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T&Latouche - Salisbury Arts Centre, Salisbury - Friday December 15.
Fans of the late lamented band Edward II have a chance to see some of the original members when T&Latouche play a set at Salisbury Arts Centre on Friday December 15.
T&Latouche are bringing a unique and fresh reggae sound to venues across the UK on their current tour. Featuring T Carthy and Glen Latouche of the original reggae folk fusion band Edward II, T&Latouche combine pumping basslines and driving rhythms with strong melody, sweet harmony, bubbling guitars and blistering brass hooks. Appearing with an all live six piece band and performing a mixture of originals from their forthcoming debut album and classic reggae tracks by the likes of Dennis Brown, Bob Marley and Maxi Priest, these two legends of the live music circuit are returning to their roots in style.
The two charismatic former front men T Carthy and Glen Latouche of the original reggae folk fusion band Edward II bring their latest project to venues across the UK having entertained audiences in all four corners of the globe, guaranteeing spontaneous dancing everywhere from Bombay to San Francisco. They are experts in pulling a crowd to their feet and keeping them there.
After Edward II split in November '99, Alton Zebby (Edward II's charismatic drummer) emigrated to Ethiopia as part of the pre-millennium Rastafarian exodus and has remained there to this day. Although Glen went to Africa for a short time he returned to the UK inspired and refreshed with a renewed desire to perform and after initial rehearsals formed T&Latouche.
T&Latouche is a six piece band also featuring Gavin Sharp (Sax & Keys) and John Hart (Guitar and Trombone) both formerly of the classic Edward II line-up. They have developed a roots sound not too different to the Edward II style so popular during the 1990s. Performing a mixture of originals from their forthcoming debut album ‘Tales From An Urban Safari’ and classic reggae tracks their sound is more subtle than most modern R&B influenced reggae. They have stayed true to their roots creating a 'live' sound in the studio far more akin to recordings created by Jamaica's instrumental heroes such as Ernest Ranglin and Dean Fraser as well as much of the original roots and lovers standards from the Studio 1, Trojan and Tuff Gong catalogue. With a band whose personnel is as widely travelled as T&Latouche , other influences inevitably fuse into the mix which coalesces with flavours of afrobeat, calypso, soul and jazz , over which Glen scored beautifully simple melodies supported by rich and resonant vocal harmonies taken from gospel .
Derived almost entirely from real life stories, ‘Tales from an Urban Safari’ is an account of the reality of urban life for the majority of people living in the under-developed heartlands of British cities at the beginning of the 21 st Century.

The Cadillac Kings - Talking Heads, Southampton - Saturday December 9.
If you like a jive or just fancy bopping along to some swinging blues and bebop, then get along to Talking Heads music venue in Portswood, Southampton on Saturday December 9 when The Cadillac Kings will be appearing.
The Cadillac Kings feature Gary Potts on harmonica and vocals.
Regularly voted one of the top UK harmonica players, Gary took up the harp in the mid ‘90s inspired & helped by his mentor Paul Lamb. Early days as a sideman in the Essex blues band ‘Doghouse’ led to the formation of his own band ‘Third Degree,’ which subsequently evolved into The Cadillac Kings.
On vocals and slide guitar is Mike Thomas. Lead vocalist and main songwriter for the band, just occasionally he gets the chance to show off his blistering Elmore James-ish slide playing. The ‘veteran’ member of the ‘Kings, Mike spent much of the ‘80s & early ‘90s fronting Camden’s ‘Poorboys’, which, together with Diz & the Doormen, & The Balham Alligators, made up London’s very own New Orleans musical mafia.
On piano and accordion is Mike Adcock, a great New Orleans influenced pianist, Mike also happens to be one of the UK’s most versatile accordionists. Former member of the Poorboys, Mike’s CV is’catholic’ to say the least, including live work & studio sessions with Flaco Jiminez, the Ray Charles orchestra, African dance outfit Shikisha, composer Gavin Bryars, Accordions Go Crazy, The Last Dance Orchestra, & Natchez to name but a few Cadillac Kings member Del Van Dee aka ‘Brighton Slim’ is another highly experienced guitarist. Del took over from Oliver Darling at the beginning of 2005 & has quickly made a big impression on CKs’ audiences. He is a widely-travelled player who has lived & worked in the UK, France, & Italy &, until recently, spent a number of years playing in bands in Los Angeles. Del’s swing-blues touch & loose, funky edge have latterly been put to good use by a diverse range of musicians including Irish rock-singer Paul Kehoe & Brighton trip-hop producer Phlabby.
Bassist TC Copp is the CK’s latest recruit, stepping into the spot vacated by Orly Shearer. TC comes to the CKs from a rockabilly, rock & roll & bluegrass background. In his own words he was “born into a house of Elvis”, and after teenage years singing in bands, he took up the double bass aged 20. Since then he’s played in UK bands such as Ivor & The Engines & Big Boy Bloater’s Southside Stompers. TC depped a couple of times for the CKs in 2002 and proved that he had a great feel for R&B, blues & swing as well as good old rock n’ roll. Recent stints have included Little George Sueref’s band and the Brick Lane Boogie Boys.
Completing the Cadillac Kings lineup is drummer and vocalist Roy ‘Uncle’ Webber. One of the best blues, shuffle, swing drummers around. Roy has occupied the drum stool in some of the very best UK bands including Big Joe Louis’ Blues Kings, Little George’s band, Steve ‘West’ Weston’s Bluesonics & The Marques Bros. Together with Orly’s double bass and Mike’s piano, Roy completes one of the finest rhythm sections on the blues & swing scenes either side of the pond.

