STAR BLUES on 11th August 2013 at 22:00

If you are a fan of Jamelia, or know someone who is, STAR BLUES had some Foxy R&B last night on STAR BLUES though there may well have been something lost in translation in the definitions. She will have had a blast because our R&B means Rhythm and Blues: as put out by Richard Stamz on his Foxy and Paso labels. he was based in Chicago and in 1956 he was a popular radio show host before buying Paso four years later. we did a couple of tracks in each hour of STAR BLUES with selections from Lee "Shot" Williams, Harold Burrage, Freddie Robinson and Willie Walker - we've done their other stuff before but nothing quite like this! Label shots, session details and the story in the booklet make this a handsome document of a lesser known player on the Chicago scene.

Roy Gaines is an elegant player who has a birthday today (Mon 12th) and we showed him as he was in 1957 for the deLuxe label. Our other birthday boy was Joe Jones and his single "You Talk Too Much" had a quintessential Crescent City groove as befits its maker. Like Otis Redding, when Joe Tex started out he was pushed into copying Little Richard's style and it was just one little gen I found on Saturday. That survey of Federal Records plugged a couple of gaps in my set of Cal Green recordings and unearthed a very rare Syl Johnson treat. In case you needed reminding that Cal Green single is electric blues guitar. Full Stop.

Wynonie Harris is one of my favourite singers he could make my vicar's shopping list sound dirty. Our piano feature was triggered during a fascinating exchange on Facebook about the true identity of Black Bob who played on dozens of Chicago recording sessions. Current wisdom says it was actually a nom-de-disque sequestered by one of several men who were jobbing musicians on hand that particular day. While I venture we'll never really know we showed him off backing Casey Bill Weldon and Lil Johnson (who we played without a safety net or crash hat). I also read this week that Blind Blake's "Police Dog Blues" is regarded as the greatest of all blues recorded pre-war - IMHO its definitely up there.

Our two hours flew past, which was remarkable given the need for gentlemen of a certain age to pace themselves when offered anything Foxy in the way of R&B. Pretty sure we staked yet another claim as Britain's Other Blues Show last night - round your place next Sunday at 10pm we'll do some more. 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
hip shakin' woman	Carl Weathersby	15	Best Of Carl Weathersby	Carl Weathersby	EVIDENCE
Walking the Back Streets and Crying	Little Milton	2	The Complete Stax-Volt Singles, Vol. 3: 1972-1975	Various Artists	STAX
Gainesville	Roy Gaines	4	Rock-A-Billy: Boogie Woogie Blues Man	Roy Gaines
Feel Like Going Home	Robert Lucas	5	Blues Masters	Various Artists	AUDIOQUEST
Too Proud	Mighty Sam McClain	2	Give It Up To Love	Mighty Sam McClain	AUDIOQUEST
you ought to love me	harold burrage	14	foxy r&b	various artists	ace
going back home	willie williams	17	foxy r&b	various artists	ace
You Little Baby Faced Thing	Joe Tex	17	Rock On	Various Artists	ACE
You Talk Too Much	Joe Jones & His Orchestra	28	The Golden Age Of American Rock 'N' Roll - Volume 9	Various Artists	ACE
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah	Chuck Martin	22	Rhythm 'N' Bluesin' By The Bayou	Various Artists	ACE
Lone Wolf	Johnny Big Moose Walker	3	Blue Love	Johnny Big Moose Walker	EVIDENCE
The Search is Over	cal green	2-2	i'll go crazy: federal records story	various artists	one day
Linda Lu	Ray Sharpe	6	Rock On	Various Artists	ACE
Pontiac Blues	Sonny Boy Williamson (Aka Rice Miller)	1	American Masters Vol. 2 : Urban Blues	Various Artists	Arhoolie Records
Feel Like Cryin' Again	Mel Walker With Johnny Otis Orch	15	That's Your Last Boogie!	Johnny Otis	Fantastic Voyage
Dig This Boogie	Wynonie Harris	6	Let Me Tell You About The Blues: Nashville	Various Artists	Fantastic Voyage
How Blue Can You Get	Johnny Moore's Three Blazers	25	Let Me Tell You About The Blues: New York	Various Artists	Fantastic Voyage
Black Gal What Makes Your Head So Hard?	Joe Pullum	23	Texas Blues	Various Artists	CATFISH
Back Door Blues	Casey Bill WeldonBlack Bob	20	Broke Black And Blue	Various Artists	PROPER
Press My Button	Lil Johnson	22	History Of Rhythm And Blues Part One	Various Artists	Rhythm and Blues Records
Gypsy Woman	Muddy Waters	8	The Aristocrat Of The Blues	Various Artists	MCA/CHESS
Friendless Blues	Lonnie Johnson	5	Why Should I Cry?	Lonnie Johnson	SPV
Police Dog Blues	Blind Blake	10	Essential	Blind Blake	CLASSIC BLUES
i'm tryin	lee "shot" williams	10	foxy r&b	various artists	ace
the hawk	freddy robinson	12	foxy r&b	various artists	ace
Fine Fine Fine	Gene Terry	5	Boppin' The Bayou Again	Various Artists	ACE
i got love	syl johnson	2-19	i'll go crazy: federal records story	various artists	one day

Created: 11/08/2013 23:46:16

STAR BLUES on 4th August 2013 at 22:00

We marked the 60th anniversary  of - arguably - the turning point for 20th Century music (admittedly with a mere dalliance off the blues highway). All being well we redeemed our soul by featuring a terrific project from Lurrie Bell and a brand new track cut direct to 78 earlier this year...

