Sunday 8 July 2012

STAR BLUES on 8th July 2012 at 22:00

If Lady Blue wasn't blushing she was certainly having a "moment" as I had a wardrobe malfunction during my prep for STAR BLUES last night. I put on our son's white tee shirt and it was quite a snug fit in some interesting places. For reasons of comfort and modesty I changed into one of my own before coming to Star Towers. (Luckily it is radio so the horses weren't frightened by my rippling biceps. I am actually Brad Pitts body double, which reminds me I must ask for it back sometime).

Our menu was a bit of a recap of 2012 so far mixed with the usual dose of trivia and tomfoolery I managed to smuggle past the watchful eye of the Mighty Mark Peters. Sample(1): the Lazy Lester album won a WC Handy award and featured John "Big Figure" Martin on drums lately of Dr. Feelgood classic-era. Sample(2): budding folk-singer Peggy Seeger got lost in a department store in Washington DC but was found by Elizabeth Cotten. The parents were so grateful they ended up giving Cotten a job, and then when they found out the housekeeper could play a bit of guitar.... Sample(3); Without Bobby Parker's "Watch your step" there'd probably be no Led Zeppelin as it inspired Robert Plant to start singing. And so on.

2012 already has a number of top class releases that will vie for the STAR BLUES album of the year award; Rick Estrin and Joe Louis Walker on Alligator, Johnny Rawls on Catfood and Billy Boy Arnold on Electro-fi. Each of those four has made quite possibly their own career defining moment. Curtis Salgado - label mate to Joe and Rick - has a cancerous growth due to be removed next week and we wish this big-sweet-voiced singer all the very best (first came upon him singing on Robert Crays debut). Bob Corritore and Tail Dragger gelled superbly on their project this year leading to nominations already in Living Blues poll for Bob and their pianist of choice Henry Gray. (He's getting up there in years now but was subtle when needed on this fabulous album. You'll know  the name from Howlin' Wolf's band).

This year also contains neat reissue compilation projects from Ace (as always), Fantastic Voyage and VeeTone - the latter imprint has Mark Lamarr to thank for their matchless collections of Humdingers (just got vol 13). As for Crime and Punishment we did songs from the second Sonny Boy Williamson and the first Lightnin' Hopkins.

No sooner had you time to settle into our compendium of delights than it was time to slip away into the midnight hour / evening meal / beakfast depending on where your place is. Until next Sunday night at 10pm (BST) take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you.



Track.Title Track.ArtistSort Index Album.Title Album.ArtistSort Label
Watch Your Step Bobby Parker 25 R&B Spotlight '61 Various Artists Fantastic Voyage
Lucky You Rick Estrin And The Nightcats 2 One Wrong Turn Rick Estrin And The Nightcats Alligator Records Inc
Keep It To Yourself Johnny B. Moore 2 Troubled World Johnny B. Moore DELMARK
Nothing But The Devil (Take 1) Lazy Lester 11 Rides Again Lazy Lester ACE
Something For Nothing Robert Ward 5 Fear No Evil Robert Ward SILVERTONE
Your Funeral and My Trial Sonny Boy Williamson 11 Crime and Punishment Various Artists Fantastic Voyage
Movin' On Joe Louis Walker 6 Hellfire Joe Louis Walker Alligator
Cotton Pickin' Mama (Studio 1002) Claude Robinson 11 R&B Humdingers Volume 13 (Compiled By Mark Lamarr) Various Artists Vee-Tone Records
Aged And Mellow (Blues) Little Esther 11 Theme Time Radio Hour - Series 2 Various Artists ACE
Geneva Eugene Church 13 King New Breed R&b Volume 2 Various Artists Kent
Shake Sugaree Elizabeth Cotton 23 Theme Time Radio Hour - Season 3 Various Artists ACE
Cold Outdoors Tail Dragger 5 Longtime Friends In The Blues Tail Dragger Delta Groove Productions
This Is The End Buddy Guy 1 Theme Time Radio Hour - Season 3 Various Artists ACE
You Better Dig It Mike Sanchez 1 You Better Dig It Mike Sanchez Doopin
Strollin' Champion Jack Dupree 1 Blues From The Gutter Champion Jack Dupree Atlantic
Ain't That Just Like A Woman Fats Domino 26 R&B Spotlight '61 Various Artists Fantastic Voyage
Hand Me Downs Johnny Rawls 2 Soul Survivor Johnny Rawls Catfood
The Right Time Ray Charles 4 The Genius Sings Blues Ray Charles Atlantic
Jail House Blues Lightnin' Hopkins 13 Crime and Punishment Various Artists Fantastic Voyage
Just One More Time Billy Gayles 23 Theme Time Radio Hour - Series 2 Various Artists ACE
Going Back to Arkansas Billy Boy Arnold 2 Billy Boy Arnold Sings: Big Bill Broonzy Billy Boy Arnold Electro-Fi
Bad Dream Little Milton 1 Too Much Pain Little Milton MALACO
36-22-36 Bobby 'Blue' Bland 1 Theme Time Radio Hour - Season 3 Various Artists ACE
Worried About You Chick Willis 10 Let The Blues Speak For Itself Chick Willis Benevolent Blues
Created: 08/07/2012 21:39:30

No comments:

Post a Comment