Jamming At The Gathering Place

Here is a pic, from my friend Curt's myspace page, of the old blues professor playing piano with my friends at the Gathering Place in Cherokee. Once a month they have a jam on Friday nights. It is a cool old historic building located in downtown Cherokee Iowa. Cherokee is going through sort of a Renaissance, as a handful of buildings are going through repairs. Most towns this size are dying out in Iowa, but Cherokee seems to have found a new life with the arts. They are a very art friendly town, and promote a very cool Jazz and Blues fest in January.

Lynard Skynard: They Call Me The Breeze

Believe it or not, this is why I play the blues. I listen to it now, and I can hear all the blues and boogie licks, but when I was in high school all I could here was rock and roll:-) Billy Powell is the piano player, and I worked and worked on that freaking piano solo for most of my high school years:-) It certainly made my right hand, but I had no clue what to do with the left, and apparently Billy didn't know either if you watch the video:-) Of course, when I got into college I stumbled on to one of those counterfeit history of rock and roll cassettes printed in Spain, and I heard some familiar piano licks. I thought WTF? I took out the cassette and looked to see who it was an it was Otis Spann!

Enjoy my boyhood idols Lynard Skynard playing They Call Me The Breeze.

Carl Carlton: Everlasting Love

I wore the groves off this 45 when I was kid. A nice groving soul tune.

Spoonful

Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and Hubert Sumlin on guitar. I dont know who is singing and playing harp. This is an Howling Wolf song, although I believe it was written by Willie Dixon, and influenced by Charlie Pattons Spoonful blues.

Jonnie Taylor: Stop Dogging Me Around

OK, I needed to make up after that last post!!:-D So here is the great Jonnie Taylor to make everything alright, with some sweet, sweet, soul music:-)

Buddy Guy, 5 Long Years.

Here is Buddy Guy doing an old blues classic 5 long years.

Buddy Guy - Five long years
Uploaded by howlong

Another Great Buddy Guy Interview

Buddy Guy is playing the Playboy Jazz Festival tomorrow, and is featured in a great new article from the Signal in Santa Clarita. I love the last line of the interview.

"Guys who play the blues don't retire they just drop."

So true, so true:-)

HUH??????

Wow, slog through this article if you can. This thing must have been written for a PHD for a PHD:-) YIKES! I actually understand what they are writing about, but I am use to academic writing. However, if you want to reach the average reader try to keep it at a sixth grade level. Now some of you might be offended that the bulk of what is written for the general public is written at a sixth grade level, but lets think about it for a second. If you cant say something simply and concisely, WHY SAY IT????

Besides the author is writing about how degrading dancehall music is to women and to the culture in general. I would think the audience he is writing to must be having a tough time deciphering the first paragraph alone. Oh, BTW, the story originated form the Jamaica Journal.

Beale Street The Blues DisneyLand.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal has an article about how the Memphis Convention and Tourism board has invited a few hundred journalist from across the globe to encourage people to come to Memphis home of the blues. So people from around the world come to Memphis thinking they are stepping on hallowed ground. In fact, most people in the US think that they are walking on the actual Beale Street made famous by WC Handy in Beale Street Blues, the home of Blues, Soul, and Rock and Roll. However, the Beale Street populated by the Memphis Jug Band, WC Handy, BB King, RufusThomas, Elvis, and Otis Redding is long gone. Much like Center Street, Beale Street was an area of African American businesses and clubs. Yet, unlike Center where whites could go to the clubs to listen to blues, and Jazz. Beale Street was a segregated area, that especially by the 1950s whites were not allowed, or strongly encouraged to leave. A great example of what Beale was like in the 50s can be found in Alan Lomax's Land Where the Blues Began. Lomax barely avoids trouble at least twice while searching out the blues on Beale in the 50s.

