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Blues In The North West -
September 07 Hans Theessink + Mark Koehorst at the
Harbourside Club, Liverpool, Wednesday, 26th September 2007 (first solo set on acoustic) The first gig of the autumn season at the
Harbourside Club offered two Dutch masters for the price of one. Mark
Koehorst, better known as the lead singer/guitarist of locally-based blues
band Giles, opened the show with a sparkling acoustic set. A couple of slow
and bluesy originals were separated by a fine delivery of “Stop Breaking
Down” and followed by a fast-moving original, featuring some impressive
fingering. The brief but highly entertaining set was concluded with “Dancing
With Dolores”, the excellent title track of the latest Giles album and a
terrific rendition of “Shake Your Hips”. […..] It was yet another memorable evening at
the Harbourside, with Mark Koehorst demonstrating his considerable talent as
a solo artiste and Hans Theessink reinforcing what we already knew – that he
is a world-class acoustic bluesman. Lionel Ross The Orcadian - Thursday
19th July 07 GILES treat Cromarty
Hall crowd to quality night out Giles,
Cromarty Hall, St Margaret’s
Hope, Tuesday, July
10. All you need to produce the most
sublime, intense, LOUD, mesmerising, joyful, soulful music is three
musicians, in total command of their instruments. Hendrix knew
this, Clapton and Cream knew it, Stevie Ray Vaughan knew it and so
do Giles, the band billed as an “international power trio” who played
the Cromarty Hall last Tuesday. Put simply, this band was
hot. Anyone fearful of a tired rehash of a 12-bar electric
blues formula already explored to its limits by Hendrix,
Clapton, Vaughan and others was in for a pleasant surprise As singer/guitarist Mark Koehorst
explained, Giles specialise in taking blues apart, then putting it
back together again to make something familiar but different.
Like the Six Million Dollar Man - Better - Stronger -
Faster. With Piet Koehurst (Mark’s son) on bass, and
Terry Shaughnessy on drums, Giles gave a textbook
demonstration of how great live music should be. They had
clearly got past the stage of technical perfection a long time ago
(although before embarking on a 14-date tour of the north, Piet
apparently had just two weeks to learn the bass!), and were in the
privileged position of being able to experiment and push the
boundaries before our eyes, safe in the knowledge that their groove
was secure. There are thousands of drummers out
there, most of them (many professionals included) plodding along
somewhere on or around the beat. Terry Shaughnessy (the
person sitting next to me described him as the “cute, smiley
drummer” - I wouldn’t know about that) is in the ranks of those
elite few who understand that a drummer can drive the band, rather
than just keep time. Paired with Piet Koehurst’s fluid,
insistent, adventurous bass lines, this rhythm section was
the perfect vehicle for Mark Koehurst’s dynamic,
innovative guitar work, one moment gritty or squally, the next
beautifully melodic or tender. This man has clearly taken his cue
from Hendrix, to make a life-time study of the sonic possibil-ities of the
Stratocaster. I, for one, am glad he did. As if that wasn’t
enough, Mark delivered a superb vocal performance, with passion and
conviction. And then it was time for
the raffle and homebakes! At this point, the
enormous contribution of the energetic and imaginative bunch of
volunteers in Plays Yersels must be acknowledged. From the
first class sound and lights to the effortlessly convivial atmosphere
(that in reality takes a great deal of voluntary effort to create),
this team deserves the community’s heartfelt thanks, and support. In the second half of their
performance, Giles just got better and better. Having concentrated
on their own compositions, their treatment of a handful of covers
- Stevie Wonder’s Superstition, Richie Havens’s Freedom,
and Tina Turner’s Nutbush City Limits- made familiar songs
their own, and generated noisy approval from the crowd
leading to thoroughly deserved encores. Some advice: It isn’t always easy to
motivate yourself to go out for a midweek gig but next time the
promoters at the Cromarty Hall invite you to risk a few quid on a
night out with a band you may not have heard of, trust their
instincts, and go. They have set a benchmark for quality music in
the best of settings. You won’t be disappointed. JK Giles “Dancing With Dolores”. May tree Studios 2006 Nuevo álbum del trío inglés que lideran los hermanos Koehorst, que
incluye catorce canciones basadas, como suele ser habitual, funky blues
experimental, característico de esta formación. Las canciones aportan novedad
y frescura, desmarcándose completamente de otras tendencias que imperan hoy
en día en el panorama bluesístico. Rompiendo totalmente con los clichés más
manidos, los Giles han confeccionado un disco con catorce temas compuestos en
su totalidad por el cantante, guitarrista y teclista ocasional Mark
Koehorst, con la excepción de cuatro cortes que corren a cargo de Richie
Havens, Jimi Hendrix, Tina Turner y Leonard Cohen. Si buscais nuevas y
variopintas sonoridades impregnadas incluso de fragancias españolas o del
flamenco, entonces es muy probable que el disco os guste. BUENO. GILES Are Funkin’ With The Blues Interview: Darren Howells So what does joe-average think of the Blues?
“it lacks any life”; “it’s depressing”; “it all sounds the same”; it’s
stale”… “it’s stuck in the past!”… Unfortunately, when you take into account
many acts being booked to play pubs and clubs across the UK presently, you
can’t blame the general public’s preconceptions of the Blues… However, the UK
Blues scene has managed to produce some of the freshest talents in the music
industry over recent years. An artist like Jon Amor hasn’t enjoyed great
commercial success but has there been a more adventurous and intelligent
musical act produced by this country in the last 10 years? The 22-20s have
recently disbanded yet they started to make headway with broader critical and
commercial success… but how often do you hear young Brit. Blues bands of that
class? Despite the invisible brick wall evolving Blues acts find themselves
pressed against, the UK manages to produce precociously talented outfits like
GILES… We caught up with founder, and frontman, Mark Koehorst… BM: Mark, can you tell us a
little about your earliest exposures to music? Mark: My first clear
memory was pretending to ride a horse to some country music on the radio.
Then I found out that I could make my voice sound like opera in our high
marble hall. My parents must have been very understanding because they never
complained. My Dad played songs on his nylon string guitar for me at bedtime.
That was really magical and I remember thinking that I would probably never
be able to learn that. The first thing I learned to play ‘properly’ from a
friend was the 12 bar format and we spent hours jamming in the key of A,
because I could play all three chords without getting a sore thumb. Giles was formed in 2002 I
understand. Were there any musical ventures before the band’s formation? When I came to the UK (from the Netherlands
– DH), I was desperate to make it in mainstream music. I got various bands
together and my band Glass even got signed by Pete Waterman’s PWL. I don’t
think he knew what to do with us though because we didn’t sound like anybody
else... I got very disillusioned with the music industry. It was more about
the presentation than the music. I used to spend ages with ‘extra hold’
hairspray, trying to make my hair stand up high enough. After a while, I
realised I was losing my love for music and I got out quick. Until GILES…
I was playing drums for my two sons Piet and
Seb and I got really inspired with how they were enjoying playing. I realised
how simple it can be, you just play because you enjoy it! When I started
Giles, I was determined to keep it that simple. The main focus had to be our
love of playing. That’s why we keep a strong improvisational element in our
sets. It avoids getting into a rut. What’s it like
having your son playing in the band?
It has been so easy and rewarding. Piet is
very easy to get on with and we have a strong mutual respect. I am just very
proud of him! Where did the band’s
name come from?
I was looking for a very different name. I
didn’t want to be another ‘Smelly Joe and the Blues Blenders’ or something.
There are so many of those around. Our music was always going to be quite
different from that of other bands. One of my favourite television series of
the time was Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and I really like the English
Librarian Rupert Giles. You came to my attention
with the CD “Blue Funk”. Not your average Blues album… I always try to make everything we do as good
as possible. With the “Blue Funk” album, we took a little more time on the
recording and mixing process and I think it paid off. I really like albums
where every song opens the door to a different world with a different
soundscape. I had that in the back of my mind and, from the many good reviews
the album received, I think we managed to achieve that. Every song has its
own sound and we also did a lot of experimenting. As you say, “Blue Funk”
received great critical response… In hindsight what do you feel was the
biggest achievement? The response was amazing in many different
ways. I think the main thing is that it has established us as a worthwhile
original band, with a strong identity. I think there is a maturity about it
that people caught on to. With confidence you become more adventurous and
daring and the character of the band comes across. Besides of course
recording, and releasing the new album, what’s happened “behind-the-scenes”
for the band since “Blue Funk”? We have been getting more active on the
Continent. We signed a contract with a French Management Company called
Entr’Pot. We have also had interest from the States. As I said, you have a new album, “Dancing With
Dolores“… Tell us a little about the premise behind the new release? The theme of the album is ‘love against the
background of world destruction’. Sounds melodramatic, doesn’t it? Most of
the songs are either about love or the problems in our world society, and
some are about both, such as ‘Dancing With Dolores’, the title track. The
song starts off all lovey-dovey, but ends up with a bomb that ends the world.
Our hero chooses to spend his last minutes dancing with his Spanish woman. The album’s artwork is quite striking…. It depicts the title song… It shows a couple
dancing, seemingly unaware of the destruction behind them. The artwork is by
a good friend of mine called John Fuller - he did a wonderful job. What are your hopes for the new release? You always hope that one of the songs catches on,
on a bigger scale. As a collection how do you feel it improves
upon “Blue Funk”? Our trio has grown a lot in confidence,
because of the gigs we have been doing, and I think that shows in many of the
songs. I think both the songs and the performances are more direct. And it’s self
produced/financed again?
Yes, “Dancing With Dolores” is released on my
own label, May Tree Studios. It means total self-control and no compromise on
content. What artists do you feel
have been influential to the Giles sound as whole? This would be a very long list, starting with
Jimi Hendrix, Prince, Sly and the Family Stone, Dr John, The Stones, John
Martyn, Missy Elliott, Black Eyed Peas, Beyoncé… the list is endless! I can hear Steely
Dan…
You are not the first to mention it. I feel
very flattered when people compare us to a band like that. I love their stuff
and I guess there is a jazzy side to our music. Can you give our
readers some insight into your songwriting process?
