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I started a quest to find terrific blues music and incredible musicianship when I was just a little kid. I also have a tremendous appreciation of fine musical instruments and equipment. One of my greatest joys all of my life was sharing my finds with my friends. I'm now publishing my journey. I hope that you come along!


Please email me at Info@Bmansbluesreport.com

Monday, October 29, 2012

FRIENDLY BLUES REMINDER - TONIGHT (MONDAY) - BLUES HARMONICA HEAVEN - starring LYNWOOD SLIM, JUNIOR WATSON and many more!

COME DOWN TO TONIGHT'S
BIG BLUES HARMONICA SHOW

Friendly blues reminder for blues harmonica lovers!  See you TONIGHT - MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012 - for the Blues Harmonica Heaven with a cavalcade of top notch blues greats!  

All details below were sent in a previous e-mail.

Your blues pal forever,
Cadillac Zack


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 BLUES HARMONICA HEAVEN!
  ...IS BACK AGAIN!  STARRING...  
 LYNWOOD SLIM 
 BHARATH RAJAKUMAR 
 JUNIOR WATSON 
 FRED KAPLAN 
 RICK REED 
 RENA BEAVERS 
 AND TONS OF SURPRISE GUESTS! 

 (TONIGHT MONDAY, OCT. 29) 
 7:00 pm - Audience Seating Begins 
 8:00 pm until 9:30 pm - Harmonica Heaven Concert
 9:30 pm til 1 am - Open Blues Jam Rages On 

 NO COVER AT THE DOOR!  THERE IS A TWO DRINK MINIMUM AT THE CLUB.  DONATIONS ARE NEEDED TO KEEP THIS GOING.  WE DO VERY KINDLY AND GENTLY SUGGEST A $15 OR $20 DONATION PER PERSON TO HELP US MAINTAIN SUCH HIGH-QUALITY, FESTIVAL-LEVEL BLUES ARTISTS EVERY WEEK - THANKS AGAIN, BLUES FRIENDS !  

*****************************



   * * BLUES HARMONICA HEAVEN * *  
 THIS UPCOMING MON. OCTOBER 29, 2012 
 THE MAUI SUGAR MILL SALOON 
 $15 OR 20 SUGGESTED DONATION 
 PER PERSON 

*****

We expect a tremendous turnout
THIS MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012
when BLUES HARMONICA HEAVEN hits the stage; featuring a plethora of brilliant and legendary blues artists including Lynwood Slim (west coast harmonica legend), Bharath Rajakumar (brilliant harp master from Canada), Junior Watson (famed blues guitar icon), Fred Kaplan (legendary pianist from The Hollywood Fats Band), Rick Reed (bass player for Paul Butterfield), Rena Beavers (drums from the Little Milton and Coco Montoya Bands) plus many, many more surprises!.  

Check out video from the last Harmonica Heaven concert with Jason Ricci:


Your blues pal,
Cadillac Zack

*****
THIS HARMONICA HEAVEN
CONCERT'S STARS INCLUDE:

  LEGENDARY WEST COAST HARMONICA ACE !
        LYNWOOD SLIM !       



 CANADIAN HARP MASTER FLIES IN JUST FOR THIS
 * BHARATH RAJAKUMAR * 



 FAMOUS WEST COAST GUITAR DIETY RETURNS!  
 **JUNIOR WATSON **


 LEGENDARY PIANIST FROM HOLLYWOOD FATS BAND !
 **FRED KAPLAN ** 


 PAUL BUTTERFIELD'S BASS PLAYER ! 
  ** RICK REED **  

 COCO MONTOYA AND LITTLE MILTON'S DRUMMER!
  ** RENA BEAVERS **  

*****
  PLUS  
SPECIAL SURPRISE GUESTS
ALL NIGHT LONG!

*****

HUGE BLUES JAM AFTERWARD 
 BRING YOUR WHOLE BAND! 

From approximately 9:30 pm til 1:30 am, a huge blues jam with So Cal's finest blues musicians will rage on. If you would like to bring your full band to do a 15-minute showcase we'd love that, but please e-mail us first so that we can schedule you and give you the details.  We have a limited amount of these slots.

*****

 SEATING / DINNER / DRINKS 

Due to the overwhelming popularity on Monday night at The Maui Sugar Mill we recommend coming early to grab a table and chair - say around 7:30 pm.  You may also bring your own food to the Sugar Mill.  

There is a two drink minimum per person.

*****

 SHOW DETAILS 

 ** BLUES HARMONICA HEAVEN ** 
  SHOW TIME: 8 pm to 9:30 pm  
   THIS MONDAY OCT. 29, 2012  

THIS IS A FREE SHOW! 
 But a donations are needed and seriously appreciated.  We kindly and gently suggested $15 or $20 donation, if you can, per person for this event, to help with the costs associated with keeping high-quality blues music alive in Southern California. 

WHERE:
Maui Sugar Mill Saloon
18389 Ventura Blvd.
(one-block east of Reseda Blvd.)
Tarzana, CA 91356

*****

WORLD-CLASS BLUES JAM
BEGINS AFTER THE OPENING SET

This incredible weekly blues jam has become very popular amongst blues lovers.  Every Monday a legendary blues artists drops in to play or just hang out, including: John Mayall, Kim Wilson, Coco Montoya, Arthur Adams, Finis Tasby, Robert "Bilbo" Walker, Barbara Morrison, Phil Upchurch, Deacon Jones, James Harman, Larry Taylor, Al Blake & Fred Kaplan, Roy Gaines, Albert Lee and many others!  If you are a great blues musician PLEASE come jam with us!

