On Friday I was with 1629 others at Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra’s 2022 sold out show in Southend-on-Sea at The Cliffs Pavilion.
Jools – too cool for a last name – was born in Blackheath, Southeast London. He was a regular pub-performer along the East End docks in his early teens. 1987 saw the start of The Jools Holland Big Band which has now transformed into his 19-piece Rhythm and Blues Orchestra that tours worldwide.
The orchestra has been showing to a packed Cliffs Pavilion for decades now. I’ve been to quite a few of tehm. Audiences love the format where members of the orchestra each enter the front of the stage to play their instrument throughout the show.
The band’s famous covers, including ‘Enjoy Yourself’ and ‘Peace In The Valley’, were performed and the crowd jumped to their feet creating a lively atmosphere. Jools and the orchestra released their album Jack O the Green: Small World Big Band Friends 3 in 2003 which included a cover of ‘Enjoy Yourself’ by The Specials. The cover has become a fan favourite. It was performed near the end of the show and the audience sang along. ‘Peace In The Valley’, the final song, gave the crowd a last chance to get up and dance. This Elvis Presley cover was released on Jools’ shared album with Ruby Turner called Jools & Ruby. Ruby, a British-Jamaican R&B and soul singer, performed the song on stage alongside Jools and the orchestra.
A favourite song of mine from the band is ‘Valentine Moon’, which is often sang by Louise Marshall, a singer, composer and arranger from Lancashire. It is a slow love song originally sung by Sam Brown in 2001. Louise has previously joined Jools on tour however she didn’t for this one. I would have enjoyed hearing this song again.
Pianola. PIANO & FRIENDS is Jools and his Orchestra’s most recent album which was released in November 2021. One reviewer said ‘listening to the album feels like one of his live shows as there are a mixture of instruments and vocal tracks here’. The show included some of the songs from this new album, which are not as popular as the old fan favourites but still enjoyed by the audience.
John Michie, who attended the show, said ‘I first went to see Jools and his orchestra in 1995. In more recent times I have seen him on both nights that he plays The Cliffs Pavilion each year. The reason is simple, it is just a great night out! The musicians and singers on stage are superb. Roll on next year!’
It is a great night out: talented voices and great instruments combine for a loud, joyous atmosphere.
Information on the band’s future tour dates can be found here. Jools Holland Full Tour Schedule 2022 & 2023, Tour Dates & Concerts – Songkick