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"I'd like to dedicate this night to Dimp", he says in the microphone. ("Dimp" was Meredith Kershaw, James' long time friend and drummer who got killed in a car accident in 1993).
Tall, black, american, this man is a little legend. The reasons are easy to see: in this island of karaoke and techno he is one of the few people who are doing it, making real music. Over the years, he's been gathering other musicians around him and got them to converge: into a band, that is. Thus session musicians, doinfg the circuit in the States, or the Carribean, or England or Tenerife have been gathering around this man from Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and played their Music.
It's close by and yet way out, on the road leading to the South. You take that road, any evening, but better still on a Sunday night. Don't go too early: any time from eight o'clock onwards if you're hungry, and more towards eleven or twelve if what you're looking for is just about the best live R&B / Soul / Blues / Reggae / Rock & Roll in Gran Canaria.
"Muscle Shoals is a recording town", James says. "It's only half an hour or so from Memphis, and it sees a lot of great musicians, both before and after they're famous. Names? The list is endless, but I'll name you a few: B.B. King has recorded there, Bobby Laing has, and so have Johnny Taylor, and the Jackson Five, The Commodores and Lionel Richie. Percey Sledge's done 'When a man loves a woman' there."
Around midnight, Larry Rays from North Carolina starts tuning up his bass. 'Great' Scott from New York comes out and plugs his guitar in. Manolo from Santa Cruz briefly produces an E on his keyboard, Kenny from West Virginia and William from Oklahoma City clear their throats and line up for some moves. Jamaican Robert, too, plugs in and then out comes what must easily be the most spectacular drummer on the island, Lionel from Puerto Rico. The band sets in, and by the time James hiomself hits the stage the place is already rocking.
Live music every night, with a special guest on Friday.
You'll find us at Plaza de Maspalomas, next door to 'Hippodrome' and 'Sunset Boulevard'
| You're visitor nº | since May 16, 1999. We are online since December 2, 1998 |