Just when I think our shortlist for the STAR BLUES Album of 2013 award is a manageable length, along comes another contender; Delmark have done the biz again with Lurrie Bell showing how strong the Chicago style is these days. He has a cracking band with Matthew Skoller on harp that just about owns Otis Spann's "Blues Never Die" such is their confidence and rapport. Same label has a third project from Studebaker John Grimaldi whose group never resorts to needless noodling or artifice, his selection last night was recorded direct to 78 rpm disc. Both projects are identifiably Chicago Blues and it was an easy stretch for us to dip back into the archives for Otis Rush over on the West Side and stop by Lonnie Brooks for good measure.

Willie Johnson and Sammy Lewis drew on Little Junior Parker for their Memphis blues offering and Little Milton started his long and distinguished recording career there on the Sun label. Sam Phillips set up the Memphis Recording Service on 706 Union Avenue in 1950 and in short order hired Marion Keister as his assistant (she already had local radio experience). Their earliest recordings were leased to Modern (and Chess!!) before establishing their own imprint - Sun Records. The group of inmates who recorded as the Prisonaires was their first brush with decent sales numbers in early 1953. Round about that time a young buck was graduating High School at 18, he'd had a few guitar lessons but he didn't shine on it. He got a full-time job on a production line and his girlfriend Dixie remembered him as being shy. A couple of months later (almost certainly the first Saturday in August) he took $3.99 (plus Sales tax) to Marion at MRS to create a two track acetate so he could hear what his voice sounded like. accompanying himself on guitar he did a version of a hit 1948 ballad "My Happiness" and another country piece. Marion typed up the label for his disc by writing on the blank side of a Prisonaires single. He asked to be remembered if someone was looking for a singer and Marion noted "Good ballad singer. Hold", but he never even got to meet Sam Phillips. So they wouldn't forget him he came back regularly to chase up a gig. When nothing happened he stumped up more cash for another acetate in January 1954: two more ballad style songs.

What I find so fascinating is how the first five songs Elvis Presley (because he's the hero of our tale) made were so far removed from the Rhythm & Blues he latched onto for his more famous singles: it makes me think the trips to that particular well weren't his own idea? And what would have happened if he'd walked passed that storefront instead of venturing in, preferring to spend his $3.99 on Dixie instead? Elvis Presley became the benchmark by which everyone else was measured though he was treated as little more than chattels for long stretches of his career. His relationship with our music was problematic at best but we can't naysay what he achieved. That day (almost) exactly 60 years ago was our sidestep off the blues highway - worth taking as the rest of the world has yet to mention it. My favourite of his covers was the one he did of "Mystery Train" with arrangement and backing eerily similar to Junior Parker's original.

it was really neat to squeeze in some other far less well-known guys like Harrold Burrage, Gene Phillips and Reggie Boyd, as well as key pre-war figures like Memphis Minnie and Blind Willie McTell; Mance Lipscomb did gospel duties and Johnnie Copeland and James Armstrong (two guys known as guitarists but terrific singers too). I'm finding new old stuff all the time: you're absolutely magnificent and very kind with your invite over to your place on Sundays at 10pm. 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
Hard Gamblin' Woman	Lonnie Brooks	2	Let's Talk It Over	Lonnie Brooks
Every Dog's Got His Day	Johnny Copeland	6	It's Me	Johnny Copeland	Kent
Searchin' for a Woman	Albert King	1	Door To Door	Albert KingOtis Rush	CHESS
Call My Job	Steve Freund	4	Come On In This House	Steve Freund	9below
You Don't Know	Roomful Of Blues	7	45 Live	Roomful Of Blues	Alligator Records & Artist Management, Inc.
You Don't Have to Work	Magic Sam	16	West Side Guitar 1957-1966	Magic Sam	FLYRIGHT
Blues Never Die	Lurrie Bell	14	Blues In My Soul	Lurrie Bell	DELMARK
Bank of Love	James Armstrong	7	Dark Night	James Armstrong	HIGH TONE
Red Light	Hound Kings, The	10	Unleashed	Hound Kings, The	CDBaby
My Happiness	Elvis Presley	1	King Of Rock'n'roll : Complete 50's Masters	Elvis Presley	RCA
Mystery Train	Elvis Presley	21	Let Me Tell You About The Blues: Memphis	Various Artists	Fantastic Voyage
Beggin' My Baby	Little Milton	1	Sun Blues Box : 1950-1958	Various Artists	CHARLY
Nothing But Good	Reggie 'guitar' Boyd	18	Age / Chief Blues Story	Various Artists	FUEL 2000
Feel So Worried	Sammy LewisWillie Johnson	24	Let Me Tell You About The Blues: Memphis	Various Artists	Fantastic Voyage
Me and My Chaauffeur	Memphis Minnie	2	The Sound Of The City - Memphis	Various Artists	Emi Records Ltd
Barbecue Blues	Barbecue Bob	12	20th Century Blues	Various Artists	CATFISH
Searchin' the Desert for the Blues	Blind Willie McTell	11	Heavy Hitters Vol. 1	Various Artists	PIGMEAT RECORDS
Piney Brown Blues	Big Joe Turner	6	The Blues Boss	Big Joe Turner	BLUES ENCORE
gene's guitar boogie	gene phillips	1-14	beating the petrillo ban 1947	various artists	ace
Oh Mama	Lillian Offitt	5	Age / Chief Blues Story	Various Artists	FUEL 2000
motherless children	mance lipscomb	10	gospel classics	various artists	ARHOOLIE
SAY YOU LOVE ME	Harold burrage	1	foxy r&b	various artists	ace
Bad Gasoline	Studebaker John's Maxwell Street Kings	16	Kingsville Jukin'	Studebaker John's Maxwell Street Kings	DELMARK
Born in Chicago	Butterfield Blues Band, The	1	Butterfield Blues Band / East West	Butterfield Blues Band, The	ELEKTRA

Created: 04/08/2013 23:47:51

PRINCE GEORGE BLUES on 28th July 2013 at 22:00

We made a bit of an effort last night to welcome HRH Prince George of Cambridge: we took great pride in the occasion of his introduction to STAR BLUES. With the current ballyhoo around the upcoming London Blues Fest and my recent reading of Classic Blues magazine, it is out job to ensure this future Monarch gets to hear our music outside the confines of the narrow version purloined by white guitarists. Every player on our show has a current project well worth investigating - and seeing live.

