Let’s Explore The Blues – Tampa Red
Salutes the Chicago Blues Tradition (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Tampa Red was born in 1904, passing in 1981. His real name was Hudson Woolridge. Born in Georgia, his parents died when he was young and he moved to Tampa, Florida to live with his grandparents. He the took their surname and became Hudson Whitaker.
Red moved to Chicago in the 20′s, taking his silky smooth bottleneck guitar style with him. He went on to influence a generation of Chicago Blues players. He teamed up with Georgia Tom, creating most of his music with him. I will be doing a piece on Georgia Tom next week. Although they were best known as a team. they were the sum of 2 distinct parts. Each was a giant. To continue Red’s story, he kicked around the Chicago scene until he started recording in 1928. His first recording was “It’s Tight Like That”. In recording this song,, he started (created) a style of blues that became known as “hokum”.
It’s Tight Like That
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His partnership with Georgia Tom ended in 1932 and Red went on to become a much in demand session player. He played on recordings by Memphis Minnie and Sonny Boy Williamson, among others. By the 1940′s, he had moved on to the electric guitar. He recorded “Let Me Play with Your Poodle” which hit #4 on Billboard’s Harlem Hit Parade. A nice little blues tune which contained many elements of 50′s rock. The piano is especially early rock like. The title and lyrics are typical of the era for its bawdiness and innuendo.
“Let Me Play With Your Poodle”
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His story, as did many of these early blues-men, ended tragically. His wife died in 1953 and he turned to alcohol. He became an alcoholic and died destitute at 77 in 1981. Let’s do a few cover versions. This first gem covers th Tampa Red tune, “Don’t Lie To Me’”, with Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughn. A terrific video.
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This another interesting cover of “Mean Mistreater Blues” by the rather eclectic combo of Johnny Winter and Dr John. Brilliant!!
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Next week, I will take a look at Georgia Tom, Tampa Red’s partner in the early 30′s.
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Canada’s Best Music – 5 Songs At A Time – Part 20
With this post, we now have covered 100 songs of the list I am working from. Only 400 more to go. This particular set is a really good one. A bit of hip-hop, mixed in with some exceptional classic tunes.
1. Bryan Adams
“Straight From the Heart”
Bryan Adams (Photo credit: crumj)
A further entry from one of Canada’s premier singer-songwriters. The man has the knack for writing the big hits, and this is one of them. Great video, the man, a guitar and an adoring audience singing every word
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2.k-os
” Crabbuckit”
Crabbuckit (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
K-os came out with this tune several years ago and it became an instant sing-a-long song that is very hard to get out of your head once you have heard it.
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3.Neil Young & Crazy Horse
” Cortez the Killer”
Neil Young, 22/06/2008 Firenze, Nelson Mandela Forum (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
After CSN&Y there was Crazy Horse. Nothing to say, except enjoy the master and his friends in this live version from 2003. The man can play that guitar.
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4. Joni Mitchell
“Help Me”
Joni Mitchell, performing in 2004 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Born and raised in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Joni is one of the best anywhere. This song is on of my favorites in her catalog.
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5. Rush
“Fly by Night”
Canadian rock band Rush, in concert in Milan, Italy. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Rush is another world-wide breakout Canadian artist. Fly By Night was one of the tunes that broke them.
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Remembering Andrew Love
Get Up & Dance (The Memphis Horns album) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
April 12 saw the passing of sax player Andrew Love. He died of complications from Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 71. Andrew was an artist that we have all heard at one point in our life. He and trumpet player Wayne Jackson did session work at (anything that had horns in it was him) Records. They played on recordings by Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes and Sam and Dave among others. Wayne and Andrew formed The Memphis Horns and began freelancing for sessions. In this period they recorded with Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond, Al Green, U2 and Dusty Springfield. They also hooked up on tours by the Doobie Brothers, Jimmy Buffet and Robert Cray.
This video is part interview (with Ann Peebles).
