...continued. [Previous Page]

Next came an excursion into the TV world of Opportunity Knocks (made the cast list out of 15,000 singers) in which her demo/backing tape was produced by ex Hank Wangford sidesmen guitarist Mark Flanagan, and Tapecraft producer and bassist Paul Fitzgerald. The encounter with Mark Flanagan (now lead guitarist with Jools Holland) led to the formation of 'The Texas Teaboys' with Mark on guitar (he just loves Patsy Cline!), the late great Will Lorenzo on drums and Kevin Willoughby or Pete Beresford on bass, plus Patrick Arbuthnott (great local guitar maker!) on pedal steel. Odd socks but great country music! Mark moved to London and later we helped put a few Norfolk gigs together (Hunnybell at Hunworth, Dun Cow at....) etc) to create Mark his first solo gigs experience, a few years back. Mark (ex Suffolk cult band The Box Brothers) now has his own superb band 'Flanagan' not to be missed! (Bookable through specialist blues agency Movin Music).
 
The highlight of the next 'Lena Band', which was a bigger 'Blues Brothers' style band, formed after a short but fantastic time as a founder member of the Lee Vasey Big Band 'Blues Sisters' harmony group, was to support the full Jools Holland Rhythm n Blues Orchestra on occasions at the UEA, Waterfront and 18+ Parties locally. We can tell you that Jools IS 'a gentleman and a scholar' and he very kindly invited all of the Lena Band to dine and chat with him, and his band, after the UEA show. Jools asked me then if we had any pics of Mark's time with us, that he could see. I've just found some! So as soon as my scanner's fixed Jools..watch this space etc!
 
At about this time I was penning pieces on the local country and blues music scenes each week for The Evening News. (Event is a must read!) This brought me into contact with the then Waterfront publicist Greg Upchurch. 'Den you and Lena just must come and see my friend Dana Gillespie here next week' said Greg. Thanks to Mentorn's brilliant local arts prog Wide Angle, on Anglia TV, (bring it back please!) Lena and I had already seen the great blues diva in action on screen, singing 'The Big Ten Inch'. We duly met this lovely generous lady after the show and about then, thanks to Dana Gillespie, Lena researched and became hooked on the idea of entertaining singing very early risque blues songs, as she now does.
 
Back in the nineties we put together some great 'double band guest based shows' featuring Dana and Lena working together titled 'The Greates RnB Show....On Legs!  Including their own show at The Theatre Royal, Norwich. Thanks go to Dana indirectly too for the title for this page. Her great friend Bob Dylan once rang me trying to make contact with her from the States, to book her to support him at his Wembley Show. His links page then was simply titled 'Friends Along The Way'. Beautiful and I'm not surprised I can't better it!.

Threaded through some of these years we ran some great jam n band sessions with 'friends along the way' as the 'Rhythm Club,' on Sunday nights at The Ferry Boat Inn.

Our great friend and regular bassist there, Tim Page, is now playing blues with 'The Bourbons' down in Bath where he lives. Local Rhythm Club blues 'regulars' included Phil Selby and 'The Keno Kings', Albert Cooper, The Roosters, Bad To The Bone, plus in later editions some fine jazzers and bands were featured, including Bob Dore  East Coast Band, Pete Oxborough Band(s), Dave Amiss Band(s)  All names and 'friends along the way' you can trust, for high quality live music in Norfolk. Check out the local jazz venues The Green Man, Rackheath (Tues eves) and Lyng Country Club Jazz Nights (Weds eves).

What's next for Lena and the band, as she gets back to live gigging again? Possibly a demo live album or even several albums. Talks are getting under way with sound recording engineer Steve Jinks on these possibilities. As they say....watch this space.

More Friends Along The Way links coming soon. D.