There were slight delays in the sequence to ensure we wished Buddy Guy a Happy Birthday as he turns 77 on Tuesday 30th and to congratulate Young Bob Cray now he's hit 60. Folks like me found the genre through his work as his incisive lyrics tackled complex relationship themes not normally associated with blues: his polished good looks at odds with the pain and heartache of his subjects. I've seen him live several times but he's only recently gained any real rapport with the audience, he said little between songs. Buddy Guy infuriates the heck out of me, he cranks up the volume too much for me these days and he can sometimes lose the plot during his seemingly endless solos. On his day he has no equals and whatever your thoughts, he's not slipping into old age gracefully or quietly.

Otis Grand is back with a real fun project with guitar recorded up front in the mix on short punchy songs; Joe Louis Walker began 2013 with a furious blast of aggressive playing on "Hellfire" for the Alligator label, the same imprint inked James Cotton (just turned 78) whose harp is majestic on "Cotton Mouth Man" with subtle tones and control of the highest quality.  I bracket Johnny Rawls with Travis Haddix in so far as they are genetically incapable of making anything else other than top notch music - though neither has really received their due either commercially or in high profile awards.

Bobby Rush sounded effortless funky "Down in Louisiana" and Guy Davis' pairing with Italian harp player with Farbio Poggi drew heavily from the SonnyAndBrownie well (who says that's a bad thing). Like Rush he excels in the live arena. Big Bill Morganfield is currently in the media shadow of his half-brother Mud Morganfield but he channels his famous father through that growl and an edgy guitar. Lady Blue - who knows a thing or two about such matters - says he is sex on a stick. Lurrie Bell is a Delmark artist and he has a project so new the disc still clings to the sleeve like vinyl did as you take it out. This is Chicago blues at its best.

We've been saying for a while that our music is in good shape this year because Chicago blues is so good; another example came in courtesy of John Primer with Bob Coritorre showing how much two skilled artists can give to each other in the joy of playing together. Though the year has had moments of almost unspeakable sadness (the deaths of Magic Slim, Jimmy Dawkins, Bobby Bland and now J.J.Cale) there is still much to savour. I hope my purist friends will indulge me the track from Cale whose songs were covered by blues artists without being the conventional definition of same. His unhurried style and poignant lyrics have been at the heart of so many moments for me, can't believe he's gone.  We also remembered the unique talent known as T-Model Ford, an artist in the old-fashioned tradition of telling whatever tale was expected of him and a cornerstone of the "Mississippi Hill Country" genre also put down by R.L> Burnside and Junior Kimbrough.

I hope our choices were right for the six day old Prince George or it'll be the Tower of London for me and definitely no knighthood. All being well we're back for more high treason and trivia and tomfoolery at ten pm (BST) this upcoming Sunday. 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
Movin' on	Joe Louis Walker	6	Hellfire	Joe Louis Walker	Alligator
Those Days Are Gone	Otis Grand	12	Blues '65	Otis Grand	MAINgate
Blues Get Off My Shoulder	Robert Cray	6	Nothing But Love	Robert Cray	PROVOGUE
Stay Around a Little Longer	Buddy Guy Featuring B.B. King	4	Living Proof	Buddy Guy	SILVERTONE
Soul Survivor	Johnny Rawls	1	Soul Survivor	Johnny Rawls	Catfood
Jodie	Travis Haddix	1	Ring on Her Finder, Rope Around My Neck	Travis Haddix	Benevolent Blues
Young Bold Women	James Cotton	9	Cotton Mouth Man	James Cotton	Alligator
Money's Gettin' Cheaper	Big Bill Morganfield	3	Blues With A Mood	Big Bill Morganfield	101 Distribution
Cairo Blues	John Primer & Bob Corritore	4	Knockin' Around These Blues	John Primer & Bob Corritore	Delta Groove Productions
Fulton Blues	Corey Harris	6	Fulton Blues	Corey Harris	Njumba
Did You See My Baby	Guy Davis	8	Juba Dance	Guy Davis (Featuring Fabrizio Poggi)	Dixiefrog
Woke Up This Morning (With My Mind on Jesus)	Mavis Staples	9	One True Vine	Mavis Staples	Anti
Down in Louisiana	Bobby Rush	1	Down In Louisiana	Bobby Rush	DEEP Rush
New B&o Blues	Billy Boy Arnold	9	The Walter Davis Project	Various Artists	Electro-Fi
Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad	Habib Koité, Eric Bibb	13	Brothers In Bamako	Habib Koité, Eric Bibb
Come Back Home	T-Model Ford	9	You Better Keep Still	T-Model Ford	FAT POSSUM
Boogie Woogie Ball	Tail DraggerBob Corritore	9	Longtime Friends In The Blues	Tail DraggerBob Corritore	Delta Groove Productions
Hey Hey baby	lurrie bell	1	Blues in my soul	Lurrie Bell	DELMARK
You better listen	Lazy Lester	2	You better listen	Lazy Lester	Phonofile
Right Next Door (Because of Me)	Robert Cray	3	Strong Persuader	Robert Cray	MERCURY
I Can't Quit the Blues	Buddy Guy	2	Complete Vanguard Recordings	Buddy Guy	VANGUARD
Everlovin' Woman	J. J. Cale	13	Anyway The Wind Blows: The Anthology	J. J. Cale	POLYGRAM

