Just In Case.......

Your humble correspondent is traveling south for some rest and relaxation this week.  The last time I was in this area a couple of years ago, there was very little internet access.....I ended up having to write up the blog in a  McDonald's parking lot about five miles from where I was staying.  With that in mind, here's an emergency stand-by substitute post that will go live on Friday, if that's the case this time around......never let it be said that I wasn't thinking of you, faithful readers.

As I start writing this, I have no idea where it's going to end up.  Let's see what happens.......

Carlos Santana

To start things off, here's Santana from one of their 1968 Fillmore appearances.  The band didn't release their first album until 1969, so this performance was one of their earliest.  Carlos Santana is one of the most distinctive guitarists you'll ever hear.  His style is almost instantly recognizable.  As a musician, his style took in many genres, most notably rock and jazz, but Santana always paid, and still pays, homage to the blues in everything he plays.....his first incarnation of Santana was actually called The Santana Blues Band.  I have to admit that I've been a huge fan and one of the best concerts I ever saw was when Santana played at the New Orleans Jazz Fest in 1989.  I've been listening to him a good bit this week and was pleasantly surprised to find this song, a gorgeous cover of "As The Years Go Passing By," with vocals from keyboardist/co-founding member Greg Rolie.



"As The Years Go Passing By" originated in the late 50's, from the "pen" of Deadric Malone.  As we discussed awhile back during our look at Duke/Peacock Records, "Deadric Malone" was a pseudonym used by label chief Don Robey.  Robey had a crew of songwriters, most of whom would sell him their songs for $25 to $50 upon completion.  Robey then attached the Malone name to them and kept the royalties for himself.

Fenton Robinson

It is widely believed that guitarist Peppermint Harris was the actual composer of the song, writing it for Fenton Robinson, who released the original version of the song in 1959.  "The Mellow Blues Genius" went on to enjoy some success with his easy-going jazzy blues, even playing guitar behind Larry Davis on the original version of "Texas Flood."  Here's a later live version of "As The Years Go Passing By," from Robinson during a 1976 performance.

Albert King

Of course, Albert King's version is considered one of the definitive versions.....just one of many classics from his incredible Born Under A Bad Sign album.  King recorded the tune several times over his long career, but this version, backed by Booker T & the MG's and the Memphis Horns, is my favorite Albert King version.  King's tenure at Stax Records was his most productive, and the above-mentioned album is loaded with classic blues tunes that you've heard reproduced over and over by other blues and rock artists.

Jeff Healey

Next, here's Jeff Healey's version of this blues classic.  Healey lost his long and courageous bout with cancer in 2008.  His unique style of playing (with the guitar in his lap) gave him an amazing versatility, and he was gifted in a variety of styles, which made him a fan favorite in blues and blues/rock circles.  Though most of his albums focused on more mainstream rock-based blues, his live appearances were almost always blues-oriented, and ear-opening and he really blossomed onstage.  This track is no exception.

Otis Rush

Finally, here's my favorite version of the song, from Otis Rush.  Rush's guitar style was influenced quite a bit by Albert King and that's pretty obvious on this recording of the song, taken from Rush's 1994 release, Ain't Enough Comin' In.  While Rush's guitar work was always noteworthy, his powerful and soulful vocals take him to another level on most of his recordings, and they do so on this tune as well.  This is just a great performance all around.

Evidence of Excellent Blues

When I started buying CDs about fifteen years ago, I suddenly found that I had access to much more music than before....yes, I realize that CDs have been around for 25 years and, yes, it took me ten whole years to make the conversion.  I've never said that I was on the cutting edge of technology.  I basically don't make a change until I have no other choice, or in this case, very few blues cassettes were available anymore.

One of the great sources of good blues, at a very reasonable price, was Evidence Music.  Evidence was a Pennsylvania-based label that had a massive catalog of old blues and jazz recordings.  The label had bought the rights to several European record labels, such as Black and Blue, which had recorded many of the blues artists who had toured overseas during the 70's, doing various blues festivals.  The blues was much more popular overseas during that time period, so if a blues man, other than B.B. King, wanted to make any money back then, they had to do the European festivals.

During those festivals, a promoter named Didier Tricard recorded many of these acts between appearances, usually in single-day sessions, basically live in the studio for his labels Isabel (named after Buddy Guy's mother) and Black and Blue. Tricard actually recorded Buddy Guy and Junior Wells' Pleading the Blues and Guy's Stone Crazy! on the same day!!!!!  All of these albums were released overseas and for years, were only heard about by most blues fans until Evidence began reissuing them stateside in the early 90's.

