Robin Banks Live in Concert, held at Redbones Blues Café, Braemar Avenue, New Kingston, on Friday night January 26. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

Last Friday night the blues came from Negril, Westmoreland, to RedBones the Blues Café, Braemar Avenue, New Kingston, with attitude, a few glasses of wine, great sense of humour and a black dress with a rear split on Robin Banks.

She set the glass with red wine down on the stage after the band, also from Negril apart from the keyboard player, played its third song and announced showtime. "Were you waiting for me?" Banks asked. "Mama's here," she assured at the answering "Yeah!", a glass of water waiting at her right beside the microphone.

"Let your hair down baby," she started out, musing "There ain't nothing wrong with a little T Bone shuffle," and announcing "this is Texas Blues y'all", facing the band, swaying her hips as the guitarist played the first of many searing solos.

Hardworking blues woman

"I am a hardworking blues woman. There ain't nothing a man ever gave me I couldn't get myself except ...," she said, moving into song with "I just want an eeenie weenie bit, teenie weenie bit of your love".

Keyboard player Everton hit his first solo, Omar following, Banks scatting and the guitarist following with fast fingers. She gave advice to the fellows ("start with a kiss") before going on the rhythm side of the blues with Tell It Like It Is, her right hand tapping against her chest.

There was laughter when she paid homage to her good man with "I love it when he's between my thighs". "If you want me to do about six more songs, somebody bring me another glass of red wine. This one is almost done," she said. She got two glasses one song later and said "I am good for the night. I am Canadian, I can handle it".

And she did, the sipping in between songs continuing as Banks pointed out that "Most of the blues I do is happy and fun. It is about getting over tears", following with an uptempo song which appealed "don't sit under the apple tree with anyone but me". She declared herself a "hoochie coochie woman" and before intermission demanded "put your hands together for my big white ass", promising the dirty songs after the break.

There was an extended wait for the return of wine, ass and song, two reggae numbers from the band and one from Banks coming before the blues. The blues came back with a bang, though, Banks stepping off stage to sing unamplified, up close and personal, to persons around the café, her arms spread wide as the band played low.

Lacklustre response

Back on stage Banks said "We're gonna send this one to all the men who like to make love," but was not satisfied with the lacklustre response. "What the hell is happening in Kingston? I might as well go back to Negril," she said, singing "they got a lot of gigolos, they got lots of things in Negril".

"I was built for comfort. I wasn't built for speed," Banks sang, pushing her hips forward as she sang "I don't care how he lookin', as long as he can push it in". Banks for Rufus Thomas and "walking the dog", bass player Alex getting off a solo, drummer Banga getting his turn after as Banks closed with Muddy Waters, singing "I'm ready, as ready as anybody can be". When the audience did not co-operate on a call and response of "oh yeah!" initially, Banks said "we're gonna get this crowd. I'm going to get them by the testicles". They eventually squealed merrily.

Calls for an encore from the reduced post-midnight audience were encouraged by Banks and a BB King followed The Gleaner out of RedBones, Banks' glass of water untouched and her wine glasses empty.