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This is a great live performance of Satisfaction by Otis Redding, with the Memphis Horns supplying the brass.
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As a unit, The Memphis Horns released 9 albums, mostly in the 1970′s.. As one could expect, they specialized in a funk sound. The group received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2012 Grammys. Here is a sample of their work.
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Canada’s Best Music – 5 Songs At A Time – Part 19
This grouping is very heavy on the classic rock, with the inclusion of a classic country star and a present day Canadian icon.
1. Hank Snow
“I Don’t Hurt Anymore”
Hank Snow (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The venerable Hank Snow. What can you say. The man is simply an icon in traditional country music.
2. BTO
“Let it Ride”
Bachman-Turner Overdrive performing live in Örebro, Sweden 1991 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The band, to me, was a mixture of very good songs. like this one, and Nickelback. Very popular band, and, for Randy Bachman, proved that there is life after being in a mega-group.
3. The Guess Who
“Albert Flasher”
Star on Canada's Walk of Fame for the rock band The Guess Who. Signatures, from top left clockwise: Garry Peterson, Burton Cummings, Bill Wallace, Randy Bachman and Donnie McDougall (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Another classic tune from the original Canadian superstars. This song showcases Burton Cummings and his vocals. The piano is not to shabby either.
4. The Tragically Hip
“Little Bones”
The Tragically Hip performing in Aspen, United States (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
One could say this is classic rock as it was recorded in 1991. However, they are still putting out some great music and are still getting major airplay in Canada
5. Prism
“Spaceship Superstar”
Prism is a great under-rated Canadian band. this song is a classic. You can’t help but sing along on the chorus.
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Remembering Hal McKusick
Noted alt-sax, flautist and clarinetist passed away on April 11th at the age of 81. As well as leading his own band, Hal played and recorded with people like Woody Herman, John Coltrane and George Russell. Tremendously talented, his style was definitively 50′s jazz. I have included several tracks for us to enjoy, perfect Sunday morning music.
Give Em Hal
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Makin’ Whoopee
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Minor Matters
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Remembering Richie Teeter
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Former Twisted Sister and Dictators drummer, Richie Teeter passed away on April 10 at the age of 61. He was battling esophageal cancer. He was with Twisted Sister in the late 70′s and early 80′s. He was with the Dictators prior to that, playing on their second album, “Manifest Destiny“. This period for the Dictators was a very influential point in the punk scene and many consider this album a classic of the genre.
Search and Destroy – The Dictators
Barren River Trio – Twitter Thursday
Today, I want to take a listen to Barren River Trio. They are at @barrenrivertrio on Twitter if you like what you hear and want to keep up with them. The group is out of Bowling Green, NY and are a folk trio. All three play guitar and sing. There is also some mandolin and harmonica in the tunes. Band members are Alex Day, Danny Moody and Andrew Varson. Now we listen to some of their material. The first song I have chosen is original, live and showcases their harmonies. Good stuff.
Shine The Light
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In this song, a cover of the Kings of Leon hit, “Use Somebody”, they change it and tweak it, creating an interesting version.
Use Somebody
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Nice sounding group. Check them out if you get a chance.
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Remembering Levon Helm
Levon Helm (May 26, 1940 – April 19, 2012) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
A tough couple of days.
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Talent Tuesday – New Canadian Releases – April 17, 2012
Quite the week, many, many releases to choose from.
Patrick Watson in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
We will start with Patrick Watson and his new release, Adventures In Your Own Backyard. Montreal based band leader, Patrick Watson is an interesting musician. He combines elements of classical with pieces of, lets say, Pink Floyd. Very creative pieces of music in the indie/alternative mode. He has released 4 albums with his band and has one solo record to his credit. They were recent players at SXSW and were named one of the top 25 can’t miss acts at this years event. The track I have chosen is titled “Lighthouse” and is a good example of the style that they play.
