TO paraphrase Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest, to be nominated in one category in the prestigious UK Blues Awards is fortunate, to be nominated for two is pretty damn ace.

And that’s the case with blues and soul chanteuse Zoe Schwarz who is up for best female vocals and best album for her 2017 offering This Is The Life I Choose.

Zoe’s mantelpiece must be absolutely straining to keep up with the pantechnicon of accolades which are regularly delivered to her home.

And it’s going to be another busy and exciting year for her and her Blue Commotion band, as she tells me: “We’re releasing our fifth studio album The Blues and I Should Have a Party on March, and are touring the UK to promote it, with dates from Bournemouth to Bristol, Wigan to Worcester, Christchurch to Chichester.”

Seems like they only tour alliteratively then...

“And we’ve also got some dates in Russia in May,” she adds.

You can catch Zoe and her crack band, which includes Rob Koral on guitar and Paul Robinson on drums, at Finns in Weymouth tonight, Friday, February 2, which, surprisingly for such an established artist, is her debut at the venue.

Moving on, and singer-songwriter Reg Meuross launches his new album Songs About a Train at Bridport Town Hall tonight, Friday, February 2.

As Reg himself says: “The new album is my second sweep down the back of the sofa (the first being The Dreamed and The Drowned) to retrieve songs that have been recorded but have escaped inclusion in my studio albums, not for lack of quality but more a question of space, or suitability to the collection.”

Incidentally, did I tell you about the time I found a chocolate biscuit down the back of my sofa? I didn’t celebrate as it was my old Club. I did, oh... Did I already tell you my deja vu joke too?

Reg is Bridport Folk Festival’s patron artist, and a great supporter of emerging folk musicians and singer-songwriters, hence his involvement in the selection process for the festival’s Young Folk Musician Award and joint winner Sadie Horler won the opportunity to support Reg this evening.

Tickets for tonight are available from Bridport TIC and Bridport Music shop or call 01308 424901.

If you’d like to have your live music event featured here, send your details to gigs@dorsetecho.co.uk

Till next time…

GIG GUIDE

TONIGHT (2)

Zoe Schwarz and Blue Commotion (Finns, Weymouth)

Reg Meuross, Sadie Horler (Bridport Town Hall)

Big Al Whittle (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Average Wyke Band (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Dave Griff’s Open Mic Night (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Acoustic Session (Victoria Inn, Knights in the Bottom, Chickerell) 8pm.

Retro (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Total Madness (Park, Weymouth)

Bluetown Rumble (Ropemakers, Bridport)

The Undecided (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Jon Storey Band (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Martin Freed (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Drive By Jammin (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

SATURDAY (3)

The Shakespearos (Finns, Weymouth)

V8 Hearts (Tom Brown’s, Dorchester)

The Newbeats (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Tripod (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Sixteen String Jack (Boot, Weymouth)

Restless (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Skint Imperials (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Johnny King (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Bluetown Rumble (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Tequila Mockingbird (Market House, Weymouth)

Stacey Lou (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Hot Bacon (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

No Standards (Star, Weymouth)

Mama Feelgood (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Vanilla Radio (Ropemakers, Bridport)

BJ McCabe (Bridge Inn, Preston, Weymouth)

Revolution (Crown, Bridport)

SUNDAY (4)

Big Al Whittle (Ropemakers, Bridport) 4pm.

Lo Numbers (Park, Weymouth) 4pm.

Bitter and Twisted (Britannia, Portland) 4pm

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 3pm, followed by..

Darren H (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Sailor’s Return, Weymouth) From 3pm.

Aaron and Karina (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Sunday Jam Session (Belvedere, Weymouth) From 4pm.

Scots Dan Open Mic (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

MONDAY (5)

Cheese, Wine and Jam Open Mic (Boot, Weymouth)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Acoustic session (Belvedere, Weymouth)

TUESDAY (6)

Danny Adams (Boot, Weymouth)

Folk Session (Pilgrim House, Hope Sq, Weymouth)

Open mic night with Martin Freed (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

WEDNESDAY (7)

Dave Bowen and Jazz Friends (Three Compasses, Charminster)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Wessex Folk Night (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Open Mic Night (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Open Mic (Rock, Weymouth)

THURSDAY (8)

Roger’s Singalong (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh, Weymouth)

Traditional Tune Session (Cove House Inn, Portland)

Ukulele Sessions (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

FRIDAY (9)

Jon Storey Band (Finns, Weymouth)

Kent Duchaine and Leadbessie (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

JK Duo (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Mike Walker (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Average Wyke Band (Park, Weymouth)

Skint Imperials (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Darren H (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)