As we move on to the new year, it's only fitting that we take a look back at 2024. It was an interesting year for blues fans, and although we didn't post that much here about the blues, that doesn't mean that we weren't thinking about them, reading about them, or listening to them. Here's a few of the high points of the music for the year.
For starters, here's my Top 20 releases of the year (in alphabetical order). In a few weeks, if you're interested, you can see which of these 20 albums make up my 2024 Top 10 in the January issue of Blues Bytes.
Blues People - The Skin I'm In (PWI Entertainment)
Eden Brent - Getaway Blues (Yellow Dog Records)
Ronnie Baker Brooks - Blues In My DNA (Alligator Records)
Johnny Burgin - Ramblin' From Coast To Coast (Straight Shooter Records)
Willie Buck and the Delmark All-Stars - Live at Buddy Guy's Legends (Delmark Records)
Kevin Burt & Big Medicine - Thank You Brother Bill, A Tribute to Bill Withers (Gulf Coast Records)
Toronzo Cannon - Shut Up & Play! (Alligator Records)
Eddie Cotton - The Mirror (Malaco Records)
Tinsley Ellis - Naked Truth (Alligator Records)
Sue Foley - One Guitar Woman (Stony Plain Records)
Zac Harmon - Floreada's Boy (Catfood Records)
Steve Howell & the Mighty Men - 99 1/2 Won't Do (Out of the Past Music)
Gerald McClendon - Down At The Juke Joint (Delta Roots Records)
The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra (featuring Willy Jordan) - What Are You Waiting For? (Blue Dot Records)
Jerron Paxton - Times Done Changed (Smithsonian Folkways Recordings)
Piper & The Hard Times - Revelation (self-released)
John Primer & Bob Corritore - Crawlin' Kingsnake (VizzTone Music Group)
Kat Riggins & Her Blues Revival - Revival (House of Berry Productions)
Jovin Webb - Drifter (Blind Pig Records)
I got to see a couple of great acts this year, two of my favorites. I got to see Super Chikan in May at the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience, called The MAX for short. This place, located in Meridian, MS just off I-20, is a must-stop for any fan of arts and entertainment, especially those that have origins in Mississippi. There are numerous exhibitions, performances, events, and learning experiences. It's well worth your time.
The MAX often has entertainment at night.......there's an outdoor listening area for a couple of hundred listeners and my brother and I attended the night that Super Chikan entertained and, brother, did he entertain. One of the most genial and entertaining performers I've had the opportunity to see and he gave his listeners over two hours of music, playing a variety of his homemade guitars as he sang a mix of original songs and tunes familiar to most of the blues fans there, but given a Super Chikan interpretation.
I even got to talk to him for a few minutes during a break, telling him a story about my then-2-year-old daughter, who was a fan of his Blues Come Home To Roost album, which got frequent play in our household in the late 90's. As I said, a very nice performer, and individual, that I would go definitely see again.
The second act I got to see was Dan Penn with Spooner Oldham in Penn's hometown of Vernon, AL. It took place in Penn's old high school building, which now serves as City Hall, in the old school auditorium. My family and I attended the 2023 show, which Penn played solo, and we got the opportunity to see him work with his longtime collaborator as they went through a bunch of their classic tunes.
It was the first show of a several months-long tour, so they were working the kinks out during the show, but no one really cared because they told stories between songs, and it was really cool to see them work out the glitches that were going on.... just a couple at the beginning of the show while trying to get on the same page. You could actually picture them doing this while working in the studio, which was really cool to me.
By the third or fourth song, they were running like a well-oiled machine, and we've already made plans to go see them again next year. Although I would have loved to have talked to them, a lot of hometown folks were really glad to reunite with Penn, who lives in Nashville these days, so it would have been a long wait, then a long drive back home.
One more blues trip took place last weekend as my brother and I drove up to Tunica to check out their Visitor Center, which houses the Gateway To The Blues Museum. I went there with my wife a couple of years ago and it was so cool that I wanted to revisit it.
The museum has some very interesting displays about the history of the music with lots of blues memorabilia, and a nice room paying tribute to several of Mississippi's blues legends - Son House, Charlie Patton, Robert Johnson, Jimmy Reed, Sonny Boy Williamson, Howlin' Wolf, and B.B. King. There were also a lot of guitars and harmonicas belonging to past and present blues and rock legends, including guitars autographed by Waters, B.B. and Albert King, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Bob Dylan, Charlie Musselwhite, and many others.
It's a great place to stop if you're in the neighborhood and the staff at the Visitor Center are extremely friendly and helpful, steering us to The Hollywood Cafe to enjoy a great lunch.
