Geraint Watkins is fully aware that for most his career he has been most visible a sideman and band member. It’s how people like me, know him. He is philosophical recognising that being a player for Paul McCartney, Mark Knopfler, Van Morrison, Nick and many others on a long list has paid the bills. AIDE MEMOIRE is a long and lively look at the other career of Geraint Watkins, musician, singer and songwriter. Arranged chronologically, forty one tracks stretch from 1977 to 2019, taking in his time as a founder member of The Balham Alligators and featuring selections from a wealth of increasingly strong solo albums. It’s a deeply satisfying listen and underlines that the fact that Watkins is well kept secret and national treasure long overdue for discovery.
“Deep In The Heart Of Texas”, “Man Smart Women Smarter” and “Nobody” from 1977’s GERAINT WATKINS AND THE DOMINATORS are Pub Rock stompers with a touch of Little Feat bounce and old school rock n roll, powered by Geraint’s vocals and piano and an amazing rhythm section. The mighty Balham Alligators add some New Orleans swirl and drive. LIFE IN THE BUS LANE might be named for sprawling London but “You Ain’t Nothing But Fine” and “I Don’t Wanna Be In Love” are driven by the sound of The Big Easy with Geraint’s accordion and Robin McKidd’s fiddle well to the fore. “Allons Rock N Roll” features some hot playing on the ivories and accordion from Bob Dylan’s favourite English piano player. The three tracks The Balham Alligators 1996 GATEWAY TO THE South, “Allons Rock N Roll”, “Johnny B Goode “ and “Secret Love” also feature fine guitar variously from Gary Rickard, Bill Kitchen and Steve Donnelly. Watkins in the sleeve notes may favour the raucous freewheeling live “ Sacre Bleu” Live at The Half Moon in 1984, but the band’s Jazz Blues mellow version of “Johnny B Goode” is a lush triumph. That brassy lush sound continues on “My Happy Day” from 1997’s WATKINS BOLD AS LOVE. A Fats Waller inspired vocal and a retro sound bring a smile on this and “Don’t Knock It”, as does the Ska tinged Rock n Roll of “I Love Being In Love”. “Don’t Stop” and the other 1997 tracks are full of retro appeal with warm harmonies and infectious melodies. Geraint gently berates The Beatles for making song writing look so easy, but tracks like “Don’t Stop” are full of that McCartney Beatles pop sparkle. The country “Sweetheart” has some stirring guitar and Bob Loveday’s lyrical violin. “Don’t Knock It”, “Honey Honey” and “It’s Over” feature warm vocals, beautifully brass from Nick Pentelow and importantly a languid swinging piano that suggests Watkins could have cornered the market in smooth jazz blues feel good music before that other twinkler Jools Holland cornered the market. “Its A Wonderful Life” croons out of the speakers like a late night Southern States radio station. Organ, Bass, shuffle drums, fine vocal and a sublime saxophone solo. “Two Rocks” spiritual vocal and organ, from DIAL W FOR WATKINS, carries that vibe on. Otherworldly “Turn That Chicken Down” is a unique blend of RL Burnside’s looped blues and Furry Lewis’ “Shake Em On Down”. “Heroes And Villains” and “Go West are inspired easy Western Swing Jazz Blues classics with vocals that out swing Louis Jordan in a welsh way. One of the vocal highlights across the collection has to be the incredible soulful “Soldier Of Love”. Geraint’s organ and piano bring the heat and funk but his singing is inspired. Accompanied by a shimmering electric guitar the vocals on “Only A Rose” are also worth a mention. With a guitar straight from “Dark End Of The Street” and a smooth as Pops Staples vocal “Easy To Say ‘Bon Temps Rouler” from 2008’s IN A BAD MOOD, is a soulful triumph. Years pass, as they inevitably do on these compilations and with time the voice just gets better ( which is not always the case). “Champion” is another pared back classic with gently swinging church piano, more perfect brass and a beautifully vocal full of Randy Newman like slurred notes. “Chagrin” is a country tex-mex torch song with a touch of Piaf, the understated strings setting up the piano and vocal. “Jenni” is more pared back perfection, both Watkins’ 50s spoken vocal and his crooning lead are spot on. “Heart Of The City” lyrically and sonically nods back to The Balham, as does the rocking “Walking To Milwaukee” with the snappy rhythm section, the warm accordion on the former and slick guitar on the latter. Kate St John’s unmistakable Cor Anglais gives a Country Van Morrison edge, or Newman Americana feel to the emotional “House On The Prairie”, but those smooth harmony vocals nod to an earlier simpler time. “Keep On” is another of the warm feel-good blues numbers carried by smooth vocals and a ska like bounce. As soupy and charged as Dr John, “All Around The World” is a soulful protest song full of emotion. “Shine A Light”, a very spiritual love song, smoulders and cooks with tasteful touches of guitar and strings. 2019’s RUSH OF BLOOD raises the heat a little with the reverb heavy Johnny Cash Sun Records sounding title track and “Middle Of The Night”. “Heaven Only Knows” is a classic delta Blues, smooth Geraint Watkins style, with a very soulful vocal and piano, some inventive percussion and heavenly clarinet from Martin Winning. The most recent album is a winning mix of classic soulful blues, tastefully arranged with plenty of room for Geraint to deliver top drawer vocals, as he does on the sublime, almost gospel “On The Nside” and the funky “On My Mind”. Tracks like “I Got The Blues” glow with gravitas and authority as Geraint nods to the classics and consistently nails it. “Another Day Over” closes with a little dissonance, solid solo piano jazz and a final crooner vocal as the strings sing. It all is delivered with love and real feeling as the album fades perfectly on a Beatlesque string part.
I knew The Balham Alligators from 1980s posters and late night radio, but it’s the warm and rich 90s and 21st century albums that were a real revelation. Those I cannot recommend too highly. Geraint’s prowess and inventiveness has only grown through the 42 years of recordings hear to jog our memories.
Marc Higgins 21/05/23
Last Music 41 tracks
Time Past and Time Passing 