I am a really lazy songwriter. I don’t feel it
is an effort to write because it usually feels as if the song already exists.
I sometimes have to ask whether anybody has heard it before because it sounds
so familiar to me. The ‘writing’ can be triggered by anything. Sometimes it
comes out of a jam, and sometimes it is a certain idea or phrase that
triggers it. ‘The Chase’ (on “Blue Funk” – DH) came about when we were
playing a couple of dates in Germany. We were saying how annoying it can be
to be a man. Even if you are in a very secure relationship, you just can’t
help noticing other women. It’s like a curse. “You might have found the thing
you’ve been looking for, but you can’t quit the chase”. I came to see you play live
in Preston of course. I was quite troubled by the small crowd that night… Is
this a common problem and how much of a concern is this? This is a very good question and I only wish I
knew the answer. I have come to the conclusion that most people are like
sheep. They will only go and see a band if everybody else goes to see them.
Our fans tend to be people who will make a special effort. Some of them
travel up from London to come and see us play up North. I am hoping that one
day it will catch on with others and we will get much bigger audiences.
Meanwhile, I am really enjoying the fact that I know a lot of our fans
personally and that I get the chance to chat to them at gigs. Despite the small turn out,
I thought you put on a fantastic performance. What do you try to attain with
your live shows? Our aim is always to enjoy ourselves on stage.
As soon as we get bored with a certain song we replace it with something
else. Luckily, because we have such a lot of songs now, this is quite easy to
do. On a good night, you can feel that the audience are with you from the
very first note and that is a wonderful experience. Looking at the Blues scene
as a whole here in the UK, what are your feelings good and bad? I am relatively new to the blues scene, but so
far, we have been able to find quite a few excellent venues and also some
promoters who are willing to go the extra mile to put a good band on. It
would be much easier for them to put a cover band on, but they don’t. Every
venue that books original bands should be applauded and supported. They are
the life-blood of music! Any artists that have
really impressed you?
Kyla Brox... She has an incredible voice and
she’s got real soul. Musically what’s
been the highlight for the band so far?
Our musical highlight is always our last
‘best’ gig. We aim to play our best gig every night. Biggest setback…
To be honest, I don’t really believe in
setbacks. ““What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. What’s the ultimate
goal?
We would love to re-establish blues in
mainstream music. Blues has become this quaint little caricature that people
get out of the closet for effect. “Let’s play some of that Robert Johnson
stuff, it will go nicely with our retro settee”. There are loads of bands
churning out tired old 12 bar covers, trying to make their guitars sound just
like they did ‘back then’. In the long run, I feel they might not be doing
blues music any favours, because most people dismiss it as irrelevant. Blues
started off as an exciting new form of expression. It was dangerous and very
relevant. Then British bands like The Stones, Cream, Led Zeppelin and The
Experience revived it again in the ‘60s. I think it is about time we had
another revival in the true sense and I would absolutely love it if GILES
could be part of that in some way. DH Blues Matters - issue 34 2006 – 2006 GILES - Dancing With Dolores The guys give a sparse old Blues sound to the
opener ‘Maria Magdalena’ with some super guitar and organ hovering. ‘Freedom’
goes funky and spacey. ‘Letter To Bush’ gives you political commentary
delivered with style. Guitar work as usual is immense yet can be understated.
The title track carries a Spanish feel but also the fear of threat of
impending disaster – you do not know whether to dance and celebrate or cringe
in the corner… emotive and clever. The bands’ interpretation of Hendrix’
‘Gypsy Eyes’ is nothing short of spellbinding! And then they go full stops
out on the intro to ‘That’s Why’… This is a clever band trying to meld old
and new into a style of their own and in my mind they are succeeding. I note
lyricist Mark Koehorst’s work and guess he must be a troubled soul… The album
shows great imagination and loads of skill. Track, Blues Magazine Breda – July 2006 Giles
- Dancing With Dolores Jurgen
Blommaert SR&BB,
Breda Home Of Rock – May 2006 Dancing With Dolores,
Eigenvertrieb, 2006 Der Opener des neuen GILES-Albums, "Dancing With Dolores",
mag als Richtungsgeber etwas irreführend sein, denn die anfänglich reduzierte
und zudem recht konventionelle Slow-Blues-Nummer spiegelt zwar in gewisser
Weise den typischen Bodensatz von Mark Koehorsts Musik, aber nicht unbedingt
die auch schon auf dem letzten Album ("Blue
Funk") vielfältig auftauchenden Exkurse in die nahegelegenen
Parallelluniversen, in denen insbesondere Funk- und Pop-Einflüsse eine
prominente Rolle spielen. GILES, oder THE GILES EXPERIENCE wie sie sich nun neuerdings
nennen, sind auch 2006 keine reine Blues-Band, das scheint den Herren
Koehorst (Sohn Piet spielt Bass) und Terry Shaughnessy (Drums) wohl zu
eindimensional. Folgerichtig tauchen auf "Dancing With Dolores"
neben den zahlreichen Eigenkompositionen auch vier überraschende
Coverversionen auf. Die Koehorst-eigenen Titel sind auch nicht von schlechten
Eltern, berufen sich hie und da auf den Urvater Hendrix und verquirlen in
typischer GILES-Manier Blues-, Rock- und Funkeinflüsse zu einer
spannungsgeladenen Mischung, die mal mehr und mal weniger beindruckend
daherkommt. Paradesong dürfte wohl die ätzende Schimpftirade (Letter to
Bush) auf Präsident Bush sein, die mit ihrer funkigen RED HOT
CHILI PEPPERS-Leichtigkeit die Ernsthaftigkeit der Koehorst'schen
Zeilen konterkariert und zu einem unverschämten Ohrwurm mutiert. Ansonsten besticht "Dancing With Dolores" weiterhin
mit sprichwörtlichem Abwechslungsreichtum in Stil und Sound, und macht sich
wie schon zuletzt auf "Blue Funk" die technische Seite des Studios
zunutze und arbeitet oftmals mit fetten Hall- und Echoräumen, so dass sich
Koehorsts Instrument ein ums andere Mal in donnernden Gitarrengewitter
entlädt. Frank Ipach, (Impressum, Artikelliste),
13.05.2006 Zeitgeist – May 2006 Giles - Dancing With Dolores
Across ten originals and four well chosen covers -
"Freedom" by Richie havens, "Gypsy Eyes" by Jimi Hendrix,
"Nutbush City Limits" by Ike & Tina Turner and "Bird On
The Wire" by Leonard Cohen - well, three well chosen covers and a
Leonard Cohen song - they ably demonstrate why I was so smitten last time
around. Whether it's the strut of "Fallen Angel", the Santana
blitz of "Freedom" or the dense electric blues of "That's
Why", Giles hit most of the marks most of the time. Granted, there's a
bit of a lull in the middle before the shuffle of "Just A Shell"
picks things up again, but it's a minor quibble. Giles have pulled another rabbit out of the hat, skipping
merrily across blues, funk and soul to deliver a delightful reacquaintance. MAZZMUSICAS (Holland) – May 2006
Giles / Dancing With Dolores / May Tree Studios MTSCD6 (www.gilesmusic.com) De nieuwe cd van Giles, het trio onder leiding
van de ‘HollandBrit’ Mark Koehorst. In wezen neigt gitarist Mark en z’n trio
naar de bluesrock maar ze slagen erin zovele andere accenten te leggen dat ze
toch wel een beetje buiten die categorie vallen. Deze cd is daar een zeer
gevarieerd, maar niet altijd even aangenaam bewijs van. Als ik schrijf ‘niet
altijd even aangenaam’ dan heb ik het niet over de muziek want die is zeker
wel ‘aangenaam’, maar veeleer over de inhoud. Blijkbaar heeft Mark met deze
cd een uitlaatklep gevonden om z’n ongenoegen te uiten over de gang van zaken
in deze wereld, en dan vooral met een ferme sneer naar dat stukje ‘Verenigde
Staten’, dat volgens Mark via het cynische Letter To Bush, een ietsje te veel wordt geleid door een
‘domoor’. Right on! Ook pakkend is Wanna
Come Home, Father, waarop de strijd tegen onrechtvaardigheid redelijk
juist want ‘never ending’, wordt weergegeven. Zeer opmerkelijk is de manier
waarop Mark meer relationele items weet te plaatsen in dat kader van oorlog,
bommen en granaten; het meest aandoende voorbeeld daarvan is de titelsong die
erg lang een heel aangenaam Spaans tintje vertoont om dan te eindigen in dood
en verderf. Het is sowieso een aangename verrassing een bluesrocker te mogen
aanhoren die met de problemen van de wereld bezig is en die dan ook nog eens
vertaalt in muziek waarvan z’n gitaarspel enkel maar een duidingpunt is en
geen allesoverheersend geweld (in tegenstelling toch Joske Bos met al z’n
wapengeweld). Er zijn wel songs met messcherp gitaarspel zoals That’s Why, maar dat is dan enkel ter
ondersteuning van de inhoud. Naast al de zelfgeschreven songs zijn er
opmerkelijke covers van Richie Havens Freedom,
Jimi Hendrix’ Gypsy Eyes en Leonard
Cohens Bird On The Wire. Afsluiter Yearning is een bijna klassiek getinte
solopiano instrumental en het etherisch klinkende Behind Your Eyes is mijn favoriet van een compleet geslaagde cd.
