One Generation 4 Another

MALCOLM MILLER was at the
Lord's Taverner's charity pop concert
at London's Royal Albert Hall

It was an evening to remember: the pop, rock and soul legends of the 60s, 70s and 80s as well as a few still in the vanguard, coming together to give a charity performance for a worthy cause, the Lord's Taverners Charity that supports sports for young people. With a line up consisting of former Rolling Stone Bill Wyman, and his Rhythm Kings and stars such as Eddie Floyd, Hugh Cornwell, Georgie Fame, Midge Ure, Kiki Dee, Fabba Girls, Geno Washington, Andy Fairweather-Lowe, Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel, Robert Wells, Martin Taylor and Paul Young, it was bound to be spectacular, if not loud, upbeat, long, even at times overlong. A pity though that the house was not even a third full for this second pop concert on 6 April 2006, One Generation 4 Another, following the success of the initiative launched two years ago. The general profile of the audience was above middle age, reflecting the era of the artists, yet this was surely a concert to interest the younger generations, a direct link with the great personalities of British pop.

Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones began with a few words, and then his new band Rhythm Kings and their singer Beverley Skeete performed a Jackie Wilson number, a twelve bar blues in which they could really rock and roll, while the two saxes Nick Payne and Frank Mead, went to town with some nifty footwork and close harmony swinging together. The drummer Graham Broad kept the edge on the beat while the two keyboards supplemented the texture, Georgie Fame on organ at the back and Chris Stainton on electric Yamaha keyboard at the front. Two more guitarists, Albert Lee and Terry Taylor, along with Andy Fairweather Low and Bill Wyman himself made up the group. Their next number speeded up the beat with Jump Jive, in a sixties Elvis style with clubbing lighting to enhance the ambience.

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