 Sign up begins at 7:30 pm.
The jam typically starts at 9:30 pm and rages until 1:00 am.   Please note: Due to the popularity of this weekly event, musicians are only guaranteed to play if they sign up before 9 pm, although, we've never turned anyone away in 4 years.  Wait times vary from 1/2 hour up to 3 hours, depending on how early you sign up.  Last week we had 36 jammers.

Quest Records artist: Dalannah Gail Bowen - Them Menz - New Release review

I just received a copy of the newest release, Them Menz, by Dalannah Gail Bowen. The release opens with a swinging blues track, the title track, Them Menz. A force in the Canadian Canadian music scene this track moves and hot guitar riffs by Harris Van Berkel are hot. Loved By That Woman has a bit of a Latin rhythm fed by Chris Nordquist on drums and Jim Salmon on percussion.Vocal harmonies on this track are particularly interesting. Timin' comes off with a light funk and Bowen uses a natural sense of syncopation to add that special something. Michael Creber plays tight piano lead on this track and Steve Dawson lays down some cool guitar riffs. You're Not There brings it down and smokey with (listen hard) Pink Floyd/Hiwatt like guitar intro. Bowen belts out a ballad and ethereal guitar riffs by Dawson swirl around cool drum rhythms and the best track on the release. Who's Foolin' Who is an uptempo track and a lot more of an airplay hoo. Backing vocals are prominent and Nordquist and Creber trade off the spot light with Dawson who plays some smooth slide riffs. Just For Today, has a early R&B sound which is really quite effective. This driving transitional track has a nice swing to it and David Say adds his sax mastery to the mix. Just Don't Like The Deal is a cool neo soul track. Van Berkel rips off a pretty cool guitar solo on this track and Creber adds some Hammond work that makes the mix all that more tasty. This is an interesting recording for someone looking for a little funk, a little blues, a little R&B and a little soul. It's very enjoyable to listen to and guitar guys like be have a few cool riffs to latch on to.

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! ”LIKE”

Could not find a video from the new CD but this is recent work.

Joe Satriani announces June 2013 UK tour and confirms new studio album

Kennedy Street Enterprises
Presents
Tickets on sale from Friday November 2nd at 9am
National Credit Card Hotline: 0844 888 9991
Book Online: www.ticketline.co.uk

Agency and credit card bookings subject to a fee

Joe Satriani, one of rock music’s most respected and celebrated electric guitar players, will undertake a 10-date UK tour starting Saturday 8th June at the Manchester Apollo. This will be Satriani’s first UK tour since the Black Swans and Wormhole Wizards Tour 2010.
Tickets go on sale from Friday 2nd November and can be booked online from www.ticketline.co.uk or call 0844 888 9991 or the venue direct.
Very special guest is blues guitarist Matt Schofield.
The tour coincides with the news that Satriani will record a new solo album later this year for a worldwide release via Sony in May 2013. 
The enterprising guitarist is also in the planning stages of releasing a career retrospective box set for spring 2013.
                                                    
Earlier this year, Satriani performed a sold out concert with Chickenfoot at the London Brixton Academy in support of the band’s second album III
He also embarked on multiple G3 tours in Australia, Europe and South America, had his music sampled in Nicki Minaj’ hit single Right Thru Me, and made a cameo appearance as himself in Brad Pitt’s Oscar-nominated baseball movie Moneyball.
Joe Satriani has been a worldwide guitar hero since his 1987 breakthrough album, Surfing with the Alien
Over 10-million albums and CD’s later, in addition to 14 Grammy nominations and numerous accolades Satriani continues to push the envelope of modern rock guitar playing.
Although he originally started his career by teaching some of the top rock guitar players of the '80s and '90s like Metallica’s Kirk Hammet and virtuoso Steve Vai, Joe Satriani is universally hailed as one of the most technically accomplished and respected guitar players in rock.
Satriani, who cites Jimi Hendrix as a major influence, quickly established himself as one of rock’s most influential guitarists.
Since the release of Surfing with the Alien in 1987, Satriani has continually been voted the best guitarist in leading guitar magazine readers’ polls. Chosen by Mick Jagger to perform worldwide on Mick’s first solo tour, and by Deep Purple to tour Japan and Europe, Satriani cemented his reputation as a true guitar hero.
After releasing several critically acclaimed solo albums, in 1996, Satriani embarked on the first G3 showcase tour, which became an instant success. G3 have performed sold out tours in North America, Europe, South America, Japan and Australia, and have released three live G3 DVDs.


In 2009 Joe teamed up with Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony of Van Halen plus Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers to form Chickenfoot. The band’s debut album was an international success, receiving gold awards in the US, Canada and Europe, plus recognition from Classic Rock Magazine as The Best New Band of 2009.
Joe released his 11th studio album Black Swans and Wormhole Wizards in October 2010 and followed this with extensive North American and European tours. The following year, Chickenfoot’s second album, III, was released to critical acclaim on 27th September. 
In January 2012, Satriani embarked on a European tour with Chickenfoot.  By April 2012, he released the DVD/Blu-Ray of his much talked about 3D concert film Satchurated: Live In Montreal. During the same year, he embarked on G3 tours of Europe and Australia with Steve Vai and Steve Lukather. 
On 22nd September 2012 Satriani performed at the 50 Years of Marshall tribute concert in honour of the late Jim Marshall, at London’s Wembley Arena which also included Paul Gilbert, Zakk Wylde, Glenn Hughes, Yngwie Malmsteen, Doug Aldrich, Billy Duffy, Nicko McBrain, Corey Taylor, Brian Tichy, Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens, Mike Portnoy, Andy Fraser and Kerry King.