Darkest Hour - Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea - Thursday December 14.
Coming to the Wedgewood Rooms in Southsea on Thursday December 14 is a band from Virginia USA called Darkest Hour. They have been described as a deathcore band with thrash metal influences.
Formed in 1995, Darkest Hour comprise vocalist John Blakemore Henry, bassist Raul Mayorga, drummer Matt Maben, and guitarist Michael Schleibaum.
Darkest Hour released their first CD shortly after forming on Death Truck Records in 1996. The album, entitled "The Misanthrope", was poorly received by many, but is considered foreshadowing of what was to come. After the recording of their second CD in 1999 on Art Monk Contruction, "The Prophecy Fulfilled", Raul Mayorga was replaced with Billups Allen. "The Prophecy Fulfilled" was much more organized and clean than "The Misanthrope." and is considered by many much more similar to the band’s current style.
Shortly after the release of their second album Matt Maben was asked to leave the band and was replaced by new drummer Ryan Parrish, and a new guitarist Fred Ziomek. With the current line-up, Darkest Hour was now officially ready to tear-up the world with "The Mark of the Judas on MIA Records, released in 2000. Darkest Hour was at the height of their career, until the label dissolved on the day "The Mark..." was released! The band remains upset and angry to this day, and have commented on how unfair it is that the record label has all the rights to such an amazing album.
Some where along the way, Victory Records, home of such hardcore acts as Earth Crisis and Snapcase, got hold of "The Mark of the Judas" and had heard about the band's trouble with labels. Victory invited the band to play in Chicago and loved the set. The band was officially signed just a few weeks later. In the summer of 2001, they dropped the Victory smash, "So Sedated, So Secure". Soon after the recording, Billups Allen, bassist since the Prophecy Fulfilled days, left the band and was replaced by Paul Burnette. Recently, "The Mark of the Judas" has been re-released in Europe under Join the Team Player Records.
More recently, Fred has decided to leave the band after having problems with his fiancé. Mike Garrity has been filling the shoes of the missing guitarist for the latest dates of Darkest Hour tours