Autographed by Johnny Shines
After that, we drove down to Clarksdale and checked out Cat Head Delta Blues and Folk Art, which is THE store that EVERY blues fan needs to visit if they're in the vicinity. They have everything that a blues fan could possibly be looking for. We've interviewed owner Roger Stolle a couple of times here at the blog and it was great to see him again and talk about the blues for a little bit, while I was tracking down some great CDs (Willie Farmer's The Man From The Hill and Anthony "Big A" Sherrod and the Cornlickers' elusive Right On Time, both excellent modern Mississippi blues albums) and other items (Bill Stout's two fantastic Legends of the Blues card sets) for the trip home.
I also finished the Robert Gordon biography on Muddy Waters that I discussed at the first of the year, a very good read, and also picked up Bob Margolin's Steady Rollin', which includes some great stories and reminiscences from the legendary blues guitarist, as well as David Whiteis' Blues Legacy, which includes short features on members of the recent Chicago Blues scene....I'm reading it right now and it's very good, too.
As far as listening to the blues, I picked up a pile of new and old recordings over the year, spending a few bucks at my favorite used record store, The Little Big Store, and my go-to online service, Discogs, picking up older releases from Johnny Littlejohn (see FBF post a few months back), Magic Slim, Albert King, Magic Slim, Otis Rush, Kingfish, Frank Frost, The Fieldstones, Carl Weathersby, and I managed to complete the Living Chicago Blues series (which I will continue to cover here over the next few months, Volume 2 coming soon).
Finally, we said goodbye to several blues artists this year, too, including W.C. Clark, Donald and Ralph Kinsey, Phil Wiggins, Jewel Brown, John Mayall, Nick Daniels III, Sam Mosley, Carl Weathersby, and Johnny Neel, plus producer Jim Gaines, writer/photographer/manager Dick Waterman, P-Vine Records founder Yasufumi Higurashi, and Big City Blues magazine founder Robert Whitall, Jr., to name just a few. R.I.P. to all of these contributors and the others.
Friday Blues Fix wishes all you blues fans a happy and safe 2025!!
I told you a few weeks ago that there were some great new blues releases that were worth your attention. This week, we will be looking a few more of them, with more to come in the next few weeks.....there are that many great new albums out there to hear and I am still working through a bunch of them. FBF is strongly encouraging all of you to check these out at your earliest convenience. As always, you will be able to read more about each of these (and many others) in future issues of the best online blues CD review source available.....Blues Bytes.
Solomon King - Train (JLM, Inc.): I have always enjoyed King's brand of blues, which mixes soul, funk, and rock in pretty equal doses, and it works really well this time around. The music is great, with blues rockers, country-flavored blues, soulful ballads, etc......King's songs are impressive and his guitar work is great. Vocally, he has a lot of soul, sometimes sounding like a blues version of Lou Reed. You may not know who he is, but chances are you've heard his music before, as he's had a couple of songs that were featured on the HBO series, True Blood, a few years back. To me, Train is the best album he's done so far.....probably the best expression of his musical vision to date.
Cathy Lemons - Black Crow (VizzTone): Ms. Lemons is regarded as a blues legend in the San Francisco Bay area, where she has entertained audiences for over 25 years. She brings a soulful and understated vocal style to the plate, a welcome relief from the screamers that usually pack them in these days. She's adept at blues, soul, country, and gospel styles and her new release features her tackling all of those genres and more. She wrote most of the tracks, but also adds four effective cover tunes from the O'Kanes, Earl King, Kim Wilson, and James Brown (now THAT'S diverse, folks). As I said, I really like her voice and I wish some of these up-and-coming blues singers would listen and learn from her approach. Good stuff.
Ray Fuller and the Bluesrockers - Live at Buddy Guy's Legends Chicago: Fuller has been around with his Bluesrockers since 1974, with some critically acclaimed releases dating back to the 80's. Currently, he's a headliner at Legends on Saturday nights and he blows audiences away with his slide guitar and gritty vocals. Last year, about this time (April, 2013), he captured one of his powerhouse shows at Legends for public consumption (with the esteemed Mr. Guy in attendance), and now those not familiar with Fuller and band can see (or hear) what all the fuss is about. This is what a live album should sound like, gang. It's absolutely relentless with a few well-chosen covers from Fuller's influences like Elmore James, Otis Rush, John Lee Hooker, Billy Boy Arnold, and Eddie Clearwater, plus some pretty good originals that mix well with the classics. Blues-rock fans definitely need to get their hands on this one. Now, here's a bit of Fuller in action to give you an idea of what to expect.
