Monday 28 September 2015

STAR BLUES on 27th September 2015 at 22:00 with second part of Ace Records

survey marking 40 years of being world's leading blues reissue label.

track.titletrack.artistsortindexalbum.titlealbum.artistsortlabeldurationwritercredit
Every Dog’s Got His DayJohnny Copeland11Slow 'N' Moody, Black & BluesyVarious ArtistsKent[ 2 mins 59 secs ]Johnny Copeland
The Things That I Used To DoLittle Sonny1Blue Monday - The Stax Blues MastersVarious ArtistsSTAX[ 4 mins 10 secs ]Little Sonny
Barefootin'Robert Parker19Cracking The Cosimo Code • 60S New Orleans R&b And SoulVarious ArtistsACE[ 2 mins 36 secs ]Robert Parker
Sister PitifulJudy Clay2Hard To Handle: Black America Sings Otis ReddingVarious ArtistsACE[ 2 mins 26 secs ]Judy Clay
Fool About The Man I LoveUrsula Reed6Old Town Blues - The Uptown SidesVarious ArtistsACE[ 0 mins 0 secs ]Ursula Reed
Goin Away Baby (Round Like An Apple)Smokey Wilson6Round Like An Apple: Big Town Sessions 1977-1978Smokey WilsonACE[ 5 mins 7 secs ]Smokey Wilson
Lord You KnowFairfield Four, The13Across The Tracks: Vol. 2Various ArtistsACE[ 2 mins 19 secs ]Fairfield Four, The
i thank himchristine kittrell14Across The Tracks: Vol. 2Various ArtistsACE[ 2 mins 29 secs ]
I'm The FixerWillie Mabon5Uk Sue Label Story, Vol. 2: Sue's Rock 'N' BluesVarious ArtistsACE[ 3 mins 4 secs ]Willie Mabon
number 9 traintarheel slim9all aboardvarious artistsace[ 3 mins 05 secs ]wilson
Quit Hangin' AroundSaunders King12Blues Around MidnightVarious ArtistsACE[ 3 mins 7 secs ]Saunders King
playboy bluesRoy Milton & His Solid Senders5SpecialtyVarious ArtistsSpecialty[ 2 mins 49 secs ]Roy Milton & His Solid Senders
Let The Four Winds BlowRoy Brown10The Big Beat: The Dave Bartholomew SongbookVarious ArtistsACE[ 2 mins 3 secs ]Roy Brown
Your Money Ain't Long EnoughDel Graham With Que Martyn's Orchestra2The Music City Story (3Cd)Various ArtistsACE[ 0 mins 0 secs ]Del Graham With Que Martyn's Orchestra
Fannie MaeBuster Brown6The Golden Age Of American Rock 'N' Roll - Volume 9Various ArtistsACE[ 2 mins 59 secs ]Buster Brown
X-Temporaneous BoogieCamille Howard13Specialty StoryVarious ArtistsSpecialty[ 2 mins 5 secs ]Camille Howard
Ride On, Ride OnKid Thomas8Chicago Blues From Federal RecordsVarious ArtistsACE[ 0 mins 0 secs ]Kid Thomas
Dealing With The DevilEddie Burns9Battle Of Hastings StreetVarious ArtistsACE[ 2 mins 59 secs ]Eddie Burns
Cadillac FuneralPeppermint Harris16Toast Of The Coast, 1950's R&b From Dolphin's Of Hollywood - Vol. 2Various ArtistsACE[ 1 mins 56 secs ]Peppermint Harris
A Fool (For Hiding My Love From You)Harold Burrage11Foxy R&bVarious ArtistsACE[ 2 mins 45 secs ]Harold Burrage
Shtiggy BoomJoe Houston7Great Googly Moo & More Undisputed TruthsVarious ArtistsACE[ 2 mins 34 secs ]Joe Houston
WoojamacOojaHelen Humes & Her Orchestra6Great Googly Moo & More Undisputed TruthsVarious ArtistsACE[ 2 mins 42 secs ]Helen Humes & Her Orchestra
The HunchPaul Gayten13The Golden Age Of American Rock 'N' Roll - Volume 10Various ArtistsACE[ 2 mins 47 secs ]Paul Gayten
Unlock The LockJimmy Nelson3Unlock The Lock - The Us Kent Records StoryVarious ArtistsACE[ 2 mins 43 secs ]Jimmy Nelson
Well Goodbye BabyFrankie Lee Sims7The Ace Story - Volume 5Various ArtistsACE[ 3 mins 16 secs ]Frankie Lee Sims
please be on that 5:19Lonesome Sundown9genuine excello r&bVarious ArtistsACE[ 2 mins 42 secs ]Lonesome Sundown
I Walk All NightJohnny Fuller9Wow, Wow, Baby! 1950S R&b, Blues And Gospel From Dolphin's Of HollywoodVarious ArtistsAce Records[ 2 mins 25 secs ]Johnny Fuller
Walk Right InGus Cannon8Stax: We'll Play The Blues For YouVarious ArtistsSTAX[ 0 mins 0 secs ]Gus Cannon
Don't Take Ev'rybody To Be Your FriendSister Rosetta Tharpe With Sam Price Trio21Theme Time Radio HourVarious ArtistsACE[ 2 mins 27 secs ]Sister Rosetta Tharpe With Sam Price Trio
Pouring Water On A Drowning ManJames Carr23Theme Time Radio HourVarious ArtistsACE[ 2 mins 41 secs ]James Carr
Hambone BluesEdna Broughton8Blues Belles With AttitudeVarious ArtistsACE[ 3 mins 15 secs ]Edna Broughton
brand new cadillacvince taylor5rock onVarious ArtistsACE[ 3 mins 2 secs ]Earl Gaines
Created: 27/09/2015 23:53:59

