Jimmy Regal & The Royals (not those ones) continue their crafty exploration of the past and future roots of blues.

GOING PLACES

Taking the roots of blues to new places. Exploring the past, present and what light lie in the future. Jimmy Regal & The Royals are inspired from music cultures around the world, from North Mississippi, New Orleans, Senegal to Mali but remain resolutely and unashamedly South London.

The core set up of harmonica, guitar and drums is the basis of their signature inventive sound. One which is many layered and brings in the more standard horn section as well as those diverse influences while keeping a grounding in no-nonsense rhythm and blues.

KNOWING DIDDLEY

The importance of song remains similarly at the core. Lyricism, themes ranging from the grit and joy of everyday life to poets, characters, fights in pubs, the fight inside you…and bad cars. “These songs are all true,” they say.

Three ‘singles’ jump start the album, and while they may claim they Don’t Know Diddley in the opening number, they do a fine job of hammering out that most recognizable of rhythms, yet with a healthy freshness. And while that rhythm may be familiar to all, even in the depths of as yet undiscovered deep jungles in what’s left of the rainforests, the mission of the band remains the same. To go forth and expand what they do rhythmically and adhere to the thrill of being inspired by so much diversity and richness.

Those inspirations come thick and fast. Amazingly enough they dedicate the opening cut to those who really don’t know Diddley. The mission to spread the joy in one fell swoop and with a blast of brass, perfect fare. As Snap back continues to, erm, snap back, you’ll encounter nods to and undertones of Junior Kimbrough, Huey ‘Piano’ Smith (maybe ‘pianosmith’ should be a new musical term for piano doyens?) plus the likes of djembe player Seydou from Burkina Faso and a small part of the Venn diagram where via Diabel Cissokho and Kimbrough, West Africa meets North Mississippi.

MICKEY RETURNS

Slightly less exotic but no less invaluable, writing inspirations dial into the daily grind of working in a South London bookies, unreliable motor vehicles and the return/continuing adventures of Mickey Two Suits from First And Last Stop. Don’t Try comes from the gravestone of poet and novelist Charles Bukowski. “He was a drunkard with something of the preacher in him,” apparently and the track sees   layered percussion and guitars building a sense of occasion. 

For all the collaborations and fusions with Blues of the past and musicians who might be tarred with the ‘world music’ brush, Well Done heads directly back to basics. ‘Do not pass Go’ …etc. All live, no overdubs; a proper back of the boozer romp for this full throttle harmonica instrumental. On an album anchored by Sammy Samuels driving beat or rumbling round the tomes, this is Joff Watkins in his element.

Here’s the Jimmy Regal & The Royals in trio form at Tangled Blues Festival, Radford Mill, August 2026:

Jimmy Regal online: Website

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