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Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Yesterday's Blues Phrase: Wild Women Don't Have the Blues
Wild Women Don't Have The Blues
movie clip
by Ida Cox
recorded July 1924
"I hear these women raving 'bout their monkey men
About their trifling1 husbands and their no good friends
These poor women sit around all day and moan
Wondering why their wandering papa's don't come home
But wild women don't worry, wild women don't have no blues
Now when you've got a man, don't never be on the square
'Cause if you do he'll have a woman everywhere
I never was known to treat no one man right
I keep 'em working hard both day and night
'Cause wild women don't worry, wild women don't have their blues
I've got a disposition and a way of my own
When my man starts kicking I let him find another home
I get full of good liquor, walk the streets all night
Go home and put my man out if he don't act right
Wild women don't worry, wild women don't have their blues
You never get nothing by being an angel child
You better change your ways and get real wild
I wanna tell you something, I wouldn't tell you a lie
Wild women are the only kind that really get by
'Cause wild women don't worry, wild women don't have their blues"
Today's Blues phrase: I'll be your mule
I'll be your mule
"A mule is a creature that can carry any load
up the highest mountain or 'long the roughest road
but you better feed him right and treat him like a friend
'cause once he turns his back on you ,
he will never look at you again"
"I'll be your mule, I'll be your mule, I'll be your mule
I'll be your mule, I'll be your mule
I'll be your mule, but I will refuse to be your fool"
Steve Freund,
from the album "I'll be Your Mule" (Delmark 752)
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
R.I.P. Willie Pinetop Perkins 1913-2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
R.I.P. Big Jack Johnson - 1940-2011
Sad news from Bob Corritore (March 14, 2011) :
Big Jack Johnson passed away this morning at 6am in his hometown of Clarksdale, Mississippi after a long battle with heath issues. He was 70 years old.
Big Jack's inventive, energetic, Delta-rooted guitar, rich confident vocals, down home songwriting, and larger than life stage presence made him one of the most celebrated bluesmen of Mississippi. His long music career included much national and international touring, many amazing record releases, and a huge amount of praise and respect.
Big Jack was born in Lambert, Mississippi in the summer of 1940, and learned guitar from his father at age 13. He rose to prominence in the early 1960s working as a key member of the legendary Jelly Roll Kings, a champion blues band which also included Frank Frost and Sam Carr. Big Jack first appeared on record in the 1960s as the guitarist on two famous Frank Frost albums; Hey Boss Man on the Phillips International label (an offshoot of Sun Records) from 1962, and My Back Scratcher on Jewel from 1966.
In the late 1970s, Michael Frank debuted his Earwig Music label with The Jelly Roll Kings / Rockin' The Juke Joint Down which also was a recording debut for Big Jack's great vocals. Soon afterward, Big Jack Johnson would start a solo career for himself, independent of the Jelly Roll Kings. His solo debut album, Oil Man (Big Jack used to hold down a day gig delivering oil barrels in Mississippi) on the Earwig label was released in 1987. This led to additional CDs for Earwig, a nice run with M.C. Records, and additional recordings for Rooster Blues, P-Vine Records, Right Coast Recording, and Big Jack Music. There was also a nice Jelly Roll Kings reunion album called Off Yonder Wall that came out in 1997 on the Fat Possum Records. Additionally, Big Jack appeared in the influential 1992 documentary movie Deep Blues. He was a popular festival and club entertainer, a warm and hospitable person, and an amazing musician.
Big Jack Johnson was the last original member of the Jelly Roll Kings. His passing leaves a gap in the blues that will never again be filled. To see his amazing performance of "Catfish Blues" from the movie Deep Blues, click here. Thanks for all the great music Big Jack. You are loved!"
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I remember Big Jack visiting Israel and playing in a small club in Tel Aviv.
The host guitarist who invited him to Israel (and shall remain nameless) was trying his usual tricks of one-up-manship and trying to intimidate his guest, as he often does with various people he invites on stage.
Jack Johnson didn't even flinch, stood his ground, played and sang his solid Blues, and managed to push this rude host guitarist into the opposite corner of the stage with his no-bones Mississippi roots attitude. I think that this was the first time I saw anyone really stand up to this guy, and Jack Johnson gave a great show that night!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
R.I.P. Robin Rogers 1957 to 2010
This news comes just 2 days after Robin was nominated for Contemporary Blues Female Artist for the 2011 Blues Music Awards. This week her latest CD reached # 4 on the Blues Roots Music Charts.