So how did the Beale of the past become the Beale of today? It all starts in the 1960s with the urban renewal movement. Many large cities were faced with crumbling infrastructure. Cities starting loosing there tax bases as whites fled to the suburbs. The federal government provided large sums of grants and loans to cities to rebuild and repair their inner cities, plus provided funding to create freeway systems that could connect to the interstate highway systems being built in the 1950s. So Memphis unlike Kansas City, which tore down its historic 12th street, decided to remake Beale Street into a tourist trap. amazingly an architect of the day wanted to remake Beale into a musical Disneyland. As friends of mine have told me, Beale was remade, old building tore down, new building with false facades were put in there place. African Americans who had built Beale were pushed out into new low income housing. This went on not only in Memphis but all over the US.

So, when I read about Memphis touting Beale Street as home of the blues, on one hand I am happy that African American music and culture are being promoted, but saddened because the real Beale is long gone.

Professor Longhair Tipatina

The great Professor Longhair performing his signature song Tipatina. This is kinda of a funky version, but typical of the Professor, that you would get a different version depending on the night:-)

PROFESSOR LONGHAIR - Tipitina
Uploaded by nighttripper

Billie Holiday and Louie Armstrong

Two of the greats from Blues and Jazz. Billie Holiday and Louie Armstrong.

Billie Holiday & Louis Armstrong
Uploaded by Ali_La_Pointe

Bo Diddley Bo Diddley

In Honor of Bo Diddley here is Bo doing Bo Diddley. I hope Bo keeps on doing better. I read where they are letting him play guitar as therapy. I think playing the blues is the best medicine for him. Also the Doctors said that singing is easier than talking after a stroke.

CHOKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WTF???? Winning the game in the 9th inning. up by five runs, and your closer, and another relief pitcher give up 6 runs in the bottom of the ninth to lose the game. AAARRGGHH!!!! Why is Dempster still trying to be a closer. The guy is a set up man. The Cubs Haven't had a closer since Joe Borowski. If you are going to spend millions of dollars on ballplayer, then why not a few bucks on a quality closer! Its enough to give ya da blues.

btw, the Iowa Cubs continue to win. However, at some point you have to believe that the Chicago Cubs will start calling up some of the I Cubs, and Iowa can kiss their season goodbye as well.

Canadian Blues Fest

Big fest in Edmonton Canada, coming up on August 24-25. Los Lobos headlines the festival. I know that some hard core blues fans may not get to excited about Los Lobos, but they do play blues, and backed up John Lee Hooker on one of his later recordings.


Here is the line up for the show from the festival webpage.

9th annual Edmonton's Labatt Blues Festival 2007

Performer line-up and Bios

Friday August 24
Gate 4:30 Show 5:30 - 10 pm

Du-Rite Aces

Mitch Kashmar

Elvin Bishop

Saturday August 25
Gate 1:00 Show 2:30 - 10 pm

The Lloyd Jones Struggle

Fiona Boyes

Watermelon Slim and the Workers

Nick Moss and the Flip Tops

Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen

Sunday August 26 Sponsored by Waterloo Ford
Gate 1:00 Show 2:30 - 10 pm

John Long

Garret Mason

EG Kight

Mitch Woods and his Rocket 88's

Los Lobos

Follow the links to band biographys found on the Blues International LTD Web page. This songs like a good show, so if you are up in the north land check it out. BTW, the show features Iowa native Elvin Bishop on Friday!

Blog Critic Review: Time Bomb

Latest review from Blogcritic on an interesting release from Ruf Records. It is a trio of Ruf Record performers in this case three women, Sue Foley, Deborah Coleman, and Roxanne Potvin. The name of the album is Time Bomb, and the review is great. The three women will also be touring together this summer. Sounds like a great show don't miss it.

Bo Diddley Improving

From the Washington Post. Bo Diddley is improving in an Omaha hospital after suffering a stroke on Saturday. He was playing two shows at a Council Bluffs Iowa casino when he felt ill. After the show he became disoriented and was taken to the hospital. Doctors believe he will perform again.

