New Stuff

If you have any news that you would like to bring to the attention of our readers, then please E-mail us at colrain@senzatempo.co.uk

Just to differentiate between fairly recent News and historical News, the New Stuff page deals with current news - that is within the current year. To view Historical News then please go to our Archived Stuff pages which contain news items going back to the E-Zine's creation in October 2003

11th March 2010. The COLOURED RAIN MAGAZINE Issue 41 will be winging its way to subscribers in the near future. We apologise for its delay.

11th February 2010. CROSSROADS GUITAR FESTIVAL 2010. Steve Winwood is scheduled to appear again at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival which is being held on 26th June at The Toyota Park in Chicago. Other guests will include The Allman Brothers Band, ZZ Top, Jeff Beck and BB King amongst many others.

23rd January 2010. Ginger Baker at The Jazz Cafe with Special Guest Steve Winwood.
Seen on www.spincds.com and due for release on March 8th 2010 Price £16.99. Here’s what Spin have to say about it:

gbjc1 In August 2009, legendary rock drummer Ginger Baker (of Graham Bond Organisation, Cream, Blind faith, Airforce, Baker-Gurvitz Army et al) miraculously reached his 70th Birthday. In October he also published his long awaited autobiography ‘Hellraiser' (pub: John Blake), a book that for various reasons has taken him over twenty-years to complete. To coincide with these two momentous events a ‘gig with special friends' was held at London's Jazz Cafe on 4th November 2009. This CD & DVD commemorates this historic & prestigious event & invites you to share the music & atmosphere of the venue. Ginger demonstrates his musical fluidity & prowess with a range of numbers spanning the back catalogue of his phenomenal career. He is helped in this by guitarist/singer Chris Goss (Masters of Reality), bassist extraordinaire Jonas Helborg, percussionist Dodoo Abass, world renowned saxophonist Peter King, along with Ginger's daughter Leda Baker (Rubella Ballet/various) on guitar/backing vocals. For the last two numbers Ginger is joined by his ‘surprise' guest & very ‘special' friend Steve Winwood in a moving reconciliation that sees them play two show-stopping Blind Faith numbers and re winds time to when they last played together in Ginger Bakers Airforce in 1970. Thanks Paul.

10th December 2009. Another date has been added to London Empire Pool Wembley for Steve and Eric’s European Tour. This being Friday 21st May 2010.

7th December 2009. Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton pick up the baton again and undertake a 14 date European Tour commencing May 18th 2010 through to June 13th with dates announced so far. Check www.stevewinwood.com for details.

2nd December 2009. Hello. It’s been a bit quiet recently. Steve guested with Ginger Baker for a couple of numbers at The Jazz Cafe in London recently. In the run up to Christmas it’s always going to be relatively quiet but hopefully the New Year will bring Great Expectations. Anyway, we have an interview with Paul Booth that Paul Minkkinen did with him at The Cropredy Festival a few months back and Paul is also doing a few gigs to promote his new album “Pathways”. Just click on this link to read and his gig schedule:
Paul Booth talks to Coloured Rain

5th October 2009. Seen today in the new Autobiography by Ginger Baker entitled “Hellraiser” there is a small chapter entitled “Cream Reunion” which is about the 2005 reunion with Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce. Ginger mentions that when the idea was first put to him, it included that “Stevie Winwood would be involved so of course he(Ginger) said yes. But Stevie eventually dropped out.” Words to that effect anyway. Interesting.

30th September 2009. Just in from Steve Milner something Dave Mason related. Steve comments: “A short concert from across the pond by one of Traffic's esteemed alumni, Dave Mason, with guitarist John Sambatero in acoustic mode, doing sweet justice to tunes from Dear Mr. Fantasy to How Do I Get To Heaven. John plays lead on this show, but in case you think Dave's lost it, he demonstrates his prowess on another video on the site taking the lead on All Along the Watchtower. For those of you interested to see Clapton playing the Albert Hall in his gardening clothes earlier this year, you'll doubtless be thrilled to see Mason on stage in his sleeping attire! www.bemote.tv/_davemason/ PS These snips play better full screen for some reason.” Thanks Steve.

15th August 2009. Some photographs from Steve’s appearance at The Cropredy Festival on Thursday 13th August. Photography by Paul Minkkinen.

