STAR BLUES on 26th February 2012 at 22:00

Neither Louisiana Red nor Joe Thompson held much sway outside fans of our music - there's a curious Law that says the more influential you are the less you'll be appreciated at the time. We had chance to celebrate both on this STAR BLUES through their deaths in the last day are so. Joe was described as the most historically important American traditional performers still working in the 21st Century: his familial roots go back as far as the American Civil War. Born in North Caroline he learned fiddle at age five and gigged ever since - playing dance music, pure and simple with subtlety amply replace with joyous enthusiasm. He had an album out on Rounder in the 90s and he joined the Carolina Chocolate Drops for a live concert they released on cd last year. Two tracks seemed barely enough to say a proper farewell.

Iverson Minter's mother died when he was two and his father was attacked by the Ku Klux Klan. He learned at the knee of John Lee Hooker, Elmore James and Muddy Waters - truth be told he could outplay them and for party pieces he'd imitate them. When he got to Detroit he signed with Hooker's label owner - Joe Von Battle - and recorded seven songs in JVB's basement. Minter called himself Rocky Fuller at the time. He became Louisiana Red thereafter and he seemed equally at home as a solo slide master or with a small robust combo of like minded musicians. We sampled just about every facet of his work from the first track I ever heard by him ("Valerie") to his most recent project. His gifts have been bouyed by collaborations with David Maxwell and Little Victor - the latest three projects all got great reviews and two gongs to show for them. He was a fan as well as a musician, with some lovely stories from fellow players about his words of kindness along the way.

We also event to the new project from Otis Taylor which has split the critics on the percentage blues quotient - we love it at STAR BLUES, Taylor has again pushed at the edges of our music while keeping the tradtitional African American core. The New Heritage Orchestra is also trying interesting arrangements on old themes - in a package which features "Beady-Eyes" Smith on drums. (The apple didn't fall far from that tree: exemplary drum skills indeed). Catherine Russell has a lovely voice, obviously schooled in the ways of jazz and we stretched our purview to welcome her into our fold (they can't touch you for stretching a purview, I checked). Other new albums concentrated on being fine retrospective surveys of Paul Kelly and George Jackson - both out through Ace.

Our birthday book had Irma Thomas and the redoubtable Johnny Winter who both added to the celebrations started last week with Paul Jones. Some of my Facebook friends have been talking about Sonny Rhodes, LC Green and Eddie Cusic, reason enough for me to play them last night. Who knows for next week, I'll be here if you'll be there: 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
I Wanna Get Your Boogie	Sonny Rhodes	9	A Good Day To Play The Blues	Sonny Rhodes	STONY PLAIN
Share What You Got Keep What You Need	Robert Cray	12	Bad Influence	Robert Cray	DEMON
Blues Power	Albert King	2	The Complete Stax-Volt Singles, Vol. 2: 1968-1971	Various Artists	STAX
Catfish Blues	Heritage Blues Orchestra	4	And Still I Rise	Heritage Blues Orchestra	MRI
Bad Company	Deitra Farr	2	The Search Is Over	Deitra Farr	JSP Records
Goin’ Down to the River Blues	L.C. Green	13	Let Me Tell You About The Blues: Detroit	Various Artists	Fantastic Voyage
I Walk the Water	Eddie Cusic	11	Leland Mississippi Blues	Eddie Cusic	WOLF
Dona	Carolina Chocolate Drops feat Joe Thompson	11	Dona Got A Ramblig Mind	Carolina Chocolate Drops	MUSIC MAKER
John Henry	Carolina Chocolate Drops feat. Joe Thompson	4	Carolina Chocolate Drops With Joe Thompson	Carolina Chocolate Drops, TheJoe Thompson
Come on Baby Now	Rocky Fuller	21	Down Home Blues Classics - Chicago (1946-1954)	Various Artists	BOULEVARD VINTAGE
Valerie	Louisiana Red	4	Pretty Woman	Louisiana Red	ORBIS BLUES COLLECTION
Get It While You Can	Johnny Rawls	8	Red Cadillac	Johnny Rawls	DEEP SOUTH SOUL
Only Your Love	Paul Kelly	6	Hot Runnin' Soul	Paul Kelly	Kent
Bright Lights, Big City	Johnny Winter & Susan Tedeschi	7	Roots	Johnny Winter	Megaforce
Steel Guitar Blues	Michael Messer	8	King Guitar	Michael Messer	CATFISH
Ride on Red, Ride on	Louisiana Red	4	Back To The Black Bayou	Louisiana Red	Ruf
I'm Getting Tired	Louisiana Red & Little Victor's Juke Joint	9	Memphis Mojo	Louisiana Red & Little Victor's Juke Joint	Ruf
First Degree	Louisiana Red w. Lefty Dizz	1	In The Tradition	Various Artists	BLUES ALLIANCE
Move on Up a Little Higher	Marie Knight	14	In The Tradition	Various Artists	BLUES ALLIANCE
Wake Up and Live	Catherine Russell	3	Strictly Romancin'	Catherine Russell	World Village
Share My Name	Cary Morin	6	Sing It Louder	Cary Morin	MUSIC MAKER
Don't Mess With My Man	Irma Thomas	3	Jockomo Jockomo	Various Artists	MUSIC CLUB
Greedy Over You	George Jackson	3	Don't Count Me Out: Fame Recordings Vol.1	George Jackson	Kent
Yell Your Name	Otis Taylor	2	Contraband Blues	Otis Taylor	TELARC
Tipitina	Tuts Washington	12	Jockomo Jockomo	Various Artists	MUSIC CLUB

