So, we’re back at Tower Of Song, May 19th, 8pm, with a very brilliant headliner… Yolanda Charles.
Click here for the Facebook event page.
Yolanda has long been one of my favourite bassists, having first heard her play with Urban Species back in the early 90s, then seen her with Carleen Anderson, Paul Weller, Robbie Williams… Her session career is an insane list of massive names – in the studio or live, she’s trusted to do the job and bring something amazing to the gig.
Of late, Yo’s been concentrating on her solo project, The Deep M.O. – an absolutely killer funk/soul band that she fronts on bass and voice. She VERY rarely plays completely solo, so we’re in for a really special evening.
Here’s a video of her playing solo, and then her album with The Deep M.O. which you need to own:
Following the First Birmingham Bass Night, expectations were running very high for the Second event featuring Steve with his very special guest, bass guitarist Yolanda Charles. Bass Night One focused mostly on the more ambient and textural sound of the bass guitar. Night Two featured a large helping of funk from Yolanda. First on stage was Steve with a selection of music from his albums, some new, instant compositions and even a cover of Lionel Richie’s ‘Hello’ as Steve said, played as Lionel had originally intended. Great stuff. The second set, featuring Yolanda, laid on the funk and upped the volume to great effect and also included plenty of vocal contributions. Both Steve and Yolanda made telling use of live looping effects. Covers featured in this set also in the shape of Stevie Wonder’s ‘Higher Ground’. For me, the highlight of a wonderful evening was the coming together of Steve and Yolanda in, as Steve later put it, a ramshackle version of ‘Lean on Me’. It was great to hear Steve in more funky mode. Steve is Birmingham’s best kept secret but this is sure to change with this wonderful series of gigs at The Tower of Song. Now, the question on the lips of all who were there last Sunday is “who will be the guest at the next Birmingham Bass Night?”
Allow me to make a suggestion – Lawrence Cottle bringing together the very best of funk and jazz. But whoever the guest is next time, the one thing that we can all be sure of is that it will be a night not to be missed.