Lighthouse
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Sue Foley on the Hillside Festival Main Stage (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Next is a blues album by veteran players Sue Foley and Peter Karp. Their new album “Beyond The Crossroads” is a collaboration of 2 solo talents. Sue has been a mainstay of the Canadian blues scene since the 90′s while Peter is an American singer-songwriter, He has shared the stage with such greats as Mick Taylor. Together they create some pretty good blues. This is their second release together. Here is a live version of a tune off the album.
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Now for some ROCK. Toronto Alt-rock band Evans Blue released “Graveyard of Empires” this week. The group has rocked since 2005, with Halo being their 4th release. They have had some moderate success outside Canada and are hoping this album breaks them big. The tune here is called Halo and is performed in my favourite way, live.
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I’m pretty excited about the potential of this group. Rikers is a Ontario group who write some very good tunes. Islands is their first release and a good one it is. The song Is “I’m On The Radio” and it is a catchy rock song that will have you singing along as you listen. Nicely done.
I’m On The Radio
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The international album release I have chosen is the new disc by Train called California 37. I always had a soft spot for Hey Soul Sister and their distinctive song style. One can usually tell that Train is the artist. I heard this song on DWTS tonight (hey, i have Maria and Derek in my pool, looks like a lock for 80 bucks) and liked it. The song is called “Drive By”
Drive By
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Let’s Explore The Blues – Memphis Jug Band
Memphis-Minnie (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
In the late 20′s and early 30′s a group of Memphis musicians played in an ensemble known as the Memphis Jug Band. The players came and went, with one constant, Will Shade. Will wrote the songs, played harmonica and guitar as well as handling vocals. The players were many. It was almost a school for up and coming artists. Will would book the gigs and recording sessions and arrange the players. The venue never knew who would show up, Some of the people who passed through were Casey Bill Weldon, Memphis Minnie, Charlie Burse, Charlie Nickerson, an endless list. their sound was, how to say it, interesting. They used jugs, kazoos, washboards, you name it, it was in there. The bands heyday extending into the mid 30′s when demand for their services died off. The band’s members drifted off and the Memphis Jug Band was defunct. Will Shade recorded one last album in 1963. He died of pneumonia in 1966. In their time, the group recorded over 100 sides. Her’s a couple of them.
Cocaine Habit Blues
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K.C. Moan
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This is a cover, live, of KC Moan by Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead. It cuts off towards the end, but still a worthy listen.
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This might be their biggest and most important song. A great song for kazoo lovers.
Stealin’ Stealin’
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The song has been recorded a multitude of times. Here are a few versions.
Grateful Dead
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Taj Mahal
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And finally a version by Jim Kweskin, live, unfortunately, without jugs.
Jim Kweskin
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You gotta love the blues!
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Canada’s Best Music – 5 Songs At A Time – Part 18
1. Limblifter
“Ariel vs Lotus”
Ariel vs Lotus
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2. Chantal Kreviazuk
“Surrounded”
Chantal Kreviazuk talks to the audience in between songs during a performance at Jackson-Triggs Winery, Niagara-on-the-Lake. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Winnipeg born Chantal Kreviazuk is a singer/pianist who is continually close to being a major international star. This song highlights her voice quite succinctly. Interesting side-note. We saw her in concert in Saskatoon once. This was the infamous row F fiasco. Lori and a friend of ours, Lorna, were purchasing the tickets for the show and came home, pleased that they had gotten floor tickets in Row F. They swore that it meant the front row. Obviously, Robin and I were skeptical. So, on the night of the show we head straight for the front row. Even though I pointed out that the row was noted as A on the aisle, they forced us to sit there. Within minutes, the people who actually had Row A arrive and we moved to our correct seats. I had to ask, but if Row F was the front row, was Row B at the back? If I remember right, I till have the scar from asking that question.
