Eddie Clearwater and Eddie Burks concert

["John, Valbonne, France: @VBO, 828-5631" <wilson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I went to see Eddie Clearwater last night in Nice, France, near where I live.
It was in a small auditorium of about 300 people. I had a great seat, right in
the front, only a few feet from the musicians who were on a low stage about two
feet high.

Eddie Burks and Sandra Hall were guests. The excellent backing band played as
trio at the beginning (Will Crosby on guitar was great all night). Sandra Hall
sang a few numbers and shook herself about a bit. She invited a man to get up
on stage and dance with her which he did very well. But when she said "Give him
a round of applause, ladies 'n gnlmen" (meaning, "It is now time for you to get
off the stage") the Frenchman did not understand and kept on dancing. She
eventually led him offstage by the hand.

Eddie Burks shambled on and sang a song about a woman who was mean because she
wouldn't cook his meals or wash his clothes. He sang very well and often
without using the microphone, which the audience loved. 

And can he play the harmonica? Well, can he play the harmonica? I am not so
sure. I am not a great harmonica player, but a lot of the time he plays about
as badly as me. At one point he gave the band the wrong key when playing the
chromatic and they were feeling about for the right one. He played short and
amateurish solos, with odd notes that I tried to persuade myself were way-out
bluesy noises, but they were similar to the noises I often make by mistake. 
There were Eddie Burks compact discs for sale and I almost bought one out of
curiosity, to see if he plays better on disc. Tell me I'm wrong, somebody.

Eddie Clearwater himself was fun. He plays a right-handed guitar left-handed and
with the strings unchanged, which fascinated me. And he was full of energy and
a great crowd-pleaser.

But my impression of the show was three mediocre front men (well, two front men
and a lady) hamming it up, backed by a good band. Maybe I just had a bad
night. Anyone else seen them?

Regards

John