Sunday 20 September 2015

Sorry no STAR BLUES tonight (20th Sep 2015), however socks this week ...

.. are the preserve of Johnny Copeland. His magnificent song "Down On Bended Knee" was done for Rounder records and unless you hear something better than this before our return those socks are safe.

All being well I'll be able to make it round your place next Sunday, until then take care of yourselves and take care of those  that take care of you.

Sunday 13 September 2015

STAR BLUES on 13th September 2015 at 22:00 celebrating 40 years of the Ace label + B.B.King birth 90 years ago

What better way than taking tracks from the Modern/Crown reissue series Ace started ten years ago. We are happy to include some alternate takes and unissued songs (as well as a few of the better known ones).

Needless to say everything on the show started life in a vinyl format, and still sounds as fresh today as it did then. The dozen or so B B King items are a case in point, all came from the period in his career when he was contracted to the Bihari brothers who hit upon the idea of a budget price imprint to get more mileage out of stuff King had already had out on various singles. I think they were aiming at supermarkets not record stores and each vinyl album had a front cover photo with the rear given over to advertising more in the Crown series (so no liner notes or details on tracks). The remastering done by Ace brings out the caustic edge in B's guitar sound; many sessions were directed by Maxwell Davis with Orchestra, Lucille's tone cuts deep into the arrangements.

Elsewhere the Modern catalogue was a fascinating source for several other artists last night, including Hadda Brooks, Jimmy Witherspoon and Howlin"g" Wolf. Other licencing deals throughout the 40 years have given them rights to the most creative of the independent labels like Stax, Specialty, Duke and King. Our survey could barely do it all justice inside two hours. We plan to go to the various artist themed collections in our next STAR BLUES - showing the flavours down by the bayou or in gospel and so on. You can expect more from Ace (Ms.), Excello, Goldband and more.

If you're interested in finding out our "socks-challenge" for the next seven days, find me on Facebook. Until we can get together again round your place, take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you