STAR BLUES on 19th February 2012 at 22:00

We don't do many interviews on STAR BLUES. Paul Jones has a birthday this week so we marked the celebration by repeating our conversation that we did on Christmas Day. Many folks asked for us to do the show again as they'd missed it first time around midst turkey and trimmings.

As he is my counterpart on BBC Radio2 he doesn't get much chance to talk about his own life and work, especially what he does at the helm of his very popular weekly show. While he gets some flak about having an easy time with the resources of Auntie Beeb behind him he still only gets 58 minutes to represent the blues scene in the UK - that's not much time to touch a wide range of styles or delve back into the archives. We talked about his move from Thursday mid evening to Monday early slot and how it raised his profile and audience. By implication that can't be anything else but good news for the rest of us who love blues.

He's been a working musician for about fifty years and is one of a dwindling generation on hand in the 60s to be in support bands when promoters would only pay to ship over the headline acts (like John Lee Hooker etc). All of which gives him a nice fund of road stories to give colour to the personalities who did so much to establish a platform for our music here. Someone should pick up the task of documenting all this stuff while we still have the chance.

There's a strong faith that has kept him young at heart with a genuine enthusiasm for the next generation of players and an appetite for a full diary this year and onwards. His role as ambassador for blues in Britain is worn with some humility but is almost completely overlooked in the mainstream despite a recent clutch of awards. A real nice guy and a pleasure.

Next Sunday we resume the usual tomfoolery at 10pm (GMT) I hope you'll want to come along, white tee shirt and all - until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you

STAR BLUES on 12th February 2012 at 22:00

Never one to shirk from a challenge, I rolled up the sleeves of my white tee-shirt to combine the highlights of the show that never was, with a highly talented birthday bunch, with late new additions from two long-standing favourites: Eric Bibb and Lady Bianca. Don't shout it too loudly but I think we got away with it.

Otis Grand, Otis Clay, Pink Anderson, Big John Wrencher, Little Johnny Taylor and Magic Sam had birth anniversary greetings from the full range of colours in the STAR BLUES pallette. Big John Wrencher's go at the Little Walter song was recorded at the Sunday market held in Chicago's Maxwell Street until 1994. His August 1964 live street corner performance was ably supported by stinging guitar from Robert Nighthawk. The track was available because it had been captured for a documentary film.

