# The De Luxe Blues Band: Live at the Half Moon, Putney
The De Luxe Blues Band's 1981 live album captures a moment of authentic British blues performance during a period when the genre was experiencing a significant cultural presence in the United Kingdom. This recording features a collective of skilled musicians including Danny Adler, Bob Brunning, Bob Hall, and Mick Waller, each bringing substantial experience to their respective instruments. Released by Hot Box Records, this vinyl document represents the working blues scene of early 1980s London, specifically capturing a performance at the Half Moon venue in Putney, a location that had become increasingly important to the British blues community.
The album opens with "Rooster Boogie," immediately establishing the energetic and authentic approach that defines the recording. The band moves through classic blues standards with the confidence of seasoned performers, selecting material that showcases both traditional blues structures and their contemporary interpretations. "Half Moon Blues" provides the album its most locally-rooted moment, a piece that appears to reflect the venue itself. The inclusion of "Hootchie Cootchie Man," a Willie Mayhon standard, alongside original compositions demonstrates the band's respect for blues tradition while maintaining their own identity.
The second side reveals a deeper exploration of the blues vocabulary. "Ready, Willing And Able" and "No Money Down" showcase the band's ability to drive rhythmically compelling performances, while "Swivel Tongue Baby" displays the playful lyrical tradition within blues music. The album concludes with "You Upset Me Baby," a fitting end that leaves listeners with the emotional core of the blues experience.
What distinguishes this live recording is its capture of real-time performance, complete with the natural dynamics of a working venue. The musicians demonstrate genuine interplay and communication, suggesting this was not a hastily assembled group but rather an established ensemble with developed musical relationships. The production quality respects the authenticity of the live setting while maintaining clarity across the instruments, allowing each musician's contribution to remain distinct.
For vinyl collectors focused on British blues of the early 1980s, this De Luxe Blues Band recording offers genuine historical documentation of a thriving local music scene before the commercial landscape shifted dramatically. It represents blues as living, working music rather than museum piece.