John Lyons - Sing Me Another Song: The first thing you will notice about this guy is that he has a real knack for catchy hooks and melodies. You will find yourself humming a lot of these tunes after the fact. He's not just adept at playing the blues, but he also dabbles in rock, pop, and soul. I can see Lyons moving into several different genres with relative ease. His songwriting deals mostly with various affairs of the heart and his soulful delivery makes great songs sound even greater. Lyon is a Michigan native who relocated to Switzerland over a decade ago, and over time he has developed into a fine singer/songwriter. With any luck, this fine release will get the attention it deserves.
Bob Corritore - Taboo (Delta Groove): Last year, harmonica wizard Corritore appeared on discs with John Primer and Dave Riley. This year, he will be issuing this excellent all-instrumental harp showcase on April 25th. Joining him on many of these tracks are a premium list of musicians including Jimmie Vaughan, Junior Watson, Fred Kaplan, Papa John DeFrancesco, and Doug James. There's plenty of diversity in these tracks, which lets Corritore cover a lot of ground and he's more than up to the task, so the excitement never lets up. Harp fans will dig it for sure, but there's some mighty fine music here that will appeal to a lot of folks.
Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne - Rollin' With The Blues Boss (Stony Plain): I'm always glad to see a new release from a blues piano man. The past few months, we've had several keepers from artists like The Claudettes, Arthur Migliazza, and this one from Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne. Wayne is a monster piano player, moving effortlessly from boogie woogie to old-school rock & roll to the down home blues. He has a great voice and gets some solid assistance from Eric Bibb and Diunna Greenleaf on selected tracks. This is a highly enjoyable set and fans of blues piano need to seek this one out. It will remind longtime blues fans of those classic piano blues tunes of the old days.
I told you......some fantastic new music that covers a broad range of blue styles. In a few weeks, we'll be looking at several more recordings. There's still plenty of springtime left for more New Blues For You.
I was going to do my annual Top Discs You Might Have Missed post this week, but I realized that I've already covered most of those discs you might have missed in previous posts this year, so if you're really loyal FBFers, you really shouldn't have missed them, right? With that in mind, this week, Friday Blues Fix will do a few capsule reviews of discs that you probably didn't miss. As always, full reviews of these releases can be found either in past or upcoming issues of Blues Bytes.
Michael "Iron Man" Burks - Show of Strength (Alligator Records): I've seen the word "bittersweet" come up an awful lot with this release. That's not the way Michael Burks would want this to be remembered. Instead, remember it just like you remember his previous four releases, as an incredible set of powerhouse blues that Burks poured every ounce of blood, sweat and grit into creating. The guitar work was as phenomenal as ever and the vocals here rank with his best.
I miss the big man greatly and regret that we will never get the opportunity to hear more music from him, but I can't call this bittersweet, even the last song, a fantastic cover of Charlie Rich's "Feel Like Goin' Home" leaves you smiling wistfully. It's just too good a set to leave you with sad feelings. Say what you will about his tragic passing, but I think even his biggest fans agree that Michael Burks left nothing on the table when he departed for Blues Heaven. If you've heard this, more than likely you will agree.
Magic Slim & the Teardrops - Bad Boy (Blind Pig): You know what you're getting with the Magic Man with few exceptions. Bad Boy is no exception. Nobody does the traditional Chicago blues as well as Magic Slim....he lives and breathes them. He still has those ferocious growling vocals and that guitar that sounds like its strung with barbed wire.
As on previous releases, the Human Jukebox tears through an inspired set of covers that includes the Eddie Taylor-penned title track, Denise LaSalle's "Someone Else is Steppin' In," Detroit Jr.'s "I Got Money," Muddy Waters' "Champagne & Reefer," Roy Brown's "Hard Luck Blues," and Albert King's "Matchbox Blues," as diverse as set as he's ever tackled, but he makes them all sound like his own. Slim's own tunes (three of them) hold up well with the covers and the Teardrops are as solid a backing core as ever. If you're a Magic Slim fan, you probably have this already. If not, well...what are you waiting for?
Gary Clark, Jr. - Blak and Blu (Warner Bros. Records): Clark's star has been on the rise for the past five years. He had a major part in John Sayles' 2007 film, Honeydripper (which we reviewed here) and was selected by Eric Clapton to be a part of his 2010 Crossroads Guitar Festival. Clark's appearance on the Crossroads DVD led to his signing with Warner Bros., which led to his well-received EP last year and to this release, which is making a lot of noise and climbing up the charts. Some of the noise is good (blues artists making good, earning wider popularity, etc....) and some is not so good (blues artist sells out for larger audience, etc...). We've heard all this before with other blues artists in the past who have gained mainstream popularity.
