Smokin Aces Update

Hope every one is having a great holiday season! Hope to see you all at upcoming shows! Sonny

Si Cranstoun: Christmas Song Jack Frost

Some bouncy Ska for ya, from Si Cranstoun

Judy Garland: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

I thought some Christmas songs would be appropriate for tonight. Merry Christmas, and hope for better times next year. BTW, if you had a great year this year, lets hope for some more:-) God Bless, and be safe.

Blues Historian

Frank Sinatra And Dean Martin: Marshmellow World

Nate King Cole: Christmas Song

Bob Dorr And The Blue Band Update

Well the weather outside is frightful...it almost makes me thankful we didn't have a gig to try and get to these last two weeks. Almost...

Tonight, Christmas Eve, I'll be hosting my 35th (out of the last 37) LIVE Rockin' Christmas Eve show on Iowa Public Radio. All styles of music, from all eras, all Holiday songs, many picked out by listeners, some of whom check in from various parts of the US for this annual get together of many generations of rockin' Xmas song fans. If you have a favorite Xmas song or just want to say Hello, Happy Holidays, the toll free number (good in the lower 48) is 800-772-2440, ext. 5. I'll be the only one there and will answer all calls personally, so if you get thru, let it ring, I'll get to your call asap. You can also just respond to this note with an advance request. This is one of my favorite shows of the year and this year could be the last one. Get the frequency in your area or listen on line at www.iowapublicradio.org The show runs 7-10pm, as always, we'll keep an eye out for the fat man (Elvis, not Santa)...

I'm thrilled with the fact that I now have a signed, sealed, and delivered contract with Iowa Public Radio to continue producing and hosting the Backtracks and Blue Avenue shows after my retirement from UNI (one week from tonight) (YIKES!!) There is a (santa) clause in the contract that would allow me to do other "special" programs like Christmas Eve, so I'm hoping that I can continue that tradition. Otherwise, it's been an absolutely fantastic ride spending the holidays with my radio family and I hope you can join me one more time, TONIGHT!...

Speaking of special radio shows, I'm hoping to put together a collection of wedding/love/marriage songs for the Jan. 2 Backtracks show. Some people have been posting suggestions on the Blue Band Post-a-Note page and on my Facebook page. If you can think of any rockin' wedding songs, please let me know. The show runs 3 hours long, I've currently got about an hour and a half of material. Keep in mind that Backtracks deals exclusively in songs that are at least 25 years old...

I'm not sure what I was thinking when I thought I could manage a seven act, 3 stage, New Year's Eve extravaganza, in a hotel that we've never tried this before, plus be the band leader of the eight piece headline band, (which will again this year have all the other acts sit in for a song or two through the night) plus retire from a job that I've done for over 30 years, and GET MARRIED!! ALL ON THE SAME NIGHT!! What was I thinking?? Fortunately, I have great help from my band mates (you're gonna love Heath's vocal on Carolyn's request for At Last and Jeff's version of I Knew The Bride When She Used To Rock'n'Roll) and the hotel staff has been FANTASTIC in arranging for all the details, and the bride has really taken care of all the planning, ordering and marriage details. So what's to worry? In the words of that great philosopher, Alfred E. Newman, What ME worry? I'm really looking forward to the event and am just a little surprised that ticket and room packages aren't selling as well as I had expected. (if it wasn't enough that the Hawkeyes will be taking 10,000 people out of the state, The Cyclones will be taking thousands with them when they play the Goophers in Arizona) (OK, with about an inch of slick ice covering the Sparkle City streets, Florida and Arizona DOES sound appealing) The $50 NYE ticket (reduced from $55 last year) includes access to all 7 acts, buffet food for about 4 hours, champagne toast at midnight and wedding CAKE after the ceremony. Rooms packages are also available. The Hilton Garden is the only ticket outlet, get yours or reserve a room at Hilton Garden Inn Des Moines/Urbandale, 8600 Northpark Dr. Johnston, IA or 515-270-8890. I'm hoping to have the complete schedule of events posted on the NYE page (www.theblueband.com/newyear.htm) by the middle of the weekend. And, we're going to continue the tradition of the PRE-Party with 2 Bobs & A ? on Dec. 30th. Access to that gathering of band friends is FREE!! and this year will be held in the main ballroom. 2 Bobs (Rob Lumbard and myself) will be joined by Bunky Marlow on saxophones, in a very relaxed atmosphere, doing a couple sets between 9-midnight. Go ahead, check in a night early and join us...

