Muddy Waters Remembered

The John O’Leary and Alan Glen All Stars lead proceedings – serving up great tunes from the Muddy Waters songbook and being joined by a stack of special guests. This is always a fantastic night of music and fun with everyone performing being united by one thing… a deep rooted love of the music of MISTER McKINLEY MORGANFIELD.

John O’Leary

John was one of the pioneers of the art of the blues harmonica in the UK. Originally from Ireland, John’s family was part of the massive migration to England in the aftermath of World War 2. In London’s thriving jazz clubs of the 1960’s he first heard blues harp player Cyril Davies with Alexis Korner’s Blues Inc.

John bought his first instrument in 1962 and learned to play by listening and watching Davies. Inevitably, he discovered the great masters of the blues harmonica: Sonny Boy Williamson No.1, Sonny Terry, Little Walter, Noah Lewis, James Cotton, Shakey Horton and Junior Wells. John’s career has seen his involvement with numerous bands and musicians over four decades. Beginning in 1965 with Savoy Brown’s Blues Band through to the present day John O’Leary & Sugarkane, John has continued to maintain a prominent position on the British and European blues scene.

Alan Glen

Alan Glen is a British blues harmonica player and guitarist, best known for his work with The Yardbirds, Nine Below Zero, Little Axe, and his own bands, The Barcodes and The Incredible Blues Puppies.

Glen started playing harmonica after seeing Muddy Waters, and the ‘American Folk-Blues Festivals’ which visited London in the late 1960s and early 1970s, his early influences being Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson and Junior Wells. Early bands he was involved with were Crowjane Bluesband, The Radical Sheiks and Brothers Grimm, before going on to join Nine Below Zero (1991–1995), and The Yardbirds (1996–2003 and 2008–2009).

Glen has played on over 50 albums and recorded/performed with Alannah Myles, Jeff Beck, Steve Vai, Slash, John Mayall, Steve Lukather, and has also recorded six albums with Little Axe.