Top of the shop crackled with robust enthusiasm on a pair of songs from the much under appreciated Long John Hunter and Raful Neal. Kim Wilson was fluid and pliable in the best Little Walter mould for a guest spot with Mark Knopfler which we hope would satisfy the most curmudgeonly of blues purists. When the Robin Trower album showed up I half expected slick jazz tinged trickery, but his new album is what is described as roots music in more than one place - he even got Paul Jones along to play harp on covers of some rock'n'roll hits. We hope any mainstream airplay on the BBC will turn the listener next toward the source?
On this showing, who'd bet against Trower taking hoe a grammy award this time next year? Stranger things have happened. The wise folks at the GRAMMYs have decreed our music can be summed up in one award when in previous years we had both contemporary and traditional categories. We think a lot of Dr. John and his music is part of our ouevre (he deserves big props for his dedication to the cause of Louisiana after Katrina). The challenge we hear is in trying to judge his "Locked Down" project against "Let It Burn" by Ruthie Foster or the album from the Heritage Blues Orchestra and so on. Those GRAMMIES had no problem with it but our flabby was truly ghasted. Talk about comparing elephants with daffodils.
Corey Harris album has a number of different blues styles and is worth further investigation. Habib Koite is featured in the latest issue of Living Blues magazine with Eric Bibb, their album is well received and they have a short interview piece. Somewhere along the line we've let George Gritzbatch off our radar which is a bit of a shame as we enjoyed his forays with a bottom of the perfect hue. As for our vinyl contenders the list speaks for itself. With familiar names like Little Walter and the lesser-played Robert Pete Williams as bookends, how could we go wrong? The stack of reference books I use failed to yield dates or players for the Clarence Green track but we'd guess around 1965 in Houston just before he signed to the Duke label?
At some stage (fairly soon) we'll devote a whole show to these little gems of black plastic / shellac, What you you think? We get some pretty good stuff through on cd so it won't be a regular habit but I for one can't wait? Are you up for more next Sunday at ten pm, 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 |
| V-8 Ford | Long John Hunter | 9 | Swinging From The Rafters | Long John Hunter | Alligator |
| call me baby | raful neal | 8 | American Blues | Various Artists | Putumayo World Music |
| Hot Or What | Mark Knopfler feat. kim wilson | 8 | Privateering [Disc 1] | Mark Knopfler | MERCURY |
| hound dog | robin trower w. paul jones | 1 | roots and branches | robin trower | hatman |
| blue bottom | George Gritzbach | 1 | Blue Bottom | George Gritzbach & Unknown Blues Band | ALCAZAR |
| We Don't Care | Habib Koité, Eric Bibb | 5 | Brothers In Bamako | Habib Koité, Eric Bibb | |
| the titanic | ruthie foster w. blind boys of alabama | 13 | let it burn | ruthie foster | blue corn |
| Catfish Blues | Eddie Cusic | 8 | Leland Mississippi Blues | Eddie Cusic | WOLF |
| Wait for Me | Roy Roberts | 6 | Strange Love | Roy Roberts | rock house |
| Crying Blues | Corey Harris | 1 | Fulton Blues | Corey Harris | |
| Deal With It | Four Jacks | 1 | Deal With It | Four Jacks | IODA |
| Jimmy, Jimmy | Mike Eldred Trio, TheIke Turner | 9 | 61 And 49 | Mike Eldred Trio, The | RIP CAT |
| midnight boogie | robert pete williams | 2-13 | Roots Of The Blues | Various Artists | VANGUARD |
| Let's Rock'n'roll | 'little Shy Guy' Douglas | 3 | Across The Tracks | Various Artists | ACE |
| Courtin' In A Cadillac | Jerry McCain & His Upstarts | 13 | It's Your Voodoo Working: The Best Of Excello | Various Artists | universal music operations |
| Kansas City | Wilbert Harrison | 29 | The Fire And Fury Story | Various Artists | CHARLY |
| easy lovin' | little papa joe {jody williams] | 2 | jody williams on 45 | jody williams | none |
| This Little Girl's Gone Rockin' | King Curtis | 14 | Wail Man Wail! | King Curtis | Fantastic Voyage |
| I Got A Letter | Ralph Willis | 4-2 | shake that thing | Various Artists | jsp |
| Lady Luck | Mercy Dee | 11 | Journey Of Chris Strachwitz (40 Years Of Arhoolie Records) | Various Artists | Arhoolie Records |
| Keep Drinkin' | Little Brother Mongomery | 17 | Chicago Piano 1951-1958 | Various Artists | FLYRIGHT |
| Angel Child | Memphis Slim | 41 | The R'n'b Hits Of 1949 | Various Artists | INDIGO |
| Crawdad Hole | Chuck Harrod & The Anteaters | 23 | Across The Tracks: Vol. 2 | Various Artists | ACE |
| you humbuggin me | rocket morgan | 1 | boppin on the bayou again | various artists | ace |
| you don't move me no more | Clarence Green | 12 | Guitar Crying The Blues | Clarence Green | DOUBLE TROUBLE |
| Press My Button | Lil Johnson | 10 | Highlights From: The History Of Rhythm And Blues 1925-1942 | Various Artists | RHYTHM & BLUES |
| can't hold out much longer | Little Walter (Aka Marion Walter Jacobs) | 6 | Boss Blues Harmonica | Little Walter (Aka Marion Walter Jacobs) | ORBIS BLUES COLLECTION |
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