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If you take a look at the MySpace site for the DNA Blues Ball you will be able to hear an unreleased cut from 1990 featuring Doyle Bramhall and Denny Freeman.
http://www.myspace.com/dnabluesball
The DNA Blues Ball was a charity gig the proceeds of which went towards the Innocence Project of Texas.
Woodsongs 479: Masters of the Acoustic Guitar
There is no blues in this latest show from the excellent Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour but I know that many of the bluesinthenorthwest.com readers are huge acoustic guitar fans. This show has a set of acoustic gems available in hi bitrate MP3 audio and Windows Media Video. Check out show 479.
http://www.woodsongs.com/showlist.asp
RUSS BARENBERG is one of the most dynamic pickers in acoustic music. He got his start in 1970 with the groundbreaking bluegrass band Country Cooking and since then has been a member of a variety of highly influential groups, most notably his work in a trio with dobro master Jerry Douglas and bassist Edgar Meyer. His most recent album When at Last was nominated for a Grammy. MURIEL ANDERSON is one of the foremost fingerstyle guitarists in the world. She is still the only woman to hold the National Guitar Picking Championship title. Her music spans the globe in styles, unified by an honest humanity and superb artistry. Her latest CD explores the harp guitar. JONATHAN “JUANITO” PASCUAL has been called “one of the greatest American flamenco guitarists.” He is a multifaceted guitarist, composer, and teacher who has performed in styles ranging from jazz and blues, to classical guitar, klezmer, as well as flamenco. Since 2005, he has been the director of the Annual Summer Flamenco Institute at New England Conservatory in Boston. Cosas On Común is his most recent release.
Honey, Where You Been So Long?
The Honey, Where You Been So Long? pre-war blog posted a fabulous MP3 of Utah Smith hollering and playing some electric gospel on the song “I’m Free”
The latest archived shows in the fabulous Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour series have some significant blues content.
Show 466 features Paul Rishell and Annie Raines
Show 465 features Hans Theessink
Each show is available audio as High Bandwidth MP3 and Low Bandwidth MP3. The video is available in excellent quality Windows Media Video format.
Visit the archive page of Woodsongs to download the files.
Here’s a British Band that are new to me but I probably should have heard of.
Great playing, great grooves and a fabulous singer.
Hey everyone. Thanks for stopping by again at this little home of the blues tucked away in a dark corner of the Internet.
I echo the sentiments already posted. Thanks for all the support in 2007, a special thanks to the contributors and those writing comments. Have a great Christmas holiday.
If you do find yourself with an hour free and want to listen to some Christmas blues then you could pop on over to bluepower.com where the host John Rhys-Eddins has out together a show of classic Christmas blues tunes.
http://www.bluepower.com/2007/12/blue-christmas-eve.html
or you can shoot straight to the streaming MP3 here.
I was reading the list of artists on the Woodsongs Archive page in preparation for posting the Willie Big Eyes Smith post. As I ran down the list there are many acts in the archive that I am sure have some appeal to the bluesinthenorthwest.com readers. I have mentioned a few over the years but I missed quite a few. Here is a selection of the just some of the artists…..
I only went back to show 384. It’s a great archive. Even better if you like Americana, Bluegrass, Country and Folk.
Woodsongs 461 has a live appearance by blues star Willie “Big Eyes” Smith.
Willie “Big Eyes” Smith was born in Helena, AR in 1936. At the age of 17 he ventured to Chicago where he heard Muddy Waters for the first time and was hooked on the blues. Willie played drums with Muddy Waters for over 20 years including appearances on all of Muddy’s Grammy-winning albums and Muddy’s performance in The Last Waltz. Willie also backed John Lee Hooker in the movie The Blues Brother. Willie is also a dynamic blues harp master and vocalist and will be playing material from his new CD Way Back.
As ever the Woodsongs site allows download of High Quality video along with Lo and Hi bitrate MP3 and WMA.
For the download go to the Woodsongs archive page and look for Show 461.
To promote his brand new release “Raw” the legendary Bobby Rush has appeared on the Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour. His appearance was a few weeks ago but the high quality video stream has only just been uploaded.
BOBBY RUSH has been performing his unique brand of blues which he dubbed “folk-funk” since the 50’s. Bobby emerged out of the West Side blues circuit in Chicago fronting bands which included such notable alumni as Luther Allison and Freddie King and began to achieve national acclaim in the 70’s. On his latest CD Raw, Bobby returns to his roots performing acoustic country blues as a solo performer for the first time in his 50+ career.
Pop on over to the Woodsongs archive page to grab a copy of the show. Bobby is on show 558.
