One of the finest West Coast piano players, Jimmy McCracklin, died a couple of days ago - his career spanned seven decades and we went back to his earliest sessions for Modern and his later album for Bullseye Blues. On the way we stopped off at his best known recording for Checker "The Walk" a huge hit after an appearance on Dick Clark's American Bandstand. Ironically his best reward came from covers of "Tramp" a song he co-wrote with Lowell Fulson and a major hip-hop smash for Salt'n'Pepa. With the deaths of Etta James and Johnny Otis as well, the LA Blues scene has lost so much this year. So much of the backbone of our music has passed in twelve months, we need to remind ourselves how much young talent there is now: Blind Boy Paxton, Quintus McCormick, Brandon Bailey and Marquise Knox to name but a few.
Three "Big" songs to start, each in a different style and plenty of Christmas blues songs, including a magnificently triumphant piece from B. B. King that came out on Kent (making it way over 50 years old). Bang up to date was a track from James 'Buddy' Rogers who plays a lot like Albert King, Robert Cray and Robert Ward. One internet review had issues with his singing but I found it a refreshing change to have someone not go balls-out to sound like Otis Redding or Howlin' Wolf. Steve Dupree has Marcia ball on his new album and we got a free History lesson from the Billy Bats' delightful slide-fuelled romp. We closed with a heartfelt tribute to the much underrated Roy Buchanan by Gwyn Ashton off his new "Radiogram" project. Gwyn is one of those guys who carves out a blues career the hard way and is one of a dwindling number of artists prepared to slog it out up and down the British highways and byways (so many other blues stars come to Europe but forget about us here). Not so Catfish Keith, who has a gospel retrospective out to promote his recent visit (BTW check out the lovely Penny's photographs of where they've been, you can tell she's fallen in love with our countryside).
Imelda May's song was, we're sure, intended to celebrate the finely chiseled good looks of both Neil Jones and the Mighty Mark Peters. I tried for quite a while to research Zilla Mays to lead you from her fantastic "Midnight" opus to her other work she cut for Savoy, well worth the journey as it turned out. Hank Ballard did what only he can for Christmas, and so did Chuck Berry in a different styleee. We often do Albert Collins' cover of "Brick" by Johnnie Morisette so we had chance to put in the original on STAR BLUES last night. Satan and Adam's album almost didn't come off through major health worries for both men and Ann Rabson clearly likes playing alongside Bob Margolin - whoever thought of recording them together, more please!
I'm off to try to calm down for Christmas morning, I'm saying its the four ducks excited but you can really include me in that. Junior Blue will be on hand at ten a.m 25th December for live blues. I've been told I must include the news at 11 which will be a real challenge to a man whose closest measure of time is a "Smidge" or a "Tad"... Be great to have your company to egg me on in that endeavour. Until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you
| Track.Title | Track.ArtistSort | Index | Album.Title | Album.ArtistSort | Label |
| Big Bad Handsome Man | Imelda May | 5 | Love Tattoo | Imelda May | UCJ |
| Big Bag O' Blues | Sonny Rhodes | 1 | a good day to play the blues | sonny rhodes | STONY PLAIN |
| Big Bird | Eddie Floyd | 3 | Best Of | Eddie Floyd | STAX |
| rockin round the christmas tree | brenda lee | 1-1 | rockin round the christmas tree | varioous artists | crimson |
| santa claus is coming | hank ballard | 2-2 | rockin' around the christmas tree | various artists | crimson |
| Run Rudolph run | Chuck Berry | 2 | Rockin Around The Christmas Tree | Various Artists | CRIMSON |
| dont cry baby | etta james | 18 | 61 r&b spotlight | various artists | fantastic voyage |
| The Wobble (Mercury 71412) | Jimmy McCracklin | 9 | orbis blues collection | jimmy mccracklin | |
| Beer Drinkin' Woman | Jimmy McCracklin | 3 | modern recordings 19481950 | jimmy mccracklin | ace |
| my story | jimmy McCracklin | 11 | my story | jimmy mccracklin | bullseye |
| The Walk | Jimmy McCracklin | 1 | orbis blues collection | jimmy mccracklin | |
| Nightshift Blues | Zilla Mays | 8 | I'm A Bad Bad Girl | Various Artists | INDIGO |
| The Soul Of A Man | Fontella Bass | 16 | Chess Soul | Various Artists | MCA |
| Sad And Lonely | Earl Forest | 3 | Ace's Wild! | Johnny Ace | Fantastic Voyage |
| blame it on the blues | james 'buddy' rogers | 6 | my guitar's my only friend | james 'buddy' rogers | stony plain |
| keep your hands off my baby | Johnnie Bassett | 2 | The Gentleman Is Back | Johnnie Bassett | Sly Dog Records |
| The Nina, The Pinta, The Santa Maria | Billy Bats, The | 3 | Lather Rinse Repeat | Billy Bats, The | |
| brick | johnnie morisette | 6 | rare blues guitar | various artists | |
| Big Boss Mann | Satan And Adam | 1 | Back In The Game | Satan And Adam | |
| No Time For The Blues | Ann Rabson With Bob Margolin | 11 | Not Alone | Ann Rabson With Bob Margolin | Vizztone |
| first dance | steve dupree w. marcia ball | 2 | dr dupree's love shop | steve dupree | -- |
| Christmas Celebration | B. B. King | 1 | Rhythm & Blues Christmas | Various Artists | ACE |
| i'm so glad | famous ward singers | 4 | screamin gospel and holy rollers | various artists | vee-tone |
| white christmas | otis redding | 2 | The Original Soul Christmas | Various Artists | RHINO |
| You Got To Move | Catfish Keith | 4 | A True Friend Is Hard To Find: A Gospel Retrospective | Catfish Keith | FISH TAIL |
| im not the one | Bettye Lavette | 2 | Thankful N Thoughtful | Bettye Lavette | Anti |
| Bluz For Roy | Gwyn Ashton | 10 | Radiogram | Gwyn Ashton | PROPER |
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