Blues at Burstead

The Rotary Club of Billericay staged its annual Big Band in the Garden  festival on Sunday June 10.  This year known as Blues at Burstead, it was  held  at the home of Rotarian Peter Strong in his beautiful garden at Ivy Cottage, Laindon Common Road, Little Burstead.
The event featured for the first time, the Grapevine Blues Band . It was  great family day out with dancing on the lawn, jugs of Pimms and  picnics. The event was staged in support of Little Haven Children’s Hospice.

My interview with Peter Strong (Foundation Chairman) is here Peter Strong Interview

Grapevine Blues
Grapevine Blues was formed in 1997 by Mike Chase and like most successful bands has experienced changes and additions to the membership over the years
Mike…with his Vocals & Harmonica styling is joined by guitarist Dr Eeka, who hails   from Tbilisi, Georgia and was twice voted top guitarist in the U.S.S.R. before coming to the West…and has twice  performed with the legendary B.B.King -(once in Georgia and again in Sweden)…an unusual claim to fame from an ex- neurosurgeon.
Mike & Ika are joined by fellow musicians Ivan Hoe, Dave ‘Roy’ Rogers and Dave Lennox to form the Grapevine Blues Band.
Ivan Hoe is an outstanding drummer from Johannesburg, South Africa.
Dave ‘Roy’ Rogers on bass is the other half of that rock steady rhythm section.
Adding an exciting new dimension to the band is  Dave Lennox on keyboards.

Collectively the members have played with Rory Gallagher & Alvin Lee, Bernie Devine Blues Band, Al Green, Ginger Baker, Herbie Hancock, The Equals, Thin Lizzy, Chris Montez, Dave Berry… to name only some….and have shared a stage with people such as Wilko Johnson, Stan Webb (Chicken Shack), Kenny ‘Blues Boss’ Wayne, The Yardbirds, Buddy Guy and Gary Moore.

My Interview with Mike Chase is here Mike Chase Interview