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INCLUDINGS:
THE BIG TOWN PLAYBOYS
- NOW APPEARING - UK 1990
- HIP JOINT - UK 1995
- OFF THE CLOCK - Live - UK 1997
MIKE SANCHEZ
- JUST A GAME - UK 1997
OTHER APPEARANCES
- CRAZY LEGS - UK 1993 - JEFF BECK

12 Tracks:
Hungry Man / Who Showed My Baby How To Love / Baby Please / Drinking Beer / You Must Be Foolin' / In The Middle Of The Night / I'm So Satisfied / The Wobble / The Blues Came Rollin' In / Doopin' / That Mellow Saxophone / What A Shame

The Big Town Playboys are now getting some of the recognition that has been long overdue. Robert Cray, Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck have all spotted it already, what's holding up everyone else?

"One of Britain's finest R&B / Jump Jazz outfits, The Big Town Playboys have gathered plaudits from such names as Robert Cray, Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck. Check out what got them so hot." - Blackmail Records

11 Tracks:
Ain't No Big Deal On You / When It Rains It Pours / Shake Your Hips / Glamour Girl / I Don't Care Who Knows / Kiddio / Forever True / Rock Me Again / Girls All Over The World / My Heart Is Mended / No Place To Go

Hailing orginally from the West Midlands, the Big Town Playboys is fronted by the great pianist and vocalist Mike Sanchez and underpinned by the bass of long-time cohort Ian Jennings. Now ex-Amen Corner singer Andy Fairweather-Low has joined the group on guitar and vocals bringing his formidable talents to the outfit.

The best revival R&B band in Britain are back on disc after a six-year break from recording. Hailing orginally from the West Midlands, the Big Town Playboys is fronted by the great pianist and vocalist Mike Sanchez and underpinned by the bass of long-time cohort Ian Jennings. In the band's early days ex-Savoy Brown and Chicken Shack bassist Andy Sylvester and leader Ricky Cool were also involved. Now ex-Amen Corner singer Andy Fairweather-Low has joined the group on guitar and vocals bringing his formidable talents to the outfit.

The Playboys' appearance at the 1996 Eric Clapton shows is the third time as Eric's special guests but the band's history is interwoven with great names - many who have invited them to put their unique skills on record (Eric Clapton on his Colour Of Money score, Jeff Beck on the Crazy Legs CD and Anne Dudley on her The Pope Must Die soundtrack, for instance). Add to that regular support for such visiting American greats as Little Willie Littlefield, Jimmy Nelson and Champion Jack Dupree, and you have one of the most sharp, most jumping R&B bands this side of the Atlantic.

"Cracking R&B, Jump Jazz and rockin' blues from these long established masters of the genre. A band that can deliver in a studio setting, as well as on stage." - Blackmail Records

The latest Big Town Playboys recording is a double Live CD Off The Clock (1997), which may be had by contacting them at PO Box 143 Kidderminster Worcestershire DY10 1YU

23 Tracks (2CDs):
Deep In The Heart Of Texas / Lights Out / Roomin' House Boogie / Don't Lie To Me / It'll Be Me / Found What I'm Looking For / King Bee / Bop Sit-In Blues / Rock Me Again / Something You Got / Glamour Girl / In The Middle Of The Night / Hey Mama, Keep Your Big Mouth Shut / Companion Blues / Poor Boy / My Girl Josephine / Gin House / You Better Believe It / Red Hot Mama / She's Tough / Girls All Over The World / I'm Mad / Jam Up

12 Tracks:
M.S. Boogie / Found What I'm Looking For / 3 Months, 3 Weeks, 3 Days / Forever True / El Boogie Con Carnie / Just A Game / I Don't Stand A Chance / I Need A Woman / Let This Lovin' Begin / Undecided Fool / Bugg-Bugg Boogie / I Can't Stop

Mike Sanchez - Piano and Vocals (& guitar on last track)

What they say:

All music and songs on this solo CD written, arranged and performed by Mike Sanchez (Big Town Playboys). There are a lot of styles represented from swampy ballads through Boogie Woogie, Rock'n'Roll and straight Blues. As the CD progresses, unlike some solo works can be, there's plenty of catchy stuff here and with more of a variety about the material then you 'll find generally.

"A consistently fine CD with an assortment of approaches to the numbers" - Southern & Rockin' Music.

18 Tracks:
Race With The Devil / Cruisin' / Crazy Legs / Double Talkin' Baby / Woman Love / Lotta Lovin' / Catman / Pink Thunderbird / Baby Blue / You Better Believe / Who Slapped John? / Say Mama / Red Blue Jeans And A Pony Tail / Five Feet Of Lovin' / B-I-Bickey-Bi-Bo-Bo-Go / Blues Stay Away From Me / Pretty Pretty Baby / Hold Me, Hug Me, Rock Me

1.) ...Beck is not just flashy window dressing but the lightning rod in a red-hot combo....if guitarists earned degrees, CRAZY LEGS would be Beck's thesis toward a doctorate in rockabilly...
- Rolling Stone (9/16/93)

2.) After sundry jazz and blues excursions, Jeff Beck, the living guitar masterclass, pays tribute to his childhood inspiration, Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps. With The Big Town Playboys, sweat-soaked R&B gigsters supreme, he hurtles into that old bare, sexed-up, no-tech rock'n'roll with love and abandon. Although, unpredictably, Vincent hits including Be-Bop-A-Lula and Blue Jean Bop are omitted, crazed chargers like Race With The Devil, Cruisin' and Hold Me, Hug Me, Rock Me tickle the chuckle muscles, as does a reminder of that teasingly paradoxical concept, Red Blue Jeans & A Ponytail. Jeff Beck plecs like a bastard in honour of Blue Cap hero Cliff Gallup, while Big Town Playboys Mike Sanchez vocalises furiously in the spirit of the times, without trying to mimic Vincent. Twangular, if ever there was.
- Phil Sutcliffe © Emap Consumer Magazines Limited. For personal use only.

3.) There's More to Jeff Beck than "Blow by Blow"
When I first read that Jeff Beck had recorded a rockabilly album, it was straight to the store for the first copy on the shelf. I've had the album since it's release and it'still in my essential "12-pack" that's always in the car.
If you're a Jeff Beck fan, this is a side of Jeff Beck not found anywhere else: don't miss it. If you've never heard of Jeff Beck and just like rockabilly, don't miss it either.
I bought the album with no preconceptions, just a love for rockabilly and great guitar work. This album has both. This is NOT "Jeff Beck and some guys hidden on the side", it's Jeff Beck playing great guitar as part of a fine BAND. Big Town Playboys' Mike Sanchez provides great vocals on tunes that'll be stuck in your head for months. If you've got a convertible, slap this in on a sunny day, turn it up, and go for a drive...if tunes like "B-I-Bickey-Bi-Bo-BO-Go" don't make your day, strongly consider selling the car and shopping for a casket. You're already dead.
- Customer Comment by dave@ivserver.com from Nearly to Austin, TX, USA, July 6, 1998

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