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Mark Simkins, who leads the band on vocals and guitar, is a highly respected session musician. On this album, for which he wrote twelve of the thirteen tracks, he takes centre stage and fully demonstrates his considerable talents. He has a good voice and is an excellent guitarist. The general mood of the album is slow, gentle and mellow, and the music is decidedly more rock than blues. The slowly rocking first and third tracks, “Fool To Fall” and “Waitin’ For The Night”, typify the mood of the album, displaying an uncanny resemblance to the guitar style of Out Of The Blue’s Eddie Tatton. In contrast, “Nice And Slow” has a funky feel about it and the title track, “Steppin’ Stone”, is an upbeat R&B number. The album closes with more contrasting styles: “Perfect Love” is a slow ballad, “Bad Things” an upbeat blues rocker and “Shades Of Blue” a melodic instrumental. It is a very enjoyable and well-balanced compilation.
Rating: 8
Lionel Ross - Blues in Britain
Discography
All Messed Up - 4 tracks (Jinn House)
Steppin' Stone - 13 tracks (Mark Simkins)
Live at the Harlequin - 10 track DVD (Jinn House)
Demons - 12 tracks (Mark Simkins)
Currently recording a new Blues Album
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Bio
Mark formed Jinn House some 20 years ago since when the band have been continuously playing in the London, Surrey, Sussex and Kent areas, from the tiniest pub to social clubs, private parties, motorcycle rallies, annual tours in Cornwall and supporting the likes of Company of Snakes, Kenney Jones 'Jones Gang', Chicken Shack, Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash.
Mark is a well-respected lead guitarist, having worked with a number of other bands including The John Slaughter Band, AHA, touring Germany with The Glitter Band, and a main member of The Paul Cox Band for 10 years. He is also a prolific songwriter and has released two albums in his own write, Steppin' Stone (Note Music) reviewed by Lionel Ross of Blues in Britain, and Demons (own label - sound previews on this site). He is currently finishing his third album which will be available soon.
Mick was first handed a bass-guitar by his brother when he was the tender age of eleven years-old, and the first tune he taught Mick was "Smoke on the Water" (ironic that!). Since then he taught himself to play by listening to songs and figuring-out bass-lines and techniques. He has played with a number of Jazz-Funk, cabaret and function bands and his main influences have been Marcus Miller, Les Claypool, and Larry Graham ("true masters"). "It's great to be back making noise with these two guys - how can three blokes play so loud, and still sound good?"
Matt is fast developing a reputation as one of the most slap-happy, reliable drummers on the circuit. With the emphasis on rock–solid time keeping, he would be mortified if he thought he wasn’t entertaining. Once described in the Surrey Mirror as “a natural born show off”, the following years have done nothing to dampen his spirits. “If you leave early and haven’t noticed me, I haven’t done my job” … said the handsome devil.
Oh ……… and he’s modest!
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