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 |
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