It’s a bit like Christmas. It’s only 9 November 2011, but next year’s Dorset Music Awards have just been launched! The 2012 event, run by Devils Music in association with Absolute Music will no doubt raise a huge amount of interest and discussion amongst Dorset’s musicians and gig-goers. It will also have its detractors who will claim music “isn’t a competition”. We instead prefer to see it as a celebration of local music that benefits bands, musicians, venues and pretty much anyone who gets involved. There are one or two exceptions of course, mentioning no names.

Each year the organisers tweak the structure of the event, whether it be the rounds, the venues, the prizes or the voting process. This year seems to have been tweaked more than most. It has a variety of new categories, clearly allowing for a focus on recorded music (Favourite Album/EP and One Great Song) as well as the main Best Live Act prize. There are also categories for Favourite Venue and Contribution to the Music Scene, and apart from the Live prize all other categories will be voted for online.

Category nominations and band entry is available now, with the opening heat due to be held at Centre Stage on Sat 21 Jan. Everything you need to know about the Dorset Music Awards 2012 can be found on the rather impressive website, and for any band or solo artist looking to raise their profile, play quality gigs, gain more fans, sell more merch or win some quality prizes… well, what are you waiting for?

Share/Bookmark

I would assume that regular readers of bh one will know by now that I’m heading for pastures new very soon. This Sunday in fact I’ll be boarding a four-seater and heading northwards, Edinburgh bound. What the future holds no-one knows, but there’s a strong possibility that my return may be some time coming, if at all, so as founder of the site I’ve decided to pass on the editorial reins to someone who I know can take the site forward, and continue bh one’s ethic of promoting quality, original local music. More of that in a bit…

This Thursday at Champions I’ll be promoting my final bh one event for anyone who wants to enjoy the quality sounds, or say cheerio. Saturday Sun are possibly the most exciting young band in the area at the moment. They first stunned me at the start of the year, and in the right environment and on their game they are simply unmissable. Mother Ukers are a band impossible to not love. Charisma, wit and talent are not words usually associated with covers (eeeek!) bands, but Paul, Jonty and Darryl have such a unique way of presenting their songs they are one of the very few non-original bands I’d be happy to watch, let alone promote. Dj duties will be taken care of by The Chairman, one half of Language, Timothy! and a lovely man who consistently exhibits remarkably exquisite taste. Doors 7.30 and free entry! Facebook info can be found here.

So, the future for bh one… It will be impossible to let go fully, especially emotionally, and I hope to be contributing the occasional article, time permitting. But I’m delighted to announce that the editorial reins are being handed over to Jo Tyler (pictured below – second from the left). I have known Jo since the summer of 2010 when she showed an interest in Oxjam, leading her to help promote our Takeover event from her position at Bournemouth University where she lectures in Radio Production. Jo was also heavily involved for three years with BBC 6 Music, including the launch of the station and its website. These positions, coupled with her volunteer work as part of this year’s Oxjam Bournemouth Team as well as her obvious passion for local music, make her perfect for the role. She’s a modest lady so I’ll also point you to this on her behalf – 200 Women – a list of 200 influential women in the UK currently working in the audio and radio industry where Jo’s name appears alongside the likes of Annie Nightingale, Annie Mac, Dawn French and Edith Bowman.

I’m also delighted to announce that following appeals for future contributors, a quality list of reputable promoters, performers and local music lovers has come forward. Trevor Hill and Richard Stannard from Devils Music, plus Andy ‘No Plugs’ Stock and Chris Rose from Rose Red Records have all expressed a strong desire to contribute to the site. Alongside current contributors there are other names too who have come forward, and with Jo’s links to students and obvious radio/media opportunities available at Bournemouth Uni, bh one has the potential to expand massively next year. But, anyone who becomes involved with bh one does it purely for the love, so any reviews, articles, or features on the site are done in the contributor’s spare time. So despite the obvious potential packed into the fore-mentioned names… it’s just a ride. Nothing is certain.

Finally, a quick word about Oxjam. We are awaiting a kindly donation from Gap on top of our current total of £11,081.12, which will mean Oxjam Bournemouth has raised the most amount of money anywhere in the UK for Oxfam. To everyone who participated, helped, supported and donated – Thank You! I’m hoping that despite my departure this year’s Oxjam Bournemouth Team will largely remain the same, carrying on our fantastic efforts over the last two years. No doubt bh one will continue to be heavily involved with Oxjam next year.

Share/Bookmark

Tomorrow I’ll be mentioning a different gig for a different reason, but today I’d like to highlight this – GREGSTOCK! This Saturday at Champions, Greg from legendary ‘80s Bournemouth glam band Poze (pictured above) will be celebrating his 50th birthday, accompanied by a mountain of musicians who shared a stage with him many, many years ago.

Now, I first started watching local bands around the same time that Poze started out in the mid-80s, my own memories leading me to clubs such as the Third Side, Whisky’s, Mr Smiths, Bacchus and of course The Gander, with a personal involvement at The Cabaret Club meaning dj duties for over two years at Charivari’s weekly Thursdays. Absolutely fantastic times. Bands such as The Spoons, The Swis and The Vibration Doctors were winning my attention at the time, plus The Agency who filled my funk & soul needs.

