Mississippi Shakedown High 5

Historical article recovered from a Wayback capture dated 2018-02-24.

Mississippi Shakedown is a 3 piece trio led by slide guitarist Jeff Cripps with influence from America’s deep south performing band member’s originals.

With recent performances at the Goulburn and Thredbo Blues Festivals, and numerous other gigs in Sydney, Newcastle, Perth and Tasmania, Mississippi Shakedown has the appeal to please blues aficionados or the smoky pub Joe Public.

Fronted by Mississippi Jeff Cripps, (well known owner of A# Sharp Recording Studio and winner of the Australian Blues Music Awards Producer of the year 2002 + 2005 + 2006) on Slide Guitar and vocals. The band is driven by John Gannon on bass with Derek Smith on drums in the engine room..!!

Mississippi Shakedown’s debut album ‘Right Here Right Now’ is available at

www.mississippishakedown.com.au

1. CREAM REUNION CONCERT - The Royal Albert Hall 2005

It was awe-inspiring to see Cream live. The band walked out to an incredible roaring standing ovation and each song was greeted with a standing ovation. At one particular time after the crowd had sat down after a song, mid-concert, for no particular reason, people started to clap again and then for a whole minute people were yelling and screaming, I suspect merely out of sheer delight at being at this momentous event. The band just had to stand there and take the applause, and couldn’t start until the tumult died down.

During “Toad”, as Ginger began his drum solo, Jack and Eric wandered over to the side of the stage where they sat down on two chairs. They looked like the odd couple on a park bench – quite cute – would never have been done in the 60s they just sat and listened to Ginger’s solo and had a little chat.

The band played for two hours, and in general the songs were shorter and slower than the versions we know and love. Eric was in top form, though playing through Fender guitars and amps rather than the classic Gibson Marshall combo.

2. THE ALLMAN BROTHERS – Alabama 2005

I’ve never heard a better band – everything was fabulous. Great mix, great playing, great songs. I think this is the best band I’ve ever seen. The audience was very in tune with the band, solos and dynamics. A great vibe – very party atmosphere. We had a chat to the sound guy after the gig and got backstage and talked to Derek Trucks, the young genius slide guitar player.

3. BUDDY GUY, JUNIOR WELLS, FREDDIE KING, HOUND DOG TAYLOR, ARTHUR (BIG BOY) CRUDUP, THE FOREDAY RIDERS

Buddy and Junior Wells were great, pretty straight, but great…Freddie King was pretty full on…kinda Stadium blues. Arthur Crudup was a bit overwhelmed by the occasion I thought, the Buddy Guy band backed him…Arthur would add + cut + paste bars here and there, the band just kept up with him…they didn’t seem to enjoy it that much I felt. But the hit of the concert was Hound Dog Taylor. Out came this skinny, big toothed old guy (about my age now…!)…with a lousy looking guitar, and sat down on a seat and we’re all saying..”What the hell’s this…?“…anyway, he said…“let’s rock” and he did. Two guitars and a small drum kit, everyone loved him from the get-go. I’ve rarely seen an artist grab an audience so quickly and fully, he was wonderful.

4. JACKIE ORSZACZKY & BLAND FRENZY, being in a band with him…!!!

My penultimate is the time I was in a band called Bland Frenzy with Jackie. It was a great band with all original material. some pretty wild stuff let me tell you, kinda Frank Zappa – ish, but I learned heaps from Jackie. We didn’t talk that much about music really, but I absorbed it through osmosis I guess. He’s probably the most “complete” musician I’ve ever played with. It was a privilege.

5. ANY MISSIPPI SHAKEDOWN GIGS

Self indulgent yes! Well, we love playing gigs…and we’re thrilled that we don’t get kicked out of gigs and that people actually love our little combo that is Mississippi Shakedown so get on our email list and we’ll let you know where the next Mississippi Gig is… jeff@asharp.com.au