Viv Hardwick reports on Jools Holland and his band’s series of visits to the region, which open with Middlesbrough next week and then Ripley Castle.

JUST magic is Jools Holland’s reaction to another year of touring which brings him and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra to the region four times in the next eight months.

Next Wednesday, Holland and his 18-piece band, which features ex- Squeeze drummer Gilson Lavis and soloists Ruby Turner and Louise Marshall – with Dave Edmunds also guest-starring – appear at Middlesbrough Town Hall.

The host of BBC2 shows Later… and Live… is then set for a spectacular night, complete with firework finale, at Ripley Castle, near Harrogate, on July 25. Then in November and December, Holland returns to Harrogate, this time it’s the town’s International Centre, and Newcastle City Hall.

On the subject of touring, Holland says: “The magic that we create – the band and myself thinking with one mind and it is fantastic when the crowd join in. They start swaying and dancing and we are all communicating through the music.

“When you look out and see the people’s faces enjoying themselves, you can see how it affects people. And it feels great because they feel the same way that I feel about the music.

There is such an amazing physical personal effect to it, it is just magic.”

He is particularly looking forward to the Ripley Castle appearance and says he loves performing music in the open air on a summer evening.

His earliest memory of music is listening to his uncle playing Boogie Woogie on the piano and learning to play alongside him. “He used to tell me lots of tales about the music and the people,” says Holland who would have loved to have added the names of the late Dinah Washington and Bessie Smith to his guest list of costars.

“Unfortunately, it is too late now,” he says and, when asked about musical achievement, adds: “It always makes me proud to hear other people playing my songs such as Shane MacGowan. I never ever dreamed that Shane MacGowan would sing one of my songs. Also one of my proudest moments was writing the track What Goes Around with Same Brown and having it performed by Dionne Warwick.”

Asked for his most memorable gig, Holland responds: “As they say, you are only as good as your last gig. And the last one for me was in Amsterdam and it was a really packed show – packed to the rafters. It was like going back 30 years and it was really exciting with the whole crowd swinging along to the music. There was a great sense of unity between the band and the crowd.”

Singer Ruby Turner has a new album in the shops and online and reveals that the gospel-style tracks were inspired by her work with Holland.

“Years ago at one of Jools’ Hootenanny’s I led several musical talents such as Sir Paul McCartney and Lulu in a gospel piece and this upbeat, lively, feelgood music continues to inspire myself and many others,” she says. The singer invited her Pentecostal church-attending mother to sing on the track Precious Memories and reveals that she turned up at the recording studio with her handbag and hymn book.

She says she’s honoured that Holland feels her voice is worth using and explains that before each tour the piano-playing star runs sessions to decide what can be included at the forthcoming concerts.

“Jools is always researching new ideas and styles so you can’t ever get complacent. Even during the tour we will make changes to the set-list and in this way keep our performance exciting. We incorporate RnB, jazz, boogie woogie, blues and many more styles, and will perform many of our collaborations from the five albums we have worked on,” she says.

■ Jools Holland, Middlesbrough Town Hall, Wednesday. Tickets: £31.50. Box Office 01642-729-729

■ Gates are open at Ripley Castle on July 25 from 5pm with support artists on stage from 7.30pm.

Advance tickets £32.50 with children 5-15 charged £15, under-fives free.

01603-660444 or imlconcerts.co.uk

■ Harrogate International Centre, November 14. 0845-130-8840

■ Newcastle City Hall, December 3- 4. 0191-261-2606