I spent four years living and working overseas from around 1990, and perhaps missed the musical heyday of Wild Turkey, but by all accounts they were the band in Bournemouth at their peak. Two other bands playing this Saturday – The Honeywagon and Agatha’s Garden – were also prime movers around that time, with the latter including Dean Scholey, also playing in the fifth band this Saturday, Damnation Alley, again formed in the ‘90s and reformed in 2008.

Now, having watched Greg at the time I’ll admit to never being a fan of Poze’s music (far too up my own arse to enjoy the fun/glam sound), but as a frontman and a showman his talent was incredible; a unique and legendary performer who has shown this year with Poze’s comeback gigs that he’s lost none of his talent or timing. Young rock bands take note… come and learn from the best this Saturday!

Readers of bh one will probably be more familiar with a certain Mr Paul Tucker, famed for his involvement for many years with Solid Air, and nowadays as a Mother Uker and manager of Music Is Life. Well, back in the day when he could manage a whole guitar he was a ‘rock god’ with Wild Turkey (pictured above), and having listened (okay, through walls and doors) to the band rehearse recently, I am awaiting Saturday’s gig with eager eyes and ears.

This Saturday, Gregstock at Champions will be a fantastic event, attended and enjoyed by many faces from a hugely memorable bygone era. Doors at 7pm. First band at 7.15. I’ll be leaving where I started…

Share/Bookmark

Just a quick announcement to say that as from this Sunday 6 November Champion Sound rehearsal rooms will no longer be run by myself, but they will remain open, being run by Mr Nacho Jase and his partner Marianne. So, business as usual for all bands and musicians who have used the rooms since they opened in March this year.

I’d like to thank everyone who has used Champion Sound rehearsal rooms this year. I hope you found them a practical, convenient and friendly place to rehearse and hope that everyone who currently uses them will continue to do so with Nacho and Marianne.

It may appear Mr Nacho Jase is picking up everything I drop in Bournemouth before I leave. This is half true. I’ve been involved in four musical projects in Bournemouth this year, and Jase has indeed taken over two of them – the bookings & promotion at Champions music venue – t. 07510571080 e.championsbookings@hotmail.co.uk as well as the rehearsal rooms with Marianne. To book rehearsals please continue to use the current contact no. 07903674029. For further information on Champions and the rehearsal rooms, take a look at the new Champions website.

The other two will be much more difficult for me to let go. I’d like to hand over bh one to a new team, and hope to make an announcement about this next week. Oxjam has been a complete joy again this year, and hope and expect there will be another hugely successful Oxjam Bournemouth team next year. Updates to follow…

Share/Bookmark

Just as Bournemouth is blessed with an absolute top-notch dub reggae band with Dubheart, we are also the proud owners of their equivalent in terms of funk thanks to the almighty Baker Brothers. Having been long established (nearly ten years) not just locally, but worldwide, with an amazing cult following in Japan, the band have just launched their seventh long-player Time To Testify, released through Milan-based label Record Kicks, and Genki Brothers in Japan.

The band have recently gone through some changes in personnel, with Rich and Dan Baker (two of the original members) leaving, the former very recently due to growing family commitments. Co-founder and band producer Chris Pedley remains, and has clearly surrounded himself with some ridiculously talented funk soul brothers.

Not being overly familiar with The Baker Brothers back catalogue I cannot say if Time To Testify is a change in direction for the band. I’ve seen the band live a bunch of times, and marvelled at their skill, precision and ability to get down and dirty. For me, funk is all about the groove. From around ’65-’75 the genre went through many changes before barely staying afloat, drowning in an ocean of disco, only to resurface in the 80s with a jazz-funk mini-explosion and the cool acid-jazz cats. Since then… well, funky breaks have been used to death within rap & hip-hop, but any funk bands of notoriety are simply borrowing from the past. So, where does The Baker Brothers’ Time To Testify fit in to this field of funk, and more importantly, is it any good?

Firstly, the playing and production throughout is stunning. Musically, it swaps between some early ‘70s soulful Young Holt Unlimited and The Meters, and in larger parts a prominent Incognito a more obvious James Taylor Quartet comparison. Whilst two-thirds of the album sounds like it could be on the Acid Jazz label, that’s more down to the ‘white soul boy’ vocal style and ‘pop’ lyrics than the playing, which stays more rooted in the ‘70s. ‘Make Your Move’ reeks wonderfully of a JTQ car chase and ‘The Bottom Rung’ is a perfect example of the band’s commercial acid-jazz leanings. The brass is impeccable – straight outa Fred Wesley & Maceo Parker – and new sticksman Ted Carrasco’s work is nigh on as pretty as Purdie’s, best highlighted in the masterful ‘Feeding Freddie’.

I’m far more a sucker for the band’s grittier grooves than the prettier, more commercial sound, though most of my faves seem to all be cut short, almost working as instrumental interludes. The intro ‘Statement Of Intent’, ‘Roll It’, the dubby ‘Decision Time’ and quality closer ‘Genki Strut’ all come in at between one and two minutes when I’d like them to be twice the length. Yeah, they are just funky grooves… but that never stopped JB. There’s some Steely Dan moments with ‘Painting Pictures’ and particularly the glorious ‘Stick Up’ though this is primarily down to Chris Pedley sounding alarmingly like Donald Fagen.

If you’re a funk fan you’ll dig this extended slice of rare groove. Guaranteed. Whether you’ll love it depends on your where you like your funk to be at. One thing is certain, as players The Baker Brothers are one class act, tight enough to make you squeal and pure masters of their art. Time To Testify – Ain’t That A Groove.

Share/Bookmark