances where Paul let his backline really shine out. Cissy Strut was another, where things got a little funky as well as a blazing Rory Gallagher cover done in tribute to Ted & Hugh McKenna, cousins of drummer Jim.

In short, this guy was utilising every trick, technique and development in playing from the mid 1960s onwards, but not in a flashy, “look at me” way but in the best way to get the sound down way. This is the sort of player, anyone under 35 or so who fancies themselves “a bit good” should go and see on a Thursday or Friday night, because if you don’t measure up, there’s time to get that job slinging coffee-grounds on Monday, instead of guitars.

Couldn’t find anything yet from last night, and Paul an incorrigible streamer, so “live” stuff is hard, but worth it to find, so here’s some “classics”:-
Dirty Little Funker - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ2EJSAHfDY
No Spark, No Fire - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0lUg8c7SKc
Killing Floor - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXLHeyfDYz4

There's a couple of shows on the books for Germany  early next year:-
January 31, 2020
Habach / Germany
The Village

February 1, 2020
Nuremberg / Germany
Königstraße 93