With spanking new albums from Robert Cray and Bettye LaVette the music was more than up to the task. Cray's guitar work has regained that youthful bite that set him out as something special when he first came to the UK. Bettye sang for President Obama and has wowed dozens of celebrities since, her last full album won our Album of the Year a couple of years ago - "Thankful and Thoughtful" due 1st October knocks even that into a cocked hat.. She covers songs by Ewan McColl, Bob Dylan and Neil Young and before now those songs simply didn't exist. We chose a Tom Waits song given a treatment which recalled Bessie Smith accompanied by full New Orleans jazz band. She is the foremost female singer in the world now. Don't take my word for it: ask Robert Plant.
We are now Britain's Other Blues Show" - to prove it we played Bobby Blue Bland, Richard Hacksaw Harney and Michael Burks in a row. That was how we closed the first hour with Eddie Bo and Freddie Slack still to come in the piano blues spot. Eddie Bo is heard almost daily in the tv advert for Boots, we went to his core skill on keys for a version of "Hard Times". I first heard "House of Blue Lights" as the opener for George Thorogood way back in history - no comparison to Slacks 1946 original with clattering piano and gorgeous vocal from Ella Mae Morse. Freddie is the subject of a splendid 2 disc collection on Fantastic Voyage who continue to issue interesting and informative projects which add to the history of our music.
Mark Lamarr was an unwitting agent for the trivia and tomfoolery quotient last night: his "Mule Milk and Fire Water" anthology on Westside did the bizz with H-Bomb Ferguson and the ever reliable VeeTone outfit sent us two tasty morsels from their "Wild Streak" projects. The late hour (almost midnight) couldn't deter us from cutting a rug - hope the Mighty Mark Peters doesn't find out.. I blame those pesky ducks.
Lurrie Bell has a new set of gospel flavoured pieces, recorded acoustically with Joe Louis Walker, their cover of Fred McDowell's "I'll get to Heaven on my Own" was a neat choice for our weekly gospel slot. Big Joe Louis covered John Brim's "Ice Cream Man" which I think was fodder to Aerosmith's cannon some while back? The bounteous haul of new stuff also included Zac Harmon and Barbara Carr - a third hour anyone?
You were magnificent last night, I was Gary Blue - TeamGB - back next Sunday live at 10pm - until then take care of yourselves, take care of those that take care of you
| Blue Pill Thrill | Zac Harmon | 2 | Music Is Medicine | Zac Harmon | URBAN EAGLE |
| Talk To Me Baby | Elmore James | 9 | Whose Muddy Shoes | Elmore James // John Brim | CHESS |
| Ice Cream Man | Big Joe Louis & His Blues Kings | 15 | Big Joe Louis & His Blues Kings // The Stars In The Sky | Big Joe Louis & His Blues Kings | Tramp |
| So Close | Otis Rush | 3 | Door To Door | Albert KingOtis Rush | CHESS |
| Grinnin' In Your Face | Brooks Williams | 2 | Baby O! | Brooks Williams | red guitar blue music |
| Merry Go Round Blues | Big Bill Broonzy | 19 | Good Time Tonight | Big Bill Broonzy | COLUMBIA |
| Midnight In The Barrelhouse | Johnny Otis and His Orchestra feat. Pete "Guitar" Lewis | 15 | That's Your Last Boogie! | Johnny Otis | Fantastic Voyage |
| one more | luther allison | 2 | hand me down my moonshine | luther allison | ruf |
| (Won't Be) Comin Home - album | Robert Cray | 2 | (Won't Be) Comin Home | Robert Cray | Nozzle |
| K. C. Bound | Lowell Fulson | 29 | Complete Chess Recordings | Lowell Fulson | MCA/CHESS |
| You Got Me (Where You Want Me) | Bobby 'Blue' Bland | 19 | The 3B Blues Boy. The Blues Years : 1952-1958 | Bobby 'Blue' Bland | ACE |
| Ragtime Blues | Richard 'Hacksaw' Harney | 1 | Sweet Man | Richard 'Hacksaw' Harney | EDSEL |
| Feel Like Going Home | Michael Burks | 12 | Show Of Strength | Michael Burks | Alligator Records & Artist Management, Inc. |
| Jealous Hearted Man | Chris O'leary Band, The | 7 | Waiting For The Phone To Ring | Chris O'leary Band, The | REDEYE Records |
| sweet talkin' snake | barbara carr | 11 | keep the fire burning | barbara carr | catfood |
| Hard Times | Eddie Bo | 8 | Keep It Rollin' - Blues Piano Collection | Various Artists | Rounder |
| house of blue lights | freddie slack | 1-15 | down the road a-piece | freddie slack | fantastic voyage |
| Trucking Them Blues Away | Baby Tate | 11 | The Bluesville Years. Vol 6: Sweet Carolina Blues | Various Artists | PRESTIGE |
| i'll get to heaven on my own | lurrie bell | 2 | devil aint got no music | lurrie bell | n/a |
| Call My Job | Detroit Jr. | 3 | The Way I Feel | Various Artists | FLYRIGHT |
| yesterday is here | bettye lavette | 7 | thankful and thoughtful | bettye lavette | anti |
| pink cadillac | larry dowd | 1-8 | wild streak vol 1 | various artists | veetone |
| wild boy | rocky holman | 1-2 | wild streak vol 2 | various artists | veetone |
| Midnight Ramble Tonight | H-Bomb Ferguson | 21 | Mule Milk And Fire Water | Various Artists | WESTSIDE |
| never make a move too soon | paul garner band | 2 | 3 get ready | paul garner band | n/a |
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