I deliberately put the new track from Bobby Rush in ahead of our Magic Slim segment as both men instinctively know how much the blues means when done live (and done properly). Bobby's new one is the first great album of 2013 and finds him in a number of different moods. He was at the centre of one of the Martin Scorsese Blues films because he still has a large loyal following on what used to be called the Chitlin Circuit. On this evidence Bobby still cuts it and if there's any justice this time next year he'll have awards to go with this one.
Chris Evans has just discovered Robert Cray but we've known that for a long while. Can't believe Young Bob will be 60 in August but he is one of the few blues players who can show the mainstream a thing or two.The songs aren't about young love and are founded in the complex way we all interact once you get to a certain stage in life. With more big names such as B B King, Koko Taylor, Robert Ward and Otis Rush our first half set a high standard for the vinyl hour.
That's the bit when we only play stuff for folks who believe collecting and playing music is a physical pursuit (a theme being explored at some depth by BBC4 at the moment). Big Joe Turner and Little Esther passed before the invention of the compact disc but their voices sound as fresh and vital today as they ever did. From the pre-war era we featured Leroy Carr in our piano spot and Tommy McClennan came along to prove why he was the guitar king. Lil Green enlisted Big Billy Broonzy and Brownie McGhee snuck in alongside his old mate Sonny Terry - adding to our quota of heavyweights from the vinyl era. Barbara Lynn was probably the most recent track, she's an amazing singer and player: this collection of singles she did for Tribe is well worth a listen.
Our main man Magic Slim closed off proceedings all too soon last night: though the occasion was sad, you can't hear him without smiling. We had a couple of his albums on in the car when we took Little Bitty Pretty Blue to fetch her latest pair of additions to the fold (four-legs each, hairy chests, real-cute, one answering to "Teaser" the other to "Fudge"). On 10th March, STAR BLUES will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the world's first blues magazine: Blues Unlimited. There'll be music mentioned in those pages, possibly even some Smokey Hogg. Counting down those days yet? I'm back next Sunday for more, I do hope you'll be there too. Until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you
Track.Title | Track.ArtistSort | Index | Album.Title | Album.ArtistSort | Label |
Get You Next To Me | Arthur AdamsB. B. King | 1 | 25th Anniversary Collection | Various Artists | BLIND PIG RECORDS |
Better Watch Your Step | Koko Taylor | 6 | Old School | Koko Taylor | Alligator |
Boogie in the Dark | Bobby Rush | 6 | Down in Louisiana | Bobby Rush | DEEP Rush |
I'm A Bluesman | Magic Slim & The Teardrops | 1 | Blues Revue Sampler (Oct / Nov 2002) | Various Artists | BLUES REVUE |
mama talk to your daughter | Magic Slim & The Teardrops | 1 | chicago blues session vol 3 | Magic Slim & The Teardrops | wolf |
cummins prison farm | magic slim | 4 | that ain't right | various artists | delmark |
someone else is steppin' in | Magic Slim & The Teardrops | 2 | bad boy | Magic Slim & The Teardrops | BLIND PIG RECORDS |
K-Po-Kee | Robert Ward | 12 | Fear No Evil | Robert Ward | SILVERTONE |
Worry | Robert Cray | 2 | Nothing But Love | Robert Cray | PROVOGUE |
Tore Up | Otis Rush | 1 | Right Place Wrong Time | Otis Rush | EDSEL |
Saturday Night Fish Fry | Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five | 20 | Route 66 | Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five | HOT DOG |
Cupid's Boogie | Little Esther And Mel Walker With Johnny Otis Orch. | 5 | That's Your Last Boogie! | Johnny Otis | Fantastic Voyage |
I Wanna Know | Du Droppers, The | 5 | Boot 'Em Up | Du Droppers, The | ACROBAT |
The Chicken And The Hawk | Big Joe Turner | 15 | Greatest Hits | Big Joe Turner | SEQUEL |
somethings gotta hold on me | soul seekers | 18 | Screamin' Gospel Holy Rollers Vol. 2 | Various Artists | Vee-Tone Records |
Touch & Go | Wynona Carr | 3 | Dj Andy Smith's Jam Up Twist | Andy Smith | BGP |
barrel house woman | leroy carr | 2-1 | let me tell you about new york blues | various artists | fantastic voyage |
Queen Bee | John Lee Hooker | 2 | Original Folk Blues ... Plus | John Lee Hooker | ACE |
Custard Pie Blues | Sonny Terry | 22 | Let Me Tell You About The Blues: New York | Various Artists | Fantastic Voyage |
I'm A Guitar King | Tommy McClennan | 11 | Cross Cut Saw | Tommy McClennan | DOCUMENT |
99 Blues | Lil Green | 18 | Why Don't You Do Right | Lil Green | BLUES COLLECTION |
I'm A Good Woman | Barbara Lynn | 1 | A Good Woman | Barbara Lynn | Kent |
You Can Run But You Can't Hide | Solomon Burke | 8 | This Is It | Solomon Burke | SHOUT! |
wonder why | Magic Slim | 1 | Dave's Mainly Original R'n'b 45S | Various Artists |