Bluebox

Bluebox

Bluebox are an accordion fronted blues band playing original material based in Narberth, Wales. There is a Bluebox facebook page here with a few phone videos and demo recordings to listen to.

New CD: “All I Want to do is Play the Blues”

The new CD is out! you can buy it in my shop, read about it in my blog, and listen to another track on my soundcloud!

Bluebox CD
Bluebox CD
Bluebox: George Whitfield, Nick Swannell, Bob Murphy and AJ (who is hidden behind Nick)
Bluebox: George Whitfield, Nick Swannell, Bob Murphy and AJ (who is hidden behind Nick)

 

Video – Bluebox live at Tenby Blues Festival 2013

Here’s the line up – Rhythm Section:

AJ and Bob from Bluebox
My rhythm section AJ and Bob Murphy – totally solid!

 

 

Hugely experienced AJ on drums and West Coast Blues Band’s Bob “the bass” Murphy provide the power.

 

Guitar

Nick Swannell playing guitar with a plectrum stuck to his head
Nick Swannell who not only plays the guitar upside-down and the wrong way round (beautifully) but also has a unique method of storing a plectrum whilst finger picking

 

Upside-down-left-handed guitarist Nick Swannell keeps a traditional blues-rock sound and feel, playing with a free contemporary style he always gets a great sound and pops in the odd bit of delightful slide.

 

Accordion in a blues band?

George Whitfield and Nick Swannell
Bluebox’s George Whitfield and Nick Swannell

 

 

Yes! it fits in brilliantly – there’s a Cajun element, but most of my playing is more inspired from the likes of John Lord of Deep Purple – who played the Hammond Organ often with distortion.

George's MIDI accordion and outboard equipment
George’s MIDI accordion and outboard equipment

 

My accordion is MIDI enabled so I can make use of my Roland VK-8M which is an amazing emulation of the mighty Hammond. On top of that the acoustic sound of the box is put through a valve amp giving a sound like that loved by blues harmonica players. The mix of the two is powerful and unique!

 

The Songs

Bluebox is my project and we play a set entirely written by me – a wide range of blues style songs from old to modern, woven into a mix of Welsh road-song and tales of real life.

Bluebox set list and retro guitar pedal
Bluebox set list and retro guitar pedal

Bluebox is not an attempt to make money! It’s my thing that I have to do… we will never play Mustang Sally – but if you want a sincere original material blues band with great experienced jamming musicians get in touch. We go out in Pembrokeshire for £200 – that’s just 50 quid a head!