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Showing posts with label Balkan Flavored Blues. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Balkan Flavored Blues. Show all posts

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Charles Sawyer interviewed on IDC radio















In my recent "Traveling Blues" radio show on IDC radio,
I interviewed the man who wrote the first biography of BB King, Charles Sawyer,
a Blues harmonica player in his own right,
as well as a Blues historian, and photographer, who teaches an extension course at Harvard University on the Blues.

You can listen to and/or download the show at:
http://pod.icast.co.il/7841cb9​1-d266-4026-9cb4-30913a5bb835.​icast.mp3
or at
http://www.icast.co.il/PlayerW​in.aspx?file=http%3A%2F%2Fpod.​icast.co.il%2F7841cb91-d266-40​26-9cb4-30913a5bb835.icast.mp3​&IndexID=396590&name=iCast

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

R.I.P. Marva Wright - NOLA Gospel and Blues singer

Gospel, blues artist Marva Wright dead at 62

NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans blues and gospel singer Marva Wright died Tuesday at age 62, her former manager said.

Adam Shipley confirmed that Wright died of complications from a stroke she suffered last year.

She sang traditional jazz and gospel standards but was better known for sultry, sometimes bawdy blues songs. Among her best known songs were "Heartbreakin' Woman" and "Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean."

She released a series of albums on local and international record labels, and frequently performed in Europe and at blues festivals around the country. With her band, the BMWs, she drew large crowds for performances at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

As a child, Wright listened to her mother sing and play piano at church. Among her childhood memories were visits to Chicago, the adopted home of New Orleans gospel great Mahalia Jackson, who had grown up with Wright's mother.

"My mother would go to the national Baptist convention," Ms. Wright once said, according to an account in The Times-Picayune newspaper. "When it convened in Chicago, Mahalia would say, 'Girl, you don't need to get no hotel. Stay with me.' That's what my mother would do. I met Mahalia when I was 9 years old, but I never realized she was that popular until I got older."

But Wright didn't start singing professionally until she was almost 40, according to a biography on her Web site.

Wright was hospitalized last June after suffering a serious stroke following a gig at the CoCo Club on Bourbon Street. Relatives said then that she had just recovered from an earlier, less serious stroke.

Sunday, February 08, 2009

The Blackmailers - Blues and Fun from Moscow


Zlato Zrno Blues (2004)

My friend Alex S. introduced me to the music of the Blackmailers about 2 years ago, and suggested that I contact them.
They kindly responded by sending us copies of their first two albums.

Featuring a with a nice horn section, their sound reminds me of Blood Sweat and Tears, and the full voice of the lead vocalist reminds me allot of David Clayton Thomas.
Even though the singing diction isn't perfect, the overall message comes across -
these guys love the Blues and are having a good time when they play!!!

Guitarist Alex Baryshev and singer Timo Kopylov provide us with an interesting mix of Jump Blues, Chicago Blues, some Jazzy Blues, and a strong spicing up with some Balkan music!!!



Paradise Fanfare Blues (2006)



I give these 2 albums 4 thumbs up (out of a possible 5).