Nat King Cole With The Mills Brothers

This song swings and jumps. Nat King Cole and the Mills Brothers doing Opus One. This was probably from Nat's TV show in the 1950s

Nat King Cole and The Mills Brothers
Uploaded by redhotjazz

Willie Dixon Nervous

This is an hilarious song by Willie Dixon called Nervous. Willie wrote a ton of songs for chess recording artists including Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf, Koko Taylor, and a host of others. Playing Piano for Willie is Memphis Slim, and Jump Jackson on the drums.

Willie Dixon Nervous
Uploaded by oublierleracismeskyblog

Marie Muldaur Interview

Marie Muldaur is 63! Where does the time fly. She is still a good looking woman though, and still singing the blues. Here is a interview from the Providence Journal in Rhode Island. She is playing in Rhode Island Thursday night. check out the link above for more info.

Bristol Tennesee Old Time Blues Fest

This looks like it might be a local blues fest, but it looks like it is going to be pretty cool. I am kinda of a sucker for delta, hill, Piedmont, and jug bands, and this fest looks like it might be right up my alley. Unfortunately work and high gas prices will keep me from this one, but if you are around Bristol Tennessee you should stop and check this one out.

According to the TriCities website:

Broken Strings Productions, along with Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion and the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance will present “The Inaugural Bristol Old-Time & Mountain Blues Jubilee” on May 25,at 7 p.m. at the Paramount Center for the Arts in historic downtown Bristol, Tenn.
The Jubilee will feature five of the south’s most talented and up and coming old-time acts for one electrifying evening of music. Joining the Carolina Chocolate Drops on the bill are local favorites Roy Andrade & Greg Burgler, Knoxville's Maid Rite String Band and The Bearded, and Atlanta's Rising Appalachia.

Looks like a fun time. If anyone makes the show be sure to comment on it.


UPDATE

The band pictured above is the Carolina Chocolate Drops I found a myspace page for them here.
I must admit that they sound a lot like the hillbilly music that my grandparents listened to down on the farm:-) Pretty funky stuff. In fact the song Ricketts Hornpipe sounds a lot like an Irish Reel.

Joseph A Rosen Exhibit in Minneapolis

The Ice Box Gallery in Minneapolis Minnesota will have a nice exhibit of blues photos by Joesph Rosen. The exhibit opens tomorrow May 17th and runs through September 8. Rosen is an outstanding photographer, and this collection is worth the trip to Minneapolis. For more on the show and an interview with the photographer click the link to Modern Guitars for more details.

Dave Honeyboy Edwards From The Blues Shoes Project

The Blues Shoe Project is a very cool blues in school program. Here is a video of Honeyboy Edwards from the Blues Shoes Project.

New Zealand Blues

Hey! A shout out to New Zealand blues lovers. I found a link and a movie you might enjoy. it is about the New Zealand blues band, The Windy City Strugglers. The movie is called, Struggle No More. Follow the link for more info. I kinda of wish the movie was playing here, but it is only on New Zealand TV.

Blog Critic Review: Coco Montoya, Dirty Deal

Another Blog Critic review, this one about Coco Montoya's Dirty Deal CD. A mixed review to say the least. While the critic liked the music, he didn't like the fact that all the songs were about relationships. I suppose if relationships are whats giving you the blues, then you probably write about it? Montoya usually is pretty dependable when it comes to blues, so if you are a fan you might want to skip the review and just buy the CD. Otherwise you can read it here.

Congressional Blues Fest

Now this is a neat idea. An orginzation known as The Music Maker Relief Foundation is having a fund rasing concert in Washington DC known as the Congressional Blues Festival. The Music Maker Relief Foundation is set up to help struggling and forgotten blues perfomers. I think this is a great idea. I remember one blues performertold me once that the blues was a tough business because there is no healthcare, or retirement. This is true of almost any performer, but probably more so for the blues since the payout for gigs, and recording are lesser than other forms of music.

Here is the lineup for tomorrows show in DC.