(Marc Nolis) Blues Again (France) – June 2006 GILES Dancing with Dolores Genre musical: fusion Compositions : 10 sur 14 Livret : bon Label: May tree studio Distributeur: www.entr-pot.com
L’avis de la rédaction : ovation Le trio du
Lancashire est de retour et ça frappe fort. Blues, funk, rock, pop
psychédélique : un feu d’artifices de rythmes qui explosent en un
gigantesque bouquet sonore. Ce disque est un régal et mérite une écoute
attentive. Avec cette nouvelle production, Giles affirme sa place dans le
cercle restreint des meilleurs groupes britanniques de la décennie. Le jeu de
guitare très subtile (mais n’oublions pas ses interventions aux claviers) de
Mark Koehorst est mis en valeur par une impeccable section rythmique
basse/batterie. Chaque titre nous entraîne dans un univers bien distinct mais
l’unité du CD est évidente, à savoir que malgré toutes les peines et tous les
fléaux, la musique ouvre l’esprit et le cœur, et pour ça le groupe s’y
entend. Musiciens excellents, très bonne production, la qualité est donc au
rendez-vous. Le livret du CD nous permet de découvrir les textes de tous les
titres. Quatre reprises sur lesquelles le band met sa propre touche : Freedom
de Richie Havens, Gypsy Eyes de Jimi Hendrix, Nutbush City Limits de
Tina Turner, Bird On The Wire de Leonard Cohen. Les compositions de
Mark Koehorst feront certainement, elles aussi un jour partie des classiques,
mais laissons leur le temps de vieillir. Du beau travail par un grand
groupe ! Gilles Blampain [Review posted by Gilles Blampain of Blues
Again Magazine at CDBaby, May 06] Fireworks of rythms. A real pleasure The trio from Lancashire is back and it's great! Fireworks of
rhythms...blues, soul,funk. With this CD, Giles assert their place among the
best british bands of the decade. First rank musicians, very good production,
quality is here. Four covers with a special touch of their own: Freedom by
Richie Havens, Gypsy Eyes by Jimi Hendrix, Nutbush City Limits by Tina
Turner, Bird On The Wire by Leonard Cohen. As for the original material, one
day the songs by Mark Koehorst will become classics. A real pleasure. Gilles
Blampain “ [Review posted by Gilles Blampain of Blues
Again Magazine at iMusicStage, May 06] The Real Sound “What a record!
Blues,funk, soul, the real sound! A great CD by one of the best british bands
of the decade. 10 original songs by Mark Koehorst and 4 covers, Freedom by
Richie Havens, Gypsy Eyes by Jimi Hendrix, Nutbush City Limits by Tina
Turner, Bird On The Wire by Leonard Cohen, all with a great feeling and the Giles’
touch. Beware of the spell: if you listen to Dancing With Dolores, you’ll
wish to do it again and again. Great musicians, good production, high
quality. It’s a must! Gilles Blampain” GILE GilesBlues In
Britain – May 2006 Giles
Dancing with Dolores
No Label MTSCD6
The album contains fourteen tracks, ten of
which are written by singer/guitarist Mark Koehorst - one of them in collaboration
with his bass guitarist son, Piet. The third member of the band is the
excellent Terry Shaughnessy on drums. Backing vocals are provided on several
tracks by various members of the clearly talented Koehorst family. The opening slow blues, “Maria Magdalena”, is
followed by an excellent version of Richie Havens’s “Freedom”, which is
always well-performed and well-received at the band’s gigs. “Letter To Bush”
is a protest song, which cleverly contrasts heartfelt, assertively delivered
lyrics with a gently hypnotic ‘family’ chorus. “Fallen Angel” boasts an
upbeat and bouncy rhythm and catchy guitar riffs between the verses. The title track delivers a homily on the
perils seriously threatening the world, delicately wrapped in a love song
accompanied by Spanish-flavoured guitar and an appealing Latin rhythm. It is
another fine example of Mark Koehorst’s constant quest for innovation. A
brief airing of Hendrix’s “Gypsy Eyes” leads into “That’s Why”, which
features some excellent interplay between the bass and lead guitars. The
fast- moving “Mind Your Own Damn Business” is contrasted with the slow and
bluesy “Wanna Come Home, Father” and the haunting “Behind Your Eyes” before
“Just A Shell” erupts into a driving rockabilly beat brilliantly underpinned by
some excellent drumming. The nicely varied album ends with two more
covers: a terrific wah-wah-drenched version of Tina Turner’s “Nutbush City
Limits” and a sensitive rendering of Leonard Cohen’s “Bird On The Wire”.
Finally, there is a slightly delayed, brief coda in the form of a
quasi-classical style piano piece that, for all its pleasantness, doesn’t
quite fit the rest of the CD. It is not strictly a blues album, but it is a
very palatable offering nonetheless. Rating: 8 Lionel Ross Blues Art Studio – May 2006 GilesS Norman Darwen Twoj
Blues – September 2005 Giles „Blue
Funk” May
Tree Studios „Blue Funk” to trzeci krążek jednej z najciekawszych
formacji północno zachodniej Anglii. Pochodzący z Holandii wokalista,
gitarzysta i kompozytor Mark Koehorst od zawsze zainteresowany był
nowymi brzmieniami, a gdy dołączyli do niego młodzi muzycy w
pełni rozwinął skrzydła. Podróż
w krainę „błękitnego funku” rozpoczyna jazzowo-funkujący
„The Chase” – delikatne organy, imponująca praca perkusji, figlarny bas
i podkreślająca wokalne frazy gitara, czasem nieśmiała i
skryta, czasem butna i bezwstydna. W równie jazzującym nastroju
utrzymany jest zamykający płytę, autobiograficzny „I Was Born
In The Land Of The Windmil” – wplecione weń sample i dyskretne harmonie
wokalne tworzą urokliwy kolaż. Posmakiem reggae raczy nowatorska
wersja „CC Rider”. Okraszona mnóstwem rytmicznych przeszkadzajek akustyczna
gitara splata się z jękami elektrycznego slide’u. Pogłos na
wokalu pasuje do takiej scenerii idealnie. Ostrzej brzmi „Keep On Dancin’” –
przesterowany śpiew koresponduje z przybrudzonymi dźwiękami
gitary wah-wah i funkowym groovem. W takim otoczeniu piętnujący
globalistyczną politykę współczesnych rządów tekst
nabiera dodatkowej siły wyrazu. Podobną pulsację słychać
w „So Much Pain” i „Black Queen” – niby wszystkie oparte na funku, ale każda
brzmi nieco inaczej. Bardzo rockowo prezentuje się „Blue”. Garażowa
perkusja i przyciężkawy riff stanową fundament dla zwiewnej,
mglistej solówki. Inwencję gitarzysty słychać też w
hipnotycznym „Watchdog” – sześć strun podkreśla tu rytmikę
niczym tara w zespole zydeco. Perełką wśród znakomitych
kompozycji jest „Lost A Friend” – pokaz tego, jak może wyglądać
blues za kilkadziesiąt lat. Powolny, rozlany temat, w którym instrument
Koehorsta płacze ckliwie, a jego głos dociera do słuchacza z
różnych stron, niczym echo. Wszystko to podane na tle zapętlonego,
elektronicznego loopa – tradycja i nowoczesność w pełnej
symbiozie. Pomysłowość, a tej Gilesowi nie brakuje, to atut
nie do przecenienia. Najłatwiej to zrozumieć na przykładzie
coverów. Prócz wspomnianego „CC Rider” na czoło wybija się z lekka
nowo orleańska wersja „Clyde” J.J. Cale’a. W
ostatnim czasie pojawiło się sporo płyt traktujących
bluesa jako punkt wyjścia dla muzycznych eksperymentów. Mark Koehorst i
kompania dodali do niego sporo funku, szczyptę jazzu i mnóstwo własnej
wrażliwości tworząc miksturę słodką i nader
zaraźliwą, szczególnie dla futurystów. Przemysław Draheim Barikada – August 2005 GILES - ‘Blue Funk’ (May Tree Studios) 2005. CD Pored naziva benda, Giles ujedno predstavlja i naziv projekata
holandskog multiinstrumentaliste i songwritera Mark Koehorsta. Giles su
osnovani 2002. godine, a njegova potreba da bude blize centralnim zbivanjima
odvela ga je u Britaniju. Tokom vrlo kratkog vremenskog intervala, holandski
muzicar je sa ekipom saradnika uspeo da se predstavi na prakticno svim
vaznijim major blues festivalima u UK, a takodje, njegov sastav je nastupao
kao support akt imenima kao sto su: Eric Burdon, Dr. Feelgood, The Blockheads,
Robert Sherman... Pre aktuelnog, ovogodisnjeg izdanja, Giles su objavili dva
albuma i to: "Coming Home" i "Blood From A Stone". "Blue Funk" je realizovan u formaciji tria, i pod
producentskom palicom samog Mark Koehorsta. Muzika koju je ponudio ovaj muzicar
sa ekipom saradnika predstavlja jedno njegovo vidjenje bluesa, kroz kojeg
balansiraju funk, rock, soul elementi. Mark je veoma intuitivan gitarista,
izmedju ostalog dobro vlada bootleneck tehnikom, a atmosfera na albumu u
svojim brojnim segmentima obiluje nenametljivom, ali nikako dosadnom
laid-back pricom. Aranzmanskim resenjima ponudjeno je jedno modernije
vidjenje pravca, koje se narocito ocituje u temama: "Lost A
Friend", "Black Queen" - interesantnom coveru songa Stephen
Stillsa, te temi "So Much Pain". Mark preko pojedinih numera
eksperimentise ponudjenom atmosferom i raspolozenjem, i moze se reci da je
realizovan interesantan muzicki amalgam. "Blue Funk" sa muzikom
koja se tu nasla prosiruje izrazajne vidike samog bluesa, i moja preporuka je
da, ako vec niste imali priliku, sto pre otkrijete ovog autora. La Hora Del
Blues - September 2005 Giles “Blue Funk” - May Tree 2005 Giles son una banda que saben lo que quieren
y como quieren hacerlo y este álbum es la prueba de ese gran conocimiento
musical que poseen. El grupo mezcla con sabiduría y buenas maneras diferentes
conceptos y géneros, como son el blues, el funk, el rock o el jazz
fusionándolo con arte y vistosidad pero, sobre todo, convenciendo al oyente.
