Gig Review in 'Blues In Britain' magazine (issue no.152, August 2014).

'This was a successful, well-organised Blues Festival and also memorable in that the high profile blues royalty were upstaged on the day by a little known itinerant blues man, Big Joe Bone.'.....

.....'However, it was Big Joe Bone's acoustic bluegrass and Delta blues, accompanied by harp, banjo and slide guitar and delivered with honesty and passion, which brought the authenticity of the blues to Durham. Despite a small, half empty venue given the overlap of his set with the headliners ( Royal Southern Brotherhood), Big Joe proved why he could soon be hailed as UK's acoustic Seasick Steve. His breath taking version of Robert Johnson's 'Come On In My Kitchen' will still be buzzing in the heads of those privileged to have heard  it'.                                                                                                                                          by Dave Scott for Blues In Britain.

 

Gig Review in 'After Dark' online music magazinev(November 2014).

Following on from Cohosh was Big Joe Bone, setting up with his usual arsenal of guitars by his side. Joe attacked his set with his usual foot stomping style at a speed that would impress most thrash metal bands. It would also be a crime not to mention Joe’s customised work boots in which he has attached a pickup creating an inbuilt stop box.

 

                                                                    by Stew Hume for "After Dark" online magazine 24th Nov 2014

Stew Hume's full review can be found at:

https://afterdark.co/blog/reviews/pi-and-hash-promotions-presents-dave-arcari

 

CD review in 'The Rocker' online magazine September 2014.

Here’s Danny Wilson! No, not the shite Dundonian, eighties popsters.  This is London born, Welsh based Danny Wilson, who has decided to call himself Big Joe Bone.  Now he may be from the deep Sarf, as opposed to the deep South, but he’s bunged out an album steeped in acoustic blues, bluegrass and old time religion.

Unusually, though, he’s written all the songs himself, even if they do sound a wee bit like something you’ve heard before.  But that’s often the case with old time music, and as he picks away on guitar, plays banjo, honks his harp and stamps his feet, he reminds you of some other fella with a made up name and a beard who does similar things.

You’d never guess he wasn’t from over down yonder as he rasps and stomps his way through some cracking tunes, dropping in and out of Bukka White and Flatt & Scruggs mode, sounding 50 years older than he is.  It’s all Big Joe, bar some backing vocals, harmonica and hand-clapping from Ivor Aldred, and if you do like old school country and blues, then this really will be a treat for you.

 

CD review in 'Blues Matters' magazine August 2014.

This is the debut set from Big Joe Bone, known to his mum as Danny Wilson, born in London and now based in central Wales. He calls what he plays “blues grass”, which combines Delta blues and bluegrass and throws in elements of old-timey music and gospel music. The songs are all originals but very, very much within the tradition(s). Joe plays mostly solo, thrashing away or coming over all delicate on guitar, picking away effortlessly on banjo, playing blues harp and stamping – or should that be stomping? – his foot, occasionally helped out by Ivor Aldred on backing vocals, harmonica and hand-clapping. On his website, Danny describes himself as “a relatively young act compared to some” but that is certainly not apparent at all from listening to the music on this album, as he recalls the likes of bluesman Bukka White (a good reference point for the steel-bodied guitar playing), the great old-timey banjo player Charlie Poole, bluegrass legends Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs or guitar evangelist Blind Willie Johnson. Maybe though the energy might just give it away, as it certainly would not be his voice – Mr. Bone’s raspy blues vocals or high hillbilly flavoured singing both sound incredibly authentic. You would swear he has just come up from Mississippi rather than mid-Wales or down from high up in the Appalachians rather than Aberystwyth. Hopefully this release will do well and Joe will get the chance to record again soon – and if he is anywhere near your area, do get along to see him, by all accounts (and judging from YouTube videos) his live show is quite something!

                                                                                                                              

CD review in 'Blues News' magazine (Finland) May 2014.

 

Big Joe Bone is the alter-ego of London-born but now central Wales based Danny Wilson, who describes his music as a mixture of blues and bluegrass - as on his album entitled "Blues Grass Kicks Ass" (Recordiau Awen AWENCD234). He actually does manage to achieve a fine mixture of blues and old-timey music, with some excellent steel bodied guitar playing, fine banjo picking and very authentic sounding vocals. Look him up at www.bigjoebone.com.

                                                                                                                               by Norman Darwen (Blues News, Finland).

 

Gig Review in "Wells Journal" (April 2014).

