I felt confident last night in endorsing the fact that Spring has come - not through the temperature or clear blue skies, more the fact that I have at last taken the two cans of deicer from my car. We had a track from the new album by Downchild (marking the band's 40th anniversary) and something to remember Sean Costello by (taken from us two years ago just shy of his 29th birthday). Sean only put out five albums under his own name and he did more than enough there to mark him out as a very special young man with respect for blues and the artists gone before - he played just enough guitar unlike so many of his contemporaries who use our music as an excuse to show off.
Johnny Otis is a bit like a London bus as far as the blues historians are concerned, nothing in a long while and then two books about him in the same month. He's been one of the most influential artists and artist-makers of the last fifty years particularly on the West Coast: his 1951 track "All Night Long" with Mel Walker showed he ain't too shabby when he gets himself behind mic and guitar either. ZZ Hill was on hand with the song that spawned a whole genre- "Downhome Blues" and the great blues shouter Jimmy T-99 Nelson lead Otis Grand on the twenty year old recording of "Jumpin' For Jimmy" with a superb outing on piano for Steve Big-Man Clayton.
We're often asked about the traditional blues form, including pre-war recordings, so we went some way to putting things right with Scrapper Blackwell, Big Joe Williams, Lightnin' Hopkins and Willie Dixon. Add Andrew Blueblood MacMahon from 1976 and Byther Smith from 1984 and you've covered more bases than any other blues show on commercial FM radio anywhere in the world. We also had the heartfelt low E note on Isaac Freeman's "Lord I Want You To Help Me" for the gospel feature and Champion Jack Dupree's "Going Down Slow" off the essential album he did for Atlantic in 1958 "Blues From The Gutter".
We spoke a bit about Record Store Day by getting sentimental on how this is a rare pleasure now, just being able to wander in and hear things for the first time. I think I'll pick the topic up again when we next go down the Dark Side (if you'll let me). We had blues in all shades yesterday, we'll have more next Sunday at ten pm (BST) and I'll have another white tee-shirt at the ready. Until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you
Monday, 19 April 2010
Monday, 12 April 2010
STAR BLUES on 11th April 2010 at 22:00
The show was on last week but I didn't blog for reasons too complicated to bother you with, here is a bumper fun-size edition to make up for it. Last night we had an early play of the new album from Oli Brown, he's only 19 and is making big waves on the British scene - his project on Ruf Records tempted the old master Mike Vernon out of retirement to weave some of his magic. Not that much was needed for the guitar tyro who has moved on a notch from his debut in 2008. He will need to make sure he remembers that the blues form isn't there just to provide a platform for plank-spanking - he hasn't yet gone that same way as so many others touted as "the next big thing". Four other new albums on offer: Elmore James Junior with a different guitar tone from his dad, but still in that industrial hard-working seam where he takes no prisoners; Eric Bibb with a track only available through his website as bonus content to his "Bookers Guitar" album a lovely evocation of pre-war harp maestro DeFord Bailey; Jim Hendrix with the first legal outing of the April 1969 studio take on "Hear My Train A-Comin", a seven minute exercise in masterful control over tone and volume, and Harry Manx at the edge of blues with his blend of Indian influences.
I also returned to the impossible question "Does my bum look big in this?" and we now know the only answer is "You can't have too much butt". So say Saffire, The Uppity Blues Women before you hold me responsible for any physical damage that special lady in your life gives you. Pinetop Smith was on hand for the tune that defined a whole piano genre: "Pinetops Boogie Woogie" and was more than a starting off point for Ray Charles' "What'd I Say". Two versions of "Crawlin Kingsnake" too, one from John Lee Hooker and one from the man who taught him the piece: his step father Tony Hollins.
