"Music is the only thing that uses both sides of the brain; however each individual has to allow this to happen in their own head to reach a euphoric feeling."

Mama Paula: The Doors of Perception

If you have ever spent time on the Costa del Sol in southern Spain, you are sure to have heard of the legendary Mama Paula, blues guitarist, keyboard player and versatile musician. Mama Paula has had a long career that has seen her performing in countless venues, including the Royal Albert Hall with Mark Knopfler, Van Morrison, and Joe Cocker to name but a few! In 2008 Mama Paula Blues Band shared the stage with Mud Morganfield, the son of Muddy Waters at the Mijas Blues Festival. A fantastic night of blues with Peaches Staton, West Weston, Lito Fernandez and Big Joe Louis.

In 2004, she had the pleasure of playing at the Royal Albert Hall in London for the memorial concert for Lonnie Donegan. In the 90's, Mama Paula played with a few bands. Zanzara was a 10 piece soul band and had the pleasure of performing in the presence of Princess Diana, Suzzie Quatro, Alan Price and Jimmy James. In 1992 left Zanzara and joined forces with Robbo & The Old No7 Band. Mama went off to tour the West Indies, and played with Robbo for the next 5 years. Next stop back to the UK. Not content with making a big noise in the UK, she decided to move on to new and exciting places and headed for the sun in Spain! She has played with a few bands and it was in Spain that the Mama Paula era started. She met up with Chick Churchill of Ten Years After and formed Mama Paula & Chick Churchill Band. 2008 sees Mama heading for a few gigs in Ireland. Mama and her band still be playing in Spain and the rest of Europe. 

Interview by Michael Limnios       Photos by Kim Holliday/All rights reserved

What do you learn about yourself from the blues and what does the blues mean to you?

I am certain that every day we all learn something new about ourselves and for me music brings out the very best in that. The blues has touched my heart since childhood and I now know it always will.

How do you describe Mama Paula sound and songbook? What characterize your music philosophy?

The Mama Paula songbook consists of a variety of material. Some written by me, all arranged by me. I feel it is emotion that is the character of my music, if all blues music revolves around love, lost love and love you can’t realize. A world without love would be a very sad place. Without the blues perhaps even worse.

Why did you think that the Blues music continues to generate such a devoted following?

The feel of the blues touches everyone...Unfortunately not everybody is aware of that. Music is the only thing that uses both sides of the brain; however each individual has to allow this to happen in their own head to reach a euphoric feeling. Open your head and your heart to the blues and life really does feel good. I cry when I hear a great tune and that’s happiness to me.

"I am certain that every day we all learn something new about ourselves and for me music brings out the very best in that. The blues has touched my heart since childhood and I now know it always will."

Which meetings have been the most important experiences for you? What is the best advice ever given you?

Alvin Lee of TYA said he loved the way I play and to never stop. Ray Cooper the percussionist said I have a good feel for the blues. To keep on this subject would be self indulgent and I try to avoid that.

Are there any memories from TYA, Van Morrison, and Joe Cocker which you’d like to share with us?

TYA were one of my earliest influences. I love the way Alvin played and the sound of the band. In later years to meet up with him was great and to jam some new and old stuff was a great experience for me. At that time Chick Churchill was playing in my band on keys so Alvin came to a lot of the gigs around then. They were fun years and I was devastated by his untimely death. He was full of life. Van Morrison and Joe Cocker, along with many more stars of rock and blues, were all invited to play a tribute concert for the late great Lonnie Donegan. We prepared a concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London for which we rehearsed for a week in London. It was a fantastic night of music and tributes to Lonnie. He had helped so many artists to break through and was considered the inventor of British pop music. It was a true honor to be included in the line up. The hall was packed to capacity that night. I shared a microphone with Roger Daltry and we sang Good Night Irene Goodnight. A night I for one will never forget. 

What do you miss most nowadays from the blues of past? What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

There is no such thing as blues of the past. We continue to play all the old greats. This alone will keep the blues alive forever. 12 bars of blues is the best thing and that is here for good. Over the years all sorts of music comes and goes. When you here some songs that have been high in the hit parade now days they sound so dated…Not the blues! My hope for the future is simply world peace. If more people listened to good music there would be no time for war! I think my fear is the same as most so lets work on world peace! TOGETHER!

"I feel it is emotion that is the character of my music, if all blues music revolves around love, lost love and love you can’t realize. A world without love would be a very sad place. Without the blues perhaps even worse."

If you could change one thing in the musical world and it would become a reality, what would that be?

I would get rid of talent shows on TV. They systematically are ruining the music business. Music is about music and not making some lazy idiot rich. There so called talent shows are not looking for musicians just a good looking front person to sell records...I would change that!

Make an account of the case of the blues in in Spain. What the differences between UK and Iberian scene?

Well, the blues is the blues so that remains the same. It is popular in both locations. So the song remains the same!

What are the lines that connect the legacy of 60s British Blues Boom with the currency local scene?

The British 60 scene was great, I know, I was there! When the blues hit the UK life changed. The Beatles and the Stones were born and music had an oomph to it. Eric Clapton came to everybody’s attention and guitar music was the new in thing. It has been ever since! Eric was the first to bend those strings with overdrive and fuzz boxes and make no mistake. Mick Taylor, Peter Green, Jimmy Page Jeff Beck all came from that same inspiration that was Lee Hooker, BB King, Muddy Waters and of course Robert Johnston. We all aspire to play like our hero’s and that alone is the link to currant scene. The music of the 60’s will live forever! I hope anyway.

"My hope for the future is simply world peace. If more people listened to good music there would be no time for war! I think my fear is the same as most so lets work on world peace! TOGETHER!"

What has made you laugh lately and what touched (emotionally) you from the music circuits?

I laugh so much my sense of humor is very good. I am also very emotional so I cry at a lot of things. I do both of these things just watching the news.

What does to be a female artist in a “Man’s World” as James Brown says? What is the status of women in Blues?

Men have been singing and playing the blues in one form or another since time began. If there were no woman there would be no blues! It is only a man’s world because women allow it to be make no mistake. Women in blues are the biggest thing yet in the music industry. To start to list them would take to mush time. There are some great girl guitar players coming through now and not before time. It has been considered a male dominated thing for far to long. Girl power has to rule because we have much more emotion than men, much more feelings, love, and pain...It stand to reason!

Let’s take a trip with a time machine, so where and why would you really wanna go for a whole day..?

To be in the Abbey Road studio at the time when Pink Floyd and The Beatles were recording Sgt. Pepper and Piper at the Gates of Dawn respectively. I bet that was a blast!

Mama Paula - Official website