Willie Jaye & Band

Willie Jaye & Band

April 10, 1998 & October 15, 1999 - "Zur Alten Schmiede", Kamp-Lintfort/Germany

Willie Jaye (voc, g) - Bernd Pett (b) - Markus Winkmann (dr)

Willie Jaye - The Texas Hurricane

That's what they call them. Willie is a yet young but experienced guitarist in the best tradition of great blues guitarists from the Lone Star state. He lived until the end of last year in New Orleans and played the Jazz & Heritage Fest. Today he is a resident of Las Vegas. On his last - his 5th european tour in 3 years - he played at the 'Alte Schmiede' in Kamp-Lintfort. Last year he made an impressive appearance at the club and we decided to see him again. The venue - a place for bikers and workers - was the perfect place for his guitar dominated blues. He is sure a man of the guitar but his singing is exciting, too. Coming with only bass and drums by his side he has no problem to entertain just with his playing and singing for almost 3 hours. His playing is obviously influenced (and you can hear that) from people like Freddy King, Albert Collins and some Stevie Ray Vaughan (if this is not a derivated style). Jaye knows how to bend the strings of his Fender Stratocaster and can really play fast and rocking. But his main approach is trueley blues - just the way Freddy King did it.
Take a look at his set list (as complete as I know it) that night.
My favorite songs were 'Don't be afraid of the dark' because of his ability to sing so sweet and 'Sugar Sweet' and '...' for knowing what records Willie listens to. His own songs fit perfectly in the wide range of covers.
At the end of his gig he got in my eyes too far in the bluesrock and Hendrix direction. But that caused some really frenetic response from the audience. One word about his backing. With Bernd Pett (bass) and Markus Winkmann (drums) of the 'Downhome Blues Band' from Duesseldorf/Germany he is surrounded by two well experienced and supportive musicians who know how to give Jaye a tight groove.
During the break between his set I got the chance to talk to Willie Jaye and he signed some photos of him I shot last year. He liked them and I promised to send him some copies. I further gave him my adress www.joes-corner.de and he got me his e-mail. As he sold some Cds I bought his latest release ‚Before The Storm' which is a live recording (partly from the 'House Of Blues' in New Orleans) made in 1997. It's a good one and features some songs he did at the 'Schmiede'.

Willie Jaye
4373 Ridgeville Street
Las Vegas, Nevada
89103 (zip ?)
Tel. 702 870 2614

Wjaye@aol.com

Set list (1999): (incomplete)
Cold Shot Don't be afraid of the dark Empty Arms Honey Hush Soldier for the Blues Sugar Sweet Turning Point	Talk to your daughter Brother, go ahead and take her What have I done wrong Hully Gully Couldn't stand the weather Hey Joe TV Mama / T-Bone Shuffle (Medley) Little Angle Purple Haze