Featuring studio and live performance tracks donated from the bar’s wide-ranging talent pool throughout its 21 year history, the CDs aim to showcase the eclectic fusion of soul-searching, toe-tapping, foot-stomping and downright gritty blues and rock music that has earned the bar its time-honoured reputation as one of Yorkshire’s most popular free live music venues.

Two-way partnership raises money through music
Now in their eighth year of joint ownership of the bar, licensees Simon and Sharon Colgan explained, “People enjoy great music here and consequently we are always being asked for recordings of performances. Up until now, we’ve been unable to oblige. Blues Bar’s 21st birthday gave us the perfect opportunity for us to put together a soundtrack that would represent a journey of the bar’s musical offerings from when Richard Fox and Mike Hollins founded the bar in 1987 through to the present day. We wanted to mark the occasion but we didn’t want it just to be a money-spinner – it needed to have real value.”

“Matt, the Deputy Manager at the Harrogate branch of Oxfam, which is next door to Blues Bar, is currently promoting a range of OXJAM events in the Harrogate region and he was really the catalyst for the realisation of the CDs. We have always had a brilliant association with Oxfam. They have been outstandingly supportive over the years, and so it was a natural conclusion that we would work with them to raise money during the OXJAM campaign. The timing was perfect. The CDs not only symbolize a very important milestone for the bar, they will help to raise money for a worthwhile cause. We are very grateful to all the people involved in getting the CDs off the ground - we are extremely excited about having them on sale.”

This isn’t the first time Blues Bar has given magnanimously to benevolent causes. Two years ago, actor Hugo Speer, who regards the bar as his home-town local, directed a pantomime at the venue that raised £2000 for Harrogate Hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit.

Nicki Hind, Regional Manager of OXJAM, said, “Blues Bar customers were extremely generous during the previous OXJAM campaigns and we are hoping that the new CDs will help raise people’s awareness of this year’s campaign, which relies on locals to organise music events leading up to and during the month-long festival. Everyone loves live music round here and Blues Bar has long since been a fantastic live music venue. The bar is generally a great neighbour to have. We are really thankful of Simon, Sharon and all the musicians involved and hope that the CDs will raise a lot of money!”

The music on the Greatest Hits CDs has been split into three different styles to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. Featuring artists such as Jed Thomas, Jason Feddy, Knievel, Scapegoat Kelly, the MPE Band, Curtis Ellor and The Birdman Rallies to name but a few, there will be one traditional Blues CD, one live acoustic CD and one alternative Blues CD. The CDs will be available from Blues Bar and selected Oxfam branches in the Yorkshire region from the end of October.

Visit: http://www.oxfam.co.uk

Issued: 30 September 2008.