blues news – blues reviews – blues gig guide
Jan Mittendorp of Black and Tan Records is doing some interesting things with blues and remixes under the name miXendorp.
Here are a couple of examples. All the songs are available over on the miXendorp web page.
Ain’t Good Lookin / Billy Jones by miXendorp
SixSixtySix / Turnip Greens by miXendorp
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p001d7sk
Tom appears after about 13 minutes. Interview and live music.
Programme available for the next 6 days only.
A 30min Radio 4 programme about female blues players presented by Cerys Matthews.
BBC iPlayer – Lady Plays the Blues http://bit.ly/dq3FpX
In this documentary, ex-Catatonia vocalist Cerys Matthews travels to the USA to find out why so few women are known for singing and playing the blues.
When it comes to the blues and those who have mastered it, the list usually runs along the lines of: T-Bone Walker, B.B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Robert Johnson, Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters… the list goes on. But it’s striking that in many a top 10, 20 or even 100 of all time blues greats, no women appear.
Cerys tries to find out the story of the women who have mastered the art but have rarely been recognised for their talent. Along the way she reveals the stories of female guitarists of the early blues era such as Rosetta Tharpe, Memphis Minnie, Etta Baker, Algia Mae Hinton, and Precious Bryant. These women all lived extreme lives which led to them playing the blues in a way perhaps no man can dream of. Yet most remain unknown and some have died with no recognition whatsoever.
Cerys will also reveal how guitarists from Bob Dylan and Kenny Wayne Shepard to Muddy Waters were themselves taught by some of these ladies who played the blues.
Cerys also travels to the Blues Awards in Memphis and speaks to contemporary guitarists Bonnie Raitt and Debbie Davies about the influence of pioneering blues artists Memphis Minnie and Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
Broadcast on: BBC Radio 4, 3:30pm Saturday 26th June 2010
Duration: 30 minutes
Available until: 4:02pm Saturday 3rd July 2010
We have had a few good CDs through at bluesinthenorthwest.com towers so far this year. My pick of the half year so far is not blues – it’s an Italian rock band who have a brilliant free download CD of the live gig from 1997 – Si Non Sedes Is – 56 free minutes of doomdelic instrumental rock.
It’s great stuff. I played it in the car on the way to the festival weekend, then again on the way home. I’m not a lover of blues rock (as many of you will know) but slab of old school space rock will always ring my bell when the band are as good as these guys.
It’s like a mixture of early Sabbath mixed with the Fforde Green in Leeds back in 1978/79 with Steffe Sharpstrings doing his stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfhm5HT2S44
MORELAND & ARBUCKLE have spent nearly a decade exploring American roots music. Guitarist Aaron Moreland and harpist/vocalist Dustin Arbuckle with help from the driving beat of drummer Brad Horner have forged a relentless and haunting sound that merges Delta blues, folk, rock, traditional country, and soul. In addition to the more typical Telecaster and Les Paul guitars, Moreland arsenal also includes a hand-crafted instrument consisting of four strings stretched across a cigar box. Moreland & Arbuckle make their debut on Telarc International with the release of “Flood.”
Live in good quality audio or online video.
http://www.woodsongs.com/showdetailspage.asp?SN=570
http://www.woodsongs.com/showlist.asp
One of my favourite performers has another session on Woodsongs.
JANIVA MAGNESS returns to the WoodSongs stage as the reigning 2009 Blues Music Entertainer of the Year, only the second woman ever to win this award. Although Magness is now a bona fide blues star, her rise to the top was far from easy. She has been performing for almost three decades, logging thousands of miles on the road and appearing 150 nights a year at clubs, theaters and festivals all over the world. Janiva and her full band will be supporting her latest CD on Alligator Records called “The Devil Is An Angel Too.”
http://www.woodsongs.com/showdetailspage.asp?SN=578
http://www.woodsongs.com/showlist.asp
Available as audio or video. Look out for a forthcoming review of the new CD release here on this site.
Here’s a clip from a previous session.
Now here’s an interesting idea. Powerful American soul singer has released a CD of covers of classic British rock bands. Songs featured include..
American public radio network NPR recently featured an article on LaVette and an opportunity to listen to the whole CD.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126831077
Two Lonnie Johnson numbers are featured in the 29 March 2010 post on the excellent pre-war blues site Honey, Where You Been So Long?
Honey, Where You Been So Long?.
Does anyone remember the heady, blues filled days of the 1990s when Texan bluesman Bobby Mack was a regular visitor to these shores?
Well Bobby is back out playing again and will be hosting a live webcast of his gig tonight from The Big Easy in Houston, Texas.
The fun starts at at 21.30 CST which is a crushing 6 hours behind the UK, so is a 3.30am start.
Check out http://www.bobbymack.com for details.
What a great idea.
Just get some musicians together, let them play and record the results.
http://www.livefromdarylshouse.com/index.php?page=ep27
My old mate Neil Partington’s band were featured live on BBC Radio Lancashire Bluenotes yesterday – with three of the songs from the forthcoming CD.
BBC iPlayer – Lancashire Bluenotes: 29/01/2010 http://bit.ly/d5Bepr
Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour – Show Details.
COREY HARRIS has dug for the deepest and truest essence of the blues, reggae, gospel and other roots music by examining and celebrating their origins in various cultural centers – Africa, the Caribbean, Appalachia, Europe and beyond. In 2007, he was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship grant – commonly referred to as a “genius award.” Corey’s latest CD on Telarc Records is blu.black. It’s a collection of primarily blues and reggae songs that examine the African-American story of earlier centuries and connects it to the present day and future generations.
http://www.woodsongs.com/showlist.asp
This week there is a Chicago theme at Wolfgang’s Vault. So you’d think that they would have some blues, right?
Right!
… and more
Chuck Berry 1967
http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/chuck-berry/concerts/winterland-march-18-1967.html?
Rory Gallagher 1978
http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/rory-gallagher/concerts/bottom-line-november-10-1978-early-show.html?
and loads, loads more….
http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/concerts
**STOP PRESS**
I was just about to publish this post when Jonny Spencer from bluesinthenorthwest.com favourites The Stumble emailed in the paydirt.
Lots of blues and other good stuff at the microsite for Ash Grove – including Muddy from 1971.
http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/concerts/support/ash-grove.html?
Honey, Where You Been So Long? http://bit.ly/7YmaAh – featuring Leroy Carr – Court Room Blues (1934)
Two-time Grammy nominee Tommy Emmanuel is one of Australia’s most respected musicians. The legendary guitarist has a professional career that spans almost five decades and continues to intersect with some of the finest musicians throughout the world. Guitar legend Chet Atkins was one of the first to inspire Emmanuel to try this “fingerpicker” style as a child. Decades later, Atkins himself became one of Emmanuel’s biggest fans.
http://www.woodsongs.com/showdetailspage.asp?SN=548
http://www.woodsongs.com/showlist.asp Show 548
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