Indie. record labels and studios are encouraged to join CIRPA (Canada) and the new U.S. organization, Association of American Independent Music…have you heard the incredible John Lee Hooker compilation “Complete John Lee Hooker Vol. 1: Detroit 1948-49” (Body & Soul)?
What makes this collection so special is that the 46 tracks are truly the complete session, laid-out in chronological order with two knock-out alternate versions of “Boogie Chillen”. A second set, “Vol 2: 1949” features Eddie Burns on harp (5 wonderful tracks) and contains classic Hooker numbers like “I’m Gonna Kill That Woman”. Neil Slaven, the Dean of British Blues Historians, has written the liner notes and apparently, there are a total of 6 volumes in this series (each CD contains 2 discs). You can acquire these and thousands of other Blues, Gospel, Soul CDs, DVDs, Books etc from Roots & Rhythm (www.rootsandrhythm.com)…Albert Washington, probably the Greatest ‘unknown’ talent in Blues history, recorded a classic LP “Sad & Lonely” in 1973 and it’s finally been released on CD and it too is available at Roots & Rhythm. If you’ve never heard Albert Washington’s “My Mother’s Prayer” you are missing out on a unique experience. Sadly, Washington died 3 years ago but he left behind approximately 50-60 recordings, many with Lonnie Mack on guitar…Fred James ( Bluesland Productions/R.O.A.D. Records http://www.blueslandproductions.com/roadrecords/index.html) has acquired the John Richbourg RICH label masters. He’ll be putting out unreleased stuff by Bobby Hebb (recorded in New Orleans), Jimmy Church and Rodge Martin. Fred says “There’s lots of really cool stuff in there…RICH didn’t put out much stuff on 45 rpm but the unreleased stuff is phenomenal”…does anyone know what happened to California Blues Harp Ace Red Archibald? Let us know hear at REAL BLUES… Also, the talented-but-troubled Guitar Curtis (Sacramento/Fresno CA) hasn’t been heard from in some time. Curtis was a Top Club Performer in Black Blues Clubs during the 1960s/70s and re-emerged in the late 1990’s before slipping into obscurity…given Tom Jones’ remarkable performance on Martin Scorsese’s “The Blues” TV series documentary, I for one hope that Jones, a lifelong Blues fan, will do a Blues album with an All-Star Blues cast. It’s just the type of kickstart/infusion Blues needs every so often…Keb ‘Mo’, the contemporary Blues artist, used to be in Papa John Creach’s band, Zulu, back in the late 1970s. So, Keb (Kevin Moore) does actually have some history behind him…did you know that ordinary citizens in New Orleans were without telephones/cell phones and internet for up to 7 months following Hurricane Katrina? Several Parishes accused FEMA of cutting communications lines and Internet and had to post armed Sheriffs at communication centres to keep FEMA employees from sabotaging them…Where is Robert Lowery, the great Country Bluesman? Last we heard he’d put out an excellent CD on Wolf “Goin’ Away Blues” with Virgil Thrasher on harp…Johnny Otis is very ill and bedridden and given Johnny’s deep concern for Humanity we know that the erosion of America has probably weighed heavily on Johnny, who is a Big Civil Rights advocate/activist… for all you vintage Piano Blues/Boogie Woogie fans, Document Records recently released the to-die-for “Monkey Joe: Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1/1935-1939 (Document)…California slide-master Ron Hacker is featured on the new Tom Waits’ album “Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards” (ANTI), a limited edition three CD set by Tom Waits, released by the ANTI- label on November 17, 2006 in Europe and on November 21, 2006 in the U.S. and Hacker also released an outstanding biography last year entitled “White Trash Bluesman”. Also, Ron released a powerful Anti-Big Brother tune titled “Watch What You Say” and it can be heard on sf.blues.net/watchwhatyousay…the Zydeco Festival in Deerfield Beach, Florida was one of the Best North American Music Festivals. Let’s hope they can continue their ultimate Zydeco/Cajun Party…in case you missed it, the extra-ordinary Country Blues release “Dan Pickett: 1949 Country Blues” on