Individually The Odyssey Blues Band are:
Rupert Webster
Guitar and Vocals
Rupert Webster, Born in the Fifties, went into music via Art school, played with Phil Taylor from Motorhead in their first Band on the King’s road, back in the seventies!
Afterwards living in Boston, US, played with various line ups culminating with Willie “Loco” Alexander, considered the Godfather of Boston Punk, having played with the Velvet Underground!
Back in England Rupert worked with mainly Blues and R&B acts; The London Blues Band and also The Odyssey Blues Band, with Mississippi John L Watson.
Favourite colour – Purple
Favourite food – Strawberries
Pete Duke
Bassist
Born in Liverpool, Pete’s first succesful band was local group “The Maracas”. Playing a mixture of blues, tamla and soul they played top local venues like “The Cavern Club”, Southport’s Floral Hall, “Mr Smiths” (Winsford) and “The Blue Angel.
Formerly with UK blues band “Little Matthew & The Intentions” a band who performed endlessly up and down the country, and recorded for GLR radio. He also served 5 long years as bandleader and Bassist backing American near-legend Mississippi John L Watson, who had a string of successful singles, albums, and European Radio & TV performances to his credit.
This collaboration saw an 8-piece Odyssey Blues Band perform a live BBC Radio 1 show for DJ Andy Kershaw, and they followed this with tours that took in The London Barbican Centre, Shepherds Bush Empire and Brixton Academy, plus The Isle of Wight and Dublin Temple Bar Blues festivals, amongst many many others. Has also played with The Pretty Things, Blues Corporation, and Shakey Vick.
Alf Mitchel
Drums & Percussion
ALF MITCHELL spent his early career as a globe-trotting drummer doing shows with many top cabaret performers in the Middle East, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Wales and Sweden, and luxury cruise liners in the Mediterranean.
Settling back in London he had long spells with the orchestras of Tommy Cooper’s nephew, John, and Billy Cotton’s vocalist and trumpet player, Colin Dobson. Now established, he turned his attention to his first love, jazz, joining the Wilma Williams Combo with Django Bates, Kim Burton and Julian Marc Stringle.
Later he played in Martin Speake’s octet with Mark Bassey, Gerald Tolan’s quintet with Andy Sturmey, contempory band NOW:TIME, and The MillsTones big band. He is also in demand as a blues and soul drummer, recently doing dates with the bands of Jimmy C, Johnny Dee, rising star Lizzie Hibbert, and teaming up with legendary American bluesman Mississippi John L Watson for some UK headline shows.
Personal Website: http://www.myspace.com/alfmitchelljazzman