Surrounded
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3. Honeymoon Suite
“New Girl Now”
From Niagara Falls, Ontario, Honeymoon Suite (pun intended, I’m sure) formed in 1981. They had great success on the Canadian scene throughout the 1980′s. They are still touring on occasion, although the original lineup (reformed in 2001), broke up in 2009. Their most recent album “Clifton Hill” was released in 2008. The song here is from their self-titled first album, released in 1984, and is their signature song.
New Girl Now
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4. Triumph
“Hold On”
Triumph performing at Sweden Rock, 2008. Showing all three original members. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Triumph was a power trio band who cultivated a huge North American following on the backs of their insane live performances. The group has had several incarnations over the years but have reformed with original members Rik Emmett, Gil Moore and Michael Levine. They began touring again in 2008. They are icons in Canada and their songs are the type that you just start singing to as soon as you hear the first chords.
Hold On
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5. Stompin Tom Connors
“The Hockey Song“
Stompin' Tom Connors, 2005 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Stompin Tom Connors recorded this piece of Canadian lore in 1973. It is a song that creates a sing-a-long when it starts up as every Canadian has it in their DNA. A classic.
The Hockey Song
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Listening To Canadians – Chris Kirby
view looking east of St. John's, Newfoundland (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I first heard this song from Chris Kirby on CBC2. It was created for their compilation album in 2011 called Road Songs. A really great song with echoes of Steely Dan among others. Up till now, I have not been able to find in online to present here for all of you to enjoy. I did a search yesterday (I do this on a regular basis for this song) and it was recently uploaded. But first, a bit about the artist. Chris is from St John’s, Newfoundland. His sound can only be coined as R&B, but R&B with an east coast twist. He is an up and coming star with astonishing song writing skills. The band is Chris Kirby and the Marquees and they have 2 albums out with a new one on the way. The video below is actually 2 songs. The first is “Free Man” and is the song I was looking for. The second is an Amy Winehouse tribute, “Valerie”. Enjoy.
Free Man
Remembering Jim Niven
Jim Niven was an Australian piano/organ player who was in 2 notable bands of the 1970′s Australian music scene. He was in “The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band” followed by a stint with “The Sports“. He passed after a short battle with cancer on April 9. In memory, I have placed 2 videos. The first is from his time with the Sports, the second is with Captain Matchbox, although I can’t confirm he is in this one. It is still an interesting song.
Don’t Throw Stones – The Sports
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Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band – Who Walks in When I Walk Out
JD Greer – Twitter Thursday
JD Greer is the subject of today’s post, @jdgreer is his how to find him on Twitter. JD is from California and plays and writes his music. He is an R&B/Pop style artist with a very good voice, well suited to what he does. He is working on an album, and has recorded several songs in the past. This song is a pretty good R&B number called Never Alone. I could not find material for purchase, so if JD reads this maybe drop a comment on where one can buy his music.
Never Alone
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Talent Tuesday – New Canadian Releases – April 10, 2012
Light week, but an interesting one.
Gordon Pinsent (Photo credit: Yorkton Film Festival)
First up is something that is very, very Canadian. Two institutions team up to release a CD. Gordon Pinsent (actor) and Greg Keelor (from Blue Rodeo) put together a CD called “Down And Out In Upalong”. Very much in the singer songwriter genre, Pinsent handled the writing and Greg handles the playing. Good tune for you to listen to.
“Night Light”
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A new release from a new band Eight and a Half is up next. Formed by a coalition of former members of Broken Social Scene and The Stills, they put out an alternative sound that, frankly, is pretty good. The disc is titled “Eight and a Half” and the song highlighted is “Go Ego”, done live on the Strombo show.
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Bonnie Raitt at 1990 Grammy awards. Crop of Image:Bonnie Raitt.jpg (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The international pick of the week comes from one my all-time favourites, Bonnie Raitt. The album, “Slipstream” is a mix of reworked old and some new material. Can’t say much, other than it is good to have some new material from one of the greats..