Most of these CDs were sold for about 2/3 of the regular CD price at the time, and Evidence label head Jerry Gordon tacked on alternate takes or extra tracks on many of the recordings, so some of them were a good bit longer than the regular albums of the 70's period.  It was a GREAT deal, because the music was fantastic and you often saw artists paired together that you wouldn't see otherwise.

Naturally, when I started buying CDs and was looking for the most bang for my buck on blues releases, I gravitated toward Evidence.  I had heard about many of these CDs previously and really wanted to hear it for myself.  Today, we will look at five Evidence reissues that no blues fan should be without and, don't worry, we will revisit this topic again soon......

Jimmy Rogers - Sloppy Drunk:  Rogers had been basically inactive since the early 60's, with only a recording for Shelter Records a couple of years earlier, when he recorded this session for Black and Blue in 1973.  He's backed by a fantastic band, which includes the ultimate blues band (David Myers on bass, Louis Myers on guitar, Willie Mabon on piano, and Fred Below on drums).  Most of the songs on this set were old Rogers favorites, and the mix is a bit muddy at times, but Rogers is in really good form here.....his vocals are strong and his guitar work, always underrated to me, is equally strong and well-complemented by Mabon's piano and the tight rhythm section.....just a great, relaxed session by a group of seasoned pros.  It's hard for me to pick a favorite Jimmy Rogers CD....they're all great.....but this one is hard to beat.  This song, "Slick Chick," always puts a smile on my face.

Jimmy Dawkins - Tribute To Orange:  I didn't even know about this one prior to seeing it in the record shop, but check out that marquee (With Gatemouth Brown AND Otis Rush).  I guarantee you that a lot of blues fans did a double-take when they saw that line-up.  Before you get too excited, please know that Brown appears on eight of the thirteen tracks (from 1971) and Rush appears on five (from 1974).  That being said, it's still a wonderful listen.  Both Brown and Rush good-naturedly battle with Dawkins throughout and it makes for some interesting interplay.  Dawkins' usual serious subject matter and his terse vocal style are also in place.  This is a typically excellent Jimmy Dawkins release that many fans might have missed when it was reissued in the mid 90's.

Otis Rush - Live In Europe:  When people ask me about my favorite Otis Rush live albums, this 1977 set has is in the top two (for me, just behind the Wise Fools Pub set from a year earlier).  Recorded in France with rhythm guitarist Bob Levis, bass player Bog Stroger, and drummer Jesse Green, Rush tears through an inspired set of old favorites....if you're a fan, you've no doubt heard most of these before, but Rush is really in the zone for this set, with some of the best guitar playing I've heard from him.  Some of his live sets are marred by inconsistent backing or a perceived lack of interest on Rush's part, but this release stands with his best live recordings from start to finish.





Robert Lockwood, Jr. - Plays Robert & Robert:  This may be one  of my all-time favorite blues recordings.  Robert Lockwood, Jr. has always been one of the most fascinating characters in the blues.  For starters, his stepfather was Robert Johnson.  Most of the stories I've heard about him, and interviews with him (particularly the Living Blues interview from the late 90's.....classic) demonstrate that he didn't suffer fools lightly.  He was definitely his own man as a performer as well.  He often played 12-string guitar (as on this set) and he was as much into jazz as he was the blues and didn't compromise for anybody.  On this outstanding set from 1982, he plays a mix of Robert Johnson's songs and his own songs, solo on his twelve-string and it's absolutely fabulous.  If you only own one Robert Lockwood, Jr. album (and I strongly recommend against doing that), this is the one you must have.

Buddy Guy and Junior Wells - Live In Montreux:  Recorded in the Summer of 1977, this set teams the original Blues Brothers with Jimmy Johnson (guitar), Dave Myers (bass), and Odie Payne (drums).  Wells and Guy are in top form.....Wells' vocals and harmonica are spot-on, and   Guy's guitar work is powerful and to-the-point.  To me, this is their best live set from start to finish.  As an added bonus, the Evidence reissue included five extra tracks from artists appearing at the same performance using the rhythm section of Myers and Payne.  One track features Johnson with Hubert Sumlin, and the other four feature vocals from Johnson, Eddie Clearwater, Myers, and Andrew "Big Voice" Odom respectively.  Sounds like it would have been a fun show to attend.





That's all for now, but we will be revisiting the Evidence Music catalog in the near future.  There are plenty more great reissued recordings from Black and Blue and other labels that are just as good as these, and can be had for a very nice price.

Good Gravy!!!