The Derek Trucks Band

The Derek Trucks Band has been a work in progress for over 10 years, blending jazz, rock, blues, Latin, Eastern Indian, and other world music into the sound that now defines the DTB. The DTB aims to create progressive roots music in an effort to move the art form forward and re establish substance over hype. Derek's music career began at the age of 9 and he is also a member of the Allman Brothers Band.

Sweet Betty

Born in Duluth, GA, just northeast of Atlanta, Betty Echols Journey grew up listening to gospel music. (Her mother's singing in church influenced her.) Aspiring to become a singer herself, Betty began singing at parties at her friends' homes. In the mid 1980's, she was introduced to legendary saxophonist, Grady "Fats" Jackson. Jackson was so impressed with Betty's vocals that he began bringing her with him to his performances. It was through Jackson that Betty met former Muddy Waters guitarist, "Steady Rollin" Bob Margolin. Margolin and his band, upon passing thought the southern region of the United States in the early 1990's would regularly perform with Jackson and Betty in such places as Jackson Station nightclub in Hodges, South Carolina and Blind Willie's or Blues Harbor in Atlanta, GA.

Mudcat

Born on the banks of the Mississippi and raised in Georgia, Mudcat dropped out of acting school in New York to pursue a Blues major on the streets. Eventually he graduated to Atlanta where he converted the Northside Tavern into his school of music. His tutelage continues under Cootie Stark, Frank Edwards, Eddie Tigner and Cora Mae Bryant. A world class slide guitarist with a voice so rich it feels fattening, Mudcat's education is something you can feel right to your bones.

Adolphus Bell

Adolphus Bell is a 61 year old performer who was born in and grew up in Alabama. He has been performing since age 22, 4 years after moving to Pittsburgh, PA. He developed a "One Man Band" concept when he became discouraged with his band members. Bell plays guitar, drums, high hat, harp and sings. He has been doing this and serving as an activist trying to improve the lives of urban ghetto youths since the late 1960's. He began touring Europe and released his first CD in 2005 with the help of the folks at Music Maker.

I don't know if the show is sold out, and unfortunatly I just stumbled upon this gig tonight! AARRRGHH!!! However, for those of you near DC who want to check out this very cool gig, then check out the Congressional Blues Fest webpage here.

Blues, Bikes, And BBQ, In Buffalo?????

Last week I passed along KUNI's big Bikes, Blues, and BBQ. So as I was searching the Google News wire, I saw Blues, Bikes and BBQ in Buffalo New York! Sounds like a fun fest. However, Buffalo's bikes are motorcycles:-)

If you are near Buffalo and want to go, or just interested in more info then go HERE.

Another Nice Blues In Schoools Article

The Herald Democrat out of Dallas has a nice article about blues in schools. This show featured Honey Boy Edwards. Sounds like an awesome blues in schools show, when you get one of the last great delta bluesman to do it for you. The show was put on by The Blue Shoe project. To read the article CLICK HERE.

Latest From SaveNetRadio

I just received this email from The save net radio coalition. If you have time in the next few days make sure to give your Senator or Representative a call. Momentum is on our side, but if people back down then Internet radio could go away.

Greetings,

Thank you once again for your support of the SaveNetRadio campaign. As you know, the future of internet radio is in serious jeopardy. Thanks to all your letters and calls to Congressional representatives the “Internet Radio Equality Act ", H.R. 2060, has been co-sponsored by over 70 Representatives in just 2 short weeks!

Now internet radio needs your help again: Due to the amazing momentum of the Internet Radio Equality Act in the House of Representatives, Senators Ron Wyden of Oregon and Sam Brownback of Kansas have introduced a companion bill in the Senate, S. 1353, also named “The Internet Radio Equality Act.”

We ask that you take a moment to now call your Senators to ask them to co-sponsor S. 1353, The Internet Radio Equality Act, introduced by Senators Ron Wyden of Oregon and Sam Brownback of Kansas.

In addition, if you have not called your representative in the House yet, we ask that you make this call as well to ask your representative to co-sponsor H.R. 2060, The Internet Radio Equality Act, introduced by Rep. Jay Inslee of Washington.