Harry Manx is where blues is in the 21st Century, as is Chris Thomas King (who was greeted with universal silence a few years ago when in Cambridge by a disbelieving audience) - he was in the gospel tent with a generous sample from "John The Revelator". Top of the shop were Bonnie Raitt (gorgeous vocal and slide guitar) with Buddy Guy on the John Hiatt composition "Feels Like Rain" (thankfully not) and what could very well be my signature theme: BB King and Robert Cray on "Playing With My Friends".
I hope you'll come out to play again next Sunday night at 10pm (BST) until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you.
I also returned to the impossible question "Does my bum look big in this?" and we now know the only answer is "You can't have too much butt". So say Saffire, The Uppity Blues Women before you hold me responsible for any physical damage that special lady in your life gives you. Pinetop Smith was on hand for the tune that defined a whole piano genre: "Pinetops Boogie Woogie" and was more than a starting off point for Ray Charles' "What'd I Say". Two versions of "Crawlin Kingsnake" too, one from John Lee Hooker and one from the man who taught him the piece: his step father Tony Hollins.
Harry Manx is where blues is in the 21st Century, as is Chris Thomas King (who was greeted with universal silence a few years ago when in Cambridge by a disbelieving audience) - he was in the gospel tent with a generous sample from "John The Revelator". Top of the shop were Bonnie Raitt (gorgeous vocal and slide guitar) with Buddy Guy on the John Hiatt composition "Feels Like Rain" (thankfully not) and what could very well be my signature theme: BB King and Robert Cray on "Playing With My Friends".
I hope you'll come out to play again next Sunday night at 10pm (BST) until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you.
Monday, 29 March 2010
STAR BLUES on 28th March 2010 at 22:00
Probably more blues in two hours than any comparable show anywhere last night. Chicago blues certainly ain't dead when we've got Magic Slim in such commanding form - his only problem is "Cold Women with Warm Hearts" (I used to dream of problems such as that). Eddie Burns and the late Lil Dave Thompson showed two other flavours of modern blues without straying too far from the purist path. Dave was killed on Valentines Day in a van accident and we lost Marva Wright this week, her "Bluesiana Mama" was more than enough proof of her claim as Blues Queen of Louisiana on STAR BLUES yesterday.
When I first heard "Naggin'" I was sure it was a Jimmy Reed piece, similar vocal mannerisms and harp technique pointed me that way - in fact it was a recording on Excello by Jimmy Anderson who was in a studio far less often than his gifts deserved on this showing. Another mystery in the Unknown Male vocalist who brought us a version of Fats Domino's "Every Night About This Time", one can only guess that Johnny Vincent was too busy to make a note of the session men for the outing on his Ace label. BB King was on hand for the Gospel Spot, Thomas Dorsey's "Precious Lord" was opening track on B's fourth album for the Crown imprint but the first with all new material (previously the albums were collections of single hits). On the distaff side we had Esther Phillips, Peggy Scott and the imperious tone of Jo Ann Kelly who was accompanied by genius the British pianist Bob Hall. Amos Milburn and Chuck Berry both did versions of our piano blues choon: "Down the Road Apiece" by the Will Bradley Orchestra. We had all three.
All that wrapped up with T-Bone Walker's "Bobby Sox Blues" where he set the pinnacle of electric guitar playing that few have even come close to, though many still try. The next STAR BLUES will be on Easter Sunday, next week, at 10 pm (GMT) but I'll be back behind the mic on Good Friday for something a little different. I'm swapping t-shirts from white to black and bringing in some rarities and old favourites for "The Dark Side of Gary Blue". I hope you'll be able to be there too at 7 pm on Good Friday. Until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you.