National Credit Card Hotline: 0844 888 9991
Book Online: www.ticketline.co.uk
All concerts start at 7:30pm
MANCHESTER O2 APOLLO
Saturday 8th June

Box Office: 08444 777 677
Tickets: £37.50 / £33.50
www.02apollomanchester.co.uk
Stockport Road, Higher Ardwick
Manchester, M12 6AP
GLASGOW ROYAL CONCERT HALL
Sunday 9th June

Box Office: 0141 353 8000
Tickets: £37.50 / £33.50
www.glasgowconcerthalls.com
2 Sauciehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3NY
NEWCASTLE CITY HALL
Monday 10th June

Box Office: 0191 277 8030
Tickets: £36 / £33
www.newcastlecityhall.org
Northumberland Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 8SF
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL
Tuesday 11th June

Box Office: 0151 709 3789
Tickets: £37.50 / £33.50
www.liverpoolphil.com
36 Hope Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, L1 9BP
BRISTOL COLSTON HALL
Wednesday 12th June

Box Office: 0117 922 3686
Tickets: £37.50 / £33.50
www.colstonhall.org
Colston Street, Bristol, BS1 5AR
WOLVERHAMPTON CIVIC HALL
Thursday 13th June

Box Office: 0870 320 7000
Tickets: £36 / £33
www.wolvescivic.co.uk
North Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 1RQ
SHEFFIELD CITY HALL
Saturday 15th June

Box Office: 01142 789 789
Tickets: £36 / £33
www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk
Barkers Pool, Sheffield, S1 2JA
PORTSMOUTH GUILDHALL
Sunday 16th June

Box Office: 02392 824 355
Tickets: £36 / £33
www.portsmouthguildhall.org.uk
Guildhall Square, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO1 2AB
O2 SHEPHERDS BUSH EMPIRE
Monday 17th June

Box Office: 0844 477 2000
Tickets: £40.00
www.o2shepherdsbushempire.co.uk
Shepherds Bush Green, London, W12 8TT
LONDON INDIGO2
Tuesday 18th June

Box Office: 0844 844 0002
Tickets: £50 (Kings Row) and £37.50
www.theindigo2.co.uk
The O2, Peninsula Square, London, SE10 0AX
JOE SATRIANI - BIOGRAPHY
By Greg Prato / Allmusic.com
Along with teaching some of the top rock guitar players of the '80s and '90s, Joe Satriani is one of the most technically accomplished and widely respected guitarists to emerge in recent times. Born on July 15, 1956, in Westbury, NY, and raised in the nearby town of Carle Place, Satriani — inspired by guitar legend Jimi Hendrix — picked up the guitar at the age of 14 (although he was initially more interested in the drums).
Quickly learning the instrument, Satriani began teaching guitar to others and found a kindred spirit in one of his students, Steve Vai. By the late '70s, however, Satriani had relocated to Berkeley, CA. With his sights set on his own musical career, "Satch" kept teaching others, including such future rock notables as Kirk Hammett Metallica), Larry LaLonde (Primus), David Bryson (Counting Crows), and jazz fusion player Charlie Hunter.
In the early '80s, Satriani got a gig playing guitar with power popster Greg Kihn, doing some session work and touring with the group (an archival release recorded around this time, King Biscuit Flower Hour, was later issued in 1996), and issuing his own solo self-titled EP in 1984, financing and releasing the project entirely on his own. But when Vai hit the big time as the guitarist of David Lee Roth's solo band in 1986, he offered praise for his good friend and former teacher in several major guitar publications, leading to widespread interest in Satriani's playing. The timing couldn't have been more perfect for Satch, as he'd just issued his first full-length solo album, Not of This Earth, which automatically made ripples in the rock guitar community.

The best was still to come, in the form of his sophomore release, 1987's Surfing With The Alien. Almost overnight, Satriani was widely regarded as one of rock's top guitarists, as the album earned gold certification and the guitarist would finish at the top of guitar magazine polls for years afterward. He was even handpicked by Mick Jagger to accompany the famous singer on a tour of Australia and Japan around this time. A stopgap EP, Dreaming #11, combed both studio and live tracks and was issued a year later, and in 1989, Satriani issued his third solo full-length, Flying in a Blue Dream. Another sizeable hit, the album also marked Satch's debut as a vocalist on several tracks. His career received another big push the same year when his song "One Big Rush" was included on the soundtrack to Cameron Crowe's hit movie Say Anything.

The '90s began with Satriani creating his own line of guitars for the Ibanez company (the JS Joe Satriani model), but it wasn't until 1992 that he would issue his next solo release, The Extremist. The double-disc set Time Machine followed a year later (a combination of new tracks, live material, and the long out-of-print Joe Satriani EP from 1984), and in 1994, Satch filled in on tour for the departed Ritchie Blackmore for heavy metal pioneers Deep Purple. Although he was asked to become a full-time member, Satriani turned down the offer to return to his solo career.
Satriani issued two more solo albums during the '90s — 1995's self-titled release and 1998's Crystal Planet — and also started the G3 guitar showcase tour with Vai in 1996, becoming an annual event and issuing a live document of the tour's initial run, G3: Live in Concert, a year later. 2000 saw Satriani issue his most musically daring release yet, the electronic-based Engines of Creation, and a year later, Live in San Francisco. Engines was nominated for a Grammy the next year, and after a successful tour he stepped back into the studio.
The result, Strange Beautiful Music, was released in 2002. Electric Joe Satriani: An Anthology arrived in 2003, followed by Is There Love in Space? in 2004, Super Colossal in 2005, and Satriani Live! in 2006. In addition to his own albums, Satriani has guested on several other artists' albums over the years, including Blue Öyster Cult's Imaginos, Alice Cooper's Hey Stoopid, Stuart Hamm's Radio Free Albemuth, Pat Martino's All Sides Now, and Spinal Tap's Break Like the Wind.

