BEACHHEAD'S BLUES
2008 Re-Edit
Independent CD - BCHCD01 (Released February
2008)
1/2. Blues Fanfare~Twenty Years On(Alan DAVEY~Rod JEFFERY/Tony BARNARD)
3. Doctor Blues (Rod JEFFERY)
Lead vocal: Rod 'BEACHHEAD' Jeffery
Guitar: Tony Barnard
Trumpets: Alan Davey & Robert Blackman
Bass Guitar: Tim Brosnan
Drums: Adam 'TREV' Barnard
4. God Bless the Child (Billie HOLIDAY/Arthur HERZOG Jnr.)Lead vocal: Rod 'BEACHHEAD' Jeffery
Guitar: Tony Barnard
Flügelhorn:: Alan Davey
Acousticbass: Dave Ellis
Drums: Adam 'TREV' BarnardRecorded at 'EMI 301', Sydney & 'Canteen Studios', Wooloomooloo NSW (June & September 1990)
Mixed at 'Canteen Studios', Wooloomooloo NSW (September 1990)
Engineer: Mark ROBERTS*5. I Can't Quit You (Bobby CHARLES)Lead Vocals: Rod 'BEACHHEAD' Jeffery
Guitar/backing vocals: the 'late' Rodney 'EDDY' Edwards
Harmonica/backing vocals: Alan Meadows
Bass guitar: Nick Hazzard
Drums: Adam Sivell*6. Boy On The Run (Chris STOCKLEY/Broderick SMITH)Lead Vocals: Rod 'BEACHHEAD' Jeffery
Guitar/backing vocals: the 'late' Rodney 'EDDY' Edwards
Harmonica/mandolin/backing vocals: Alan Meadows
Bass guitar: Nick Hazzard
Drums: Adam SivellRecorded 'live' at Wentworth Falls Bowling Club - Wentworth Falls NSW (April 26, 1991)
Engineer: Nigel CROYDON7. I Get Evil (Albert KING)Lead Vocals: Rod 'BEACHHEAD' Jeffery
Guitar/backing vocals: the 'late' Rodney 'EDDY' Edwards
Harmonica/backing vocals: Alan Meadows
Bass guitar: Nick Hazzard
Drums: Adam Sivell8. Honey Hush (Lowell FULSON)Recorded & Mixed at Katoomba NSW (May 1991)
Engineer: Nigel CROYDONLead vocals: Rod 'BEACHHEAD' Jeffery
Guitar: Will Irving
Bass guitar: Gary Kohrmann
Drums: Tim ReevesRecorded 'live' in rehearsal at 35 Merriwa Street, Katoomba NSW (June 1992)*9. (Just A) Little Bit (BASS/BROWN/THORNTON/WASHINGTON)Lead vocals: Rod 'BEACHHEAD' Jeffery
Guitar: Will Irving
Tenor saxophone: Mick 'MICKY MAGIC' Young
Bass guitar: Gary Kohrmann
Drums: Tim ReevesRecorded 'live' at the Mount Pleasant Hotel - Gympie QLD (August 8, 1992)10. Born Under a Bad Sign (Booker T. JONES/William BELL)
11. Spoonful (Willie DIXON)
12. Need Your Love So Bad (John MERTIS Jr.)
13. Messin' With the Kid (Mel LONDON)
14. Walkin' To My Baby (Kim WILSON)
Lead vocals: Rod 'BEACHHEAD' Jeffery
Guitars: Matthew Ross & Matthew 'DOC' Dwyer
Bass guitar: Dean Edgecombe
Drums: Adam 'TREV' Barnard
Backing vocals ('Spoonful'): Rod 'BEACHHEAD' Jeffery & Shaylee WildeRecorded & Mixed at 'MANOR HOUSE Studios', Bullaburra NSW (August/September 1993
Engineer: Colin GREENE
*15. Route 66 (Bobby TROUP)
Lead vocals: Rod 'BEACHHEAD' Jeffery
Guitars: Matthew Ross & Matthew 'DOC' Dwyer
Bass guitar: Dean Edgecombe
Drums: Frank Corby
Recorded 'live at the 3rd Annual Lithgow Blues Music Festival - Lithgow NSW (November 26, 1995)
*These tunes did not appear on the cassette release from 1993 and are unique to the CD.
Read ROOSTER'S review of the CD here.
Rod ‘Beachhead’ JEFFERY is a rare gem.