When I first heard "Naggin'" I was sure it was a Jimmy Reed piece, similar vocal mannerisms and harp technique pointed me that way - in fact it was a recording on Excello by Jimmy Anderson who was in a studio far less often than his gifts deserved on this showing. Another mystery in the Unknown Male vocalist who brought us a version of Fats Domino's "Every Night About This Time", one can only guess that Johnny Vincent was too busy to make a note of the session men for the outing on his Ace label. BB King was on hand for the Gospel Spot, Thomas Dorsey's "Precious Lord" was opening track on B's fourth album for the Crown imprint but the first with all new material (previously the albums were collections of single hits). On the distaff side we had Esther Phillips, Peggy Scott and the imperious tone of Jo Ann Kelly who was accompanied by genius the British pianist Bob Hall. Amos Milburn and Chuck Berry both did versions of our piano blues choon: "Down the Road Apiece" by the Will Bradley Orchestra. We had all three.
All that wrapped up with T-Bone Walker's "Bobby Sox Blues" where he set the pinnacle of electric guitar playing that few have even come close to, though many still try. The next STAR BLUES will be on Easter Sunday, next week, at 10 pm (GMT) but I'll be back behind the mic on Good Friday for something a little different. I'm swapping t-shirts from white to black and bringing in some rarities and old favourites for "The Dark Side of Gary Blue". I hope you'll be able to be there too at 7 pm on Good Friday. Until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you.
Tuesday, 23 March 2010
STAR BLUES on 21st March 2010 at 22:00
My blog helping is a bit late this week, I hope the wait was worthwhile as I've some news about the show on Easter Sunday. First let's talk about this show where we looked back at the music brought to us by writer, producer and radio presenter Charlie Gillett who died last week. I'd make a case that he was more influential than John Peel though much less well known. To support the view we had J.J. Cale, an early track by the Band, Big Al Downing, the Pilgrim Travellers, Frank Frost and more on the playlist. You shouldn't forget he discovered Dire Straits, Graham Parker and Elvis Costello and managed Ian Dury. Latterly he championed World Music as he thought the traditional centres of American music had started to sound the same by the mid-80s each having lost the individual identities: World music put the sense of place back into music.
We also had new music from April Pantheress Winn and Steve Howell who has a deft light touch and a real passion for country blues, he gave us a version of a Mance Lipscomb classic. Mississippi John Hurt was in with his 1965 recording of "Since I Laid My Burden Down" and Victoria Williams updated the song for a Vanguard project to showcase contemporary artists (such as Beck) covering John Hurt compositions. That was a back-to-back feature where previously we had two goes at "Stagolee" so it was fitting that this week we included Titus Turner's "Return of Stagolee" he issued in answer soon after the original hit in 1959. Titus didn't write it but later on his was the pen for "Leave My Kitten Alone" that label-mate Little Willie John did for us.
That special show on Easter Sunday has (all being well) an interview with Fran Leslie, editor of Blues In Britain magazine. They've got to #100 under her stewardship so we are going to mark the milepost in two Sunday's time. Your next (regular) STAR BLUES will be this upcoming Sunday at 10pm (GMT), I've got my white tee-shirt lined up - you just need to be where you are right now tuned into Cambridge and Ely's STAR RADIO. Until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you.
Gary Blue
We also had new music from April Pantheress Winn and Steve Howell who has a deft light touch and a real passion for country blues, he gave us a version of a Mance Lipscomb classic. Mississippi John Hurt was in with his 1965 recording of "Since I Laid My Burden Down" and Victoria Williams updated the song for a Vanguard project to showcase contemporary artists (such as Beck) covering John Hurt compositions. That was a back-to-back feature where previously we had two goes at "Stagolee" so it was fitting that this week we included Titus Turner's "Return of Stagolee" he issued in answer soon after the original hit in 1959. Titus didn't write it but later on his was the pen for "Leave My Kitten Alone" that label-mate Little Willie John did for us.
That special show on Easter Sunday has (all being well) an interview with Fran Leslie, editor of Blues In Britain magazine. They've got to #100 under her stewardship so we are going to mark the milepost in two Sunday's time. Your next (regular) STAR BLUES will be this upcoming Sunday at 10pm (GMT), I've got my white tee-shirt lined up - you just need to be where you are right now tuned into Cambridge and Ely's STAR RADIO. Until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you.