El resultado es un disco tremendamente efectivo, en una línea muy ‘fashion’ y
‘groove’. Mark Koehorst, cantante y guitarra, conduce al grupo con elegancia
y mucha efectividad, dando variedad, riqueza y una calidad que desborda
todas las expectativas en cada uno de los temas incluidos en el disco, ya
sean composiciones propias o de otros artistas, como los cuidados y
excelentes arreglos del ‘CC Rider’ por citar un ejemplo. En definitiva, un
buen disco. BUENO. Giles are a band which really know
what they want to do and how to do it and this cd proves their great musical
knowledge. They cleverly and tastefully mix different styles and concepts
like blues, funk, rock or jazz merging them with a bright artistic good taste
but over all with a very convincing strength. The result is an effective cd
that follows a very ‘fashion’ and ‘groove’ line. Singer and guitar player
Mark Koehorst leads the band and gives an amazing rich quality that overflows
the prospects you could imagine in any of the songs included on the cd,
either in his own compositions or in versions such as ‘CC Rider’ performed
with carefully well done arrangements. In short, an interesting record. VERY
GOOD. Katherine Tomlinson on AllGigs
and
Glasswork - August 2005 Giles Blues Matters – August 2005 GILES @ The 12 Bar, Preston, Lancs Anyone who has heard GILES’ recent
album ‘Blue Funk’ will testify to just what an exceptional outfit they are…
anybody who hasn’t – GO BUY IT NOW! Fortunately all the vitality and
intelligence of ‘Blue Funk’ is transferred perfectly in tact to a live
setting (in fact the band sound bluesier live than on the album; which
definitely has a jazzy/Steely Dan vibe). Mark Koehorst (Vocals/Guitar)
has a great presence on stage (he literally exudes confidence in his own
ability to deliver classy blues/pop songs and there’s a clear pride that he
has something quite special at the moment), and he’s ably supported by son
Piet (Bass) and Terry Shaughnessy (Drums)… both a lot younger than Mark but
performing like old pro’s on the night. Despite a few technical hitches
during the nights entertainment the band showed complete professionalism
throughout and those in attendance were clearly pleased that they’d been
privileged to be in the presence of a band with such class and originality (and
possibly a little surprised at HOW good they were!). Unfortunately, there
wasn’t anywhere near enough people in attendance and I was left with a feeling
of sadness that in Britain, and in the North west in particular, we are
fortunate to have a band performing like this; capable of producing
challenging and commercial Blues music yet people seemingly can’t be bothered
to take up the opportunity (is Saturday night TV really that good!!?)… Thankfully
Ant & Dec don’t really do it for me… let’s hope the band get the profile,
exposure and success they so clearly deserve… Darren Howells Concerto
–
June 2005 GILES Blue Funk May Tree Studios MTSCD5 “It might be
because of the British influence that the blues is still so relevant today”.
Der dies von sich gibt, ist mitnichten ein Engländer, vielmehr der in Holland
geborene Sänger und gitarrist Mark Koehorst. Mit Piet Koehorst am Bass sowie
Terry Shaughnessy an den Drums taucht Giles allderdings tief in britische
Bluesrockidiome ein. Folgerichtig hat die Band längst ihr Lager auf der
britischen Insel aufgeschlagen un tourt dortselfst regelmäßig. In dieser
Spielart des Blues ist es nicht ainfach, ein eigenes Profil zu entwickeln.
Giles gelingt dies indessen gleich mit dem aus der Feder von Mark Koehorst
stammenden Opener, “The Chase”. Eine hintergründige Rockgitarre trifft auf
soulige Keyboards – ebenfals von Mark Koehorst beigesteuert -, eine subtile
Rhythmusgruppe und ganz leichten Funkeinschlag. Das Cover von “CC Rider” wird
hingegen in Richtung J.J. Cale verschoben – dessen “Clyde” übrigens ebenfalls
gecovert wird -, mit gleitendern Bass und der Interaktion zwischen
akustischer Gitarre und ihrer elektrifizierten Schwester. Giles können aber
auch ordentlich bluesrockend un wah-wah-verzerrt zupacken, duster funken bzw.
Slow und soulig zu Werke schreiten wie auf dem autobiographischen Closer
“Born In The Land Of The Windmill”. Interessant! -DiHo- Orkney Today Ltd – June 2005 Giles make
welcome return to Orkney Blues On Stage – June, 2005 Its very catchy, straight out of the
gate. "The Chase" kicks it into gear. This is some good music from a
Dutch, multi-instrumental, trio founded in 2002. The band name comes from the
Rupert Giles, the librarian on "Buffy The Vampire Slayer". The band
leader says, "he is probabally a closet hippy that listens to Led Zeplin
when no one is looking". They named the band after him. Giles is already making an impression
in the live music scene in Europe and the U.K.. All the artists in this trio
have a well-established track record of music and performances in their own
right. Before you know it you are into the familiar "C.C. Rider"
song sounding almost as if it was drug threw a swamp. This CD is very good
through and through from start to finish with 8 original tracks. "Keep On Dancin" has a kick
ass beat and reminds me of something from Jimmy Hendrix in the 70's with a
twist of modern techno wizardry. It also has some social commentary to it,
another excellent song. In "So Much Pain" you
discover why the vocals are so good. Mark Koeharst has a very sweet voice. In
my opinion the vocals and the music is outstanding. There are parts where
they all sing together in harmony. "Clyde" is a very very cool
tune; the guitar even sings the words in a funky voice. It's a bit techno but it really is
good. This is some good up beat music to have in your collection of cool stuff
to listen to. The music is smooth and easy listening. The beat and flow are
very nice. I've never heard of these guys but I hope to hear more. There is
definitely good blues in here. The singer Mark Koeharst sounds a lot like
"Sting". It is their 3rd CD. Song # 9 "Watch Dog" may be
my favorite, I think I feel a touch of a Stevie Ray in that one. It's a hard
drivin song that gets ya ready to roll. "Blue" song 10 out of 11,
totally changes the tempo of the collection. When you got a babe and you find
her dancing with the wrong guy, the tempo has to change. No wonder these guys
titled it "Blue Funk". The last song "Born In The Land Of The
Windmill" tells the story of the songwriter. Momma worked in a fashion
store, daddy left home, he dropped out of school got a job in a factory and
made music. Good thing he did. Hey man the blues is the blues no
matter where ya live. The Blue shoe fits Giles well, even if it is wooden.
You'll like this one. Find out more about them at www.gilesmusic.com . Lemon Rock – May 26, 2005 I must admit I was braced for
disappointment: so many contemporary blues records are predictable, soulless
affairs, even when performed by the greats. |
||
|
Lancashire
Evening Post – May 5, 2005 GOING GLOBAL LAURA KENNERLEY meets a band with the world at their feet
A quick scroll through Giles’ website is all it takes to understand
just what scope this Lancashire-based blues/funk trio has. Included
alongside reviews of performances in Nelson and the like are those written in
French, German, Spanish and Dutch, critiquing shows in all these countries. Each one extols the virtues of the
band’s three musicians, founder, vocalist and guitarist Mark Koehorst,
bassist Piet Koehorst and drummer Terry Shaughnessy. They are rightly complimented on
their outstanding musicianship, excellent original songs, and great takes on
covers. While
they have been making waves since this line-up was concocted just over a year
ago, their latest album, Blue Funk, has seen things step up a level or two. Released in January this year Blue
Funk contains eight original tracks, written by Mark Koehorst and three
covers. “Tracks
from the album are being played all over the world,” says Mark. “There are 50
radio stations playing it, and we are getting some interest from the States
to go over and tour – I would love to go. I have never been before. “We have been
playing all over the world. We have just got back from France.” “In
the past three or four weeks the number of hits on the website has increased
by three times as many as before the release. We are getting 75 to 100 hits a
day, which are not linked with shows.” Besides
playing its own gigs, Giles has, in recent times, also won some good support
slots with the likes of Eric Burdon and the Animals, Dr Feelgood, Robert
Sherman, The Blockheads and the Blues Band. Giles next engagement will bring it
to Preston’s 12 Bar on Saturday May 7. This is a reasonably rare opportunity
to see the band playing so close to home. Mark
and his son Piet, 18, both hail from Bickerstaffe near Ormskirk, while Terry
lives in Skelmersdale. Mark, who is actually Dutch, has lived in the UK for
23 years and played in a number of bands here including Glass and Sattva. Until 1990, when his responsibilities
as a father and husband took precedence, Mark was a professional musician and
now, on the back of everything that is happening with Giles, he is hoping to
return to the profession full time again. When
Giles first started out in 2002 this thought was at the back of his mind. “Giles initially started off as a
jamming session with a couple of friends, and after a while we thought let’s
go and play some gigs.” But logistical problems meant this original line-up
had to be flexible and Mark often hat to call on other musicians to play with
him. “I just wanted to play again, so this meant getting people I knew who
were not touring to play, I couldn’t afford to pay session musicians.” Then
at Christmas 2003, things took a positive turn when Terry joined as drummer,
and Mark’s son Piet followed shortly afterwards in March 2004. “This is the
longest Giles has had a constant line-up and it really feels very solid.
“When we are out there playing, we have a really good time, you can feel the
chemistry on stage. We are planning to keep things this way.” For
many fathers and sons, working together in such a close way would throw up
all endless problems. But for Mark and Piet the opposite is true. They get on
well and have a cracking working relationship. “We
have a great deal of mutual respect for each other. That is the key to our
working relationship, respect. “We also like jamming together. His influences
are very different to mine, because of the generation gap, but I play drums
in his band, so I know where he is coming from.” He is a very good
guitarist.” |
||
Mark’s interview with the Blues
Stalker
BluesArtStudio – APRIL 05 Read it in Spanish at La Hora Del Blues! BS: Mark, I love your latest release, Blue
Funk. Please introduce the listening audience to your band, Giles, and how
did you personally come into a career in music? MK: I am glad you like our album. We are based
in the North West of England. My son Piet Koehorst plays bass, Terry
Shaughnessy plays drums and I play guitar and sing. I originally come from
Holland, and I moved to the UK to become a full-time musician. I tried
several times to ‘grow up’ and get a proper career but music always caught up
with me. I don’t feel complete when I am not playing music. BS: You play many instruments, correct?