Tom Carson

A little over a year ago, I posted about the history of one of the blues' classic songs, "Sweet Home Chicago."  The inspiration for that post came earlier that week when the local community college concert band, The Collegians, held their annual Spring Concert.  Last year was really special because their instructor, Tom Carson, was retiring at the end of the school year to focus on his ongoing battle with cancer.  Mr. Carson always played guitar with the group and the Spring Concert was no different, and it was made even more special because his kids, all former or current Collegians, joined him on stage and they sang "Sweet Home Chicago."

Tom battled cancer with fierce determination.  He was not going to let "the alien" win the war.  His daughter helped him start a page on Caring Bridge and he posted nearly every day about how things were going, pulling few punches and leaving out few details in the battle, making us all a part of his daily adventures (if you happened to know Mr. Carson pretty well, or read his posts on Caring Bridge, you'll understand today's post title).  He rallied support for his war by starting The Army of Tom and soon, t-shirts were printed, wrist bands created, a Facebook page was created and people from all over the country were soon posting pictures in all sorts of locations, wearing their Army of Tom t-shirts, pledging their loyalty and support for the cause....to help Mr. Carson battle cancer.

Many of his supporters helped drive him to his various chemo and radiation treatments, they cheered for him when the news was good from his doctors, and offered encouragement when the news was not so good.  A benefit was held late last year, with Country Music superstar Randy Houser (another former Collegian) as the headliner, and, yes, Mr. Carson played guitar with the band.  In addition to his semi-retired status at the college (he stayed on to work with The Collegians this year), he was also a guitarist in the local band, The Deluxe Southern Impalas.  He did all this while undergoing surgeries, chemo and radiation treatments, and battling fatigue on a regular basis, his enthusiasm, sense of humor, and determination never wavering.

Randy Houser with the Carson family (Photo by Lisa Jay)

Tom &  Jamie Nance - Deluxe Southern Impalas in action (Photo by Lisa Jay)

Unfortunately, in recent weeks, he ended up having to go to the hospital and spent the last three weeks there.  More cancer had been found and he was undergoing more treatments.  Still, he was determined to have this year's Spring show as scheduled.  It was moved and then re-scheduled for this weekend, but finally had to be cancelled.  However, Tom was determined that he would be returning home on Monday and said so on his final post at Caring Bridge.

Tom did go home on Monday, but to his eternal home.  He passed away on Monday morning.  The outpouring of love and support on Facebook was huge.  He touched so many lives during his thirty-plus years in this town, working with thousands of college students from throughout the state via the marching band and his concert bands.  He also was an inspiration to so many of the non-performing students that crossed his path.  His quick wit and ready smile were always apparent.  Finally, during the last couple of years of his life, as he battled cancer, he was a source of inspiration to so many people with his boundless enthusiasm, his determined faith, his sense of humor, and his courage.

Tom was a regular visitor to Friday Blues Fix.  One day, I saw him and his wife, Brenda, at the post office and we talked while Brenda went in to get the mail.  He said that without the blues, you wouldn't have any of the other music that young people listen to today.  He let the kids he taught over thirty-plus years know that, too, letting them know that the blues was all right.  He did his part to help keep the blues alive by sharing it with all those young folks, who shared it with their friends, and so on.......

We local folks will miss Tom Carson, a lot.....you have no idea how much.  Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.

The Blind Owl

Alan Wilson

This year, Alan Wilson would have been 70 years old.  Now you may not know who Alan Wilson was......he wasn't around very long (sadly, he's a member of the infamous 27 Club), but he made quite a mark during his brief stay.  He is considered to be the voice of the Woodstock Generation.  He helped to found one of the greatest blues/rock bands ever.  He was recruited to re- teach one of the rediscovered living legends of the blues how to play his old songs.  John Lee Hooker once said that "Alan plays my music better than I knows it myself."  He was regarded by many music critics of the time as being one of the best harmonica players of that era.  Despite those accolades, and many others, for Wilson, life was a daily struggle....one he gave up on far too early.

Alan Wilson was a singer/songwriter/guitarist/harmonica player in the band Canned Heat.  Several songs that he wrote, or adapted from earlier blues songs, are considered classics today.  If you've watched or listened to any form of mass media over the past 20 to 25 years, you've heard at least two of the songs he's best known for.  His song "Going Up The Country," adapted from an ancient song from the 1929's from Henry Thomas ("Bulldoze Blues"), became the unofficial anthem for the Woodstock Generation.



Alan Wilson was born in Boston and studied music at Boston University.  From a young age, he immersed himself in the blues, playing old 78's in his room and reading books about early blues artists.  He became a talented guitarist and harmonica player, and became a regular on the Cambridge folk/blues circuit.  He earned the nickname "The Blind Owl," due to his nearsightedness (almost to the point of blindness).  His bandmate, drummer Fido de la Parra, said, "Without the glasses, Alan literally could not recognize the people he played with at two feet."  Once, while rehearsing with Canned Heat at the Presidential Palace in Mexico City, he laid his guitar on the bottom layer of a wedding cake, mistaking it for a table.