Over the past few years, Clark's been compared to Hendrix and SRV a lot, and while I do see similarities, there's more to Clark's talent. He's an amazing guitarist, no doubt, but he also has a real knack for songwriting and is a gifted singer. With Blak and Blu, the blues is present on every track, without a doubt, but he also mixes plenty of hard rock, old-school soul, funk, and even a bit of hip-hop. With that said, you can safely say that Clark has the talent to not only appeal to older blues fans, but also to newly arrived blues fans, which is really what a new blues artists needs to do to keep the music fresh and vital. If this is what the future of the blues will look like, I have no problem at all with it.
Buddy Guy - Live at Legends (Jive/Silvertone Records): I don't know....maybe I expect too much of Buddy Guy. But then, when you're recognized as blues royalty, the bar should be pretty high. Over the years, he's released recordings that have exceeded that bar comfortably, but then there's also been a few that didn't come close. I think when he's inspired to do so, he's capable of turning out some incredible work, but sometimes, it's more like he's going through the motions.
On this set, one of the last live appearances he made at Legends' old Windy City location a couple of years ago, he's pretty inspired, ripping through a fairly strong, but standard set of tunes from his more recent releases (including the perennial crowd pleaser, "Damn Right I Got The Blues"), plus a smoldering version of Muddy Waters' "I Just Want To Make Love To You." However, the live set only clocks in at about 35 or so minutes and about seven or eight of is spent on a couple of "medleys" blending Hendrix, Clapton, John Lee Hooker tunes, which is not bad in itself, but I would much rather hear Buddy Guy do "Buddy Guy" than Hendrix and Clapton, or at least flesh these versions out a little bit more. A lot of his fans probably won't mind what's done here, but I do. In any event, the brevity of the set works against it a bit to me.
Also included are three studio outtakes from the Living Proof sessions that were done shortly after this live set. They are first rate, especially the funky "Coming At You," co-written by Delbert McClinton, and a really inspired version of Waters' "Country Boy," where Guy revisits his roots in a big way.
I have to admit that I was a bit puzzled by this disc because it seems to be a more-or-less run of the mill portion of a live date padded by a few studio tracks. It could have actually been released to coincide with Guy receiving the Kennedy Center Honors this week. As stated above, maybe I expect too much of Buddy Guy, but in my opinion, this should be better. For his loyal fans, it should keep them satisfied until his upcoming new disc, slated for a 2013 release.
Before we go, check out the nominees for the upcoming Blues Music Awards (BMA's) later in the Spring....a most impressive list.
34th Blues Music Award Nominees
Acoustic Album Billy Boy Arnold Sings Big Bill Broonzy - Billy Boy Arnold Blues on Solid Ground - John Primer Deeper in the Well - Eric Bibb Not Alone - Ann Rabson w/ Bob Margolin Talking Guitar - Paul Rishell
Acoustic Artist Carolina Chocolate Drops Doug MacLeod Eric Bibb Harrison Kennedy Paul Rishell
Album And Still I Rise - Heritage Blues Orchestra Double Dynamite - The Mannish Boys Show of Strength - Michael Burks Son of the Seventh Son - Mud Morganfield Stronger For It - Janiva Magness
B.B. King Entertainer Curtis Salgado Janiva Magness Joe Louis Walker John Nemeth Rick Estrin
Band Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials Phantom Blues Band Rick Estrin & the Nightcats Tedeschi Trucks Band The Mannish Boys
Best New Artist Debut 24 Hour Blues - Charles "CD" Davis They Call Me Big Llou - Big LLou Johnson Turning on the Naughty - Paula Harris Uphill from Anywhere - Brad Hatfield Wanna Feel Somethin' - Mary Bridget Davies
Contemporary Blues Album Blak & Blu - Gary Clark, Jr. Blues Live - John Nemeth Candy Store Kid - Ian Siegal & the Mississippi Mudbloods Hellfire - Joe Louis Walker Show of Strength - Michael Burks Stronger For It - Janiva Magness
Contemporary Blues Female Artist Bettye LaVette Janiva Magness Shakura S'Aida Shemekia Copeland Susan Tedeschi
Contemporary Blues Male Artist Gary Clark, Jr. Joe Louis Walker Michael Burks Robert Cray Tab Benoit
