STAR BLUES on 16th October 2011 at 22:00

Something for everyone I'd have thought on last night's STAR BLUES with a smidge of trivia and a smudge of tomfoolery. (OK yes and some finger  trouble in cd track selection off the wobbly web information).

Mojo Buford died on the 11th and he did three stints in Muddy Waters' band though the www can't agree on dates or who he replaced (and I left my notes out of reach). The reissue industry hasn't been kind to him either leaving his credit off the notes for the 1974 'Unk in Funk' album he cut with Muddy - a real shame for an acknowledged master of the blues harp form. We also went to one of his solo projects on JSP to luxuriate in his rich tones.

Our 1001 blues feature shone a spotlight on Robert Ward whose birthday was due on 15th, his early career included working with Wilson Pickett and the original version of 'Your Love Is Amazing' that featured his warm throaty vocal and his unique "watery" guitar sound he got from a very small Magnatone amplifier. Other players with distinctive characteristics included Pee Wee Crayton and Lazy Lester who was so inspirational to Kim Wilson and the Fabulous Thunderbirds.

Beth Hart is a fairly new name to me but she has massive nerve in taking on Billie Holiday's "Don't Explain" in a setting you wouldn't normally find her co-conspirator Joe Bonanmassa. Naked fingers not slide were the order of the day for John Littlejohn helping him cast off the Elmore James cliche he wore so often. Piano duties came from Johnnie Johnson and Bob Hall, though Jay McShann was not bit player for Pee Wee Crayton and nor was Pinetop Perkins rippling alongside Maria Muldaur.

The blues purists will want me to answer for starting with such a hoary old chestnut as the blues national anthem, if not that then why I took a trip to the Valleys to find Tom Jones in Burnin' Hell. The latter seemed appropriate given the Rugby World Cup mugging of the Welsh team and it is a bold interpretation of John Lee Hooker's brooding original piece.The Persuasions did a capella as only they could in answer to a claim I heard this week on how the Magnets were now number one in the genre(!!) - and Otis Taylor pushed at the edges of blues with his "Cowgirl".

Who knows where the 2 hours went, but it was great to have you along for the ride. More of the same in a brand new white tee-shirt at 10pm (BST) next Sunday. Until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you

The Blues Is Alright	Little Milton	1	Greatest Hits	Little Milton	MALACO
Doctor Brown	Fleetwood Mac	11	Best Of	Fleetwood Mac	COLUMBIA
The Sun Is Shining	Johnny Littlejohn	1	When Your Best Friend Turns Their Back On You	Johnny Littlejohn	JSP Records
Don't Explain	Beth Hart, Joe Bonamassa	5	Don't Explain	Beth Hart, Joe Bonamassa	PROVOGUE
Boogie Woogie Upstairs	Pee Wee Crayton	10	Essential	Pee Wee Crayton	INDIGO
You Got It	Etta James	18	Call My Name	Etta James	Kent
Your Love Is Amazing	Robert Ward	1	Twiggs County Soul Man	Robert Ward	BLACK TOP
She's Fine She's Mine	Jimmy Ricks & Rickateers	10	The Dominoes Meet The Ravens	Various Artists	SEQUEL
You Got To Pay Your Dues	Albert Washington w. Lonnie Mack	5	Blues & Soul Man	Albert WashingtonLonnie Mack	ACE
You Better Stop	Andrew Brown	7	The Way I Feel	Various Artists	FLYRIGHT
Sylvie	Bert Jansch	20	Angie: The Collection	Bert Jansch	Sanctuary Records Group Ltd
Crawlin' King Snake	Big Joe Williams	22	Roots Of Rock	Various Artists	ACROBAT
Soulful Dress	Sugar Pie Desanto	1	Go Go Power • The Complete Chess Singles 1961-1966	Sugar Pie Desanto	Kent
T. V. Mama	Freddie King	9	Stayin' Home With The Blues	Freddie King	SPECTRUM
Ain't No Cowgirl	Otis Taylor feat. Gary Moore	9	Clovis People Vol. 3	Otis Taylor	TELARC
Just To Be With You	Muddy Waters feat. Carey Bell	12	Funky Butt	Muddy Waters	CHARLY
Trouble No More	Muddy Waters feat Mojo Buford	14	Funky Butt	Muddy Waters	CHARLY
Big Leg Woman	Mojo Buford	9	State Of The Blues Harp	Mojo Buford	JSP Records
Slow Train	Johnnie Johnson	7	Blue Hand Johnnie	Johnnie Johnson	EVIDENCE
Death Ray Boogie	Bob Hall	15	Hoochie Coochie Men : A History Of British Blues	Various Artists	INDIGO
Burning Hell	Tom Jones	5	Praise & Blame	Tom Jones	Seconds Out Productions LLC
Members Only	Persuasions	13	Rounder Revue	Various Artists	Rounder
Midnight Hours	Larry Dale With Mickey Baker's Orchestra	8	In The '50S: Hit, Git & Spit	Mickey Baker	Rev-Ola Bandstand
Late Late In The Evening	Lazy Lester	12	Lazy Lester	Lazy Lester	FLYRIGHT
Jack Of Diamonds	Jesse Thomas	24	Complete Recorded Works 1948-1958	Jesse Thomas	DOCUMENT
Decent Woman Blues	Maria MuldaurPinetop PerkinsSteve Freund	10	Sweet Lovin' Ol' Soul	Maria Muldaur	Stony Plain Music