Created: 28/07/2013 23:42:56

STAR BLUES on 21st July 2013 at 22:00

With dozens of press gathered outside a hospital front door expecting something, STAR BLUES whiled away the hours with some cool vinyl moments: Imagine starting out in life at 78 or 45 ... our companions in the running order all did so. As it turns out the Duchess gave birth well into Monday afternoon, no doubt spurred on with trivia and tomfoolery. Right Royal result too as the new Prince of Cambridge can safely be numbered among the STAR BLUES audience (allegedly). Can the badge of "By Royal Appointment" be far away? It is however somewhat unlikely the happy parents will do the decent thing and name him Mojo as I suggested.

Our thoughts were with the good folks of Detroit who are having a real stinker of a time at the moment, so we played John Lee Hooker and John Brim for them The Hook was in a band setting to take on the Rosco Gordon classic and Brim was an early release for the Fortune label with his wife Grace on vocal and harp. Junior Parker was oh-so-much more than the man who did the original of Elvis' "Mystery Train", his supple soul voice added that something special to just about everything he did. There's a couple of surveys of his 1952-61 recordings out, surely can't be long before someone grasps the nettle for a decent career box-set to cover those last nine years as well?.

Little Hudson only cut five songs at a single session but he fell out with the J.O.B.  label over which side should be featured on top of the single and he never made it back into the studio. Not sure I've ever seen a photo of him. Our show last week had a superb three hander under Jimmy Rogers' name with Little Walter and Big Crawford. Serendipitously I eavesdropped on a fascinating FB discussion on Crawfords skills as bass player. While Dave Penny's help I settled on some Big Bill Broonzy from 1953 to showcase his rock solid talents. we weren't done with Chicago until we'd had Howlin' Wolf, Magic Sam and Otis Rush.

Bessie Smith was imperious and Son House both brutal and exciting as we did an extended spell pre-war including a 1935 original from Gary Davis called "One True Vine"; Mavis Staples has the song as title track on her brand new album. She is the sole performer on the recently announced "London Blues Fest" who could easily fit the playlist here rather than the one Neil does on the Rock Show. I know they need the big names to sell tickets but there's absolutely no justification for totally ignoring African-American players. Look at this years running order at the Chicago Blues Festival for a glimpse of what is out there at the moment. Lazy Lester is a case in point and we had one of his singles last night. He still does the biz, so does Bobby Rush, John Primer, Bob Corritore, Guy Davis, Bob Margolin, Lurrie Bell, Candye Kane and so on. On the bill just announced there's no harp players or pianists just guitarists. I'm not arguing for anything other than balance and the *FULL* range of blues styles: if it sounds like rock, it ain't blues. Neil knows what goes into my show, I know what goes into his and I am extremely lucky to follow him in the live Sunday night schedule.

On that more serious than usual note, I'll just promise to be back round your place if you'll have me and my records 10pm (BST)  Meantime I am practising my tie-knotting technique and Lady Blue does some curtsey's just in case Prince Mojo does tune in as well. Got a ring to it don't you think, Prince Mojo? Yes. Prince Mojo.

Track.Title	Track.ArtistSort	Index	Album.Title	Album.ArtistSort	Label
No More Doggin’	John Lee Hooker	25	Let Me Tell You About The Blues: Detroit	Various Artists	Fantastic Voyage
Fussin' and Fightin' Blues	Junior Parker	19	Feelin' Good	Junior Parker	Hoodoo Records
Goin' Back to La	Johnny Otis	18	On With The Show: The Johnny Otis Story Volume 2: 1957-1974	Johnny Otis Show Live, The	ACE
I'm Gonna Leave You Baby	Lazy Lester	21	Bluesin' By The Bayou	Various Artists	ACE
Cool Disposition	Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup	6	My Baby Left Me The Definitive Collection	Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup	Fantastic Voyage
Dark Road	Floyd Jones	4	Down Home Blues Classics - Chicago (1946-1954)	Various Artists	BOULEVARD VINTAGE
I Can't Hold Out	Elmore James	25	The Chess Story	Various Artists	CHARLY
Steppin' Out	Syl Johnson	2	Hi Fidelity	Various Artists	HI
Cheater Man	Esther Phillips	15	A Road Leading Home	Various Artists	ACE
Rock Me Baby	Otis Redding	15	100 Hits Legends - Otis Reading	Otis Redding	DEMON
rock me	sister rosetta tharpe	1-1	The Original soul sister	sister rosetta tharpe	proper
Strange Things Happening	Etta James	12	Miss Etta James - The Complete Modern And Kent Recordings	Etta James	ACE
I Am the True Vine	Rev. Gary Davis	6	I Am The Tree Vine	Rev. Gary Davis	CATFISH
I Smell Trouble	Bobby 'Blue' Bland	23	It's My Life, Baby: The Singles - As & Bs, 1951-1960	Bobby 'Blue' Bland	Jasmine
Cheatin' and Lynin' Blues	Pat Hare	19	The Sun Blues Box Sampler - Blues, R&b And Gospel Music In Memphis 1950 - 1958	Various Artists	bear family / b&r magazine
Strange Man	John Brim	18	Let Me Tell You About The Blues: Detroit	Various Artists	Fantastic Voyage
Move on Down the Line	Earl Hooker	11	The Sun Blues Box Sampler - Blues, R&b And Gospel Music In Memphis 1950 - 1958	Various Artists	bear family / b&r magazine
Slowly Goin' Crazy	H-Bomb Ferguson	5	The R'n'b Years 1952: 100 Hot Rhythm And Blues Tunes From 1952	Various Artists	BOULEVARD VINTAGE
got you on my mind	john greer	22	The R'n'b Years 1952: 100 Hot Rhythm And Blues Tunes From 1952	Various Artists	BOULEVARD VINTAGE
Diggin' My Potatoes	Big Bill Broonzy	22	Rockin' in Chicago	Big Bill Broonzy	Rev-Ola Bandstand
Rough Treatment	Little Hudson	11	Blues Is Killin' Me	Various Artists	FLYRIGHT
Early in the Morning	Sonny Boy Williamson (Aka John Lee Williamson)	5	Sugar Mama	Sonny Boy Williamson (Aka John Lee Williamson)	INDIGO
Death Letter	Son House	13	Hard Times And Heartaches	Various Artists	COLUMBIA
Gimme a Pigfoot	Bessie Smith	24	Blues Queen. The Definitive Collection	Bessie Smith	Phoenix Records
Goin' Back Home	Howlin' Wolf	5	Howlin' Wolf / The Wolf Is At Your Door: The Singles 1951-1960	Howlin' Wolf	Jasmine
three times a fool	otis rush	2-15	double trouble: cobra records story	various artists	one day
easy baby	magic sam	1-18	double trouble: cobra records story	various artists	one day