track.titletrack.artistsortindexalbum.titlealbum.artistsortlabeldurationwritercredit
Mean And EvilElmore James14Lets Cut ItElmore JamesACE[ 2 mins 13 secs ]Elmore James
One Room Country ShackBuddy Guy4Complete Vanguard RecordingsBuddy GuyVANGUARD[ 5 mins 38 secs ]Buddy Guy
Hustler's GameLowell Fulson23Black NightsLowell FulsonACE[ 0 mins 0 secs ]Lowell Fulson
Black NightArthur Alexander21The GreatestArthur AlexanderACE[ 2 mins 11 secs ]Arthur Alexander
Why Do Everything Happen To MeB. B. King1B. B. King The Crown Recordings: Disc 10 : The BluesB. B. KingACE[ 0 mins 0 secs ]B. B. King
Mr PawnbrokerB. B. King2B. B. King The Crown Recordings: Disc 1 : My Kind Of BluesB. B. KingACE[ 0 mins 0 secs ]B. B. King
I Wonder WhyB. B. King18B. B. King The Crown Recordings: Disc 7 : More B. B.. KingB. B. KingACE[ 0 mins 0 secs ]B. B. King
Take Out Some InsuranceEtta James2Who's Blue? Rare Chess Recordings From The 60S And 70SEtta JamesKent[ 3 mins 2 secs ]Etta James
have mercy someonez. z. hill3downhome soulz. z. hillKent[ 3 mins 2 secs ]hill
Talk To Me, Talk To MeLittle Willie John25The King Sessions 1958-1960Little Willie JohnACE[ 0 mins 0 secs ]Little Willie John
Sad Life BluesJimmy Witherspoon11Sings The Blues SessionsJimmy WitherspoonACE[ 0 mins 0 secs ]Jimmy Witherspoon
You're Real GoneHadda Brooks13That's Where I Came InHadda BrooksACE[ 0 mins 0 secs ]Hadda Brooks
You Never Miss A Good Woman Till She's GoneLittle Willie Littlefield3Kat On The KeysLittle Willie LittlefieldACE[ 2 mins 36 secs ]Little Willie Littlefield
Miss AnnLittle Richard3Specialty SessionsLittle RichardACE[ 2 mins 19 secs ]Little Richard
Beer Drinkin' WomanJimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters3The Modern Recordings 1948-1950Jimmy McCracklinACE[ 3 mins 2 secs ]Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters
I Think I'm Drowning On Dry LandAlbert King7Years Gone By - Plus!Albert KingSTAX[ 0 mins 0 secs ]Albert King
Woke Up ScreamingBobby 'Blue' BlandClarence Hollimon9The 3B Blues Boy. The Blues Years : 1952-1958Bobby 'Blue' BlandACE[ 2 mins 47 secs ]Bobby 'Blue' BlandClarence Hollimon
DownheartedB. B. King9B. B. King The Crown Recordings: Disc 5 : Blues In My HeartB. B. KingACE[ 0 mins 0 secs ]B. B. King
Trouble In MindB. B. King13B. B. King The Crown Recordings: Disc 9 : The Great B. B. KingB. B. KingACE[ 3 mins 19 secs ]B. B. King
Shoutin' The BluesB. B. King9B. B. King The Crown Recordings: Disc 6 : Easy Listening BluesB. B. KingACE[ 0 mins 0 secs ]B. B. King
Jesus Gave Me WaterB. B. King6B. B. King The Crown Recordings: Disc 11: Sings SpiritualsB. B. KingACE[ 3 mins 4 secs ]B. B. King
long walk to dcstaple singers4best ofstaple singersstax
Cool Little CarJohn Lee Hooker14Original Folk Blues ... PlusJohn Lee HookerACE[ 3 mins 14 secs ]John Lee Hooker
Riding In The MoonlightHowlin' Wolf1Howling Wolf Sings The BluesHowlin' WolfACE[ 3 mins 6 secs ]Howlin' Wolf
Double Crossing BluesJohnny Otis Quintette, The Robins & Little Esther4The Johnny Otis Story Volume 1 Volume 1: 1945-57 Midnight At The Barrelhouse V AJohnny Otis & His OrchestraACE[ 2 mins 48 secs ]Johnny Otis Quintette, The Robins & Little Esther
Cuttin' InJohnny 'Guitar' Watson14Untouchable! The Classic 1959-1966 RecordingsJohnny 'Guitar' WatsonACE[ 3 mins 15 secs ]Johnny 'Guitar' Watson
Eyesight To The BlindB. B. King12B. B. King The Crown Recordings: Disc 4 : B. B. KingB. B. KingACE[ 2 mins 32 secs ]B. B. King
blue and lonesome (prev. unissued)B. B. King13B. B. King The Crown Recordings: Disc 4 : B. B. KingB. B. KingACE[ 2 mins 32 secs ]B. B. King
Good Man Gone BadB. B. King6B. B. King The Crown Recordings: Disc 3 : King Of The BluesB. B. KingACE[ 2 mins 47 secs ]B. B. King
New Deal BluesTampa Red1Dynamite! The Unsung King Of The BluesTampa RedACE[ 3 mins 15 secs ]Tampa Red
Created: 14/09/2015 00:02:20

Saturday 12 September 2015

The first 15 years

I have just realized that 2nd September was the 15th anniversary of my first weekly blues show on commercial radio here in Britain. I am constantly surprised at my good fortune to do this and at your kind invitation to bring armfuls of my blues discs round your place.

