John Pearson

b. Liverpool, Lancashire, England. Playing guitar and singing, Pearson has been a mainstay of the UK blues scene for many years. He has performed at numerous blues, folk and jazz festivals in the UK, and has also appeared on radio and television. In addition to leading his band, Blues And Beyond, Pearson has played solo gigs and in duo and trio formats. Among the many UK and US, and some African, artists with whom he has worked, mostly in Britain, are Nana Apiah, Kenny Craddock, Rory Gallagher, Davey Graham, Roger Hubbard, Jo Ann Kelly, Alexis Korner, Louisiana Red and Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. In 2006 Pearson worked in duo with blues harpist Jem Turpin and was in a trio with Ghanaian percussionist Nana Tsiboe. In the mid-00s, musicians in Pearson’s Blues And Beyond included Turpin, Harvey Summers (piano/organ), Colin Gibson (bass) and Liam Genockey (drums). His brother, George Pearson (bass), was also a member of his band for some years. Pearson draws his repertoire from many branches of the blues, touching on songs from the repertoires of Bob Dylan and Taj Mahal, Mose Allison and Lead Belly, as well as introducing elements of West African and Caribbean music. There are also some original songs composed by Pearson, such as ‘Rhythm Oil’, ‘The Hanging Gale’, ‘Death Dream Blues’, ‘Fires On The Wind’, ‘Mortality Drag’, ‘Can’t Afford These Blues’, ‘Good Friends’ and ‘Ramblin’ Mind’, that echo the tradition.