Right Down The Line
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Let’s Explore The Blues – Charley Patton
Charlie Patton, one of the originators of the Delta blues style, playing with a pick or a bottleneck slide. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Charley Patton, born between 1887 and 1894, maybe, and passed away on April 28, 1934, definitely. Charley was a delta blues player, and some credit him with creating Delta Blues. It is said that he may be the most important American musician of the 20th century. With this great lead up, it is time to explore his life and music.
There are many mysteries surrounding Charley. His birth-date, his name (some spell it Charlie), and even his race. He may have been the son of a slave, or he may have been Mexican or possibly a Cherokee Native-American. Interestingly, the slave named as a potential father was Henderson Chatmon, the father of many of the Mississippi Sheiks. The genetics are there for sure. He was friends with, and influence a very young Howlin’ Wolf. John Lee Hooker also spent some time with Charley and was influenced by his blues style. Even Robert Johnson spent time listening and learning from Patton.
He died in 1934 of a heart attack. He was buried in Holly Ridge, Mississippi. In 1990, John Fogarty purchased and had placed a headstone for his grave. Now the music.
First up is Pony Blues. Terrific song. You can hear lots of different groups buried in the tapestry of this song.
Pony Blues
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Next up we have another masterpiece, one that covers everything we detest in life.
Revenue Man Blues
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A final tune, this by John Lee Hooker with Canned Heat, inspired by Charley’s Peavine Blues. Awesome.
Peavine
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Canada’s Best Music – 5 Songs At A Time – Part 17
Today’s set has a wide spectrum of musical taste. We have some hip-hop, a diva or two, some classic rock and some pop. Lets start with some classic rock.
1. The Stampeders
“Wild Eyes”
The Stampeders (Photo credit: Jason Edward Scott Bain)
The Stampeders are a 70′s group from Calgary that had a string of hits during this period. This is a live version of the song. Ah, memories. The radio played the crap out of this song in Canada.
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2. Andrew Cash
“Boomtown”
I always liked this song, to bad he’s a politician now.
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3. Celine Dion
“The Power of Love”
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Especially for El Guapo, cause he loves her sooooo much.
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4. Kardinal Offishall
“Dangerous”
Kardinal Offishall at the eTalk Festival Party, during the Toronto International Film Festival. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Kardinal Offishall is one of a growing number of influential artists in this genre. This song is performed with Akon.
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5. Deborah Cox
“Nobody’s Supposed to be Here”
Nobody's Supposed to Be Here (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Some R&B style pop music from a pretty good singer. She hits some pretty good notes in this tune.
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Remembering Jerry McCain
Tremolo harmonica. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Jerry “Boogie” McCain passed away on March 28. He was 81. He was best known for his harmonica. Most active in the 50′s and 60′s, he was still recording well into the 1990′s. Jerry recorded with some greats, including Johnnie Johnson and Jimmy Vaughn. Here is some music. You will recognize some of the styling as representative of early rock and roll.
I Want Somebody To Love
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Wine-O-Wine
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One final song, and this one is hot, hot hot.
Twist 62
Dan Coyle – Twitter Thursday
Dan Coyle bills himself as an International Touring Artist. He is a singer songwriter in the Folk Rock mold. He has 3 albums to date and is on a 30 city tour of the USA. If you like what your hear, the remaining tour dates are here. If you like the music, it is available at all the regular places online. His twitter handle is @dan_coyle
He hails from Astoria, NY. It appears he now lives from a suitcase based on the touring he has done over the past few years. Let’s take a listen.
The first tune is titled Night Club Towns and is a live version. As always, live is the best. As I listen, I hear some Jason Mraz with a side of Jack Johnson and even some Paul Simon mixed in. Good song.
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This tune is titled C’est La Vie. Another smoking good song.
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This video is interesting in that Dan is interviewed on being an independent musician. Quite informative and really highlights what drives people to pursue their goal and one way to do it. “Booking at a venue that is half a step higher than I belong, then it makes me work that much harder”.
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Keep on plugging Dan, you are on the right track. Very good material.