To find the phone numbers for your Senators and for your Congressional representative, as well as talking points for the calls, please visit http://capwiz.com/saveinternetradio/home/ and enter your zip code.

As you can see from the speed at which the House bill is picking up co-sponsors, your phone calls are an extremely effective way to pressure your representatives in Congress to lend their support to internet radio.

Your opinion matters to your representatives, and it matters to us. Without your support these bills could not have been introduced and without your continued support they cannot be passed.

Please visit SaveNetRadio.org to continue following the fight to Save Internet Radio.

Thank you,
The SaveNetRadio Coalition
To donate to the SaveNetRadio campaign please visit https://ssl.capwiz.com/saveinternetradio/fundraising/?alertid=9704731&type=FR.
Any amount is greatly appreciated and thanks once again for your support.

Skip James Crow Jane

back in the day if you wanted to sing a song about Jim Crow, you couldn't just go out and sing about. So you sing about Crow Jane, and you live to sing another day. Here is Skip James and his great song Crow Jane.

BB King And Eric Clapton

BB King - The Thrill is Gone - 1987
Uploaded by bebepanda

Czech Musician Plays The Blues

Interesting story about a Czech Musician who is trying to play the blues in Chicago. It takes guts to move to a new place and try to start a new life. You can read his story here.

Jimmy Burns Review

Here is a blogcritic review of Jimmy Burns latests release. Jimmy was one of those blues cats that after a few recordings he retired to make moneyto raise his family. Once they grew up, then he started playing again. Great review, read it here.

Simple Song Of Freedom

Okay, not blues, a little gospel, especially towards the end. I know right wingers hate this song, but you know what WHO CARES. This song is just as good today as it was in the late 60s. In fact, everyday I swear George Bush sounds more and more like LBJ. I wonder if he is channelling Johnson, because it is the same sorry argument just 40 years later. If we don't kill them in Indo-China then they will be coming down main street. Just watch those dominos drop.

Up A Lazy River Mills Brothers, With Dino!!

From the old Dean Martin TV show. The Mills Brothers with Dino singing Up A Lazy River. Nice bluesy tune.

Jackie Wilson Lonely Teardrops

The Great Jackie Wilson singing Lonely Teardrops.

Jackie Wilson - Lonely Teardrops (1959)
Uploaded by soulpatrol

Lucky Peterson Artist Of The Week

Like I said a couple of posts down. Lucky Peterson is one of the most underrated blues performers out there today. Lucky has been performing since he was 4, and is an outstanding guitarist, piano player, and vocalists. Here is a link to his alligator bio. As always check out the video selection in the Google sidebar.

Photo Of The Week Blues On Grand

Probably one of the most important nights in Des Moines blues history was the reopening of Blues On Grand. The club had been known under many different names. Vicky's Poorhouse was one of the more notorious clubs located in that spot. Vicky was the type of bar owner who if you got out of jail you got a free drink:-) Jimmy Pryor, and Chicago Rick remembered playing at the club back in the bad old days when Vicky owned the club. next door to Vicky's was a county music bar, and another dive was across the street at 15th and Grand Ave. Not exactly an hot spot in Des Moines, but it was about an 1/2 mile south of the fabled Center Street. In the early 90s it became the Grand Ave Lounge, and was home to local blues. Thursday Nights became jam night, and usually brought in the biggest crowd of the week. Eventually Jerry Glenn, former president of the Central Iowa Blues Society bought the place and called it The Grand. Jerry bought in national and regional acts on the weekend, and the blues jam on Thursdays. He experimented with locals during the rest of the week, but crowds were small, except on Thurs-Sat. However, Jerry ran out of money and the club was forced to close. However, another former president of the Central Iowa Blues Society, Jeff "Dr. Doubt" Wagner took over, renamed it Blues On Grand, and the rest is history. I suppose the saying third time is a charm is probably right since Jeff has keep the place rocking ever since. Check out their webpage here.