ALL that's left of the once packed Illovo Blues Room is rubble. A few kilometres north, under a lot of scaffolding, the Village Walk Blues Room is closed. Is this the state of local blues? Fortunately, no. The entire Village Walk centre is under construction, but beneath all that scaffolding is a lot of soul. Legendary blues rocker Ceorge Worthmore recently bought into the Blues Room - it's only closed because today is Monday; it's always closed on Mondays. During the rest of the week it packs them in, despite the scaffolding. "The hammering never stops," laments George. "lf you want to know about the blues, spend time here during the day." I went back the next weekend. During the band's first set, the Blues Room relaxes into a mellow atmosphere - there's nothing more soulful than blues vocals over jazzy instrumentals. Just sit back and get into the groove. Then it's time to push back the tables and dance. Get down, baby! The Blues Room offers live music five nights a week. The music is more rocking blues than I'm-dying- because-my-baby-left-me kind of blues. There are a few South African venues which offer local blues artists an opportunity to perform, but the Blues Room goes three steps further: it's committed to blues. George Worthmore, an accomplished musician on New York's music scene, came to South Africa in 1995 and became a regular attraction at the Illovo Blues Room. He liked it so much he decided to emigrate. George was part of the huge blues resurgence that started three decades ago. "Bands like Led Zeppelin were reminding us of national treasures like 'Muddy Waters'," he reminisces. "I fell in love with it." He spent a year with Kinky Friedman, and has played back-up guitar for the likes of Bo Diddley, Ben B. King and Screamin' Jav Hawkins. A "roots" guitarist, George is at home playing rock 'n' roll, rockabilly, country, R&B and the blues. Although he brings out American bands from time to time, like his own - George Worthmore & The Divebombers, George gives up-and- coming South African bluesos a regular berth. Musicians like Robin Walsh and Joe Blue - an ex Robben lsland prisoner - and bands like the Jack Bond Blues Band and the Loan Sharks. "The Blues Room is an upscale venue for successful people to blow off some steam," says George. But it is also one of those rare unaggressive places in Johannesburg that doesn't need violent bouncers. Since its birth in October 1996, only one person has had to be turfed out by George (who is also an ex-boxer) for disorderly behaviour That must be a record for Johannesburg. If only it was open on Sundays and Mondays. For more information, or to book, phone (011) 784-5527/8.
Article by JONATHAN ANCER, taken from DIRECTIONS, June 1997