Al Gare
The Late 80’s were spent cutting his teeth on the visionary Band “Sgt Bilkos Crazy Combo” with whom he cut a track for the “Stompin at the Klubfoot ” series No 5. Al spent the nineties touring the world, recording, and making several TV and radio appearances with the highly acclaimed rhythm and blues band King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys. After performing with them on over 1,500 occasions and recording several studio and live albums he finally called it a day and decided to go freelance in February 2001. Al’s travels have taken him from the West Coast of the States to the northern tip of Russia, playing most major cities in Europe and headlining top festivals at home and abroad. Trips to America have included a university tour of New York state, Dan Ackroyd’s House of Blues Club in Boston, The Brown Derby in Hollywood, shows in San Jose, San Francisco and Scottsdale-Arizona. Frequent tours of central Europe have seen him playing hundreds of gigs at major venues and festivals in France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Holland (the North Sea Festival along side a host of top American artists and The Paradiso Club), Turkey, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland (with Ray Charles) and Ireland (eight years at the Cork Festival). The early nineties saw him cross the border from a tour of Norway into (pre-breakup) Russia where he headlined the Arctic Blues Festival, which was broadcast live on Russian TV.
Back home Al has performed virtually everywhere in the British Isles! Highlights have been hometown gigs at the Symphony Hall, (support to BB King), The Alexandra Theatre (support act to the late Cab Calloway) the NEC main arena and the Royal Albert Hall in London, Ronnie Scott’s club in London and Birmingham, regular appearances at top London venues; The 100 Club, The Mean Fiddler, The Dublin Castle and The Jazz Cafe’, The 1994 Brit Awards at The Alexandra Palace, two appearances at the Reading Festival; the SECC in Glasgow; headlining various festivals and supporting the likes of Jools Holland, Georgie Fame and Alan Price; two major concerts sharing the bill with the original Blues Brothers Band and several Theatre tours of the UK.
BACKIN’ THE STARS! Al has also joined various ’stars’ on stage including the Guitar Legend Bobby Parker, Roy Wood and Steve Gibbons, and one memorable night in Newport, Wales, the legendary Van Morrison appeared with the band for a couple of songs. Al is also the Bass player for the Rhythm Riot Kings of Rhythm who back US stars when playing in the UK. These include: Chuck Rio; The Bobettes; The Medallions; Jimmy McCracklin; Big Jay McNeeley; The 5 Keys; Wanda Jackson; H-Bomb Ferguson; Clarence “Frogman” Henry, Roddy Jackson, Hank Thompson, Joe Houston, Jimmy Cavello; Frankie Ford; Lazy Lester; Hardrock Gunter; Frankie Miller; Big Al Downing; Billy Lee Riley; Shirley Gunter, Roy Gaines, Freddie Cannon, NickCurran, Warren Storm, Little Willie Littlefield, Young Jessie, The Legends of Doo-Wop, Eugene Pitt, Harvey Farquis,Herbie Cox, Dennis Binder, Sugar Chile Robinson,The Cleftones and Louis Lymon and The Teenagers..
Al is also the Bass player with Bands such as Palookaville ( late 50s – early 60s trashy RnR instrumentals with Al on Bass Guitar!)The Giant Killers ( Blues Guitarist James O’Hara), Basehart (Pete Williams ex Dexy’s Midnight Runners) He did a brief stint in the Internationally known British Blues band The Nightporters playing festivals all over europe until finally settling into The Wonderful Imelda May Band and The Mike Sanchez Band (The Rhythm Kings/Big Town Playboys) with whom he has travelled extensively throughout, and was joined on stage by Bill Wyman to play four numbers early 2002.
Recording-wise, Al has appeared on several albums with the Biscuit Boys and also recorded tracks with the late blues legend Charles Brown. More recently he has recorded with the highly acclaimed Richard Hawley, Mike Sanchez and The Imelda May best selling Album “Love Tattoo” Imelda was featured on Later with Jools TV show in 2008 which springboarded her into the spotlight, Radio appearances have included sessions for the Paul Jones show, 6 music, Mark Lamarr’s “Gods Jukebox” and live gigs broadcast on BBC Radio 2 & 3 and various American, French and Dutch stations.
Al also co-produces with his Wife Saffron, The Candy Box Burlesque Club, Birmingham www.candyboxburlesque.com.