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13th August 2009. Jose Neto at Ronnie Scott’s in London August 19th - 22nd 2009. 'Fourth World' Reunion Airto Moreira & Flora Purim featuring Jose Neto

Ronnie Scott’s ad states: Masters of Brazilian music, jazz and fusion re-unite for rare live shows. This band is a exciting mix of cultures, sounds, colors and rhythms which generates a powerful and enlightening energy. They perform a wide variety of styles such as World, Latin, Bossa Nova, Afro-Brazilian, Samba and straight ahead Jazz all together in one show. We are also thrilled that the band will feature guitarist and club favourite Jose Neto.

12th August 2009. We have some excellent links to some sound recordings of Steve’s show on July 31st at Donauworth BR Radltour which are on youtube, but with stills as opposed to video. We wouldn’t normally point such things out particularly because there is so much on youtube these days, but the quality of the recording together with the performances warrants it and it felt worthwhile to bring it to your attention. Thanks to Phil Greer for pointing these out.

17th July 2009. Paul Minkkinen reviews Steve Winwood July 14 2009 Leamington Spa together with photographs that he took. Just click the link. The review also contains a link to the venues web site as noticed by Inge P. Thanks Inge.

SW/EC liveat at MSG will be available on triple vinyl on July 28th through Amazon. Currently available on pre-order only from the USA. Listed on UK site but not yet priced or available to pre-order.

27th June 2009. www.inthestudio.net/ have been in touch to alert about their interviews with Steve and Eric by their programme director RedBeard. Some of you may have, like I, already heard these interviews, but for those of you who have not, or wish to hear again, then we have the link. The interviews are in two parts and total almost 40 minutes.

RIP M.J.

25th June 2009. Jose Neto’s new album Mountains and Sea de Novo is available now as a download only, through iTunes and Amazon. Paul Minkkinen interviewed Jose not too long ago and the interview plus his review of the album can be read on our Neto News page.

17th June 2009. We were saddened to hear of the passing of Barry Beckett, one of the core musicians in The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. Fans of Traffic will know that Barry, together with David Hood, Roger Hawkins and Jimmy Johnson played on many of the soul hits that came out of the American deep south in the 60’s and 70’s in particular for the likes of Aretha Franklin, Percy Sledge and Etta James amongst many others. And of course with Jim Capaldi for his ‘Oh how we danced’ album and Traffic on ‘Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory’ and the ‘Traffic on the Road’ albums as well as touring as part of Traffic at that time (1972/1973).

Steve and Eric Clapton are 4 performances into their 18 date tour of the USA as I write. With regards to Steve, the sets so far seem to have stayed pretty close to the songs played at the 3 Madison Square Gardens shows last year, but there have been some minor changes. There is now an acoustic section in the show where Eric and Steve play and duel on Martin Acoustic guitars. As part of which ‘Can’t find my way home’ gets the acoustic treatment. Other changes are switching No, Face, No Name, No Number’ for ‘There’s a River’ and Steve taking an acoustic guitar solo during Eric’s ‘Layla’.

26th May 2009. Some PAUL BOOTH news. As we had touched upon in our interview in May with James Towler, Paul Booth has now finished his new album, recorded at Wincraft Studios by James Towler. the album, entitled “Pathways” . Paul has recently become a member of the BBC Big Band. Paul is currently on an Irish tour and will be touring with Steve Winwood in July.

19th May 2009. Bumped into James Towler last night at the London Covent Garden Odeon screening of the Madison Square Gardens concert. James mentioned that there should be a 12inch Vinyl version available in the not to distant future which is good news for the Vinylphobes amongst us. By the way, seeing the concert on the big screen in their Digital Theatre was something else.

5th May 2009. Clapton/Winwood MSG - more. I would imagine that those amongst you who got the opportunity to catch the 1 hour preview of the forthcoming DVD on BBC4 last night were as blown away as we were here at CR by its quality. Comments in from our readers include: “May I comment, through the auspices of your organ, upon how absolutely magnificent the 60 mins BBC4 show was last night. This preview of the forthcoming Winwood /Clapton MSG DVD held me spellbound. Afterwards, I had a nervous moment. What if this were the entire DVD?!! Were we to be short changed again as with the Sound Stage DVD a couple of years ago, where several tracks were omitted? Having checked the track listing via the links on Steve's website, it appears my fears are groundless. I cannot wait to see the full set.” Yours, Etcetera. Noted Etcetera! Thanks. Anon had this to say: “Xxxxing hell Man!. I was almost in tears watching that.” Noted and Thanks Anon! And AN Other had this to say “One word. Wonderful. My two all time favourite musicians together. They have an empathy unlike any other musicians in my opinion.” Thanks AN.