You'd find it hard to credit almost sixty years have intervened since Little Johnny Watson brought his wild guitar to the studio for the first time on his third session as a leading man. There can be few other players able to shred his axe as thoroughly or distinctively as Johnny Watson. Fans of guitar had further pleasures from Johnnie Bassett and Fred McDowell in differing styles.

Lady Bianca has a unique style when she leads from the front on her chosen instrument (piano), she was at the top of her game for the track we chose from her brand new project. Eric Bibb's new one features fiddle on a number of songs and his angelic voice added subtle shades to a song written by Harrison Kennedy. Ace Records has issued the second volume of Johnny Otis sides and we had no hesitation in marking his recent death with the landmark "Cold Shot" track taken from his 1969 album of same name. With Lady B in the piano slot, we went to Candye Kane for some 1999 recordings done live in Belgium - we also have a special prayer for her now she has a recurrence of her cancer. She has a big heart and balls enough to take on a Bessie Smith classic too.

Next week Paul Jones will celebrate his 70th birthday and so STAR BLUES will repeat the conversation I had with him on Christmas Day. He and I chewed the fat about the Blues Band, his role at the head of the British blues scene and some titbits of gossip. Until then at 10pm (GMT) on Sunday take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you

Track.Title	Track.ArtistSort	Index	Album.Title	Album.ArtistSort	Label
Three Time Loser	Otis Grand	1	Hipster Blues	Otis Grand	BLISS STREET
Heatin' Me Up	David Dee	20	Goin' Fishin'	David Dee	ICHIBAN
Money Back Guarantee	Johnnie Bassett	4	Party My Blues Away	Johnnie Bassett	CANNONBALL
Crawling King Snake	Doors, The	8	L.A. Woman [40th Anniversary]	Doors, The	Rhino Records
Crawling King Snake	John Lee Hooker	11	The Roots Of The Doors	Various Artists	SNAPPER MUSIC
Space Guitar	Young John Watson	10	The History Of Rhythm & Blues, Volume 3 - The Rocknroll Years	Various Artists	Rhythm and Blues Records
Bad to Worse	Grainne Duffy	4	Out Of The Dark	Grainne Duffy	CDCG
Oh What A Dream	Ruth Brown	3	Miss Rhythm - Greatest Hits And More	Ruth Brown	SEQUEL
I Cant Make It Alone	Otis Clay	4	Hi Masters	Otis Clay	HI
Part Time Love	Little Johnnie Taylor	21	Birth Of Soul Vol. 1	Various Artists	Kent (U.K.)
Cold Shot	the Johnny Otis Show	14	Johnny Otis Story, Vol.2	Johnny Otis	ACE
I'm Tough (Tough As I Want To Be)	Phillip Walker	1	The Best Of Phillip Walker	Phillip Walker	HIGH TONE
Can't Hold Out Much Longer	Big John Wrencher	2	And This Is Maxwell Street	Various Artists	CATFISH
All Your Love	Magic Sam	14	Chicago Boss Guitars	Various Artists	FLYRIGHT
Every Day In The Week Blues	Pink Anderson & Simmie Dooley	3	Heavy Hitters Vol. 1	Various Artists	PIGMEAT RECORDS
Could Be Me Could Be You	Eric Bibb	6	Deeper in the Well	Eric Bibb	HARMONICA MUNDI
Wished I Was In Heaven Sitting Down	Mississippi Fred McDowell	3	The First Recordings	Mississippi Fred McDowell	Rounder
Keep Your Lamp Trimmed And Burning	Rev. Robert B. Jones Snr.	10	The Time Of The Preacher	Rev. Robert B. Jones Snr.	ROJO
Stealin'	Lady Bianca	5	Servin' Notice	Lady Bianca	MAGIC-O
Gimme A Pigfoot And A Bottle Of Beer	Candye Kane & Sue Palmer	2	One Night In Belgium	Candye Kane & Sue Palmer
Ode To Fess	Henry Butler	12	Homeland	Henry Butler	BASIN STREET RECORDS
Rocking Boogie Party	Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne	12	An Old Rock On A Roll	Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne

Created: 13/02/2012 22:08:54

STAR BLUES on 5th February 2012?