DVD Blackbird Music/55 for Arts Club Production for The Lucky Peterson Band feat. Tamara Peterson: Live at the 55 Arts Club Berlin by Lucky Peterson Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art/Broke & Hungry Records for We Juke Up in Here! Mississippi's Juke Joint Culture at the Crossroads Delta Groove Music for That's My Thing - Elvin Bishop Live in Concert by Elvin Bishop Eagle Rock Entertainment for Live at Checkerboard Lounge by Muddy Waters & The Rolling Stones J&R Adventures for Beacon Theatre - Live from New York by Joe Bonamassa
Gibson Guitar Derek Trucks Joe Bonamassa Joe Louis Walker Kid Andersen Michael Burks
Historical Album Bear Family Records for Plug It In! Turn It Up! Electric Blues by Various Artists Real Gone Music for Complete Hit Singles A's & B's by Little Willie John Rock Beat Records for Raw Blues: Magic Sam Live 1969 by Magic Sam Silk City Records for Someday... by Otis Spann Universal Music Group for Ladies & Gentlemen... Mr. B.B. King by B.B. King
Instrumentalist-Drums Cedric Burnside Cody Dickinson Jimi Bott Kenny Smith Tony Braunagel
Instrumentalist-Bass Bill Stuve Bob Stroger Patrick Rynn Richard Cousins Scot Sutherland Willie J. Campbell
Instrumentalist-Harmonica Billy Boy Arnold Bob Corritore John Nemeth Kim Wilson Mark Hummel Rick Estrin
Instrumentalist-Horn Al Basile Big James Montgomery Eddie Shaw Sax Gordon Terry Hanck
Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) Diunna Greenleaf Jewel Brown Maria Muldaur Ruthie Foster Tracy Nelson
Pinetop Perkins Piano Player Barrelhouse Chuck Chuck Leavell David Maxwell Deanna Bogart Mike Finnigan Victor Wainwright
Rock Blues Album Blues for the Modern Daze - Walter Trout Driving Towards the Daylight - Joe Bonamassa Everybody's Talkin' - Tedeschi Trucks Band Here I Am - Nick Moss Royal Southern Brotherhood - Royal Southern Brotherhood
Song "I Won't Cry"- Janiva Magness & Dave Darling - Stronger for It - Janiva Magness "Lemon Pie"- John Hahn & Oliver Wood - 33 1/3 - Shemekia Copeland “She Didn’t Cut Me Loose” written by Curtis Salgado, Marlon McClain & Dave Duncan on Soul Shot by Curtis Salgado “The Devil Ain't Got No Music” written by Matthew Skoller on The Devil Ain't Got No Music by Lurrie Bell "Too Much Jesus (Not Enough Whiskey)" written by Sam McClain & Pat Herlehy on Too Much Jesus (Not Enough Whiskey) by Mighty Sam McClain
Soul Blues Album Blues Heart - Dorothy Moore Soul Live - John Nemeth Soul Shot - Curtis Salgado Soul Survivor - Johnny Rawls Too Much Jesus (Not Enough Whiskey) - Mighty Sam McClain
Soul Blues Female Artist Barbara Carr Denise LaSalle Dorothy Moore Irma Thomas Sista Monica
Soul Blues Male Artist Bobby Rush Curtis Salgado John Nemeth Johnny Rawls Mighty Sam McClain
Traditional Blues Album And Still I Rise - Heritage Blues Orchestra Double Dynamite - The Mannish Boys Milton Hopkins with Jewel Brown - Milton Hopkins with Jewel Brown Son of the Seventh Son - Mud Morganfield Spider Eating Preacher - Eddie C. Campbell
Traditional Blues Male Artist Bob Margolin John Primer Lil' Ed Magic Slim Mud Morganfield
That's all for now. Friday Blues Fix hopes everyone has a happy and safe 2013.
As a public service, this week's Friday Blues Fix will offer a few suggestions on what to give that dedicated blues fan in your family that's nearly impossible to buy for. Therefore, this week's post will be a combination of New Blues You Might Have Missed for Christmas. As always, these selections have or soon will be featured in expanded versions in an upcoming edition of Blues Bytes.
Milton Hopkins & Jewel Brown (Dialtone Records): If you're not familiar with Dialtone Records, you're missing out on some fantastic recordings featuring some of the living legends of Gulf Coast blues and R&B from the 50's onward. The label has released some excellent recordings over the past couple of decades and this one is no exception. 78 year-old guitarist extraordinaire Hopkins has performed with sax man Grady Gaines in Little Richard's early band, the Upsetters (one of the most in-demand rock/R&B bands of the 50's), Gatemouth Brown, and enjoyed a nine year stint as B.B. King's rhythm guitarist. 74 year-old vocalist Brown once turned down an opportunity to tour Europe with Lionel Hampton (she was still in high school), but later served as Louis Armstrong's featured vocalist for eight years.