Matt Schofield - Biography
British guitar virtuoso Matt Schofield explodes onto the scene with a guitar style of playing that channels the British soul of Stevie Winwood and Eric Clapton, the blues of Albert Collins and BB King, the musical excursions of Hendrix, and the New Orleans funk of the Meters. He takes these influences to create a uniquely personal sound that makes a direct connection with his audience.
The subject of major coverage in Guitar Player, Premier Guitar, Vintage Guitar and Guitarist magazines at 34 years old, Schofield’s unique sound is built on an amazing blues pedigree. Guitarist magazine cites Schofield as “The UK’s most exciting blues guitar player.”
click for hi res
Along with Peter Green and Eric Clapton, Schofield was voted by Guitar & Bass magazine as one of the “Top 10 British Blues Guitarists of All Time”.  He was also voted 2012 British Blues Awards “Guitarist of the Year”. What’s more, he has headlined some of the world’s most prestigious Blues festivals.

With his 2011 release of the album Anything But Time, produced by 9-time Grammy winner John Porter, Schofield moved boldly forward to a unique fusion of rock, funk and blues that’s original, new and now. The album is powered by his innovative compositions, uplifting vocals and transcendent guitar tone.

JOE SATRIANI ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS
Joe Satriani - Official Website
www.satriani.com
Joe Satriani - Facebook
www.facebook.com/joesatriani
Joe Satriani - Twitter
https://twitter.com/chickenfootjoe
Joe Satriani - YouTube
www.youtube.com/websatch
 

The Pro Jam @ the Joint with Gregg Wright, This Tuesday!


"KING OF THE ROCKIN' BLUES!!!"
The Pro Jam @ The Joint, This Tuesday Night!
Greetings friends, musicians and music lovers! I invite you to come out this Tuesday night November 30th, for the second Pro Jam @ the Joint. Located at the corner of Pico and Robertson in West L.A. Last week's jam debut was fantastic, with a host of great musicians dropping by to play, including top notch Bluesmen Phil Gates and the great Coco Montoya. So come with your "A" game, because the bar's been set pretty high and you never know who might drop in for a play! The Gregg Wright Blues Band with Ron Battle (bass), Stormin' Norman Weatherly (keyboards), Craig Kimbrough (drums) and yours truly on guitar & vocals, will kick off the first set. The Joint has a great atmosphere, great food, reasonably priced bar drinks and a very nice staff to help you have an enjoyable evening of food, fun and music.

The Joint
8771 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90035
Showtime: 9:00 PM
Admission: A donation of $5.00 is suggested
Tel: (310) 275-2619

Gregg Wright King of the Rockin Blues.wmv 

LONG DISTANCE CALL - SIEGEL - SCHWALL - ROLLO RADFORD

The Siegel–Schwall Band is an American electric blues band from Chicago, Illinois.The band was formed in 1964 by Corky Siegel (harmonica and piano) and Jim Schwall (guitar), and still tours occasionally Corky Siegel and Jim Schwall met each other when both were music students at Roosevelt University. Siegel, originally a saxophonist, was interested in blues, while Schwall's background was mostly in country music. They combined these two genres, producing a lighter sounding blues as compared to Butterfield Blues Band or John Mayall. The Siegel–Schwall Band included Shelly Plotkin on drums and Rollo Radford on bass. Radford had previously played with Martha and the Vandellas and Sun Ra. They were the house band at Pepper's Lounge on Chicago's South Side. Every important Chicago blues musician sat in with Corky and Jim at Pepper's, including Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Billy Boy Arnold, Little Walter, Muddy Waters, Magic Sam, Otis Spann, Bo Diddley, Lazy Lester and Sam Lay, just to name a few. The band moved to Big John's in Old Town after the Butterfield Blues Band began touring and left a vacancy. In 1965, Sam Charters signed the band to Vanguard Records. In 1966, the band released their first eponymous album, and began a national tour in 1969. While they weren't as commercially successful as Butterfield or Mayall, the band was still able to perform at large venues such as Fillmore West. Also around that time, the Siegel–Schwall Band became the first blues band to ever perform with a symphony. They performed "Three Pieces for Blues Band and Symphony Orchestra" with the San Francisco Symphony. The piece was written by William Russo and conducted by Seiji Ozawa. After four albums with Vanguard, the band signed with Wooden Nickel, a Chicago label distributed by RCA. Their first release on the label won a Grammy Award for Best Album Cover in 1973. The band broke up in 1974 after releasing the album R.I.P. Siegel/Schwall, and reunited in 1987. Alligator Records signed them and released a live reunion album in 1988. The band continues to tour occasionally, usually during summer because Jim Schwall is now a professor of music. Schwall also ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Madison, Wisconsin. The Siegel–Schwall Band released a second album on Alligator Records in 2005, entitled Flash Forward, which was a top 15 hit on the Billboard Blues Albums chart. In 1975, Siegel formed the Happy Year Band with Sam Lay, Albert Joseph on guitar and Rollo Radford on bass. Siegel later formed the ensemble Chamber Blues with a string quartet, tabla and harmonica/piano. This unusual group features Frank Donaldson, a 20-year veteran drummer with jazz musician Ramsey Lewis. Siegel continues to record, has earned several composing honors and is a regular performer and lecturer in the Chicago Public Schools. In 2007 he wrote a book, Let Your Music Soar: The Emotional Connection. If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! ”LIKE”