Which ones? Any formal training? MK: I have no formal training, apart from 3
weeks of piano lessons when I was 6. It nearly put me off music for life! I
tend to get excited about a particular instrument for a while and then I work
on it until I feel I can play a little. You only really start to ‘own’ an
instrument when you start playing it live. BS: Your first bands in England were Glass and
Sattva. Did you record with them? MK: We brought out a couple of albums
ourselves. They are no longer available. Probably just as well, but I very
much enjoyed making them and I still feel quite proud when I hear them. BS: I notice that the other members of this
trio record and perform also with other bands. How does that work? MK: We are all in each other’s bands. I play
drums for Piet’s band PAiL (www.myspace/pailmusic). Piet plays guitar and his
brother Seb sings. I get to play lots of medium- tempo funk grooves, which is
great fun. Playing in my sons’ bands helped to remind me that music should
always be fun. I also play keyboards for Terry, who is a great
singer/songwriter (www.terryshaughnessy.com). He recently recorded an album
with Death In Vegas, which will hopefully be available later this year. So
far, it has been quite easy to avoid clashing gigs. But you have to keep your
diary in order. BS: Tell me about your fresh, contemporary
approach to the blues. It’s nice not to hear another SRV wannabe. MK: I started off jamming to 12 bar blues
riffs in the cellar of a high building in Holland, with my Dutch friends. It
must have driven our neighbors mad because the heating pipes went all the way
up to the top floor, carrying our music with it. That’s how I learnt to play
a little. It was all about the feel and atmosphere. Technique and quality
wasn’t important and I try to keep that same focus. Then I tried to make
sense of the pop music industry for a while. Now, I am really enjoying
getting back to my roots, but I picked up a lot of other influences on the
way. I have never been interested in trying to sound like others. For me,
blues is about being yourself in the simplest way possible, and modern
influences just seem to come naturally. BS: You wrote 8 of the 11 tracks on Blue
Funk. Did I understand also that some of the tracks were recorded in your own
studio? BS: It is obvious that J.J. Cale and Stephen
Stills influenced you. Any other particular inspirations? MK: Too many to mention here. Peter Green, Dr
John, The Meters, Jimi Hendrix, Todd Rundgren, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, The
Stones, Joni Mitchel, Prince… The list is endless. From recent artists, I
would pick people like Eminem and Beyonc‚. I am also a big fan of Tori Amos,
I think she is a true genius. I couldn’t pick out any particular blues
artist, because I never really listened to blues that much. I prefer playing
blues, rather than listening to it. It’s a very direct way to express
yourself. BS: How can fans obtain samples of your music
or purchase your CDs? MK: Our CDs are available via www.CDBaby.com
where you can hear 2 minute samples of all the songs. Of course, you can also
find samples on our website and buy them directly from us. Our website
address is www.gilesmusic.com. It has lots of info on the band. BS: I must tell you that I have always loved
the song, C.C. Rider. Your cover of it is most unusual and I love it! MK: I am really glad you like it. I love to
jam on those old standards and then see what happens. They are so very simple
and that is their strength. You can turn them upside down, but they always
keep their character. Our other albums have versions of ‘Move’, ‘Stop
Breaking Down’ and ‘Rollin’ & Tumblin’’. All great songs that we still
play live a lot. BS: How did you decide on the name Giles for
your band? MK: I am a big fan of your ‘Buffy the Vampire
Slayer’. I love the character of the librarian Rupert Giles. He is very
English and a bit of a ‘closet hippy’. He probably listens to Led Zeppelin
when no-one is looking. We named the band after him. BS: Isn’t it a small world that you played at the Warrington Blues
Festival and Ray and Barb O’Hare are good friends of mine? I mean you are
there in the U.K. and I’m in Florida. MK: Well that’s the power of music. It is a
great unifier. I get lots of emails from people all over the world every day.
Ray and Barbara gave us a chance at the festival when no-one had heard of us.
They have a great talent for spotting ‘true’ music. The bands and artists
playing at their festival and club are always of a very high standard. BS: You have a page on your website about
environmental issues. Do you feel strongly about that? MK: Absolutely! If we don’t look after our
environment, nature will have no choice but to get rid of the human race,
like a bad disease. It is time we all start to take responsibility. Each
individual can make a big difference if they just take a little time to think
about it. BS: What direction do you see the group taking
in the future? Do you have any festivals or tours planned? Any possibility of
coming to the US? MK: I would absolutely love to come to the US.
Just send me the plane tickets and we’ll be there! We just love playing live,
and it is great to travel and meet interesting people while you are on tour.
If anyone has any suggestions about where we could play in the States, I am
all ears! My email address is computer@btconnect.com. Thank
you, Mark, for the great blues and for the fresh approach to the blues. I’ll
be out there stalking you! Thank
you very much for giving me this opportunity. You are doing a great job at
keeping music real! Real Roots Cafe (Holland) – APRIL 05 Giles,
Blue Funk (Independent) Het
doet mij werkelijk soms goed als ik weer eens wat nieuws hoor en het heeft Dutch
Roots. Even een kort e-mail intermezzo. “Hi, my name is Mark Koehorst I would
like to send you the third and latest album of my band Giles from the UK?”.
Ik meteen terug “do have Dutch roots my friend?”. “Klopt, ik kom
oorspronkelijk uit Nederland. De CD komt naar je toe”. Giles bestaande uit de
gebroeders Mark en Piet Koehorst op respectievelijk gitaar, bas en zang en
Terry Shaughnessy op drums maken op hun derde album een fantastische mix van
blues, funk, soul en poprock. De boys hebben een paar loepzuivere eigentijdse
covers op de CD Blue Funk staan. Voel de beklemmende zwoelheid in “CC Rider”,
shuffle funk mee in JJ Cale’s “Clyde” of herleef het vijfendertig jaar oude
unieke “Black Queen” van Stephen Stills. Toch zijn het de nummers van de hand
van Mark Koehorst zelf die deze CD extra kleur meegeven. Let eens op het
kraak heldere virtuoze gitaarspel van Koehorst en laat u bedwelmen in “So
Much Pain” of het soul bluesy “Lost A Friend” of het ronkende “Blue”. Tja en
dan komt het onvermijdelijke slotstuk “Born In The Land Of The Windmill”. Het
verhaal van Mark Koehorst die in een verlaten huis thuis komt omdat mams nog
in een modezaak aan het werk is. Het verlaten gevoel van een jongeman die
vervolgens van school gekieperd word en zich helemaal leeg voelde, word
plezierig omlijst met pure soulmuziek. Giles klinkt zo Engels als het maar
kan en zo is het ook bedoeld als u het mij vraagt. Meesterlijke CD van een
paar, nu prima ingeburgerde, Engelse staatsburgers waarvan ik bijna zeker
weet dat we daar in de toekomst meer van zullen horen. Jan Janssen Blues Matters –
APRIL 05 UK – GILES: Blue Funk May Tree Studios MTSCD5 – 43.22 mins.
‘Blue Funk’, the third CD from Northwest based band Giles, is full of
melodic surprises like the asymmetrical ‘Blueso Nova’ beat for the opener
‘The Chase’. ‘CC Rider’ undergoes a complete restructuring with a lean
acoustic riff, wide pad bass and reverse tape effects switching left and
right.
Eight of the eleven songs are written by Mark Koehorst, with the bonus
that the words are included on the inner sleeve which is particularly useful
for ‘Keep On Dancin’ with its thought provoking boogie political message.
Dark emotions pervade ‘Lost A Friend’ before a Clintonesque (that’s
George by the way not President Bill) funky groove hints at the albums
title in ‘So Much Pain’, complete with two stunning paracetamol free guitar
solos.
J J Cale’s ‘Clyde’ precedes a sparse rocked up version of Stephen Stills’
‘Black Queen’. This piece floats ten miles high and when you’ve heard it
once, play it again, just to hear that one, single, solitary appegiated piano
chord at the end, an inspired touch worthy of a Thelonius Monk solo.
‘Walking Shoes’ is a more conventional rocker while ‘Watchdog’ builds
from Hendrixy beginnings before settling into an elliptical offbeat riff; the
narrative promises that it “…will be alright” but watch out for those steely
cascading jazz chords.
‘Blue proves to be an out and out stadium rocker before the band relax
into the introspective final track ‘Born In The Land Of The Windmill’, an
autobiographical reference to Mark’s Dutch origins.
‘Blue Funk’ is a rich landscape of an album full of intelligent bluesy
rock atmospherics. Close your eyes and visualise primeval bass lines haunting
the horizon, geodynamic drums stalking the hinterland and scary guitar lines
that come looking for ya.
I would say something of a tour-de-force for Giles and Mark Koehorst
in particular, who once again has proved to be not only a charismatic
frontman at gigs but also a master craftsman in the studio.
Musicians: Mark Koehorst, vocals and guitar; Piet Koehorst, bass and
backing vocals; Terry Shaughnessy, drums; additional bass Mark ‘Crash’ Wainwright
and backing vocals, Seb and Jane Koehorst and crew. ….Nigel Rose Blues Matters –
APRIL 05 GILES @ The Captain Nelson Tavern, Maryport
A welcome return to the pub for this talented father and son outfit,
Giles. A name selected for its very Englishness by the Dutch frontman,
vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Mark Koehorst. Son Piet, who must be 18 by
now, plays a mean bass and sings harmonies, while Terry Shaughnessy makes up
the trio on the skins.
This afternoon, we were to be treated to tracks from their new CD
‘Blue Funk’, which features eight self-penned numbers, a traditional
arrangement of CC Rider, and two covers, one by JJ Cale and one from Stephen
Stills.