Dialtone came up with the great idea of teaming these two up for an album and the results are outstanding. Brown's sassy and smart vocals are an endless pleasure and Hopkins shows a deft touch on guitar, both electric and acoustic (his cousin was country blues legend Lightnin' Hopkins). The songs are mostly traditional fare, ranging from a reggae-flavored "Jerry" (a holdover from Brown's days with Armstrong), "There's A Light," a smooth gospel number, and an acoustic tribute to Lightnin' Hopkins (Milton's cousin). Hopkins also contributes several tasteful instrumentals that blur the line between blues and jazz. This is a nice, smooth, laidback set that is somewhat reminiscent of the 90's recordings from fellow Texans Carol Fran and Clarence Hollimon. Hopkins and Brown are talented, versatile performers who still have a lot to offer.
Willie Buck - Cell Phone Man (Delmark): By now, you've probably determined that I'm a traditional blues type of guy. I didn't start out that way, but slowly moved in that direction. Great recordings like this one are major factors in that move. Willie Buck has been a longtime fixture on the Chicago blues scene, mostly as a weekend warrior while toiling away as an auto mechanic during weekdays. He fell in love with the blues as a youth, when a relative smuggled him into a Muddy Waters show.
His new release includes several songs associated with Waters and his crack back-up band, the Rockin' Johnny Band, capture the feel of 50's era Chess blues perfectly. However, though Buck's vocals are influenced by Waters, he is very much is own man and is also a pretty good songwriter, too, writing songs in both the blues and R&B vein. This is as good a set as they used to do in the 50's, updated to a certain degree to cover modern subjects (see the title track). Judging by this effort, Willie Buck has been criminally under-recorded over his career. Kudos to Delmark for addressing that problem and hopefully we will hear more from Buck in the future.
Randy Kaplan - Mr. Diddie Wah Diddie (myKazoo Music): Every blues fan wants to share the music they love with as many people as possible. Thanks to Randy Kaplan, the blues can be shared with children. Kaplan is a renowned children's performer who spent two years putting together this project. Not only is this disc child-friendly, adults will find a lot to enjoy, too. It's not only a lot of fun to listen to, it's also loaded with lots of information about the history of the blues and many of the pioneers who helped develop it.
Kaplan is joined on this CD by several kids of various ages, who sing along, ask questions, and tease and cajole him throughout. There's also a "narrator" of sorts, named Lightnin' Bodkins, who provides info about the artists mentioned, offers fascinating tidbits about the music itself, and tries to figure out a suitable blues name for Kaplan. Kaplan also "adjusts" some of the lyrics to make them a little more suitable for kids ("In the Jailhouse Now" becomes "In a Timeout Now," "Kindhearted Woman Blues" becomes "Kindhearted Babysitter Blues," etc....). The liner notes are 20 pages long and fills in details about the songs featured and the artists associated with them. Even though this is designed for kids, I found this very enjoyable and even learned a few things that I didn't know in the process. Chances are that you might, too.
Elvin Bishop - That's My Thing: Elvin Bishop Live in Concert (Delta Groove Music): This DVD was past due. Bishop has been playing the blues for over 50 years, generally doing it his way, occasionally even venturing into pop territory ("Fooled Around and Fell In Love," with Mickey Thomas on vocals), and always doing it with a wink and a smile. This DVD captures Bishop performing at Club Fox in Redwood City, CA around this time last year, backed by an excellent band. The 96-minute concert features Bishop performing some of his fan favorites, like "Calling All Cows," "Travelin' Shoes," "Rock My Soul," "Gettin' My Groove Back," and "Party 'Til the Cows Come Home." He's his usual amazing self on guitar, but the DVD also shows his easy rapport with his audience (even the hecklers) and his wry, self-effacing sense of humor.
There's also a 20-minute interview with Bishop that's definitely worth watching. He talks about his rough beginnings in Iowa in a house with no electricity and running water, his learning to play the blues while living in Chicago, his success as a solo artist in the 70's, and his later and current career. He mixes in several entertaining stories in the process. If you're an Elvin Bishop fan, this DVD is an essential purchase.
Heroes of the Blues (Card Set), By Robert Crumb and Stephen Calt: Sometime after I started listening to the blues in the late 80's, I was browsing in a record store in search of some new music. I wasn't having much luck, so I was about to leave empty-handed when I stumbled onto this in the musical accessory section, next to the harmonicas. I was more familiar with Robert Crumb than I was the artists listed on the back of the box, all early pre-war blues singers and musicians, but I decided to give it a shot. Included in this 36 card set are Crumb's renditions of each artists with a brief biography written by Stephen Calt on the back.
