Pick's Pocket

Pick originally formed the 6 piece band, Pick's Pocket, during Covid and their first gig was online with no audience! This gig will be a party worth being at featuring, in Pick's opinion, some of the most talented musicians around, of all ages. They will be playing some of the great songs that Pick loved and that made him decide to be a musician.

Back in the Covid days, stranded by the Mersey river, when there was the prospect of folks getting out and about and socialising again, I hatched this idea to revisit the first incarnation of rhythms and blues.

I had, for sometime, been aware of a daily ferry service to and from the Isle of Man and, writ large along the hull of the boat in winter and a catamaran in summer service, was the company logo, 'Strampacket'. This was also the name of a band/show in the sixties featuring Brian Auger/Long John Baldry/Rod Stewart and Julie Driscoll. So here we are, repackaging (see what I did there) the old, dare I say, songbook of r&b repertoire. Also, what was intriguing for me to see was how in the many, many intervening years my playing has changed, from my introduction to this stuff as a callow teenager/naive yet enthusiastic drummer, to today.

All these early recordings would be in in mono and made without recourse to overdubs or dropping in to replace any individual mistakes. I think, as a direct consequence of these limitations, the overall quest was to achieve an atmosphere, some would suggest feel.

Jerry Wexler, who I had the pleasure of working with on two albums, was always looking for the sauce that lubricated a performance. This invariably would manifest itself between the musicians and be often referred to being, when successful, 'in the pocket.'

The band consists of my old mucker, Marcus Cliffe on bass, and I am delighted to introduce Luca Boscsgin on guitar, on keys, Michael Gorman and covering vocals with consummate ease, the delightful Megan Thomas and cohort of similar vintage, Luke Marzec.