Cool Cat Blues
The Life and Times of Georgie Fame
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Equinox Publishing Ltd
Published:7th Jul '26
Currently unavailable, our supplier has indicated it should be available around 1st September 2026
COOL CAT BLUES is the story of singer / pianist Georgie Fame. Born Clive Powell, in Leigh, Lancashire, he rose from being a troubled kid to the very top of the British pop charts. Through conversations and correspondence with Fame, as well as diligent research, Ben Sidran traces Fame’s story from his long days touring the back roads of England with up-and-coming British acts, along with visiting American musicians, to his early 1960s residency at London’s Flamingo Club, where he began specializing in playing organ. This venue was a legendary melting pot of blues and jazz, and Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, the band that grew out of their work there, went on to chart success as the decade progressed, with three UK No. 1 chart hits. In the years that followed, Fame combined his solo career with collaborations with other artists, including Alan Price and Van Morrison. He was a founder member of ex-Rolling Stone Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings, but also worked across the stylistic spectrum with musicians as varied as Count Basie, Muddy Waters and Joan Armatrading.
The book also follows his personal life in the usually hidden world of British high society. The final chapters bring the story of a man who, all his life, has followed his head, heart and ears into the 21 st century, with headline appearances at Ronnie Scott’s Club and Glastonbury, as well as recordings and concerts with the band he leads with his sons Tristan and James Powell.
Having met and heard both Ben Sidran and Georgie Fame play, it’s a pleasure to hold in my hands this book. As a bonafide lifetime explorer and purveyor of cool who better to describe Georgie's seemingly effortless phrasing, that impeccable style on the keys and his unique way of simultaneously connecting head, heart and hips? This book tells that story through shared moments, verbal exchanges and letters between two friends and fellow travelers to paint a true picture of the man and his music. Highly recommended!
Gilles Peterson, Broadcaster, DJ, Record Label and Festival Owner
Ben Sidran, being an extremely accomplished musician in his own right, gives wonderful insight into the career of Georgie Fame as he rises from extremely humble beginnings to the heights of fame. It also gives an extraordinary look into an incredible period of modern music history, and is a classic example for the young to believe anything is possible.
Glyn Johns, Recording Engineer & Producer
Told with rhythm and wit, this biography paints a vivid portrait of a musician who refused to be boxed in—and whose influence still echoes through modern music. Whether you know him for “Yeh Yeh,” and the Blue Flames, or his genre‑bending live performances, this is the definitive story of the man who makes British rhythm and blues swing and who is also a master of vocalese jazz.
Van Morrison
... chronicled skilfully here using Fame’s own clear recollections. The authorial cover line is “as told to”, and Sidran, who as well as being a very experienced author and musician began producing Fame’s records in the 1980s, has shaped his friend’s testimony into a nicely written account of a rich career.
UK Jazz News, June 21 2026 by Jon Tuney
ISBN: 9781800509283
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 510g
174 pages