Birth of the Blues. Kim Criswell, Wayne Marshall and the Blues Band trace the history of the blues through songs made famous by such legends as Bessie Smith , Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington - a concert given earlier this year at the Talk of the Town during the BOC Covent Garden Festival. With Kim Criswell (vocals), Wayne Marshall (piano), Paul Davies (drums), Chris Rodell (double bass/electric bass), Mark Crooks (tenor saxophone/clarinet) and Dave Prizeman (trumpet).