the Collectables label ranks as one of the finest vintage Acoustic Blues collections on the market today. Pickett was definitely a major Blues talent but being stuck on NYC labels ensured a lack of recognition. Some Country Blues buffs rank Pickett with Robert Johnson in terms of talent…George Paulus of St. George Records recorded/released one of the finest, wildest rockin’ Blues albums in eons with “Warren Storm & The Blues Rockers: Dust My Blues” featuring Studebaker John. Warren is one of the last Louisiana Swamp Bluesmen and he’s still in excellent shape…Two long-postponed projects will be coming to fruition in the Fall of 2007; a King Biscuit Boy compilation CD using unreleased tracks from 2 (and possibly 3…) KBB albums plus tunes from unreleased sessions. I can assure you that all the tracks so far assembled are killer numbers with Richard’s greatest vocal and harmonica performances among these gems. Also, we hope to have completed the manuscript for Richard’s biography by Nov 2007. It’s amazing just how revered Richard Newell a.k.a. King Biscuit Boy is in the U.S. and Europe and while many artists in recent years have laid claim to being Canada’s Top Blues Performer, the veteran Blues Stars from London, England to Chicago, Illinois seem to be aware only of King Biscuit Boy. One tidbit from the upcoming KBB biography is that ex-Beatle Paul McCartney invited Richard to play at his 40th Birthday Bash on the Queen Mary. While Professor Longhair and The Meters showed for the Giant Party, Richard did not, dismissing Paul and The Beatles as “…the ones who destroyed American Radio!” Needless to say, managing Richard became a task for the fearless! But, we should all remember The Music that King Biscuit Boy/Richard Newell left us and it truly was revolutionary in its’ day. No artist before or since has turned more Canadians on to The Blues and while Music Industry Politics still interfere with Richard Newell’s Induction into various Canadian ‘Halls Of Fame’ (shame on you folks!) KBB fans know the difference between ‘shit-and-shinola’ and KBB was pure Shinola! If any of our readers have King Biscuit Boy memories or stories they’d like to share with us (for possible inclusion in the book) please email us at realblues@realbluesmagazine.com. (By the way, listening to King Biscuit Boy’s “Urban Re: Newell” album on Stony Plain/Blue Wave for the 1,000th time I have to rank “That’s No Lie” as the Greatest Canadian Blues tune ever released with his “New Orleans” a close second…sad to hear of Homesick James Williamson’s death but the lack of media coverage really bothered us. After all, he was a Chicago Blues Legend with over 50 years of recording history. He was also Elmore James’ cousin and Homesick played second guitar on some of Elmore’s greatest records…Nice to see Living Blues #186 doing ‘The Right Thing’ with features on neglected Black Blues/R&B Divas Bettye Lavette, Candi Staton and Sugar Pie DeSanto, all who deserve to be Festival Headliners. There are dozens more tremendous Female Vocalists out there; Trudy Lynn, Linda Hornbuckle, Francine Reed, Zora Young, Sista Monica and Ann Nesby, to name but-a-few, yet it seems that North American Festivals hire the same 3 or 4 considerably less-talented Female Vocalists over and over again. Also in L.B. #186 is a great story on ‘Barrelhouse Chuck’ Goering’s Chicago Piano Crusade. It’s guys like Barrelhouse Chuck, who do things for the benefit of others (as opposed to their own benefit) who deserve our respect and support (and Awards!). Chuck decided, after arriving in Chicago in the 1970s, to find every living Blues Pianist and try and do something for them and their careers. Chuck’s insights into the World of Chicago Blues Pianists are revealing, educating and in many cases, touching, as he comes to terms with an art form that is dying-out. Be sure to read it…For those of you familiar with Jackie Wilson’s relationship with the Mafia (New Jersey mobster Corky Vastola was accused by some of Jackie’s family of giving Jackie a “cocaine overdose or poison” after reportedly taking out an insurance policy on Jackie) – it was far from an isolated incident