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Remembering Earl Scruggs
2005 picture of USA banjo player Earl Scruggs (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The world lost a great one on March 28. Earl Scruggs passed away at the age of 88. An astounding banjo player, he was a giant in the world of bluegrass. His career spanned 7 decades, during which he recorded 29 albums, won 2 Grammys, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. i have posted a couple of videos in memory of the man. The first is his Grammy winning hit “Foggy Mountain Breakdown“, done live on Letterman with a host of players, including Steve Martin. The second is Earl and Lester Flatt on the Beverly Hillbillies. They performed the theme song, but in this clip they play “Pearl. Pearl, Pearl”. The music starts at 2:30.
“Foggy Mountain Breakdown”
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Pearl, Pearl, Pearl
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Talent Tuesday – New Canadian Releases – March 27 and April 3, 2012
Back from vacation and champing at the bit to see what new goodies Canada’s talented musicians have served us on these 2 Tuesdays.
First up is veteran Canadian rocker Tomi Swick. He hails from Hamilton and is best known for his tune “A Night Like This”. He released his new self titled album last week and this is a track called “Ready”.
Ready
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The next group is Montreal based trio “Half Moon Run” who released their new disc “Dark Eyes” on March 27. They are an alternative band with an interesting sound. The attached video is from the album and has a nice drum line that keeps your attention throughout the song.
Full Circle
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Budding world superstars Zeus released their new disc on March 27 as well. They are an indie rock band based in Toronto with one very successful release to their credit. The new album is called “Busting Visions” and this was the first release. Great tune with some southern rock tones to it.
Are You Gonna Waste My Time
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Next up is Toronto based band “The Great Lake Swimmers“. They released their disc “New Wild Everywhere” on April 3rd. This is their 5th album. They have become fixtures of Canadian radio with their melodic rock vibe. The video is titled “Easy Come, Easy Go”.
Great Lake Swimmers playing at the Tsunami Club, Köln, Germany (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Easy Come, Easy Go
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The last Canadian release that I will highlight this week is by Our Lady Peace. These guys can rock. They have been a staple on Canada’s music scene for 20 years. Hailing from Toronto, they continue to give their fans solid and consistent music. This tune is titled “Heavyweight”.
A picture of Our Lady Peace at Virgin Festival Ontario day 2 2009 taken by Charwinger21 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Heavyweight
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My international pick of the week is a very interesting band (2/3 New Yorkers, 1/3 Denverite) called The Lumineers. They play an outstanding mix of folk and rock as seen in the attached song. Very good band,I highly recommend.
Ho Hey
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Let’s Explore The Blues – Blind Willie McTell
Blind Willie McTell, with 12-string guitar, hotel room, Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
William McTier was born in 1898 in Thomson, Georgia. He was born blind in one eye, losing the rest of his sight during childhood. He began playing in his teens and became proficient with the 12 string guitar using a finger-style. This was unusual among his contemporaries. He also played slide guitar. He took the name Blind Willie McTell early in his career.
He was first recorded in 1927 on Victor records. His recording career was also different from most of his fellow players of the day in that he was still playing and recording into the 1950′s. As we have seen, most either died young, or quit during the depression and went home. He was one of the artists that John Lomax put on record for posterity in the Library of Congress, making several recordings of him during the 1940′s. He died of a stroke in 1959. During his career, he never truly had a major hit, yet was extremely prolific, leaving a legacy that would influence many. Take a listen to this song and think of who this could be today.
B&O Blues
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I don’t know about you, but I clearly hear Eric Clapton buried in there. Great song. Here is one of his most covered songs.
Statesboro Blues
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Here is a live version by the Allman Brothers recorded in 1982.
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Here is a version of Lord Send Me An Angel by the White Stripes.
Lord Send Me An Angel
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This one is a classic, Mick Taylor doing a Bob Dylan tribute song, “Blind Willie McTell” live. It does not get any better than this.
Blind Willy McTell
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