‘So Much Pain’ started off with Mark setting up a jangly riff on the
strat, then he kicked a floorswitch, the riff carried on, and he was able to
play a soaring lead guitar over the top of it, giving a lead and rhythm guitar
sound. Quite clever those little floor pedals, I thought, till I spotted the
computer behind the curtain on the windowsill. [sorry, but we have to protest here! The computer was there to make an 8 track recording of the
session and played no part in the sounds heard. Mark uses a Line 6 delay pedal, but he certainly never
mimes!]
Rollin’ and Tumblin’, from the second album, had a tight crisp beat
from Terry and ‘Coming Home’ was a slow, heavy 12 bar to finish off the first
spot.
They kicked off again with an interesting instrumental featuring some
delicate fretboard work and whammy bar techniques. Then ‘Gets Me Nowhere’ had
a big fat guitar sound with the vocal section accompanied by the guitar
stings being played way past the nut, up near the tuners.
‘Suzie Q’ was precise and clipped and ‘Hip Shake’ had the bass pumping
along nicely. ‘Work It Out’ had a reggae beat to it and ‘In My Soul’ wasn’t
soul at all, it was a rocker, with an extended middle eight and fancy echo
effects. ‘Freedom, Freedom’ had a heavy Santana-esque bass riff from Piet, a
bit like Samba Pa Ti, and included some excellent work from Terry on the
drums.
The Encore was a slow moody ‘Move’ from the Coming Home CD, with a
heartbeat-like bass beat and harmonies from Piet. They completed the
afternoon with a well funked up ‘Nutbush City Limits’, which turned into a
real rocker. They could maybe have done 10 or 15 minutes longer, with a
couple more of their new songs. Other than that, a very good session and
enjoyed by all….Steve Bouckley Zeitgeist
– MARCH 05 I
was starting to despair slightly recently, at the dearth of 'must play'
albums crossing my path. But there's been a bit of an upswing recently, and this
third album from Giles is the latest to reach that hallowed berth on the
shelf immediately behind my shoulder. That, in case you were wondering, is
where my favourite CDs sit, handily within reach.
Stuart Hamilton Roots Time Music Free-zine (Belgium) – MARCH 05 Klinkt
lekker Engels, die naam, althans volgens groepsleider en
multi-instrumentalist Mark Koehorst. Klinkt lekker Hollands, die naam, en
jawel hoor, Mark is oorspronkelijk van Nederland. Hij trok een aantal jaren
geleden naar Engeland, niet omdat het bier daar een klein beetje minder
slecht is dan in Nederland, maar omdat hij gewoonweg vindt dat daar de beste
muziek wordt gemaakt, inclusief de blues. Daar kan over gedebatteerd worden
maar er zit wel enige waarheid in. Volgens Mark is hetgeen de Engelsen met de
blues deden datgene wat de blues nu nog altijd zo springlevend houdt. Met dit
debuut wil hij alvast die avontuurlijke aanpak van de Engelsen verder zetten
en eerlijk gezegd lukt hem dat ook vrij goed. In de eerste plaats is Mark een
gitarist die met verve de bluesrock clich‚s weet te ontwijken. Bij hem is het
niet hard of liefst nog harder en ook geen solo’s die zo lang uitgesponnen
zijn dat je aan ‘t einde niet meer weet wanneer ze begonnen zijn, maar die
genoeg variabelen bieden om ze spannend te houden. Dan is er zijn songkeuze
en z’n eigen schrijverschap. De man weet ten minste s¢ngs te schrijven in
plaats van vehikels te brouwen voor z’n gitaarcapriolen, en z’n coverkeuze is
op z’n minst verrassend ‚n avontuurlijk te noemen. CC Rider lijkt enigszins een te verwachten keuze maar de manier
waarop de song wordt gebracht is dat niet; beklijvend met een akoestische
gitaar die een huilende elektrische achter de vodden krijgt. Wat te zeggen
van JJ Cale’s Clyde en Stephen
Stills’ Black Queen, twee ronduit
eigenzinnige en zeer geslaagde versies. Dat wat betreft de covers, de eigen
songs zijn gevarieerde uitstapjes met de blues als uitvalsbasis. Opener The Chase bijvoorbeeld, een
verwonderlijk stukje onderhuids funky jazzblues dat de luisteraar al meteen
op een verkeerd been zet. Alhoewel, want het nummer geeft te kennen dat de
band uiterst bedreven is in het vermengen van z’n blues met andere stijlen,
vooral rock, die jazz, maar ook met een zweempje funk erbij. So Much Pain is daar een knap
voorbeeld van, al moeten songs zoals het bevreemdende Lost A Friend, het rockende Keep
On Dancin’, Watchdog en Blue daar niet voor onderdoen.
Afsluiter Born In The Land Of The
Windmill lijkt wel gezongen alsof Mark zich een beetje geneert voor z’n
afkomst. Moet hij vooral niet doen, Nederland mag blij zijn met zo’n
exportproduct! (GT) Red Lick Records – MARCH 05 MAY TREE œ9.25 MTSCD5 Giles:Blue Funk. Three piece outfit formed by the
Koehorst brothers and Terry Shaughnessy and based in North West England. And
very impressive too! At times funky as hell but they can get a easy rolling
groove going too. Lots of neat inventive and imaginative guitar playing and
cool vocals. Blues based but this stuff soars into a jazz inflected moods at
times and sometimes they head into the rock world. But whatever, they’re damn
good. One of those CDs you can listen all day and never find fault with! Rootstime (Belgium) – MARCH 05 GILES Thanks to : Eddie Russell "Blue Funk" is het derde album van
het fantastische trio Giles. Het album opent met het nummer 'The Chase"
waarin Mark Koehorst zingt "A good friend of mine, Can't tell you his
Name", ... laat me denken aan zijn laatste mail, waarin hij Eddie
Russell aanhaalde als onze gezamelijke vriend. En dat mag best gezegd worden,
want wat heeft die Russell oog voor talent. Russell schreef over dit album
:"The new CD ' Blue Funk ' by Giles brings out all the big guns of raw
energy and unison movement of Blues fusion with a seamless bond that never
loses acceleration from the first note to the last. Well beyond the ordinary
with lots of margin for the unexpected, 'Blue Funk' entertains & sticks
to the ears with an original sound like none other you'll ever hear. A + 5
*****'s" . De band heeft de afgelopen jaren enorm veel opgetreden en dat
is te horen. Op "Blue Funk" maakt Giles een hechte en uitstekend
ingespeelde indruk. Ook in muzikaal opzicht is de band gegroeid. "Blue
Funk" is volwassener dan haar voorgangers en daarmee is Giles in staat
om genres te overstijgen zonder dat dit ten koste gaat van hun unieke geluid.
Giles schaart zich met deze cd terecht onder de Britse belangrijkste bands
van het moment. Frontman Mark Koehorst is van origine een Nederlander maar
weet zijn draai al enkele jaren zeer goed te vinden bij onze overburen. De
liefhebber kent deze uitstekende songwriter en multi-instrumentalist
natuurlijk al van zijn vorige bands, Glass en Sattva, maar ook zijn twee
kompanen in deze groep zijn klassemuzikanten, nl. broer Piet Koehorst op bas
gitaar en Terry Shaughnessy aan de drums. Op sommige tracks speelt een zekere
Mark 'Crash' Wainwright op bas gitaar dewelke een funky groove met een warm
geluid combineert. Mark Koehorst voorliefde voor de funk, soul en jazz komt
ook op deze bluesplaat tot uiting, met name in de composities. Maar waar veel
blues/funk uitmondt in nodeloos spierballenvertoon blijft de sfeer op
"Blue Funk" over het algemeen ingetogen. Dit levert spannende en
organische muziek op, altijd voorzien van een subtiele en relaxte groove.
