**Celebrating July 4th At The 606 Club** Charlie Wood

As it’s American Independence Day we thought the “...if you can’t beat them” approach was in order, so we asked one of the finest US performers in the UK to join us to celebrate the occasion in style. Award-winning US ex-pat singer/pianist Charlie Wood is a talented and versatile musician whose eclectic musical approach incorporates elements of popular music, jazz, blues and traditional R&B. Born and raised in Tennessee, Charlie learned his trade touring with iconic blues guitarist Albert King before settling back in Memphis. For over fifteen years the Charlie Wood Trio performed nightly at the King's Palace Café on Beale Street, with guests including B.B. King, George Coleman and Joey DeFrancesco. Numerous awards from that time include the N.A.R.A.S. "Premier Player Award" for Keyboards and the Beale St. Merchants' Association "Entertainer of the Year" award. In 2009 Charlie decided to move to the UK and rapidly attracted attention from some of the finest players around, including Robert Plant who joined Charlie on stage to sing some Memphis “classics” and Cleo Laine and the late John Dankworth who asked him to perform at Wavendon with them. When we decided to celebrate July 4th Charlie immediately came to mind as someone who is fundamentally and quintessentially immersed in the best of American jazz, roots and popular song. Along with his personal favourites from the Great American Songbook, we’ll be hearing some great soul classics too by artists such as Ray Charles, Otis Redding and Percy Mayfield. As one might anticipate, Charlie’s put together a fantastic band for this date as well, comprised of the finest musicians on the scene: multi-award winning trombonist Mark Nightingale, Chris Allard on guitar, Geoff Gascoyne (Georgie Fame, Jamie Cullum) on bass and Sebastiaan de Krom (Jamie Cullum) on drums. And in keeping with the 4th of July spirit the 606 kitchen will also be serving, along with our standard menu, some typically American summer 4th of July food (burgers and key Lime pie anyone…?). Charlie, a highly charismatic performer, is really looking forward to this and so are we. Should be a real treat.


“Remember the first time you heard Dylan, or Springsteen or Waits? Charlie Wood delivers that same jolt...brilliant” Jazz Times;
“..a born storyteller with a slight drawl and strong old-school Memphis soul/RandB undertone…Charlie Wood embodies hepcat worldliness and barroom empathy…he's got style!” JazzReview