Review written by Nigel Foster and used with his permission.
Photos By Ken Jackson
Any gig involving The Cinelli Brothers tends to have a party vibe going on with it. When Marco gets it into his head to host one of his Marco and Friends gigs it is definitely party night and so it was last night. The atmosphere on the stage and throughout the audience was happy, joyful and uplifting.
No surprise therefore that Richard Dunning was putting up the ‘sold out’ signs weeks ago and that the queue of lucky ticket holders began forming around 2 hours before the doors opened.
Last night Marco’s musical buddies were actually the full Cinelli Brothers band plus friend, guitarist and vocalist Paul Campbell and friend, guitarist and vocalist Connor Selby. Finally band friend Paul Long who was ‘dragged’ all to willingly to the stage to join the boys on a number.
No surprise there was no set list last night, it was made up as the gig unfurled and that meant we were treated to a whole lot of free-form improvisation. That in itself provided The Cinelli’s the platform to showcase their multi-instrumentalist talents. Indeed in one particular song Marco began it on keyboards then strode across the stage to relieve Jorma of his bass guitar so of course Jorma picked up his Gold Les Paul and immediately ripped off some tasty licks. The Cinelli’s and Connor have that confidence in themselves and each other to just hook up and play a lead part or just drop in with the rhythm. A nod, a wink or a smile was the cue.
The band began the gig with an immediate hot throbbing groover, a statement of intent if ever there was one. @Alessandro Cinelli and Jorma hit an immediate groove on Leave It All To You that Marco and Tom Julian-Jones jumped right on top of laying out searing licks and vocally there was the first evidence of amazing 4 part vocal harmonies.
Those gorgeous harmonies morphed into gospel style vocal harmonies in Save A Place For Me and Tom had already switched to his harmonica that cried out and wailed.
Marco then advised the guys were taking us back to the late 1960s and the psychedelic vibes of all bands Kenny Rogers And The First Edition and See What Condition My Condition Was In which morphed into a riot of sonic sounds.
Cue Connor Selby being introduced to the stage and cue Jorma to stand in the spotlight to lead off with the deep soul infused Don’t Let Me Down. The vocals were deep and earnest leading him into a gut wrenching writhing guitar solo that was then picked by Connor and TJ so now 3 guitars ringing out with that audible big fat sound from the Les Pauls and the fuzzy scuzzy sounds of TJ’s Gibson SG.
Live set staple Nobody Loves Me was a perfect choice to close the first set. A song that the Cinelli’s penned as a slice of Texan/Chicago blues but certainly last night the band took it on a hard rocking journey courtesy of Alessandro throwing down a piston pumping dirty groove on the drums that Marco embellished further and with fury and that provided the opening for 3 part six string mayhem. The rich thick sonics of the Les Pauls cut open by the razor sharp and jagged sonics of TJ”s Telecaster.
The second set opened with some serious instrumental slow blues with TJ and Marco front and centre combining sweeping keys and fazed lead breaks but then the band collective ramped it up into a serious Chicago blues shuffle.
Jorma took the lead vocals on the rocky atmospheric Dark Side Of The Road climbing above Alessandro’s metronomic bludgeoning drum patterns, Marco flooded out deep rich key strokes and TJ’s Telecaster and Jorma’s Les Paul vied for supremacy and the Les Paul took it when Jorma floored the Wah Wah pedal.
Resident drummer Alessandro then showed his softer side as he took the lead vocals on the soulful Nobody Else But You and this was where Marco encouraged Paul to step up to the keyboards and of course the man laid down his trademark rich textured sounds. Then by stealth the collective built the layers and built the volume taking the music to a serious grinding jam.
Connor replaced Paul and led the band into the Elmore James classic Talk To Me Baby that The Cinelli’s have covered and with vocals and lead guitar in Connor’s hands the sounds were glorious, rich and serious blues. The soulful emotive voice paired with his pure passionate fretwork. The band nestled beside him him setting the pulsing rhythm and TJ then cut through the sounds with a clawing rising harmonica solo.
Paul Campbell was invited to the stage so we now had a phalanx of guitars stretched across the stage and they set to work on the BB King/ Eric Clapton blues anthem Riding With The King. However, the band took this one much more in a roots and Americana direction in the inimitable John Hiatt style. Paul’s fretwork and voice were a perfect fit and me I love John Hiatt.
Time was marching on now and the pace was hotting up even further as the band poured out a seriously soulful and heartfelt version of Unchain My Heart. Marco dug deep for a beautiful vocal and the band wrapped their sounds around it.
The riotous fury of Married Woman was the set closer and a final chance for the band to tear it up vocally and musically, so they did and eventually they left the stage to deafening applause and cheers.
An encore could not be denied us so the band returned and treated us to a totally improvised jam that was loosely based on the Ray Charles song What I’d Say. Marco tried his hardest to match the pace and fury of the triple guitar attack in front of him and part way through this was where he casually swapped to bass and in turn Jorma switched to lead guitar. As the zenith was reached Alessandro boomed out a rolling thunder powerdrive drum solo where sticks and hands became a blur.
The resultant standing ovation was long, loud and so deserved.
I think this was another: ‘I was there’ Tuesday Night Music Club special!
Review written by Nigel Foster
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