King of the honkin’ sax, BIG JAY MCNEELY (USA) is heading to Melbourne as part of his second national tour with the Benny & The Flybyniters featuring Adam Hall (W.A.) with swingin' local supports from The ReChords, The Rebelles (15-piece girl-group) and BAMA-LAMA! DJs. Do not miss!
ABOUT BIG JAY
Born in 1927, Big Jay McNeely is the legendary King of Honkin' Sax and the last of the mid-century tenor sax giants.
In late 1948 he abandoned jazz for something more raucous and struck paydirt when his second release, a honked-up instrumental called "Deacon's Hop," which went to #1 on the national R&B charts
In the 1950s, Big Jay became a teenager cult hero famed for his playing-on-his-back acrobatics and his raw, hard-swinging playing.
McNeely wore bright banana- and lime-colored suits, played under blacklights that made his horn glow in the dark, used strobe lights as early as 1952 to create an "old-time-movie" effect, and sometimes walked off the stage and out the door, usually with the club patrons following along behind.
Big Jay worked extensively with The Hollywood Flames, The Penguins and The Medallions up and down the West Coast. In 1955-56 he shared the stage with the Clovers, the Harptones (at the Apollo Theater), Bill Haley and His
Comets, the Moonglows, Little Richard, and others.
In 1959 Big Jay enjoyed his biggest hit, a blues ballad called "There Is Something on Your Mind," featuring Haywood "Little Sonny" Warner on vocals. The record stayed on the R&B charts for six months and reached as high as #44 pop. The song was later a hit for Bobby Marchan and recorded by B.B. King, Etta and Professor Longhair.
McNeely's music career began to cool off. He quit the music industry in 1971 to become a postman.However, thanks to an R&B revival in the early 1980s, McNeely left the post office and returned to touring and recording full time, usually overseas. His original tenor sax is enshrined in the Experience Music Project in Seattle, and he was inducted into The Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.
Presented by PBS 106.7 FM and Harlem Dukes.
at the Corner Hotel, Richmond
w/ BIG JAY MCNEELY (USA) backed by Benny & The Flybyniters feat. Adam Hall
Plus The ReChords, The Rebelles, BAMA-LAMA! DJs Mohair Slim & Jim Dandy.
Tix: www.cornerhotel.com.au
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=152987304794837
PLUS JUST ADDED... final show of R&B legend BIG JAY MCNEELY's national tour...
Carvavan Music Club
Oakleigh RSL, 95-97 Drummond Street
Sunday, November 20
BIG JAY MCNEELY (USA) backed by Benny & The Flybyniters (inc. Adam Hall (WA), Paul Williamson & James Black)
+ DJ Mohair Slim
Tix: http://www.trybooking.com/Booking/BookingEventSummary.aspx?eid=15632
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=132969833472948