In a land where blues vocals are often seen as a fill in between guitar or harmonica solos and singers spend more time on what to wear than the intricacies of singing, BEACHHEAD stands out as a true virtuoso on his instrument, the voice.
I first saw BEACHHEAD on a jazz series on the ABC in 1990. He struck me as a musician I wanted to hear more of. He was a big, bearded red head who could roar like a Viking, but also sing like an angel. At that stage I knew Dutch TILDERS was a great blues singer and there weren’t too many others and I always wanted to hear more. I then got to meet BEACHHEAD when he came to Melbourne and sat in with Dutch and the Blues Club.
BEACHHEAD was able to make the hairs stand up on the back of my neck with his ability to hit amazingly high or low notes, his phrasing and his ability to hold notes for what seems like for ever.
The cassette he put out in the early 90’s had songs from his own band BEACHHEAD’S BLUES, featuring the highly talented Matt ROSS on guitar and tracks from a recording he did with jazz legend Tony BARNARD.
BEACHHEAD’s legend grew with this jazz recording. Not only in that it is played regularly on the BBC in England, but also the fact that during his self penned ‘Doctor Blues’ he hit a high pitch, sustained note that shattered the microphone! This remains the most awesome display of singing ever recorded in my books and with the profane response of drummer Adam BARNARD during the session it would suggest it’s his too!
BEACHHEAD’S BLUES featured the old master with the enthusiastic novices. Matt ROSS was a sensational player adding licks more mature than his years and injecting a youthfulness that gave him a distinct sound. Matt DWYER was able to provide the support needed, plus add in a more than useful solo here and there. Dean EDGECOMBE on bass and Adam BARNARD on drums provided a rhythm section that went where few blues bands would go.
Versions of such songs as ‘Need Your Love So Bad’ and ‘Honey Hush’ slotted in perfectly next to blues classics ‘Messin' With the Kid’ and ‘Born Under a Bad Sign’ and ‘Spoonful’ got a smoky, jazzy reworking that gave it a new life. BEACHHEAD has now put all these tracks onto the one CD, along with a couple of bonus ‘live’ tracks.
It is a great showcase of his ability to traverse a large number of genres whilst maintaining the realness and earthiness of the essence of the songs. To me this is what the blues is about. The feeling generated by the lyrics, music and performance.
BEACHHEAD oozes the blues from every pore in his body.
His version of ‘God Bless The Child’ is beautifully sad. His self penned ‘Twenty Years On’ is an ode to the importance of his wife Shirley. ‘Doctor Blues’ is a great blues song lyrically and musically and brilliantly performed. His gruff growl on ‘Born Under a Bad Sign’, the deepening of his voice during the chorus of ‘Need Your Love So Bad’ and the gently sung, dangerous lyrics of ‘Spoonful’ are some of the many highlights of this recording.
BEACHHEAD should be a household name, not just in the jazz and blues scene but with all music lovers. The ability he has comes rarely, many would train for years and not reach his untrained level, a natural gift that everybody should expose themselves to.
©April 27, 2004 - Rooster (Ross MORTIMER)
"................. after 3 long hard years touring the East Coast Blues circuit, Beachhead's Blues have disbanded. However, 15 tracks recorded during 2 dates (Unity Hall Hotel in Balmain & the 3rd Lithgow Blues Festival) are under consideration for a CD release.
Beachhead favourites, forged during gruelling roadwork make up the balance of tracks. 'Spoonful', 'Honey Hush', 'Route 66',( all murderous territory for lesser souls ) cook with the bands rare blend of jazz tinged soulful R'n'B, stirred up via superior Blues-icianship.
The double Fender benders, Matt Ross & Matt 'Doc' Dwyer trade inventive slinky licks revering Peter Green's 'Albatross' superbly.
'Laid Back' a Rod Jeffery penned song wistfully laments the passing two decades ago of the 'Wolfman' Chester Burnett.
Robert Johnson's ‘Crossroads' pleaded chain gang style, shakes off its often cliched shackles, Beachhead steals for his own.
Joined by the band and Blind Freddy's Linda Hansen, 'Jesus on the Mainline', fevers up a gospel churchy pitch - Hansen lending real feminine persuasion completing the a'capella workout.
Al Green's 'Take Me To The River', finds the band working out a funky full bore shaker. Beachhead has the Blues firmly grasped throughout this Memphis soul standard.
No date set for a release, but look out for details in later editions of Highway 49 News.
Armadillo Slim"
'Highway 49 News - October 1996 Edition'