In the mid 60's, Dick Waterman was able to track down Son House.  House, who influenced legends like Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, and nearly every other blues man in the Mississippi Delta, had not played in over twenty years and had basically forgotten his own songs.  Wilson had grown up a huge fan of House's, and knew all of his music, so Waterman recruited the 22-year-old Wilson to re-teach the veteran his songs from the early 30's.  Wilson was then invited to accompany House, playing guitar and harmonica, at the Newport Blues Festival in 1964 and also on House's "rediscovery" album (now called The Father of Delta Blues:  The Complete 1965 Recordings).

Canned Heat - Wilson is second from right

Also around this time (1965), Wilson and Bob Hite formed Canned Heat, taking the name from Tommy Johnson's "Canned Heat Blues," a 1928 tune about a alcoholic so desperate that he turned to drinking canned heat (the name used for Sterno).  The band was well received from critics and fans alike.  Wilson and Harry Vestine were considered a formidable combination on guitar, and Wilson was generally regarded as one of the finest harmonica players at the time.  Throwing Hite's powerful vocals into the mix made Canned Heat one of the best interpreters of traditional and modern blues of the 60's.

When they released their second album in 1968, Boogie With Canned Heat, one of the songs recorded was the hard-rocking "On The Road Again," which was inspired by blues man Floyd Jones.  This song became their first break-out hit, soaring to the top of the charts, a rarity for a blues track.  The band ended up at the Newport Pop Festival that year, and then moved to a month-long tour of Europe, the band's first overseas exposure.





Later in 1968, Canned Heat released their third album, Living The Blues, which included their biggest tune, "Going Up The Country."  It was taken almost note for note from Henry Thomas' original tune, "Bulldoze Blues," only Thomas' part played on quills was duplicated on flute for the modern version.  The song was a worldwide hit and became the unofficial theme song of the Woodstock Generation after it appeared on the 1970 documentary about the festival. You heard the Canned Heat version above.....here's the original inspiration, from Henry Thomas.

Canned Heat - Wilson is second from left

Wilson continued to develop as a songwriter and performer.  Musically, he was phenomenal on guitar and harmonica, but as a vocalist, he continued to develop and improve, and his high-pitched vocal style was ideal for blues songs, as it perfectly conveyed pain and vulnerability.  Socially, he was awkward and uncomfortable, especially with the opposite sex.  He was able to relate this in his songwriting, on songs like "My Mistake," "Change My Ways," "Do Not Enter," and "London Blues."



His songwriting was deeply personal, and he dealt with his various battles with depression ("Pulling Hair Blues," "Human Condition," "My Time Ain't Long") and also his concerns about the world around him, particularly environmental issues ("Poor Moon"), his relationship with his father ("Get Off My Back"), and even friction within the band (the classic, "Time Was").



Through it all, Wilson retained his incredible musical virtuosity.  On Living The Blues, the band assembled an incredible nine-part musical adventure called "Parthenogenesis," where each band member had his own part of the song where he could do or play whatever he wanted without interference from the other band members.

In 1969, the band recorded their most famous live set at Woodstock.  They performed "Going Up The Country," though their performance wasn't featured in the movie itself, it did appear on the original 3-record(!) soundtrack.  They were very prolific in the studio, releasing two studio albums and what would later be two live recordings in 1969 and 1970.



Also, during this period, Canned Heat recorded with John Lee Hooker.  Hooker and the band had a chance meeting in an airport in Portland, Oregon and discovered they had a mutual respect for each other's music, so they decided to make a record together.  The format featured Hooker performing some of his songs solo, Hooker and Wilson performing together, and then Hooker with the full band in support.  They recorded enough songs to make a double album, Hooker 'n Heat.  Hooker loved Wilson's musical talents, saying that he was "the greatest harmonica player ever."

Canned Heat

Unfortunately, Alan Wilson didn't get to see Hooker 'n Heat released.  He had previously tried to commit suicide by driving his van off the road near Bob Hite's house in Topanga Canyon, where he lived with Hite's family.  He continued to be depressed over concerns for the environment, his struggles with women, and just relating to the world and people in general.

On September 3rd, 1970, manager Skip Taylor found Wilson outdoors behind Hite's house, dead in a sleeping bag.  The band was about to embark on a European tour.  Taylor found an empty gin bottle and a bottle of Seconal on the ground.  Wilson's death was listed as an overdose, but his friends were convinced that the depression finally caught up with him.  Wilson was 27 years old, the same age as Hendrix, Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, Brian Jones, and Robert Johnson when they died.  Canned Heat continued on without Wilson, even forging on after Hite passed away in 1981, and are still active today.

