‘Supergroup’ created as Coolham club celebrates two years with special gig

Coolham Live Music Club is celebrating its first two years with a very special gig on Saturday, October 10 (7.15pm).
From left: Sarah Reeve, Graeme Tame, Toni Langridge and Richard Donnelly. Picture by Steve DulieuFrom left: Sarah Reeve, Graeme Tame, Toni Langridge and Richard Donnelly. Picture by Steve Dulieu
From left: Sarah Reeve, Graeme Tame, Toni Langridge and Richard Donnelly. Picture by Steve Dulieu

A ‘supergroup’ of five great musicians has been put together for the event, which takes place at Coolham Village Hall.

All the members of the group have already played to sell-out audiences at the club in their own bands.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A nondescript village hall in West Sussex might seem an unlikely venue for a live music evening that attracts some of the best musicians around, but Coolham Village Hall has an interesting musical history.

Ron Sayers Jr and Alex Butler by Sarah Reeve PhotographyRon Sayers Jr and Alex Butler by Sarah Reeve Photography
Ron Sayers Jr and Alex Butler by Sarah Reeve Photography

Prior to his death in 2012, top session guitarist Big Jim Sullivan used the hall to stage events. Using his network of friends and contacts, he brought some of the best live musicians to the venue.

Coolham resident Graeme Tame decided to pick up from where Jim left off by staging his own series of gigs.

Initially, Graeme booked an old friend, top boogie-woogie pianist Ben Waters (and his band) to launch the Coolham Live Music Club. The event sold out and since then Graeme has staged gigs with artists like Jo Harman, Larry Miller and Sam Kelly’s Station House.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

As the club became more established Graeme got a small team together to help with administration and publicity activities. This includes his partner Toni Maree Langridge; Sarah Reeve, who hosts Sarah’s Sussex Blues on Facebook; and Richard Donnelly, who looks after the club’s email gig list and press contact.

The supergroup’s line-up includes two first class guitarists – Ron Sayers Jr and Alex Butler.

Ron is an experienced music teacher and a great songwriter.

Sussex boy Alex is also a qualified music tutor and highly regarded guitarist.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He was recently voted runner up in the Best Young Artist category in this year’s British Blues Awards and his rock band, Red Butler, were runners up in the Best Emerging Artist award.

Paul Jobson will play keyboards. Paul is widely recognised as a versatile keyboard player, having played alongside artists such as Chaka Khan, Boney M and Bad Manners.

Bass duties will be the responsibility of Spy Austin who is one of the most sought after bassists in the South East.

Sam Kelly, one of the hardest working and most sought after drummers in the music industry, will hold the whole thing together from his stool.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The list of artists Sam has played with is huge and includes names like Dr John, Ben E. King and Robert Plant.

Sussex-based Nigel Bagge and his band will kick start the evening’s entertainment.

Nigel is a highly accomplished vocalist and guitarist who has been gigging professionally since the early ’70s.

He will be joined by jazz violinist and mandolin player Mike Piggott and the superb rhythm section of Jim Bryan on bass and Marianne Hillier-Brook on drums.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Admission is £15 per person and people can enjoy a fish and chip supper during the intermission for an extra fiver.

The hall does not have a licenced bar so audience members are invited to bring their own refreshments.

For tickets call Graeme Tame on 07889 775173 or Richard Donnelly on 07971 627639.

To find out more about future Coolham events log on to www.tamepromotions.co.uk.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be among the first to know what’s going on.

1 Make our website your homepage

2 Like our Facebook page

3 Follow us on Twitter

4 Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!

Be part of it.