Memphis came to London when Southern Avenue opened the Future Juke 21st Century Blues Festival at Dingwalls in Camden.
It’s not often you see a six-piece band as support but that’s what local blues singer Lynne Jackaman brought to the party. Accompanied by bass, guitar, sax, trumpet and Wayne Proctor, the powerhouse ex-King King drummer, Jackaman went down a storm with tracks including Copycat, Sooner or Later and On My Own Stage.
Southern Avenue are an emerging hi energy five-piece combo from Memphis playing a magical blend of soul, blues and R&B. Lead singer Tiernii Jackson is joined by her talented drummer sister Tikyra and bass, guitar and keys to lay down the funkiest of grooves.
Opening with Whiskey Love from the new album Keep On the band immediately hit their straps. Jackson’s infectious stage act got the crowd in the mood to party. A superb cover of Aretha Franklin’s Rock Steady perfectly bridged the soul generations.
Lead guitarist Ori Naftaly drives the band with funky rhythm and superb solos. He broke a string and got a massive round of applause as he changed it during one of several killer keyboards solo by Jeremy Powell.
Suddenly Lynne Jackaman’s trumpet player appeared in the wings with a blistering solo and livened up what was already lively. This band would be off the scale with a brass section.
The band closed with the rousing Keep On. With a blend of old and new soul, funk and a tinge of southern boogie, Southern Avenue are a band to watch.
Words by Chaz Brooks
Other shows in the Future Juke Festival are:
Cedric Burnside w Todd Albright and Jimmy Regal and The Royals
June 4th. Dingwalls, London
Guadalupe Plata plus Joe Gideon with Jim Sclavunos & Gris De Lin
June 6th. Dingwalls, London
Eli ‘Paperboy’ Reed
June 11th. Dingwalls, London
Ian Siegal plays Pre-War Blues with Mark Harrison and The Jujubes
June 12th. Dingwalls, London
Jerron ‘Blind Boy’ Paxton with Kyla Brox
June 19th. St Pancras New Church, London
Keb’ Mo’
July 2nd. Union Chapel, London
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