From Bob Corritore's newletter:
"Singer / harmonica player Robin Rogers has died today in her hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina. She had been struggling with terminal liver cancer for a month now. Robin was well loved within the blues community and had some highly successful CDs which frequently ended up with nominations, and she was honored with a Blues Blast Music Award in 2009, for "Best Female Artist".
Her humble and sincere personality, coupled with her unmistakable talent, made us all take her in as an adopted little sister. She had lead a very hard life, complete with homelessness, and drug and alcohol abuse, but she had turned her life around, and found a positive outlet in blues music. She had been sober for 21 years and happily wed to her husband, and musical partner Tony Rogers who was by her side until the end.
Many benefits sprouted around the country and her latest record Back In The Fire, on the Blind Pig label, was met with great success, and has recently been nominated for a Blues Music Award. Please spend a few minutes to hear the NPR interview with Robin, from a few weeks ago. . Thank you Robin, for your great music, and your strong heart. To read more about Robin Rogers, please visit www.robinrogers.com"
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
R.I.P. James Peterson 1937-2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Open Letter to Gil Scott Heron
Hello Gil,
I was so elated when I first heard that you were coming to perform here in Tel Aviv, both my wife and I were really looking forward to seeing and hearing you in person.
I have been a big fan since the 1970's when I happened upon your album Bridges (Hello Sunday, Hello Rose), and I have tried to follow your career through the years, as well as introduce my friends to your music. I also do the occasional radio show and I have broadcast your music many times, as well as introduced other radio people here in Israel to your albums.
Today, I am very disappointed in you. The newspapers are announcing that you have canceled your Israel show at the urging of a few individuals and based on hearsay and political propaganda.
I really thought you were more intelligent and sensitive than to swallow lies from propaganda machines. In the past, I think that you had the keen observation tools to see through the establishment "bull", and to form your own very unique opinions - that is at least the Gil Scott Heron that I thought I knew...
Regardless of your scheduled performance here, I invite you to come to Israel, walk around Jerusalem with me, walk around a few other towns, meet some local artists, feel the pulse of the people here, see for yourself!!!
A couple of things to ponder -
would a country or a people that has such a "bad rap" politically in the world today be able to produce a democracy where Arab citizens of Israel sit in its parliament and openly criticize the government on a regular basis?
Would an "ogre" or a "pariah" people have such great artist and musicians, especially in the international Jazz world which requires sensitivity and creativity at the highest level?
Please do not take the word of those who only seem to have hatred, death and destruction on their agenda, and completely deny our right to exist peacefully, come here and make up your own mind!!!
And maybe you can help to bridge the gaps and change attitudes with the magic of music!!!
Sincerely,
Eli ("Dr. Blues") Marcus
Friday, March 26, 2010
Lazer Lloyd Blues Band - new Blues in the Holy Land
and I hope to have more news soon of special appearances and touring by this amazing dynamic power Blues/Rock trio.
Lazer Lloyd is an American guitarist and phenomenal Blues/Rock artist who lives in the Holy Land of Israel.
He is known worldwide for his power Rock Blues trio Yood.
Lazer has recently renewed his Blues power trio -
the Lazer Lloyd Blues Band,
and he's opening on March 27, 2010 for the Snowy White Blues Project,
which is performing in Tel Aviv, Israel for the first time.
Listen to recent recordings by Lazer on his MySpace page,
and check out live video at Lazer Lloyd's YouTube Channel
enjoy...
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
R.I.P. Marva Wright - NOLA Gospel and Blues singer
(AP) – 7 hours ago
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.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Poor man, but a good man, Skip James
***James Coburn * James Brown *****
***Etta James * Steve James *********
***Jesse James * Jameson*************
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*** Skip James Skip James Skip James ***
*** Skip James Skip James Skip James ***
*** Skip James Skip James Skip James ***
*** Skip James Skip James Skip James ***
*** Skip James Skip James Skip James ***
*** Skip James Skip James Skip James ***
*** Skip James Skip James Skip James ***
*** Skip James Skip James Skip James ***
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***Jimmy James & the Blues Flames***
*** James Bond * Bob James***
***Elmore James * King James***
***Frank James * James bay***
***Susan James * Ellen James***
James James James James James
James James James James James
James James James James James
James James James James James
****Skip town for 33 years***
James James James James James
James James James James James
James James James James James
James James James James James
James James James James James
James James James James James
James James James James James
James James James James James
James James James James James
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*****************SKIP******************
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