Looking more like a deranged toff than ever - swept back hair, tweedy jacket, and eyes wide ala Hugh Laurie - Chris Jagger appears a world away from a champion of world music. And yet the rocking, reeling younger brother of Rolling Stone Mick and his band Atcha have been setting places alight with their Cajun-zydeco rock for a good decade now. This riverside club in the rock 'n 'roll heartland of south- west London specialises in making Mondays good - veterans such as Medicine Head's John Fiddler, ex Jeff Beck Group drummer Micky Waller, and Cream lyricist Pete Brown all appearing - but this is hotter than most.
Jagger starts off with a five piece band. There's his long time cohort Charlie Hart, a roots rock champion from his days with Juice On The Loose and Ronnie Lane's Slim Chance, on keyboards, and squeezebox, snappy drummer Malcolm Mortimer, one of Wes McGhee's sidemen, young guitar whizz Jim Mortimer, and bass and percussion. Jagger has a new album out soon, featuring his brother on harmonica ("Sorry he couldn't be here tonight") and Pink Floyd guitarist Dave Gilmour. A host of songs from the record show that he has moved on, the straight Louisiana sound giving way to a more relaxed island beach front feel. The subtle new direction is still heavy on rocking rhythm taking in elements of blues but in a warmer more relaxed way.
After the break - with Rock chums like Ronnie's brother Art Wood and original Hank Wangford drummer Howard Tibble wandering about - there's a different feel, heading back to New Orleans. Boogie piano man Ben Waters ambles onto the stage and Hart switches to accordion. Other chums head to the front and you've suddenly got a nine man band with sax and harp. Jagger slips on the washboard and suddenly looks even more like his big brother as he whirls and stamps and the family lips take on a life of their own. Mortimer's guitar slips and slides, conjuring unlikely licks which complement the more traditional Cajun rock, and the whole thing ends up with the crowd dancing. It was one hell of a party for a Monday night.
NICK DALTON
Maverick Magazine