Clarksdale's Blues guitarist and singer, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram's London's O2 Forum Kentish Town gig, the first night of his recent five-date UK tour, had the bonus of support from 2023 US International Blues Challenge winner Mathias Lattin and Blues and Soul prodigy Dylan Triplett. Indeed, Kingfish's tour manager was so right to urge me to sample both artists’ brew of Soul and Blues!

Dylan opened and delivered a set rich in smooth US Soul filled vocality, as well as featuring shades of Marvin Gaye and some Reggae inflections too. Next, Mathias opened up on his guitar from the get go, and aided by bass guitar stalwart Stephen Hull, Lattin demonstrated his technical prowess.

A rich set mixing up smooth Blues with rawer guitar solos, mainly drawn from his well worth listening to 2023 debut album, 'Up Next', the Houston native included 'Lose Some Weight’, the beautiful 'Don’t You Cry No More‘, as well as the upbeat 'Party' and 'All On My Own'.

Lattin then invited Triplett and Hull back on stage to join forces with his band to deliver a delightful rendition of Al Green's 'Love & Happiness', setting the musical table for Kingfish. Indeed, both artists are worth checking out, and along with the well impressed audience, we await their further development and future musical offerings with real interest. A thoroughly enjoyable aperitif, catching these two outstanding artists in action!

Review and Photos: Denise Lester