Recently, Severn Records released a two-disc retrospective of Wilson's music with Canned Heat, called The Blind Owl.  If you're not familiar with Alan Wilson's recordings, this is an excellent place to get started.  The hits that Wilson sang lead on ("Going Up The Country," "On The Road Again," "Time Was") are here, as well as some of his incredible instrumental performances, including four parts of the "Parthenogenesis" suite.  Also worth hearing are several of Wilson's interpretations of classic blues tunes (Sonny Boy Williamson's "Help Me," Charlie Patton's "Shake It And Break It,"  Little Walter's "Mean Old World").  If you've missed out on this gifted blues musician, you can still give it a listen since most of Canned Heat's early work is still in print.

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue #9

Once again, it's time for another well-rounded look at the blues, with a look at what or who is new in the world of blues, a legendary artist or artists from years past, a blues song done rock style (or vice versa), and finally, someone who epitomizes the very essence of the music.  Let's get started, shall we.....

For Something Old, let's take a look at Skip James performing at the 1966 Newport Folk Festival.  James recorded some amazing performances for Paramount Records in the early 30's, but they didn't sell well, and a dejected James gave up the music, becoming choir director at his father's church and eventually becoming ordained as a Baptist and Methodist minister over the next thirty years.

Skip James (Photo by Dick Waterman)

James was rediscovered by a trio of blues enthusiasts in 1964 while in a hospital in Tunica, MS.  Once he had recovered, he was performing at  Newport, where he was received enthusiastically this time around.  Though he battled cancer off and on during his return, James stuck around long enough to record some excellent albums for Vanguard and continued to appear in various festivals around the country until he died in 1969.  In this video, he is shown performing one of his biggest songs, "Devil Got My Woman."

Jason Elmore

For Something New, FBF travels to Dallas, home base of Jason Elmore and his band, Hoodoo Witch.  Their latest release, Tell You What, showcases the band's versatility, as they move effortlessly from blues/rock to country-flavored rock to deep R&B/soul, as heard on this clip from their recent CD release party.  "Cold Lonely Dawn" is a great R&B-styled blues track that would be a hit in a perfect world.

Elmore is a first-rate guitarist, as you'll hear on the video, but he also impresses with his soulful vocal style.  He wrote most of the songs on the disc, but covers everyone from Buck Owens ("Buckaroo") to William Bell (a smooth cover of "You Don't Miss Your Water") to the late Sean Costello ("Don't Pass Me By").  His new disc will please not only blues fans, but fans of rock and soul, too.....definitely worth a listen.




For Something Borrowed, we visit with a pair of blues legends....Taj Mahal and James Cotton.  Back in the late 90's, House of Blues had their own record label for a couple of years and they came up with a series of albums where blues artists covered rock songs by particular artists who were inspired by the blues.  These included albums of songs by Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan, and the Rolling Stones.

I only heard a couple of these sets, one of them being the Rolling Stones disc.  It was the most interesting set to me, in that it featured the final recordings of Luther Allison, Junior Wells, and Johnny Clyde Copeland.  One of the more interesting tracks teamed up Taj Mahal and Cotton for an acoustic version of "Honky Tonk Woman."  While most of the songs were well-done to me, this one remains one of my favorites because it's completely different from the Stones' original.  This version has a more Delta blues-related feel to it, with the acoustic guitar and Cotton's animated harp backing.

Hound Dog Taylor and friend

Something Blue......"She's Gone" is really the first song I ever heard from Hound Dog Taylor and the HouseRockers.  I picked up his self-titled debut release from Alligator Records in 1989.  This was actually the first-ever release on Alligator Records in the early 70's.... owner Bruce Iglauer actually formed the label for the sole purpose if recording Taylor.....he had previously worked at Delmark and couldn't convince Bob Koester to do so.  Technically, if it weren't for Hound Dog Taylor, there might never have been an Alligator Records.

When I plugged this cassette into my truck stereo and "She's Gone" began blasting through my speakers, my world changed.  This was the rawest, most ragged, relentless, and raucous blues I'd ever heard.  Taylor's guitar sounded like it was strung with barbed wire.  Second guitarist Brewer Phillips was equally unhinged, yet together, their playing was incredible.....it was almost like they could read each other's minds sometimes.

Taylor recorded three discs for Alligator, two studio and one live recording, before he passed away from cancer in 1975, but his legend lives on.  If you're a blues fan, you must have at least one Hound Dog Taylor album in your collection (this one is a great place to start).  He was one of a kind.

