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Tuesday, May 31, 2011

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

I met Pinetop in 2006 on the Blues Cruise.
He was a very sweet man, and when he got on stage, it was as if he was 40 years old again, the voice, the piano playing, were all there as if he was in his prime.
Just 2 months ago he won a Grammy for his latest album with Willie Big Eyes Smith - "Joined at the Hip: Pinetop Perkins & Willie 'Big Eyes' Smith."

Here is one of the newspaper notices of his passing.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/8397186/Legendary-blues-musician-Pinetop-Perkins-dies-age-97.html

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




I first discovered James Peterson's solid Blues on a CD from the early 90's. Only later did I discover that he was also the father of the high energy singer (and multi instrumentalist) Bluesman Lucky Peterson.
Well, James Peterson passed away this week, on Dec. 12, 2010.
He was active in recent years in the Tampa Bay Florida Blues scene.
Rest in peace James.
See and hear James Peterson - live performance video.




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

This is a repost and update - the Lazer Lloyd Blues Band is recording a new album,
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

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.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Poor man, but a good man, Skip James

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***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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Sunday, August 23, 2009

R.I.P. Nick Holt - (1940-2009) - brother

Longtime Chicago and Lincoln blues player Nick Holt died Monday.

Holt, 69, had played at the Zoo Bar and other Lincoln venues since 1975, mostly with his brother, Morris “Magic Slim” Holt.

And like his brother, he moved his family from Chicago’s South Side to Lincoln in the 1990s to get his kids and grandchildren out of the city. Most of the extended family still lives here.

Holt recovered from a 1987 bout with throat cancer, but he had been sick for several months.

In 1999, he was nominated for a W.C. Handy Award as best blues instrumentalist on bass. At the time, he played bass with Magic Slim and the Teardrops.

“He was one of the best bass players I’ve ever heard, and he really influenced me in my playing,” said Zoo Bar co-owner Jeff Boehmer, who plays bass himself.

“I probably would have been 4 or 5 or younger when they started coming to town, so I’ve known Nick my whole life.”

Funeral services are pending.

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RIP Nick Holt 1/15/1940-6/22/
Bruce Iglauer reports that Nick Holt, the bass-playing younger brother of Magic Slim, died of brain cancer on Monday, June 22, 2009 in Lincoln , Nebraska , where he had been living. He was 69. Born in Granada , Mississippi in 1940, Nick moved to Chicago in 1956. Four years later, he and his brother formed the notorious Magic Slim & The Teardrops. This band persevered to become a mainstay of the Chicago blues scene. Slim's raucous guitar and Nick's insistent bass lines anchored the band, and created a tough, rock-solid groove so propulsive that it packed the dance floors nightly. It wasn't that Nick did anything fancy or flashy on the bass; he just played it simple and right. Magic Slim & The Teardrops recorded numerous albums for a wide array of labels such as Rooster Blues, Blind Pig, Wolf Records, Alligator, Isabel, Delmark, Red Lightnin', Black & Blue, Evidence, and others. The band relocated to Lincoln , Nebraska , where they had a huge following from their touring appearances at the Zoo Bar. Nick had not been touring for the last few years, possibly for health reasons. In addition to scores of Magic Slim & The Teardrops records, and various sessions as a sideman, Nick leaves us with three releases bearing his name:
Magic Slim And Nick Holt/You Can't Lose What Never Had (Wolf Records)
Nick Holt/You Better Watch Yourself (Wolf Records)
Little Boogie Boy Blues Band featuring Nick Holt/We Do It For The Blues
Many blues fans will warmly remember seeing Magic Slim & The Teardrops with the brothers’ towering presence filling up the stage while they knocked out the heaviest of shuffles. Such a loss for the blues. Prayers to Magic Slim in this time of grief. Thanks, Nick, for the great times, and the spectacular music.


A celebration of Nick’s life is planned for Wednesday from 6pm-9pm at The Zoo Bar. Magic Slim and his Lincoln band will perform.