Created: 21/07/2013 23:49:58 

STAR BLUES on 14th July 2013 at 22:00

There was a - some would say - rash boast that at least one of the timechecks during STAR BLUES would be precise. In case you missed it... (6 secs before 22:31). For those of you yet to hear the show you can look forward to the dignified aplomb with which I undertook this delicate task.

Rock god Neil Jones included both Mick Box and Tony Iommi amongst his fare, so out came our big guns in response: a couple of old boys who really should know better at their age (and that was ten years ago) and a fabulously controlled blues piece from Jimi Hendrix. Our choice of Buddy Guy eschewed such obvious pyrotechnics (doubtless present in spades on his new album which doesn't appeal to me) - he reworked a song by Frankie Lee Sims for us instead. Veteran Willie Buck has lead bands in Chicago for about four decades and his 1980's debut found reissue favour in 2008 on Delmark. We sampled his version of a Muddy Waters classic from the follow-up (also on Delmark).

2013 will be remembered for the passing of Magic Slim, Bobby Bland and Jimmy Dawkins - we should also remember it for some pretty decent music already: don't forget Bobby Rush, nor John Primer at his absolute best with Bob Corritore. Bob will be out again first week in September with Dave Riley for their third project: we went to their first by way of taster.  Two elegant guitarists, Duke Robillard and Ronnie Earl, have new ones out this year and both got played last night. Bob Margolin got a bitter sweet award for the two-hander he did with Ann Rabson, but he'd already done similar support to her Saffire band-mate Gaye Agdebelola on "Gaye Without Shame". His Piedmont picking graced a caustic expose of the hypocracy within the "preacher" industry based on her own experiences. Mud Morganfield will be at the Sunday stage of the Cambridge Folk Festival - that man Corritore did harp and production duties for his album on Severn Records.

The redoubtable Bob Pearce introduced me to both Big Joe Louis and Carl "Sonny" Leyland, both men in top form for us with CSL honouring a couple of guys who also love boogie piano so much they put on an annual festival. 

Our Vinyl Hour (two of em next week by the way) started with a performance in Houston from Clarence Green. It had Hop Wilson on lap steel and was complete ignored in my edition of "Blues Records A-K". Those quiet snug moments are regularly enlivened by the trivia you discover within STAR BLUES, last night no different in remarking that the first Chicago visit by Little Walter was as a guitarist and that of Jimmy Rogers was as harp player. Both men used their familiar axes on Jimmy Rogers' "Loudella" in 1950 with Big Crawford on proper bass.  I bought "Vintage Rock" magazine on Saturday - my first ever issue - on the strength of the articles on Sun Records and Lowell Fulson. Hence our inclusion of the Willie Dixon penned "Tollin' Bells" Lowell waxed in 1956. (Robert Cray later did a cover but the real emotional power was found in its first rendition).

Pre-war and Gospel : Tom Dorsey's "Precious Lord" was one of the handful of sacred sides Blind Boy Fuller did at his last recording date in June 1940. He had bad health and died in February 1941, he was so popular that his label Columbia issued Brownie McGhee's debut records as "Blind Boy Fuller No. 2".  No introduction needed for Lead Belly with an arrangement of "Gallis Pole" that was spookily similar to Led Zeppelin's 1970 remake. The dip into classic waters concluded with Skip James wire thin voice and beautiful playing technique on "Cypress Grove Blues" from 1931.

This year has also seen a number of label surveys chronicling the development of the music and their rosters during the Fifties and Sixties. I've shamelessly wallowed in such riches including the Sue and Cobra editions last night. From a different source Buster Brown was a great example of output from Bobby Robinson's Fire outfit circa 1959.  The Blues Busters from Jamaica were contemporaries of Sam and Dave, their song written by Dan Penn was first out from Arthur Conley and a minor success for Solomon Burke. Time squeezed out an Albert King album track of something Penn wrote for him, made a note to put it into a playlist in the very near future. Our next extravaganza will be two hours of sounds originating from vinyl, until then, Sunday at 10:02 pm (BST) precisely take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you.

