STAR BLUES on 28th August 2010 at 22:00

You’d be forgiven if after ten pm on Sunday you thought Neil had snaffled an extension to STAR ROCK with the opening salvos by Leslie West and Buddy Whittington (both brand new albums). Leslie is back after major surgery and Buddy continues to stretch out now he is solo. Little known fact is that Buddy was John Mayall’s longest serving axe-men and according to John, his best.

Our show in the main however took us into the songsheets written by Jerry Leiber and Jerry Ragavoy. Along the way we heard the originals of “Cry Baby” by Garnett Mimms though a hit for Janis Joplin, and “Time Is On My Side” by jazz trombonist Kai Winding and taken to the top of the charts on two continents by the Rolling Stones. Ruth Brown did “Lucky Lips” and Elvis did “Hound Dog”. Howard Tate and the Coasters came along too. Blues ladies were in evidence elsewhere: Camille Howard did “X-Temporaneous Boogie” for our piano spot and Jessie Mae Hemphill was raw and earthy on her Mississipi Delta blues classic song. Juke Blues has pianist Ernest Lane on the cover of the new issue, one of his earliest recordings for Moderns was on our STAR BLUES playlist. Joe Bonamassa has teamed with Beth Hart for a new project tha has her singing songs by Billie Holliday and Etta James while Joe provides fluid guitar support

Jimmy Reed’s music was described as akin to eating peanuts: “great but you can’t make do with just one”.We are also guilty of not giving him his props in his influence to so much of the British Blues boom in the early 60’s. Top end of the show, Leslie West covered the Beatles' "I Feel Fine", back end Bobby Powell did their "Hard Days Night" - couldn't be more different in approach.

There’s no Dark Side this Bank Holiday so until next Sunday at 10pm (BST), take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you.

I Feel Fine	Leslie West	8	Unusual Suspects	Leslie West	MASCOT
Texas Trios	Buddy Whittington	8	Six String Svengali	Buddy Whittington	HatMan 2028
Love Like I Wanna	Carey Bell	1	Bluesbuster	Carey Bell
Hound Dog	Albert King	6	Best Of	Albert King	STAX
Jailhouse Rock	Elvis Presley	19	King Of Rock'n'roll : Complete 50's Masters	Elvis Presley	RCA
Motel Blues	Mike Zito	6	Greyhound	Mike Zito	Delta Groove
Long As I Can See The Light	Ted Hawkins	10	The Next Hundred Years	Ted Hawkins	GEFFEN
Time Is On My Side	Kai Winding	4	Time Is On My Side: The Jerry Ragovoy Story	Various Artists	ACE
Yakety Yak	Coasters, The	6	Greatest Hits - Plus!	Coasters, The	SEQUEL
Little Girl, Little Girl	Ernest Lane	22	The Modern Downhome Blues Sessions Vol. 1	Various Artists	ACE
Standing In My Doorway Crying	Jessie Mae Hemphill	10	Mali To Memphis	Various Artists	Putumayo World Music
I'm Wonderin' And Wonderin'	Ray Charles	10	Blues Around Midnight	Various Artists	ACE
Lucky Lips	Ruth Brown	4	The Leiber & Stoller Story Volume 2; On The Horizon 1956 - 1965	Various Artists	ACE
What Makes You So Tough	Jimmie Vaughan	7	Plays More Blues, Ballads And Favourites	Jimmie VaughanLou Ann Barton	PROPER
I Cried Last Night	Big Joe Louis & His Blues Kings	7	Big Joe Louis & His Blues Kings // The Stars In The Sky	Big Joe Louis & His Blues Kings	Tramp
I Could Hear My Name Ringin'	John Lee 'Sonny Boy' Williamson	1	Alan Lomax: Blues Songbook	Various Artists	Rounder
Alligator Wine	Screamin' Jay Hawkins	7	The Leiber & Stoller Story Volume 2; On The Horizon 1956 - 1965	Various Artists	ACE
You Can't Love Them All	Solomon Burke	1	The Leiber & Stoller Story: Shake 'Em Up & Let 'Em Roll 1962-1969	Various Artists	ACE
Cry Baby	Garnet Mimms & The Enchanters	7	Time Is On My Side: The Jerry Ragovoy Story	Various Artists	ACE
X-Temporaneous Boogie	Camille Howard	13	It's Spelt Specialty	Various Artists	Specialty
Number Forty Four Blues	Lee Green	11	Roll 'Em Pete : 25 Years Of Piano Blues And Boogie	Various Artists	INDIGO
S K Blues	Saunders King	13	Diggin' Gold - A Galaxy Of West Coast Blues	Various Artists	ACE
Too Close To Heaven	Professor Alex Bradford	17	The History Of Rhythm & Blues, Volume 3 - The Rocknroll Years	Various Artists	Rhythm and Blues Records
You're Looking Good	Howard Tate	13	Time Is On My Side: The Jerry Ragovoy Story	Various Artists	ACE
The Sun Is Shining	Jimmy Reed	25	The History Of Rhythm & Blues, Volume 3 - The Rocknroll Years	Various Artists	Rhythm and Blues Records
Searchin'	Alvin Robinson	22	The Leiber & Stoller Story Volume 2; On The Horizon 1956 - 1965	Various Artists	ACE
Well, Well	Beth Hart, Joe Bonamassa	9	Don't Explain	Beth Hart, Joe Bonamassa	PROVOGUE
A Hard Day's Night	Bobby Powell	2	Into My Own Thing - The Jewel and Whit Recordings 1966-1971	Bobby Powell	Westside Records