Last week’s Raven ‘n’ Blues podcast featured an interview and live performance by the fabulous Ian Siegal.
As ever with Dave Raven’s shows, he records an inteview of about 45-60 mins then edits a 20min portion into the final show. Both files are always available for download or listening online.
You can hear he whole interview at http://www.bfbs2.com/rnb.html - simply click Ian’s name for the MP3
The final broadcast show featuring the segment on Ian along with tunes from Sue Foley, Diamond Dave & the Doodaddies and Grayson Capps amongst others is available at http://www.bfbs2.com/listen/rnb.html
I have been contacted by Carlisle based bluesman Chris James.
Chris is looking to promote himself and has sensibly chosen to create a Myspace page and to upload to YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/chrisjamesblues
http://www.myspace.com/chrisjamesblues
I could not find any gis listings for Chris so I cannot point you in the direction of any live shows. The videos are very good though. I could’t help but notice the lack of a Cumbrian accent but I’m not holiding that against Chris. We are more than happy to accept talented people from the South.
It is also worth following the links from Chris’ site to hear his talented daughter Laura James.
If anyone (like me) missed the excellent session from Jon Cleary on this week’s Paul Jones show on BBC Radio 2 then you need to listen again.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/radio2_aod.shtml?radio2/paul_jones
I am very proud of Jon Cleary. He’s a Brit of course, but he makes his living in New Orleans. Man, you have to be good to move to the U.S. and beat the ‘merkins at their own game. I love his musical melting pot of styles, great stuff. Shame he didn’t get to the north on his recent tour.
There are also a few great YouTubes for your delight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKsjJnJue7I
This is both soul and gritty. Bettye LaVette - Scene of the Crime.
Bettye LaVette has recorded a modern soul CD at the legendary Muscle Shoals studios (the studio that was up for sale last year on eBay). Guesting on the session were various members of the Drive By Truckers.
Follow the link, read the story then scroll to the bottom and click Track Samples.
WBGO-FM, September 22, 2007 ·
At the 50th annual Monterey Jazz Festival, Otis Taylor will perform what he calls “trance blues” — a blues sound drenched in Appalachian country music and moody, psychedelic rock. He discovered blues and folk music early on through Denver’s Folklore Center, where he first heard Mississippi John Hurt.
Follow the link to read more and to hear the live concert.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14594110
From the Bobby Rush website…
Soul-blues superstar Bobby Rush built his reputation via elaborate and sexy stage shows, but on his new CD, Raw, he returns to his roots. The 13 tracks find Rush mostly alone with his guitar and harmonica on a set largely consisting of originals.
Since the early ‘50s Rush has worked out of Chicago and more recently Jackson, Mississippi, but he started playing blues back in tiny Homer, Louisiana, where his father was a preacher. As a young man Rush played across the Deep South in bands whose music was just removed from acoustic country blues, while his current style of “folk funk” is notable for its downhome sensibilities. [go the website to read the full press release].
The website also has a link to an interview with Bobby.
Bobby of course also has a MySpace page where you can hear a couple of excellent samples “Glad To Get You Back” and “What’s Going On” from the new CD.
Nothing but sadness, praise and fond memories on the two mailing lists that I subscribe to Blues-L and Harp-L. I sit here back home after my long journey listening to Gary’s songs shedding a small tear with the news finally sinking in.
Some obits and tributes have started to appear and I will try to feature as many as I can for this giant of a bluesman who died suddenly at only 49.
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=15308
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niF3kHhd6QY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHkwRn5uW3g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX5ZBqWjR1g
I remember the first Gary Primich CD that I bought. Travelling Mood in 1994. I got a recommendation from someone, who I can’t remember, if it was you then I apologise. for forgetting and I say thanks.
On hearing the CD I was immediately blown away by the strength and diversity of the playing. It is still one of my favourite CDs that have blues harmonica featured. For me Gary had many strengths; I love his jazzy shuffle playing - the head and the solo on “School of Hard Knocks” is outstanding. I love his amazing solo on “Dummy on your Knee” it is a masterpiece on hand shaping and absolute intensity, he really felt that - you can tell. Her also recorded many classic 2nd position fast shuffle instrumentals each one a classic. His 3rd position playing was also amazing “What’s it gonna be” is a great example of this.
Acoustically he recorded great tunes too check out “Feel like going home” simple, beautiful and incredibly difficult to play anything like Gary managed.
Check out this amazing playing and go out and buy his CDs
I based a lot of my own style on Gary Primich’s ideas - I came nowhere close; I didn’t finish up in the same county let alone ball park but I owe him a huge dept of gratitude.
RIP Gary Primich 1958 - 2007.
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