Martha Davis was One of the most underrated blues pianists, and without a doubt little known among the public(at least the current blues fans). This lady could play the blues! She probably has one of the fastest right hands I have heard! Also she was hilarious. In this clip she plays it straight, but on other videos of hers, I have seen she does a comedy routine while playing!! This is great stuff! CHECK IT OUT!!!
Monday, October 15, 2007
Ray Charles: In The Evening
The late great brother Ray playing some heartfelt slow blues. Man, Ray could make the piano sing!!
Cab Calloway: Blow Top Blues
An Awsome video of Cab Calloway! Unfortunately the video seems to have been cut a little early.
Shun Kikuta Interveiw
The Chicago Daily Herald has a cool interview with Shun Kikuta the current lead guitarist for Koko Taylor. Shun was born in Japan, and is considered a blues legend in Japan. Check out his story HERE.
Blog Critic: Bassekou Kouyate And Ngoni Ba, Sequ Blue
Interesting review from Blogcritic, about Bassekou Kouyate And Ngoni Ba, and their new release, Sequ Blue. Bassekou is considered one of the best Ngoni (a precursor of the Banjo) players in the world. You could also compare this music as pre-blues, or perhaps prototype blues:-) Either way it is an interesting read. Check out the review HERE.
Ron LaSalle In Lake Forrest November 13
I have been getting some emails from Ariel Publicity recently, and I just assumed it was the typical spam. However, I checked them out, and Oooooooooooooooooops! They are legit! Sorry about that! I am happy that you guys are sending me blues info! You make my job easier!So today I received an email about Ron LaSalle, and his show coming up in Lake Forrest Ill, on November 14. Here is a blurb from Ariel Publicity:
So what if Ron LaSalle is a late bloomer? His tobacco-cured vocals and stellar spirit have emerged fully mature from the confines of the rickhouse. The jazzy, bluesy, twangy mash of soulful roots rock that he distills for his sophomore album, Nobody Rides for Free, is magic and every second worth the wait. Perennially compared to Van Morrison, John Hiatt, Bob Seger and Tom Waits, LaSalle earns similar accolades this time out.
Here is the info about his upcoming gig in Lake Forrest:
- Date
- November 13, 2007, 7 pm
- Venue
- Gorton Comunity Center
Lake Forest, IL
- Ticket price
- 10.00
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Artist Of The Week Naomi Mathers
This weeks artist of the week is Naomi Mathers, from Liverpool England. Naomi is quite the artist! I found her on Youtube when I was trying to find Howling Wolf! Yup, pretty strange, but I am glad I stumbled on to her video, and then her Myspace page. (Click here) I know she is just starting out in the blues, and you know how I feel about youth and the blues, but I like her interpretations of the blues. To listen to her stuff, click on the powered by Youtube video box on the left side of the blog.
Photo Of The Week: The Iowa Blues Showcase House Band
With the internet radio up and running I thought for picture of the week I would include a photo taken by IBSC fan number 1! Rob took a lot of photos of us during our season at the Des Moines Area Community College. It was quite the show, and we recorded 11 episodes there. I promise that sometime this week I will start rebroadcasting the shows on the internet. If you would like to listen to the computerized show then click on the Blues Historian is on the air link at the top of the blog.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Charles Brown: I Stepped In Quicksand
Probably one of my favorite blues piano players, Charles Brown doing a classic slow shuffle in the Kansas City blues style!
Sonny Terry And Brownie McGhee: Key To The Highway
Probably the first blue record I ever had in my hands was a 45 of Browne McGhee and Sonny Terry. I didn't realize what I had because I was just a little kid, but I remember liking the music. Here Browne, and Sonny are playing a Big Bill Broonzy song, with the great folk singer, Pete Seeger playing along. BTW, I did get to meet Pete Seeger almost 20 years ago at a folk festival held out at living history farms in Des Moines. I was working security, and Pete came up and talked to me for about five minutes. He was one of the nicest persons I have ever met. I only wish I could have seen the concert, but from my position I could just hear bits and pieces of it.
An Article To Start A Discussion
I am not sure what to make of this article. There's No Such Thing As White Blues, from The Daily Tar Heel, a student newspaper from the University of North Carolina. I am not sure if the kid gets it or not. It is not a question of white, or black, so much as it is a question of who you are, and if you understand the dynamics of the past and the present. Jena is a great example of just how much farther we need to go in this country when it comes to race.
