We had no embarrassing fumbles to speak of on the playlist; instead we had some truly great vocal talents on STAR BLUES last night in answer to those other blooze shows that have end-to-end teenage plank-spankers: Big Joe Turner, Big Maybelle, Chuck Willis, Tiny Topsy, Screamin Jay Hawkins, Jackie Wilson and Sam Cooke. (OK we're stretching the definition for Jalacy Hawkins given that his track was the irrepressible "I Hear Voices" that only made sense to him on the day he did it, but you gotta give the man his props for setting himself on fire 15 years before Arthur Brown thought of it).
He was one of those tracks from new albums ("Great Googly Moo" rock'n'roll collection on Ace) and Tiny's was another. Willie Walker is still gigging with the Butanes, his "Run Around" had his voice wrapped in a lush soul backing originally out on the XL label and Anni Piper brought along ferocious slide guitar for "Whistleblower" off her new album (check the centaur image of an Amazon huntress on the sleeve). Then again, if you think you know everything about slide guitar and you've done Elmore James and Hound Dog Taylor, your next port of call must be John Littlejohn - his "Dream" off the essential "Chicago Blues All Stars" album showed why. Lightin' Hopkins' career survey on Ace yielded another classic cut and Guitar Shorty's newbie on Alligator was reliably robust for "Get Off".
A couple of weeks ago Junior Parker covered "Driving Wheel" in 1961, Roosevelt Sykes did it first in 1936 for Decca and again in 1960 for part one of two piano blues offerings. The second half was put in to correct the statement on another radio station that the originator of Keith Emerson's go at "Honky Tonk Train Blues" was Albert Ammons - tut tut all listeners to STAR BLUES knew it was Meade Lux Lewis.
Next Sunday is fathers day, so we will do something to mark the dad/sons and dad/daughters of the blues. Plus * plus * plus * the famous bootleg Robert Cray live album is out officially on 14th July. Its on STAR BLUES this next Sunday at 10pm (BST) - until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you.
No comments:
Post a Comment