None of this would have happened without the amazing patience and support of dozens of folks who've done the business on my behalf behind the scenes. I hope we've been able to be different to every other blues show; not because we arrogantly believe we're better but because we want to complement rather than copy what they already do so well.

There are hundreds of blues artists still playing our music in the good old fashioned way, I'm both proud and privileged to be able to turn the spotlight on as many of them as I can. Two hours will never be enough.

STAR BLUES is available on FM, online and now via DAB. We celebrate 90 years of BB King and 40 years of Ace Records this Sunday night at 10pm (BST). None of this is possible without you.

Thanks for the first 15 years. Yhe first track I played was Sonny Boy Williamson's "Don't Start Me Talkin" ...

Sunday 6 September 2015

STAR BLUES on 6th September 2015 at 22:00 - Jimmy Reed would have been 90 today

... and Little Milton's birth date is 7th September. Plenty of great songs available to choose from too.

We started in Texas and stayed there for three of its finest sons. Not sure why Zuzu hasn't been played much around these parts, his tough guitar also swings in T-Bone style. We've written about Mr. Collins at length here before - his sound is unique and endlessly engaging. Roy is still a fine practitioner of the dark arts of guitar and on the evidence of his early-period instrumental, he always was.

Shawn Holt proves the apple doesn't fall far from the tree and his fit as leader of the Teardrops is tight - its his birthday too. Jasmine has an interesting collection including blues and r&b at the dawn of the soul era and it has a couple of established names in unfamiliar settings, though Isaac Hayes sounded more comfortable with blues than Roy Brown did with soul. The same label has also two essential Bobby Bland vinyl albums packaged as one cd - together with 5 bonus tracks first out as singles. What's not to like?

The same can be unexpectedly laid at John Mayall's door with his new album. It continues in the same way as his last album "Special Life" - and that one got plenty of critical kudos. The Fleetwood Mac track found its way onto our playlist to sate an unquenchable urge to hear some unfussy gut bucket slide (even if the original album does have a topless Mick F on the gatefold sleeve - its not for the faint hearted and once seen ...

Our Jimmy Reed feature was a struggle with the gremlins who wanted to eat everything I tried to play, but we won in the end and we heard what it was about his Vee-Jay recordings that made him so special and a huge influence on Yardbirds and Rolling Stones.

Little Milton was the real deal in every department from every era of his career canon; he did excellent work for Sun, Checker, Stax, Malaco and Telarc. We were proud to have one of each on our show. Our ladies didn't let us down either: Vicky Lee and Honey Brown. Meade Lux Lewis has a birthday book entry  and he was joined in the piano tent by Roosevelt Sykes. His "Driving Wheel" was something covered by Junior Parker who'd already been in the lineup. See how this stuff fits together? The other thing that makes us so different - Britain's Other Blues Show after all - is our love of blues in all its forms. In the category of not often heard elsewhere were Memphis Jog Band, Richard Hacksaw Harney and Jack Owens / Bud Spires. Nuff said!

Our STAR BLUES next Sunday is a two-fer celebration: 40 years of reissues on the Ace label *PLUS* 90th anniversary of birth of B.B.King. We'll have a raft of music on that label which will include those earliest sides B did for Modern. Until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you

