Willie Hightower Live!
With the impending release of Willie Hightower’s brand new Ace album uppermost in the minds of soul fans everywhere, those who live or can travel easily to the Cambridge area – that’s Massachusetts, not the home of punting and universities – should take note of this upcoming ‘can’t miss’ show at that town’s Middle East Restaurant and Nightclub.
It’s the most travelled man in music (and great fan of Ace) Noah Schaffer’s 40th birthday party, rather than an official launch for Willie’s album – but it’s highly likely that Willie might perform a song or two from it as part of his usual supremely soulful set, given that the album will only have been on the streets for a week.
As well as Willie, Noah’s Birthday Bonanza is co-headlined by another friend of Ace/Kent. Miss Thelma Jones will doubtless be dipping into both her Barry! and Columbia repertoire to perform the kind of A-Class show that she delivered to a highly impressed multitude here in the UK a few years ago. Unfortunately they will not now be joined by cult soul hero Eddie ‘Shorty’ Billups (as advertised) due to a clash of schedules, but Willie and Thelma are surely enough to get the pulses of any hard core soul fans racing.
And that’s not all - the most excellent band of Noah’s pal Eli Paperboy Reed will be providing the kind of musical accompaniment that acts of this calibre demand and deserve. No karaoke backing tapes here.
Like the flyer says, tickets are available from a number of sources both local and online (but not from Ace, please note).