Rachelle Van Zanten - Railway Inn, Winchester - Thursday December 14.
Singer Rachelle Van Zanten makes a quick return to the Railway Inn in Winchester after impressing there with her set in June. Rachelle returns on Thursday December 14. I hope that David Bird won’t mind me reproducing his review of her last appearance there:
‘Rachelle Van Zanten - Who she? Another talented Albertan singer and guitarist at home with rootsy slide stomps and delicate picking, that’s who. Promoter Oliver saw her set at SXSW recently and persuaded her to fit his SXSC version in on the way home from her Holland and Germany tour. He was impressed, he wasn’t wrong. My first sighting was a girl in the pub toting a huge pack back holding a toothbrush. Three hours later she was stomping her way through a fantastic set of grinding slide riffs on songs like ‘Take Me Right Back’ and her “German pop hit” the rootsy wordless Yah Yahs laced with impressive delicate fretwork on tunes like ‘The Cracks’, ‘Rusty Boy’ and ‘Dirty Water’. Rachelle mentioned missing her band, but built up a considerable rhythm solo. A fine singer and an engaging, likable stage presence, happy to banter and discuss touring delights: cycling in Germany, arriving at a train station to find a Nazi riot in progress, Druids in Glastonbury and Oliver’s big rented amp only being on 1 and 11 probably resulting in her death by feedback. Did she really just tour Europe carrying a backpack, 2 guitars and a box of CDs on planes, trains and buses? She’s clearly doing things her way. She needed that box of CDs too – quite a queue at the end. She say’s she’ll be back with the band soon, really, don’t miss her, she’s great, she’s gonna need more CDs!’
Just to tell you a little more about Rachelle, here’s her biog from her website:
Rachelle van Zanten is an up and coming Canadian icon- "as both a songwriter and a slide guitar player van Zanten is turning the heads of music industry folk the world over" (Nextfest 2005.
Raised in the foothills of northern British Columbia, van Zanten grew up playing bluegrass and old time country with her family. She spent the majority of her preteens singing to Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Hank Williams Sr., and Johnny Cash recordings. By the age of 13 she was well schooled in piano, drums and trumpet, but wanting to be modish with the 90's rock movement, took up guitar.
In the fall of '95 van Zanten took her talents to the city of Edmonton, Alberta. After a year of university studies and varsity basketball, Rachelle joined forces with Daisy Blue Groff, Carolyn Fortowsky, and Kim Gryba to form the renowned Canadian rock quartet, Painting Daisies. Simultaneously, van Zanten heard the inimitable slide guitar stylings of Lester Quitzau and immediately began to develop her own slide guitar technique. Over a span of 11 years, the group recorded 4 rock albums in between touring Iceland, Belgium, Holland, Germany, 36 States of America, and 7 provinces of Canada. While co-fronting the band, Painting Daisies won "Entertainer's of the Year" for the 2001 Prairie Music. In 2003, van Zanten's penned, "Walking Home Lately", was the song that led to winning top prize in CBC's "Great Canadian Music Dream" competition, over 4000 acts and the prize of a one-hour television special aired on December 30 2003 featuring special guest Randy Bachman.
In 2005 the band performed their final show in September leaving van Zanten with opportunity to craft a solo recording and tour her new material. "Back to Francois" was recorded that same year with Island Music Awards, Producer of the Year, Joby Baker. As a solo performer, van Zanten and her slide guitar are gracing the international stages alongside such greats as Sylvia Tyson, Colin Linden, Sonny Rhodes, and Alison Brown.
She is now touring through Europe, Canada, and the United States in support of this new recording, and as an active member of the music community van Zanten is the producer of Western Canada's music camp for young women, Rocker Girl Camp (www.rockergirlcamp.com).

