A BLUES Special comes to Keighley’s Exchange Arts Centre courtesy of local singer-songwriter Ben Kaplan Waters.

Ben, a veteran organiser of blues and roots gigs in Keighley and Haworth, will be among performers on Thursday eight September 19.

He will present some of the region’s top bluesmen in an evening of solo, duet and quartet performances at the Russell Street venue.

The performers are Gerry Cooper, aka “The Master”, Julian Socha “The Wizard”, and Sleepy Jake Segrave “The Prodigy”.

Ben said: “Gerry has an encyclopedic knowledge of acoustic blues styles and musicians, from the well-known to the most obscure, and can play them all skilfully and with feeling.

“The sounds Julian can get from an acoustic guitar have to be heard to be believed. He is a supremely gifted musician, and a wonderful improviser.

“His first love is the blues, but his playing encompasses many different genres, often in the same song.

“Sleepy Jake Segrave is a young man in his twenties, with the soul and sound of someone thrice his age.

Jake’s love of early acoustic blues artists is evident in his playing. His sound is something that can’t be taught, it’s something you feel inside.

Ben said he had with all three men separately on many occasions, in various pubs and events in Yorkshire.

He said: “I thought it would be great fun to get them all together for a showcase at a proper venue, with a stage and lights.

“Each musician will play a solo set, then I’ll join with them each in turn for a series of short duo sets, and we’ll all come together as a quartet for a few numbers at the end.’’

Visit eventbrite.co.uk or call at the Exchange to book tickets, which cost £5.