STAR BLUES on 20th April 2014 at 22:00 in a Gatefold Sleeve

Just announced that vinyl sales are at a 15 year high - doubt anyone hereabouts would be very surprised at those numbers. It was Record Store Day yesterday and we wanted to do that extra special thing in our vinyl hour to play items originally issued with a gatefold sleeve. That often meant two 12 inchers collecting previous issues but as the Sixties wore on the blues community started putting out their newest albums that way. Our survey touched a lot of bases.

Our first segment was a chance to catch up with the new bits and bobs we can't normally fit into our regular two hour bundle. Delta Groove has output consistently interesting projects over the past decade or so, Terry Hank is a case in point. Saxman vocalist, with noted guests he brings a fresh arrangement to a tried and tested format. Long time fave Bob Corridors has a very stylish album in genres with blues at its core, the all-instrumental project is a terrific platform to stretch out. Though barely 30, J J Thames sings with authority and control befitting one twice those years, she takes on a version of Ray Charles' I Believe and comes out in front. Grady Champion runs her label and adds guitar to the piece, as does fellow newcomer Eddie Cotton.

Duncan Street is a duo bringing low-key humour to their own song "Sharpest Marble" and Arthur Migliazza artfully interpreted Hershel Thomas' song on upright piano -pretty sure we'll be going back to both albums before we get too much further into 2014.

My ancient battered dictionary has a simple single page definition for the word "swing": voice, fiddle and guitar of Clarence Gatemouth Brown - he'd have been 90 on Friday 18th. He did a nifty take on a TBone Walker piece at one end of STAR BLUES, unknown genius at the other end Gored Carter was similarly blessed with guitar skills.

VeeTone's last two albums are out on 180g vinyl and our trip to the gospel tent found a couple of picks off the Mark Lamar compilation of Screaming Gospel - rather fitting for the Easter theme and for Record Store Day. Our second segment looked back at those glorious long players wearing gatefold garments. My double album of Fleetwood Mac in Chicago was clad in an unfortunate shade of brown but when the protagonists included the likes of Otis Spann and Walter Horton you can forgive the fäshion faux- pas. The combination of Sharkey and Peter Green both at the top of the game was our choice on the show. One of may earliest album purchases was the budget twofer called Best of Chess Blues: in addition to the usual subjects (Muddy, Wolf, SBW, Elmore) it was my introduction to both Etta James and Robert Nighthawk.

Barely three months after those Mac sessions at Teri-Mar studios in Chicago, Muddy Waters was there with Paul Butterfield et al for the "Father and Sons" album in a fold out cover, B B King's "Completely Well" album on Bluesway was in similar attire - I don't have the session play details to hand but its a fair bet the wan-wash guitar effects weren't coming from Lucille. Our last collection was the pairing which accompanied the seminal book by Paul Oliver called "Story of the blues" most folks here already know about both and are the foundation of their collections.

We had barely enough time to fit in the two voices of Johnnie Morrisette before having to wrap things up with as much pip proficiency as one blues jock could muster and planning more mischief for next Sunday at 10pm. 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
strollin with bones	clarence gatemouth brown	4	his ten best	clarence gatemouth brown	rounder
Don't Mistake Kindness for Weakness	Albert Collins	3	Iceman	Albert Collins	POINTBLANK
i believe	j j thames	8	tell you what i knopw	j j thames	dechamp
Gotta Bring It On Home To You	Terry Hanck Band	9	Gotta Bring It On Home To You	Terry Hanck Band	Delta Groove
Slow Down	marcus malone	6	stand or fall	marcus malone	red line
Come on in My Kitchen	Chris Thomas KingJames Cotton	10	Hellhound On My Trail	Various Artists	TELARC
T-Town Ramble	Bob Corritore	11	Taboo	Bob Corritore	Delta Groove
suitcase blues	arthur migliazza	10	lay it down	arthur migliazza	hobeman records
burying ground	nightingales	9	screamin' gospel holy rollers	various artists	vee-tone
go tell him what you want	voices of jordan	10	screamin' gospel holy rollers	various artists	vee-tone
sharpest marble in the drawer	duncan street	4	baptized by the blues	duncan street	15 south records
tanya	earl hooker	16	Slidin'	Various Artists	CHARLY
Last Night	Fleetwood MacWalter Horton	5	Blues Jam In Chicago	Fleetwood Mac	COLUMBIA
Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had	Muddy Waters	4	Chicago - London	Muddy Waters	ROOTS
sweet black angel	robert nighthawk	16	chess blues	various artists	mca/chess
Tell Mama	Etta James	10	The Fame Studio Story 1961-1973 Home Of The Muscle Shoals Sound	Various Artists	Kent
So Excited	B. B. King	16	King Of The Blues	B. B. King	MCA
Me and My Chauffeur Blues	Memphis Minnie	24	Story Of The Blues	Various Artists	Columbia Legacy
All By Myself	Big Bill Broonzy	4	Story Of The Blues	Various Artists	Columbia Legacy
Travelin' Blues	Blind Willie McTell	3	Story Of The Blues	Various Artists	Columbia Legacy
Roll 'em Pete	Big Joe Turner	5	Story Of The Blues	Various Artists	Columbia Legacy
The Twelve Year Old Boy	Elmore James	6	Complete Chess Chief Fire Recs.	Elmore James	CHARLY
Damper	Johnnie Morisette	11	Soul City Los Angeles	Various Artists	Fantastic Voyage
Back Home Blues	Goree Carter	4	Unsung Hero	Goree Carter	COLLECTABLES

Created: 20/04/2014 23:52:54