Track.Title	Track.ArtistSort	Index	Album.Title	Album.ArtistSort	Label
ridin with the king	b. b. king and eric clapton	1	ridin' with the king	b. b. king and eric clapton	mca
Red House	Jimi Hendrix	3	:Blues	Jimi Hendrix	MCA
Two Trains Running	Willie Buck	8	Cell Phone Man	Willie Buck	DELMARK
Lucy Mae Blues	Buddy Guy	3	Blues Singer	Buddy Guy	SILVERTONE
I Wouldn't-A Done That	Duke Robillard Band, The	1	Independently Blue	Duke Robillard Band, The	STONY PLAIN
Robert Nighthawk Stomp	Ronnie Earl	10	Just For Today	Ronnie Earl
short dress woman	Mud Morganfield	1	Son Of The Seventh Son	Mud Morganfield	SEVERN
Travelin' the Dirt Road	Dave RileyBob Corritore	2	Travelin' The Dirt Road	Dave RileyBob Corritore
Lying Preacher Blues	Gaye Adegbalola	10	Gaye Without Shame	Gaye Adegbalola	Hot Toddy
downhome blues	Big Joe Louis & His Blues Kings	2	big joe louis // The Stars In The Sky	Big Joe Louis & His Blues Kings	blue horizon
E and N Blues	Carl 'Sonny' Leyland	15	Boogie And Blues	Carl 'Sonny' Leyland	SOLO ARTIST
You Don't Move Me No More	Clarence Green	12	Guitar Crying The Blues	Clarence Green	DOUBLE TROUBLE
Luedella	Jimmy Rogers	2	Complete Chess Recordings	Jimmy Rogers	MCA/CHESS
tollin' bells	lowell fulson	14	complete chess masters	lowell fulson	mca
Sugar Babe	Buster Brown	31	The Fire And Fury Story	Various Artists	CHARLY
i can't stop	blues busters	17	a road leading home (songs of dan penn)	various artists	ace
betty jean	don covay	1-7	sticks and stones: sue records story	various artists	one day
You Don't Treat Me Right	Guitar Shorty	14	Double Trouble The Cobra Records Story	Various Artists	one day
precious lord	Blind Boy Fuller	20	1935-1940	blind boy fuller	travelin man
Gallis Pole	Lead Belly	9	The Early Blues Roots Of Led Zeppelin	Various Artists	CATFISH
Cypress Grove Blues	Skip James	16	Blues Images Presents 1920's Blues Classics Cd - Volume 3	Various Artists	BLUES IMAGES
T Model Boogie	Rosco Gordon	2	It Came From Memphis	Various Artists	MANTERA
Typhoon	Cootie Williams	18	Good Rockin' Tonight	Various Artists	CHARLY
elevator boogie	mabel scott	18	Good Rockin' Tonight	Various Artists	CHARLY
Something Else	Duke Jenkins Orchestra, The	17	Double Trouble The Cobra Records Story	Various Artists	one day
It's Your Voodoo Working (Single Version)	Charles Sheffield	1	It's Your Voodoo Working: The Best Of Excello	Various Artists	universal music operations

Created: 14/07/2013 23:50:44

STAR BLUES on 7th July 2013 at 22:00

On what would have been Pinetop Perkins' hundredth birthday, we'll help ourselves to a couple more Humdingers on STAR BLUES and remember Texas Johnny Brown, one of the classiest blues guitar players. He only recorded sporadically under his own name until 1998 - did we mention he wrote "Two Steps From The Blues"  one of Bobby Blue Bland's biggest hits?

Brown was a very classy player, both economical and direct. He showed that in the session work he did at the start of his career for folks like Amos Milburn (we played "Bow-Wow") and it is a surprise how his first solo outings on Atlantic were overlooked. If I can get them, I'll bring them in. That first album in 1998 was critically well received and it's follow-up was even beter (pickying up awards along the way). Two tracks of that one just underlined how much he will be missed.

STAR BLUES was one of the first to give airplay to Marshall Lawrence and since he's into a fourth week at #1 in the Blues Underground charts, we felt we could help him mark that success with another play from the disc. While listening you can ogle at the three beautiful steel-body Resonator guitars on the back cover. Gorgeous.If you ask the purists, they'd say Gwyn Ashton has a foot in rock and blues camps - his slide work on a song from his latest EP fell on our side of the fence last night.

There's a knighthood in store for the guy who had the idea to team Charlie Musselwhite with German piano-master Christian Rannenburg as part of a tribute album celebrating Walter Davis. The whole kit and caboodle is on Electro-Fi: not only is Charlie in the best form I've heard there are other remarkable performances from Henry Townsend, Billy Boy Arnold and Bob Corritore. The Electro-Fi album from Billy Boy won our STAR BLUES award last year, on this showing the imprint may well score again. Folks will have to go some.

Pinetop would have been 100 and like most folk I just thought he'd be there forever. Genius piano player full of joy with a wide grin and always in a stylish hat. Helped out by ling time buddy Willie "big-Eye" Smith they did a standout project on Telarc to crown the careers of both men. They died within weeks of each other soon after the release and never saw the success "joined At The Hip" drew.

Eric Bib and Guy Davis did a version of the gospel standard "99 and a Half", the song is also covered by the Como Mamas - three ladies with strong, contrasting gospel voices joined together a capella for an album on Dap-tone. It will probably take a Seasick steve moment on the Hootenanny for the world to catch up with them. You can safely get ahead of the game - God made the human voice, it rarely sounds better.

