Fiona Boyes - Live at Bluesfest 2004 '2025

Tracks list

	Tracklist

01. Card Sharp (Live 2004)
02. Mailbox Blues (Live 2004)
03. Spoonful (Live 2004)
04. Sitting on Top of the World (Live 2004)
05. Hubert's Introduction (Live 2004)
06. Run Here (Live 2004)
07. Easy Baby (Live 2004)
08. Hubert Speaks (Live 2004)
09. Feed Me (Live 2004)
10. Who's Been Talking (Live 2004)

It was with a huge amount of anticipatory excitement that I listened to this
album from one of Australia’s premier blues players, given the
extraordinary legacy that this particular recording contains. Not only is this
an early recording of Fiona Boyes which follows on closely from being the first
non-American, and first female, to win the International Blues Challenge
conducted each year in Memphis in 2003, but it also has appearances by none
other than Hubert Sumlin and Chris Wilson.

For those not heavily versed in blues music, Hubert Sumlin was the principal
guitar player in the legendary US bluesman, Howlin’ Wolf’s band
(as well as a short tenure for the equally legendary Muddy Waters). He is widely
acknowledged for creating the distinctive guitar sound that accompanied
Wolf’s music for the 23 years he was part of his band, as well as forging
the characteristic sound that was to become the Chicago Blues.

Chris Wilson was one of Australia’s finest harmonica players as well as a
much heralded vocalist within the Australian blues and roots scene. Both men are
now sadly deceased, with Hubert Sumlin passing in 2011 at age 80 and Chris
Wilson passing in 2019 from pancreatic cancer, aged just 62.

Touring hard on the back of her success in Memphis, Fiona recorded an album with
Muddy Waters’ guitarist Bob Margolin (‘Live in Atlanta’). He
was originally booked to play this Australian tour, which included this
performance at Bluesfest Byron Bay, but when a scheduling conflict saw him have
to pull out at the last minute, his agent asked if she would consider Hubert
Sumlin instead.

Thrilled to have the opportunity to play with Hubert, Fiona set about putting a
new band together for the tour: Mark Grunden on drums, Dean Addison on upright
bass, and enlisting the help of friend and mentor Chris Wilson. The band was to
be known as The Fortune Tellers.

Only recently rediscovered, this performance from 2004 was captured direct from
desk to mini-disc recorder at the iconic Bluesfest Byron Bay. The tracks have
been mastered for vinyl, and the album has a booklet insert featuring extensive
liner notes from Steve ‘The Preacher’ Clarke, Art Tipaldi (Editor
‘Blues Music Magazine’ USA) and Peter Noble (Director of Bluesfest)
along with tour photos and more, much like the halcyon days of vinyl
LP’s.

The songs on the album are a mix of blues classics, many of which the late
Howlin’ Wolf either penned or performed in his repertoire. Sitting On Top
Of The World, Spoonful and Who’s Been Talking being amongst some of
Wolf’s, and consequently Sumlin’s, most well known songs.

All of the songs across this album are great renditions, with Hubert Sumlin
providing his signature finger-picking style to compliment Fiona Boyes’
own guitar work, gelling seamlessly as they revel in each others talents (this
can be heard in some of the included chat from Hubert between tracks as Fiona
encourages him to take to the microphone).

Chris Wilson provides plenty of silkily sublime work on the harmonica right
throughout the album, showing why he was regarded as a master of his craft. He
also provides his own unique, and passionate style to the vocals when called
upon (his powerful vocal on the classic Spoonful being a particular highlight).

However, there are a number of things that make this recording especially
significant.

First is the legacy that it brings; one of Australia’s finest exponents
of the blues (Boyes) teamed up with the legendary, and now sadly-departed
figures that are Sumlin and Wilson, adding more valuable, recorded material to
their archives.

Secondly, there is the obvious live chemistry that is shared amongst the
musicians on stage, with each feeding off of the energy of the others, making
the experience into an outright joyous occasion. There can be no doubt that
anybody who was in that audience would well remember what an incredible slice of
history they were witnessing, and this re-discovered recording will be treasured
by them and hopefully by even more who weren’t there.

Finally, it is further testament to the incredible talent of its’ main
protagonist, Fiona Boyes. To draw the likes of Sumlin and Wilson to be part of
her band shows the esteem with which she is held within the wider blues
community. Her guitar work and vocal dynamics (ranging from the gravelly to the
angelic) coupled with her deep love and knowledge of the blues have endeared her
to blues lovers the world over. 



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