WORCESTER: Marrs Bar

Saturday 1st April, 2017

8:00pm

Event information

British Blues Award winners Catfish have played many major blues festivals and had a no 1 album in the IBBA blues airplay charts

Catfish star is definitely in the ascendancy.

On 1st January 2015, the band released its first album ‘So Many Roads’. It was recorded, mixed and mastered by Paul, who has been a sound engineer and live music producer all his working life. The combination of the great musicianship and superb recording was picked up by the internet blues radio stations and it took off in a way that none of them expected. Within weeks of its release, it was Number 1 in the Independent Blues Broadcasters Association playlist chart for January. It was also chosen as one of the IBBA Pick Of The Month albums for February, as well as being played on the Paul Jones Blues Show on BBC Radio 2. This was followed in Jan 2016 by the release of an EP in tribute to the late BB King – five tracks of which four are BBs and one is written by the band in tribute to the great man. This also spent two months at no 5 in the IBBA airplay charts.

Their secret weapon is the phenomenal 22 year-old guitarist Matt Long, who has played with Buddy Whittington and supported British Blues Awards winners Aynsley Lister and Chantel McGregor. Matt has recently completed a degree in Guitar Performance at ACM in Guildford.

The wide range of blues covers on the first album showcase Paul’s soulful vocals in a startling arrangement of ‘Catfish Blues’ and an emotional ‘Loan Me A Dime’ and the breathtaking passion and power of the playing of virtuoso guitarist Matt, whose vocals exhibit a huge range from true blues grit and growl in ‘Black Cat Bone’ and ‘Going Down’ to heart wrenching sensitivity in ‘So Many Roads’. Nigel Foster

https://youtu.be/RZQhq-7yVgE

‘He’s got one hell of a future ahead of him – a star in the making (Kevin Beale, Blues on the Marsh)

‘This boy is supremely talented’ (Paul Stewart at Pablo’s Blues Show, myrockradio.com)

They followed this with a tribute EP to BB King on his death, which charted at 5 in February 2016. Their new album Broken Man, almost entirely original material written by Matt and Paul, will be launched on Sun 29 Jan 2017 at the Half Moon Putney.

The new album Broken Man was launched on 29th Jan 2017 at the Half Moon Putney and has already received a lot of airplay on the internet blues radio stations. Reviews are just starting to come in but here are a couple so far:

‘Catfish’s new Broken Man album…is a turning point for the band showing that not only is Catfish one of the best live bands on the blues circuit at the moment, but that the calibre of their songwriting matches that.’ Blues in Britain, December 2016.

’…has to be a contender for Blues Album of 2017.’ (Liz Aitken, Bluesdoodles)

The band is now busy with its ever-expanding gig diary. This is blues full of energy, soul, heart and passion and seeing the band live is a fully charged, emotional night. Catfish’s live shows have received excellent reviews including this one from Blues in Britain Magazine

‘Catfish oozed confidence from the opening chords…in Matthew Long, Catfish has a major talent in their midst. He played with a power, passion and feel that are beyond his years. Paul Long dazzled on keys and vocals, and the rhythm section of Dusty Bones and Kevin Yates held it all together.’ (Nigel Foster, Blues in Britain)

‘This was a performance of pure quality … it was simply the beginning of a new era and if there is any justice in this crazy business, these boys star will continue to rise.’ Alan Bates, audience member at the Broken Man album launch

The band – with its signature Les Paul and Hammond sound – is looking forward to a busy year, including festival appearances and playing at blues clubs all over the country.