MARTIN McNEILL
bottleneck blues
Martin McNeill is a guitarist and singer playing traditional blues with soul.
He has received high praise for his live performances, recordings and online livestreams. Radio presenter and music promoter Stephen Foster calls him “one of the country’s finest bottleneck blues guitarists.”
Martin has regularly been cited in the UK Blues Awards, becoming an acoustic act finalist in 2024 (also nominated in this category in 2023 and 2025). He was shortlisted for record of year in 2020 and as traditional act of the year in both 2025 and 2026.
He has developed an individual style of playing, often in open tuning, which draws on vintage blues without just copying. There are echoes of slide guitar masters Ry Cooder, Fred McDowell, Tampa Red, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Elmore James and Earl Hooker. It’s not all straight blues; his sets often including reworkings of classic soul hits from the likes of Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke and Ray Charles.
Martin hosts sessions every Wednesday at the Green Bottle jazz and blues bar, where he plays with guests, including some of the finest players names on the blues scene such as West Weston, Francesca Shaw, Chris Corcoran and Connor Selby. The sessions have also attracted US players touring the UK such as Nathan James, Erin Harpe and Lightnin’ Willie. The Green Bottle is upstairs at the Greedy Breakfast, Rectory Grove, Leigh-on-Sea. Details here: https://bottleneck-blues.com/leigh-blues-nights/
Martin McNeill’s Bottleneck Blues Band played regularly at the Railway Hotel in Southend for 13 years. This band often featured West Weston on harmonica and/or Tim Huskisson on piano, with JJ Zarbo on upright bass and Roy Webber on drums.
Going into 2027, Martin will be playing occasional Martin McNeill Band band gigs with different line-ups. In recent times, trio gigs with West Weston and Francesca Shaw on upright bass have proved popular.
Martin has a modest international following, built up though online Facebook sessions and YouTube videos. The livestreams started as weekly performances during the pandemic and are now once a month from his Facebook page, usually on the last Thursday of the month.
CONTACT Martin for gig details, CD sales or booking inquiries:
