Blues singer launches new record

WARRINGTON-based blues singer Makuini launches a new EP at Woolston Royal British Legion on Wednesday, July 31.
The songs on “Roll of the Dice” tell of her travels around the world, she says, and stand-out track “I Am the River” – written by her sister Heeni – tells of the Whanganui River in her native New Zealand rather than the Mississippi.
But the five original tracks on the EP are deeply rooted in the blues and while Makuini says she grew up listening to Mahalia Jackson, Billie Holliday and Sarah Vaughan, on the evidence of this record, her style owes much more to Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey.
This is no bad thing. Makuini belts out the blues convincingly enough and is well supported by a backing group including Sarge Frampton, guitars, George Glover, keyboards, Steve Parry, bass guitar and brass and Paul Burgess, drums.
They’ll be there providing the backing at Woolston and the show is to support Dean Frampton’s “Just Giving” appeal for Warrington and Halton NHS Trust charitable fund in memory of his mother, Mimy, who passed away last November.
Mimy was a close friend of Makuini for more than 30 years, coming to the UK together with their musician husbands.
Makuini – pronounced “Ma Queenie” – means White Queen.
Other tracks on the EP are “Corporate Man”, “Down on Their Luck”, “Move Over” and “Ko Au Te Awa.”
Picture: The EP cover