Calt, who passed away in 2010, was a source of controversy for many blues scholars, who felt he interjected his opinion into his work too often, and sometimes was fast and loose with facts. Personally, I don't really know that much about his work other than a few sets of liner notes and these cards, but he plays it pretty straight on these (though there's not much room to do otherwise). Crumb's artwork is excellent. Besides this set of blues legends, he also did card sets for early jazz greats and early country music greats, so these were a labor of love for him and it shows.
These cards were an indispensable source of information for me as a fledgling blues fan. Calt also listed recommended albums for each artists, most of which were available at Yazoo Records. I started picking up recordings by many of these artists, many of which were featured on Yazoo's many anthology sets, collecting multiple artists from the same region and time period. This led me to discover even more great music from more wonderful sources, and chances are that the blues fan in your family will be able to do the same thing if they get their hands on this set.
Hopefully, we've given you a few ideas for Christmas gifts for your blues-loving family and friends of all ages. You won't be disappointed with any of these items if you choose to pick them up.
Here's a few items that you might have missed over the past few weeks while trying to get your Christmas shopping list completed.....
To begin, there was terrible news early Thursday morning in Chicago when it was reported that Eric "Guitar" Davis was shot and killed while sitting in his car, one of two victims that were shot and killed within blocks of each other. As of today, details are murky as to who and why. Davis was 41 years old and was a rising star, having recently signed to Delmark Records, according to his website. The Windy City blues community is mourning his loss. Davis was the son of Bobby "Top Hat" Davis, who played drums for Otis Rush and Muddy Waters, and initially got his musical start drumming at the age of 10 behind Junior Wells, B.B. King, and others. Buddy Guy later turned him on to guitar, teaching him to play his first chord. Please keep the families of the victims of this absolutely senseless violence in your prayers.
Last week, the Blues Foundation announced the nominees for the 35th Blues Music Awards. These awards will be presented at the Cook Convention Center in downtown Memphis, Tennessee on Thursday, May 8, 2014. I've had the opportunity to listen to many of the nominated albums this year and I'll just go ahead and say that this has been a fantastic year for blues recordings. It will be really difficult to pick a Top Ten list this year because I can think of about twenty-five albums that I would put in my Top Ten. Congratulations to all of this year's BMA nominees, listed below......
Traditional Blues Male Artist Anson Funderburgh Billy Boy Arnold James Cotton John Primer Lurrie Bell
Also named last week were the recipients of the 2014 Keeping The Blues Alive Awards. These awards are given to non-performers each year who have made significant contributions to the Blues World, not necessarily for their work in a particular year, but often as a "Lifetime Achievement" award. Congratulations to all of the winners this year (including a few regular FBF visitors), who will be recognized during the 2014 I.B.C. in January at Memphis. Affiliated Organization: Crossroads Blues Society of Illinois – Rockford, Illinois Art: Cristen Craven Barnard – Senatobia, Mississippi Club: Kingston Mines – Chicago, Illinois Education: Tas Cru – Chaumont, New York Festival (International): Cazorla Blues Festival – Cazorla, Spain Festival (U.S.): Mississippi Valley Blues Festival – Davenport, Iowa Film, Television and Video: Stefan Grossman – Sparta, New Jersey Historical Preservation: George Mitchell – Fort Myers, Florida International: The Royal Mail Hotel – Goodna, Queensland, Australia Journalism: Gene Tomko – Lafayette, Louisiana Literature: Gerard Herzhaft – Lyon, France Manager: Marcia Weaver – Jackson, Mississippi Photography: Dick Waterman – Oxford, Mississippi Producer: Tom Hambridge – Nashville, Tennessee Promoter: Myron Mu – San Francisco, California Publicist: Frank Roszak – North Hills, California Radio (Commercial): Jerry Schaefer – East Islip, New York Radio (Public): Larry Lisk – St. Petersburg, Florida Record Label: Stony Plain Records – Edmonton, Alberta Special Committee Award: Blue Star Connection – Winter Park, Colorado
In 2006, Blues Bytes won a KBA Award in the Blues on the Internet category. I wasn't able to attend the presentation of the award that year because of prior commitments and I really regret not going and missing out on the opportunity to meet Bill Mitchell, who puts together Blues Bytes every month. I've been submitting reviews to Blues Bytes since 1999, and have yet to meet Bill in person, but have still managed to forge a great working relationship with him over the past 14 years. If you've not ever visited the site, stop by and check it out. As I said above, 2014 has been a fantastic year for new releases, and the great ones are coming out right down to the wire. Here's a few brand new releases that have run across my stereo over the past couple of weeks that should appeal to all blues lovers. You will find more detailed reviews of these discs in the December issue of Blues Bytes.
