Jools Holland, Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, und Roachford

Jools Holland is a misplaced individual. He has got the classic British stiff demeanour, the slightly awkward smile, the pinkish complexion, he even gives off a slightly regal wave. But he jams on the ivory like Jerry Lee.

He evokes the bayous of Louisiana, the showrooms of Vegas; he busts the Creole swing as though he was kicked to the curb of Bourbon Street with a songbook and a can of beans and basically went from there.

You can envision Kerouac and Cassady pontificating, Dizzy Gillespie tapping along, Nina Simone probably griping in the corner (she’s notoriously difficult to please according to many peer-reviewed accounts). The whiskey’s burning in the veins and excreted from the flesh of a barroom full of revellers and Ginsbergs scribbling away in a Moleskine.

Yes, he’s done stuff with Sting, George Harrisson, Howard Devoto’s Magazine, bloody Bono - he even founded a small cool-as-cats outfit known as Squeeze who did some great songs, ‘Up the Junction’, ‘Tempted’, ‘Labelled with Love’, ‘Hourglass’, and a whole bunch of others. But playing his solo stuff live, you can hear where he draws his real inspiration from.

Jools Holland is the face of live music in the U.K. As unlikely a statement as that might have been back in his days playing the keyboards in New Wavers Squeeze, nowadays it’s pretty much unquestionable, as much a part of the TV furniture as Doctor Who or The News at Ten. However, while we’ve seen him play some impressive piano on his deathless TV show, for most part it’s been featured on songs that have had no real need for it. If you want to see where his boogie-woogie piano style really shines it’s in his shows with his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra. He and singer Ruby Turner front a twenty piece backing band and together they do what they do best, tear roofs off venues at twenty paces with the power of Old school rhythm and blues, Turner’s vocal mastery and absolutely exquisite musicianship. It might be an underrated quality when it comes to the blues but every single member of the orchestra is an absolute virtuoso, and when paired up with twenty years of experience they really do earn the title of the “world’s greatest big band”. I mean, if they’re good enough to be fronted by singers like Adele, Florence Welch, Paloma Faith, Gregory Porter and Annie Lennox then they’re definitely good enough for anyone to see as soon as possible.

Andrew Roachford is the main guy behind the band 'Roachford'. They first climbed their way to success in 1989 with the hit 'Cuddly Toy' and the song 'Family Man'. They got a seven album-recording contract with Columbia and went on to have a lot of success with them during the 1990's. Roachford went on to release his first solo album in 2003 called 'Heart of the Matter'. In 2013 he performed in a jazz cafe in London, he got the whole audience involved by joking around with everyone and really connecting with his fans. He is very skilled on the keyboard, which I got to witness first hand. He provides a really funny and passionate performance; he could barely sit still, bounding around the stage with the whole crowd clapping along. He has gathered a good group of loyal followers who all showed up to sing along with him as if they were part of the band as well. I think it's impossible not to like him because he's a proper showman and his smile was infectious throughout the time he was on stage. Someone I'd love to see again because I can't forget how much I enjoyed his show, check out his songs and his performances because you won't regret it.