Moonshine and Mojo Hands - The Mississippi Blues Series

If you watch TV at all these days, more likely than not, you're hooked to some form of Reality TV.  I fought it as long as I could, but I do have a couple that I tune into on a regular basis.  From my limited experience, there are some that are pretty fun and some that are aggravating and some that are, well, disturbing.  I'm sure most of you feel the same, only you might have different shows under each description from mine.  That's the way the world turns, after all.

Now, thanks to the efforts of Friday Blues Fix Friends Roger Stolle (Cat Head Delta Blues and Folk Art) and Jeff Konkel (Broke and Hungry Records), you can add another fun series to the list.....just check out their press release below from a couple of weeks ago.....

Award-Winning Film and Music Producers Set to Launch First Blues Music Reality Show This Fall

(CLARKSDALE, MS) – The creators of the award-winning documentaries “M For Mississippi” and “We Juke Up in Here” return in 2013 with “Moonshine & Mojo Hands,” a new weekly web-TV series dedicated to the rude, rowdy – and often ridiculous – world of Mississippi blues. The show follows hosts Roger Stolle and Jeff Konkel as they travel the Delta’s back roads in search of juke joints, house parties, barbecue, moonshine and – of course – the men and women who keep this uniquely American music alive in the land of its birth.

The first season of the show will consist of 10 episodes streaming for free online this fall. Each 12-minute episode will take viewers on a wild ride through the Mississippi Delta and Hill Country to meet the region's most fascinating characters in truly unforgettable settings.

“There’s truly no place else on Earth quite like Mississippi,” Konkel said. “We can’t wait to introduce viewers to all of the great music, food, culture and characters that the state has to offer.”

The show’s producers are currently raising funds through Kickstarter at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/794647006/moonshine-and-mojo-hands-the-mississippi-blues-ser. Marketing sponsorship opportunities also are available for interested individuals and organizations by e-mailing Roger Stolle at roger@cathead.biz or Jeff Konkel at jeff@brokeandhungryrecords.com.

“We’ve been really overwhelmed by the excitement and interest that the project has already generated,” Stolle said. “With the support of sponsors and fans, we’re confident we can create a show that will help the world understand what makes Mississippi such a weird and wonderful place.”

“Moonshine & Mojo Hands” is a joint production of Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art and Broke & Hungry Records in partnership with Tangent Mind, LLC and Lou Bopp.

###

Friday Blues Fix sat down with Konkel and Stolle earlier this week and asked a few questions about the upcoming series.  Here's what they had to say.....

Roger Stolle, Super Chikan, Jeff Konkel (Photo by Lou Bopp)

Friday Blues Fix:  What was the inspiration for Moonshine and Mojo Hands?  Was it something that came out during the making of the two documentaries?

Jeff:  Believe it or not, the biggest inspiration for the new show was Jerry Seinfeld! Last summer Roger got hooked on Seinfeld’s new web show, Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee. He turned me onto the show, and we both fell in love with the concept and Seinfeld’s DIY approach. We began to discuss how we could use a similar approach to explore all of the great music, food, culture and characters of Mississippi.

Roger:  Now, if we could just get some cool, vintage cars like Seinfeld has, we’d be all set! Actually, we also sound inspiration in reality TV shows like American Pickers and No Reservations since both are a similar travelogue narrative.

            FBF:    Will it be similar to the format of M for Mississippi and We Juke Up In Here?

JK:  I think anyone who has seen our earlier films will recognize our fingerprints all over Moonshine & Mojo Hands. Roger and I will once again be the “hosts,” and we will continue to travel off the beaten path to bring compelling stories featuring great music, quirky characters and plenty of humor. But there will be some differences. We’re approaching this project with more of a “television mindset.” The pacing will be faster and our production values will be a little higher, thanks to a larger production crew. But don’t worry: We’ll leave the “Jersey Shore” and “Honey Boo Boo”-type storytelling to someone else. Our reality show will put the emphasis on reality.

RS:  With all of our projects, we work very hard to bring the viewer — or listener, in the case of our recordings — on the journey with us. Jeff and I figured out a long time ago that it is the experience of visiting Mississippi and hanging out with all of the state’s insane blues characters that makes music fans travel to the Magnolia State over and over and over. This part of the world is like an onion; with every visit or project, you discover a new layer. Our goal is to capture these layers and present them to the blues-converted and the newbies alike.

FBF:  How much material do you have to work with?  Are there still a lot of Mississippi blues musicians out there waiting to be discovered?