STAR BLUES on 21st August 2011 at 22:00

Awards time at LIVING BLUES is a good barometer of our music on the international stage, usually with no great surprises but with plenty of well deserved praise for real craftsmanship. So it was Buddy Guy, James Cotton, Marcia Ball and Mavis Staples took home armfuls of silverware in individual categories alongside album recognition for Eric Bibb, James Hinds and Kenny Neal.

We fully expect the likes of Homemade Jamz Band to be well placed in coming years, they are on the cover of the magazine this month with the Bo-Keys whose pedigree goes back into the history of Memphis and the Hi label. Both showed their gifts for us last night with guesting Percy Wiggins in terrific form for the latter group. The Jamz' drummer has been with them five years and she's only just turned twelve; she is learning that in blues sticksmanship less is more. Samantha Fish is her senior by ten years and her new project is with Dani Wilde and Cassie Taylor. Young Canadian JW Jones is pensive on his album cover with pristine gold covered Gibson across his lap.

Maria Muldaur's voice is full of sinewy character that I fell in love with some while ago, her new album is sure to become a favourite and labelmate Duke Robillard demonstrates his mastery of swinging power on his new album - both in the shops mid-September, we featured both on STAR BLUES. The Relatives come from the gospel well and their early 1970s recordings are only out now on cd, they deserve more attention according the critics poll results - happy to oblige. Was that Robert Ward on guitar on their "Don't Let Me Fall"? Usual address if you can help please.

We almost got through the whole two hours powered only on the exuberance of youth and award winning old guard, neat save on the goal line with some Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Jackie Brenston, Etta James and Johnny Guitar Watson. Hope you'll want more of the same tomfoolery at ten next Sunday night, until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you

Catch Up With The Blues	Johnny Copeland	1	Catch Up With The Blues	Johnny Copeland	VERVE
Born Operator	Jw Jones	1	Midnight Memphis Sun	Jw Jones	not-given
Burned Down The House	Homemade Jamz Blues Band	5	The Game	Homemade Jamz Blues Band	not-given
Hooked On Your Love	Kenny Neal	1	Hooked On Your Love	Kenny Neal	BLIND PIG RECORDS
Cut You Loose	Luther Allison	4	Underground PLUS!	Luther Allison	Ruf
Kansas City	Wilbert Harrison	29	The Fire And Fury Story	Various Artists	CHARLY
Sweet Virginia	ThorNton Creek	1	A Different Door	ThorNton Creek	greensprings
Booker's Guitar	Eric Bibb	1	Booker's Guitar	Eric Bibb	TELARC BLUES
Going Down Main Street	James Cotton	9	Giant	James Cotton	Alligator
Move On	"Samantha Fish et al	10	Girls with Guitars	Samantha Fish, Cassie Taylor & Dani Wilde"	Ruf Recordd
Blues Go Walking	Maria Muldaur	4	Steady Love	Maria Muldaur	STONY PLAIN
Catch This Teardrop	"Bo-Keys (Feat. Percy Wiggins)	4	Got to Get Back!	Boy-Ketys	Not given
Love You From The Top	James Kinds	1	Love You From The Top	James Kinds	DELMARK
That's All Right	Junior Wells & the Aces	5	Live In Boston 1966	Junior Wells & the Aces	DELMARK
Let The Door Knob Hit Ya	Buddy Guy	10	Living Proof	Buddy Guy	SILVERTONE
Don't Let Me Fall	"Relatives	7	Don’t Let Me Fall	Relatives	Heavy Light
Wrote A Song For Everyone	Mavis Staples	10	You Are Not Alone	Mavis Staples	Anti-
Sugar Boogie	Marcia Ball	10	Roadside Attractions	Marcia Ball	Alligator Records
Sonny Payne Special	Charlie Musselwhite	6	The Well	Charlie Musselwhite	Alligator
Train Fare Home	"Duke Robillard Band	2	Low down and Tore up	Duke Robillard Band	STONY PLAIN
In The Basement	Etta James & Sugar Pie Desanto	3	The Sound Of The City - Chicago	Various Artists	Emi Records Ltd
Rocket 88	Jackie Benston And His Delta Cats	12	The Sound Of The City - Memphis	Various Artists	Emi Records Ltd
I'm Ready	Muddy Waters	12	The Sound Of The City - Chicago	Various Artists	Emi Records Ltd
Dimples	John Lee Hooker	18	"The History Of Rhythm & Blues	Volume 3 - The Rocknroll Years"	Various Artists
Looking Back	Johnny 'Guitar' Watson	9	The Sound Of The City - Los Angeles	Various Artists	Emi Records Ltd