I am told that a change in job/career, or marital status, or living situations can drive people nuts. I can see why! And so can I...See yas on the Happy Blue (year) Highway, practice playing your zydeco tie to I Knew The Bride When She Used To Rock'n'Roll, keep spreadin' the word about that house I have for sale in Cedar Falls (TWO places to shovel out!!) and come help us eat wedding CAKE. I hope your holidays are happy and healthy and that Santa brings you what you deserve. We love you. Bob Dorr & The Blue Band

Mac Walton (MacDaddy) RIP

I can't remember if I found MacDaddy, or he found me. I just remember the first time I saw his website, and we had the same blogger template, that we must be kindred spirits. MacDaddy loved the blues and jazz, and without a doubt he wrote some of the most powerful essays on the music. Far better than anything I could do. He would send me links to some of his best stories and I would post them to my blog.

I guess I like most of his readers was shocked to learn that he had been so sick. I certainly didn't think that the last email I would get from him would come on December 7th. It was one of his last posts.

FYI: Thought you might like this.

NINA SIMONE: "I LOVE YOU, PORGY"

Listen up: A friend emailed a brotha saying Luther Vanddross's song to his father was his favorite and asked "Who is your favorite?" I told him mine was Nina Simone's rendition of " I love you, Porgy."

Here are the words to the song:

I loves you, Porgy,
Don' let him take me,
Don' let him handle me an' drive me mad.
If you kin keep me,
I wants to stay here wid you forever,
An' I'd be glad.

I loves you, Porgy,
Don' let him take me
Don' let him handle me
With his hot han'
If you kin keep me
I wants to stay here wid you forever.
I got my man.

What's your favorite song?

Mac Walton
blog address: http://daddybstrong.blogspot.com/
e-mail: culturaldynamics@msn.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home

I wish I had posted it then.


I will miss Mac, it is sad to see another blues traveler leave, but since you are up there make sure to say hi to my old friend Jimmy.

God bless you.


Tom

Soul Searchers Update

the soul searchers
click here for our website
click here for our myspace page
click here to buy the CD

wednesday, december 23, 8pm
AND
saturday, december 26, 9pm

greenwood lounge

3707 ingersoll ave, des moines

"the soul searchers lay down authentic west coast blues from their des moines, iowa surroundings" -BLUES REVUE magazine "the soul searchers are a veteran group of players who roll along slickly and confidently" -BLUESWAX "this band puts down energet

Smokin Aces Update

Blues Historian Review: Arthur Adams: Stomp The Floor

Arthur Adams, Stomp The Floor, is a great CD of classic southern soul blues. This release from Delta Grove was sent to me a few weeks ago for review. Adams has all the soul of those classic Malco artists from the 80s who kept the blues alive. It's that awesome blend of soul and blues that is very popular in the south, and should be all over the nation. Adams also can play some great jazz guitar as well. Around The Sun, is one of those smooth jazz cuts that you wouldn't necessarily hear on a blues CD. Perhaps my favorite cut is You Can't Win For Loosing. A great classic song of living the blues. I am going through some health issues right now. I was driving some 45 miles to a specialist, and trust me when you are driving a long ways to the doctor time seems to slow down. Arthur Adams You Can't Win For Loosing, helped me a great deal, and as I am dealing with this stuff, I keep letting the song help me through the day. As Arthur Adams says, You Can't Win For Loosing, but you gotta keep trying! Those are words to live by.

This is the best CD that I have heard this year. So put this on your Christmas list, or give it as a gift!