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Norman Beaker

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Norman Beaker
Norman Beaker (2015)
Norman Beaker (2015)
Background information
Birth nameNorman Hume
Born (1950-06-21) 21 June 1950 (age 74)
Manchester, England
GenresBlues, blues-rock
Instrument(s)Electric guitar, vocals
Years active1967–present
LabelsJSP
Out of Time Records
Websitewww.normanbeaker.com

Norman Beaker (born as Norman Hume[1] on 21 June 1950 in Manchester) is an English blues guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, band leader and record producer, who has been involved in the British blues scene since the early 1970s.

The Norman Beaker Band has toured and recorded with many blues artists including Graham Bond, Jack Bruce,[2] Chuck Berry, Jimmy Rogers, Alexis Korner, Buddy Guy, Lowell Fulson, Fenton Robinson and B. B. King. Beaker has toured regularly with Chris Farlowe, Larry Garner and Van Morrison. He has contributed as a session guitarist to many recordings including Jack Bruce, Lowell Fulson, James Booker and Van Morrison.[3]

Biography and musical career

The 1960s and 70s

At the age of seven Beaker taught himself playing the guitar when he was confined to bed for 18 months after a serious road accident. In a holiday camp competition, at the age of twelve, he won the first prize which was ten shillings and an appearance on the Lonnie Donegan show. Taking part in a few more shows of the “skiffle king” was the beginning of Norman’s career on stage. Lonnie Donegan and Hank Marvin were his first influences, but soon his elder brother Malcolm introduced him to the work of blues artists like Howlin Wolf, Jimmy Reed, Muddy Waters and Sonny Boy Williamson. In 1967 Beaker formed his first band, called “Morning After”, which included his brother Malcolm Hume on drums, John McCormick on rhythm guitar, Mike Corrigan on keyboard, and Ian Stocks on bass. The band recorded the album "Blue Blood" in 1971. After several years of gigging in the late sixties and early seventies, Beaker eventually joined Victor Brox’s “Blues Train”, which meant appearing on Granada TV in the show “ So It Goes ”. [4]

In 1977 Beaker formed a new band called "No Mystery" named after the Chick Corea album and song No Mystery. The band members besides Beaker were Dave Lunt on bass, Tim Franks (drums) and John Dickinson on second guitar, later Balis Novak joined on keyboards, and Lenni "Sax" Zaksen from Sad Café on sax. The idea was to play more experimental music. But soon the band returned to the blues, as they were asked to back Louisiana Red on the cult TV programme The Old Grey Whistle Test. The band supported many artists guesting such as James Booker, Alexis Korner, Jack Bruce, Tommy Tucker and Zoot Money. In 1979, "No Mystery" with Victor Brox and harmonica player Johnny Mars became the first UK blues band to play in East Germany.

The years 1980 to 2016

In 1981, "No Mystery" released a single "Taxman's Wine" produced by Ray Russell . In 1982, the band dissolved.
In 1985, after touring with former Cream member Jack Bruce and producing many albums for various musicians Beaker formed the Norman Beaker Band, which included Kevin Hill (bass), Lenni "Sax" Zaksen (saxophone), Dave Bainbridge(keyboard), and Tim Franks (drums). The band released the live album "Bought in the Act" in 1986 and recorded "I once was a Gambler" with Phil Guy. Eventually, the band became the houseband for many visiting US artists.
In 1994 Beaker was the organiser of the Alexis Korner[5] Memorial Concert, which was held annually for the next nine years at Buxton Opera House in Derbyshire. The 1994 Concert brought a reunion of Robert Plant and Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin , and featured, among others, Dick Heckstall-Smith and Chris Barber. Later gigs at Buxton - all of them organized by Beaker - featured Fleetwood Mac founder Peter Green, Chris Farlowe, Eric Burdon and many others.
In the 1990s Norman Beaker started producing albums for Del Taylor's Indigo label, amongst them Chris Farlowe's live album "Lonesome Road" (1995). Here former 10cc drummer Paul Burgess joined the band. In 1996, the Norman Beaker Band backed Ruby Turner for her album "Guilty" and Mick Abraham for his "Mick's Back" album with Tim Franks on drums and Sheila Gott (vocals). Touring all over Europe with Chris Farlowe continued for the next two decades. A live recording on the German TV series Rockpalast with Farlowe in 2006 appeared on CD and video.[6] The line-up of the Norman Beaker Band in 2016 is Nick Steed - keys, Kim Nishikawara - sax, John Price - bass,Steve Gibson - drums. Occasional members are Tony Kelly - sax, Dave Lewis - sax, Damian Hand - sax, Steve Hallworth - trumpet.

Discography

  • 1989: Into the Blues, JSP Records
  • 1999: The Older I Get, The Better I Was, Out of Time Records
  • 2002: Who's He Calling Me Him?, Delicious
  • 2010: Larry Garner, Norman Beaker and Friends - Live at the Tivoli (Recorded at The Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne on 8 October 2009)
  • 2013: Larry Garner & The Norman Beaker Band - Good Night in Vienna (Recorded at Reigen Vienna on 16 April 2013)
  • 2013: Between The Lines
  • 2015: Live in Belgrade Norman Beaker Blues Trio, Jnr/CD Baby

See also

References

  1. ^ It was Victor Brox who christened Norman “Beaker” after the Neolithic “Beaker folk” to whom Brox considered Norman bore a resemblance
  2. ^ "Jack Bruce: Past Tours: 1991-1995". Retrieved 2008-02-24.
  3. ^ Credits at Allmusic
  4. ^ Much of the information on Beaker's biography comes from the interviews with blues.gr , earlyblues.com, and private email contact with Beaker in Feb 2016
  5. ^ In the blues.gr interview Beaker counts Korner among his best friends and the godfather and namesake of his eldest son Alexis.
  6. ^ video presentation here on the Rockpalast Website
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