Monday 30 September 2013

STAR BLUES on 29th September 2013 at 22:00

By Jeeves, if you stumbled upon STAR BLUES for the very first time last night, let's hope it wasn't because you thought House would be in the house. We brought two hours of real-live fun, frolics, trivia and knob twiddling tomfoolery PLUS a pretty decent smattering of the good stuff. In common with Hugh we had the first 78 cut by Charlie Patton in 1928: "Mississippi Boll Weevil Blues" with striking playing and a voice reaching back through the ages. I just read the second booklet issued by Blues World magazine in 1969 and it was entirely devoted to Patton; that Catfish boxset I went to had all the titles they mentioned in the discography. CP is acknowledged as pivotal in the pre-war period, Tommy McClennan less so unfortunately. There's a pair of albums on Document which chronicle his complete recordings between 1938 and 1942 and we took his "Good Lookin' Mama" from the earlier period disc "Whiskey Headed Woman".

At the other end of our timeframe, Shawn Holt is very much of the present and future; he has taken on the reins of his dad's band the Teardrops for a Blind Pig project which shows the apple didn't fall far from the tree. Did I mention his dad was Magic Slim? The fact he has guest support from John Primer underlines how good Chicago blues is these days. Billy Boy Arnold and Lurrie Bell are also on hand with their newest work at the very top of their games. In those few words I've already listed three albums that are in the running for a STAR BLUES award this year and we're only three quarters done. Our artist gong went to Bob Corritore, who had a birthday on Friday. He's on that Walter Davis project with Billy Boy Arnold and we shaded back to the fine session he did with Tail Dragger for Delta Groove to mark his celebrations. Same label is home of the lead singer of the Mannish Boys, Sugar Ray Rayford, and his "Dangerous" disc. Namesake Sugar Ray Norcia was on the selection we included on STAR BLUES last night. (Strike that three, maker it four).

Jay Owens began in Bo Diddley's band, in the early 90s he stepped out front and centre with his lovely lyrical guitar for Mike Vernon, we took the title track off the second of the two things they did together. Implacable countenance marked out Roy Buchanan (who by all accounts turned down a job in the Stones), the real rage and pain behind his eyes came out in his playing. A mite rocky for most purists, I'll take his stuff over JoBo anytime. Would've had a birthday in the week. As would Ray Charles and Koko Taylor. Either one could have given any number of great songs, I chose their early work: Koko had both Buddy Guy and Matt Murphy on guitars. Top Trumps in the Fantasy Blues League in anyone's hand.

Our last anniversary was tonight (30th Sept) marking Z Z Hill who was widely acknowledged as the founder of soul blues - a new genre especially aimed at the African-American audience, I favour his sides for Kent with Maxwell Davis and you could just immerse yourself in a warm rich tone his voice brought. Charles Brown cut some sides for Ace Records of Jackson Mississipi, and he did an instrumental piano-led cover of "Black Night" which was a hit for singer/guitarist Lowell Fulson. There was a couple of Decca-era Rolling Stones for Roger who is a long-suffering listener. I can imagine even him being open-mouthed at my antics last night.

I'm planning a special edition in November to mark 50 years since 22 Nov 1963 when President Kennedy was abducted by aliens in the pay of  Marilyn Monroe. (I might have some of that wrong but I'm sure that's what it said on the internet). I'll try to get the story straight by next Sunday at 10pm (BST) until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you



track.titletrack.artistsortindexalbum.titlealbum.artistsortlabel
Movin' onJay Owens1Movin' OnJay OwensCODE BLUE
Short FuseRoy Buchanan7Genuine House Rockin' Music Vols 1-3Various ArtistsAlligator
Down in VirginiaShawn Holt and the Teardrops4Daddy Told MeShawn Holt and the TeardropsBlind Pig
just one more timebilly boy arnold5walter davis projectvarious artistselectro-fi
i know what its likeAndrew "Jr. Boy" Jones1I Know What It's LikeAndrew "Jr. Boy" Jones 
One Monkey Don't Stop the ShowShelton Powe6Carolina Blues And GospelShelton PoweMUSIC MAKER
come onrolling stones1-1hitsrolling stonesdecca
round and roundrolling stones112 x 5rolling stonesdecca
Boogie Woogie BallTail DraggerBob Corritore9Longtime Friends In The BluesTail DraggerBob CorritoreDelta Groove Productions
two times sugarsugar ray rayford w. sugar ray norcia4dangeroussugar ray rayforddelta groove
She's A Good 'UnLurrie Bell4Blues In My SoulLurrie BellDELMARK
Jumpin' the BluesClarence 'Gatemouth' Brown3TimelessClarence 'Gatemouth' BrownHIGHTONE
Drown In My Own TearsRay Charles2Ray Charles: Eight Classic AlbumsRay CharlesIODA
Love Like I WannaRoosevelt 'Booba' Barnes12Deep BluesVarious ArtistsAtlantic
My Baby Told MeJoe 'Guitar' Hughes6Rounder RevueVarious ArtistsRounder
Mississippi Boweavil BluesCharlie Patton1The DefinitiveCharlie PattonCATFISH
She's a Good Looking MamaTommy McClennan16Whiskey Head WomanTommy McClennanDOCUMENT
Hard TimesMighty Joe Young19The Way I FeelVarious ArtistsFLYRIGHT
Whatever I Am You Made MeKoko Taylor9Koko TaylorKoko TaylorMCA / CHESS
High and LonesomeJimmy Reed47The R'n'b Hits Of 1953Various ArtistsINDIGO
Black NightCharles Brown3Blue Over YouCharles BrownWESTSIDE
The Hustle is onT-Bone Walker16The BluesT-Bone WalkerFREMEAUX ET ASSOCIES
Have Mercy SomeoneZ. Z. Hill3Down Home Soul OfZ. Z. HillKent (U.K.)
Fine Old Foxy Self (King Lp 635)James Brown11R&b Humdingers Volume 12Various ArtistsVee-Tone Records
Can't Shake itEtta James8Who's Blue? Rare Chess Recordings From The 60S And 70SEtta JamesKent
2120 south michiganrolling stones712 x 5rolling stonesdecca
Created: 29/09/2013 23:54:18

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