There are some rare and lesser known places in Scotland, not the first backdrop for a splendid team of enthusiasts responsible for a series of collections of blues, r&b, gospel and rock'n'roll sides only ever previously out on vinyl. For the Humdinger brand, volume 14 is compiled by the redoubtable Mark Lamarr. I'm guessing the singles are in his collection, and if you're like me you'll enjoy the label shots in the booklet. We had a second tip into the gems on offer and came up with JB Lenoir and Eddie Kirkland, but there's not a dud among 'em.  Eddie's sometime boss/mentor/friend John Lee Hooker covered "Jack O Diamonds" which for some reason is flashing up the name Lead Belly in my mind. Memphis Willie B was working double shifts in August 1961 in a soya bean oil plant before Sam Charters tracked him down; the two men subsequently did sessions issued in the early 60's on Original Blues Classics.

We didn't forget those Blues Ladies either: Julia Lee (knowingly mischievious) and Big Maybelle (imperious). I fully intended to play some of the Memphis Beale Streeters last week as tribute to Bobby "Blue" Bland but time and the light were closing in, so we did Earl Forest, Junior Parker and Bland's second ever song. With a couple of romps from Frankie Lee Sims and Champion Jack Dupree we were done.  Two hours is just full to bustin as my mum would say, until next Sunday at 10pm take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you

Track.Title	Track.ArtistSort	Index	Album.Title	Album.ArtistSort	Label
got to be some changes made	king brothers	11	mo' heat	king brothers	hard attack records
Take You for a Ride	Johnny Rawls	4	Memphis Still Got Soul	Johnny Rawls	Catfood
99 and a Half	Eric Bibb	1	Friends	Eric Bibb	MANHATON
Take You Home Tonight	Gwyn Ashton	1	Fistful of Blues - E.P.	Gwyn Ashton	FAB Tone
biscuit rollin' daddy	marshall lawrence	6	house call	marshall lawrence	doctor blues
grindin' man	pinetop perkins and willie big-eyes smith	12	joined at the hip	pinetop perkins and willie big-eyes smith	telarc
Friends We Must Part	Charlie Musselwhite	8	The Walter Davis Project	Various Artists	Electro-Fi
god is good to me	como mamas	3	get an understanding	como mamas	dap tone
Handy Man	Texas Johnny Brown	1	Blues Defender	Texas Johnny Brown	CHOCKTAW CREEK
Bow-Wow	Amos Milburn	36	Booze Babes Blues and Boogie - Essential	Amos Milburn	INDIGO
Blues Defender	Texas Johnny Brown	7	Blues Defender	Texas Johnny Brown	CHOCKTAW CREEK
Do What I Say (Vee Jay)	J.B. Lenoir	16	R&b Humdingers Vol. 14	Various Artists	Vee-Tone Records
Take Your Fine Frame Home	Ike Turner's Kings Of Rhythm	22	Trail Blazer	Ike Turner's Kings Of Rhythm	CHARLY
So Tired	Rosco Gordon	23	The Original Memphis Blues Brothers	Various Artists	ACE
Takin' Care of Business	Ruth Brown	19	Miss Rhythm - Greatest Hits and More	Ruth Brown	SEQUEL
Gabbin' Blues	Big Maybelle	2	Blues Tunes	Various Artists	HIT
king size Papa	Julia Lee	2	Snatch and Grab it - Essential Julia Lee (Vol. 1)	Julia Lee	INDIGO
l & n blues	Memphis Willie B.	2	Hard Working Man Blues	Memphis Willie B.	ORIGINAL BLUES CLASSICS
Jack O' Diamonds	John Lee Hooker	8	Jack O' Diamonds	John Lee Hooker	EAGLE
Train Done Gone (Tru-Sound 409)	Eddie Kirkland	5	R&b Humdingers Vol. 14	Various Artists	Vee-Tone Records
she likes to boogie real low	frankie lee sims	23	ace story vol. 5	Various Artists	ace
Sad and Lonely	Earl Forest	11	The Original Memphis Blues Brothers	Various Artists	ACE
crying all night long	bobby blue bland	2	its my life baby	bobby blue bland	jasmine
Undercover Blues	Crown Prince Waterford	6	The R'n'b Years 1947: 100 Hot Rhythm and Blues Tunes From 1947	Various Artists	BOULEVARD VINTAGE
that's all right	Champion Jack Dupree	11	New Orleans Barrelhouse Boogie	Champion Jack Dupree	COLUMBIA

Created: 07/07/2013 23:47:43 

STAR BLUES on 30th June 2013 at 22:00

Last Sunday (23rd) the Texan pianist Little Willie Littlefield and the Tennessee-born singer Bobby "Blue" Bland died - our STAR BLUES show yesterday played their music. It's a terrific privilege to be asked to get a list of songs to showcase two such important artists. Before we went on air (rock god) Neil Jones and I chatted about that very thing especially in a year that has already taken Magic Slim and Jimmy Dawkins.

Bobby's music has always had a special place for me from the very first moment I was played "ain't Nothin; You Can Do" on a Duke 45. I'd felt chuffed at having bought Van Morrison's "Too Late to Stop Now" double album and i loved his version of the song. My usual stop off point for all my free time was Replays Records in Southampton and I mentioned it to Tim behind the counter. Off he went to rummage around out the back, only to emerge ten minutes or so later clutching a single: Bobby Blue Bland's original recording. Smitten was the word and ever since there's been a Bobby Bland song at every important emotion in my life. He's been described as "too smooth" and the sepia Sinatra but neither phrase gets close. He could go from gospel fervour to a gentle lover's caress in a heartbeat - I only hope the stuff we played last night begun to do him justice. Earlier in the day one of the stations transmitting on the Sky satellite did a top notch tribute including several Malaco sides (Clive R rightly put Blands achievements into proper context - unlike the obit writer for the Daily Telegraph who skated over the last 20 years of Bobby's work inside 20 words).

