What can we say about Tony ‘Binks’ Bayliss! Currently also a member of The Bootleg Shads with Tony C, 10 years with the Oliver and Tony in the BBC and five with Oliver, Tony and Stretch in Pig in Shades - Tony returns to the fold. Easy going, with a very eclectic taste in music, Tony has been playing the keyboards in public since the age of 10, and prides himself on minimizing the number of notes he plays!

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The singer and frontman for The Big Blues Tribe, Oliver calls on all his experience singing the blues for 20 years to front this talented bunch.

As the initial driving force behind the band following his time with the Backdoor Blues Corporation, 3 Man Jam! and CockerMouth he set out to put together a bigger blues band  for a REALLY full sound - and it means you still get to hear his famous yodelling trumpet (Yippee??).

Bass player with Oliver in the BBC and CockerMouth (and also Pig in Shades!) and famed for his chirpy (and loud) disposition, Tony is as important for the band in the dressing room as he is on the stage.

In the dim and distant past Tony played on the bill with all the greats, and his stories about his close personal friendship with Van Morrison in the 60’s are legendary.

 

Stretch has been in and out of Oliver and the two Tony’s lives for many, many years. Growing up in Tamworth bands with Tony Cole, he joined Pig in Shades with Oliver  and the two Tony’s (15 years ago?) and ever since has been there to drop in when needed. He was part of  the Expresso Bongo Orchestra in its early days and has quietly played with every Midlands musician since. Now lives in Leicester. Stretch never takes to the stage without his ‘drum monkey’.

 

 Jon has been playing guitar for a long time (he reputedly had hair when he started) with early influences being BB and Albert King. A former member of blues band Dead Man’s Cab, Jon has played a wide range of music over the years including a flare-wearing stint with a 70s disco cover band, but is always happiest playing blues.

Playing alto and soprano sax Carolyn is a real asset to the Tribe. She has been a member of lots of the really top Worcestershire bands over the years. Carolyn hails from rural Droitwich and has jumped up on stage with Tony and Oliver in their BBC days. You name them, she’s appeared with them, venues, she’s played ‘em all. Now she’s taking more singing responsibilities with The Tribe as it develops full five part harmonies.

Steve's mighty baritone was one of the most characteristic sounds of Midlands soul legends, The Commandments for many, many years, and provided much of the underpinning for the occasional rock-jazz big band Svengali, and salsa sensation Mambo Taxi. Now, besides his Tribal affiliations, Steve's flute and saxophone can be heard fronting Birmingham's boogaloo latin soul band Alma Latina which often appears at our festivals.

Beth has a passion for music of any kind (from Stravinsky to Soundgarden) and has sung and played from a very early age in various choirs, orchestras and brass bands. She studied music at Rolle College with her voice as her main instrument so the blues has been a fun departure from the classical training!!

Versatile singer/songwriter/keyboard and sax player who has gained vast experience performing in various formats, from fronting 20 piece big bands down to solo performances with piano. 

 

Her own material draws upon a mixture of influences including blues, funk, soul and jazz.  Abby appeared on ITV1’s show “Music Uncovered” as well as reaching the finals of “Midlands Finest”, a competition supported by UB40 to unearth undiscovered talent.

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