What happened in Jena (for news accounts of Jena click here) is symptomatic of a lot of the problems that plague our country. The coarsening of our political dialog, and bombastic right wing radio have allowed racial hatred to grown in this country. While they coach their language in welfare cheats, special treatment for minorities,(aka affirmative action) the crazy idea that Mexican immigrants don't pay taxes,(they pay income, sales, and if they own a home property tax) and then say that they are not racist. However, if you look at the group of people that they have the most issues with, it is people of color.
Returning to the blues, I think there is also an economic factor as well. Buddy Guy had a great song about how crazy it is for some guy who has never been poor, singing about how bad he has it! Buddy knows the blues, and it goes back to the reality of the blues. In order to play the blues you have to live the blues. This is true, because if you are singing about things that you have no understanding about then how could you possibly relate to the song? The best blues performers sing songs that come from the heart. Just read any of the interview that are linked on this site and you will see that the great ones really know the blues from personal experience.
I think the kid who wrote the article has his heart in the right place. I don't think the blues is about white or black, or green, yellow, or purple, but it is about what is in your heart, and putting some miles in your shoes! Trust me, the older you get the better you get at the blues.
What happened in Jena (for news accounts of Jena click here) is symptomatic of a lot of the problems that plague our country. The coarsening of our political dialog, and bombastic right wing radio have allowed racial hatred to grown in this country. While they coach their language in welfare cheats, special treatment for minorities,(aka affirmative action) the crazy idea that Mexican immigrants don't pay taxes,(they pay income, sales, and if they own a home property tax) and then say that they are not racist. However, if you look at the group of people that they have the most issues with, it is people of color.
Returning to the blues, I think there is also an economic factor as well. Buddy Guy had a great song about how crazy it is for some guy who has never been poor, singing about how bad he has it! Buddy knows the blues, and it goes back to the reality of the blues. In order to play the blues you have to live the blues. This is true, because if you are singing about things that you have no understanding about then how could you possibly relate to the song? The best blues performers sing songs that come from the heart. Just read any of the interview that are linked on this site and you will see that the great ones really know the blues from personal experience.
I think the kid who wrote the article has his heart in the right place. I don't think the blues is about white or black, or green, yellow, or purple, but it is about what is in your heart, and putting some miles in your shoes! Trust me, the older you get the better you get at the blues.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
BB King In San Deigo
BB is king of the blues, but he also a great guy. BB donates money and time for charity events. Here is an article from the Union Tribune, about King and his work with The San Diego charity group Photocharity.
Steve Miller Memorial Blues Bash.
Former Iowan, and Iowa blues Hall of Fame member, the late Steve Miller, has a memorial blues bash named for him. It takes place in Florida. Here are the details. From the Steve Miller website. Click Here to see more.
5th Annual Stephen Miller Memorial Blues Bash
October 13, 2007
FEATURING:
The Nighthawks, Barbara Blue, Jason Ricci & New Blood, Albert Castiglia, Art Harris and the Z-tones, Damon Fowler Group, Smokin' Torpedos, Tru Bluez & The Usual Suspects.
Concert held at Space Coast Harley – Davidson / Buell, Palm Bay, Florida
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS |
| Stage B Presented by
|
| Stage A Presented by
|
**Artist and times are subject to change without notice |
Illinois Blues Festival Update
Illinois blues sent an email update today. Here are some blues fest coming up soon:
This weekend brings the Voice of the Wetlands Festival in Houma, Louisiana, Annual Blues and Jazz Festival in Salisbury, North Carolina, the Stephen Miller Memorial Blues Bash in Palm Bay, Florida, the Columbia Blues Festival in Columbia, South Carolina, the Elroy Bike Meet & Blues Fest in Elroy, Wisconsin and the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise leaving from San Diego, CA. Support Live Blues near you by attending one of these events!
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
RL Burnside: Big Boss Man
Classic blues from a classic bluesman! Mr. RL Burnside! BTW, the guitar player that looks lost is Dave Stewart formally of the Eurythmics. one of the keys to playing the blues is the ability to listen. Some blues cats have their own rhythm, and sense of melody. You really have to listen for them to go to the four, (musician talk for chord change) instead of just going where it is suppose to be. Some singers like John Lee Hooker might just vamp on the one chord until he felt like moving to the four chord. So you have to listen and go with the singer. In Kansas City, Little Hatch was like that, and his bands always were on top of it. It is a great way to learn the blues, because Hatch would play the same song different each time he tried it! In a way it keeps thing fresh, because you just don't know what they guy is going to do:-) However, one of the great things about playing with Jimmy Pryor, was that Jimmy had a great sense of time, and he never lost it. even when he was in his upper 80s he always was where he was suppose to be in a song, so it was very easy to play for him. Unfortunatly RL, Hatch, John Lee, and Jimmy have left us. God bless everyone of them.
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