Roomful of Blues - Rich Lataille

Roomful of Blues during the Jazztime 2012 Festival in Hildesheim, Germany Chris Vachon - Guitar Rich Lataille - sax Mark Earley - sax Travis Colby - keys Ephraim Lowell - drums Doug Woolverton - trumpet John Turner - bass Phil Pemberton - Vocals Rich joined Roomful in 1970 and was there at the beginning of what has become the most legendary horn section in contemporary blues. It was Rich’s interest in the swinging bands of the ’30s and ’40s that led Roomful to forge the distinctive sound that has become the band’s trademark. A man who can play both sides of the fence, lyrically tender or blisteringly hot, Rich has a big, warm tone that is always jam-packed with feeling. His melodic inventiveness reflects the depth and breadth of his wide-ranging influences. Rich worked with various local and high-school bands before beginning his long-term relationship with Roomful. If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! ”LIKE”

Sunday, October 28, 2012

LIVE THE LIFE - Billy Wright

Billy Wright (May 21, 1932 – October 28, 1991) was an American jump blues singer. Billy Wright was born in Atlanta, Georgia. Throughout his career, he was known as the "Prince of the Blues." He was a key figure in Atlanta blues after World War II and had a major influence on rock and roll pioneer Little Richard, whom he helped get his first recording contract. He recorded his last recordings in 1959. He continued to do shows around Atlanta until he suffered a stroke, and then died of a pulmonary embolism, just before his 1991 Halloween Show at the Royal Peacock in Atlanta. If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!

Elevator Papa, Switchboard Mama - Butterbeans & Susie

Butterbeans and Susie were a comedy duo made up of Jodie Edwards (July 19, 1895 – October 28, 1967) and Susie Edwards, née Susie Hawthorne (1896 – 1963). Edwards began his career in 1910 as a singer and dancer. Meanwhile, Hawthorne performed in African American theater. The two met in 1916 when Hawthorne was in the chorus of the Smart Set show. They married on stage the next year. The two did not perform as a comic team until the early 1920s. They had been touring with the Theater Owners Bookers Association (TOBA) with a black husband-and-wife comedy team known as Stringbeans and Sweetie May. Upon the death of Stringbeans (Butler May or Budd LeMay), a TOBA promoter asked Edwards to take the stage name "Butterbeans" and for him and his wife to take over Stringbeans and Sweetie May's act. "Butterbeans and Susie" appeared for the first time shortly thereafter. Their act, a combination of marital quarrels, comic dances, and racy singing, proved popular on the TOBA tour. They later moved to vaudeville and appeared for a time with the blackface minstrel troupe the Rabbit's Foot Company. Butterbeans and Susie published several recordings of blues songs interspersed with comic banter through Okeh Records. They later starred in a black-produced feature film. Butterbeans and Susie used their fame and influence to help younger black comedians. After seeing Moms Mabley in Dallas, for example, they helped her gain acceptance at better venues. Even after leaving show business, they stayed friends with many black entertainers and put up down-on-their-luck comedians in their Chicago home. Stepin Fetchit stayed with them at some point in the 1950s or 1960s. In 1926 they made a recording with Louis Armstrong's Hot Five, a mildly salacious blues number called, "He Likes It Slow". Butterbeans and Susie's act played up the differences between the two. Susie wore elegant dresses and presented an air of composure and sexiness. Butterbeans, on the other hand, played the fool, with his too-small pants and bowler hat, bow tie, tails, and floppy shoes. He was loudly belligerent: "I'd whip your head every time you breathe; rough treatment is exactly what you need." However, his pugnaciousness was belied by a happy demeanor and an inability to resist Susie's charms. Whereas Stringbeans and Sweetie May stressed song and dance, Butterbeans and Susie emphasized comedy with content that was frowned on by moralists.[3] The typical act featured a duet, a blues song by Susie, a cakewalk dance, and a comedy sketch. Short bouts of bickering peppered the act. The humor often centered on marriage or, more rarely, black life in general. One of their more popular numbers was "A Married Man's a Fool If He Thinks His Wife Don't Love Nobody but Him". The act could also be risqué at times. One of their more popular comic songs was Susie's saucy "I Want a Hot Dog for My Roll", full of racy double entendres: I want a hot dog without bread you see. 'Cause I carry my bread with me. . . . I want it hot, I don't want it cold. I want it so it fit my roll. The song was accompanied by Susie's provocative dancing and Buttberbeans's call-and-response one-liners: "My dog's never cold!" "Here's a dog that's long and lean.""I Want a Hot Dog for My Roll" was one of the few songs that Okeh refused to release. The act usually ended with a song by Susie that showed that the two really were happily married, then Butterbeans's trademark song-and-dance number, "the Heebie Jeebies" or "the Itch". During this dance, Butterbeans thrust his hands in his pockets and began to scratch himself in time with the music. As the tempo increased, he pulled the hands back out and scratched the rest of his body. According to Stearns, this was the moment when the audience "flipped" If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!

White Lightning - The Mighty Mojos

The Mighty Mojos are a musical blast of fresh air! Refreshing and original, they sound like nobody else out there. A blend of rock and blues songs with killer hooks and grooves, catchy riffs, dynamic drums and bass combined with one of the best vocalists you’ll ever hear! It’s a recipe for a great band. That’s why they’re called the MIGHTY MOJOS. The unbelievably powerful voice is supplied by Alan Ward who hails from Limerick. He’s played in metal bands for years but has finally found the style which suits him best. Drums are by Hillsborough native David Kennedy who can hammer those snares and toms into total submission! He’s played in many line-ups for years. Bass is supplied by Belfast man Ali McKenzie who lays down a mean groove that’s tight and melodic. He’s a vastly experienced session player. Guitars are plucked by Ballymena man David McClean Who also writes and records the bands material. He’s got a unique distinctive slide style. The current band has been together for a year rehearsing and honing the songs to get them ready for unleashing to the world. Now its time to listen! If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!

