Solid Entertainments Presents WHITBY Blues Festival Acts.

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Corky Laing is best known as the drummer of the legendary bands Mountain (1969-) and West, Bruce & Laing (1973-75). Mountain toured and recorded on and off until 2010. In the late 70s Corky released his solo album “Making it on the Streets” that is often cited as an overlooked pioneer of AOR. In the early eighties Corky recorded with an indie band called the Mix and at the end of 1990s he got together with Noel Redding (Jimi Hendrix’s Experience) and Eric Schenkman (Spin Doctors) to form the band Cork.

In the 90s Corky worked for several years as the vice president, A&R, of Polygram Records, Canada. During that time he produced bands like Men Without Hats and Voivod. He also had his own radio show, Under the Rock, in Canada, has published an anecdotal road stories –book, Stick it! and has his one-man show, The Best Seat in the House, a humorous autobiographical production that combines storytelling and music.

During the past couple of years Corky has been busy with Playing God: The Rock Opera – a critically acclaimed collaboration with two Finnish philosophers. He performs frequently and in 2014 he was awarded with the Bonzo Bash Legends Award.

The Blues came calling first, but rock was always waiting around the corner. Well it would be, wouldn’t it? Coming from the deep south, it was inevitable, but living in the deep south of a major Yorkshire City, there’s a gritty hard edge to life!

A female guitar prodigy, Chantel was told by a major label that she had a "great voice, but girls don't play guitar like that!" Wisely ignoring their comments, she enrolled at the Leeds College of Music and became the first student in the college’s history, to achieve a 100% pass mark at BTEC, with 18 distinctions. Chantel then pursued further education and left with a First Class Honours degree in Popular Music and a coveted prize, the college’s musician of the year award.

Chantel released her highly anticipated new album, Lose Control, in October 2015 on her independent boutique label Tis Rock Music, this being the follow up to her critically acclaimed 2011 debut album, Like No Other.
After years of touring and festival appearances, Chantel returned with a vengeance with ten new songs that not only salutes contemporary rock, but shows her gradual transition from conventional Blues to a harder, bigger and bolder rock sound with progressive influences.

The single, Take The Power, from her latest album, was playlisted for 5 weeks on Planet Rock radio.

Chantel is currently writing for her third album, debuting some of the new tracks on her 2018 tour which is currently taking place throughout the UK and Europe.

As one half of Scotland’s highly respected ‘Nimmo Brothers’, Stevie Nimmo has been a well known and respected figure throughout the blues and roots world for over 2 decades.

Now, having toured extensively with the critically acclaimed blues rock outfit over the last few years, as well as taking to the road in a stripped back, acoustic format to promote his debut solo project ‘The Wynds of Life’, Stevie is now in full stride with his full-on, electric, no-holds-barred trio format.
Stevie says that, although the acoustic project is extremely satisfying and allows him to showcase his voice and song writing talents in the perfect environment, sometimes “…you just want to break out the Les Paul or strat, crank up the old orange amp and make some noise!”

Which is exactly what he plans to do.

Stevie’s new cd ‘Sky Won’t Fall’ was released worldwide in 2016 on the Manhaton Records label and it has already been voted album of the year by many in the media and by his fans.

He is enjoying making music now as much as at any point throughout his 20 years in the business and is fully relishing touring and performing the new songs to his ever growing army of admirers.

Don’t miss this chance to catch an artist at the top of his game doing what he does best – standing on stage playing his own music in his own passionate, inimitable fashion.
You will not be disappointed!

Zoë Schwarz Blue Commotion: “A serious band with unique songs, tight instrumentation, and a powerful woman up front… edgy vocals, and scorching guitar solos.” - Blues Blast Magazine, USA 2017

“A truly independent and original band". The whole band, in its entirety, creates a luxurious and irresistible sound, displaying great skills and artistic finesse. Zoë Schwarz’ dynamic and commanding vocal delivery is both eclectic and suave at the same time; just like a chameleon, one part Janis Joplin, one Billie Holiday, and one Nina Simone”.

The band’s exciting live set is based around rootsy originals; featuring strong catchy riffs, interesting arrangements and exciting grooves featuring Rob's electrifying, and unmistakable touch and flow on guitar. The highly accomplished rhythm section of Pete Whittaker-Hammond organ and Paul Robinson-drums (Nina Simone, Van Morrison, The Proclaimers, Paul McCartney to name a few) bring massive musical authority and the ability to push the music in unpredictable and exciting directions.

Zoë Schwarz Blue Commotion have made a considerable impact these last five years, and is one of the band’s that have added a fresh approach and vibrancy to the UK jazz & blues scene.

British Blues Award winners Catfish have carved a reputation for themselves as an excellent live band with a phenomenal frontman in 23 year old guitarist/vocalist Matt Long who plays with a real passion for the blues. Over 2 years they received 5 nominations in the British Blues Awards and they have just been nominated for four UK blues awards. Both their albums have reached no 1 in the IBBA Blues Airplay Charts They have three European tours already booked for 2018, along with an impressive set of UK dates all over the country already in the diary. Their album Broken Man has just been voted album of the year by the Independent Blues Broadcasters Association.

Southbound, the upcoming blues-rock band based in London, are kicking up quite a storm. Bringing an exclusive take on British Blues, audiences are enthralled by the unique sounds and grooves that the band create on stage which has helped to propel their career forward. With inspirations drawing from blues, rock, jazz, funk and soul, Tom (vocals), Elliot (rhythm and lead guitar), Jordan (rhythm and lead guitar), Dan (bass) and Aaron (drums) each bring something distinctive to the table that could only be described as the sound of Southbound; it could be argued that their material, both in theme and performance, could only derive from a veteran of the music industry, however, this can be accredited to their hard work and passion for music. Whilst writing, the band draw from the sounds of greats such as Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, the Allman Brothers Band, B.B. King, and Eric Clapton but also from quite unorthodox artists like Santana, Jeff Beck, Gary Clark Jr and jazz-fusion band Snarky Puppy. When performing live, all these influences come together to create an unparalleled live experience that’s both entertaining and mesmerising.

2017 saw many a triumph for the band supporting acts such as: the Stevie Nimmo Trio, Laurence Jones, Martin Turner of Wishbone Ash, John Verity of Argent, Frankie Miller’s Fullhouse and Red Butler (just to name a few); blasting onto the stage of Pride in London at Trafalgar Square in front of a total of 17,000 people, winning the Introducing Stage at the Great British Rock and Blues Festival in Skegness, and performing at the Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival in Colne. A good year to say the least! Whilst 2018 is set to be an even better year - what with their return to both the Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival and the Great British Rock and Blues Festival on both their Main Stages, as well as making their debut onto the stages of Whitby and Clitheroe - it is their upcoming debut album, being produced by Steve Honest (Dolly Parton, Ry Cooder, Boy George), that is to be the most anticipated part of the year. Whilst their previous self-titled EP in 2016 was merely a taste of what the band has to offer, their upcoming release is sure to shake the foundations of the British Blues Circuit and perhaps even beyond.

SOLID ENTERTAINMENTS Presents... WHITBY BLUES FESTIVAL