JUGGLING his time between writing, teaching and performing, accomplished musician Rick Payne has made a huge impact on the blues scene with his talents.

The musician's reputation often precedes him, with many fans making 100-mile round trips to see him in action.

And, often compared with Ry Cooder, the finger-picking and slide guitar maestro's performances have taken him to theatres, arts centre and festivals throughout the UK and on tour to Europe, USA, Scandinavia and the Greek Islands.

Now fans can catch him in Worcester when he plays a concert at the city's Huntingdon Hall on Friday, January 28.

The London-born guitarist's tunes may already be familiar to avid viewers of BBC television programmes such as Whicker's World and Natural World, for which he has provided background songs.

His credits include music for wildlife programmes on Radio Four and BBC World Service and he has also featured on BBC Radio Two with Nigel Kennedy and appeared live on BBC One's Holby City.

And his skills as an acoustic blues guitarist have taken him beyond the boundaries of blues festivals and clubs, with him frequently performing at jazz and folk events and literature and poetry festivals.

Described by many as one of the best slide/finger-picker guitarists in the world, Rick has even played the blues at a classical music festival, coming on stage after the English Symphony Orchestra.

The artist - who has recorded several CDs - was also at the centre of the Bristol-based band The Blues Cowboys with his slidework, playing a high energy set of Delta, Chicago and West Coast blues.

Attention

It was while he was touring the USA that he came to the attention of the roots label Bennett House Records in California, for who he recorded the noted album Blue River Blues, a largely solo effort but for which he was joined on several tracks by musician John Girton.

If that was not enough, Rick - who now lives in Bristol - is also a qualified guitar tutor and passes his skills on to about 150 students a week at schools throughout the south-west and workshops nationwide.

He is also co-director of the on-line tuition site: www.acousticguitarworkshop.com.

His sound has been described as heart wrenching and passionate, delicate and scorching and spellbindingly evocative with raw and fiery vocals to match.

And since his last sell-out concerts in the area - including one at Hereford's Courtyard Arts Centre - he has provided the music for a film shot in California, been endorsed by guitar manufacturers Line 6 and is due to have a tuition book and CD released in both English and German.

His music draws on the raw blues sound of the Mississippi Delta and audiences can expect more of the same when he performs in Worcester - if they close their eyes they might almost think they are there.

The concert starts at 8pm on Friday, January 28 and tickets are £8.50 (concessions £7.50), available by calling the box office on 01905 611427.

REVIEWS

with Joby Mullens

INTERPOL -

EVIL

(out now)

THIS single sounds a bit like what might happen when you cross REM with The Strokes as frontman Paul Bank - bearing a passing resemblance to the vampire off Sesame Street - leads his New York four-piece through the latest single from critically-acclaimed album Antics.

As worthy of a listen is B-side Seven, with its chiming guitars underpinning a tale of relationships past.

What starts off as a brooding bassline soons rolls into a trademark footstomping chorus.

MERCURY REV -

THE SECRET MIGRATION

(out January 24)

JUST when you might have thought the American band couldn't get any weirder following 2001's haunting All Is Dream, Mercury Rev conjure up another fairytale land in music with this 13-track album produced with long-time collaborator Dave Fridmann.

Progressing on the slightly 'poppier' sound of All Is Dream, the first single to drift into the musical arena is In A Funny Way, which opens with a rumbling drumbeat and echoing vocals before descending into some surreal trip, capturing the sound of The Beatles' A Day In The Life.

Along with the epic opener Secret For A Song, this is one of the album's highlights.

The frontman's peculiar high-pitched warbling grates a bit after a while and it's not up to All Is Dream but there's sufficient material here for it to make the grade - the breezy flurry of noise that is In The Wilderness acting as its warm core.

At the very least they should win an award for guitarist with the most novel monicker - Grasshopper.

LEMON JELLY -

'64 - '95

(out January 31)

BREAKING away from the mould, dance duo Fred Deakin and Nick Franglen have not so much re-invented the wheel with this, their third instalment, so much as come up with a new flavour.

The good thing about all of this is the odd, out-of-place dialogue that featured on previous songs are out and they have instead come up with a concept album of sorts, the title referring to the fact each track is built around a snippet of a song from that period.

The tasty bits include the chilled beats of the John Rowles'-sampling track '68 aka Only Time, and the 70s disco of '75 aka Stay With You.

A slow burner, the album probably won't hit you on first listen but stick with it and you'll soon be back for more.

PALAMINO -

ALREADY WAITING

(out January 24)

IN A market already saturated with soft-rock bands like Travis, fellow Scots Palamino come forth with this, their first full release from their soon-to-be-released debut album.

The Beatles influence seeps through immediately with singer Marco Rea's Lennon-esque vocals floating over a summery melody, with a bridge that would fit right in on an Eagles track.

B-side Doppelganger Life is even better with its hard-edged guitars and smack-in-the-mouth chorus.

Only time will tell whether its enough for them to carve out a share of the single-buying public at a time when many of whom would probably prefer to be snapping up the latest 'release' from the next manufactured pop act to drop off the conveyor belt.

Worcester's top ten albums, brought to you in conjunction with Face the Music, in the city's Cathedral Plaza.

1. The Killers - Hot Fuss.

2. Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters.

3. Green Day - American Idiot.

4. Maroon Five - Songs About Jane.

5. Keane - Hopes and Fears.

6. Kasabian - Kasabian.

7. Eminem - Encore.

8. U2 - How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb.

9. Kylie Minogue - Ultimate Kylie.

10. Robbie Williams - Greatest Hits.