Hoogtepunt wat dat betreft is de reggae achtige versie van "CC
Rider", Mark Koehorst heeft zo'n nieuwe arrangement van dit nummer gemaakt
dat het traditionele nummer zeker in de shaduw plaatst. Andere uitschieters
zijn de upbeat rocker "Keep On Dancin", het trage bluesnummer
"Lost A Friend", het meer funky "So Much Pain" met die
geweldige wah-wah gitaarsound. De covers van JJ Cale's "Clyde" en
het meer funky gerichte Stephen Stills "Black Queen" zijn zeer goed
gekozen, maar de meer rockende sound in "Walking Shoes" is dan weer
zo'n eigen compositie met wah-wah van Mark Koehorst's gitaar en is gewoon
prachtig. De produktie is van Mark zelf en de cd klinkt alsof de luisteraar
midden tussen de muzikanten staat. Wat mij betreft mogen Giles de handen
vaker ineen slaan. Eddie Russell is ons weer eens te snel af met het bekend
maken van die ontdekking. Hij gaf deze cd een 5 - we houden er zelf niet van
om rapportcijfers aan muziek te geven maar vooruit, in een 5 kunnen we ons
wel vinden. De combinatie is niet helemaal nieuw, maar toch klinkt de mix van
blues en funk van het Britse Giles behoorlijk uniek. Waar het aan ligt? We
weten het eerlijk gezegd niet. Misschien aan de soms aan JJ Cale denkende
harmonie‰n of anders aan de spitsvondigheden van Mark Koehorst? Of is het
toch de knappe mix van funk, soul, jazz en blues dat meer dan eens deze sound
van Giles zo speciaal maakt ? "Blue Funk" is boven alles een hele
prachtige cd. Een cd waar je lekker bij weg kunt dommelen, maar die je ook op
het puntje van de stoel weet te houden. Mooie liedjes en bijzondere muziek
smelten op fraaie wijze samen en leveren een cd op die wel eens een heel
breed publiek aan kan spreken. Home of Rock (Germany) – MARCH 05 Blue
Funk,
Eigenvertrieb, 2005 GILES' Frontmann und Ideengeber, Mark Koehorst, lebt zwar seit Jahren
in England, wo er auch schon in diversen Bands wie GLASS und SATTVA spielte
und immerhin 5 CDs auf verschiedensten Labels veröffentlichte, doch
ursprünglich stammt Koehorst aus Holland. Also ein alter Nachbar... Wie der Name ihres dritten Albums, "Blue Funk", schon
andeutet, treffen wir im Verlauf des Albums immer wieder mal auf spritzige
Funky-Nummern, die dem Blues-Idiom zwar prinzipiell Tribut zollen, sich aber,
genau wie in den meisten anderen Songs, nicht übermässig linientreu um die
archaischen Blues-Roots kümmern. Neben all der sch”nen Gitarrenarbeit, die sich immer wieder auch
in heftige Wah-Wah-Eskapaden stürzt, lässt das wunderbar abwechslungsreiche
Drum-Spiel und auch der häufig wechselnde Drum-Sound immer wieder aufhorchen
und gestaltet "Blue Funk" gemeinsam mit den zwischenzeitlich
verwendeten Fender Rhodes und Orgelsounds zu einer kurzweiligen Reise durch
die Blues-geerdete Welt von GILES. Die einzige Nummer, die sich mir nicht erschliessen will,
namentlich Watchdog, wirkt auch nach mehrmaligem Hören immer noch wie
eine nicht vollendete Skizze auf mich. Trotz des wundervollen
Stratocaster-Intros, das eine gewisse Spannung evoziert, setzt sich diese
nicht folgerichtig bis zum Ende durch und versickert später in einem
gleichförmigen Geplänkel ohne die heissersehnte Explosion. Frank Ipach (Craving Hands), (Impressum, Artikelliste),
12.03.2005 Zicline (France) - MARCH 05 Giles – Blue Funk May Tree Studios Pour tous ceux qui croyaient que la
Grande Bretagne n'avait plus grand chose en matière de blues, voici un trio
étonnant qui apporte un bon coup de neuf à cette institution musicale. Composé de Mark Koehorst (guitare, chant),
son frère Piet (basse, chant) et du batteur Terry Shaughnessy, Giles remet au
goût du jour un blues funky où le leader guitariste sait nous enivrer de sa
voix douce et agréable ainsi que par une impressionnante série de chorus et
de cocottes funky. C'est le même qui signe huit des onze
titres, les autres étant des reprises réaménagées de JJ Cale (Clyde) ou
Stephen Stills (Black queen) plus un morceau traditionnel totalement repensé
en blues reggae électrique. Giles se démarque des courants
américains en s'échappant des clichés habituels, quelques notes de piano, des
boucles ainsi qu'une furieuse guitare souvent branchée sur une pédale
wah-wah. Une sympathique découverte. Rainbow Smoke Network (US) – MARCH 05 The
new CD ' Blue Funk ' by Giles brings out all the big guns of raw energy and
unison movement of Blues fusion with a seamless bond that never loses
acceleration from the first note to the last. Well beyond the ordinary with
lots of margin for the unexpected, 'Blue Funk' entertains & sticks to the
ears with an original sound like none other you'll ever hear. Eddie
Russell BluesArtStudio (Austria) - FEBRUARY 05 GILES Blue
Funk May Tree
MTSCD5
Comprising Dutch singer/ bandleader/ songwriter/ guitarist/ keyboards
player/ occasional bassist and drummer Mark Koehorst, singer/ bassist Piet
Koehorst, and drummer Terry Shaughnessy, Giles are rapidly making a name for
themselves on the British blues scene, and this, their third album,
demonstrates just why they are so highly regarded.
The title ‘Blue Funk’ is, in one way, something of a misnomer, tending
as it does to suggest some of the funkier blues outings of Alberts King or
Collins, and of course many others since then. Those kind of numbers are
present, but the funk really comes from the relentless groove, with a kicking
drum sound, that underpins the whole set.
There are many different and sometimes unexpected influences to be
heard, from the two illustrious blues players just mentioned - there is some
excellent guitar work to be heard throughout - and via JJ Cale and the bluesy
side of Stephen Stills (material from both of them is covered here) through
the likes of some of the more experimental blues bands of the last thirty
years, on to the current melancholy guitar driven pop that is returning to
popularity in the United Kingdom.
The one standard to be heard on this set is ‘CC Rider’, which I
guarantee is unlike any other version you may have heard. The production
(Mark again) also helps with the distinctive approach of this set, with a
slight fuzziness that adds an unusual touch of indistinctness and distance to
the vocals and an eerie, objective feel to many tracks.
This is not then a quick twelve bar crawl for the drinking public nor
is it in any way a retro set, but rather a truly contemporary blues set. A
little unsettling and thought provoking, though thoroughly enjoyable for all
that, it is a set that ultimately repays making the effort to track it down. Norman Darwen
BLUES
IN BRITAIN – FEBRUARY 05
Giles Blue
Funk
May
Tree Studios MTS CD5
Giles
is a very talented trio comprising Mark Koehorst on guitar and vocals, Piet
Koehorst on bass guitar and Terry Shaughnessy on drums. On this CD, the band
is supplemented by Mark ‘Crash’ Wainwright on bass guitar on a couple of
tracks and, on one track, by Seb Koehorst and the Koehorst Crew on additional
vocals. The highly versatile Mark Koehorst also plays keyboard and additional
bass, drums and percussion on some tracks. There are eleven tracks, eight of
which were written by Mark Koehorst. “The Chase” kicks things off and sets
the tone in fine style, showing the considerable skills of the superb, young
rhythm section to great effect. A reggae-style, highly distinctive and very
effective version of “CC Rider” builds on the opening track and eases into the
upbeat rocker, “Keep On Dancin’”. The pace and mood is temporarily subdued
with the slow blues, “Lost A Friend”, before being restored with a vengeance.
Two excellent tracks follow: the medium-paced and funky “So Much Pain”, with
its superb wah-wah based guitar solos, and a marvellous version of JJ Cale’s
“Clyde”. A funky rendition of Stephen Stills’s
“Black Queen” is followed by another brilliant original composition, the fast
rocking “Walking Shoes”, complete with more top notch wah-wah from Mark Koehorst’s
guitar. The final three tracks, all Koehorst-penned numbers, present
contrasting aspects of slow and bluesy. “Watchdog” is gently hypnotic, backed
by some exotic, unconventional chord work, “Blue” provides a rockier edge,
while the apparently autobiographical “Born In The Land of The Windmill” is
plaintive and introspective. Together, the three tracks provide an excellent
profile of Mark Koehorst’s range of guitarmanship. It is a splendid album that will do much
to enhance the fast-growing reputation of the band. Rating:
9 - Lionel Ross WWW.TOXICPETE.CO.UK - FEBRUARY 05 Giles - CD - Blue Funk
'Blue Funk' presses all the right
buttons. This latest Giles release gently but
firmly showcases their slick blues with a jazzy-funk edge. Eleven
quality tracks (eight originals!) take the listener on a smooth cruise into
the heart of Giles. Their self penned songs are impressive to say the
least. Their treatment of the 'covers' is bold and original; 'CC Rider'
typifies their approach here - it's the most unusual version I've ever come
across with its funky vibe and reggae undertones. Clever writing
and arrangements ensure there's a fresh feel to each and every track; Giles
can certainly hold their heads up high and feel elated with their work.
As each track finishes I feel myself trying to outguess the CD player (if
that makes sense!), wondering just what'll be next. From the catchy,
organ laced opener 'The Chase' right through to the gentle guitar licks of
the 'homesick' blues of 'Born In The Land Of The Windmill' the quality never
wavers. Giles' publicity machinery has been
working hard and 'Blue Funk' is already reaping rewards with airplay not only
in the UK but Worldwide. And deservedly!! 'Blue Funk' is an
outrageously cool, sensual piece of 2005 blues with a difference. Peter J Brown aka toxic pete BLUES IN BRITAIN – JANUARY 05 giles As their new album is
coming out in January, the band leader, vocalist and guitarist Mark
Koehorst of GILES, talked to Blues in Britain about the
band, the musicians’ influences and how they made the album. Photos this
page: Andy Ford @ www.bluesimages.co.uk, overleaf: Seb
Koehorst At the moment, we are
just putting the finishing touches to our third album, Blue Funk. It
is scheduled for release in January, again on my own label May Tree Studios.
I have had a fair amount of interest from labels but, so far, nobody has made
me an offer I can’t refuse. The way the music industry has gone in recent
years, it is now much easier to ‘do it all yourself’, from producing the
album to getting it distributed and even to getting it into the shops. We
have a deal with Proper Music Distribution here in the UK, so record shops
can easily stock our albums via them. Doing everything yourself is a lot of work, but I really
like the feel of having the final say in everything. Your share of the profit
from CD sales is also much bigger of course, which helps a lot. We sell quite
a lot of CDs in the States, via a website called CDBaby.com and the profit
percentage per CD is much higher than we would get if we were signed to
someone else’s label. Doing it all yourself also brings you much closer to
those who actually buy your music and I spend a lot of time exchanging emails
with fans. Fans are the life-blood of any band, so I really enjoy that. You
get instant feedback to your music. I think all three of us have particularly enjoyed working
on this last album. Although our first two albums were well received, I
always felt they were a bit rushed and some of the songs could have been
recorded better. This time, we decided everything had to be right, so we spent
more time experimenting and fine-tuning. In the past, I had produced a number
of pop/R&B albums and this experience is handy. Some songs were recorded in my own studio, and some were recorded
by Mark ‘Crash’ Wainwright at Alien Sound. Crash is very good at getting a
great drum sound. Most of the songs that were recorded ‘live’ were recorded
in his studio. Other songs were built up in layers, which can create more
depth to the sound. In my own studio, I do not really have any
time-constraints, so we can experiment much more. I think this is obvious in
the end result. For instance, our album version of the classic CC Rider is
very experimental and also very different from our live version. Instead of just producing what we sound like live, all
three of us feel an album should be a chance to show more of yourself. So
many times I have bought a CD from a band I really liked live, only to be
disappointed when I got home. Too many bands seem to just see their CD’s as a
way to make a bit of extra cash at gigs. I cannot really blame them, because
most bands are desperately underpaid, but I wanted to make sure that our
album would stand on its own merit. The quality of it also had to match up to
the albums we listen to ourselves, usually by big names with major record
companies behind them. The three of us have a wide range of influences and I feel
they all come through in the end result. Our bass player Piet, being the
youngest, is into bands such as Converge, Muse and Incubus. He plays guitar
in his own band ‘PAiL’, with his brother Seb on vocals, and he is one of the
most passionate musicians I know. Music is his life and you can hear that in
his playing. He has also started playing drums in yet another band.
