DAN'S PAPERS, July 10, 2009 Page 57 www.danshamptons.com
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Arts & Entertainment By Tiffany Razzano
Kim Simmonds, vocalist and guitarist Legendary British blues rock band Savoy Brown, who pioneered the movement in England in the mid-‘60s, alongside artists such as Eric Clapton and John Mayall, paving the way for bands like Led Zeppelin, will be headlining the annual Riverhead Blues & Music Festival the weekend of July 18 and 19. Still going strong after 43 years, the group has a wealth of material to cull its set list from, which
Savoy Brown Headlines Blues Fest is always a difficult process, said the group’s founder, guitarist, vocalist and only original member, Kim Simmonds. “We have a lot of material,” he said. “We could fill a two-hour set with super good material. It’s very difficult choosing from all our songs.” What’s also difficult, he said, is choosing songs that can stand on their own in today’s musical arena and “still have merit.” He added, “It happens to any artist, even the Rolling Stones.” But while Savoy Brown might not be a household name, necessarily, their music is well known and well respected by many artists across genres. Simmonds says that his songs have been covered by various other artists, including Great White and David Lee Roth, and most recently his work was tackled by a country band. “The songs are easily translatable,” he said. “Those are the ones that stand the test of time.” At the Blues Festival, fans can expect a healthy mix of songs that span the group’s entire career, including its most recent album, Steel. “You’ll hear songs from the early days, the new record and everything in between,” Simmonds said. “A mix of old and new. The new songs show that there’s still life in the band and we’re not living on our past glories.” Simmonds also has a career as a solo musician, playing more acoustic-based blues. He released his first solo album in 1997. “It’s just something I do to keep myself fresh and challenged,” he said. Look for an appearance by him playing solo material at the Blues Festival. Savoy Brown takes the stage Saturday night, and Simmonds peforms on Sunday. Based out of upstate New York these days, Simmonds founded the band in 1966, originally as
Savoy Brown a blues band, taking on more rock elements as the group’s career progressed. But mostly Simmonds likes to focus on the blues aspect of the group’s sound, so as to be taken more seriously as a guitar player and songwriter. “Once you get you get dragged into the pop world, it trivializes you as an artist,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons I try to stay a little under the radar.” Held along the Peconic River waterfront in downtown Riverhead, Savoy Brown will be joined at the Blues Festival by many other performers – both well known on the blues circuit as well as local artists – including Little Toby Walker, Rosie Ledet & the Zydeco Players and Rage & Beyond. The Festival runs each day from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. and costs $15 for the entire weekend or $10 per day. Children 12 and under are free. For more information, go to riverblues.org. For more information on Savoy Brown savoybrown.com.
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