I Heard The Angels Singin' - Big Daddy Wilson

Big Daddy Wilson was born less than 50 years ago in a small town called Edenton, North Carolina. The population of Edenton counts less than 6000, 55% African Americans, 25% below the poverty line. “We were very poor but I had a very beautiful childhood“, Wilson remembers. “Me and my sisters were raised by Mom and Grandma. We lived a simple life, we went to church every Sunday, school on weekdays. I also worked back then on the tobacco plantation and in the cotton fields, I was a real country boy.“ Wilson sang in church but he never thought about going on stage. “I was extremely shy.“ His guardians meant well for the fatherless boy and they often sent him to church also during the week. “That won´t hurt him, keeps little Wilson away from drugs and off the streets.“ Young Wilson quit school at 16, and sometime later joined the US Army. Being a poor black man in the south and living in a small town, jobs were scarce. After being stations in Germany, the young man became homesick. “I found out the quickest way to go back home was to see that you got married. They’ll allow you a vacation time about two weeks to go home to get married. Wilson convinced his officers of his impending wedding and returned Stateside, refusing to return to Germany. After six weeks his mom was so worried that she begged him to go back to the military. “And so I was back in Germany.“ A few years later Wilson met a German girl who became his wife. She is the reason for him staying and also the reason for a poem which became Wilson´s first song. And then Wilson heard the blues for the first time. Back in Edenton he had listened to music only in church and from the local, country radio station. But now he went for the first time to a real blues concert. “I met the blues here in Germany. I didn’t know what the blues was before“ Big Daddy Wilson says. “It was here that I found a part of me that was missing for so long in my life.“ It did not take long and the shy guy who had written some poems started looking for melodies. He went on stage, jammed all over the German blues scene and made an impression with his warm and soulful voice. He began touring with bands and as a duo and even released a few records. “My sister came all the way to see me perform and she couldn’t believe it. No, that’s not my brother. It seems like all my shyness was gone – thanks to my music. “ Champion Jack Dupree, Louisiana Red, Eddie Boyd... many musicians who made Europe their home and brought the blues with them succeeded here better than in the U.S. Even Luther Allison lived in Europe for 14 years before his big break. And now there´s Big Daddy Wilson, an American singer and songwriter who found his home in northern Germany. But something is different regarding Big Daddy Wilson. When he came over from the U.S. there was no blues in his baggage. He initially discovered the blues here in Germany which is where he will begin his international career. With his international solo debut on RUF Records Big Daddy Wilson is going to take one step further in his late career as a musician. For “Love Is The Key“ he recorded his own songs exclusively with a small band; taking it back to the roots, often reduced to acoustic instruments, but always full of soul. You can listen to his very first song here,“ Anna“ the song about his wife. Gospel is the foundation for “Keep Your Faith In Jah“, but this doesn’t keep the songwriter Wilson from praising the talents of a gypsy queen from New Orleans, “Jazzy Rose“. In “Hard Days Work“, Big Daddy uses monotone drones for hypnotic effects on the listener, while breezy off beats Jamaica-style let “Dreaming“ to swing along. Autobiographic aspects can be found elsewhere: “Ain´t No Slave“reminds us of the African-American history and at the same time makes us aware of Wilson’s grown confidence. His good friend Eric Bibb guests on two songs about Wilson’s roots ,”Country Boy” , “Walk A Mile In My Shoes”. He’s very proud of Bibb´s presence because “I’ve learnt so much from him,” says Wilson. The fruits of this learning can be tasted on Big Daddy’s imminent European Tour. Does he dare to imagine that he could take this music all the way back to his roots in North Carolina? “That’s a dream, but one that makes me nervous“ the Father of three laughs; it’s clear that his homesickness is gone – along with his shyness. If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!

Faded - Ben Harper

Ben Harper (born October 28, 1969) is an American grammy-winning singer and songwriter. A native of California, he grew up listening to blues, folk, soul, rnb, and reggae. Harper’s blend of groove-laden funky soul and folky handcrafted acoustics helped him to gain cult status during the course of the 1990s and widespread attention toward the end of the decade. Harper combines elements of classic folk singers, blues revivalists and jam bands and is embraced by critics and college kids alike. Harper’s body of work sells consistently and he tours constantly, building a solid, dedicated fan base. Harper began playing guitar as a child in his hometown of Claremont, California (in California’s Inland Empire). He eventually specialized in the acoustic slide guitar (Weissenborn guitars). As a young man, he recorded an LP (Pleasure and Pain) with fellow folk guitarist Tom Freund. After this limited edition record, Harper got a record deal with Virgin Records, who released his debut album, Welcome To The Cruel World (1994). This was followed by the incendiary Fight For Your Mind (1995) which became a college radio favorite and generated an abundance of songs which still fill his set list to this day. In 1999 at the Santa Barbara Bowl, Harper met Jack Johnson, who was unknown at the time and had not recorded. Harper obtained a demo tape of 12 of Johnson’s songs that he forwarded to his producer, J.P. Plunier, with whom Johnson recorded his first album If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - - -

The Graham Bond Organization

This is a bit campy but an entertaining way to pay homage to Graham on his birthday. Graham John Clifton Bond (28 October 1937 – 8 May 1974) was an English musician, considered a founding father of the English rhythm and blues boom of the 1960s. Bond was an innovator, described as "an important, under-appreciated figure of early British R&B", along with Cyril Davies and Alexis Korner. Jack Bruce, John McLaughlin and Ginger Baker first achieved prominence in his group, the Graham Bond Organisation. Bond was voted Britain's New Jazz Star in 1961. He was an early user of the Hammond organ/Leslie speaker combination in British rhythm and blues[4] - he "split" the Hammond for portability - and was the first British artist to record using a mellotron, on his "The Sound of '65" and "There's A Bond Between Us" LPs. As such he was a major influence upon later rock keyboardists: Deep Purple's Jon Lord said "He taught me, hands on, most of what I know about the Hammond organ" Bond was born in Romford, Essex. Adopted from a Dr. Barnardo's home, he was educated at the Royal Liberty School in Gidea Park, East London, where he learned music. His first jazz gig was in 1960 with the Goudie Charles Quintet, staying for a year. He first gained national attention as a jazz saxophonist as a member of the Don Rendell Quintet, then briefly joined Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated before forming the Graham Bond Quartet with musicians he met in the Korner group, Ginger Baker on drums and Jack Bruce on double bass, together with John McLaughlin on guitar; and adopting the Hammond organ as his main instrument. The group then became the Graham Bond Organization (GBO), while John McLaughlin was later replaced by Dick Heckstall-Smith on saxophones. Lack of commercial success, plus internal struggles, brought an end to the group in 1967 as Bond's mental and physical health deteriorated. Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker had already left, to form Cream with Eric Clapton. Baker's replacement, Jon Hiseman, and Dick Heckstall-Smith went on to form Colosseum. After the break-up of the Organization, Bond continued to exhibit mental disorders, with manic episodes and periods of intense depression, exacerbated by heavy drug use. Moving to America, he recorded two albums and performed session work for Harvey Mandel and Dr. John among others, but he returned to England in 1969.[4] He then formed Graham Bond Initiation with his new wife Diane Stewart, who shared his interest in magick, and in 1970 Holy Magick, which recorded a self-titled album and We Put Our Magick On You. He was also re-united with old band members while playing saxophone in Ginger Baker's Air Force and spending a short time in the Jack Bruce Band. Solid Bond, a double-album compiling live tracks recorded in 1963 by the Graham Bond Quartet (Bond, McLaughlin, Bruce and Baker) and a studio session from 1966 by the Graham Bond Organisation (Bond, Heckstall-Smith and Hiseman) was released that same year. In 1972 he teamed up with Pete Brown to record Two Heads are Better Than One. He also recorded an album with the John Dummer Band in 1973, although this was not released until 2008. After the near-simultaneous collapse of his band and his marriage, Bond then formed Magus with British folk-singer Carolanne Pegg and American bassist Marc Mazz, which disbanded around Christmas 1973 without recording. During that same period, he discovered American singer-songwriter-guitarist Mick Lee, and they played together live but never recorded. Plans to include Chris Wood of Traffic never materialized due to Bond's death. Bond's financial affairs were in chaos, and the years of lack of commercial success and the recent demise of Magus had badly hurt his pride.[citation needed] Throughout his career he had been hampered with severe bouts of drug addiction, and spent January 1973 in hospital after a nervous breakdown.[citation needed] On May 8, 1974, Bond died under the wheels of a train at Finsbury Park station, London, at the age of 36. Most sources list the death as a suicide. Friends agree that he was off drugs, although becoming increasingly obsessed with the occult (he believed he was Aleister Crowley's son). If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - - -

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Johnny Laws

Johnny Laws (vocal & guitar), Willie Black (bass), Huckleberry Hound (drums) While a fixture of Chicago's South Side blues community since the mid-1960s, singer/guitarist Johnny Laws long remained unknown outside of his native Windy City, and did not make his debut recordings for another three decades. Born July 12, 1943, he garnered considerable local attention as a result of his aching falsetto voice, in addition to a vast and eclectic repertoire of songs; still, Laws remained little more than a cult favorite until the release of his 1995 Wolf label debut My Little Girl finally made his music available to a wider audience. Blues Burnin' in My Soul followed in 1999. If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - - -

Early In The Morning - Eddie Martin Band

Born in London in the 60’s, Eddie Martin wrote his first songs aged 12 and, influenced by acoustic and rock singer-songwriters from both sides of the Atlantic, turned professional after being nominated for Best British Blues Guitarist, Band and Album between 1996 and 1998. Since then he has built a strong following as an acoustic artist and charismatic band leader, he has also recorded and performed with many greats from both sides of the Atlantic, including John Mayall, Peter Green, Buddy Guy, and Taj Mahal. His prolific recording and touring schedule takes him from his native UK all round the world to major events - first touring the USA to some acclaim in 1999. Recent years have for example, seen his big band headline the Colne International Rhythm and Blues Festival in the UK, his trio perform at the prestigious Cahors Blues Festival in France, and attend the World Harmonica Festival in Germany where he performed solo, held a harmonica masterclass and judged the world blues harmonica competition He continues to record numerous live and studio sessions for national radio programs (BBC Radio 2 in the UK). His songs have found their way to the finals of the International Songwriting Competition and to the song stable of Alligator Records. And his live performances have always attracted accolades. “The stuff of legend” said Guitarist Magazine this year,”a live act not to be missed” said Blues Revue USA. He will continue touring through 2007-8 with his powerful roots-rock trio and as a solo acoustic singer-songwriter/one-man-band to promote his 2 current releases on Blueblood Records, “Contrary Mary” and “Flowers to the Desert His acoustic style has developed into a percussive blend of traditional blues slide and fingerpicking styles with flamenco rasguerdo techniques. These he combines with rack harmonica playing and foot percussion in the style of the one-man-blues bands such as Duster Bennet, Joe Hill Louis and Dr Ross. On the electric, his forbears are clearly more robust and forceful: Freddy King, Albert King and Buddy Guy as, for example, “the Times” has noted. His guitar-playing alone has seen his cd work commended by the Guitar Press around Europe, receiving”excellent” tags from “Guitar” “Guitarist” in the UK and “Guitar and Bass” in Germany. Most strikingly innovative is the simultaneous rack harmonica and guitar style that he has developed and which caused the International Harmonica Federation to single him out as one of the innovators on the instrument at the World Harmonica Festival in Germany. A master songwriter, acoustic and electric guitarist, harmonica player and powerful singer, Eddie Martin has been described as “the most remarkable blues man of his generation” by Blues in Britain. If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - - -

