A few years back, I was playing a few songs in one of Bob Devereux’s open-air music-and-poetry slams in St Ives’s Norway Square. I’d noticed a spectacularly good harmonica player of imposing appearance playing earlier, so I asked him to get up and play Robert Johnson’s ‘Walkin’ Blues’ with me, in the fine key of A major. He did … beautifully.
His name was Buffalo Bill Smith. We bonded, we played more and more songs as an acoustic duo … and eventually we became an electric blues band called Crosstown Lightnin’.
We’ve had a few revolving doors in the rhythm section and these clips still feature the now-departed engine room … but we’re out of traction, back in action and still delivering Blues With Attitude. Follow THIS for the Buffalo Man and I unleashing our new rhythm section (Marc ‘The Exorcist’ Jefferies on the old basso profundo and Pete Myles behind the tubs) on an unsuspecting world.
Stay tuned … dammit, I knew I had some spare batteries for that tuning machine SOMEWHERE …
L-R: Pete Miles, Marc Jefferies, CSM, Buffalo Bill. Pic: Jan Jefferies
Crosstown Lightnin’ live at Abbeyfest 2010
Crosstown Lightnin’ with the Queens of Funk and again here.
