Meltdown of musical magic (From Swindon Advertiser)

Meltdown of musical magic

9:22am Friday 23rd December 2011 in Reviews By Flicky Harrison

THROUGH many incarnations this band reinvents itself every few years but always with Pete Cousins at the helm and always with the aim of entertaining.

Pete leads a band of pals on a merry dance through some sultry blues, bubbly rock ‘n’ roll, soul with teeth and a touch of pop minus the froth.

His gritty vocals and dry humour make for a band leader that everyone respects from fellow musicians to strangers in the crowd.

Working alongside such sparkling talents as Anish Harrison certainly gives the Teddy White Band that special magic dust. She unleashes a voice that mesmerises every time you hear her.

Anish’s delivery is always pitch perfect, her tone pure and her power could cause a nuclear explosion.

Drumming up some crackling beats is Pete O’Driscoll on drums. Pete is a Teddy White stalwart and an unassuming musician, yet his precision with the sticks is phenomenal.

Add to this core band the humungus talent that is Michael King on guitar and you have meltdown.

In recent years Michael has sky rocketed from a technically excellent guitarist, who never played a bum note, to a blues maestro who now plays with passion and soul.

Adding yet another cosmic layer to the Beehive bombast of Wednesday night was top notch Swindon musician Mark the harp Gowland.

Mark’s harmonica playing always has the hairs on the back of the neck rising, it is haunting and nostalgic, raucous and rollicking or just plain beautiful.

Completing this bundle of fun is the sax man who is also a master of keyboards. I hold my hand up and say I cannot remember his name but once you hear those golden notes of his sax wafting across the bar you never forget his playing.

As always a fab night at the Hive among old friends and brill musicians.

– Flicky Harrison