Jim Mullen (born 26 November 1945) is a Glasgow-born jazz guitarist with a distinctive style, like Wes Montgomery before him, picking with the thumb rather than a plectrum.[1]
Jim Mullen was guitarist with Pete Brown & Piblokto! for two albums in 1970. He then played with Brian Auger's Oblivion Express,[2] appearing on the band's first three albums together with future Average White Band drummer Robbie McIntosh, Mullen then joined Kokomo and later toured with the Average White Band.
It was while both musicians were touring the United States with AWB in the mid-70s that Mullen met tenor saxophone player Dick Morrissey, and throughout the 1980s, he found critical notice as joint leader of the British jazz funk band Morrissey–Mullen.[2] Record producer Richard Niles, who produced the band's sixth album, It's About Time, later produced three solo albums for Mullen.[3]
Mullen has also played and recorded with, among others, Mose Allison, Hamish Stuart, Joanna Eden, Tam White, Claire Martin, Mike Carr, Jimmy Witherspoon, Dave O'Higgins and Georgie Fame, Sinan Alimanović, and Frank Holder. Mullen has recorded as part of , a collective of session musicians on their Paul McCartney-produced album All About the Music, alongside special guests Jocelyn Brown, Hamish Stuart and Angelo Starr. In 2014, he featured prominently on the Citrus Sun album, 'People of Tomorrow', produced by Incognito co-founder, Jean-Paul 'Bluey' Maunick.
Mullen has won many British music awards including "Best Guitar" in the British Telecom Jazz Awards (1994, 1996 and 2000).
These two gigs were pulled together at short notice but got a good turnout nonetheless. The best news was that Jim is back, and was on top form. However, Paddie couldn’t make it, so Charlotte Churchman stood in and did a great job, and brought a number from her repertoire – Stevie Wonder’s “What’s the
Rise & Shine and What’s the Fuss from the Wednesday night. More to come!
A few numbers from the first of two great nights at the Half Moon, October 2016
By general agreement, these were the best gigs since the 2014 re-union – two sold-out nights with crowds in the weekend mood helped. For the record, Mel Collins was back on sax (“Bet you don’t get a reception like that with King Crimson” said Frank), and Andy Treacey from Faithless was on drums. Two ‘new old’ songs were in the set: “What You Waiting For” (AKA Turn Up the Microphone”), an obscure Norman Whitfield disco track originally recorded by Stargard (video from the night here), and the Quincy Jones number “Stuff Like That”.
Read Craig Chaligne’s review on Louder Than War (he liked it).
Thanks to Steven Cropper for these great photos. Check out the rest of his work at www.transientlife.uk
From the the first of two sold-out nights at Half Moon, 14 October 2016
Boisdale is a up-scale ‘restaurant in Canary Wharf that has live jazz, blues and soul music every day. Robert Elms hosts an occasional Friday ‘soul night’ there, often with tribute bands. But Robert is a long-term Kokomo fan, so Sue Martin managed to get Kokomo booked.
This was a very different gig than Wednesday’s Half Moon show. Everyone was seated, and hardly anyone had come specifically to see Kokomo. However, lots of people had clearly come to dance, and the tiny dance floor in front of the stage was soon full to overflowing. It was great that Kokomo is reaching a new audience.
Here are some photos from Sue Martin, Doug Dean and Alan Jackson
