Southern songs at Giffordtown village's juke joint blues night

The Blues, especially acoustic Blues, have been thin on the ground since the demise of the Cupar Blues and Beyond Club.

But Giffordtown, the small village with an ambitious entertainment programme, hopes to remedy this with ‘Juke Joint Blues’, an evening of Country Blues, featuring some of the classic songs of the Southern states of the 20s, 30s, and 40s. This is the kind of music played in juke joints, rough and ready bars, and in the dancehalls of Memphis Tennessee and Atlanta Georgia.

Alan Jones is familiar to audiences of the Cupar Blues and Beyond Club, playing the authentic sounds of the south in a variety of styles from Robert Johnson to Blind Willie McTell. One of the most talented acoustic guitar players around, he has played in clubs, concerts and festivals all over the UK.

He’s joined by Thomas Lucas, a young man who’s wowing the Blues scene with his virtuoso playing on guitar, mandolin, harmonica and piano.

Alan Foulds is a recent arrival in Fife, but he’s been impressing audiences in his native Herefordshire with his unique harmonica style.

And the Black Cat Jook Band are no strangers to audiences in Fife. They played as the Elevators, one of Scotland’s top electric Blues bands in the 90s, but in recent years as an acoustic band, playing the more good-time end of the Blues spectrum – Jug Band music, Ragtime Blues and Vaudeville; on guitars, mandolin, harmonica, tuba, tea chest bass and anything else not nailed down.

This is a first for Giffordtown Village Hall, but if successful, more such events will be lined up. Doors open 7pm, admission £10. Bring your own refreshments.