Martin McNeill with great guests every Wednesday at the Green Bottle, 1 Rectory Grove, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 2HA (upstairs at the Greedy Breakfast). Doors open 7pm, music from 7.30pm.
£7.50 entry (£10 for sessions with two guests). Just pay inside the bar – no advance tickets.
Nov 11: WEST WESTON & FRANCESCA SHAW
Green Bottle favourites West Weston (harmonica/vocals) and Francesca Shaw (upright bass). Always a great night when these two join with Martin for a night of raw downhome blues. £10 this week.
Nov 18: TIM HUSKISSON
A welcome return for Tim Huskisson, a jazz pianist with a great feel for blues. Tim is one of the busiest players on the jazz scene and he and Martin have been playing occasional gigs together for more than 20 years.
Nov 25: CONNOR SELBY
One of the brightest and most soulful young artists on the UK and international scene, Connor makes time to play the Green Bottle with Martin several times a year. He recently toured Germany with Keb Mo.
Dec 2: WAYNE ELLIOTT
Bass player Wayne Elliot has gigged or recorded with a huge list of acts including the Yardbirds, Blues Band, Steve Winwood, Mike d’Abo, Maggie Bell, Zoot Money and Alan Price. He has also joined a number of US blues acts on tour, including Lowell Fulson, Eddie C Campbell and Jimmy McCracklin.
Dec 9: ELRY BLUE (Noel Gander and Gary Choules)
Blues, old-style r’n’b and a touch of country – Elry Blue are Noel Gander on guitar and vocals and Gary Choules on double bass. £10 this week.
Dec 16: MARTIN McNEILL solo
Bottleneck blues, boogie and ballads.
Dec 23: WEST WESTON & FRANCESCA SHAW
Christmas special with international harmonica star West Weston and energetic double bassist Francesca Shaw – two Green Bottle favourites. £10 this week.
Dec 30: To be booked
Jan 6: To be booked
Jan 13: DAVE PEABODY
Guitarist and singer Dave Peabody has been active since the late 1960s, gigging with big names in the blues world and appearing on more than 60 albums. He is primarily known for his acoustic guitar playing, in both bottleneck and fingerpicking styles.
Jan 20: DAWNETTE FESSEY
Dawnette sings blues with raw power and deep soul. She fronts the Dawnette Fessey Trio (with Francesca Shaw and Remi Banklyn) and No Good Woman and the Kingsnakes. She also guests with Dexter Shaw and the Wolftones, and Big Creek Slim.
Jan 27: RAMON GOOSE
Fiery guitarist and singer Ramon Goose returns for another session with Martin – they’ve been playing occasional gigs together since Ramon first came onto the scene. Ramon’s career has encompassed blues (as band leader and record producer) and several strands of world music, most recently Cuban. Ramon promises to return to his roots for an evening mainly of folk-blues and gospel.
