Geno heads for Durham

THE Durham Blues, Rhythm and Rock Festival 5 will be taking place at The Gala Theatre on Saturday, June 20.

To celebrate the fifth anniversary of the event, organisers Solid Entertainments were determined to make the line-up even better and add a distinctive international flavour. The result is Geno Washington headlining 12 different artists over two stages and ensuring this is one festival not to be missed

From Evansville in Indiana, US, Geno first came to England in the 1960s as part of the US Air Force. His love of blues and soul music soon found him jamming with local bands in and around Ipswich and eventually led him to London where he caused a sensation singing with top R&B acts Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames and Zoot Money's Big Roll Band at the Flamingo Club in Soho. The rest, as they say, is history. Throughout the years Geno and his band have continued to tour extensively all over the world and have released several highly-acclaimed albums and singles. His latest live double album, simply entitled It's Geno Time, was recorded at the legendary Half Moon in Putney, and is widely regarded as his best work to date

Another chapter in his illustrious career was the formation of Geno and the Yo Yo's, which features the long standing rhythm section of the Ram Jam Band (Geoff Hemsley on drums, Steve Bingham on bass and Stuart Dixon on guitar). Geno has gone down in history as having two of the biggest-selling UK albums of the 1960s. Both were live albums.

The Main Street stage will host: Geno Washington, Aynsley Lister, The Brew, Larry Miller, Erja Lyytinen, Red Butler,

Artists playing on the Blues Cafe Acoustic Stage are: Jack J Hutchinson, Gary "The Slide Guy" Smith, Alex McKown, Gary Grainger, Mike Wyatt, Starvin' Sid

Advance tickets are £28 and to book call 01472-349-222 or go online at durhambluesfestival.co.uk/tickets.html

Don’t be late, doors open at 1.30pm and the music starts at 2pm and ends at 10pm.