in the 1960s/70s thanks to La Cosa Nostra’s ownership of hundreds of the poshest clubs in the U.S. For illuminating reading we suggest you read the biography on Jackie, “Lonely Teardrops” and do Internet searches on Corky Vastola and/or Morris Levy of Roulette Records. Their Power was extraordinary and Blues/Soul fans need to know of all the obstacles a talented Black Artist was faced with…The demise of Tower Records is a Mega-Disaster for Independent record labels, publications (Like REAL BLUES), musicians and music fans everywhere. Less and less music (a.k.a. information) available to the Public is not a good thing. When you study music as ‘Media Medium’ you start to see that just as Monopolization of News Media (via corporate ownership) meant fewer Independent Viewpoints; the Public will be hearing less-and-less artist’s music. Also, given the recent Editorials in Goldmine and Discoveries lamenting the Death of dozens of long-time Music-playing Radio Stations (Clear Channel, which owns hundreds of Canadian/U.S. Radio Stations has been turning them into Talk Radio-only stations. Needless to say, 99% of Talk Radio Shows are Pro-War and Pro-Bush), we see that Big Brother Politicians and their supporters obviously know all about The Power Of Music. The recent Discovery Channel documentary “Get Up, Stand Up” focused on the Power of Music in curtailing the Vietnam War and, as guest Tim Robbins succinctly stated; “The Powers That Be aren’t going to make the same mistake twice…” i.e. Growth of a Music Protest Movement. Funny how History always seems to repeat itself. REAL BLUES for one, will attempt to chronicle the growing Protest Movement Through Music and we already have several Blues artists penning TRUTH tunes to counter the ugly Politics of the Bush Era. (If you haven’t heard Ernie Payne’s “Curse Of Hamm” yet – Get With It! It’s a masterpiece on par with “Imagine”)…Joe Tex was not chosen from the list of Nominees for entrance to the Rock Hall of Fame in March. We here at REAL BLUES pray they’ll do The Right Thing at the Rock Hall of Fame in 2008…Billy Jones certainly has got what it takes to be the next King of The Blues. The Arkansas native is a young 53 and totally his own man with a show-stopping style. His CD on Black & Tan “Tha Bluez” is one of the Best Modern Blues discs of the last decade…Hey, you want Blues Guitar Heaven? How ‘bout “The !!!!Beat” DVD Series (on Bear Family) with the 1966 TV show’s bandleader Gatemouth Brown (playing a 1954 or ’55 Rickenbacker!) ripping through several scorching instrumentals in tandem with the stage band’s ‘other’ picker Johnny Jones??!! Jones of course is the guitarist who taught Jimi Hendrix how to play Blues guitar in the early 1960s when Jimi, then in the military, would come to watch Johnny play at The New Era club in Nashville. Gate and Johnny rip thru a half dozen magical guitar masterpieces and certainly intimidate many of the TV shows guests (except for Freddy King!) If you haven’t got these DVDs yet, you are lacking the greatest collection of Live Blues/Soul in existence…Betty Harris, the great southern Soul Queen of the 1960s/70s has made a comeback and is trying to get her new album handled by a label…New Orleans Bluesman Mem Shannon (a favorite of ours) is now ‘High-Profile’ thanks to his hit CD “I’m From Punkville” on Northern Blues Records (Toronto). Mem just gets better and better. Here’s a guy that spent his first 50 years away from music, so he’s living proof that ‘it’s-never too-late’ to do what you love and follow a dream…if you haven’t heard already, Koch Records hit the jackpot when they purchased the Charlie Parker Records catalogue, a superb little label run by Black Music lover Aubrey Mayhew…If you want to see a classy Blues Website, go to : http://www.bluenight.com/BluesBytes/…Jay Gordon has a new band; The Penetrators and they’ll be putting out a new CD in April, “Gold Rings, Silver Bullets” with 8 tracks from the award-winning “Six String Outlaw” CD plus 8 newly recorded tunes. Jay said, “This is easily the Greatest album I’ve ever done…and now everyone will also get a chance to hear how fine ‘6 String’ was too…