Charlie Musselwhite has been pretty busy and pretty successful over the past couple of years. He earned five Grammy nominations for two different projects...a collaboration with Ben Harper (Get Up!) and the Little Walter tribute album released by Blind Pig (Remembering Little Walter). He also received five BMA nominations as you can see above. Not one to rest on his laurels, Musselwhite has also released a new album, Juke Joint Chapel, recorded "live" at the Shack Up Inn in Clarksdale, MS, teaming the legendary harp man with his superb band. He mixes covers of songs by many Windy City harp legends (Little Walter, Billy Boy Arnold, Shakey Jake) with a solid set of his own songs. It's a really inspired set and it continues his hot streak.
Michael Packer has been a big part of the New York City blues scene for a number of years, but his musical career dates back to the early 1960's. He recorded for Atlantic, Buddha, and RCA in the late 60's and early 70's with the bands Papa Nebo and Free Beer, performed as part of the Matt Murphy Band, and currently leads the Michael Packer Blues Band. For many years, Packer battled alcoholism and drug addiction, eventually spending time in prison, but he has rebuilt his life and career over the past couple of decades. His latest release, "I Am The Blues" My Story, is a look at his life and career, completely unvarnished. It mixes Packer's narration with songs from over the span of his career. The narration portions are stunning in their imagery and their frank tone.....Packer has a good-natured humor about his past, but he pulls no punches and tells it like it is, taking responsibility for his own actions and reactions over the years. The songs are impressive, too. In the early part of his career, Packer was told that "White boys can't sing the blues," but he proves those critics wrong with these performances. Blues fans will find this to be riveting listening. It's nice that this blues story has a happy ending.
Lou Pride passed away in the Summer of 2012, but he had completed recording what would be his final disc for Severn Records, which the label just released a few weeks ago. Ain't No More Love In This House is as good a soul/blues album as you will hear this year. Pride had a warm, gospel-influenced vocal style and the disc, which features the great Severn house band, a sweet horn and string section, and Johnny Moeller on guitar, is a mix of some great Pride originals and well-chosen covers, including a Wayne Newton classic (yes, THAT Wayne Newton). If you liked the Stax and Hi recordings of the late 60's/early 70's, you will go nuts for this disc. Pride sounds fantastic and so does the band. He definitely saved his best for last. Here's a clip from Pride's reading of a classic 80's pop tune.
Downchild has been a Canadian tradition for over forty years. The band has played swinging jump blues and their version of the classic Chicago-styled traditional blues since 1969 and have influenced scores of Canadian blues artists during that span, including a young man named Dan Aykroyd, who was inspired to form the Blues Brothers from what he'd seen from Downchild and even recorded several of the band's tunes during the band's brief tenure. Can You Hear The Music is Downchild's 17th album and longtime fans won't be disappointed because there's plenty of swinging blues here and plenty of founder Donnie "Mr. Downchild" Walsh's tasty guitar work and harmonica present. It's just a fun disc from start to finish.
I really enjoyed Brad Wilson's latest release, Hands On The Wheel. The back cover reads that this California guitarist plays "high-octane rocked-up Blues," which should be music to blues-rockers' ears. A more true description could not be found. Wilson has guitar chops to burn, but he doesn't bang you over the head with endless meanderings. He plays what the material calls for and he should know because he wrote all of the songs, which range from hard-charging boogie rockers to jazzy blues to ballads. There's a cool tribute to boogie master John Lee Hooker that Z.Z. Top probably wishes they had thought of first. In addition, Wilson is a strong, versatile vocalist and this disc should help him reach a bigger audience if there's any justice in the world. Click on the song title to check out "Slide On Over" from the new disc, and see Wilson in action below.
In recent years, I've grown to enjoy the music of Eric Bibb. Though he's rooted in the blues, he incorporates other styles into his music, such as world, soul, and folk music, and always focuses on the positive aspects of life, with a belief that man is basically good and that there is hope for all. His latest, Jericho Road, is an album of stunning beauty and grace, with Bibb's acoustic and electric guitar work being augmented by various instruments, including a penny whistle, djembe, kora, harmonica, accordion, keyboards, and even a horn section on several tracks. The music, as always, is upbeat and positive and you'll find yourself revisiting this one for quite awhile. Jericho Road is the album that Eric Bibb has been working toward for the past few years and should be considered the apex of his musical vision.
Friday Blues Fix wants to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and hopes everyone has a wonderful holiday season.