Artheniece "Gasman" Jones (Photo by Lou Bopp)

            JK:  Plenty! In fact, we’ve already come up with too many stories to cover in our first season. This format allows us to tell some stories that simply didn’t fit into the narrower themes of our films. In addition, “Moonshine & Mojo Hands” isn’t just about Mississippi’s blues musicians, but also about the larger culture that helped foster that music. We’ll be visiting a lot of folks who make the Delta and surrounding areas so captivating: folk artists, juke owners, soul food cooks, farmers, card sharks … really anyone who contributes to the overall story of Mississippi.

            RS:  To some, “the blues” is just another genre of music. To us — and other deep blues fans — it is so much more than that. It is a culturally-connected art form, so the venues, personalities, food, chaos and history behind the music are every bit as important and interesting as the tunes themselves. We’ve got some amazing blues experiences scheduled for our viewers in Season One!

(Photo by Lou Bopp)

FBF:  So far, your fundraiser has been a success.  What other needs do you have to get the ball rolling on this series?

            JK:  In truth, we still need to raise quite a bit more money. Our Kickstarter goal represented just a fraction of the overall money we need to make the show. Whatever we aren’t able to raise through our crowd-funding campaign will have to come from marketing sponsors. We hope that blues fans will continue to support our effort at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/794647006/moonshine-and-mojo-hands-the-mississippi-blues-ser.

            RS:  Jeff’s exactly right. It is crazy how expensive it is to do these types of projects correctly and on-schedule. The travel costs (from gas to hotels to meals). The talent costs (from musicians to juke owners to general characters). The production costs (from designers to cameramen to editors). Everything adds up very quickly. Our Kickstarter campaign is just about getting the project done. The more we raise, the better the episodes and, frankly, the better chance that we’ll see a Season Two!

Thanks for the info, guys.  We can't wait to see it.  For anyone interested in contributing to the cause, please go to the Kickstarter site.  They are offering some nice prizes in exchange for certain contribution levels, so if you've got a few coins to spare, you will be certainly be rewarded in the coming months.

Before we go for the weekend, a reminder for all you local blues fans in Mississippi, particularly the east central region, Friday Blues Fix friend Lenard Ingram is hard at work, putting the final touches on Philadelphia, MS's own blues club, the 424 Blues Cafe'.  The official opening is just down the road a piece, but Ingram is opening it up this weekend to welcome Jarekus Singleton and his band for a Saturday night, April 20th show, beginning at 8:30 pm.  Admission is only $10 and if you're familiar with Mr. Singleton, a former All State high school basketball star who recently made quite an impression at the 2013 IBC in Memphis, you know that it will be a great show (see below, courtesy of another FBF friend, Ms. Peggy Brown).  The 424 Blues Cafe' is located on 424 Beacon Street in Philadelphia, MS.  Just look for the blue and red sign and listen for the blues.

New Blues For You - Spring, 2013 Edition (Part 2)

Continuing our theme of a couple of weeks ago, Friday Blues Fix will take a brief look at a few more new and upcoming releases that are worth your attention.  As always, extended reviews of these discs can be seen at the KBA award-winning site, Blues Bytes.  

Tinsley Ellis - Get It! (Heartfixer Music):  This is one of several instrumental CDs that has really put a hop in my step the past few weeks.  I first encountered Tinsley Ellis at the late, great Chunky Rhythm & Blues Festival in the late 80's, when he was part of the Alligator Records contingency.  His guitar work really raised some eyebrows that day among festival attendees, most of whom were hearing him for the first time.  Ellis has recorded for several different labels since then, including Telarc and Capricorn, plus a return to Alligator, but Get It! is being released on his own Heartfixer Music label.

There are ten tracks here, with Ellis moving pretty easily from blues/rock to New Orleans-styled funk to vintage rock & roll to world music to the down-and-dirty blues.  Ellis pays tribute to many of his influences here, too.....from Albert Collins to Roy Buchanan to Duane Eddy to Chuck Berry to Bo Diddley to Freddy King.  Guitar fans of all genres will dig this one.  Ellis shows some impressive versatility and imaginative guitar work throughout.

Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters - Just For Today (Stony Plain):  I'm a late arrival to Ronnie Earl's solo music.  Sure, I enjoyed his work on numerous Black Top releases in the late 80's and early 90's (notably his work with Earl King and Roomful of Blues on Glazed and also on Hubert Sumlin's Blues Party).  For some reason, I missed out on a lot of his solo work with the Broadcasters over the past couple of decades until a few years ago.