Neil seemed taken aback that Bobby had achieved greatness without any significant instrumental or songwriting gifts - just a rich, supple, throaty voice and arrangements that made it all sound so effortless. Such was his stature that he'd always attract the finest sidemen and we had some of the finest blues guitar playing ever captured from Clarence Holliman, Mel Brown, Jimmy Johnson, Roy Gaines, Pat Hare and Wayne Bennett. Almost all were on hand last night.

I almost put a question mark against Pat Hare's name - according to the reference bible he did just one studio session as lead player for Bland: the one with "Further On Up The Road". Bobby once confirmed it was Pat laying down that caustic part. However I also read an interview with Wayne Bennett who insisted it was him, and my ears seem to suggest it was him. For further confusion another school of thought credits Clarence Holliman. There are similarities with Bennett's masterful - and landmark - solo on "Stormy Monday Blues" (which everyone says is Wayne).  Our tracklisting shown below draws from his earliest years which are most easily sampled through the album "Two Steps from the Blues". It marked a greatest hits collection by another name. That one is another album in that select category "Essential". I note its been reissued with a dozen previously unavailable cuts.

Our other subject last night was Texan pianist Little Willie Littlefield who - as a boy - was dubbed the "Texas Sensation". He took Amos Milburn's triplets and vocal trademarks to another level. He was discovered by local entrepreneur Eddie Henry who did eight sides, releasing six of them through the EDDIE'S imprint. We had one to show his remarkable dexterity as a 16-17 year old. His most famed performance was on a song written especially for him by Lieber and Stoller (they called it "KC Loving" as it seemed cooler than the name "Kansas City" used by Wilbert Harrison a few years later for the massive hit single). Ace has a pair of anthologies of Willie's work for Modern label, every one a gem. Willie came to Europe on a regular basis - he met and married in the Netherlands back in the Seventies. he played the Burnley Blues festival and one of his final UK dates was nearby in Castor just outside Peterborough. The Burnley track we did was backed by the Big Town Playboys, whose Mike Sanchez broke the news of Willie's death this week. Mike was generous in his words which gave the reader a real sense of joy at meeting Willie and his infectious smile.

Thank-you for your kind invitation to your place, I've a couple of guilty pleasures we can share next Sunday at 10pm (BST) 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
turn on your love light	bobby blue bland	10	the voice	bobby blue bland	ace
let good times roll - live	bobby bland and b b king	15	lucille and friends	b b king
Take Off Your Shoes	Bobby 'Blue' Bland	6	The Last Soul Company	Various Artists	Malaco Records
I Stand Accused	Bobby 'Blue' Bland	19	Bobby Blue Bland's Not Ashamed To Sing The Blues	Bobby 'Blue' Bland	MUSIC CLUB
St. James Infirmary	Bobby 'Blue' Bland	6	Mississippi Blues	Various Artists	Putumayo World Music
Cry, Cry, Cry	Bobby 'Blue' Bland w. wayne bennett	5	Good For Nothin': The Vogue Records Story	Various Artists	One Day Music
Ain't Nothing You Can Do	Bobby 'Blue' Bland	13	The Voice : Duke Recordings 1959-69	Bobby 'Blue' Bland	ACE
Woke Up Screaming	Bobby 'Blue' Bland w. Clarence Hollimon	9	The 3B Blues Boy. The Blues Years : 1952-1958	Bobby 'Blue' Bland	ACE
Army Blues	Bobby 'Blue' Bland	3	The 3B Blues Boy. The Blues Years : 1952-1958	Bobby 'Blue' Bland	ACE
i'm not ashamed	bobby blue bland w. clarence holliman	3	two steps from the blues	bobby blue bland	beat goes on
Members Only	Bobby 'Blue' Bland	3	First Class Blues	Bobby 'Blue' Bland	MALACO
cry over you	Little Willie Littlefield	10	Burnley National Blues Festival	Various Artists	JSP Records
Little Willie's Boogie	Little Willie Littlefield	17	Let Me Tell You About The Blues: Texas	Various Artists	Fantastic Voyage
K.C. Loving	Little Willie Littlefield	1	The History Of Rhythm & Blues, Volume 3 - The Rocknroll Years	Various Artists	Rhythm and Blues Records
Happy Pay Day	Little Willie Littlefield	4	Mojo Working : Best Of Ace Blues	Various Artists	ACE
Too Late For Me	Little Willie Littlefield	12	Kat On The Keys	Little Willie Littlefield	ACE
love me tonight	Little Willie Littlefield	13	blues: 30	various artists	ACE
farewell	Little Willie Littlefield	24	blues boogie bounce	little willie littlefield	ACE
Further On Up The Road	Bobby 'Blue' Bland w. Wayne Bennett	13	The Sound Of The City - Memphis	Various Artists	Emi Records Ltd
Stormy Monday Blues	Bobby 'Blue' Bland w. wayne bennett	11	The Voice : Duke Recordings 1959-69	Bobby 'Blue' Bland	ACE
I Pity The Fool	Bobby 'Blue' Bland	6	two steps from the blues	bobby bland	beat goes on
The Right Place, The Wrong Time	Bobby 'Blue' Bland w. Mel Brown	19	Master Of The Blues	Bobby 'Blue' Bland	NECTAR
24 Hours A Day	Bobby 'Blue' Bland	5	Blues You Can Use	Bobby 'Blue' Bland	MALACO
Yield Not To Temptation	Bobby 'Blue' Bland	17	The Voice : Duke Recordings 1959-69	Bobby 'Blue' Bland	ACE
Call On Me	Bobby 'Blue' Bland	1	Call Me / Ain't Nothin You Can Do	Bobby 'Blue' Bland	MCA

Created: 30/06/2013 23:55:31