Rocco DeLuca - The Joiners Arms, Southampton - Thursday December 21.
If blues is your thing, there’s a new take on it when Rocco DeLuca plays a set at The Joiners Arms in Southampton on Thursday December 21 with his band The Burden.
"The blues died when they took the 'fuck' out of it," explains the shy and unassuming Rocco DeLuca. "The music I was raised on had heat. Energy, that feeling of aggression. The music of today seems so washed out and generic. To get 'em back we need to stick the real soul, that punk element back into it. It's the only way I know how to play it."
It's with that ferocity and determination that DeLuca's debut album, ‘I Trust You To Kill Me’, challenges the listener to dive head first into the heart and soul of a musical revolution. Music has been a part of DeLuca's makeup from the start. "My dad was a touring guitar player for some amazing blues artists. I remember he and my uncles would have these late night jam sessions and I would hang out with them and then end up crawling into Uncle Joe's bass drum and falling asleep to the drone," says DeLuca. As he got older, he discovered the DOBRO® steel guitar and it wasn't long before primitive folk music from both the south and the Appalachian Mountains made their way into his world. "Most of my friends were into punk and my family's roots were in blues, so the two extremes were really all I listened to," he explains. After playing out at parties and penning songs, Deluca spent the next decade honing his musical craft. He became the local opener for Taj Mahal, John Mayall and John Lee Hooker, played with Johnny Cash and after a series of eye-opening experiences in Europe; he returned to the States and landed a 2-year residency at the Gypsy Lounge just outside of Los Angeles.
As with many artists, the road from the past to the reality of today is rarely an even journey. DeLuca's was no exception. With a traveling musician for a father and having not met his mother until just 3 years ago, he'll be the first to tell you that he's spent a few cold nights on a park bench. It was through those years that DeLuca found the strength to keep his creative drive unyielding. "You've gotta die a few times and be fierce enough to fall. I've fallen on my face many times. Whether it was on stage or with my family, but it's those times and battle scars that make my music what it is today," confesses DeLuca.
After years of performing and touring, the time came for DeLuca to take his experiences and lay them down in the form of a demo, but not without a certain amount of hesitation. "I always thought of the 'music industry' as this drunk girl at a party who forgot who she came with. I loved making music, but being a cog wasn't for me. At the same time no one was putting out the kind of music I wanted to hear, so I cut my demo and tried to keep it as honest as possible." In 2004, that demo was passed on to Jude Cole and Kiefer Sutherland's Ironworks label and it was clear to both of them that what they were seeing was something amazing. "We thought of him as a real diamond-in-the-rough," says Cole, "and that's exactly what we were looking for." Once in the studio together, Cole helped DeLuca flesh out arrangements and lay down tracks. It was through this process that they realized in order to deliver the intensity of the music live, it was going to require a full-on ensemble. And so The Burden was born, "The band has taken this material to such a great place," he says. "It's intense and aggressive live; we put a lot into simplicity, like those old masters did." The band features drummer Ryan Carman, bass player Dave Beste and percussionist Greg Velasquez.

Katya Gorrie - Forest Arts Centre, New Milton - Friday December 15.
Canadian artist Katya Gorrie who appears at Forest Arts Centre in New Milton on Friday December 15, actually comes from a little town in the UK called Liverpool!
The young jazz singer was born into a family of thespians; it was her father Colin who decided that the call to direct a young enthusiastic Liverpudlian theatre company was too good to pass up, so Katya’s entrance to the world began there. At the age of about one and a half, Katya and her family moved back to Canada.
After some years of embracing being a Canadian, Katya found herself, about age four, part of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School at her mother Elizabeth’s request. After several years of torturous instruction under a certain Ms. McKenzie Katya decided maybe Ballet wasn’t the best career choice.
By age ten, Katya was taken out of school to go on tour with her parents' theatre company. The particular show ‘Kaliedophonics’ was performed in school gymnasiums with an entire symphony orchestra, introducing music, colour, movement and mood to young audiences. Katya was the youngest member of this professional and all but one adult company, singing, dancing and acting to people her own age. This thespian behavioor continued for many years in which time Katya learned the impressive and useful skills of stilt walking, puppetry, mask work and modern dance.
Around the delightfully confusing time of puberty a slightly juxtaposed study of German leider and Italian art songs started, as Katya immersed herself in the idea of becoming an opera singer, then came jazz, improvisation, sight singing, history, modes…gigs for no money.
Since then Katya Gorrie has emerged to be described as a 'hot new jazz singer and recording artist' whose latest CD has been played on BBC 2, BBC Radio Suffolk and Jazz FM. Katya has spent the last few years touring around Canada, the US, the UK and Europe, enjoying performing at Jazz festivals, clubs and theatres. As well as forming her own various jazz ensembles Katya has composed music for theatre, arranged and written music for her original band 'Libeatos', founded three different vocal jazz trios and has worked in film and television both as a singer and actor. It is this combination of musical and performance experience that give Katya her unique and inimitable vocal style.

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T&Latouche
Salisbury Arts Centre,
Salisbury
Friday Dec 15


The Cadillac Kings Talking Heads, Southampton Saturday Dec 9


Darkest Hour Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea
Thursday Dec 14


Rachelle Van Zanten Railway Inn, Winchester
Thursday Dec 14


Rocco DeLuca
The Joiners Arms, Southampton Thursday Dec 21


Katya Gorrie
Forest Arts Centre, New Milton
Friday Dec 15