Blind Girl Blues - Henry James Townsend

Henry 'Mule' Townsend (October 27, 1909 – September 24, 2006) was an American blues singer, guitarist and pianist. Townsend was born in Shelby, Mississippi and grew up in Cairo, Illinois. He left home at the age of nine because of an abusive father and hoboed his way to St. Louis, Missouri. He learned guitar while in his early teens from a locally renowned blues guitarist known as "Dudlow Joe". By the late 1920s he had begun touring and recording with pianist Walter Davis, and had acquired the nickname "Mule" because he was sturdy in both physique and character. In St. Louis, he worked with some of the early blues pioneers, including J.D. Short. Townsend was one of the only artists known to have recorded in nine consecutive decades (starting in the 1920s). He has recorded on several different labels including Columbia and Folkways Records. He first recorded in 1929 and remained active up to 2006. By the mid 1990s, Townsend and his one-time collaborator Yank Rachell were the only active blues artists whose performing lives stretched back to the 1920s. Articulate and self-aware with an excellent memory, Townsend gave many invaluable interviews to Blues enthusiasts and scholars. Paul Oliver recorded him in 1960 and quoted him extensively in his 1967 work Conversations with the Blues. Thirty years later, Bill Greensmith edited thirty hours of taped interviews with Henry to produce a full autobiography, giving a vivid history of the Blues scene in St Louis and East St Louis in its prime. In 1985 he received the National Heritage Fellowship in recognition of being a master artist. In 1995 he was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame. Townsend died, at the age of 96, on September 24, 2006, at St. Mary's Ozaukee Hospital, Mequon, Wisconsin, just hours after having been the first person to be presented with a 'key' in Grafton's Paramount Plaza Walk of Fame. While [Henry Townsend] did not scorn his old recordings, he had no taste for spending his later years simply recreating them. Blues, for him, was a living medium, and he continued to express himself in it, most remarkably in his songwriting. -Tony Russell, The Guardian On December 4, 2009, Henry Townsend was added to the Mississippi Blues Trail. On February 10, 2008, The Late Henry Townsend received his first Grammy Award at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards in the Best Traditional Blues Album category for his performances on Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen: Live In Dallas released by The Blue Shoe Project, The Grammy Award was accepted by his young son, Alonzo Townsend. If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!

Guitar Man - Sherman Robertson

Sherman Robertson (born October 27, 1948, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, United States) is an American blues guitarist, songwriter and singer, who has been described as "one part zydeco, one part swamp blues, one part electric blues and one part classic rhythm and blues." Robertson was born in Louisiana and raised in Houston, Texas. At the age of 13, he watched a performance on television by Hank Williams. Duly inspired and equipped with a cheap guitar purchased by his father, he started playing the songs previously performed by Freddie King and Floyd London. As he lived close to the Duke/Peacock recording studio, Robertson took the opportunity to acquaint himself with some of the musicians who recorded there. At the same time, in his late teens, Robertson played in a band in various bars of his Fifth Ward, Houston neighborhood. In 1982, Clifton Chenier heard Robertson's band playing at the Crosstown Blues Festival. Robertson moved back to Louisiana, learned to play slide guitar, and toured for several years in the 1980s with Chenier. Robertson contributed to his Live At The (1982) and San Francisco Blues Festival (1985) albums. After Chenier's death, Robertson played with Rockin' Dopsie, appearing on his Crowned Prince Of Zydeco album (1986), and Terrance Simien & the Mallet Playboys, before going solo. In addition, Robertson's guitar work appeared on Paul Simon's Graceland album, and he was on the bill at the 1994 Notodden Blues Festival. Robertson's I'm the Man (1994) was the first release on the Code Blue label. It was nominated for a W.C. Handy Award. Robertson's follow-up, Here & Now (1995), included his cover of the Tracy Nelson song "Here & Now". However the record label folded and Robertson re-appeared in 1998 on the independent label, Audioquest, with his next offering, Going Back Home. In November 2005 he released Guitar Man - Live with his new backing band, BluesMove. In 2008, Robertson & BluesMove played at the Harvest Time Blues festival in Monaghan, Ireland. In 2011, Roberston and BluesMove appeared at the Rhythm Festival in Bedfordshire, England. In 2012, a proposed concert in Gaildorf, Germany, was cancelled after Robertson suffered a stroke If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!

Stagger lee - WILBERT HARRISON

Wilbert Charles Harrison (January 5, 1929 – October 26, 1994) was an American rhythm and blues singer, pianist, guitarist and harmonica player. Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, Harrison had a Billboard #1 record in 1959 with the song "Kansas City". The song was written in 1952 and was one of the first credited collaborations by the team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Harrison recorded "Kansas City" for the Harlem based entrepreneur Bobby Robinson. Harrison recorded for the Fire and Fury record labels, which were owned and operated by Robinson. After this success, Harrison continued to perform and record but it would be another ten years before he recorded "Let's Stick Together" that went to # 32 on the Billboard Hot 100, and a re-worked version titled "Let's Work Together" was later a hit for Canned Heat and Bryan Ferry. It was also recorded by country rock band The Kentucky Headhunters for the soundtrack to the movie, Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man. In 1970, Harrison had some success with "My Heart Is Yours", and he toured for many years with a band known as 'Wilbert Harrison and The Roamers', as well as a solo act. Harrison died of a stroke in 1994, in a Spencer, North Carolina nursing home at the age of 65. In 2001, his recording of "Kansas City" was given a Grammy Hall of Fame Award, and has also been named as one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. He was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2009. If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!