Gary Blue
Monday, 15 March 2010
STAR BLUES on 14th March 2010 at 22:00
I've been a bit worried lately that the playlists for STAR BLUES have been filled with guitarists plying their version of electric blues/rock and I've neglected the other styles of blues. So I set myself a task last night of showing as many sides of our music as I could in the couple of hours I'm allowed. Judging by the feedback I've had so far, we did ok with some great choons. We still did some modern stuff with Sean Chanbers but we also had classics from Howlin' Wolf, Elmore James and John Lee Hooker. Our piano blues spot covered both bases with Mike Kindred from 2004 on "Bankable Boogie" and the ever reliable Jimmy Yancey from 1951 at one of his last sessions for his "Bugle Call".
Pick of the crop - in my humble - was the imperious Cleo Gibson whose Ford Movements made this happy man very old (she wasn't talking about her car when offering a 10,000 mile guarantee). Georgia White and Marion Williams completed a formidable trio of great female blues voices. Marion's "Can't No Grave" is covered by Johnny Cash on the final set of unreleased recordings he made with Rick Rubin at American studios and she provided a neat comparison in approach that gave each version a different spin. As for the Gospel tent, the Blind Boys of Alabama came along with Robert Randolph and Ben Harper for a robust go at Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready".
The other trips through blues were done with Kelly Joe Phelps, deft of finger and warm of voice, Eric Clapton , who with practice could make a name for himself, Arthur Adams , back in great form and on Delta Groove, and two very different versions of recorded fifty years apart of "Stagger Lee". Van Morrison, Rory Gallagher and Gary Moore were on hand as the Irish contingent to bring an early celebration of St. Patrick's Day even though Mr. Moore had help from a certain Mr. King.
I'm planning a black-tee shirt outing on Good Friday as an extra but I'll be back clad in white next Sunday at 10pm (GMT) with more blues, news, reviews and tomfoolery. You can wear what you like, nothing at all if you really want because its radio - until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you
Pick of the crop - in my humble - was the imperious Cleo Gibson whose Ford Movements made this happy man very old (she wasn't talking about her car when offering a 10,000 mile guarantee). Georgia White and Marion Williams completed a formidable trio of great female blues voices. Marion's "Can't No Grave" is covered by Johnny Cash on the final set of unreleased recordings he made with Rick Rubin at American studios and she provided a neat comparison in approach that gave each version a different spin. As for the Gospel tent, the Blind Boys of Alabama came along with Robert Randolph and Ben Harper for a robust go at Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready".
The other trips through blues were done with Kelly Joe Phelps, deft of finger and warm of voice, Eric Clapton , who with practice could make a name for himself, Arthur Adams , back in great form and on Delta Groove, and two very different versions of recorded fifty years apart of "Stagger Lee". Van Morrison, Rory Gallagher and Gary Moore were on hand as the Irish contingent to bring an early celebration of St. Patrick's Day even though Mr. Moore had help from a certain Mr. King.
I'm planning a black-tee shirt outing on Good Friday as an extra but I'll be back clad in white next Sunday at 10pm (GMT) with more blues, news, reviews and tomfoolery. You can wear what you like, nothing at all if you really want because its radio - until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you
Monday, 8 March 2010
STAR BLUES on 7th March 2010 at 22:00
The hot new ticket billed for the show was the duet of Joe Bonamassa with B.B.King an album still a fortnight in the future as far as the shops are concerned, yet on STAR BLUES last night. Their go at Willie Nelson's "Night Life" started the second hour of the show, by which time we'd already had great music from harp maestro Little Hatch and Messrs Pink and Floyd. I also had the chance to listen to Roy Buchanan's "Sweet Dreams" at decent volume - in my youth I'd heard it at low amps through a transistor radio underneath the bedclothes from Radio Luxemburg (208).
