Jo Carley and the Old Dry Skulls

Blues, Skiffle, Calypso and Rockabilly with a creepy vaudeville twist… It’s music that makes people wanna shake their bones! This trio are known for their unique live show, transporting the audience to a bygone era when witches and black magic were rife. Their songs tell stories of deals with the devil, demons in love, witchdoctors, zombies, ghosts, ghouls, journeys to the deepest jungles and other exotic adventures which are told using sweet melodies and syncopated sounds. Jo Carley: Lead Vocals / Washboard / Mandolin / Percussion Tim Carley: Battered Archtop Guitar / Kick / Rattlin’ Shoe / Backing Vocals Stephane Spitz: Baritone Saxophone / Beat-up Double Bass / Backing Vocals The music takes influence from early vaudeville blues acts such as Victoria Spivey via Cab Calloway, Wilmoth Houdini and Wanda Jackson, but adding a creepy and theatrical twist that echoes Dr John and Screamin Jay Hawkins. Voodoo has found it’s way onto British shores and Jo Carley is the wild and dark demonic music-hall mistress sent to predict hell in a way to entertain and amaze you, telling tales of terror with old-timey flair. She’s joined by her songwriting partner and husband, the zombie-like Tim Carley, who drives the sound with blues-soaked rhythms on an old archtop guitar, kick drum, and rattling shoe. Completing the spell is multi-instrumentalist Stephane Spitz, shifting seamlessly between syncopated baritone sax leads and the pulsing heartbeat of the double bass.