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Hailed by aficionados and
music press around the world as Europe’s foremost blues harmonica
exponent, Paul Lamb has forged himself a place in the history books as
one of the greatest players of our time. He has won countless awards,
sold record-breaking quantities of albums, and performed the world over
with his long-standing musical compatriots, The Kingsnakes. Recently
inducted into the British Blues Awards Hall Of Fame (alongside
the likes of Peter Green, John Mayall & Alexis Korner), Lamb still
continues to bring his infectious brand of soulful blues to a plethora
of fans around the globe…
Born in 1955, & originally hailing from the
urban & industrial backdrop of Newcastle, Paul Lamb began his
illustrious career at the tender age of 15. Struggling against the tide
of local un-employment and economic depression, he took to the road
working the club scene around the UK, paying his dues in the
time-honoured tradition of the blues. Within a short time he was
representing Great Britain in the World Harmonica Championships, leading
to a spell of working with his mentor, Sonny Terry. The following
years ensued, seeing Lamb performing with Buddy Guy, Junior
Wells, Brownie McGhee, and countless other blues greats that
had originally inspired him. However, the need to write and express his
own music soon gave birth to the Blues Burglars, the first incarnation
of the Kingsnakes (and the beginning of the longstanding collaboration
between Paul Lamb and guitar genius Johnny Whitehill). The Burglars
released an album on the legendary Red Lightnin’ label (“Whoopin’”) and
Lamb swiftly became known in his own right due to the huge critical
acclaim that accompanied the release. As the young harmonica virtuoso
became more focused and confident of his abilities, a new band line-up
became an inevitability, and Paul Lamb & The Kingsnakes were thus born.
Signing to Ace Records in 1991, Paul & his band went on to take the
blues world by storm with a gruelling tour schedule in support of their
Ace debut (aptly entitled “Paul Lamb & The Kingsnakes” CDBLUH 011).
 After
a follow up release on Euro label “Tight & Juicy” (“Shifting Into Gear”
T&J CD 656834), the band have since enjoyed a further 5 releases with
Indigo Records as part of a 6 album deal. These five albums went on to
secure Paul Lamb’s reputation internationally as a one-of-a-kind
bluesman, as did the heavy tour schedules that the Kingsnakes to this
day, still happily endure (approx 290 dates a year!)… In addition, one
would be hard pushed to think of a prestigious international festival
that Paul Lamb & The Kingsnakes have not graced by headlining at some
point, let alone merely appeared at! To date, the band can regularly be
seen far a-field; from Spain to Scandinavia, Belgium to Bahrain, Hungary
to Hong-Kong…
Despite his dedication to his touring band,
Paul Lamb has also enjoyed considerable success in other musical fields.
His unique harmonica skills are constantly in demand by others, and he
has amongst other experiences had a chart hit with “Harmonica
Man”(under the pseudonym of “Bravado”) with Pete Waterman, and
worked with Mark Knopfler, The Who, Rod Stewart,
and Jimmy Nail amongst others. The BBC have contracted him on
many occasions to score and perform various TV soundtracks, and his
harmonica playing can be heard on many a television advertisement. In
addition to TV, he has also had his music featured in 3 motion pictures.
Wherever his career may lead, Lamb has been
instrumental in keeping the blues alive, and he can always be relied
upon to further this vocation. As the worlds’ music press can happily
testify, his name is synonymous with serious quality and his leadership
skills have kept the Kingsnakes at the top of the British blues scene
for almost 2 decades. Paul Lamb stands beside a small number of American
counterparts (close friends such as Kim Wilson, Rod Piazza,
Jerry Portnoy, & Charlie Musselwhite) as an equal in every
sense, and as a testimony to the standards that most young harmonica
players can only allude to. He bears this talent with both humility and
grace as one of the last of the old-school, a true gentleman of the
blues … |
