📃 Recensie: Mary Stokes Band – Let ‘Er Roll

Mary Stokes Band – Let ‘Er Roll Geschreven door: Eric Campfens i.s.m. BarnOwlBlues | FB Eric Campfens  Deze Ierse bluesband is al decennia lang succesvol in zowel het thuisland als in het Verenigd Koninkrijk en de rest van Europa.

De band wordt geleid door naamgever en zangeres Mary Stokes en haar levenspartner Brian Palm, die de mondharmonica speelt. Zij hebben het podium gedeeld met artiesten als John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, Taj Mahal en speelden op festivals door heel Europa. De band bestaat naast Mary en Brian uit gitariste Sarah Michelle, bassist Zamo Riffman, drummer Jan Oglesby en pianist Dermot Stokes. Onlangs heeft de band de Ierse Blues Challenge gewonnen.

 Inmiddels zijn meer dan tien albums door de band uitgebracht. In 2021 verscheen “Comin’ Home”, dat internationaal succesvol was, een jaar later gevolgd door de heruitgave van “Clouds In My Heart, Live In Dublin”, dat oorspronkelijk in 1999 was uitgebracht. Het nieuwe album is min of meer organisch, of beter gezegd spontaan, ontstaan. Het begon met het spelen van wat oude bluesnummers en na de opname van Sid King’s “Let ‘Er Roll” en iets later “Blues On The Moon” en “As The Years Go Passing By” begon het concept ervan te ontstaan. Van de vijftien nummers op het album zijn veertien covers, plus “On Suzy’s Rooftop”, een door Stokes/Palm geschreven eerbetoon aan Sugar Pie DeSanto. Andere nummers die we horen zijn meer en minder bekende klassiekers als Little Walters “Mean Old World”, Shakey Hortons “Have A Good Time” en Broonzy’s “Too Many Drivers”. Bijzondere vermelding verdienen m.i. de twee odes aan Sugar Pie DeSanto “Down In The Basement” en “On Suzy’s Rooftop”, Rory Gallaghers “Sinner Boy” en de opwindende combi “I Wish You Would/Maggie’s Farm”. Prima plaat.

 Website: www.themarystokesband.bandcamp.com

MARY STOKES, vocals
SARAH MICHELLE, guitars and backing vocals
BREE HARRIS, dual vocal on ‘I’m A Stranger Here’ and second vocals on ‘Down in the Basement’, ‘On Suzy’s Rooftop’ and ‘Let ‘Er Roll’
BRIAN PALM, harmonica
ZAMO RIFFMAN, Bass
JAY OGLESBY, drums
DERMOT STOKES, piano
PETE HOLIDAI, second guitar on ‘Sinnerboy (Reprise)’and Lunar Melody on ‘Blues On The Moon’
HORNS arranged and recorded by Pete Holidai at Pilgrim Sound.

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Translate: ENG 

This Irish blues band has been successful for decades in their home country as well as in the UK and the rest of Europe. The band is led by namesake and singer Mary Stokes and her life partner Brian Palm, who plays the harmonica. They have shared the stage with artists such as John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, Taj Mahal and played at festivals all over Europe. In addition to Mary and Brian, the band consists of guitarist Sarah Michelle, bassist Zamo Riffman, drummer Jan Oglesby and pianist Dermot Stokes. The band recently won the Irish Blues Challenge.

 More than ten albums have now been released by the band. In 2021 "Comin' Home" was released, which was internationally successful, followed a year later by the re-release of "Clouds In My Heart, Live In Dublin", originally released in 1999. The new album came about more or less organically, or better: spontaneously. It started by playing some old blues songs and after the recording of Sid King's "Let 'Er Roll" and a little later "Blues On The Moon" and "As The Years Go Passing By" the concept of it started to emerge. Of the fifteen tracks on the album, fourteen are covers plus "On Suzy's Rooftop," a Stokes/Palm-written tribute to Sugar Pie DeSanto. Other songs we hear are more and lesser known classics such as Little Walter's "Mean Old World", Shakey Horton's "Have A Good Time" and Broonzy's "Too Many Drivers". In my opinion, the two odes to Sugar Pie DeSanto “Down In The Basement” and “On Suzy's Rooftop” deserve special mention, as well as Rory Gallagher's “Sinner Boy” and the exciting combo “I Wish You Would/Maggie's Farm”. A very fine record.