track.titletrack.artistsortindexalbum.titlealbum.artistsortlabeldurationwritercredit
travellin' southAlbert Collins4icemanalbert collinspointblank[ 5 mins 2 secs ]Albert Collins
Headlight BluesZuzu Bollin7Texas BluesmanZuzu BollinAntone's / Irond[ 2 mins 56 secs ]Zuzu Bollin
GainesvilleRoy Gaines4Rock-A-Billy: Boogie Woogie Blues ManRoy Gaines[ 3 mins 1 secs ]Roy Gaines
Mean Little WomanShawn Holt And The Teardrops7Daddy Told MeShawn Holt And The TeardropsBlind Pig[ 3 mins 48 secs ]Shawn Holt And The Teardrops
Doctor BrownFleetwood Mac6Fleetwood Mac / Mr. WonderfulFleetwood MacCOLUMBIA[ 0 mins 0 secs ]Fleetwood Mac
Crazy LadyJohn Mayall12Find a Way to CareJohn MayallForty Below[ 3 mins 33 secs ]John Mayall
Message To My WomanWalter Rhodes24Sanctified SoulVarious ArtistsKent (U.K.)[ 2 mins 35 secs ]Walter Rhodes
Ain't That Lovin' You BabyJimmy Reed1-6The AnthologyJimmy ReedNOT NOW[ 2 mins 20 secs ]Jimmy Reed
i'm goin upside your headJimmy Reed22rockin with reedJimmy Reedcharly[ 2 mins 20 secs ]Jimmy Reed
take out some insuranceJimmy Reed2-17The AnthologyJimmy ReedNOT NOW[ 2 mins 20 secs ]Jimmy Reed
shame shame shameJimmy Reed16you dont have to goJimmy Reedorbis blues collection[ 2 mins 20 secs ]Jimmy Reed
C.C.RIDERIsaac Hayes24Going HomeVarious ArtistsJasmine[ 0 mins 0 secs ]Isaac Hayes
SUGAR BABYRoy Brown17Going HomeVarious ArtistsJasmine[ 0 mins 0 secs ]Roy Brown
oh redRichard 'Hacksaw' Harney9Sweet ManRichard 'Hacksaw' HarneyEDSEL[ 3 mins 15 secs ]
KokomoMemphis Jug Band, The1-19Alan Lomax: Blues SongbookVarious ArtistsRounder[ 2 mins 55 secs ]Memphis Jug Band, The
cherry ball bluesjack owens and bud sp[ires1-3Alan Lomax: Blues SongbookVarious ArtistsRounder[ 2 mins 55 secs ]jack owens
Scratchin' (Vim 521)Wild Jimmy Spruill8Slabs Of Humdingers Vol. 2Various Artistsvee-tone[ 0 mins 0 secs ]Wild Jimmy Spruill
Fussin’ And Fightin’ BluesLittle Junior Parker5Ride With Me, Baby: The Singles 1952-1961Little Junior ParkerFantastic Voyage[ 3 mins 1 secs ]Little Junior Parker
Night Time Is The Right TimeRay Charles15Ray Charles: Eight Classic AlbumsRay CharlesIODA[ 4 mins 4 secs ]Ray Charles
I've Been Wrong so LongBobby Bland12That's the Way Love IsBobby BlandJasmine Records[ 2 mins 18 secs ]Bobby Bland
Stepping HighEdgar Blanchard19Cosimo Matassa StoryVarious ArtistsProper Box[ 2 mins 38 secs ]Edgar Blanchard
Country BoyDave BartholomewErnest McLean3The History Of Rhythm And Blues Volume Two 1942-1952Various ArtistsRhythm and Blues Records[ 3 mins 7 secs ]Dave BartholomewErnest McLean
I Wanna Be The Only OneKip Anderson13Where Southern Soul Began: 2Various ArtistsHISTORY OF SOUL[ 2 mins 50 secs ]Kip Anderson
we're gonna make itLittle Milton1we're gonna make itLittle Miltontrace[ 2 mins 39 secs ]Little Milton
same old bluesLittle Milton18chicago blues and soulLittle Miltonjasmine[ 3 mins 59 secs ]Little Milton
little bluebirdLittle Milton8greatest hitsLittle MiltonMALACO[ 3 mins 59 secs ]Little Milton
You're Givin' Me the BluesLittle Milton10Feel itLittle MiltonMALACO[ 3 mins 59 secs ]Little Milton
Little By LittleNappy Brown21The Influences Behind The Rolling StonesVarious ArtistsHoodoo Records[ 2 mins 36 secs ]Nappy Brown
Goin' Back Home To MamaVicky Lee11Voodoo Voodoo: Feisty Fifties FemalesVarious ArtistsFantastic Voyage[ 2 mins 2 secs ]Vicky Lee
Rockin' And Jumpin'Honey Brown28I'm A Bad Bad GirlVarious ArtistsINDIGO[ 2 mins 56 secs ]Honey Brown
Driving WheelRoosevelt Sykes8Let Me Tell You About The Blues: New YorkVarious ArtistsFantastic Voyage[ 3 mins 6 secs ]Roosevelt Sykes
Bear Cat CrawlMeade Lux Lewis15The Best Of Boogie WoogieVarious ArtistsDOCUMENTS[ 2 mins 22 secs ]Meade Lux Lewis
Created: 06/09/2015 23:55:57