Sorry I missed you last night at such short notice: one day I'll tame the weather, my shoulder injury, a crazy dog and an automobile.

I had it in mind to play a few things to mark African-American month (February in US, "Black History month in UK): so tracks lined up from Ann Rabson, Samuel James, Johnie Bassett and Rev, Robert Jones. A couple of recent releases excited enough interest for me to return to "Hellfire" by Joe Louis Walker and also Philipp Fankhausers new one "Try My Love".

The Doors "final" album came out 40 years ago, its now available as a double disk set with unreleased versions and songs, their go at "Crawling Kingsnake" puts the emphasis on organ rather than vox/guitar and was very interesting, we wanted it as a back to back with John Lee Hooker's version of Tony Hollins song. Some digging around has found us a copy of Grainne Duffy's first album and its another goodun - she is really a major talent in her own right (much much more than just a Bonnie Raitt clone).

Johnny Guitar Watson and Jesse Thomas were on my birthday hitlist and Henry Butler was due to pay tribute to Professor Longhair. We like Ruthie Foster's new album, especially the haunting version of "Titanic" - just one of three brand new projects making a STAR BLUES debut, the others from Little Freddie King and Joel daSilva.

We'll hope for a better outcome next Sunday at 10pm (GMT) in the meantime, here's what we missed.....

Heatin' Me Up	David Dee	20	Goin' Fishin'	David Dee [1]	ICHIBAN
Love Song (Ode To George)	Ann Rabson	10	The Best Of M.C. Records	Various Artists	M.C. RECORDS
The Titanic	Ruthie Foster w. Blind Boys Of Alabama	13	Let it Burn	Ruthie Foster	Blue Corn Music
Honky Tonk Blues	Roy Gaines	9	I Got The T-Bone Walker Blues	Roy Gaines	Groove Note
Money Back Guarantee	Johnnie Bassett	4	Party My Blues Away	Johnnie Bassett	CANNONBALL
Keep Your Lamp Trimmed And Burning	Rev. Robert B. Jones Snr.	10	The Time Of The Preacher	Rev. Robert B. Jones Snr.	ROJO
Jack Of Diamonds	Jesse Thomas	24	Complete Recorded Works 1948-1958	Jesse Thomas	DOCUMENT
Bad to Worse	Grainne Duffy	4	Out of the Dark	Grainne Duffy	CDCG
Ode To Fess	Henry Butler	12	Homeland	Henry Butler	BASIN STREET RECORDS
Tired Man	Albert Collins	10	The Ice Axe Man Cometh (Collection 1978-86)	Albert Collins	MUSIC CLUB
Justice Blues	Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown	25	The R'n'b Years 1951: 100 Hot Rhythm And Blues Tunes From 1951	Various Artists	BOULEVARD VINTAGE
Crawling King Snake	John Lee Hooker	11	The Roots Of The Doors	Various Artists	SNAPPER MUSIC
Joe Fletcher's Blues	Samuel James	2	For Rosa, Maeve And Noreen	Samuel James	Northern Blues
Oh What A Dream	Ruth Brown	3	Miss Rhythm - Greatest Hits And More	Ruth Brown	SEQUEL
I'm Gonna Move You Out And Get Somebody Else	T-Bone Walker	14	The Complete Capitol/Black And White Recordings	T-Bone Walker	Capitol
Space Guitar	Young John Watson	10	The History Of Rhythm & Blues, Volume 3 - The Rocknroll Years	Various Artists	Rhythm and Blues Records
Honeydripper	Jools Holland	10	Finding The Keys	Jools Holland	RHINO
Jealous Kinda Fella	Philipp Fankhauser	3	Try My Love	Philipp Fankhauser	FUNK HOUSE BLUES
For Don	Joel Dasilva And The Midnight Howl	10	Joel Dasilva And The Midnight Howl	Joel Dasilva And The Midnight Howl	N/A
Crawling King Snake	Doors, The	8	L.A. Woman [40th Anniversary]	Doors, The	Rhino Records