I guaranteed that 95% of the audience would hate the cover of "My Babe" that Dr. David Evans discovered on a field trip to North Mississippi courtesy of the Napolean Strickland Fife and Drum band. The track is blues in its purest form,played from the soul on the simplest of instruments - hugely ripe for sampling by Moby (but thankfully not yet). Memphis Minnie and Lucinda Williams both sang "Me and My Chauffeur" but fifty years apart, Chuck Berry let it rock and JB Lenoir let it roll then from 1966 Al King captured a timeless theme with his "Money's Not Long Enough". Buddy Guy and the second Sonny Boy were in Chicago and one third of the Boogie-Woogie trio held up the piano end on six wheels. I can't think of another show on radio anywhere in the world last night with all those blues and a white tee shirt.
By the way come Good Friday I have a little something extra for you - in a black tee-shirt. Meantime come next Sunday (Mothers Day) I'll be back with more blues and tomfoolery, I hope you'll be able to share those two hours at ten p.m. (GMT) - until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you
Gary Blue
I guaranteed that 95% of the audience would hate the cover of "My Babe" that Dr. David Evans discovered on a field trip to North Mississippi courtesy of the Napolean Strickland Fife and Drum band. The track is blues in its purest form,played from the soul on the simplest of instruments - hugely ripe for sampling by Moby (but thankfully not yet). Memphis Minnie and Lucinda Williams both sang "Me and My Chauffeur" but fifty years apart, Chuck Berry let it rock and JB Lenoir let it roll then from 1966 Al King captured a timeless theme with his "Money's Not Long Enough". Buddy Guy and the second Sonny Boy were in Chicago and one third of the Boogie-Woogie trio held up the piano end on six wheels. I can't think of another show on radio anywhere in the world last night with all those blues and a white tee shirt.
By the way come Good Friday I have a little something extra for you - in a black tee-shirt. Meantime come next Sunday (Mothers Day) I'll be back with more blues and tomfoolery, I hope you'll be able to share those two hours at ten p.m. (GMT) - until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you
Gary Blue
Monday, 1 March 2010
STAR BLUES on 28th February 2010 at 22:00
A different pace to STAR BLUES last night came about by taking the chance to include a couple of names not previously played on the show - and some old favourites. In the first group, Eric Lindell's new album for Alligator (more bluesworthy than his previous) and the incredible vocal gifts of Shaun Murphy. I'll admit to thinking it was a guy's name when a listener suggested I check out the music. Boy did I feel silly when I saw her clips on her web-site. Her first full recording under her own name is a goodun.
For the second group we chose Drink Small (erstwhile raconteur extraordinaire) and Walter Brown who's best works are to be found on a couple of cds compiled by Dave Penny on the Classics imprint. (Actually there's a good place to start for any investigation of the R&B greats immediately post-war). There was also an opportunity to go back to some great anthologies of the past couple of years - not that you need an excuse to play B. B. King etc as well as gospel and piano blues in their normal spots.
I'm planning another venture outside the blues for the Easter weekend as well as a big interview and competition (fingers crossed) on Easter Sunday. Meantime, I'll be back next Sunday at 10pm (GMT) in another white tee-shirt for more blues, news, reviews and tomfoolery - I look forward to spending the two hours with you. Until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you
Gary Blue
For the second group we chose Drink Small (erstwhile raconteur extraordinaire) and Walter Brown who's best works are to be found on a couple of cds compiled by Dave Penny on the Classics imprint. (Actually there's a good place to start for any investigation of the R&B greats immediately post-war). There was also an opportunity to go back to some great anthologies of the past couple of years - not that you need an excuse to play B. B. King etc as well as gospel and piano blues in their normal spots.
I'm planning another venture outside the blues for the Easter weekend as well as a big interview and competition (fingers crossed) on Easter Sunday. Meantime, I'll be back next Sunday at 10pm (GMT) in another white tee-shirt for more blues, news, reviews and tomfoolery - I look forward to spending the two hours with you. Until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you
Gary Blue
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