Ben Waters is probably not well known to many who may read this. However, once you have seen and heard him, you are highly unlikely to forget him.
As a boogie-woogie style keyboard player, Ben Waters is well known and loved amongst many in the upper echelons of the music world, especially in the UK. Jools Holland rates him as one of his favourite piano players. He has played with the likes of The Rolling Stones, Dave Stewart, Mick Hucknall, Ray Davies, Chuck Berry, Jools Holland, David Gilmour and Jerry Lee Lewis amongst many others.
Ben had previously played at The Forth Valley Blues Festival the previous day as one of the headline acts, then made his way to Hobart to play at Altar on Sunday evening. Accompanied by Ian Jennings (Jools Holland, Van Morrison and Tom Jones) on bass, and Clive Ashley on saxophone, they picked up Tasmanian drummer extraordinaire , Beau Thomas to compliment the band for their Tasmanian leg of the tour.
The evening was full of classics, from Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry and the likes of Mercury Blues (a particular favourite of mine with deference to David Lindley who recently passed) through to Led Zeppelin. Ben’s banter between songs was captivating and funny, and kept the appreciative audience highly entertained. Ben even let his hair down, downing a few celebratory whiskeys towards the end of the evening, as this was the last of a 57 date world tour.
All photography: ©fullonrockphotography/Andrew Fuller
