Fiona Boyes & The Fortune Tellers – Live at Bluesfest 2004 featuring Hubert Sumlin and Chris Wilson – Backseat Mafia

It was with a huge amount of anticipatory excitement that I listened to this album from one of Australia’s premier blues players, given the extraordinary legacy that this particular recording contains. Not only is this an early recording of Fiona Boyes which follows on closely from being the first non-American, and first female, to win the International Blues Challenge conducted each year in Memphis in 2003, but it also has appearances by none other than Hubert Sumlin and Chris Wilson.

For those not heavily versed in blues music, Hubert Sumlin was the principal guitar player in the legendary US bluesman, Howlin’ Wolf’s band (as well as a short tenure for the equally legendary Muddy Waters). He is widely acknowledged for creating the distinctive guitar sound that accompanied Wolf’s music for the 23 years he was part of his band, as well as forging the characteristic sound that was to become the Chicago Blues.

Chris Wilson was one of Australia’s finest harmonica players as well as a much heralded vocalist within the Australian blues and roots scene. Both men are now sadly deceased, with Hubert Sumlin passing in 2011 at age 80 and Chris Wilson passing in 2019 from pancreatic cancer, aged just 62.

Touring hard on the back of her success in Memphis, Fiona recorded an album with Muddy Waters’ guitarist Bob Margolin (‘Live in Atlanta’). He was originally booked to play this Australian tour, which included this performance at Bluesfest Byron Bay, but when a scheduling conflict saw him have to pull out at the last minute, his agent asked if she would consider Hubert Sumlin instead.

Thrilled to have the opportunity to play with Hubert, Fiona set about putting a new band together for the tour: Mark Grunden on drums, Dean Addison on upright bass, and enlisting the help of friend and mentor Chris Wilson. The band was to be known as The Fortune Tellers.

Only recently rediscovered, this performance from 2004 was captured direct from desk to mini-disc recorder at the iconic Bluesfest Byron Bay. The tracks have been mastered for vinyl, and the album has a booklet insert featuring extensive liner notes from Steve ‘The Preacher’ Clarke, Art Tipaldi (Editor ‘Blues Music Magazine’ USA) and Peter Noble (Director of Bluesfest) along with tour photos and more, much like the halcyon days of vinyl LP’s.

The songs on the album are a mix of blues classics, many of which the late Howlin’ Wolf either penned or performed in his repertoire. Sitting On Top Of The World, Spoonful and Who’s Been Talking being amongst some of Wolf’s, and consequently Sumlin’s, most well known songs.

All of the songs across this album are great renditions, with Hubert Sumlin providing his signature finger-picking style to compliment Fiona Boyes’ own guitar work, gelling seamlessly as they revel in each others talents (this can be heard in some of the included chat from Hubert between tracks as Fiona encourages him to take to the microphone).

Chris Wilson provides plenty of silkily sublime work on the harmonica right throughout the album, showing why he was regarded as a master of his craft. He also provides his own unique, and passionate style to the vocals when called upon (his powerful vocal on the classic Spoonful being a particular highlight).

However, there are a number of things that make this recording especially significant.

First is the legacy that it brings; one of Australia’s finest exponents of the blues (Boyes) teamed up with the legendary, and now sadly-departed figures that are Sumlin and Wilson, adding more valuable, recorded material to their archives.

Secondly, there is the obvious live chemistry that is shared amongst the musicians on stage, with each feeding off of the energy of the others, making the experience into an outright joyous occasion. There can be no doubt that anybody who was in that audience would well remember what an incredible slice of history they were witnessing, and this re-discovered recording will be treasured by them and hopefully by even more who weren’t there.

Finally, it is further testament to the incredible talent of its’ main protagonist, Fiona Boyes. To draw the likes of Sumlin and Wilson to be part of her band shows the esteem with which she is held within the wider blues community. Her guitar work and vocal dynamics (ranging from the gravelly to the angelic) coupled with her deep love and knowledge of the blues have endeared her to blues lovers the world over.

The album is available via Fiona’s website or by clicking here.

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