Earl backed off the touring circuit a few years ago for health reasons, limiting most of his live dates to locales near his Massachusetts digs.  The break from the pressures of constant touring seems to have recharged his batteries, so to speak, and his tenure with Stony Plain Records has been a productive one, as far as creativity goes.  Just For Today captures Earl at three live dates in Massachusetts and, as always, Earl's guitar work shows a mastery of both blues and jazz stylings, and an amazing rapport with the Broadcasters.  This particular group has been playing together for 13 years and it shows with every note.

The Duke Robillard Band - Independently Blue (Stony Plain):  Robillard has enjoyed a productive relationship with Stony Plain Records, consistently releasing some great albums that mix urban blues, jump blues, swing, and early rock & roll.  This latest release is no exception as Robillard and band are joined by another powerhouse guitarist, Monster Mike Welch.  The Duke and the Monster complement each other perfectly, engaging in a couple of cool instrumentals and some good-natured "head cutting."

The songs themselves are very strong, with three being written by Robillard's former Roomful of Blues band mate Al Basile.  Robillard's own compositions are equally well-done.  As far back as I can remember, Duke Robillard has never released anything less than an above average album.  This one falls right in there with the rest.  Over the past year, there have been some outstanding releases from several former Roomful members (Robillard, Earl, Basile, and Ron Levy) that all blues fans need to have in their collection.

Big Papa and the TCB - Six Pack Of Cool (Inland Blue Records):  If you're a jump blues fan in need of a fix, then look no further.  This is the disc for you.  You might have heard these guys in a Papa John's commercial over the past couple of years, playing their song, "Go Big Papa!" and have had a couple of songs featured on the A&E series, Breakout Kings  They mix jump blues with rock and swing for the most part, but this disc is firmly focused on jump blues.

The disc will definitely get you on your feet with several rousing numbers, but they also mix in some pretty solid slower tunes, too, and several tracks also have a definite New Orleans flavor to them, too.  Their front man, singer/guitarist Chris "Big Papa" Thayer does a fine job and the band is fantastic.  Singer/guitarist Gino Matteo joins the band on one tune, too.  This one will definitely move you and groove you, get you on your feet and keep you there for a while.

Hadden Sayers - Rolling Soul (Blue Corn Music):  After a prolonged absence from the music business, Sayers returned a couple of years ago with his Hard Dollar album, which was pretty well-received by fans and critics and got his career back in gear.  His song, "Back To The Blues," was nominated for Song of the Year at the BMA's.

Rolling Soul consists of songs that Sayers mostly composed while on the road touring.  Sayers' tunes are great and vivid images of the human condition.  He has an expressive and soulful voice and it works well on the variety of tunes here, which range from Texas shuffles to swing to after-hours blues to rock and soul.  Ruthie Foster, who hired Sayers as her guitarist a few years back (which helped jump-start his career) and appeared on his last disc, also appears on Rolling Soul.  Hadden Sayers is a talented musician who hopefully will receive more attention the second time around.

I wanted to say a few words about Jimmy Dawkins, who passed away Wednesday, April 10th.  Dawkins was one of the first blues guitarists that I heard.  It was on a concert broadcast on PBS during Black History Month.  His nickname was "Fast Fingers," but it really didn't suit his style.  He played some fierce, fiery, intense guitar, and his songs were often pretty intense, too. He got his start on the West Side with other guitarists like Otis Rush, Luther Allison, Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson, Buddy Guy, Eddie C. Campbell, and many others, and was devoted to getting the blues out to a larger audience and working to get younger artists an opportunity to record.

He recorded sporadically over the years, starting with Delmark, where his debut, Fast Fingers, was one of his best recordings and a great example of late 60's electric Chicago Blues.  The follow-up, the underrated All For Business, included Otis Rush on second guitar, and Andrew "Big Voice" Odom on the majority of the vocals....not a bad line-up at all.  Another keeper is A Tribute To Orange, recorded when Dawkins was on a European tour in the early 70's and matching Dawkins with Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown and Otis Rush.  He later recorded for Excello, Earwig (one of his best, Kant Sheck Dese Bluze), Ichiban/Wild Dog, and Fedora, where he released his last disc in 2004.

Roosevelt Jamison passed away a couple of weeks ago.  Jamison was responsible for the discovery of O.V. Wright and James Carr, two of the greatest soul singers ever.  Jamison also wrote the soul classic, "That's How Strong My Love Is," which was recorded first by Wright, later by Otis Redding, and still later by the Rolling Stones.  There was a possibility that someone might have discovered O.V. Wright, but there's little doubt that without the efforts of Roosevelt Jamison, we might have never heard James Carr and that would have been a terrible thing.  There's no way that I can do Jamison's story justice, so I encourage you to read Peter Guralnick's recent blog post and also Red Kelly's wonderful post on his great blog, The "B" Side to learn more about this great man.