Big Joe Bone - King William, Glastonbury

Saturday night saw Wales-based Country and Blues musician 'Big Joe Bone' perform a mixture of covers and originals to a packed out King Billy crowd. Armed with three guitars including steel bodied resonators, two banjos, a harmonica and a foot tapping implement, 'Big Joe Bone, AKA Danny Wilson', entertained the audience with his energetic renditions of 'black eyed Susie' and 'Dock Boggs' as well as throwing in some of his own material. From London to Wales, from Bristol to Glastonbury, 'Big Joe Bone' is quickly gathering a reputation for his slide guitar playing style, country appearance and blue grass sound. It provides a chilled out atmosphere whilst making you want to get up and dance. Often playing three instruments at a time, it was a great pleasure to see a talented musician showcase something slightly diverse, especially with an offering of blue grass style music that is not particularly common in this era. It almost made you feel like you wanted a cowboy to walk in to the bar with a stetson on, that country and western vibe resonating from Danny. Everyone loved it. A particular highlight? Well it has to be the One Direction cup that Danny was showing off, pride beamed from his face as he took a swig from his cup. I am not sure if people were jealous or bemused, either way, it was a talking point!

If you want to hear what 'Big Joe Bone' has to offer, then head over to www.bigjoebone.com

                                                                                                                                                                          By Georgie Robbins (Wells Journal).

 

 

Gig Review in 'Blues In Britain' magazine (issue no.140, August 2013).

Sunday afternoon opened with Aberstwyth-based duo Big Joe Bone at the Hanging Gate pub with a wonderful set of traditional 'Down-Home' blues.

Danny Wilson provides the raspy vocals, foot stomp and fingerstyle/bottleneck slide driven strings whilst Ivor Aldred provides effervescent harmonica.

Bukka White's hypnotic 'Jitterbug Swing' opened proceedings with Danny on National Steel. The pair demonstrated a raw energy that set a template for the rest of the gig. Indeed they hardly paused for breath in a non-stop two hour stint that saw their rough and ready style cover songs from the likes of Robert Johnson, Sleepy John Estes, Blind Lemmon Jefferson, Skip James, Mississippi Fred McDowell and Leadbelly.

They also threw in a few of their own songs - The haunting 'Death Can Take A Ride' was a rare slow number portraying a mans fruitless attempts to deny the grim reaper. Whilst 'Stone Fox Chase' was a wild hillbillly hoe-down. The steaming freight train at full throttle pace of 'Routine Blues' ensured the number was anything but routine.

Like all good duos both musicians were content in driving the songs along with neither hogging the solo spotlight.

After their performance Danny remarked it was great playing in front of an audience that didn't talk during the music as most of their previous gigs had been in bars or festivals where music was secondary to the main event. On this showing things are going to change pretty quickly for this pair once word gets round in proper blues circles.

                                                                                                                                                                        By Martin Byrom for Blues In Britain.

 

 

Gig Review in 'GIGgle Pics' online music magazine(October 2013).

These guys hail from Aberystwyth in Wales and I know they also took the long journey home the next day. Actually from chatting with Danny (vocals) I know they decided to drive the 7 hours all the way home in the early hours after the gig, mad men that they are! Again a band/duo that were a huge privilege to meet and I seriously hope they venture back down this way again very soon!

BIG JOE BONE are a country/delta blues and roots duo, as I previously mentioned from Wales, comprising of Danny Wilson and Ivor Aldred. They play a mixture of covers and original songs and to me were a little bit special. What captivated my attention (among others) was Danny’s steel bodied 1930′s guitar. In fact both his guitars were metal bodied and were very impressive and produced a unique and full bodied sound. Danny’s fingerstyle and bottleneck slide style was something I have not seen often, my eyes and ears were transfixed. I have to confess these guys were not what I would normally be going to watch but I have found a new love and shall actively seek out such musicians in the future. Danny interchanged throughout the set between two six string metal bodied guitars and two five string banjos. Why two? Because they are all tuned differently. His lively and energetic style of playing did however cause two broken banjo strings but I shall not complain because having to restring one meant we were treated! Ivor! Now Ivor can play the Harmonica in a way I have never witnessed before, not with my eyes, live at a gig. I have never heard a harmonica be such an integral part of a sound produced before and it’s not hard to believe them when they tell you that Ivor practices 3 hours a day! So broken banjo strings means you get a rare and wonderful harmonica solo and it actually sent shivers. These guys fit together like peas in a pod despite being complete opposites in appearance. The entire overall performance at times felt like a barn dance. I was transported in my mind out in the wilderness, hay bales for seating, dungarees and wellies abound, the smell of straw and the sound of laughter filling the air. So were the audience by all account because there was much dosey doe-ing and toe tapping/clapping occurring. Equally though they can transport you to a smoky basement, dark and warm, sweat filled and calming. Having influences ranging from pre-war musicians such as Blind Willie Johnson and Skip James up to more recent artists such as Charlie Parr and Rory Gallagher it’s no wonder their set is so diverse. If Big Joe Bone ever play a venue near you, you will be a fool not to go check them out! This is blues/country at its grass roots!

                                                                                                                                                                                 Sarah Quinn ( gigglepics.co.uk ).

 

Sarah Quinn's full review can be found at:

http://gigglepics.co.uk/black-market-iii-big-joe-bone-the-chambers-folkestone-05-10-13/