Some further snippets of information relating to preview Theatre showings in the UK and USA on May 18th and news of a Blue Ray DVD issue in June can be read at www.whereseric.com/

29th April 2009. Clapton/Winwood at MSG on TV. Word just in from Sian Hughes is that next week's Radio Times is showing that they will be airing an hour of last year's Madison Square Gardens concerts on BBC4 on Monday 4th May at 9pm as part of the Blues Britannia season. Thanks Sian.

25th April 2009. Steve has added more dates to his European Tour, including some in Spain, Italy and a UK date in Leamington Spa, Warks. Keep watching www.stevewinwood.com or www.myspace.com/stevewinwood for a full itinerary.

1st April 2009. The Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood Live from Madison Square Gardens CD/DVD set now has a scheduled release date of May 19th.

30th March 2009. We interview Wincraft’s James Towler, please click on the following link to read :
James Towler Interview March 2009 and we review Deep Feeling’s - Pretty Colours album and talk to former bandmate Gordon Jackson which you can read at this link: Deep Feeling - Pretty Colours Both of these new pages can also be accessed from our Articles section.

I have also moved previous news items for 2007/2008 to our Archived Stuff section.

24th February 2009. We understand that the forthcoming Clapton/Winwood at MSG DVD & CD set has a release date of 21st April in the UK and 22nd April in the USA. Elsewhere in the world we are not sure as yet.

19th February 2009. Steve will be appearing at Fairport Convention’s Annual Cropredy Folk Festival this year. The festival takes place from Thursday 13th August 2009 through to Saturday 15th August 2009. Steve will be the headline act on the Thursday (13th). More details can be read at this link: www.efestivals.co.uk/news/09/090219a.shtml

14th February 2009. This is believed to be part of the artwork for the forthcoming releases on DVD and 2 CD audio ecswmsgart_redux03 of the 2008 concerts due to be released this Spring (which has just sprung) sometime. Full details on the release can be viewed at both www.stevewinwood.com
and ericclapton.com/Clapton-Winwood-splash/index.html

A new edition in the MOJO Classic Magazine series out now entitled Led Zeppelin and the Story of 1969 features a 5 page spread on Blind Faith - (although nothing you haven’t already read before it does feature a previously unseen photograph from Hyde Park) amongst many other things from that great year for those fortunate to have lived through it and enjoyed many of the musical events of that year. Even if not it’s a very good read anyway and CR recommended.

12th February 2009. Following on from their acclaimed 3 night stint at Madison Square Gardens in 2008, Steve and Eric Clapton will be undertaking a 14 day U.S. tour together in June 2009.
Full information can be obtained from www.stevewinwood.com and www.whereseric.com/

29th January 2009. Sad to hear today of the death at the age of 60 of John Martyn. John and Steve Winwood as Island Record artists collaborated on a number of sessions, notably for John’s ‘One World’ and ‘Inside Out’ albums.

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John Martyn was a great musical innovator and influence on many artists. Fans of Steve should check out 2 inspirational albums:
1. Inside Out - which features Steve and Chris Wood. Martyn's vocals and guitar work are probably at their most innovative / experimental stage on this recording.
2. One World - is way up with Martyn's best work and the lengthy 'Small Hours' is a chill out classic; Martyn's slurry vocals, echoey guitar, Winwood’s excellent synth and the sound of real geese ! Winwood is prominent throughout the whole album on assorted keyboards.
Steve also performed live with john in 1976, and 3 previously unreleased tracks from these performances were featured on "Ain't No Saint" a 4 CD boxset.

John was a wonderful live performer and produced a massive catalogue of music. His guitar style was way up there with the great’s. Amputation of a leg a few years ago did not stop him performing and indeed I saw him perform in a wheelchair last November. Apart from the 2 albums already mentioned Solid Air, Bless The Weather and Grace And danger also highly recommended. A full obituary will appear in the next Coloured Rain mag, later on in the year

Thanks for the great music John.

22nd January 2009. The Winwood/Clapton MSG concerts. In a recent telephone interview with Steve Winwood by Ross Cat of 107.7FM Lake Lighthouse Rock Rapport in Buffalo, Steve confirms that the 3 shows with Eric last year were filmed and that they’’ve been looking at some final edits with the hope of issuing sometime early in 2009.

20th January 2009. Happy New year to one and all from us here at Coloured Rain. Kicking off this new year with a review from K T Bourke of Steve Winwood Jan 17 09 Foxwoods Casino, Ct, USA. Thanks K T.