Unfortunately, I can not tell you what they are called because you would not
be able to print it! Terry has a soft spot
for the New Orleans sound of the Meters and also bands like Tower Of Power,
but his influences go far beyond that. Out of the three of us, he has
probably listened to the most albums. He started off playing drums in a local
band called Feel, who toured Europe extensively. Since then, he has been
writing his own music and he is now building a career as a singer/songwriter.
He has a great voice, and I keep trying to get him to sing in Giles. He says
Giles is like having ‘time off’ for him and he just wants to enjoy his
playing. His latest album is to be released in 2005 and it is produced by
Death In Vegas. My own influences range from JJ Cale, via Hendrix and the
Stones to Missy Elliott. I put my first band together when I was still in
Holland. It was called Garlic, and we played the college circuit. Here in
England, my band Glass got signed to Pete Waterman’s PWL label. Unfortunately,
he never actually fulfilled his side of the contract and we ended up suing
him, successfully! I think he originally got excited about our sound but then
he probably did not know what to do with us, because we were nothing like the
other bands he has worked with. I am always looking for something that is ‘outside the
box’. In GILES, we bring all of those influences together in what I consider
to be blues songs in essence. As a band, we are not interested in churning
out yet another set of standard 12 bars. We want to make the blues relevant
to current times, with current influences. I love what bands like the White
Stripes have done to the blues. I also love the blues influences I can hear
in the music by people like Byonc‚ and some rap bands. For me, blues is a
feeling and a certain melodic flavour and it goes way beyond the 12 bar songs
that many bands are playing today. ‘Blue Funk’, the third album by GILES on the May Tree Studios
label (MTSCD5) is available through www.gilesmusic.com. ESPACIO3.COM – FEBRUARY 05 GILES - BLUE FUNK [CD] BLUES IN BRITAIN – AUGUST 04 GILES Blues In Britain – April 2004 Blues
Weekend at the Alvaston Hall Hotel, Nantwich
Friday
27th February to Monday 1st March 2004
…Sunday afternoon witnessed the surprise package of the weekend
when GILES delighted the assembled throng in the Cheshire Barn, the
venue for the previous day’s acoustic sessions. Mark Koehurst on lead
vocals and guitar was in superb form and was magnificently supported by his
seventeen year old son, Peter, on bass guitar and the exceptional Terry
Shaunessy on drums. A stream of top class originals was very effectively
mingled with a selection of familiar covers, including “Suzie Q”, “Rollin’And
Tumblin’” and Richie Havens’ “Freedom”, all played in a
refreshingly innovative style. The band’s recently released album was well
represented in the set, including its title track, “Blood From A Stone”.
The blues community of the UK is fast becoming acquainted with and
appreciative of this impressively talented band. The secret is now well and
truly out… Lionel Ross www.allgigs.co.uk - March 2004 Blood
From A Stone - GILES Giles, led by singer/songwriter Mark Koehurst, return with their
second album, "Blood From a Stone," a powerful offering, designed
to reinvent the blues genre, with a style suitable for present day music.
Jazz, Funk, and soul are all present, with the help of Giles' three members
fusing their song writing ideas and influences together, to produce an album
worthy of its attention. However, rock fans need not despair as the old
favourite, the guitar riffs, are still there. Katherine Tomlinson Blues In Britain – February 2004 GILES
live at the Hooker Blues Club in Wrexham, 19/12/03
…The
catchy original numbers ‘Gets Me Nowhere’ and ‘In My Soul’ were
backed up by a superb version of ‘Rolling’ And Tumblin’’ and Slim
Harpo’s ‘Hip Shake’ with and excellent version of Richie Havens’ ‘Freedom’
closing their set. They are an excellent, very tight band and with Mark’s
excellent guitar and vocals backed up by the rock solid thythm section, they
should look forward to a busy New Year. Pete Evans Blues In Britain – February 2004 CD
REVIEW Blood From A
Stone
GILES
…
Eight of the tracks are original compositions, including the funky “Crazy”,
“In My Soul”, a slow blues significantly enhanced by some inventive
guitar work, and the slow and bluesy “Tease You”. “You Don’t Know”
has a funky/eastern feel to it and a driving, hypnotic beat; while the title
song is an excellent slow ballad. “Coming Home” is another slow blues
and one of the two live tracks on the album. The other two original numbers, “She
Broke My Heart” and “Brown Instrumental”, whilst well composed and
expertly performed, fit rather less readily into the blues-based inflection
of the album. The two cover versions on the CD comprise a great version of “Suzie
Q” and a splendid live performance of “Rollin’ and Tumblin’”. The
album is very enjoyable and provides a testament to the considerable talent
and versatility of Mark Koehorst. The variety and originality of his
compositions and the freshness of his interpretation of the covers substantially
endorse his claim of reinventing the blues. Rating:
8 Lionel Ross Blues In Britain – December 2004 GILES
at the Hooker Blues Club, Wrexham
Friday,
17 October 2003
Although billed as ‘reinventing
the blues’, indicating a deliberate divergence from the more traditional
interpretation of the blues medium, the band opened its programme with “So
Much Pain”, an archetypal slow blues. However, the non-conformist
intentions were quickly established with Stephen Stills’ “Black Queen”,
the originally penned “Gets me Nowhere” and “Tease You”, a
medium to slow funk rock. The equally funky but faster paced “Crazy”
then delivered extended solos, which showcased the considerable, instrumental
skills of all three band members. The
mood was eased with “Blood From A Stone”, a slow, blues ballad,
recharged with a heavy rocking version of “Rollin’ and Tumblin’” and
calmed again to end the first set with the slow and bluesy “Move”. Slim
Harpo’s “Shake Your Hips” and a great version of Tony Joe White’s “Suzie
Q” provided a vibrant opening to the second set, which paved the way for
an unexpectedly effective, rendition of Beyonce Knowles’ “Work It Out”
– worthy proof of the aforementioned claim to reinvention! The upbeat
blues/rock “In My Soul” showed Mark Koehorst’s excellent vocals to
best effect before the mood was slowed again with “Stop Breaking Down” and
“She Broke My Heart”. The nicely varied second set was concluded with
distinctive versions of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” and Richie
Havens’ “Freedom”, which provoked the very appropriate call for an
encore. The band obliged with the slow blues, “Coming Home”, and
“Nutbush City Limits” to set the seal on a most enjoyable evening. Lionel
Ross
Blues Matters - 2003 GILES
AT THE 14th R&B FESTIVAL IN COLNE 2003 … I had to leave once again and get down to hear “Giles”
who played the Roadhouse stage. This young band from the stable of a new wave
approach to classic blues and rock delighted the audience. My favourite had
to be their version of Fred McDowell’s “You Gotta Move”. They recently
had their eight track taster CD “Coming Home” reviewed here in BM with
favourite comments by the reviewer. The CD like the stage set included “Hip
Shake” and the likes of “Roll ‘n’ Tumble” and “Rain”. They
went down well at Upton-on-Severn festival and again here in Colne. A nice
band – nice fresh angled approach to the Blues. Diane – Sister Feelgood Blues Matters - 2003 UK
- GILES: Coming Home Here's a band we heard of from an advert in issue 14 with
them playing On this listening I'm
sure they'll do UK Blues proud and will go down well. Mark Koehorst [guitar,
vocal], Bobby Kewley [bass, backing vcls] and Philip Escott [drums] make up
this lively three piece outfit who proclaim to be re-inventing the Blues. Here they tackle some
familiar tunes like Hipshake and do give it a different twist, Rain
[Lennon/McCartney..or isn't it now McCartney/Lennon??], this is actually "Tonight" has strains of "Summertime" slushing
around in the background thru' a gorgeous fretless bass, there is a very nice
working of Rollin' And Tumblin' credited as Morganfield/Koehorst which
belts along and harmonises with acoustic guitar and what I'd describe
as 'slapping' [like dampened drums]. Neat
work guys, we shall look forward to hearing more of you...Caleb. 'Blues
Matters!' Blues in Britain - 2003 CD Review
‘Coming
Home’ GILES … Whilst recorded ‘at home’ (usually words that are worrisome to
a reviewer), the recording quality here is excellent. The style is blues-rock
and, as the sub-title on the CD states, ‘Blues and Blues Crossover’. The opener, “Stop Breaking Down” has a funky
bass line and SRV/Hendrix guitar – a good variation on this standard. The
drummer gets busy (in a good way) on “Hipshake” and propels the song
along. There is good sense of dynamics shown here by Mark on guitar too. Next
there is a slow and moody take on “Move” (“You Gotta Move”). It uses a
“Come On In My Kitchen” structure and has haunting and sparse guitar, liked
this one. “Gets Me Nowhere” is an original and is more of a crossover
song. Its mantra-like hook line works well at putting across the monotony of
the daily grind. “Rain” features more tasty guitar and some nicely
overdubbed or double-tracked vocals. Another original, “Take It Slow”
is a solo acoustic guitar and vocal song and strikes me as very much at the
demo stage and I’m afraid the lyrics are slight. The third original, “Tonight”
is a slow, moody ballad with hints of “Summertime” in the lyric, a much
better song. The CD closes with “Rollin’ And Tumblin’” with acoustic
guitar, liked this one. Mark’s vocals are good and the
rhythm section are rock solid but inventive at the same time. The guitar work
is good (sometimes very good) and not overblown as is often the case in the
trio situation. In the accompanying notes it states ‘it’s not how many notes
you play, it’s how you play them’ – amen to that. As I said earlier this
isn’t straight blues but there is a lot of good music here to enjoy, well
worth seeking out. Rating: 8 – RJG Contact Details: Tel +44 (0)1695 731897 |
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